Homily XIX.
Matt. VI. 1
.
“Take heed that ye do not your alms
815
before men, to be seen of them.”
He
roots out in what remains
the most tyrannical passion of all, the rage and madness with respect
to vainglory, which springs up in them that do right. For at first He
had not at all discoursed about it; it being indeed superfluous, before
He had persuaded them to do any of the things which they ought, to
teach in which way they should practise and pursue them.
But after He had led them on to self-command, then He
proceeds to purge away also the alloy which secretly subsists with it.
For this disease is by no means of random birth; but when we have duly
performed many of the commandments.
It behooved therefore first to implant virtue, and then
to remove the passion which mars its fruit.
And see with what He begins, with fasting, and prayer,
and almsgiving: for in these good deeds most especially it is wont to
make its haunt. The Pharisee, for instance, was hereby puffed up, who
saith, “I fast twice a week, I give tithes of my
substance.”
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And he was vainglorious too in his very prayer, making it for display.
For since there was no one else present, he pointed himself out to the
publican,
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saying, “I am not as the rest of men, nor even as this
publican.”
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And mark how Christ began, as though He were speaking of
some wild beast, hard to catch, and crafty to deceive him who was not
very watchful. Thus, “take heed,” saith He, “as to
your alms.” So Paul also speaks to the Philippians; “Beware
of dogs.”
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And with reason, for
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the evil beast comes in upon us secretly, and without noise puffs all
away, and unobservedly carries out all that is within.
Forasmuch then as He had made much discourse about
almsgiving, and brought forward God, “Who maketh His sun to rise
on the evil and the good,”
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and
by motives
from all quarters had urged them on to this, and
had persuaded them to exult in the abundance of their giving; He
finishes by taking away also all things that encumber this fair olive
tree. For which same cause He saith, “Take heed that ye do not
your alms before men,” for that which was before mentioned, is
“God’s” almsgiving.
2. And when He had said, “not to do it before
men,” He added, “to be seen of them.” And though it
seems as if the same thing were said a second time, yet if any one give
particular attention, it is not the same thing, but one is different
from the other; and it hath great security, and unspeakable care and
tenderness. For it may be, both that one doing alms before men may not
do it to be seen of them, and again that one not doing it before men
may do it to be seen of them. Wherefore it is not simply the thing, but
the intent, which He both punishes and rewards. And unless such
exactness were employed, this would make many more backward about the
giving of alms, because it is not on every occasion altogether possible
to do it secretly. For this cause, setting thee free from this
restraint, He defines both the penalty and the reward not by the result
of the action, but by the intention of the doer.
That is, that thou mayest not say, “What? am I
then the worse, should another see?”—“it is not
this,” saith He, “that I am seeking, but the mind that is
in thee, and the tone of what thou doest.” For His will is to
bring our soul altogether into frame, and to deliver it from every
disease. Now having, as you see, forbidden men’s acting for
display, and having taught them the penalty thence ensuing, namely, to
do it vainly, and for nought, He again rouses their spirits by putting
them in mind of the Father, and of Heaven, that not by the loss alone
He might sting them, but also shame them by the recollection of Him who
gave them being.
“For ye have no reward,” saith He,
“with your Father which is in Heaven.”
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Nor even at this did He stop, but proceeds yet further,
by other motives also increasing their disgust. For as above He set
forth publicans and heathens, by the quality of the person shaming
their imitators, so also in this place the hypocrites.
“Therefore when thou doest thine alms,”
saith He, “do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites
do.”
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Not that they had trumpets, but He means to display the
greatness of their frenzy, by the use of this figure of speech,
deriding and making a show
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of them hereby.
And well hath He called them “hypocrites”
for the mask was of mercy, but the spirit of cruelty and inhumanity.
For they do it, not because they pity their neighbors, but that they
themselves may enjoy credit; and this came of the utmost cruelty; while
another was perishing with hunger, to be seeking vainglory, and not
putting an end to his suffering.
It is not then the giving alms which is required, but
the giving as one ought, the giving for such and such an end.
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Having then amply derided those men, and having handled
them so, that the hearer should be even ashamed of them, He again
corrects thoroughly the mind which is so distempered: and having said
how we ought not to act, He signifies on the other hand how we ought to
act. How then ought we to do our alms?
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“Let not thy left hand know,” saith He,
“what thy right hand doeth.”
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Here again His enigmatical meaning is not of the hands,
but He hath put the thing hyperbolically. As thus: “If it can
be,” saith He, “for thyself not to know it, let this be the
object of thine endeavor; that, if it were possible, it may be
concealed from the very hands that minister.” It is not, as some
say, that we should hide it from wrong-headed
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men, for He hath here commanded that it should be concealed from
all.
And then the reward too; consider how great it is. For
after He had spoken of the punishment from the one, He points out also
the honor derived from the other; from either side urging them, and
leading them on to high lessons. Yea, for He is persuading them to know
that God is everywhere present, and that not by our present life are
our interests limited, but a yet more awful tribunal will receive us
when we go hence, and the account of all our doings, and honors, and
punishments: and that no one will be hid in doing anything either great
or small, though he seem to be hid from men. For all this did He darkly
signify, when He said,
“Thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward
thee openly.”
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Setting for him a great and august assemblage of
spectators, and what He desires, that very thing bestowing on him in
great abundance. “For what,” saith He, “dost thou
wish? is it not to have some to be spectators of what is going on?
