In epistulam ad Colossenses homiliae 1-12

nowhere out of necessity, but everywhere among superfluous things. I fear that, as this madness progresses, the female sex may take on the form of monsters; for it is likely that they will also desire to have golden hair. Either admit that you felt nothing at what was said and stood up and fell into desire, and that, if shame had not restrained you, you would not have refused. For if you dare to do even more absurd things than these, much more, I think, you desire to have these golden hairs, and to smear your lips, your eyebrows, and everything, melting down gold in this way. But if you disbelieve and think I am speaking in jest, I will relate what I heard—or rather, what still exists now. The king of the Persians has a golden beard, with those skilled in such matters winding the gold leaf around his hairs, just as with a thread; and he is set up like a monster. Glory to you, Christ, with how many good things you have filled us, how you have made us healthy; from how much monstrosity, how much irrationality you have freed us! Behold, I declare beforehand: I no longer exhort, but I command and enjoin. Let whoever wishes hear, and let whoever does not wish disobey. For if you persist in doing these things, I will not tolerate you, nor receive you, nor allow you to cross these thresholds. For what need have I of a crowd of the sick? What then, if I, training you, do not prevent what is not necessary? Yet Paul forbade both gold and pearls. We are laughed at by the Greeks; our affairs seem a myth. And I exhort men in these matters: do you come to a school, being educated in spiritual philosophy? Remove that pride. This I exhort both to men and to women.

If someone acts otherwise, I no longer tolerate it. There were twelve disciples, and listen to what Christ says to them: "Do you also wish to go away?" For if we flatter continually, when shall we regain them? When shall we benefit them? But, it is said, there are other heresies, and they change allegiance. This argument is weak: "Better one who does the will of the Lord than ten thousand lawless men." For what do you yourself want, tell me? To have ten thousand runaway and thieving servants, or one faithful one? Behold, I advise and enjoin both the adornment of the face and the breaking of such vessels, and giving to the poor, and not being so mad. Let whoever wishes depart, let whoever wishes accuse; I tolerate no one. When I am about to be judged before the tribunal of Christ, you stand far off, and your favor is worth nothing, while I render the accounts. All these words have corrupted him: "Let him go," it is said, "and transfer to another heresy; he is weak, condescend." How long? Until when? Once, twice, three times, but not forever.

Behold, I again give charge and testify, according to the blessed Paul, that if I come again, I will not spare. But when you have corrected yourselves, then you will know how great the gain, how great the benefit. Yes, I exhort and entreat, and I would not shrink from clasping your knees and making a supplication on behalf of this. What is this folly? What is this self-indulgence? What is this insolence? This is not self-indulgence, but insolence. What is this senselessness? What is this madness? So many poor stand around the church, and the church, having so many children who are so wealthy, is able to assist none of the poor. But one hungers, while another is drunk; one even defecates on silver, while another does not even partake of bread. What is this madness? What is this bestiality so great? May it not happen that we come to the experience of proceeding against the disobedient, nor to the indignation of permitting these things, but that willingly and patiently we cover all these things, so that we may live for the glory of God, and be delivered from the punishment there, and attain the promised goods for those who love him, by grace and philanthropy.

HOMILY 8. Mortify your members that are upon the earth: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry, on account of which the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience, among whom you also once walked, when you lived in them. α. I know that many were displeased in the previous discourse. But what can I do? You heard what the Master commanded. Am I the cause, then? What shall I do? Do you not see how those who demand payment, when the debtors are ungrateful, place collars on them? You heard what Paul cried out today: "Mortify," he says, "your members that are upon the earth: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry." What is worse than such covetousness? This is more grievous than what I was saying—the madness and stupidity concerning silver. "And covetousness," he says, "which is idolatry." Do you see where the evil ends? Do not be vexed, then. For I do not willingly nor simply wish to have enemies, but I desired that you should come to such a point of virtue that I might hear from you what is fitting. So it is not a matter of authority or rank, but of pain and distress. Forgive me, forgive me. I do not wish to be unseemly when discoursing about such things, but I am compelled. I say these things not on account of the pain of the poor, but on account of your salvation. For they will perish, they will perish—those who have not fed Christ. For what if you do feed a poor person? But as long as you live so luxuriously and so delicately, all is in vain. For it is not the giving of much that is sought, but that it not be less than one's own substance; for this is the act of one who is playing.

Therefore, mortify your members upon the earth, he says. What are you saying? Did you not yourself say, "You were buried"? "You were buried together"? "You were circumcised"? "We have stripped off the body of the sins of the flesh"? How then do you again say, "Mortify"? Do not jest; do you speak as if they are still in us? There is no contradiction; but just as if someone, having wiped clean a tarnished statue—or rather, having recast it and shown it bright anew—should say that the rust has been consumed and destroyed, yet again exhorts to be diligent in removing rust, he does not contradict himself; for he does not refer to the rust he wiped away, but to the rust that arises afterward. So he does not speak of the former mortification, nor of those fornications, but of those that arise later. But behold, the heretics say, Paul slanders creation; for he said earlier, "Think of things above, not things on earth"; again he says, "Mortify your members that are upon the earth." But here "upon the earth" is indicative of sin, not a slander of creation. For he calls these things "upon the earth" the sins themselves, either because they are wrought from an earthly reasoning and upon the earth, or because they show those who sin as earthly. Fornication, impurity, he says. He omitted the acts, which it is not good even to mention, and through impurity he indicated all. Passion, he says, evil desire. Behold, he spoke of everything generically; for all is evil desire: envy, anger, grief. And covetousness, he says, which is idolatry. On account of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Through many things he led them away.

through the benefactions that have existed, through the future evils from which we have been delivered, who we were, and on account of what, and all those things, such as, what we were and in what circumstances, and that we have been delivered from them, how and in what manner and on what conditions. These things are sufficient to turn one away; but more vehement than all is this, unpleasant to say, yet not without benefit, but even beneficial: On account of which, he says, the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. He did not say, Upon you, but, Upon the sons of disobedience. Among whom you also once walked, when you lived in them. Reproachfully, When you lived, he says, in them, and with praise, as of those who now do not live; then it was possible. But now you also put aside everything. And he speaks both universally and specifically; this is a matter of disposition. Wrath, anger, malice, blasphemy, foul language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another. Foul language, he says, from your mouth, emphatically, because it defiles itself. Having stripped off the old man together with his deeds, and having put on the new man who is renewed into knowledge according to the image of him who created him. It is worthwhile here to inquire, why indeed he calls the corrupt life members and man and body, and the virtuous life again the same. And if the sins are the man, how does he say, Together with his deeds? For once he said old man, showing that this is not the man, but that one, For choice is more authoritative than substance, and this is more the man than that.

For it is not substance that casts into Gehenna, nor does it lead into the kingdom, but rather choice itself; and we neither love nor hate anyone insofar as they are a human being, but insofar as they are a certain kind of human being. If, then, substance is the body, and this is not responsible in either case, how does he say that it is evil? What does he mean by "with the deeds"? The choice together with the works. And he calls it old, wishing to show its shamefulness and its ugliness and its feebleness; and new, meaning, "Do not expect," he says, "that this one will suffer the same thing, but on the contrary; for the more it advances, it does not hasten toward old age, but toward a youth greater than the former." For when it receives greater knowledge, and is deemed worthy of greater things, it flourishes more and grows stronger, not only from youth, but also from the form toward which it is tending. Behold, the best polity is called a creation. According to the image of Christ; for this is "according to the image of the one who created it"; since Christ also did not die in old age, but was so beautiful that it cannot be described. Where there is no Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free, but all things, and in all things, Christ. Behold, a third encomium of this man, when neither difference of nation, nor of rank, nor of ancestors enters in, when he has nothing external, nor has need of these; for all such external things are like that. Circumcision and uncircumcision; slave, free; Greek, that is, proselyte; and Jew, that is, from ancestors. If you have this alone, you will attain the same things as the others who have them. But all things, and in all things, he says, Christ.

That is: Christ will be everything to you—both rank and family—and in all things he himself will be for you. Or he says something else: that you have all become one Christ, being his body. Therefore, clothe yourselves as chosen ones of God, holy and beloved. He shows the ease of virtue, so that you may possess it continuously and use it as the greatest ornament. And the exhortation comes with praise; for then it is most effective. For they became holy, but not chosen; but now both chosen and holy and beloved. "Bowels of compassion." He did not say "mercy," but more emphatically through the two terms. And he did not say that one must behave toward them as toward brothers, but as fathers toward children. Do not tell me, "He sinned"; for this reason he said "bowels." And he did not say "compassion," so as not to belittle them, but "bowels of compassion." "Kindness, humility, gentleness, long-suffering: bearing with one another and granting forgiveness to one another, if someone has a complaint against another; just as Christ forgave you, so also you." Again he speaks by species: for from kindness comes humility, and from that long-suffering. "Bearing with one another," he says, that is, passing over. And see how he showed it to be nothing, calling it a complaint. Then he adds: "Just as Christ forgave you." The example is great; he always does this, urging them from Christ. "Complaint," he says. There he showed it to be small; but when he brought forward the example, he convinced that even if we have great accusations, we must forgive. For the phrase "Just as Christ" signifies this; and not only this, but also that it must be from the whole heart; and not only this, but that one must also love.

For Christ, when brought into the midst, introduces all these things: that even if they are great, even if we have not previously been wronged, even if we are great and they are small, even if they are about to insult us and after this, and that one must lay down one's soul for them; for the word "As" demands these things; and that one must not only stand firm even unto death, but, if possible, also after that. Above all these things is love, which is the bond of perfection. Do you see that this is what he says? For since it is possible to be gracious without loving, "Yes," he says, "and to love," and he shows a way through which it is possible to be gracious. For it is possible for someone to be kind and gentle and humble and patient, and not to yearn. Therefore, beginning he said, "Bowels of compassion," and love, and mercy. Above all these things is love, which is the bond of perfection. What he means to say is this: that none of those things is of any use; for all those things are dissolved if they are not done with love. All those things this love binds together; whatever good you might name, if this is absent, it is nothing, but it flows away. And just as on a ship, even if the gear is large, but the girding ropes are not present, it is of no use; and in a house, if the ties are not there; and in a body, even if the bones are large, but the ligaments are not present, it is of no use. For whatever achievements one may have, all are gone if love is not present. He did not say that it is the crown, but something greater: a bond; this is more necessary than that. For a crown is an intensification of perfection, but a bond is a holding together of the things that constitute perfection, like the root.

And let the peace of God be the umpire in your hearts, to which you were also called in one body; and be grateful. 3. The peace of God that is fixed and secure is this. If you have peace through a human being, it quickly dissolves; but if through God, it no longer does. And yet he spoke of love in general terms, but again he comes to the specific. For there is also immoderate love, for example, when from excessive love someone makes groundless accusations, and has quarrels and turns away. No, he says, I do not want this, but just as God made peace with you, so also do you make peace. And how did he make it? He himself willing, not taking anything from us. What does it mean, "Let the peace of God be the umpire in your hearts"? If two thoughts are fighting, do not set up anger, do not set up the insult holding the prize, but set up peace. For example, let someone be unjustly insulted. From the insult two thoughts are born, one commanding to defend oneself, the other to bear it, and they wrestle with each other. If the peace of God stands as umpire, it gives the prize to the one commanding to bear it, and it puts that other one to shame. How? By persuading that God is peace, that he made peace with us. It does not simply show the great struggle of the matter. Let not anger, he says, be umpire, not contentiousness, not human peace; for human peace comes from defending oneself, from suffering nothing terrible. But I do not want this, he says, but that peace which Christ himself left behind. He made a stadium within, in the thoughts, and a contest and an athletic struggle and an umpire. Then again an exhortation: "To which you were called," he says; that is, for which you were called.

