asked, nay would have plunged into hell954 for them. With so ardent a disposition ought we to love. I wish to give you an example of friendship. Friends, that is, friends according to Christ, surpass fathers and sons. For tell me not of friends of the present day, since this good thing also has past away with others. But consider, in the time of the Apostles, I speak not of the chief men, but of the believers themselves generally; “all,” he says, “were of one heart and soul: and not one of them said that aught of the things which he possessed was his own…and distribution was made unto each, according as any one had need.” (Acts iv. 32, 35.) There were then no such words as “mine” and “thine.” This is friendship, that a man should not consider his goods his own, but his neighbor’s, that his possessions belong to another; that he should be as careful of his friend’s soul,955 as of his own; and the friend likewise. And where is it possible, somebody says, that such an one should be found? Because we have not the will; for it is possible. If it were not possible, neither would Christ have com- manded it; he would not have discoursed so much concerning love. A great thing is friend- ship, and how great, no one can learn, and no discourse represent, but experience itself. It is this956 that has caused the heresies. This makes the Greeks to be Greeks. He who loves does not wish to command, nor to rule, but is rather obliged when he is ruled and com- manded. He wishes rather to bestow a favor than to receive one, for he loves, and is so af- fected, as not having satisfied his desire. He is not so much gratified when good is done to him, as when he is doing good. For he wishes to oblige, rather than to be indebted to him; or rather he wishes both to be beholden to him, and to have him his debtor. And he wishes both to bestow favors, and not to seem to bestow them, but himself to be the debtor. I think that perhaps many of you do not understand what has been said. He wishes to be the first in bestowing benefits, and not to seem to be the first, but to be returning a kindness. Which God also has done in the case of men. He purposed to give His own Son for us; but that He might not seem to bestow a favor, but to be indebted to us, He commanded Abraham to offer his son,957 that whilst doing a great kindness, He might seem to do nothing great. For when indeed there is no love, we both upbraid men with our kindnesses and we exaggerate little ones; but when there is love, we both conceal them and wish to make the great appear small, that we may not seem to have our friend for a debtor, but ourselves to be debtors to him, in having him our debtor. I know that the greater part do not understand what is said, and the cause is, that I am speaking of a thing which now dwells in heaven. As 954 [The reference is to Chrys.’s (erroneous) interpretation of Rom. ix. 3. See his Homily on that passage, and above, on Col. iv. 18.—J.A.B.] 955 Or “life.” The double meaning of the word should be kept in sight throughout. 956 i.e. the want of love. 957 See Gen. xxii. 16, 18. 583 1 Thessalonians 1:8-10