Behold then, thou hast some; not angels, nor archangels, but the God of
all.” And if thou desire to have men also as spectators, neither
of this desire doth He deprive thee at the fitting season, but rather
in greater abundance affords it
unto thee. For, if thou shouldest now make a
display, thou wilt be able to make it to ten only, or twenty, or (we
will say) a hundred persons: but if thou take pains to lie hid now, God
Himself will then proclaim thee in the presence of the whole universe.
Wherefore above all, if thou wilt have men see thy good deeds, hide
them now, that then all may look on them with the more honor, God
making them manifest, and extolling them, and proclaiming them before
all. Again, whereas now they that behold will rather condemn thee as
vainglorious; when they see thee crowned, so far from condemning, they
will even admire thee, all of them. When therefore by waiting a little,
thou mayest both receive a reward, and reap greater admiration;
consider what folly it is to cast thyself out of both these; and while
thou art seeking thy reward from God, and while God is beholding, to
summon men for the display of what is going on. Why, if display must be
made of our love, to our Father above all should we make it; and this
most especially, when our Father hath the power both to crown and to
punish.
And let me add, even were there no penalty, it were not
meet for him who desires glory, to let go this our theatre, and take in
exchange that of men. For who is there so wretched, as that when the
king was hastening to come and see his achievements, he would let him
go, and make up his assembly of spectators of poor men and beggars? For
this cause then, He not only commands to make no display, but even to
take pains to be concealed: it not being at all the same, not to strive
for publicity, and to strive for concealment.
3. “And when ye pray,” saith He, “ye
shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the
synagogues, and in the corners of the streets. Verily I say unto you,
they have their reward.”
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“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy
closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is
in secret.”
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These too again He calls “hypocrites,” and
very fitly; for while they are feigning to pray to God, they are
looking round after men; wearing the garb not of suppliants, but of
ridiculous persons. For he, who is to do a suppliant’s office,
letting go all other, looks to him alone, who hath power to grant his
request. But if thou leave this one, and go about wandering and casting
around thine eyes everywhere, thou wilt depart with empty hands. For
this was thine own will. Wherefore He said not, “such shall not
receive a reward,” but, “they have it out:” that is,
they shall indeed receive one, but from those of whom they themselves
desire to have it. For God wills not this: He rather for His part was
willing to bestow on men the recompence that comes from Himself; but
they seeking that which is from men, can be no longer justly entitled
to receive from Him, for whom they have done nothing.
But mark, I pray thee, the lovingkindness of God, in
that He promises to bestow on us a reward, even for those good things
which we ask of Him.
Having then discredited them, who order not this duty as
they ought, both from the place and from their disposition of mind, and
having shown that they are very ridiculous: He introduces the best
manner of prayer, and again gives the reward, saying, “Enter into
thy closet.”
“What then,” it may be said, “ought we
not to pray in church?” Indeed we ought by all means, but in such
a spirit as this. Because everywhere God seeks the intention of all
that is done. Since even if thou shouldest enter into thy closet, and
having shut the door, shouldest do it for display, the doors will do
thee no good.
It is worth observing in this case also, how exact the
definition, which He made when He said, “That they may appear
unto men.” So that even if thou shut the doors, this He desires
thee duly to perform, rather than the shutting of the doors, even to
shut the doors of the mind. For as in everything it is good to be freed
from vainglory, so most especially in prayer. For if even without this,
we wander and are distracted, when shall we attend unto the things
which we are saying, should we enter in having this disease also? And
if we who pray and beseech attend not, how do we expect God to
attend?
4. But yet some there are, who after such and so earnest
charges, behave themselves so unseemly in prayer, that even when their
person is concealed, they make themselves manifest to all by their
voice, crying out disorderly,
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and rendering themselves objects of ridicule both by gesture and voice.
Seest thou not that even in a market place, should any one come up
doing like this, and begging clamorously, he wilt drive away him whom
he is petitioning; but if quietly, and with the proper gesture, then he
rather wins over him that can grant the favor?
Let us not then make our prayer by the gesture of our
body, nor by the loudness of our voice, but by the earnestness of our
mind: neither with noise and clamor and for display, so as even to
disturb those that are near us, but with all modesty,
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and with contrition in the mind, and with inward tears.
But art thou pained in mind, and canst not help crying
aloud? yet surely it is the part of one exceedingly pained to pray and
entreat even as I have said. Since Moses too was pained, and prayed in
this way and was heard; for this cause also God said unto him,
“Wherefore criest thou unto me.”
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And Hannah too again, her voice not being heard, accomplished all she
wished, forasmuch as her heart cried out.
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But Abel prayed not only when silent, but even when dying, and his
blood sent forth a cry more clear than a trumpet.
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Do thou also then groan, even as that holy one, I forbid
it not. “Rend,” as the prophet commanded,
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“thine heart, and not thy garments.” Out of deeps call upon
God, for it is said, “Out of the depths have I cried to Thee, O
Lord.”
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From beneath, out of the heart, draw forth a voice, make thy prayer a
mystery. Seest thou not that even in the houses of kings all tumult is
put away, and great on all sides is the silence? Do thou also
therefore, entering as into a palace,—not that on the earth, but
what is far more awful than it, that which is in heaven,—show
forth great seemliness. Yea, for thou art joined to the choirs of
angels, and art in communion with archangels, and art singing with the
seraphim. And all these tribes show forth much goodly order, singing
with great awe that mystical strain, and their sacred hymns to God, the
King of all. With these then mingle thyself, when thou art praying, and
emulate their mystical order.