He recalled how many good things are caused by peace. It was for this that he called you, for this he called you, so that you might receive the prize as something trustworthy. For why did he make one body? Was it not so that this might prevail? Was it not so that we might have an occasion for being at peace? Why are we all one body? And how are we one body? Through peace we are one body, and because we are one body, we are at peace. But why did he not say, "Let the peace of God conquer," but rather, "Let it be umpire"? He made it more trustworthy. He did not allow the evil thought to wrestle with it, but to stand lower. And the name "prize" elevated the hearer. For if it gives the prize to the good thought, no matter how much that one is shameless, it is of no use thereafter. Otherwise, that one knew that no matter what he does, he will not receive the prize; no matter how much he blows and attempts to attack more violently, since he labors in vain, he will desist. And he well added, "And be grateful." For this is what it means to be grateful, and it is very compelling: to treat fellow slaves as God himself treated you, to yield to the master, to obey, to give thanks for everything, even if someone insults you, even if someone strikes you. For the one who gives thanks to God for what he suffered will not retaliate against the one who did it; since the one who retaliates does not give thanks. But let us not become like that man of the hundred denarii, so that we do not hear, "Wicked slave"; for nothing is worse than this ingratitude. So those who retaliate are ungrateful. And why did he come to fornication first? For after saying, "Mortify your members that are on the earth," he immediately says, "Fornication," and he does this almost everywhere. Because this passion especially prevails.

For even in writing to the Thessalonians, he did this. And what is remarkable? When indeed he says to Timothy, "Keep yourself pure"; and again elsewhere, "Pursue peace with all, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord." —"Mortify," he says, "your members." You know what is dead: hateful, abominable, decaying. If you mortify, it does not remain dead, but is immediately corrupted, just as the body. Extinguish the heat, then, and nothing dead remains. He shows that this is what Christ does at the bath; for this reason he also calls them members, as if introducing some contests, and leading to a greater emphasis. And he rightly said, "Those on the earth"; for here they remain, and here they are corrupted, much more than these members. So the body is not so much from earth as sin is earthly; for the former sometimes even appears beautiful, but the latter never. And these members desire all things on earth. If an eye is such, it does not see the things in the heavens; if hearing, if a hand, if you name any member. The eye sees bodies and beauties and riches; these are from the earth, it delights in them; hearing delights in soft melody, the cithara and the pipe and foul speech; these are about the earth. Since, then, he set them above by the throne, then he says, "Mortify your members that are on the earth." For it is not possible to stand above with these members; for there is no place there for them to act. And this clay is worse than that; for that clay becomes gold: "For," he says, "this perishable thing must put on imperishability"; but this clay can no longer be recast. So these are more on the earth than those.

For this reason he did not say "from the earth," but "the things on the earth"; for it is possible that these things are not from the earth. For these things must necessarily be on the earth, but those things are no longer necessary. For when hearing hears nothing of things here, but of things spoken in the heavens, when the eye sees nothing of things here, but of things above, it is not on the earth; when the mouth utters nothing of things here, it is not on the earth; when the hand does nothing of evil things, it is not of things on the earth, but of things in the heavens. 4. This also Christ says, "If your right eye scandalizes you," that is, "If you look licentiously, cut it out"; that is, the evil thought. But it seems to me that fornication, uncleanness, passion, desire, mean the same thing, fornication, leading us away from the deed through all these things. For this is truly passion; and just as the body suffers, either fevers or is wounded, so also is this. And he did not say, "Restrain," but "Kill," so that it may not even rise again; and "Put away." We put away what is dead; for example, if there are calluses on the body, the body is dead, and we put it away. But if you cut it while living, it causes pain; but if it is dead, we do not even feel it. So it is also with passions: it makes the soul unclean, it makes the immortal soul subject to passion. How covetousness is called idolatry, we have often said. For the things that most tyrannize the human race are these: covetousness, licentiousness, and evil desire. On account of these, he says, the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

He calls them sons of disobedience, depriving them of any excuse, and showing that they are in this state because they were not persuaded. "In these things," he says, "you also once walked, and you were persuaded." He shows that they are still in them, and he praises them in this way, saying: "But now you also put aside everything: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, foul language." He does not direct his speech against them but leads it toward others, so as not to strike them. And by "blasphemies" he means slanders, just as he calls wickedness "wrath." Elsewhere he says, in a hortatory manner, "We are members of one another." He presents them as craftsmen of human beings, some casting off, others receiving. He said there, "the members"; here, "everything," he says: the heart, the wrath, the mouth, the blasphemy, the eyes, the fornication, the greed, hands and feet, falsehood, the mind itself, and the old understanding. They have one royal form, that of Christ. These seem to me to be from the Gentiles, those to whom he also addresses himself, showing that the members have one royal form, even if one is greater and another lesser. For just as the earth, being sand, loses its own former form and later becomes gold; and just as wool, whatever it may be, receives a different appearance and hides its former one; so also does the believer. "Bear with one another," he says. He has shown what is just: you bear with that one, and that one with you, which he says in the letter to the Galatians: "Carry one another's burdens." "And become grateful," he says. Above all, he seeks this everywhere; for this is the chief of goods.

Let us therefore give thanks in all circumstances, whatever may happen; for this is thanksgiving. To do this in prosperity is no great thing; the very nature of events impels one to it. But when we are in the direst straits and give thanks, then it is marvelous. For when, in circumstances where others blaspheme and are indignant, we give thanks, see how great the philosophy is. First, you have gladdened God; second, you have put the devil to shame; third, you have shown that what has happened is nothing. For at the same time you give thanks, and God cuts short the pain, and the devil withdraws. If you are indignant, since he has accomplished what he wanted, he stands by, and God, since he has been blasphemed, abandons you, and the evil is intensified. But if you give thanks, since he gains nothing, he withdraws, and God, since he has been honored, repays you all the more. And it is impossible for a man who gives thanks in the midst of evils to be aware of the evils. For the soul, when it is successful, rejoices, and immediately its conscience is cheerful, it delights in its own praises; and a cheerful soul cannot be gloomy. There, along with the calamity, the conscience also stands by, scourging; here, it crowns and proclaims. Nothing is more holy than that tongue which gives thanks to God in the midst of evils; it truly falls nothing short of the tongue of the martyrs; it too is crowned in like manner. For a torturer also stands over this tongue, compelling it to deny God through blasphemy; the devil stands by with torturing thoughts, lacerating it, darkening it with despondencies. If, then, one endures the pains and gives thanks, he has obtained the martyr’s crown. For example, a child is ill, and he gives thanks to God.

This is a crown for her. What torment is worse than despondency? Yet it does not compel her to utter a bitter word. Her child dies; did she give thanks again? She became a daughter of Abraham. For even if she did not slaughter with her own hand, she rejoiced at the sacrifice, which is equivalent; for she did not resent the gift being taken. Again she fell ill; did she not make amulets? This is counted as a testimony for her; for she sacrificed her son in intention. For what if those things are of no benefit, but are deception and mockery? Yet there were those who persuaded that they are beneficial; and she chose rather to see her child dead than to tolerate idolatry. Just as this woman is a martyr, whether she does this for herself, or for her child, or for her husband, or for any other of her dearest ones, so the other woman is an idolater. For it is clear that she would have sacrificed, if it were possible to sacrifice; rather, she has already performed the act of sacrifice. For amulets, even if those who profit from them philosophize endlessly, saying that we call upon God and do nothing more, and all such things, and the old woman is a Christian and faithful, the matter is idolatry. Are you faithful? Seal yourself, speak. I have this weapon only, this remedy; I know no other. Tell me, if a physician comes, and, setting aside the remedies of medicine, chants an incantation, shall we call this man a physician? By no means; for we do not see the remedies of medicine. So too here, we do not see those of Christianity. Others again attach names of rivers and dare to do countless such things. Behold, I say and foretell to all of you, that if anyone is caught, I will not spare them again, whether they make an amulet, or an incantation, or anything else of such an art.

What then, he says, if the child dies? If it lives in this way, then it has died; but if it dies without those things, then it has lived. Now, if you see him paying attention to prostitutes, you pray for him to be buried, and you say, "What is the use of living?" But when you see him in danger for his salvation, do you wish to see him alive? Have you not heard Christ saying, "He who loses his own soul will find it; but he who finds it will lose it"? Do you believe what has been said, or do they seem to you to be myths? Tell me, if someone says, "Take him to an idol temple, and he will live," would you endure it? No, you say. Why? Because it compels idolatry. But here there is no idolatry, only an incantation, he says. This is the satanic notion, this is the devilish artifice, to conceal the error and to give poison in honey as a drug. Since he knows he cannot persuade you from that direction, he has taken this path of amulets and old wives' tales. And the cross has been dishonored, while the letters have been preferred; Christ has been cast out, and a drunken, babbling old woman is brought in; our mystery has been trampled upon, and the devil's error dances. Why then, he says, does God not rebuke? He has rebuked the help from such things in many places, and he did not persuade you; so he abandons you to error. For God, it says, has handed them over to an undiscerning mind. But not even a Greek with sense would endure these things. It is said that once a certain demagogue in Athens had these things placed on him; then a certain philosopher, his teacher, seeing it, rebuked him, reproached him, bit him, mocked him. But we are so wretchedly disposed that we even believe these things.

And why are there not now those who raise the dead and perform healings, he says? Why, for the moment I do not say; but why are there not now those who despise the present life? Why do we serve God for a wage? When human nature was weaker, when it was necessary for the faith to be planted, there were many such; but now he does not want us to depend on these signs, but to be ready for death. What then do you have of the present life? Do you not see the things to come? And for the sake of this life you endure even idolatry, but for the sake of that life you cannot even endure discouragement? For this reason there are not such people now, because that life has appeared worthless to us, if indeed we do nothing for the sake of that life, but for the sake of this life we refuse to endure nothing. And what of the other laughter, ash and soot and salt? And again the old woman in the middle. Truly laughter, and shame. And an eye, he says, snatched the child. How long these satanic things? How will Greeks not laugh? How will they not mock, when we say to them, Great is the power of the cross? How will they be persuaded, when they see those in need of things which they themselves deride? Did God give physicians and drugs for these things? What then, if those do not heal, but the child departs? Where does it go, tell me, wretched and miserable one? Does it go to the demons? Does it go to some tyrant? Does it not go to heaven? Does it not go to its own Master? Why then do you grieve? Why do you weep? Why do you mourn? Do you love the child more than your Master? Do you not have this also through him? Why are you ungrateful, loving the gift more than the giver?

But I am weak," he says, "and I cannot bear the fear of God." For if in bodily evils the greater conceals the lesser, much more in the soul, if fear were present, fear would dissolve fear, and grief grief. Was the child beautiful? But whatever it may be, it is not more beautiful than Isaac; he too was an only child. Did it come to you in old age? So too with him. But is it refined? But whatever it may be, it is not more beautiful than Moses, who even drew barbarian desire to himself, and that at that time of life when beauty is not yet apparent; yet his parents cast this beloved child into the river. You at least see him lying there, and you give him burial, and you go to the tomb; but they did not know whether he would be food for fish, for dogs, or for some other beast that grazes by the sea. And they did this, knowing nothing yet about a kingdom, nor about resurrection. But is it not an only child, but after many it too departed? But it is not as in the case of Job, where the calamity was sudden and more grievous; no roof collapsed, no one was dining in the midst of it, no misfortunes were announced beforehand. But was it loved by you? But not more than Joseph, who became food for beasts; yet he bore the calamity, and the one after that, and the one after that. The father wept, but he did not become impious; he mourned, but he did not become desperate, but he stopped at these words, saying: "Joseph is not, Simeon is not, and will you take Benjamin? All these things happened to me." Do you see how the tyranny of famine persuaded him to disregard his children?

