Homilies on First Corinthians 10

'If any man among you thinketh himself to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise.'

'For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.'

Which very thing I already said, that even before the proper season, having been carried forth into the accusation against him who had committed fornication,

and having enigmatically opened it up a little in a few words, and having shaken his conscience, he presses on again to the combat against the wisdom which is from without, and to the charges against those who from this source were puffed up and were rending the Church asunder;

so that, having added what was lacking, and having completed the whole subject with exactness, he might thus for the rest let loose his tongue to be borne with vehement force against the fornicator, having first skirmished against him by means of what he had said before.

For indeed the words, 'Let no man deceive himself,' are of one who is directing them chiefly against that man, and softening him beforehand with fear;

and the discourse about the stubble is of one who is hinting chiefly at him; and the saying, 'Know ye not that ye are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?' For these two things are especially wont to lead us away from sin: when we consider the punishment laid up for sin, and when we reckon up our own dignity.

By bringing the grass and the stubble into the midst, then, he inspired fear;

but by speaking of the worth of their own noble birth, he made them ashamed, by the former making the more insensible better, and by the latter even the more reasonable;

'If any man among you thinketh himself to be wise in this world, let him become a fool.'

Just as he bids a man become dead to the world, and this deadness does no harm at all, but even profits, becoming a cause of life;

so also he bids him become a fool to this world, thereby procuring for us the true wisdom.

Now he becomes a fool to the world who despises the wisdom which is from without, and is persuaded that it contributes nothing to him toward the apprehension of the faith.

As therefore the poverty which is according to God becomes a cause of wealth, and lowliness of exaltation, and the despising of glory becomes a cause of glory;

so also becoming a fool makes a man wiser than all.

For with us all things are from their opposites.

And why did he not say, 'Let him lay aside his wisdom,' but, 'Let him become a fool'? That with all vehemence he might dishonour the outward instruction.

For it was not the same thing to say, 'Lay aside thy wisdom,' and, 'Become a fool;'

and in another way too he teaches us not to be ashamed of the simplicity that is among us;

for he utterly derides the things which are from without.

Wherefore neither does he dread the names, since he is confident in the power of the realities.

As therefore the cross, seeming to be a matter of reproach, became the cause of ten thousand good things, and a foundation and root of unspeakable glory;

so also that which seems to be foolishness became to us a cause of wisdom.

For just as one who has learned something amiss, unless he lay aside the whole and smooth his soul and present it clean to him who is about to write, will learn nothing sound clearly;

so also with regard to the wisdom from without, unless you cast out the whole, and sweep clean your understanding, and present yourself to the faith on equal terms with the unlearned, you will know nothing noble with exactness.

For indeed those who see amiss, unless closing their eyes they commit themselves to others, but entrust their own affairs to the corrupted sight of their eyes, will err far more than those who see not at all.

And how, saith one, could a man lay aside this wisdom? By not making use of its doctrines.

Then, since he thus bade them so vehemently to depart from it, he also states the reason, saying:

'For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.'

For not only does it contribute nothing, but it even hinders.

One must therefore depart from it, inasmuch as it does harm.

Do you see how out of abundance he bore off the victory, having shown that it not only profits us nothing, but is even opposed to us? And he is not even content with his own proofs, but again he brought forward a testimony, saying:

'He that taketh the wise in their own craftiness.'

'In their craftiness,' that is, overcoming them with their own weapons.

For since they used their wisdom in order not to need God, by this very thing He convicted them, that they most of all need God.

How, and in what manner? In that having become fools through it, they were fittingly taken by it.

For those who thought they had no need of God came into such want as to appear inferior to fishermen and unlettered men, and to need these very men for the rest;

'In their craftiness He took them.'

For to say, 'I will destroy the wisdom,' was said with a view to introducing that it is of no use;

but the saying, 'He that taketh the wise in their own craftiness,' was with a view to showing the power of God.

Then he states also the manner in which He took them, adding yet another testimony:

'For the Lord,' he says, 'knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.'

But when Wisdom infinite thus reckons concerning them, and pronounces them to be such, what further proof dost thou seek of their utter folly? For the judgments of men in many cases go astray, but the sentence of God is everywhere beyond reach and incorruptible.