For not unto men art thou praying, but to God, who is
everywhere present, who hears even before the voice, who knows the
secrets of the mind. If thou so pray, great is the reward thou shalt
receive.
“For thy Father,” saith He, “who seeth
in secret, shall reward thee openly.”
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He said not, “shall freely give thee,” but,
“shall reward thee;” yea, for He hath made Himself a debtor
to thee, and even from this hath honored thee with great honor. For
because He Himself is invisible, He would have thy prayer be so
likewise.
5. Then He speaks even the very words of the prayer.
“When ye pray,” saith He, “use no vain
repetitions, even as the heathen do.”
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You see that when He was discoursing of almsgiving, He
removed only that mischief which comes of vainglory, and added nothing
more; neither did He say whence one should give alms; as from honest
labor, and not from rapine nor covetousness: this being abundantly
acknowledged among all. And also before that, He had thoroughly cleared
up this point, when He blessed them “that hunger after
righteousness.”
But touching prayer, He adds somewhat over and above;
“not to use vain repetitions.” And as there He derides the
hypocrites, so here the heathen; shaming the hearer everywhere most of
all by the vileness of the persons. For since this, in most cases, is
especially biting and stinging, I mean our appearing to be likened to
outcast persons; by this topic He dissuades them; calling
frivolousness, here, by the name of “vain repetition:” as
when we ask of God things unsuitable, kingdoms, and glory, and to get
the better of enemies, and abundance of wealth, and in general what
does not at all concern us.
“For He knoweth,” saith He, “what
things ye have need of.”
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And herewith He seems to me to command in this place,
that neither should we make our prayers long; long, I mean, not in
time, but in the number and length of the things mentioned. For
perseverance indeed in the same requests is our duty: His word being,
“continuing instant in prayer.”
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And He Himself too, by that example of the widow, who
prevailed with the pitiless and cruel ruler, by the continuance of her
intercession;
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and by that of the friend, who came late at night time, and roused the
sleeper from his bed,
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not for his friendship’s, but for his importunity’s sake;
what did He, but lay down a law, that all should continually make
supplication unto Him? He doth not however bid us compose a prayer of
ten thousand clauses, and so come to Him and merely repeat it. For this
He obscurely signified when He said, “They think that they shall
be heard for their much speaking.”
“For He knoweth,” saith He, “what
things ye have need of.” And if He know, one may say, what we
have need of, wherefore must we pray? Not to instruct Him, but to
prevail with Him; to be made intimate with Him, by continuance in
supplication; to be humbled; to be reminded of thy sins.
6. “After this manner, therefore, pray ye,”
saith He: “Our Father, which art in heaven.”
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See how He straightway stirred up the hearer, and
reminded him of all God’s bounty in the beginning. For he who
calls God Father, by him both remission of sins, and taking away of
punishment, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, and
adoption, and inheritance, and brotherhood with the Only-Begotten, and
the supply of the Spirit, are acknowledged in this single title. For
one cannot call God Father, without having attained to all those
blessings. Doubly, therefore, doth He awaken their spirit, both by the
dignity of Him who is called on, and by the greatness of the benefits
which they have enjoyed. But when He saith, “in Heaven,” He
speaks not this as shutting up God there, but as withdrawing him who is
praying from earth, and fixing him in the high places, and in the
dwellings above.
He teaches, moreover, to make our prayer common, in
behalf of our brethren also. For He saith not, “my Father, which
art in Heaven,” but, “our Father,” offering up his
supplications for the body in common, and nowhere looking to his own,
but everywhere to his neighbor’s good. And by this He at once
takes away hatred, and quells pride, and casts out envy, and brings in
the mother of all good things, even charity, and exterminates the
inequality of human things, and shows how far the equality reaches
between the king and the poor man, if at least in those things which
are greatest and most indispensable, we are all of us fellows. For what
harm comes of our kindred below, when in that which is on high we are
all of us knit together, and no one hath aught more than another;
neither the rich more than the poor, nor the master than the servant,
neither the ruler than the subject, nor the king than the common
soldier, nor the philosopher than the barbarian, nor the skillful than
the unlearned? For to all hath He given one nobility, having vouchsafed
to be called the Father of all alike.
7. When therefore He hath reminded us of this nobility,
and of the gift from above, and of our equality with our brethren, and
of charity; and when He hath removed us from earth, and fixed us in
Heaven; let us see what He commands us to ask after this. Not but, in
the first place, even that saying alone is sufficient to implant
instruction in all virtue. For he who hath called God Father, and a
common Father, would be justly bound to show forth such a conversation,
as not to appear unworthy of this nobility, and to exhibit a diligence
proportionate to the gift. Yet is He not satisfied with this, but adds,
also another clause, thus saying,
“Hallowed be Thy name.”
Worthy of him who calls God Father, is the prayer to ask
nothing before the glory of His Father, but to account all things
secondary to the work of praising Him. For “hallowed” is
glorified
. For His own glory He hath complete, and ever
continuing the same, but He commands him who prays to seek that He may
be glorified also by our life. Which very thing He had said before
likewise, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see
your good works, and glorify your Father which is in
heaven.”
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Yea, and the seraphim too, giving glory, said on this wise,
“Holy, holy, holy.”
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So that “hallowed” means this,
viz
.