But with you, the fear of God is not as strong as hunger. Weep, I do not forbid, but say nothing blasphemous, nor do anything blasphemous. Whatever the child is like, he is not like Abel; but Adam said nothing of that sort. And yet that calamity was grievous; for what is more grievous than having killed one's brother? But I have also opportunely recalled other fratricides; for instance, when Absalom killed Amnon the firstborn, and King David loved the child, and sat in sackcloth and ashes. He neither brought in seers nor enchanters, although they existed then, as Saul shows; but he besought God. Do this also: what the righteous man did, do also; say the same words when the child dies: "I shall go to him, but he will not come to me." This is philosophy, this is affection. However much you love the child, you do not love him as much as that man loved then; in that blessed man the longing for the mother flourished, even if it was from adulteries. And you know that offspring share in the affection of the parents. And such was the love that he wished even his accuser to live; but nevertheless he gave thanks to God. What do you think Rebecca suffered when her brother threatened Jacob? She did not grieve her husband, but ordered him to send the child away. Consider things worse than these when you suffer something terrible, and you will have sufficient consolation; and reason: what if he had died in war? what if in fire? And whatever we suffer, let us consider the more terrible things, and we will have adequate consolation; and let us always look around at those who have suffered more terrible things, and if we ourselves have ever suffered heavier things. Thus Paul also exhorts, as when he says:

You have not yet resisted sin to the point of blood in your struggle, and again, no trial has taken hold of you except a human one. Whatever we may suffer, let us look to the worse; for we will find it, and thus we will be grateful. But above all, let us give thanks for everything continually; for in this way both these things will cease, and we will live for the glory of God, and we will attain the promised goods; may it be that we all attain them, by grace and love for humanity. HOMILY 9. Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you, teaching and admonishing yourselves with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing in grace in your hearts to the Lord; and whatever you do in word, in deed, everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 1. Having exhorted you to be grateful, he also shows the way. What way is this? The one we previously discussed with you. What does he say? Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you. Rather, not only this, but also another. For I said that those who have suffered the more terrible things should recount them, and those who have endured the harsher things than what we suffered should consider them, and give thanks that those did not happen; but what does he himself say? Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you; that is, the teaching, the doctrines, the exhortation, in which he says that the present life is nothing, nor its goods. For if we see this, we will yield to none of the difficulties. Let it dwell, he says, in you richly, not simply, but with great abundance.

Listen, those of you who are worldly and have charge of a wife and children, how he especially permits you to read the Scriptures—and not casually or haphazardly, but with great earnestness. For just as a rich man in money can bear loss and condemnation, so the one rich in the doctrines of philosophy will bear not only poverty but also all misfortunes easily, and more easily than that man. In that case, with the dissolution of wealth, the rich man is necessarily diminished and exposed; and if he suffers this often, he will no longer be able to bear it. Here, however, it is not so; for we do not expend our sound reasonings when we must bear something unwanted, but they remain always. And observe the wisdom of this blessed man: He did not simply say, "Let the word of Christ be in you," but what? "Let it dwell in you," and "richly." Teaching and admonishing yourselves in all wisdom. He calls virtue wisdom, and rightly so; for humility, mercy, and all such things are wisdom, just as their opposites are folly; indeed, cruelty arises from folly. Hence, in many places he calls all sin foolishness. "He said," it is written, "the fool in his heart, 'There is no God.'" And again, "My sores festered and rotted from the face of my folly." For what, tell me, is more foolish than one who clothes himself in garments but overlooks his own brothers naked; who feeds dogs but disregards the image of God in hunger; who is simply convinced that human affairs are nothing, yet clings to them as if immortal?

Just as nothing is more senseless than such a person, so nothing is wiser than one who achieves virtue. For see how wise he is, it says: he shares what he has, he is merciful, he is philanthropic; he has recognized that nature is common; he has recognized the use of money, that it is worth nothing; that one should spare one's own body more than money. Therefore, despising glory, he is also a philosopher; for he knows human affairs. Philosophy is knowledge of divine and human matters. Therefore he knows what is divine and what is human, and he abstains from the former and works at the latter; he knows, and he gives thanks to God in all things; he considers the present life to be nothing; for this reason he neither delights in good things nor is grieved by their opposites. Do not wait for another teacher; you have the oracles of God; no one teaches you as they do. For this one often conceals many things out of vainglory and envy. Listen, I beg you, all you worldly people, and acquire books, medicines for the soul. If you want nothing else, at least acquire the New Testament, the Acts of the Apostles, the Gospels, as perpetual teachers. If grief befalls you, just as you would look into a storehouse of medicines, take comfort from there for the calamity, whether loss, death, or bereavement of loved ones; or rather, do not just look in, but take up everything, keep it in your mind. This is the cause of all evils, not knowing the Scriptures. We go to war without weapons; and how then should we be saved? It is a blessing to be saved with these, let alone without them. Do not cast everything upon us; you are sheep, but not irrational, rather rational.

Paul permits many things also to you. Those who are taught do not spend all their time learning, since they are not taught; if you are always learning, you will never learn. Do not come as one who will always be a learner, for you will never know, but as one who will also unlearn and teach another. Tell me, do not all people spend fixed periods of time in their studies, and in all arts simply? Thus we all define a clear period; but if one is always learning, it is evidence of learning nothing. This reproach God spoke to the Jews: "Lifted from the womb and educated until old age." If you did not always expect this, everything would not have gone backward so. If it were possible for some to have learned and others to be about to learn, the work would have advanced for us; you would have yielded to others and also taken part with us. Tell me, if some were to go to a grammar teacher and then always stay learning the letters, would they not cause the teacher much trouble? How long do we discuss life with you? It was not so in the time of the apostles, but they constantly moved on, making those who had previously learned teachers of others who were being instructed. Thus they were able to go around the world, by not being bound to one place. How much teaching do you think your brothers in the fields need, and their teachers? But you hold me fast, nailing me down. For before the head is well set, it is superfluous to go to the rest of the body. You throw everything upon us. You ought to learn only from us; but your wives from you, your children from you; yet you leave everything to us.

For this reason the labor is great. "Teaching," he says, "and admonishing yourselves with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs." Observe also Paul's tactfulness. Since reading involves toil and is very burdensome, he did not lead them to history, but to psalms, so that you may both delight the soul by singing and stealthily relieve the toil. "With hymns," he says, "and spiritual songs." But now your children choose satanic songs and dances, like cooks and fishmongers and dancers; no one knows any psalm, but the thing seems to be shame, mockery, and laughter. From that source all evils are preserved. For whatever ground the plant stands in, it bears fruit accordingly: if in sandy and salty ground, such fruit; if in sweet and rich ground, again similar. Thus teachings are a kind of fountain. Teach him to sing those psalms that are full of philosophy, such as immediately about self-control, or rather before all else about not associating with the wicked, right from the beginning of the book (for the prophet began there for this reason, saying: "Blessed is the man who did not go in the counsel of the impious," and again, "I did not sit with a council of vanity," and again, "The evildoer is despised before him, but he glorifies those who fear the Lord"); about associating with the good (and you will find these things there, and many others); about controlling the belly, about restraining the hands, about not being greedy; that wealth is nothing, nor glory, and all such things. When you have introduced him to these from childhood, little by little you will lead him also to the higher things.

The psalms contain everything, but the hymns again contain nothing human; when one learns from the psalms, then he will also know the hymns, which are a more divine thing. For the higher powers hymn, they do not psalm; for "a hymn is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner," it says; and again, "My eyes are upon the faithful of the earth, that they may sit with me"; and again, "He did not dwell in the midst of my house practicing arrogance"; and again, "Walking in a blameless path, this one ministered to me." So then, take care not to mix yourselves not only with friends, but not even with servants. For countless evils come to free persons when we set corrupt slaves over them. For if, enjoying a father's affection and philosophy to such an extent, they are barely preserved, when we hand them over to the carelessness of servants, what will they become? They treat them as enemies, thinking that their mastery is gentler if they make them foolish and base and worthless. Therefore, before all other things, let us be zealous for these matters. "I have loved," it says, "those who love your law." Let us also emulate this, and let us love these. And so that the children may again be prudent, let them hear the prophet saying, "My loins were filled with mockeries"; and again, "You will destroy every fornicator from yourself." And that one must restrain the belly, let them hear again: "And he killed," it says, "among the majority of them, while the food was still in their mouth." And that one must restrain gifts, they will learn from this: "Wealth," it says, "if it flows, apply your heart"; and that one must restrain glory, they will also find this.

His glory will not descend after him. Do not envy the wicked. Do not be jealous of those who do evil. Consider the powers to be nothing. I saw the impious man exalted and raised up like the cedars of Lebanon, and I passed by, and behold, he was not. Consider present things to be nothing. They called the people blessed to whom these things belong. Blessed is the people whose lord God is his helper. Because we do not sin simply, but there is retribution. For you will repay, it says, each according to his works. Why does he not repay daily? God is a judge, it says, righteous and strong and patient. Because humility is good. My heart was not exalted, it says, O Lord. Because pride is evil. For this reason, it says, pride overcame them in the end. And again, the Lord opposes the proud. And again, their injustice will come forth like fat. Because almsgiving is good. He scattered, he gave to the poor. His righteousness remains forever. Because mercy is praiseworthy. A good man is one who pities and lends. And you will find many more philosophical teachings there than these, such as that one must not speak ill. They expelled the one who slanders his neighbor in secret, it says. What the hymn of the above is, what the Cherubim say, the faithful know. What did the angels below say? Glory to God in the highest. Therefore after the psalmody come hymns, since it is something more perfect. With psalms, it says, hymns, spiritual songs, singing in grace in your hearts to God.

He says this either: that God gave us these things by grace, or in the songs of grace, or admonishing and teaching ourselves in grace, or that they had these gifts in grace, or it is an explanation. "From the grace of the Spirit," he says. "Singing in your hearts to God." Not merely, he says, with the mouth, but with attention. For this is to sing to God, while that is to sing to the air; for the voice is simply dispersed. Not for display, he says. Even if you are in the marketplace, you can collect yourself and sing to God, with no one hearing. Since even Moses prayed in this way, and was heard; for he says: "Why do you cry out to me?" And yet he said nothing, but cried out in thought with a contrite heart; therefore God alone heard. For it is not forbidden, even while walking, to pray in the heart and to be above. "And whatever you do," he says, "in word or in deed, do everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through him." For if we do this, nothing will be foul, nothing unclean, wherever Christ is invoked. If you eat, if you drink, if you marry, if you travel, do everything in the name of God; that is, call upon him as helper; first pray to him in all things, then touch your affairs. Do you wish to utter something? Precede it with this. For this reason we also prefix the name of the Lord to our letters. Wherever the name of the Lord is, all is auspicious. For if the names of consuls make documents secure, much more so does the name of Christ. Or he says this: "Speak and do everything according to God; do not introduce the angels." Are you eating?

Give thanks to God, both before and after. Are you sleeping? Give thanks to God, both before and after. Are you going to the marketplace? Do the same; nothing worldly, nothing of daily life. Do everything in the name of the Lord, and everything will go well for you. Wherever the name of God is applied, all is auspicious. If it casts out demons, if it drives away diseases, much more will it bring ease to your affairs. And what is it to do in word or in deed? Whether entreating or doing anything. Hear how Abraham sent the servant in the name of God, how David felled Goliath in the name of God. His name is wondrous and great. Again, Jacob, sending his sons, says: "May my God grant you grace before the man." For he who does this has God as an ally, without whom he dared do nothing. Therefore, having been honored by being called, he will honor in return by smoothing the way of affairs. Call the son, give thanks to the father. For when the son is called, the father is called, and when he is thanked, the son is thanked. Let us learn these things not only in words, but also to fulfill them through deeds. Nothing is equal to this name; it is wondrous everywhere. "Myrrh," it says, "poured out, your name." He who said this was immediately filled with fragrance. No one can say "Lord Jesus," it says, except in the Holy Spirit. This name accomplishes so much. If you say, "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," with faith, you have accomplished everything. See how much you have done: you have created a human being, and you have wrought all the rest from baptism. Thus, when commanded against diseases, the name is fearsome.

For this reason the devil introduced the practices of the angels, begrudging us our honor. Such are the incantations of the demons. Even if it is an angel, even if it is an archangel, even if it is the Cherubim, do not tolerate it; for not even these powers will accept it, but they will also shake it off, when they see the Master being dishonored. I honored you, he says, and said: Call upon me; and do you dishonor him? If you sing this incantation with faith, you will drive away both diseases and demons; and even if you do not drive away the disease, it is not due to weakness, but to what is beneficial. According to your greatness, it says, so also is your praise. Through this name the world was converted, the tyranny was dissolved, the devil was trampled, the heavens were opened. And why do I say the heavens? We were reborn through this name. If we have this, we shine. This makes both martyrs and confessors; let us hold fast to this as a great gift, so that we may live in glory, and please God, and be deemed worthy of the promised blessings for those who love him, by grace and love for humanity.

