314 WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [HOMILY XII. HOMILY XII. COLOSSIANS iv. 12, 13. " Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, saluteth you, always striving for you in his prayers, that ye may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. For I bear him witness, that he hath much zeal 1 for you, and for them in Laodicea, and for them in Hierapolis." IN the commencement of this Epistle also, he commended this man for his love ; for even to praise is a sign of love ; thus in the beginning he said, " Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit." (Col. i. 8.) To pray for one is also a sign of love, and causeth love again. He commends him moreover in order to open a door to his teachings, for reverendness in the teacher is the disciples advantage ; and so again is his saying, 2 " one of you," in order that they might pride themselves upon the man, as producing such men. And he saith, " always striving for you in prayers." He said not simply "praying," but " striving," trembling and fearing. " For I bear him witness," he saith, " that he hath much zeal for you." A trustworthy witness. " That he hath," he saith, " much zeal for you," that is, that he loveth you exceedingly ; and burneth with passionate affection for you. "And them in Lao dicea, and them in Hierapolis." He commend- eth him to those also. But whence were they to i know this ? They would assuredly have heard ; | however,theywould also learn itwhen the Epistle was read. For he said, " Cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans." " That ye may stand perfect," he saith. At once he both accuseth them, and without offensiveness gives them advice and counsel. For it is possible both to be perfect, and withal not to stand, as if one were to know all, and still be wavering; it is possible also not to be perfect, and yet to stand, as if one were to know a part, and stand [not 3 ] firmly. But this man prayeth for both : " That ye may stand perfect," he saith. See how again he has reminded them of what he said about the Angels, and about life. "And fully assured," he saith, " in all the will of God." It is not enough, simply to do His will. He that is "filled," suffereth not any other will to be within him, for if so, he is not wholly filled. " For 1 bear him witness," he saith, " that he hath much zeal." Both " zeal," and " great " ; both are intensitive. As he saith himself, when writing 1 [Correct text of N. T., as in Rev. Ver., "much labor." J. A. B.] 2 Ed. Par. [and Field] conj. TUJ for TO, " again (he commends him.) by saying." 3 Hales seems right in expunging this word; otherwise the sense is " though not." [Omitted in one MS. and in Field. J. A. B.] to the Corinthians, " For I am jealous 4 over you with a godly jealousy." (2 Cor. xi. 2.) Ver. 14. " Luke, the beloved physician, sa luteth you." This is the Evangelist. It is not to lower this man that he placeth him after, but to raise the other, viz. Epaphroditus. It is probable that there were others called by this name. 5 " And Demas," he says. After saying, " Luke, the physician, saluteth you," he added, " the beloved." And no small praise is this, but even great exceedingly, to be beloved of Paul. Ver. 15. "Salute the brethren that are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the Church that is in their house." See how he cements, and knits them together with one another, not by salutation only, but also by interchanging his Epistles. Then again he pays a compliment by addressing him indi vidually. And this he doth not without a reason, but in order to lead the others also to emulate his zeal. For it is not a small thing not to be numbered with the rest. Mark further how he shows the man to be great, seeing his house was a church. Ver. 14. "And when this Epistle hath been read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans." I suppose there are some of the things therein written, which it was needful that those also should hear. And they would have the greater advantage of recog nizing their own errors in the charges brought against others. "And that ye also read the Epistle from Laodicea." Some say that this is not Paul s to them, but theirs to Paul, for he said not that to the Laodiceans, but that written " from Laodicea." Ver. 1 7. " And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it." Wherefore doth he not write to him? Perhaps he needed it not, but only a bare reminding, so as to be more diligent. Ver. 1 8. "The salutation of me, Paul, with mine own hand." This is a proof of their sin cerity and affection ; that they both looked at his handwriting, and that with emotion. " Re member my bonds." Wonderful ! How great the consolation ! For this is enough to cheer them on to all things, and make them bear them- 4 [The Greek word means both zealous and jealous. In fact, the English word "jealous" is only a corrupt form of "zealous." J.A. B.] 5 i.e. Luke. Perhaps " and Demas" should come after the next clause. [It is evident that we have here only rough notes, dictated, or, more likely, taken in shorthand. J. A. B.]