“glorified.” That is, “vouchsafe,” saith he,
“that we may live so purely, that through us all may glorify
Thee.” Which thing again appertains unto perfect self-control, to
present to all a life so irreprehensible, that every one of the
beholders may offer to the Lord the praise due to Him for this.
“Thy kingdom come.”
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And this again is the language of a right-minded child,
not to be rivetted to things that are seen, neither to account things
present some great matter; but to hasten unto our Father, and to long
for the things to come. And this springs out of a good conscience, and
a soul set free from things that are on earth. This, for instance, Paul
himself was longing after every day: wherefore he also said, that
“even we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit,
groan, waiting for an adoption, the redemption of our body.”
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For he who hath this fondness,
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can neither be puffed up by the good things of this life, nor abashed
by its sorrows; but as though dwelling in the very heavens, is freed
from each sort of irregularity.
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“Thy will be done in earth, as it is in
Heaven.”
Behold a most excellent train of thought! in that He
bade us indeed long for the things
to come, and hasten towards that sojourn; and,
till that may be, even while we abide here, so long to be earnest in
showing forth the same conversation as those above. For ye must long,
saith He, for heaven, and the things in heaven; however, even before
heaven, He hath bidden us make the earth a heaven and do and say all
things, even while we are continuing in it, as having our conversation
there; insomuch that these too should be objects of our prayer to the
Lord. For there is nothing to hinder our reaching the perfection of the
powers above, because we inhabit the earth; but it is possible even
while abiding here, to do all, as though already placed on high. What
He saith therefore is this: “As there all things are done without
hindrance, and the angels are not partly obedient and partly
disobedient, but in all things yield and obey (for He saith,
‘Mighty in strength, performing His word’);
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so vouchsafe that we men may not do Thy will by halves, but perform all
things as Thou willest.”
Seest thou how He hath taught us also to be modest, by
making it clear that virtue is not of our endeavors only, but also of
the grace from above? And again, He hath enjoined each one of us, who
pray, to take upon himself the care of the whole world. For He did not
at all say, “Thy will be done”
in me,
or
in
us
, but everywhere on the earth; so that error may be destroyed,
and truth implanted, and all wickedness cast out, and virtue return,
and no difference in this respect be henceforth between heaven and
earth. “For if this come to pass,” saith He, “there
will be no difference between things below and above, separated as they
are in nature; the earth exhibiting to us another set of
angels.”
8. “Give us this day our daily bread.”
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What is “
daily bread
”? That for one
day.
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For because He had said thus, “Thy will be done in
earth as it is in heaven,” but was discoursing to men encompassed
with flesh, and subject to the necessities of nature, and incapable of
the same impassibility with the angels:—while He enjoins the
commands to be practised by us also, even as they perform them; He
condescends likewise, in what follows, to the infirmity of our nature.
Thus, “perfection of conduct,” saith He, “I require
as great, not however freedom from passions; no, for the tyranny of
nature permits it not: for it requires necessary food.” But mark,
I pray thee, how even in things that are bodily, that which is
spiritual abounds. For it is neither for riches, nor for delicate
living, nor for costly raiment, nor for any other such thing, but for
bread only, that He hath commanded us to make our prayer. And for
“daily bread,” so as not to “take thought for the
morrow.”
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Because of this He added, “
daily
bread,” that is,
bread for one day.
And not even with this expression is He satisfied, but
adds another too afterwards, saying, “Give us
this
day
;” so that we may not, beyond this, wear ourselves out
with the care of the following day. For that day, the interval
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before which thou knowest not whether thou shalt see, wherefore dost
thou submit to its cares?
This, as He proceeded, he enjoined also more fully,
saying, “Take no thought for the morrow.” He would have us
be on every hand unencumbered and winged for flight, yielding just so
much to nature as the compulsion of necessity requires of us.
9. Then forasmuch as it comes to pass that we sin even
after the washing of regeneration, He, showing His love to man to be
great even in this case, commands us for the remission of our sins to
come unto God who loves man, and thus to say,
“Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our
debtors.”
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Seest thou surpassing mercy? After taking away so great
evils, and after the unspeakable greatness of His gift, if men sin
again, He counts them such as may be forgiven. For that this prayer
belongs to believers, is taught us both by the laws of the church, and
by the beginning of the prayer. For the uninitiated could not call God
Father. If then the prayer belongs to believers, and they pray,
entreating that sins may be forgiven them, it is clear that not even
after the laver is the profit of repentance taken away. Since, had He
not meant to signify this, He would not have made a law that we should
so pray. Now He who both brings sins to
remembrance, and bids us ask forgiveness, and teaches how
we may obtain remission and so makes the way easy; it is perfectly
clear that He introduced this rule of supplication, as knowing, and
signifying, that it is possible even after the font
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to wash ourselves from our offenses; by reminding us of our sins,
persuading us to be modest; by the command to forgive others, setting
us free from all revengeful passion; while by promising in return for
this to pardon us also, He holds out good hopes, and instructs us to
have high views
859
concerning the unspeakable mercy of God toward man.
But what we should most observe is this, that whereas in
each of the clauses He had made mention of the whole of virtue, and in
this way had included also the forgetfulness of injuries (for so, that
“His name be hallowed,” is the exactness of a perfect
conversation; and that “His will be done,” declares the
same thing again: and to be able to call God “Father,” is
the profession of a blameless life; in all which things had been
comprehended also the duty of remitting our anger against them that
have transgressed): still He was not satisfied with these, but meaning
to signify how earnest He is in the matter, He sets it down also in
particular, and after the prayer, He makes mention of no other
commandment than this, saying thus:
“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your
heavenly Father also will forgive you.”