Homily 1. Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be embittered toward them. Children, obey your parents in all things; for this is pleasing in the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become disheartened. Slaves, obey your masters in the flesh in all things, not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but with simplicity of heart, fearing God. Whatever you do, work from the soul, as for the Lord, and not for men, knowing that you will receive the recompense of the inheritance from the Lord; for you serve the Lord Christ. And the one who does wrong will receive what he has done wrong, and there is no partiality with God. Masters, provide justice and equality to your slaves, knowing that you also have a master in the heavens. Why does he not enjoin these things everywhere and in all the epistles, but here, and in the one to the Ephesians, and in the one to Timothy, and in the one to Titus? Because it is likely that in these cities there are dissensions; or it is likely that the other things have been set right among them, but they are so deficient in these matters that it is necessary for them to hear even about these things. Rather, what he says to these people, he says to all. This epistle has much resemblance to the one to the Ephesians. Elsewhere he does not do this; either because the men are now at peace, who needed to learn about high doctrines while they were still lacking, and it was not necessary to write about these things; or because, having been exhorted concerning trials, it was superfluous for them to hear about these things.

Therefore, I infer that the church is now established here, and that these things are said near the end. Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord—that is, be subject for the sake of God, since this adorns you, he says, not them. For I do not mean a servile submission, nor merely that from nature, but that through God. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be embittered toward them. See how again he has exhorted the reciprocal. Just as there he sets fear and love, so also here; for it is possible to love and yet be embittered. What he says, then, is this: Do not quarrel; for nothing is more bitter than this quarrel, when it occurs from husband to wife. For quarrels with beloved persons are bitter; and he shows that this arises from great bitterness, when someone, he says, is at variance with his own limb. Now loving belongs to husbands, but yielding to them. If, then, each contributes his own part, everything stands secure. For from being loved, the wife becomes affectionate; from being subject, the husband becomes gentle. Observe that even in nature it is so constituted that the one loves, the other obeys. For when the ruler loves the ruled, then all things hold together. The love from the ruled is not so much sought as that from the ruler toward the ruled; for from the latter comes obedience. For the wife being in her prime and the husband in desire shows nothing else but that this has come about through love. Therefore, do not, because the wife is subject, act despotically; nor do you, because the husband loves, become puffed up.

Neither should the husband's affection exalt the wife, nor should the wife's subjection puff up the husband. For this reason He subjected her to you, that she might be more loved; for this reason He made you to be loved, O wife, that you might bear being subjected easily. Do not fear being subordinated; for to be subjected to one who loves you has no difficulty. Do not fear loving; for you have her yielding. No other bond could have come about, then. Therefore, you have from nature a necessary beginning; have also the bond that comes from love; for He allowed the weaker to be tolerable. Children, obey your parents in all things; for this is pleasing in the Lord. Again He has placed "in the Lord," both laying down laws of obedience and admonishing and humbling. For this, he says, is pleasing to the Lord. See how He wishes us to do everything not from nature alone, but before this from what is pleasing to God, so that we may also have reward. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become disheartened. Behold, again here both subjection and affection. And He did not say, "Love your children"; for that was superfluous; for nature itself compels it, but He corrected what was needed, that the affection here be stronger, since the obedience is greater. For nowhere does He set the example of husband and wife; but what? Listen to the prophet saying: "As a father pities his sons, the Lord pitied those who fear Him." And again Christ says: "Is there any man among you, of whom, if his son asks for bread, he would give him a stone? And if he asks for a fish, would he give him a serpent?" — Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become disheartened.

He set down what he knew would most sting them, and he spoke more affectionately while commanding them, and nowhere does he set down God; for he softened the parents and bent their hearts. The phrase "Do not provoke" means this: "Do not make them more contentious"; there are times when you ought to yield. Then he came to a third authority, saying, "Slaves, obey your masters in the flesh." Here there is some affection, but no longer natural, as above, but rather from habit, and from the authority itself, and from the works. Since here the affection is cut short and obedience is intensified, he dwells on this, wishing to give to these from obedience what the former have from nature. So he speaks not only on behalf of the masters to the slaves, but also on behalf of the slaves themselves, that they may make themselves dear to their masters. But he does not set this down openly; for that would have made them careless. "Slaves," he says, "obey your masters in the flesh in all things.

And see how he always sets down the names—wives, children, slaves—as a claim to obedience. But so that he might not cause pain, he added: "To the masters according to the flesh." Your soul, he says, has been freed, which is the better part; the slavery is temporary. Therefore subject that, so that the slavery may no longer be a matter of necessity. Do not engage in eye-service, as people-pleasers do. Perform, he says, the slavery required by law so that it comes from fear of Christ. For even if you do what is necessary and what honors the master when he is not watching, you are clearly doing it because of the sleepless eye. Do not act according to eye-service, he says, as people-pleasers do. Consequently, you will suffer the harm. For listen to the prophet saying: "The Lord scattered the bones of people-pleasers." See, then, how he spares them and also regulates them. But, he says, with simplicity of heart, fearing God. For that is not simplicity, but hypocrisy—to have one thing in mind and do another, to appear one way when the master is present and another when he is absent. Therefore he did not simply say "with simplicity of heart," but "fearing God." For this is what it means to fear God: when, even with no one watching, we do nothing evil; but if we do, we fear not God but people. Do you see that he is regulating them? Whatever you do, he says, work from the soul, as for the Lord, and not for people. He wants them to be freed not only from hypocrisy but also from idleness. He made them free instead of slaves, when they no longer need the supervision of their masters; for "from the soul" means with goodwill, not with slavish necessity, but with freedom and deliberate choice.

And what is the reward? "Knowing," he says, "that you will receive from the Lord the recompense of our inheritance; for you serve the Lord." Therefore it is clear that you will receive the reward from him. And that you serve the Lord is evident from this. "And the one who does wrong," he says, "will receive what he has done wrong." Here he confirms the earlier statement. For so that the words might not seem to be flattery, "He will receive," he says, "what he has done wrong"; that is, he also gives punishment. For there is no favoritism with God. "What then, if you are a slave? Are you not ashamed?" And indeed this ought to have been said to the masters, as also in the Epistle to the Ephesians. But here, it seems to me, he is hinting at Greek masters. "What then, if that one is a Greek, and you a Christian?" It is not the persons, but the deeds that are examined. So that even thus you must serve with goodwill and from the heart. "Masters, provide justice and equality to your slaves." What is justice? What is equality? To provide all things in abundance, and not to allow them to need others, but to repay them for their labors. For do not, because I said that they have their reward from God, on that account deprive them. Elsewhere he says, "Relaxing the threat," wishing to make them more gentle; for those were perfect. That is, "In the measure with which you measure, it will be measured back to you." And the saying, "There is no favoritism," is spoken to these; but it is set down for those, so that these may receive it. For when we say something fitting for one person to another, we correct not so much that one as the one who is responsible. "And you," he says, "with them." Here he made servitude common.

For you know," he says, "that you also have a Lord in the heavens." Persevere in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. For since perseverance in prayers often produces negligence, he therefore says: "Being watchful," that is, being sober, not wandering. For the devil knows, he knows how great a good prayer is; therefore he presses heavily. And Paul also knows how many become despondent when praying; therefore he says, "Persevere in prayer," as about something laborious. "Being watchful in it, with thanksgiving." For this, he says, let be your work: in prayers to give thanks both for the visible and the invisible, both for what he has done well willingly and unwillingly, both for the kingdom and for Gehenna, both for affliction and for relief. For thus it is the custom of the saints to pray, and to give thanks for common benefactions. I know a certain holy man who prayed in this way. He said nothing before this phrase, but only: "We give thanks for all your benefactions shown from the first day until the present to us the unworthy; for those we know and do not know, for the visible, for the invisible, for those that have happened in deed, for those in word, for the willing, for the unwilling; for all that have happened to us the unworthy; for afflictions, for reliefs, for Gehenna, for punishment, for the kingdom of the heavens. We beseech you to guard our soul holy, having a pure conscience, an end worthy of your love for humanity. You who loved us so much as to give your Only-begotten for us, deem us worthy to become worthy of your love.

Grant wisdom in your word, and in your fear, O only-begotten Christ, inspire strength from you; you who gave the Only-begotten for us, and sent forth your Holy Spirit for the remission of our sins, if we have sinned willingly or unwillingly, forgive, and do not reckon it; remember all who call upon your name in truth; remember all who wish us well, and the opposite; for we are all human. Then, after adding the prayer of the faithful, he ceased here, having made the prayer as a kind of crown and bond on behalf of all. For God does many things for us even without our knowledge, and greater things. For when we pray for the opposite, but he does the opposite, it is clear that he does good even without our knowledge. Praying also concerning ourselves. See the humility: he places himself after them. That God may open for us a door of speech, to speak the mystery of Christ. "Entrance," he says, "and freedom of speech." Wow. Such a great athlete did not say, "That I might be freed from my bonds," but being bound he exhorted others, and exhorted concerning a great matter, that he might obtain freedom of speech. Both are great: the quality of the person and the nature of the matter. Wow. How great the dignity. "The mystery," he says, "of Christ." He shows that nothing is more desirable to him than this, to speak. For which also I am bound, that I might reveal it, as I must speak it. "With great," he says, "freedom of speech, and without holding back anything." Do you see? The bonds reveal him, they do not obscure him. "With great," he says, "freedom of speech." Tell me, you are bound, and you exhort others? Yes, he says.

Greater freedom of speech do my bonds give me; but I implore the help of God. For I have heard Christ saying, "When they hand you over, do not be anxious how or what you will speak." And see how he spoke metaphorically: "That God may open for us a door of speech." See how unpretentious he is, and how, while in bonds, he speaks humbly; that is, to soften their hearts. He did not speak thus, but rather, "That he may give us freedom of speech," speaking with humility, and he deems it worthy to receive even what he had. He shows in this Epistle why Christ did not come then, to call those things a shadow. "But the body," he says, "of Christ." So it was necessary to be habituated in the shadow. At the same time, he displays the greatest evidence of his love for them: "That you," he says, "may hear; I am bound." Again he brings his bond into the midst, which I vehemently desire, which stirs my heart and always leads me to a longing to see Paul bound, and writing in bonds, and preaching, and baptizing, and catechizing. On behalf of the churches everywhere, he was brought in bound, and built up countless things while bound. Then he was more unbound. For hear him saying, "So that the majority of the brothers, trusting in my bonds, dare more fearlessly to speak the word." And he himself again confesses this, saying, "For when I am weak, then I am strong." For this reason he also said, "But the word of God is not bound." He was bound with criminals, with prisoners, with murderers—the teacher of the world, who ascended to the third heaven, who heard the ineffable words, was bound. But then the course was swifter.

The bound one was free, and the one not bound was bound. For the former did what he wished; the latter neither prevented him nor fulfilled his own purpose. What are you doing, foolish one? Is he a physical runner? Does he compete in a stadium here among us? He dwells in heaven; the things on earth cannot bind or restrain the one who runs in heaven. Do you not see this sun? Cast bonds around its rays, stop its course—but you will not be able. So too with Paul; and he is far more than that sun, for he has enjoyed greater providence than it, bearing not such light as that to us, but carrying the true light. Where now are those who wish to suffer nothing for Christ? And why do I say suffer, when they are not even willing to part with money? Paul too was once bound and thrown into prison; but since he became a slave of Christ, he no longer prides himself on doing, but on suffering. And this too is a wonder of the proclamation, that it is raised up and increased through those who suffer, not through those who do evil. Where has anyone seen such contests? The one who suffers evil conquers, and the one who does evil is defeated. That one is more glorious than this one; the proclamation entered through bonds. "I am not ashamed," he says, "but I even pride myself on proclaiming the crucified one." Consider this: the whole world, leaving aside those who were free, approached those who were bound; turning away from those who bound, it honored those who wore the chain; hating those who crucified, it worships the crucified one.

It is not only remarkable that they were fishermen, that the preachers were laymen, but also that there were other hindrances, hindrances by nature, and the progress was even greater. Not only did their lack of education hinder nothing, but this very thing made the proclamation manifest. For listen to Luke saying: And when they perceived, he says, that they were unlettered men and laymen, they marveled. Not only did the bond hinder nothing, but this very thing made them more confident. The disciples were not so bold when Paul was free as when he was bound; for, he says, they dared all the more fearlessly to speak the word of God. Where are those who will object that the proclamation is not divine? Was not their lack of education sufficient to cause them to be condemned? Ought they not then to have been frightened here as well? For you know that the multitude is held by these two passions, vainglory and cowardice. Their lack of education did not allow them to be ashamed; the dangers ought to have cast them into cowardice. But they performed miracles, he says. Then believe that they performed miracles. But did they not perform them? This is a greater miracle than performing them, if they were brought in without miracles.