Having therefore set up so brilliant a trophy of the judgment from above, he thereafter employs vehement language, turning it against those who were subject, and speaking thus:

'Therefore let no man glory in men.'

Again he comes back to the former point, showing that not even over spiritual things ought they to be highly minded, seeing that they have nothing of their own.

When therefore the wisdom that is from without is harmful, and the spiritual gifts are not bestowed by yourselves, whence hast thou to glory? And in the case of outward wisdom he says, 'Let no man deceive himself,' since they were minding a harmful thing;

but here, since the thing brings benefit, 'let no man glory.'

And he uses gentler language.

'Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's.'

For since he had rebuked them severely, he again recovers them.

And above he said, 'We are fellow-workers with God,' and by many other means also he comforted them;

and here too he says, 'All are yours,' pulling down the arrogance of the teachers, and showing that not only do they confer nothing on them, but that these very teachers ought rather to be thankful to those others;

for it was for their sake that they became such as they are, and moreover they received grace.

But since these also were likely to boast, on this account he cut off beforehand this malady too, saying:

in order that neither those may be high-minded as though bestowing something great, nor these, because of hearing that 'All are yours,' be again lifted up.

For even if it be for your sakes, yet the whole hath been done by God.

But consider with me how unto the end he continues to place his own name and Peter's underneath.

And what means, 'Or death'? That even though they die, it is for your sakes they die, running risks on behalf of your salvation.

Seest thou how again he brought down the disciples' pride, but exalted the teachers? For he discourses with them as with well-born children who have tutors and are about to inherit all things.

It is possible also to say it in another way: that even the death of Adam was for our sakes,

that we might be brought to soberness, and the death of Christ, that we might be saved.

'And ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's.'

In one manner are we Christ's, and in another manner is Christ God's, and in yet another manner is the world ours.

For we are Christ's as His work;

but Christ is God's as a genuine offspring, not as a work, even as neither is the world ours in that manner.

So that although the expression is one, yet the meaning is different.

For the world is ours, as having been made for our sakes;

but Christ is God's, as having Him for His cause according to His being the Father;

and we are Christ's, as having been fashioned by Him.

But if those, he says, are yours, why have ye done the contrary, being called by their names, and not by that of Christ and of God? 'So let a man account of us, as of ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.'

Since he had brought down their pride, mark how again he recovers it, saying:

Do not therefore, forsaking the Master, name yourselves after the ministers and those who serve.

And he said 'stewards,' showing that these things ought not to be given to all, but to whom it is meet, and to those to whom it is fitting to dispense them.

And the thing further sought in stewards is, that a man be found faithful.

That is, that he appropriate not to himself what belongs to the Master, that he vindicate not the things to himself as a master, but administer them as a steward.

For it is a steward's part to administer well the things committed to his charge;

not to say that the Master's things are his own, but on the contrary, that his own belong to the Master.

Let each one consider these things, both he that hath the word and he that hath money

in his possession—namely, that he was entrusted with the Master's goods, and they are not his own; let him not keep them to himself, nor reckon them as his own, but let him ascribe them to God who gave all things.

Wilt thou see faithful stewards? Hear what Peter says:

'Why fasten ye your eyes on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him to walk?' And to Cornelius also he said:

'We also are men of like passions with you.'

'Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.'

And Paul too, having said that 'I laboured more abundantly than they all,' added:

'Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.'

And in another place also, addressing the same persons, he said:

'For what hast thou that thou didst not receive?' For thou hast nothing of thine own—neither money, nor word, nor the very soul;

for this also belongs to the Master.

When therefore need calls, lay down this also.

But if thou art a lover of life, and when bidden to lay it down thou resistest, thou art no longer a faithful steward.

And how is it possible to withstand God when He calls? This very thing I also affirm, and for this cause I most of all marvel at the loving-kindness of God, that the things which He is able to receive from thee even against thy will, these He is not willing should be brought in unwillingly, that thou too mayest have a reward.