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So that the beginning is of us, and we ourselves have
control over the judgment that is to be passed upon us. For in order
that no one, even of the senseless, might have any complaint to make,
either great or small, when brought to judgment; on thee, who art to
give account, He causes the sentence to depend; and “in what way
soever thou hast judged for thyself,
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in the same,” saith He, “do I also judge thee.” And
if thou forgive thy fellow servant, thou shalt obtain the same favor
from me; though indeed the one be not equal to the other. For thou
forgivest in thy need, but God, having need of none: thou, thy fellow
slave; God, His slave: thou liable to unnumbered charges; God, being
without sin. But yet even thus doth He show forth His lovingkindness
towards man.
Since He might indeed, even without this, forgive thee
all thine offenses; but He wills thee hereby also to receive a benefit;
affording thee on all sides innumerable occasions of gentleness and
love to man, casting out what is brutish in thee, and quenching wrath,
and in all ways cementing thee to him who is thine own member.
For what canst thou have to say? that thou hast
wrongfully endured some ill of thy neighbor? (For these only are
trespasses, since if it be done with justice, the act is not a
trespass.) But thou too art drawing near to receive forgiveness for
such things, and for much greater. And even before the forgiveness,
thou hast received no small gift, in being taught to have a human soul,
and in being trained to all gentleness. And herewith a great reward
shall also be laid up for thee elsewhere, even to be called to account
for none of thine offenses.
What sort of punishment then do we not deserve, when
after having received the privilege, we betray our salvation? And how
shall we claim to be heard in the rest of our matters, if we will not,
in those which depend on us, spare our own selves?
10. “And lead us not into temptation; but deliver
us from the evil one: for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the
glory, for ever. Amen.”
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Here He teaches us plainly our own vileness, and quells
our pride, instructing us to deprecate all conflicts, instead of
rushing upon them. For so both our victory will be more glorious, and
the devil’s overthrow more to be derided. I mean, that as when we
are dragged forth, we must stand nobly; so when we are not summoned, we
should be quiet, and wait for the time of conflict; that we may show
both freedom from vainglory, and nobleness of spirit.
And He here calls the devil “the wicked
one,” commanding us to wage against him a war that knows no
truce, and implying that he is not such by nature. For wickedness
863
is not of those things that are from nature, but of them that are added
by our own choice. And he is so called pre-eminently, by reason of the
excess of his wickedness, and because he, in no respect injured by us,
wages against us implacable war. Wherefore neither said He,
“deliver us from the wicked ones,” but, “from the
wicked one;” instructing us in no case to entertain displeasure
against our neighbors, for what wrongs soever we may suffer at their
hands, but to transfer our enmity from these to him, as being himself
the cause of all our wrongs.
Having then made us anxious as before conflict, by
putting us in mind of the enemy, and having cut away from us all our
remissness; He again encourages and raises our spirits, by bringing to
our remembrance the King under whom we are arrayed, and signifying Him
to be more powerful than all. “For Thine,” saith He,
“is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory.”
Doth it not then follow, that if His be the kingdom, we
should fear no one, since there can be none to withstand, and divide
the empire with him. For when He saith, “Thine is the
kingdom,” He sets before us even him, who is warring against us,
brought into subjection, though he seem to oppose, God for a while
permitting it. For in truth he too is among God’s servants,
though of the degraded class, and those guilty of offense; and he would
not dare set upon any of his fellow servants, had he not first received
license from above. And why say I, “his fellow servants?”
Not even against swine did he venture any outrage, until He Himself
allowed him;
864
nor against flocks, nor herds, until he had received permission from
above.
865
“And the power,” saith He. Therefore,
manifold as thy weakness may be, thou mayest of right be confident,
having such a one to reign over thee, who is able fully to accomplish
all, and that with ease, even by thee.
“And the glory, for ever. Amen.” Thus He not
only frees thee from the dangers that are approaching thee, but can
make thee also glorious and illustrious. For as His power is great, so
also is His glory unspeakable, and they are all boundless, and no end
of them. Seest thou how He hath by every means anointed His Champion,
and hath framed Him to be full of confidence?
11. Then, as I said before, meaning to signify, that of
all things He most loathes and hates bearing malice, and most of all
accepts the virtue which is opposite to that vice; He hath after the
prayer also again put us in mind of this same point of goodness; both
by the punishment set, and by the reward appointed, urging the hearer
to obey this command.
“For if ye forgive men,” saith He,
“your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive
not, neither will He forgive you.”
866
With this view He hath again mentioned heaven also, and
their Father; to abash the hearer by this topic likewise; that he of
all people, being of such a Father, should be made a wild beast of; and
summoned as he is to heaven, should cherish an earthly and
ordinary
867
sort of mind. Since not by grace only, you see, ought we to become His
children, but also by our works. And nothing makes us so like God, as
being ready to forgive the wicked and wrong-doers; even as indeed He
had taught before, when He spake of His “making the sun to shine
on the evil and on the good.”
868
For this same cause again in every one of the clauses He
commands us to make our prayers common, saying, “Our
Father,” and “Thy will be done in earth as it is in
heaven,” and “Give
us
the bread, and forgive
us
our debts,” and “lead
us
not into
temptation,” and “deliver
us
;” everywhere
commanding us to use this plural word, that we may not retain so much
as a vestige of anger against our neighbor.