Socrates was also bound among the Greeks. What then? Did not his disciples immediately flee to Megara? Certainly. For they did not accept his teachings about immortality. But observe here: Paul was bound, and his disciples took greater courage. Naturally, for they saw that the preaching was not hindered. For can you bind the tongue? It is with this that he especially runs. Just as, if you do not bind a runner's feet, you have not hindered his running, so also if you do not bind an evangelist's tongue, you have not hindered his course. And just as, if you bind his waist, he runs all the more and is carried along, so also this man, when bound, preaches all the more, and with greater boldness. A prisoner is afraid only when the bond is alone; but one who despises death, how could he be bound? They were doing the same as if they were binding Paul's shadow and stopping its mouth. For it was a shadow-fight; for he was both more beloved to his own people and more respected by his enemies, since he bore the bond as a prize for his courage. A crown adorns a head, but does not disgrace it; rather, it makes it splendid. They were crowning him with the chain as with a whetstone. For tell me, could iron bind one who dares to assault the adamantine gates of death?

Let us be moved to zeal, beloved, for these bonds. You women who adorn yourselves with gold, yearn for the bonds of Paul. The necklace around your neck does not shine for you as the ornament of those iron bonds shone around his soul. If one yearns for those, let him despise these. For what fellowship has indolence with courage? Bodily adornment with philosophy? Those bonds angels revere; these they even mock. Those bonds are accustomed to draw from earth to heaven; these bonds drag down from heaven to earth. For truly these are bonds, not those; those are ornament, these are bonds; these oppress the soul together with the body; those adorn the soul together with the body. Do you wish to learn that those are ornament? Tell me, who would more attract the gaze of onlookers, you or Paul? And what am I saying, you? The queen herself, adorned with all gold, would not more attract the gaze of onlookers; but if it happened that Paul were also bound at the same time, and the queen entered the church, all would have turned their eyes from her to him—and rightly so. For to see a man greater than human nature, possessing nothing human, but an angel on earth, is more wondrous than to see a woman adorned. For these things can be seen in theaters, in processions, in baths, and in many places; but a man wearing bonds and considering that he has the greatest ornament, and not yielding to the bonds, is not a sight of earth for the beholder, but a spectacle worthy of the heavens.

The soul that wears these things looks around, sees who has seen, who has not seen, is filled with pride, is held by cares, is bound by countless other passions. But the one who wears those things is without pride. The soul is elated, freed from all care, rejoicing, looking toward heaven, winged. If someone gave me the choice to see Paul peering down from heaven and uttering a voice, or from the prison, I would choose from the prison. For those from heaven come to him when he is in the prison. The bond of the preaching is Paul's bonds; the foundation is that chain. Let us yearn for those bonds. And how, someone says, is this possible? If we break and shatter these things. We have no benefit from these bonds, but rather harm. These will show us as prisoners there, but Paul's bonds will loosen those bonds. The one bound here by these will be bound hands and feet by those immortal bonds there; the one bound by Paul's bonds will have them then like an ornament worn upon her. Free yourself from the bond, and free the poor man from famine. Why do you tighten the chains of sins? How? he says. When you wear gold, and another perishes; when you take so much gold to achieve empty glory, and another has nothing to eat, have you not tightened the sins? Put on Christ, not gold. Where mammon is, there Christ is not; where Christ is, there mammon is not. Do you not wish to wear the King of all himself? If someone gave you the purple robe and the diadem, would you not accept it in exchange for all the gold?

I do not give you the royal world, but I provide you with the King himself to put on. And how, someone says, could one put on Christ? Listen to Paul saying: As many as were baptized into Christ, you put on Christ. Listen to the apostolic exhortation: Take no thought, he says, for the flesh with a view to desire. Thus one puts on Christ, by not taking thought for the flesh with a view to desire. If you put on Christ, even demons will fear you; but if you put on gold, even people will laugh at you; if you put on Christ, even people will respect you. Do you wish to appear beautiful and comely? Be content with the Creator’s molding. Why do you introduce gold ornaments, as if to correct God’s creation? Do you wish to appear comely? Put on almsgiving, put on philanthropy, put on temperance, freedom from pride; these are all more valuable than gold; these make the beautiful woman more comely; these also make the one not well-formed well-formed. For when someone looks at a face with goodwill, they cast their votes from love; but one cannot call the wicked woman beautiful even if she is beautiful, for the mind is struck and does not cast its vote correctly. The Egyptian woman was once adorned, and Joseph was also adorned; which then was the more beautiful? I do not speak of when she was in the palaces and he in the prison. He was naked, but he was clothed in the garments of temperance; she was clothed, but she was more shameful than a naked woman; for she did not have temperance. When you adorn yourself excessively, O woman, then you have become more shameful than a naked woman; for you have stripped off good order. Eve was also naked; but when she clothed herself, then she was more shameful.

For when she was naked, she was adorned with the glory of God; but when she put on the garment of sin, then she was ugly. And you, when you put on the garment of love of adornment, then you appear uglier. For that extravagance is not sufficient to show one beautiful, but rather one who is clothed can be more unseemly than one who is naked, I will say. If you ever put on the equipment of a flute-player or a chorus-singer, was that not unseemliness? And yet the garments are golden; but for this very reason it is unseemliness, because they are golden. For the extravagance of the stage befits tragedians, actors, mimes, dancers, those who fight against wild beasts; but to a faithful woman other garments have been given by God, the only-begotten Son of God Himself. For as many as were baptized into Christ, he says, you put on Christ. Tell me, if someone gave you a royal garment, and you took the garment of a helot and put it on over that, would you not, besides being unseemly, also be punished? You have put on the Master of heaven and of the angels, and do you still turn about on the earth? I have said these things because love of adornment is a great evil in itself, even if nothing else were born from it, but it was possible to have it without danger (for it anoints toward vainglory and pride); but now many other things are also born from beautification, open suspicions, untimely expenses, blasphemies, pretexts for greed. For why do you beautify yourself, tell me? To please your husband? Then do this at home. But here the opposite happens. For if you wish to please your own husband, do not please others; but if you please others, you will not be able to please your own husband.

Therefore, she ought to have put away all adornment when entering the marketplace, when going to church. Otherwise, do not please your husband by the same means as prostitutes, but rather by that by which free women please. For tell me, what distinguishes a wife from a prostitute? That the one looks only to one thing, how to draw her lover by the beauty of her body; but the other also manages a household, shares in children, and all the rest. Do you have a little daughter? See that she does not inherit the harm; for somehow character is shaped by upbringing, and children imitate the habits of their mothers. Be an example of modesty to your daughter, adorn yourself with that adornment, and see how you will despise this. For truly those things are adornment, these are disorder. What has been said is sufficient. And may God, who made the world and gave us the adornment of the soul, adorn us and clothe us in his own glory, so that all, shining in good works and living for his glory, may send up glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

HOMILY 11. Walk in wisdom toward those outside, buying up the opportunity. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, knowing how you ought to answer each one. a. What Christ said to his disciples, Paul now also exhorts. And what did Christ say? Behold, I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. Become therefore prudent as serpents, and innocent as doves. That is, become watchful, giving them no handle against you. For this reason it is added, "Toward those outside," that we may learn that we do not need as much caution toward our own members as toward those outside. For where there are brothers, there are many allowances and loves. It is necessary, then, that there be caution even here, but much more outside; for it is not the same to be among enemies and foes as among friends. Then, after he has frightened them, see how he again encourages them. "Buying up the opportunity," he says; that is, the present time is short. He said these things not wishing them to be crafty or hypocrites—for that is not wisdom but folly—but what? "In things that do not harm," he says, "give them no handle." This he also says when writing to the Romans: "Pay all their dues, to the tax collector the tax, to the customs officer the customs, to the one entitled to honor the honor." Let war be with you only for the sake of the proclamation, he says; let this war take no other beginning. For if they were to become hostile to us also for other reasons, we will have no reward, and they themselves will become worse, and they will seem to have just cause to accuse us.

as if we do not pay the proper fees, if we do not render the appropriate honors, if we are not humble. Do you not see Paul, where the preaching suffered no harm, how he yields? For listen to him speaking to Agrippa: "I consider myself blessed to be defending myself before you today, especially since you are knowledgeable about Jewish customs and questions." But if he thought it necessary to insult the ruler, he would have overturned everything. Listen also to those around the blessed Peter, how courteously they answer the Jews, saying: "One must obey God rather than men." And yet these were men who had despaired of their own lives, and could have insulted and done anything whatsoever; but they despaired of life for this reason, not to be vainglorious (for that is vainglory), but to preach, and to speak everything with boldness; but that is a lack of measure: "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt"; that is, let the grace not degenerate into indifference. For it is possible to be gracious, and it is possible to do this with the proper decorum. To know how you ought to answer each one. So you must not speak in the same way to all, I mean to Greeks and to brothers. Not at all; for that is the height of folly. "Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful deacon and fellow servant in the Lord, will make known to you all my affairs." Oh, what wisdom of Paul! How does he not put everything into his letters, but only the necessary and urgent things? First, because he does not want to extend them to great length; second, because he also makes the one who is going more respectable, so that he may have something to relate.

Third, showing how he is disposed toward him; for he would not have entrusted these things to him otherwise. Then there were things that ought not to be disclosed in writing. "The beloved," he says, "brother." If he is beloved, he knows everything, and nothing was hidden from him. And "faithful servant and fellow slave in the Lord." If he is faithful, he will not lie; if he is a fellow slave, he has shared in the trials; so from all sides he has gathered credibility for him. "Whom I sent to you for this very purpose." Here he shows his great love, if indeed he sent him for this reason, and this became the cause of his journey; as he also said writing to the Thessalonians: "Therefore, no longer able to bear it, we consented to be left alone in Athens, and we sent Timothy our brother." And to the Ephesians he sends this same one for the same reason: "So that he may know," he says, "your circumstances, and encourage your hearts." See what he says: "Not so that you may learn my affairs, but so that I may learn yours"; thus he never puts his own interests first. He shows that they are also in trials by saying: "So that he may encourage your hearts." "With Onesimus, the beloved and faithful brother, who is from among you. They will make known to you everything here." This is the Onesimus about whom, writing to Philemon, he said: "Whom I wished to keep with me, so that he might serve me on your behalf in the bonds of the Gospel; but without your consent I wished to do nothing." And he adds praise of the city, so that they may take pride in it, not only not be ashamed. "Who is," he says, "from among you. They will make known to you everything here." "Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you.

Nothing is greater than this encomium. This is the one who was brought up from Jerusalem with him. He said he was greater than the prophets; for they call themselves strangers and sojourners, but he calls himself a captive. For just like a captive, he was led and carried about, and was exposed to all for ill-treatment, or rather even worse than them. For when enemies take them, they thereafter keep them in much care, as tending to their own possessions; but they led and carried this one about as an enemy and foe, beating, scourging, insulting, slandering him. This was also a consolation to them; for when the teacher is in such circumstances, the disciples are all the more encouraged. And Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. He also praised him at once from his kinship; for Barnabas was a great man. Concerning whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, receive him. What then? Did they not receive him even without this? Yes; but I wish it with great earnestness, he says; and this shows the man to be great. Whence they received the instructions, he does not say. And Jesus, who is called Justus. Perhaps this one was a Corinthian. Then he gives a common encomium to all, having stated what is particular to each: Those who are from the circumcision; these alone are fellow workers for the kingdom of God, who became a consolation to me. Since he said, "fellow captive," lest he depress the soul of the hearers, see how he sets this, and raises them up: "Fellow workers," he says, "for the kingdom of God." So that sharing in the trials, they share in the kingdom. Who became a consolation to me.

