{"author":null,"canonical_references":[],"database_sha256":"8cfbe7284c6936871d57c02dc6aa63ebbdfd4722422d539dd9f716e46e91112e","date_end":null,"date_start":null,"edition_year":null,"id":"sermonindex-ecf-2333","native_reference":{"book_number":600,"chapter_from":3,"chapter_to":3,"system":"MyBible module coordinates (mapping unverified)","verse_from":8,"verse_to":8},"public_import_allowed":false,"record_kind":"verse-keyed-module-record","review_required":["English edition and exact text","author/work attribution","dating","verse mapping and citation kind","reuse and attribution","split author quotations and deduplicate"],"review_status":"unreviewed","source_html":"<p><b>Ambrosiaster</b>: For it would not be reprehensible if he received bread from those who provided spiritual nourishment to their souls, which also gave immortality with glory to their bodies. Then indeed freedom can be exercised, if one does not subject oneself to the stomach or money, content with one's own bread; especially since it is more beneficial to praise, if, when it is allowed, and there is the opportunity to take, one abstains: such a person can benefit the listeners; for they will have reverence for this strictness, and they cannot disregard the things that are commanded by him.<br/><i>— Commentary on 2 Thessalonians</i></p><p><b>Augustine of Hippo</b>: Unless any one have the boldness to imagine or to affirm, that the Apostle Paul attained not to the perfection of those who left all and followed Christ, seeing that, in order not to become a burden to any of those to whom he preached the gospel, he worked with his own hands for his support: wherein we find rather the fulfillment of his own words, \"I labored more abundantly than they all;\" and to which he added, \"yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me:\" to make it manifest that this also was to be imputed to the grace of God, that both with mind and body he was able to labor so much more abundantly than they all, that he neither ceased from preaching the gospel, nor drew, like them, his present support out of the gospel; while he was sowing it much more widely and fruitfully through multitudes of nations where the name of Christ had never previously been proclaimed. Whereby he showed that living, that is, deriving their subsistence, by the gospel, was not imposed on the apostles as a necessity, but conferred on them as a power.<br/><i>— TRACTATES ON John 122.3</i></p><p><b>Augustine of Hippo</b>: Of course, there are those who misunderstand the same apostle when he writes, \"He who was apt to steal, let him steal no longer; but let him labor, doing good with his hands, that he may have something to give to one who has need.\" For, when he is ordering such persons to work so efficiently with their hands that they will also have something to bestow on others, his misinterpreters believe that he is going counter to the instruction which the Lord gives when he says, \"Look at the birds of the air: they do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns.… Consider the lilies of the field: They neither toil nor spin.\" Paul does not seem to have imitated the birds of the air and lilies of the field. He has repeatedly said of himself that he was working with his own hands so as not to burden anyone, and it is written of him that he joined with Aquila because of the similarity of their handicraft, so that they might work together to maintain a livelihood. From these and other such passages of the Scripture it is clear enough that our Lord does not reprove a man for procuring these things in the usual manner.<br/><i>— SERMON ON THE MOUNT 2.17.57</i></p><p><b>Basil of Caesarea</b>: But why should we dwell upon the amount of evil there is in idleness, when the apostle clearly specifies that he who does not work should not eat. As daily sustenance is necessary for everyone, so labor in proportion to one's strength is also essential. Solomon has written effectively in praise of hard work: \"And she has not eaten her bread in idleness.\" And again, the apostle says of himself, \"neither did we eat any man's bread for nothing, but in labor and in toil we worked night and day.\" Yet, since he was preaching the gospel, he was entitled to receive his livelihood from the gospel.… We have reason to fear, therefore, lest, perchance, on the day of judgment this fault also may be alleged against us, since he who has endowed us with the ability to work demands that our labor be proportioned to our capacity. For the Lord says, \"To whom they have committed much, of him they will demand much.\"<br/><i>— THE LONG RULES, Q.37.R</i></p><p><b>Basil of Caesarea</b>: In this way we acquire a recollected spirit—when in every action we beg from God the success of our labors and satisfy our debt of gratitude to him who gave us the power to do the work, and when, as has been said, we keep before our minds the aim of pleasing him. If this is not the case, how can there be consistency in the words of the apostle bidding us to \"pray without ceasing,\" with those other words: \"we worked night and day\"? Thanksgiving at all times has been commanded even from law and has been proved necessary to our life from both reason and nature. So we should not therefore be negligent in observing those times for prayer customarily established in communities—times which have inevitably been selected because each period contains a reminder peculiar to itself of blessings received from God.<br/><i>— THE LONG RULES, Q.37.R.</i></p><p><b>Cyprian</b>: Let them imitate the Lord, who at the very time of His passion was not more proud, but more humble. For then He washed His disciples' feet, saying, \"If I, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye ought also to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.\" Let them also follow the example of the Apostle Paul, who, after often-repeated imprisonment, after scourging, after exposures to wild beasts, in everything continued meek and humble; and even after his rapture to the third heaven and paradise, he did not proudly arrogate anything to himself when he said, \"Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought, but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you.\"<br/><i>— Epistle V</i></p><p><b>John Cassian</b>: Once Abba Serapion finely mocked this sham humility. A man arrived at his cell, making a great show of lowliness in his dress and speech. Serapion, as is usual, asked him to offer a prayer. The visitor refused and said that he was guilty of such crimes that he did not deserve even to breathe the same air. Refusing the mat, he sat on the ground. Still less would he allow Serapion to wash his feet. After supper it is usual to have a religious conference. So Serapion began, with kindness and gentleness, to warn him against being an idle and haphazard wanderer, especially as he was young and strong. He told him that he ought to settle in a cell, subject himself to the rules of the elders and maintain himself by his own work instead of living on the hospitality of others. Since St. Paul was working for the spread of the gospel, he might reasonably have lived on others. Yet he preferred to work day and night to get daily bread for himself and those who were ministering to him and could not work themselves.… You must keep true humility of heart—and true humility comes not from affectation of posture or speech but from an interior humbling of the mind.<br/><i>— CONFERENCES 18.11</i></p>","source_html_sha256":"06ab100de7602eda09ab4123d89b1e8f468b7413c2e310b35b4bc3f747174652","source_module":"ECF","source_row_id":2333,"source_url":"https://www.sermonindex.net/commentary/ecf/","text_sha256":"d18ad43f1bd90f43e6303d6b28c8d14f7f92f798fb4b6e663abe8ebd20151769","translator":null,"work":null}