How great punishment then must they deserve, who after
all this, so far from themselves forgiving, do even entreat God for
vengeance on their enemies, and diametrically as it were transgress
this law; and this while He is doing and contriving all, to hinder our
being at variance one with another? For since love is the root of all
that is good, He removing from all sides whatever mars it, brings us
together, and cements us to each other. For there is not, there is not
one, be he father, or mother, or friend, or what you will, who so loved
us as the God who created us. And this, above all things, both His
daily benefits and His precepts make manifest. But if thou tell me of
the pains, and of the sorrows, and of the evils of life; consider in
how many things thou offendest Him every day, and thou wilt no longer
marvel, though more than these evils should come upon thee, but if thou
shouldest enjoy any good, then thou wilt marvel, and be amazed. But as
it is, we look upon the calamities that come upon us, but the offenses,
whereby we offend daily, we consider not: therefore we are perplexed.
Since if we did but reckon up with strictness our sins of one day only,
in that case we should know well how great evils we must be liable
to.
And to let pass the other misdoings of which we have
been guilty, each one for himself, and to speak of what have been
committed this day; although of course I know not in what each of us
may have sinned, yet such is the abundance of our misdoings, that
not even he who knew all exactly would be
able to choose from among these only. Which of us, for instance, hath
not been careless in his prayers? Which hath not been insolent, or
vainglorious? Who hath not spoken evil of his brother, hath not
admitted a wicked desire, hath not looked with unchaste eyes, hath not
remembered things with hostile feeling, even till he made his heart
swell?
And if while we are in church, and in a short time we
have become guilty of so great evils; what shall be when we are gone
out from hence? If in the harbor the waves are so high, when we are
gone forth into the channel of wickednesses, the forum I mean, and to
public business, and our cares at home, shall we indeed be able so much
as to know ourselves again?
But yet from our so great and so many sins, God hath
given us a short and easy way of deliverance, and one that is free from
all toil. For what sort of toil is it to forgive him that hath grieved
us? Nay, it is a toil not to forgive, but to keep up our enmity: even
as to be delivered from the anger, both works in us a great
refreshment, and is very easy to him that is willing. For there is no
sea to be crossed, nor long journey to be travelled, nor summits of
mountains to be passed over, nor money to be spent, no need to torment
thy body; but it suffices to be willing only, and all our sins are done
away.
But if so far from forgiving him thyself, thou makest
intercession to God against him, what hope of salvation wilt thou then
have, if at the very time when thou oughtest rather to appease God,
even then thou provokest Him; putting on the garb of a suppliant, but
uttering the cries of a wild beast, and darting out against thyself
those shafts of the wicked one? Wherefore Paul also, making mention of
prayer, required nothing so much as the observance of this commandment;
for He saith, “lifting up holy hands without wrath and
doubting.”
869
And if when thou hast need of mercy, not even then wilt thou let go
thine anger, but art rather exceedingly mindful of it, and that,
although thou knowest thou art thrusting the sword into thyself; when
will it be possible for thee to become merciful, and to spew out the
evil venom of this wickedness?
But if thou hast not yet seen this outrageousness in its
full extent, suppose it happening among men, and then thou wilt
perceive the excess of the insolence. As thus: should one approach thee
who are a man, seeking to obtain mercy, and then, in the midst of his
lying on the ground, should see an enemy, and leaving off to supplicate
thee, begin to beat him; wouldest thou not make thyself more angry with
him? This do thou consider as taking place with regard to God also. For
so thou likewise, making supplication unto God, leavest thy
supplication in the midst, and smitest thine enemy with thy words, and
insultest the laws of God. Him who made a law to dismiss all anger,
thou art summoning against those that have vexed thee, and requiring
Him to do things contrary to His own commandments. Is it not enough for
thee in the way of revenge, that thou thyself transgressest the law of
God, but entreatest thou Him likewise to do so? What? hath He forgotten
what He commanded? What? is He a man who spake these things? It is God,
who knows all things, and whose will is, that His own laws be kept with
the utmost exactness, and who, so far from doing these things which
thou art requiring of Him, doth even regard thee who sayest these
things, merely because thou sayest them, with aversion and hatred, and
exacts of thee the most extreme penalty. How then seekest thou to
obtain of Him things, from which He very seriously bids thee
refrain?
Yet some there are, who have come to such a point of
brutishness, as not only to make intercession against their enemies,
but even to curse their children, and to taste, if only it might be, of
their very flesh; or rather they are even tasting thereof. For tell me
not this, that thou hast not fixed thy teeth in the body of him that
vexed thee; since thou hast done, at least as far as concerned thee,
what is much more grievous; in claiming that wrath from above should
fall upon him, and that he should be delivered over to undying
punishment, and be overthrown with his whole house.
Why, what sort of bites are as ferocious as this? what
kind of weapons as bitter? Not so did Christ instruct thee; not so did
He command thee to stain thy mouth with blood. Nay, mouths made bloody
with human flesh are not so shocking as tongues like these.
How then wilt thou salute thy brother? how wilt thou
touch the sacrifice? how taste the Lord’s blood, when thou hast
so much venom upon thy mind? Since when thou sayest, “Rend him in
pieces, and overthrow his house, and destroy all,” when thou art
imprecating on him ten thousand deaths, thou art in nothing different
from a murderer, or rather from a wild beast that devours men.