He shows them to be great, since they have become a comfort to Paul. But let us observe Paul's wisdom. "Walk in wisdom," he says, "toward those outside, buying up the opportunity." That is, "The opportunity is not yours, but theirs; therefore do not wish to exercise authority, but buy up the opportunity." And he did not simply say "buy," but "buy up," indicating that by conducting yourselves thus, you make it yours in a different way. For it is senseless excess to devise pretexts for conflicts and enmity. For besides undergoing unnecessary dangers and gaining nothing, there is also another harm: that the Greeks do not approach us. For when you are among the brethren, you may rightly be confident; but outside, it is not so. Do you see how everywhere he calls those outside "the Greeks"? For this reason, writing to Timothy, he said, "He must also have a good testimony from those outside"; and again, "What is it to me to judge those outside?" "Walk in wisdom," he says, "toward those outside." For they are outside, even if they inhabit the same world as we, being outside the kingdom and the father's house. At the same time, he comforts them by calling those "outside," which he said above, that "Your life is hidden with Christ in God." "Then," he says, "seek glory, then honors, then all other things; but now do not, but grant them to those others." Then, lest you think he speaks of money, he adds, "Let your speech always be in grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how to answer each one." Lest it be full of hypocrisy, he says; for that is not grace, nor is it seasoned with salt. For example, if it is necessary to conciliate without danger, do not decline.

If there is an opportunity to converse affably, do not think the matter flattery; do everything that pertains to honor, without harming piety. Do you not see how Daniel served an impious man? Do you not see the three youths, how they conducted themselves with wisdom before the king, showing both courage and frankness, and nothing rash or offensive? For that is no longer frankness, but vainglory. "Know," he says, "how you must answer each one." For one must answer the ruler one way, the subject another; the rich man one way, the poor man another. Why? Because the souls of the rich and rulers happen to be weaker, more inflamed, more fluid; so there one must be condescending. The souls of the poor and subjects are more solid and more prudent; so there one must employ greater frankness, looking to one thing, edification. Not because one is rich and the other poor should one be honored more and the other less; but on account of weakness, one should be supported, the other not so. For example, when there is no cause, do not call the Greek "polluted," nor be insulting; but if you are asked about the doctrine, answer that it is polluted and impious; but when no one is asking or compelling you to speak, it is not fitting to incur hostility gratuitously. For what need is there to manufacture superfluous enmities? Again, if you are catechizing someone, speak from a given hypothesis; otherwise be silent. If the discourse is seasoned with salt, even if it falls upon a fluid soul, it will tighten the loose one; even if upon a rough one, it will smooth the hard. Being gracious, let it be neither burdensome nor again slack, but let it have both astringency and pleasantness.

If you are too severe, you harm more than you help; if you are too affable, you cause more pain than benefit. So there must be measure in everything. Do not be downcast and sullen—that is unpleasant—nor yet dissolute—that invites contempt and trampling—but take the virtue of each and flee the vice, like the bee taking the brightness from one and the dignity from the other. For if a physician does not treat all bodies alike, much more so a teacher. Yet bodies could endure unsuitable remedies more than a soul can endure a word. For example, a Greek approaches and becomes your friend? Do not discuss this matter with him until he becomes a very close friend; and when he does, gently. Observe how Paul, when he arrived in Athens, spoke to them. He did not say, "You polluted wretches, utterly polluted!" but what? "Men of Athens, I see you as in every way most superstitious." Again, when it was necessary to rebuke, he did not shrink, but with great vehemence said to Elymas: "O you full of all deceit and every knavery, son of the devil, enemy of all righteousness." For just as it would have been folly to insult those men, so it would have been weakness not to insult this one. Again, you are brought before a magistrate on some matter? Pay the fitting honors. "They will inform you of everything here," he says. "Why did I not come along?" he says. What is "They will inform you of everything here"? That is, "The bonds and all the other things that detain me." So would the one who prayed to see them, who also sent others, have been absent myself, unless a great necessity detained me? And indeed this was not the language of accusers. And indeed it was very much the language of accusers.

For learning that he fell into trials and bore them nobly, this was a matter of confirmation, and of raising up their souls. With Onesimus, he says, the beloved and faithful brother. Paul calls the slave brother; fittingly, since he even names himself a slave of the faithful. Let us all cast down pride, let us trample arrogance. Paul calls himself a slave, he who is worth the whole world and countless heavens, and do you think highly of yourself? He who led and bore all as he wished, who held the first place in the kingdom of heaven, who was crowned, who ascended to the third heaven, calls slaves brothers and fellow slaves. Where is the madness? Where is the arrogance? Thus Onesimus became so trustworthy that such things were entrusted to him. And Mark, he says, the cousin of Barnabas, about whom you received instructions; receive him. Perhaps they received instructions from Barnabas. Those who are from the circumcision. He subdues the swelling of the Jews; he lifts up the spirits of these, that few are from the circumcision, but the majority are from the Gentiles. Who became, he says, a comfort to me. He shows himself to be in great trials. So this is not a small thing: when we encourage the saints by presence, word, and attendance, when we suffer together with them (for with prisoners, he says, as if bound together); when we make their sufferings our own, we will also share in the crowns. Were you not dragged into the stadium? Did you not descend into the contest? Another stripped, another wrestles. But if you wish, you will share also.

Anoint that one, become his lover and zealous follower, shout loudly from without, rouse his power, restore his soul. It is fitting that these things happen with all the others. For Paul had no need, but he said these things to raise them up. You, therefore, with all the others, silence those who wish to revile him, prepare lovers for him, receive him as he goes out with much attendance; thus you will share in the crowns, thus in the glory; even if you do nothing else, but rejoice at what has happened, you have shared not in an ordinary way; for you have brought love, the chief of all goods. For if those who weep seem to share in the mourning, and greatly gratify the mourners, and remove much of the pain, much more do those who rejoice increase the pleasure. For how great an evil it is not to have those who share one's grief, listen to the prophet saying: "And I waited for one to share my grief, and there was none." For this reason Paul also says: "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep." Increase the pleasure; if you see your brother succeeding, do not say, "That is his success, why should I rejoice?" These are not the words of a brother, but of an enemy. If you wish, it is not his, but yours; you are master to make it greater, if you are not downcast, but rejoice, if you become cheerful, if you are radiant. And that this is how the matter stands is clear from this: Those who envy do not envy only those who succeed, but also those who rejoice in their successes; thus they know that these also are in the success, and these especially are the ones who pride themselves.

For that one blushes exceedingly when praised, while this one takes great pleasure and preens himself. Do you not see how it is with athletes, how one is crowned and the other is not? The pain and the joy belong to the lovers and the haters: those leap, those exult. See how great a thing it is not to envy: another’s labor, and your pleasure; another wears the crown, and you exult, you preen yourself. Tell me, another has conquered, why do you leap? But those also know well that the achievement is common. For this reason, those who envy do not reproach this one, but they try to overturn the victory; and you hear them saying such words as, "I erased you," and, "I overthrew you"—and yet the work is another’s, but the praise is yours. If in external matters not to envy, but to appropriate another’s goods as one’s own, is such a good thing, much more so in the victory over the devil; for then he blows more strongly against us, evidently because we take more pleasure. And yet, being vile, he knows well that this pleasure is great. Do you wish to grieve him? Be pleased and rejoice. Do you wish to gladden him? Become sullen. The grief that comes to him from the brother’s victory you lighten by your own despondency; you stand apart from the brother, siding with him; you do a greater evil than he does. For it is not the same to be an enemy and do the deeds of enemies, and to be a friend and stand with the enemies; this one is more abominable than the enemies. If the brother has succeeded, whether in speaking, or in displaying, or in achieving, become a partner in the success, show that he is your limb.

And how, he says? For I am not esteemed. Never utter this word; seal your lips. If you who say this were near me, I would place my hand over your lips, lest the enemy ever hear. Often we have enmity toward one another, and we do not display ourselves to our enemies; do you then display yourself to the devil? Do not say this, do not even think it; but rather the opposite: "He is my member; the glory passes into the body." What then, he says, that those outside are not so disposed? Because you are the cause; when they see you alienating yourself from his pleasure, they too become alienated; but if they see you claiming him as your own, they dare not; rather, you too are equally resplendent. You did not gain esteem by speaking, but you gained esteem by rejoicing with him, even more greatly than he did. For if love is great and the chief of all things, you received the crown from it; he received the crown from rhetoric; you received the crown from loving intensely; he displayed the power of words, you through deeds cast down envy, you trampled malice. So that you would rightly be crowned more than he; your contest is more brilliant; you not only trampled envy, but also accomplished something else. He has only one crown, but you have two, and both are more brilliant than his one. What are these? One is the crown you won against envy, the second is the crown you bound from love. For rejoicing together is not only a proof of being free from envy, but also of having love deeply rooted. He is often troubled by some human passion, such as vainglory; but you are free from every passion; for you do not rejoice in the good of another out of vainglory.

Did that man set the church straight, tell me? Did he increase the congregation? Praise him again; you have double crowns: you have cast down envy, you have bound up love. Yes, I beg and implore. Do you wish to hear a third crown also? Those below, men, applaud this one; you, the angels above applaud. For it is not the same to display eloquence and to control passions. This praise is temporary, that one eternal; this comes from men, that from God; this one appears crowned, but you are crowned in the hidden place, where your Father sees. If it were possible to see the soul separated from each one's body, I would show you that this one is more dignified than that one, shining more brightly. Let us trample the goads of envy; we benefit ourselves from this, beloved; we ourselves will bind on the crown. The envious person fights against God, not against that other; for when he sees someone possessing grace and is pained, and wishes the church to be brought down, he does not fight against that other, but against God. Tell me, if someone were adorning a king's daughter, and succeeded in adorning her and making her dignified, and another person wished this girl to be disgraced and not to be able to be adorned, against whom would he have plotted, against this man or against her and her father? So also now you who are envious fight against the church, you wage war against God. For since the benefit of the church is intertwined with the success of the brother, it is necessary that when this is destroyed, that also is destroyed; so that in this respect, you do a satanic work, plotting against the body of Christ. You are pained at this one who has done no wrong; much more so at Christ.

What harm has he done you, that you do not allow his body to be adorned with beauty? That you do not allow the bride to be decked out? See the punishment, how great: you delight your own enemies, and that very man whom you wish to grieve by envying, you rather delight, you rather show that he has succeeded by your envy; for you would not have envied if you did not show that you are punishing yourself. I am ashamed, then, to exhort from these things; but nevertheless, since we are so weakly disposed, let us be taught even from these things and be delivered from this destructive passion. Are you pained that he has succeeded? Then why do you exalt his success by envying? Do you wish to punish him? Then why do you show that you are pained? Why do you exact punishment from yourself before this man whom you wish not to succeed? Double, then, will be his pleasure and your punishment, not only because you show him great, but also because you engender another pleasure for him by punishing yourself; and again, over what you are pained, he rejoices, while you envy. See how we inflict severe blows on ourselves and do not perceive it. But he is an enemy. Yet why is he an enemy? What harm has he done? But nevertheless, we make the enemy more splendid and punish ourselves more by this. Again we punish ourselves if we perceive that he has known. Perhaps indeed he does not rejoice; but we, thinking that he rejoices, are again pained because of this. Therefore cease envying; why do you inflict wounds on yourself? Let us consider these things, beloved: the double crowns of those who do not envy, the praises from men, those from God, the evils from envy.

And thus we shall be able to quench the beast, and to be esteemed before God, and to obtain the same things as those who are esteemed. For we shall perhaps obtain; but if we do not obtain, we shall not obtain because of what is expedient; nevertheless, even so, having lived for the glory of God, we shall be able to obtain the promised goods for those who love Him, by the grace and philanthropy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Spirit be glory, power, honor, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. HOMILY 12. Epaphras, the servant of Christ from among you, greets you, always contending for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and filled in every will of God. For I bear witness to him, that he has great zeal for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis. 1. And beginning the Epistle, he commended the man from love; and praise also shows love; which he said from the beginning: He who declared to us, he says, your love in spirit. Love also shows and causes to be loved both interceding for you. And he commends him, opening a door for his word (for the teacher to be reverend is a benefit to the disciples), and again the saying, From among you, that they may also be proud of the man, since they bear such men. And always, he says, contending for you in his prayers. He did not simply say, Praying, but, Contending, trembling and fearing. For I bear witness to him, he says, that he has great zeal for you. A credible witness. That he has, he says, great zeal for you. That is, that he loves you exceedingly, and is inflamed with affection for you.