For instance, He is able to take thy soul against thy will, but He desires it from thee willingly, that thou mayest say with Paul:

He is able to take thy glory against thy will and to make thee lowly, but He wishes it from thee willingly, that thou mayest have a recompense.

He is able to make thee poor even against thy will, but He desires thee to become such willingly, that He may weave crowns for thee.

Sawest thou the loving-kindness of God? sawest thou our sluggishness? Hast thou attained to great dignity, and hast thou at some time laid hold of ecclesiastical office? Be not high-minded;

it was not thou that acquired the glory, but God that clothed thee with it.

Spare it therefore as a thing belonging to another, neither abusing it, nor misusing it for things unbecoming, nor being puffed up, nor appropriating it, but account thyself to be poor and inglorious.

For if thou wert entrusted to keep a royal purple, thou oughtest not to abuse the robe and mar it, but to guard it with the more exactness for Him that gave it.

Hast thou received the gift of the word? Be not puffed up, neither boast;

for the gift is not thine own.

Be not ungrateful concerning the Master's goods, but distribute them to thy fellow-servants, and neither be lifted up over them as over things of thine own, nor be sparing to distribute them.

And if thou hast children, they are God's;

if thou thus account, both in having them thou wilt give thanks, and in being deprived of them thou wilt not grieve;

'The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away.'

For all things we have from Christ;

and our very being we have through Him, and life and breath, and light and air and earth;

and if He shut off any one of these, we are lost and undone;

for we are sojourners and pilgrims.

But this 'mine' and 'thine' are mere bare words only;

in the realm of realities it hath no standing.

For even if you call the house your own, it is a word empty of any reality.

For the air, the earth, and the very material belong to the Creator; and even you yourself, who built it, and all other things besides.

And even if the use of it is yours, yet this too is uncertain, not only because of death, but even before death, on account of the instability of human affairs.

Continually writing these things upon our own hearts, then, let us practise this wisdom, and we shall gain two very great benefits:

for we shall be thankful both when we possess and when we are deprived, and we shall never become slaves to things that pass away and that are not our own.

For even if he takes away your money, he has taken what is his own; even if honour, even if glory, even if the body, even if the very soul;

and even if he takes your son, he has not taken your son, but his own servant.

For it was not you who fashioned him, but He who made him;

you did but minister to his passage into being, while He wrought the whole.

Let us give thanks, therefore, that we were counted worthy to minister to the work.

But what then? You wished to have it for ever? This again is the mark of an ungrateful man, and of one who does not know that he possessed what was another's, and not his own.

As, therefore, those who give it up readily know that they do not possess what is their own, so those who grieve claim as their own what belongs to the King.

For if we are not our own, how can those things be ours? For in a twofold manner we are His, both by the principle of creation and by that of faith.

'My substance is with Thee;'

and Paul too says that 'in Him we live and move and have our being.'

And exercising the argument concerning faith, he says:

'You are not your own, and you were bought with a price.'

When, therefore, He calls and wishes to take, let us not, like ungrateful household servants, confound the account, nor purloin our Master's goods.

Your soul is not your own; and how then is your money your own? How, then, do you spend on things utterly needless what is not yours? Do you not know that for this very reason we shall be called to account, having used them ill? But since they are not ours, but the Master's, we ought to have spent them upon our fellow-servants.

For this very thing that rich man too was called to account, that he did it not; and so were those who fed not the Lord.

Do not say, then, 'I am spending what is my own, and living luxuriously on what is mine.'

It is not from what is your own, but from what belongs to others;

and I say 'belonging to others' because you yourself will have it so;

since God wills that those things entrusted to you on behalf of the brethren should be yours.

But things that belong to others become yours, if you spend them upon others;

whereas, if you spend them lavishly upon yourself alone, then what was yours has become another's.

For since you have used them cruelly, and say, 'It is just that my goods be spent for my own enjoyment alone,' for this reason I call them another's.

For they are common to you and to your fellow-servant, just as the sun is common, and the air, and the earth, and all else besides.

And just as in the case of the body, the service belongs both to the whole body and to each single member;

but when it comes to belong to one member only, it loses even its own proper function;

so also does it fall out in the matter of money.