Let us cease then from this disease and madness, and
that kindliness which He com
manded
let us show forth towards them that have vexed us: that we may become
like “our Father which is in heaven.” And we shall cease
therefrom, if we call to mind our own sins; if we strictly search out
all our misdeeds at home, abroad, and in the market, and in church.
12. For if for nothing else, surely for our
disrespectfulness here we are worthy to undergo the utmost punishment.
For when prophets are chanting, and apostles singing hymns, and God is
discoursing, we wander without, and bring in upon us a turmoil of
worldly business. And we do not afford to the laws of God so great
stillness, even as the spectators in the theatres to the
emperor’s letters, keeping silence for them. For there, when
these letters are being read, deputies at once, and governors, and
senate, and people, stand all upright, with quietness hearkening to the
words. And if amid that most profound silence any one should suddenly
leap up and cry out, he suffers the utmost punishment, as having been
insolent to the emperor. But here, when the letters from heaven are
being read, great is the confusion on all sides. And yet both He who
sent the letters is much greater than this our king,
870
and the assembly more venerable: for not men only, but angels too are
in it; and these triumphs, of which the letters bear us the good
tidings, are much more awful than those on earth. Wherefore not men
only, but angels also and archangels; both the nations of heaven, and
all we on the earth, are commanded to give praise. For, “Bless
the Lord,” it is said, “all His works.”
871
Yea, for His are no small achievements, rather they surpass all speech,
and thought, and understanding of man.
And these things the prophets proclaim every day, each
of them in a different way publishing this glorious triumph. For one
saith, “Thou hast gone up on high, Thou hast led captivity
captive, and hast received gifts amongst men.”
872
And, “The Lord strong and mighty in battle.”
873
And another saith, “He shall divide the spoils of the
strong.”
874
For indeed to this purpose He came, that He might “preach
deliverance to captives, and recovery of sight to the blind.”
875
And raising aloud the cry of victory over death, he
said, “Where, O Death, is thy victory? Where, O Grave, is thy
sting?”
876
And another again, declaring glad tidings of the most profound peace,
said, “They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their
spears into pruning hooks.”
877
And while one calls on Jerusalem, saying, “Rejoice greatly, O
daughter of Sion, for lo! thy King cometh to thee meek, riding upon an
ass, and a young colt;”
878
another proclaims His second coming also, saying on this wise,
“The Lord, whom ye seek, will come, and who will abide the day of
His coming?
879
Leap ye as calves set free from bonds.”
880
And another again, amazed at such things, said, “This is our God;
there shall none other be accounted of in comparison of Him.”
881
Yet, nevertheless, while both these and many more
sayings than these are being uttered, while we ought to tremble, and
not so much as account ourselves to be on the earth; still, as though
in the midst of a forum, we make an uproar and disturbance, and spend
the whole time of our solemn assembly
882
in discoursing of things which are nothing to us.
When therefore both in little things, and in great, both
in hearing, and in doing, both abroad, and at home, in the church, we
are so negligent; and together with all this, pray also against our
enemies: whence are we to have any hope of salvation, adding to so
great sins yet another grievous enhancement, and equivalent to them
all, even this unlawful prayer?
Have we then hereafter any right to marvel, if aught
befall us of the things which are unexpected and painful? whereas we
ought to marvel when no such thing befalls us. For the former is in the
natural order of things, but the latter were beyond all reason and
expectation. For surely it is beyond reason, that they who are become
enemies of God, and are provoking Him to anger, should enjoy sunshine
and showers, and all the rest; who being men surpass the barbarity of
wild beasts, setting themselves one against another, and by the biting
of their neighbors staining their own tongues with blood: after the
spiritual table, and His so great benefits, and His innumerable
injunctions.
Therefore, considering these things, let us cast up that
venom; let us put an end to our enmities, and let us make the prayers
that become such as we are. Instead of the brutality of devils, let us
take upon us the mildness of angels; and in whatsoever things we may
have been injured, let us, consider
ing our own case, and the reward appointed us
for this commandment, soften our anger; let us assuage the billows,
that we may both pass through the present life calmly, and when we have
departed thither, may find our Lord such as we have been towards our
fellow-servants. And if this be a heavy and fearful thing, let us make
it light and desirable; and let us open the glorious gates of
confidence towards Him; and what we had not strength to effect by
abstaining from sin, that let us accomplish by becoming gentle to them
who have sinned against us (for this surely is not grievous, nor
burdensome); and let us by doing kindnesses to our enemies, lay up
beforehand much mercy for ourselves.
For so both during this present life all will love us,
and above all others, God will both befriend and crown us, and will
count us worthy of all the good things to come; unto which may we all
attain, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to
whom be glory and might for ever and ever. Amen.
815
[All authorities of an early period, including many
fathers prior to Chrysostom, read
δικαιοσνην
(comp. R.V.). It seems likely that the apparent homiletical advantage
of the other reading made it the common one.—R.]
816
Luke xviii.
12
.
817
Or, “by the publican:”
τ τελν
νεδεκνυτο
. [The
dative is correctly rendered in the text, but the verb is used in a
figurative sense.—R.]
818
Luke xviii.
11
.
819
Phil. iii.
2
. [“The dogs,”
so R.V.—R.]
820
[
Κα
γρ
.]
821
Matt. v.
45
.
822
Matt. vi.
1
.
823
Matt. vi.