And those in Laodicea,” he says, “and those in Hierapolis.” He commends him also to them. But how were they to know this? It is likely that they heard; but also, when the letter was read, they learned. “For cause,” he says, “that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans.” “That you may stand,” he says, “perfect.” He both accuses them and exhorts and advises them without offense. For it is possible to be perfect and not to stand, as when someone knows everything but is still shaken; it is possible not to be perfect and to stand, as when someone knows a part but does not stand firmly. But he prays for both: “That you may stand,” he says, “perfect.” See how he again reminded them of the discourse about the angels and about life. “And filled,” he says, “with every will of God.” For it is not enough simply to do the will. He who is filled does not allow another will to be in him, since he is not fully assured. “For I bear witness to him,” he says, “that he has much zeal.” Both “zeal” and “much”—both are intensive; just as he himself says writing to the Corinthians: “For I am jealous of you with a divine jealousy.” “Luke the beloved physician greets you.” This is the evangelist. He does not place him last to humble him, but rather exalts Epaphras. It is likely that there are others called by this name. “And Demas.” Having said, “Luke the physician greets you,” he added, “the beloved.” This is no small praise, but very great, to be beloved of Paul. “Greet the brothers in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church in his house.

See how he glues and binds them together, not only by greeting them, but also by exchanging letters. Then again he shows favor, addressing him privately. He does this not simply, but also leading the others into the same zeal. For it is no small thing when one is not counted among the rest. See, then, how he shows the man to be great, since his house was a church. And when the letter is read among you, see to it that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans. It seems to me that there are some things written there which these also needed to hear. And the benefit was greater for these, when, with others being accused, they recognize their own faults. And the letter from Laodicea, so that you also may read it. Some say that it is not the letter of Paul sent to them, but the one from them to Paul; for he did not say, the letter to the Laodiceans, but, the letter from Laodicea, he says, which was written. And tell Archippus: See to the ministry which you received in the Lord, that you fulfill it. Why does he not write to him? Perhaps he had no need, but only of a mere reminder, so that he might be more diligent. The greeting in my own hand of Paul. This is a sign of genuineness and friendship, to see the letters and to be affected by them. Remember my chains. Alas, what great consolation. For this is sufficient to urge them to everything and to make them more noble for the struggles; and not only more noble, but also made them more attached to him. Grace be with you. Amen.

A great encomium, and greater than all others, is to say of Epaphras, "The one from among you, a slave of Christ." And he calls him a servant on their behalf, just as he calls himself a servant of the church, as when he says, "Of which I, Paul, became a servant." He raises the man to the same rank, and earlier calls him a fellow slave, and here a slave. "The one from among you," he says, as if speaking to a mother and saying, "The one from your womb." But this would have produced envy, this encomium. Therefore he commends him not only from these things, but also from their own conduct toward them; and there he dissolves envy, and here. "Always," he says, "struggling on your behalf"—not only now among us, so as to show off, nor only among you, so as to show off to you. He showed great zeal by saying "struggling." Then, lest he seem to flatter them, he added that "he has much zeal on your behalf, and on behalf of those in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis." And the phrase "that you may stand perfect"—this too is not flattery, but of a reverent teacher. And "filled," he says, and "perfect." He gave one, and said the other was lacking. And he did not say, "that you may not be shaken," but "that you may stand." Moreover, that they are greeted by many restores them, when not only their own people from among them, but also others remember them. "And tell Archippus: See to the ministry which you received in the Lord." This especially subordinates them to him. For they would no longer have grounds to accuse him when he rebukes them, since they themselves have undertaken the whole matter; for it is not reasonable for students to speak about the teacher. But, silencing them, he writes these things.

Tell Archippus," he says, "See." This expression is one of fear everywhere, as when he says: "Beware of the dogs"; "See that no one will lead you astray"; "See that this authority of yours does not become a stumbling block to the weak." And everywhere he speaks thus when he fears. "See," he says, "the ministry which you received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it." He does not allow him to be master, just as he himself said: "For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; if unwillingly, I have been entrusted with an administration." "That you may fulfill it": continuously employed with zeal. "Which you received in the Lord." Again, the "in" means "through the Lord": He himself gave it to you, not we. And he subordinates them to him, by showing that they have been entrusted to him from God: "Remember my bonds." "Grace be with you. Amen." He dissolved the fear. For even if the teacher is in bonds, grace releases him. And this is a grace, to allow him to be bound; for listen to Luke saying that the apostles returned from the face of the Sanhedrin rejoicing that they were deemed worthy to be dishonored for his name. For it is truly deemed worthy, both to be dishonored and to be bound. For if someone has a beloved, he considers it gain to suffer something for that person's sake, much more so for Christ.

Let us not, then, be distressed about tribulations for Christ's sake, but let us also remember Paul's chains, and let this be our encouragement. For example, are you urging someone to give to the poor for Christ's sake? Remind them of Paul's chains, and reproach both yourself and them, if he gave even his body to chains for His sake, while you do not even share food. Have you become puffed up over your achievements? Remember Paul's chains, and that you have suffered nothing of the kind, and you will no longer be puffed up. Have you coveted your neighbor's goods? Remember Paul's chains, and you will see how absurd it is that he was in danger while you live in luxury. Have you again desired luxury? Take Paul's prison to heart. You are his disciple, his fellow soldier. How does it make sense that your fellow soldier is in chains while you are in luxury? Have you fallen into affliction, thinking you have been abandoned? Listen to Paul's words, and you will see that being in affliction is not a sign of abandonment. Do you want to wear silk garments? Remember Paul's chains, and these will appear to you more dishonorable than rags befouled with mud. Do you want to put on gold ornaments? Take Paul's chains to heart, and these will seem to you no better than old rope. Do you want to arrange your hair and appear beautiful? Consider Paul's squalor in prison, and you will burn with desire for that beauty, and consider this the utmost ugliness, and you will groan bitterly, longing for those chains. Do you want to apply cosmetics and paints to yourself, and all such things? Consider his tears: for three years, night and day, he did not cease weeping.

Adorn your cheek with this world; these tears make it radiant. I do not say that you should weep for others (for I wish that too, but that is beyond you), but I urge you to do this for your own sins. Did you order a servant to be bound, and did you become angry and provoked? Remember Paul's chains, and you will immediately cease your anger; recall that we are the bound, not the binders, those whose hearts are crushed, not those who crush. Did you become dissolute and laugh loudly? Take thought of his lamentations, and you will groan; these tears show you much more radiant. Did you see those who live in luxury and dance? Remember his tears. What spring ever gushed forth so many streams as those eyes did tears? Remember my tears, he says, just as here my chains. And fittingly he said these things to them when he summoned them from Ephesus to Miletus. For he spoke to teachers; so that from them he requires even gathering together, from these only danger.

What fountain would you compare to these tears? The one in paradise, which waters the whole earth? But you will say nothing equal; for this fountain of tears watered souls, not earth. If someone had shown us Paul weeping and groaning, would it not be far better to see than countless choruses radiantly crowned? I do not speak about you; but if someone, having torn away from the theater and the stage a licentious man burning and frenzied with love for bodies, showed a virgin girl, in the very flower of her age, surpassing her peers in all other respects, and in her face beyond her other limbs, having an eye soft and tender, gently set, gently turning, moist, gentle, calm, smiling, and much veiled in modesty, much in grace, crowned above and below with dark lashes, having, so to speak, a living pupil, a shining forehead, and again below the cheek reaching a precise redness, lying smooth like marble, even; and then showed me Paul weeping, I would have abandoned her and rushed to the sight of him; for a spiritual beauty shone from those eyes. For that beauty makes young souls beside themselves, inflames and burns them; but this, on the contrary, calms them. The one who sees his eyes makes his own soul more beautiful, subdues the belly, fills with philosophy, with great compassion, and can soften an adamantine soul. The church is watered by these, souls are planted by these tears; and even if there is fire, these tears can quench it, both sensible and bodily.

These tears quench the fiery darts of the Evil One. Let us therefore remember his tears, and we shall laugh at all present things. Christ blessed these tears, saying, "Blessed are those who mourn, and blessed are those who weep, for they will laugh." Such tears did Isaiah and Jeremiah shed; and one said, "Let me weep bitterly," and the other said, "Who will give water to my head and fountains of tears to my eyes?" as if the natural supply were insufficient. Nothing is sweeter than these tears; they are sweeter than any laughter. Those who mourn know how much comfort the thing brings. Let us not think it is to be avoided, but rather greatly to be desired. Not so that others may sin, but so that when they sin we may be broken, let us remember these tears, these bonds. So also over the bonds tears fell; but death did not allow him to feel the pleasure of the bonds from those who were perishing, from those who bound him. For he grieved for them; for he was a disciple of that one who wept for the priests of the Jews, not because they were about to crucify him, but because they themselves were perishing. And he not only does this himself, but also exhorts others thus, saying, "Do not weep for me, daughters of Jerusalem." These eyes saw paradise, they saw the third heaven; but I do not bless them for that sight as much as for those tears, through which they saw Christ. Truly this is blessed; for even he himself boasts of it, saying, "Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?" But to weep thus is more blessed.

Many have shared in that spectacle, and Christ again blesses those who did not share, saying, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." But not many have attained this. For if remaining here for Christ's sake is more necessary for the salvation of others than departing to him, then groaning for their sake is more necessary than seeing him. For if being in Gehenna for his sake is more desirable than being with him, and being separated from him for his sake is more desirable than being united with him (this is what he meant when he said, "I prayed that I myself might be an anathema from Christ"), then much more is weeping for his sake. "I did not cease," he says, "admonishing each one with tears." Why? Not because he feared the dangers, but just as someone sitting beside a sick person, not knowing the outcome, might weep out of longing, fearing that he might fall from life, so too he, when he saw someone sick and was unable to rebuke him, wept instead. Christ also did this, so that they might at least respect the tears. For example, if someone sinned, he rebuked him; if the one rebuked scorned him and recoiled, he wept, so that he might draw him in even this way.

Let us remember these tears. Let us raise our own daughters in this way, let us raise our sons in this way, weeping when we see them in misfortunes. Those women who wish to be loved, let them remember the tears of Paul and groan; those of you who are counted blessed, those of you who are in bridal chambers, those of you who are in pleasure, remember these things; those of you who are in mourning, exchange tears for tears. He did not mourn the dead, but those who are perishing while still living. Shall I speak of other tears? Timothy also wept, for he was his disciple; wherefore also writing to him he said, "Remembering your tears, that I may be filled with joy." Many also lament from pleasure. So this matter is also of pleasure, and of pleasure especially intense; thus tears from such pain are not burdensome, but are far better than those from worldly pleasure. Listen to the prophet saying, "The Lord heard the voice of my weeping." For where is the tear not useful? In prayers, in exhortations? But we disparage them, not using them for the purposes for which they are given. When we exhort a sinning brother, we ought to weep, beating the breast and groaning; when we admonish someone, and he does not heed but is perishing, we ought to weep. These are the tears of philosophy; but when someone becomes poor, when he is in bodily sickness, when he dies, no longer; for these things are not worthy of tears. Just as we disparage laughter, using it unseasonably, so also tears, handling them unseasonably. For the virtue of each thing appears when it is applied to its proper work; but when to an alien work, no longer. For example, wine is given for cheerfulness, but not for drunkenness.

Bread is for nourishment, intercourse for procreation. Just as these things are condemned when misused, so too are tears. Let a law be imposed: to use these only in prayers and exhortations. And see how desirable the matter will be. Nothing cleanses sins like tears. And tears make this bodily appearance beautiful; for they draw the beholder to pity, they make it dignified for us. There is nothing more pleasant than eyes that have wept. For this is the noblest and most beautiful part of us, and it belongs to the soul. So, as if seeing the soul itself lamenting, we are moved. These things have not been said to you simply, but so that you may not attend weddings, dances, or satanic choruses. For see what the devil has found: since nature itself has led women away from the stage and its indecencies, he has brought the things of the theater into the women's quarters—I mean effeminate men and prostitutes. The law of marriage introduced this corruption; or rather, not the law of marriage—far from it—but our own slackness. What are you doing, man? Do you not know what you are doing? You bring a wife for modesty and procreation; what then do prostitutes want? "So that the joy may be greater," he says. But are these things not folly? You insult the bride, you insult the invited guests. For if they take pleasure in such things, it is an insult. If seeing prostitutes behaving shamelessly brings some honor, why do you not also drag the bride so that she too may watch? Certainly it is unseemly and shameful to bring effeminate men and dancers, and the whole satanic procession, into the house. Remember my chains, he says.