And that what I say may become clearer: the food of the body, which is given in common to the members, if it come to be in one member, becomes henceforth alien even to that one.

For when it cannot be digested nor give nourishment, it has become alien even to that member.

But if it be made common, then it is the proper possession both of that member and of all.

So also in the matter of money: if you alone enjoy it, you also have destroyed it.

For you will not reap the reward of it; but if you possess it together with the rest, then it will the more be yours, and then you will reap the benefit.

Do you not see that the hands minister, and the mouth chews, and the belly receives? Does the belly say, 'Since I have received it, I ought to keep the whole'? Do not you, then, say this either in the matter of money;

for it belongs to him who receives to impart to others.

As, therefore, it is a vice of the belly to retain the food and not distribute it;

for it works harm to the whole body;

so it is a vice of the rich to keep to themselves what they have;

for this destroys both themselves and others.

The eye, again, receives all the light;

but it does not keep this to itself alone, but illumines the whole body.

For it is not in its nature to keep it to itself, so long as it is an eye.

The nostrils, again, perceive the fragrance;

but they do not keep it to themselves alone, but transmit it to the brain, and set the stomach in a state of fragrance, and through themselves refresh the whole man.

The feet alone walk;

but they do not merely transport themselves, but also carry the whole body along with them.

So do you also: whatever be entrusted to you, do not keep it to yourself alone, since you work harm to the whole, and to yourself before all others.

And one may see this coming to pass not in the case of the members only.

For the smith too, if he were minded to impart his craft to no one, would overthrow both himself and the other crafts.

The shoemaker likewise, the husbandman, the baker, and each of those who follow a necessary occupation, if he were minded not to impart to another aught of his craft, would ruin along with the others himself also as much as the others.

And why do I speak of the rich? For even the poor, if they went about the same vice as you who are covetous and rich, would greatly injure you, and would quickly make you poor—nay rather, would even destroy you—if they were unwilling to impart their own to you when you were in need;

for instance, the labourer his work from his hands, the sailor his trading from the sea, the soldier his valour from wars.

So that, if for no other reason, at least respect this, and imitate their kindliness.

You impart your wealth to no one? Then neither receive anything from another;

but if this should come to pass, all things will be overthrown.

For everywhere the giving and receiving is the beginning of many good things—in the case of seeds, of disciples, of crafts.

For if any one should be minded to keep the craft to himself, he has overthrown both himself and all of life.

And if the husbandman should bury the seeds and keep them at home, he will bring about a grievous famine;

so also the rich man, if he do this in the matter of money, will destroy himself before the poor, heaping up the flame of gehenna, more grievous, upon his own head.

As, therefore, teachers, even if they have many disciples, impart the craft to each one;

so do you also gain many who are benefited by you;

and let all say that such a one delivered from poverty, and such a one from dangers;

and, 'Such a one would have perished, if, after the grace of God, he had not enjoyed your protection;'

and that you loosed such a one from sickness, delivered another from false accusation, gathered in another who was a stranger, clothed another who was naked.

Better than boundless wealth and many treasures are these words; they turn all men towards you more than golden garments and horses and slaves.

For those things make a man appear even burdensome, and to be hated as a common enemy;

but these proclaim him aloud as a common father and benefactor.

And what is greatest of all, the good will that comes from God accompanies you everywhere in your dealings.

Let this man, then, say, 'He helped give my daughter in marriage';

another, 'He made it possible for my son to appear among men';

and another, 'He undid my misfortune';

and yet another, 'He delivered me from dangers.'

These words are better than crowns of gold: to have countless heralds in the city proclaiming one's own kindness to mankind;

these voices are far more pleasant and sweeter than the voice of the heralds who march before the rulers—to be called saviour, benefactor, protector, to bear the names that belong to God, and not to be called grasping, arrogant, insatiable, and petty.

Let us not, I beseech you, desire any of these latter words, but their opposites.

For if these things, when spoken upon earth, make a man so illustrious and renowned, then when they are written in heaven, and God proclaims them on the day that is to come, consider how great a splendour you will enjoy, how great a brightness.

May it be granted to us all to attain to it, by the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom, to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, and honour, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.