2
.
824
ἐκπομπεων
.
825
[
δι
τοτο
.]
826
[As in the previous clause, “ought we to
act.”—R.]
827
Matt. vi.
3
.
828
σκαιο
, literally, “on the
left hand.”
829
Matt. vi.
4
. [The phrase
ἐν τ
φανερ
is poorly supported in
verses 4,
6, 18
. It seems, however, to
be accepted by Chrysostom. The R.V. properly renders “recompense
thee” to distinguish from the word “reward” (
μισθν
), which occurs in
verse
2
and similar
passages.—R.]
830
Matt. vi.
5
. [R.V., “to stand and
pray,” and, “They have received their
reward.”—R.]
831
Matt. vi.
6
. [R.V., “Enter into
thine inner chamber and having shut thy door, pray,”
etc.—R.]
832
συρφετωδ
.
833
ἐπιεικεα
.
834
Exod. xiv.
15
.
835
1 Sam. i.
13
.
836
Gen. iv.
10
.
837
Joel ii.
13
.
838
Ps. cxxxi.
1
.
839
Matt. vi.
6
. [See note on sec. 2, verse
4.—R.]
840
Matt. vi.
7
. (R.V., “And in
praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles
do.”—R.]
841
Matt. vi.
8
.
842
Rom. xii.
12
.
843
Luke xviii.
1
.
844
Luke xi.
5
.
845
Matt. vi.
9
. [In Latin editions of the
Homilies a division has been made at this point, so as to separate the
comments on the Lord’s Prayer into a distinct Homily. But the
Greek
mss
. have no such division. The latter
half is numbered Homily XX., and the enumeration of all the subsequent
Homilies modified. In Migne’s edition, two sets of numbers are
given to the Homilies which follow.—R.]
846
Matt. v.
16
.
847
Is. vi. 3;
Rev. iv. 8
.
848
Matt. vi.
10
.
849
Rom. viii.
23
. [The citation is slightly
abridged, but the latter part agrees exactly with the Greek text
followed in the R.V., which renders: “waiting for
our
adoption,
to wit
, the redemption of our
body.”—R.]
850
ἔρωτα
.
851
ἀνωμαλα
.
852
Ps. ciii.
20
.
853
Matt. vi.
11
.
854
[This is one of the most important passages in these
Homilies, from a lexical point of view. The Greek text is,
Τ στι, Τον
ρτον τν
πιυσιον; Το
φμερον
. The word
ἐπιοσιο
is found only in
Matt. vi. 11, Luke xi. 3
, and in the Christian literature based
on these passages. As all Biblical scholars are aware, the etymology
and meaning are still open to discussion. See Thayer’s
Greek
Lexicon, New Testament, sub voce
. The Fathers generally gave it a
spiritual or mystical sense, and Chrysostom’s position is,
therefore, the more important. The modern views may be inferred from
the R.V., which in the text of both renders the word
“daily,” with the margin “Greek, our bread for the
coming day,” but the American Company add as a second marginal
rendering, “our needful bread.” These two marginal
renderings represent two distinct etymologies, while
“daily” is an explanatory or inferential rendering, for
which the authority of Chrysostom has furnished strong
support.—R.]
855
Matt. vi.
34
.
856
τ
διστημα
.
857
Matt. vi.
12
. [R.V., “have
forgiven our debtors,” following a different and better supported
reading than that accepted by Chrysostom.—R.]
858
[
μετ τ
λουτρν
, rendered above,
“after the laver.”—R.]
859
φιλοσοφεν
.
860
Matt. vi.
14
.
861
Many
mss
. read
hast
given judgment on him
.
862
Matt. vi.
13
. [Two points of great
interest are to be noticed here: (1) that the interpretation “of
the evil one” is unqualifedly accepted; (2) that the doxology is
given without any suggestion of doubt respecting the genuineness of it.
Here, as so often, the exegetical accuracy of Chrysostom appears to
exceed his critical estimate of the Greek text of the New
Testament.—R.]
863
πονηρα
.
864
Luke viii.
32
.
865
Job i.
12
.
866
Matt. vi.
14, 15
. [The latter verse is
abridged, but there are variations in the
mss
.
of the New Testament; comp. Tischendorf,
in loco
.—R.]
867
βιωτικν
[here in the
sense of “secular.”—R.]
868
Matt. v.
45
.
869
1 Tim. ii.
8
. [R.V.,
“disputing,” with margin,
“doubting.”—R.]
870
[
το
βασιλω
, the Greek title of the
emperor. The term is so rendered above.—R.]
871
Ps. ciii.
22
.
872
Ps. lxviii.
18
.
873
Ps. xxiv.
8
.
874
Isa. liii.
12
.
875
Isa. lxi.
l; Luke iv. 19
.
876
Hosea xiii.
14
. [The
LXX
. has been modified in this citation to accord, in the
first clause, with
1 Cor. xv.
55
.—R.]
877
Isa. ii. 4
; Micah iv. 3
.
878
Zech. ix.
9
.
879
Mal. iii.
1, 2
.
880
Mal. iv.
2
. The present reading of the
LXX. is
σκιρτσετε
,
“ye shall leap.” [So the Hebrew; comp. R.V.—R.]
881
Baruc. iii.
35
.
882
τ
συνξεω
: “of the Holy
Communion.” [But see note 1 in Homily V., p. 31, and comp. Homily
LXXXVIII. at the close.—R.]