Marriage is a bond, a bond defined by God; the harlot is a dissolution and a breaking apart. It is permitted for others to adorn the marriage, such as with full tables and garments; I do not cut these off, lest I seem excessively harsh—although a veil alone sufficed for Rebecca, yet I do not cut them off. It is permitted to be adorned with garments, it is permitted with the presence of reverend men and reverend women. Why do you bring in those trivial delights, those monstrosities? Say what you hear from them. But are you ashamed to say it? You are ashamed, yet you compel others to do it? If it is good, why do you not do it yourself? If it is shameful, why do you compel another? Everything must be filled with temperance, everything with dignity, everything with decorum; but now I see the opposite, leaping about like camels, like mules. For the virgin, only the bridal chamber is suitable. But she is poor, one says. Because she is poor, she ought to be orderly; let her have her character instead of wealth. Does she have no dowry to give? Why do you make her contemptible in another way through her conduct? I praise that virgins attend, honoring their contemporary, that women attend, honoring the one brought down to their rank; this is well established. For these are two choirs, that of the virgins and that of the married women; these hand over, those receive. The bride is between them, neither virgin nor woman; for she departs from that side and enters this company.

And the prostitutes, why? They ought to be veiled when there is a marriage, they ought to be buried (for prostitution is the corruption of marriage), yet we bring them into marriages. And whenever you do something, you even take omens from a word for contrary things: for example, when you sow, when you draw off wine from the vats, you would not even answer anything that signifies sourness; but here, when chastity is taking place, do you introduce sourness? For that is what the prostitute is. When you prepare perfume, you let nothing foul-smelling approach. Marriage is perfume; why then do you introduce the foul odor of filth into the preparation of perfume? What do you say? The virgin dances, and is not ashamed before her peer? For she ought to be more dignified than that one; she came from the embrace, not from the wrestling ground. The virgin ought not to appear at all at marriages. Do you not see in the palaces, that the honored ones are inside around the king, while the dishonored are outside? And you, be inside around the bride. But remain chaste in the house; do not parade your virginity. Each chorus stands, one showing what they give, the other so that they may guard this; why do you put virginity to shame? For if you are like this, the bridegroom will suspect such things about her as well; if you wish to be loved, these are the ways of a female shopkeeper, a vegetable seller, and a craftswoman. Is this not shame? It is shame to behave unseemly, even if one is a king’s daughter. For does poverty prevent it? Does one’s occupation prevent it? Even if a certain virgin is a slave, let her remain in chastity; for in Christ Jesus there is neither slave nor free. For is marriage a theater? It is a mystery and a type of a great thing.

Even if that thing itself is not ashamed, have shame for what it is a type. This mystery, he says, is great; but I say it is for Christ and for the Church. It is a type of the Church and of Christ, and do you bring in prostitutes? If then, he says, neither virgins nor married women dance, who will dance? No one; for what need is there of dancing? In the mysteries of the Greeks there are dances, but in ours there is silence and good order, modesty and restraint. A great mystery is being celebrated; out with the prostitutes, out with the profane. How is it a mystery? They come together, and the two become one. Why, when one enters, is there no dance, no cymbals, but great silence, great quiet; but when they come together, making not a lifeless image, nor an image of something on earth, but of God himself, do you bring in such noise, and disturb those present, and shame the soul, and create turmoil? They come to become one body. Behold again a mystery of love. If the two do not become one, they do not produce many, as long as they remain two; but when they come into unity, then they produce. What do we learn from this? That the power of unity is great. The resourcefulness of God divided the one into two from the beginning, and wishing to show that after being divided the one still remains, he did not allow one to suffice for generation. For one is not yet one, but half of one; and it is clear that it does not produce children, just as before. Do you see the mystery of marriage? He made from one one, and again making these two one, he thus makes one; so that even now a human is born from one. For woman and man are not two humans, but one human.

and it is possible to confirm this from many sources, for example from James, from Mary the mother of Christ, from the statement: "Male and female he made them." If one is the head and the other the body, how can they be two? For this reason, one holds the rank of disciple, the other of teacher; one of ruler, the other of the ruled. And from the very formation of the body one could see that they are one, for she was made from the rib, and they are like two halves. For this reason he calls her a helper, to show that they are one; for this reason he values cohabitation above father and mother, to show that they are one. And the father likewise rejoices in the marriage of both daughter and son, as the body hastens toward its own member; and such expense and reduction of wealth occurs, yet he cannot bear to see them unmarried. For just as each is incomplete for procreation, as if the flesh were separated from her, so each is incomplete for the establishment of the present life. For this reason the prophet says: "Remnant of your spirit." How then do they become one flesh? Just as if you take the purest gold and mix it with another gold, so here, when the richest part of pleasure is melted, the woman receives it, nourishes and cherishes it, and, having contributed her own part, gives back a man. And the child is a kind of bridge. Thus the three become one flesh, the child joining each to the other from both sides. For just as if there are two cities, with a river dividing them throughout, they become one city when a bridge touches both sides; so it is here, and even more, for the bridge itself comes from the substance of both.

And by this word they are one, as the body and the head are one body; for they are divided by the neck, but they are not so much separated as joined together; for being in the middle, it brings each together; and the same thing happens, just as if a scattered chorus, taking one part of it from here and the other from the right, were to make it one; or just as those who are contracted and extend their hands become one; for the hands, when extended, do not allow them to be two. For this reason, then, he said precisely, not "They will be one flesh," but "Into one flesh," clearly being joined together with that of the child. What then, when there is no child, will they not be two even then? It is evident; for the mixture accomplishes this, pouring out and mixing together the bodies of both. And just as if one throws perfume into oil, making the whole one, so also here. 5. I know that many are ashamed at what is said; and the cause of this is licentiousness and intemperance. The fact that marriages happen in this way, that the matter is corrupted, has brought the thing into disrepute; since marriage is honorable, and the marriage bed is undefiled. Why are you ashamed of what is honorable? Why do you blush at what is undefiled? These things are characteristic of heretics, of those who introduce prostitutes. For this reason I wish to cleanse it, so as to lead it back to its proper nobility, so as to stop the mouths of the heretics. The gift of God, the root of our generation, has been insulted; for there is much dung and filth around the root. Let us then cleanse this with our discourse. Bear with me then a little, since even he who holds filth endures the stench. I wish to show that you ought not to be ashamed of these things, but of those things which you do.

You, however, having ceased to be ashamed of those things, are ashamed of these; therefore you condemn God who ordained thus. Let me say how it is also a mystery of the Church: Christ came to the Church, and from her was born, and entered into spiritual union with her. For I have betrothed you, he says, a pure virgin to one husband. That we are from him, hear how he says: From his members, and from his flesh, all of us. Considering all these things, let us not shame so great a mystery. Marriage is a type of the presence of Christ, and you get drunk? Tell me, if you saw an image of the emperor, would you shame it? Not at all. The things that happen around marriage seem indifferent, but they are causes of great evils. Everything is full of lawlessness. Let shamefulness and foolish talk and ribaldry not issue from your mouth, he says. And all those things—shamefulness, foolish talk, and ribaldry—not simply, but with intensity; for the matter is an art, and great praises are given to those who practice it; sins have become an art. We do not simply engage in them, but with zeal, with knowledge; and the devil then commands his own ranks. For where there is drunkenness, there is licentiousness; where there is foul speech, the devil is present, bringing in his own contributions. Feasting on these things, tell me, do you celebrate a mystery of Christ and summon the devil? Perhaps you think me burdensome. For this too is a sign of great perversion, that even the one who rebukes incurs ridicule as a strict person.

Do you not hear Paul saying, "Whatever you do, whether you eat or drink or do anything, do it all to the glory of God"? But you do it for slander and dishonor. Do you not hear the prophet saying, "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice in him with trembling"? But you are dissolute. Is it not possible both to take pleasure and to do so with security? Do you wish to hear beautiful songs? Above all, it should not be necessary; but I condescend, if you wish: do not listen to satanic songs, but to spiritual ones. Do you wish to see dancers? Behold the dance of the angels. And how is it possible to see, he says? If you drive these things away, Christ will come to this wedding; and when Christ is present, the dance of the angels is also present. If you wish, he will work wonders even now, just as then: he will turn water into wine even now; and something far more wonderful, he will convert the dissipation that flows and the cold desire, and transfer it to the spiritual. This is to make wine from water. Where there are flute-players, Christ is nowhere; but even if he enters, he first casts them out, and then works wonders. What is more unpleasant than the satanic procession, where everything is inarticulate, where everything is meaningless? And if anything is articulate, again everything is shameful, everything is unpleasant.

Nothing is more pleasant than virtue, nothing sweeter than decency, nothing more desirable than dignity. Let someone conduct a marriage as I describe, and they will see the pleasure. But what kind of marriage? Pay attention. First, seek for the maiden a man who is truly a man and a protector, as one about to place a head on a body, as one about to entrust to him not a slave but a daughter. Do not seek wealth, do not seek brilliance of lineage, do not seek greatness of country—all these are superfluous—but seek piety of soul, gentleness, true understanding, fear of God, if you wish your little daughter to live with pleasure. For if you seek a richer man, you will not only not benefit her, but you will also harm her, making her a slave instead of free. She will not reap as much pleasure from gold as she will reap displeasure from being enslaved. But do not seek these things; rather, seek above all a man of equal honor. If that is not possible, seek a poorer man rather than a wealthier one, if indeed you wish to give your daughter not to a master to be sold, but to a man to be given in marriage. When you have carefully examined the man’s virtue and are about to give her away, call upon Christ to be present, for he will not be ashamed—it is a mystery of his presence. Above all, then, call upon him even then, so that he may grant such a suitor. Do not become worse than the servant of Abraham, who, when sent on such a long journey, knew where to take refuge, and therefore succeeded in everything. When you are investigating and seeking the man, pray. Say to God: “Whomever you wish, arrange it. Entrust the matter to him,” and having been honored by you with this honor, he will repay you.

Two things must be done: to entrust it to him, and to seek such a one as he himself would wish, orderly, temperate. So when you conduct the marriage, do not go around to houses, using mirrors and dyed garments; for the matter is not for display, nor are you leading the daughter out for a procession; but brightening the house with what is within, call neighbors and friends and relatives. Call as many as you know to be decent, and urge them to be content with what is present. Let no one from the orchestra be present; for there expense is excessive and unseemly; call Christ before all others. Do you know through whom you will call him? Whoever does something, he says, for one of these least ones, has done it for me. Do not think the matter is unpleasant, to call the poor for Christ's sake; it is unpleasant to call prostitutes. For calling the poor is a source of wealth, that of ruin. Adorn the bride not with these ornaments of gold, but with decency and modesty and her usual garments; instead of all gold ornament and plaited work, put around her blushing, shame, and not seeking those things. Let there be no uproar, no disturbance; let the bridegroom be called, let him receive the maiden. Let the best and the dinners be full not of drunkenness, but of spiritual pleasure. For countless good things will come from such a marriage, and the affairs of life will be secure; but from marriages as they are now conducted (if indeed one should call them marriages, and not processions), see how many evils there are. The bridal chambers are dissolved, and immediately there is anxiety and fear lest something be lost from the borrowed items, and the pleasure is succeeded by unbearable despondency.

But this is the struggle of the matchmaker; rather, not even the bride herself is exempt, for everything after this belongs to the bride herself. For seeing everything dissolved is a cause of despondency, seeing the house empty is an occasion for dejection. There is Christ, here is Satan; there is cheerfulness, here is care; there is pleasure, here is grief; there is expense, here is nothing of the sort; there is indecency, here is good order; there is envy, here is abundance; there is drunkenness, here is sobriety; here is salvation, here is temperance. Considering all these things, let us stop the evil up to this point, so that we may please God, and be deemed worthy to attain the promised goods for those who love him, by the grace and love for humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Spirit belong glory, power, honor, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.