Homilies on First Corinthians 8

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes in Christ.

I gave you milk to drink, and not solid food;

But neither yet now are you able to bear it;

Having demolished the wisdom that is from without and cast down all its arrogance, he passes on to another theme.

For it was likely that they would say: 'If you were reporting to us the teachings of Plato or Pythagoras or some other of the philosophers, you might reasonably have stretched out so long a discourse against us;'

'but since we proclaim the things of the Spirit, why do you turn the outward wisdom upside down?' Hear, then, how he takes his stand against this.

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual.

For above all, he says, even if you were perfect and versed in spiritual things, not even so ought you to be puffed up;

for you neither proclaim your own things, nor those which you yourselves have discovered from your own resources;

but as it is, you do not even know these things as one ought to know them, but you are disciples, and the very last of all.

So then, if it is on account of the outward wisdom that you think great things of yourselves, this has been proven to be nothing at all, and even contrary to us in spiritual matters;

but if it is on account of spiritual things, even in these you hold the lesser portion, and you stand among the last.

I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual.

He did not say, 'I did not speak,' lest the matter should seem to be one of grudging;

but he lowers their high-mindedness in a twofold way: in one manner, by showing that they do not know the things that are perfect; and in a second, that they themselves have become the cause of their not knowing; and, in addition, in a third, by showing that not even yet are they able.

For at the very beginning, their not being able was perhaps due to the nature of the case;

and yet he does not even leave them this defense.

For he does not say that they had not received the lofty things because they were unable to receive them, but because they were carnal.

Nevertheless, in the beginning it was not thus worthy of blame;

but that, even after so long a time had passed, they had not yet advanced to the more perfect things—this belonged to the utmost sluggishness.

This, at any rate, he lays to the charge of the Hebrews as well, yet not with such great vehemence.

For those, he says, were such even because of affliction, but these because of a desire for wickedness;

and this and that are not equal.

And he shows that, wishing in the one case to rebuke, but in the other rather to rouse them up, he said these things while speaking the truth.

But neither yet now are you able.

But to those others he says: 'Wherefore, leaving the word of the beginning of Christ, let us be borne on unto perfection;'

and again: 'But we are persuaded better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.'

And how does he call those who had obtained so great a measure of the Spirit 'carnal,' and those whose praises he had recounted so fully at the outset? For those too were carnal, to whom the Lord says:

'Depart from me, I know you not, you that work iniquity;'

and yet they had both cast out demons, and raised the dead, and displayed prophecies.

So then, it is possible even for one who has worked signs to be carnal.

For God wrought also in Balaam, and revealed things to come to Pharaoh, and to Nebuchadnezzar; and Caiaphas prophesied, not knowing what he said;

and certain others also cast out demons in his name, though they were not with him; since it is not on account of those who do these things

that it comes to pass, but for the sake of others.

And often these things were done even through the unworthy.

And why do you marvel if, in the case of unworthy men, these things come to pass for the sake of others, seeing that they happen even through holy men? For Paul too says:

'All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, whether life or death;'

and again, that 'He gave some to be apostles, and some prophets, and some pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of ministry.'

For if this were not so, nothing would have hindered all men from being corrupted.

For it comes to pass that rulers are base and defiled, while those under them are gentle and moderate, and that laymen live in piety, while priests live in wickedness;

and there would have been no baptism, nor body of Christ, nor offering through such men, if grace everywhere sought out desert.

But as it is, God is wont to work even through the unworthy, and the grace of baptism is in no way impaired by the life of the priest;

since otherwise the recipient would be the loser.

So then, even if these things happen but rarely, they nevertheless do happen.

And I say these things so that none of those standing by, busying himself about the life of the priest, may be scandalized concerning the things being performed.

For man brings in nothing to the things set forth, but the whole is the work of the power of God, and it is he who initiates you into the mysteries.

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal.

I gave you milk to drink, not solid food;

For lest he should seem to have said out of self-glorification those things which he had said—namely, that 'the spiritual man discerns all things,' and that 'he is discerned by no one,' and that 'we have the mind of Christ'—and while abating their arrogance, see what he says:

'It was not for this reason,' he says, 'that I kept silence—as though having nothing further to say to you—but because you are carnal.'

But neither yet now are you able.

Why did he not say, 'You will not,' but, 'You cannot'? Because he has put this in place of that.

For this 'not being able' proceeds from 'not willing;'

which brings accusation upon them, but pardon to the teacher.

For if they had been unable by nature, one might perhaps have pardoned them;

but since it was from choice, they are stripped of any defense.

Then he tells also the form of the thing that makes them carnal:

For where there is among you strife and jealousy and division, are you not carnal, and walk according to man? And yet, though he could have spoken of their fornication and licentiousness, he rather sets down this sin, which he was eager for the present to correct.

But if jealousy makes men carnal, then it is high time for all to wail aloud, and to put on sackcloth, and to strew ashes beneath them.

For who is pure from this passion? Unless indeed I am judging the case of others from myself.

If jealousy makes men carnal, and does not permit them to be spiritual—even though they prophesy and display other marvels;

when no such grace is present, where shall we place our own case, when we are caught not in this alone but also in other greater faults? From this we learn that Christ said with good reason that 'he who does evil deeds comes not to the light,' and that an unclean life is a hindrance to lofty doctrines, not allowing the discerning power of the mind to appear.

As therefore it is not possible for one who is in error and yet lives rightly to remain forever in error, so it is not easy for one nurtured together with wickedness to look up quickly to the height of our doctrines; but he who would hunt after the truth must be pure from all the passions.

For he who is delivered from these will be delivered also from error, and will attain unto the truth.

For do not suppose that merely not being covetous, nor merely not committing fornication, is enough for you unto this; but all things must run together in him who seeks the truth.

Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation he that fears him and works righteousness is accepted with him.

That is to say, He calls him and draws him toward the truth.

Do you not see Paul, how he was more vehement than all in warring and persecuting? Yet nevertheless, since he led a blameless life and did these things not out of human passion, he was both received and outstripped them all.

But if someone should say, How is it that so-and-so the Greek, though he is worthy, good, and

kindly to men, yet remains in error? — to that I would reply this:

that he is subject to some other passion — vainglory, or sluggishness of soul, or a failure to care for his own salvation, but rather supposes that the things concerning him are borne along simply and at random.

But Paul speaks of the one who works righteousness, of him who was blameless in all things, who had become such according to the righteousness that is in the Law;

and, 'I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with a pure conscience.'

How then, he says, were the unclean deemed worthy of the preaching? — Because they willed and desired it.

For those who are in error He draws to Himself, whenever they become pure from passions;

and those who come of their own accord He does not thrust away;

and many indeed have received godliness even from their forefathers.

'For where there is jealousy and strife among you...'

Next he strips himself for the contest against those who are led (the followers).

For in what went before he cast down the leaders, saying that the wisdom of speech is of no worth;

but here he strikes the followers, saying:

'For when one says, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos, are you not carnal?' And he shows that this profited them nothing, nor caused them to gain anything, but rather hindered them from the benefit of higher things.

For jealousy made them carnal;

and having become carnal, this did not allow them to hear the loftier things.

'Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos?' For after the establishing and demonstration of the matters, he now employs his accusation more nakedly;

and he sets down his own name, taking away all harshness, and not permitting them to be provoked at what is said.

For if Paul is nothing and is not indignant, much more ought not those men to be vexed.

In a twofold way, therefore, he consoles them: both by placing himself beneath them, and by not depriving them of everything as though they contributed nothing;

but he gives them something small — yet nonetheless he gives.

For having said, 'Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos?' he added:

'but ministers through whom you believed?' Now this in itself is great and worthy of many rewards, but compared with the Archetype and the Root of good things it is nothing.

For it is not he who ministers the good things, but he who furnishes and gives them — this is the benefactor.

And he did not say, 'Evangelists,' but, 'ministers';

for they did not simply preach the gospel, but also ministered to us;

for the one is of word only, but the other has deed as well.

So that even if Christ is only a minister of good things, and not Himself the Root and Fountain — yet, as being Son — behold to what this matter is brought down.

How then, one says, does he call Him to have become a minister of the circumcision? — Speaking there concerning the dispensation according to the flesh, and not even in this sense which we have now spoken of;

for there he calls Him a minister as the fulfiller, not as the one who from His own store furnished the good things.

And he did not say, 'Those who brought you to the faith,' but, 'through whom you believed';

again giving the greater share to those men (the believers), and hereby too declaring them to be ministers.

If then they ministered to Another, how do these snatch the dignity for themselves? But consider with me, how he in no way accuses them as snatching it, but rather those who bestowed it;

for the ground of the fault lay in the multitude;

for if those men had withdrawn, these would have been broken up.

Two things, therefore, he wisely accomplished: undermining the sin from the very quarter whence it needed to be pulled down, and yet neither incurring hatred toward those men nor making them more contentious.

'And to each as the Lord gave.'

For not even this small thing itself is from themselves, but from God who entrusts it.

For lest they should say, What then? Shall we not love those who minister to us? — Yes, he says, but one must know up to what point;

for neither is this very thing from them, but from God who gave it.

'I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.'

That is, I first cast in the word;

and that the seeds might not be dried up by the trials, Apollos added his own part;

but the whole came about from God.

'So that neither is he who plants anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.'

Do you see how he consoles them, that they might not become harsher on hearing:

Who is so-and-so, and who is that other one? For both are grievous — both to say, Who is so-and-so, and who is that other? and to say, Neither he who

plants, nor he who waters is anything.

How then did he console them for these things? Both by bringing the disparagement to bear upon his own person;

For who is Paul? and who is Apollos? — and by ascribing the whole to God who gave all things.

For having said that 'This man planted,' and having added that 'he who plants is nothing,' he went on:

And he did not even stop at this, but by yet another supplementary word he again heals it, saying:

'Now he who plants and he who waters are one.'

For by this he also establishes another point — that they should not be lifted up one against another.

And he says that they are one, with a view to their being able to do nothing without God who gives the increase.

But having said this, he neither allowed those who labor much to rise up against those who contributed less, nor the others to envy these.

Then, since this made them more slothful — namely, the notion that all are one, both those who labored much and those who labored less — see how he corrected it, saying:

'But each shall receive his own reward according to his own labor.'

Fear not because I said that they are one;

for it is in comparison with the work of God that they are one;

since, as regards their toils, they are not one, but each shall receive his own reward.

Then he further enriches this, having accomplished what he wished, and bestows a favor in matters where it is permitted, with generous liberality.

'You are God's tillage, you are God's building.'

Do you see how he gave to them also no small work, having first established that the whole is God's? For since he always exhorts them to obey their leaders, on this account he does not too greatly cheapen the teachers.

For since he had said, 'I planted,' he continued in the figure.

But if you are God's tillage, it is right that you be called not after those who till you, but after God.

For a field is not called the tiller's, but the householder's.

Again, the building is not the craftsman's, but the master's.

But if you are a building, you ought not to be torn asunder; for otherwise it would not be a building.

since this could no longer be a building.

If you are a field under cultivation, you ought not to be divided, but to be walled about by the one fence of concord.

'According to the grace of God which was given unto me, as a wise master builder, I have laid a foundation.'

He called himself wise here, not to exalt himself, but to set before them a pattern, and to show that this is the mark of a wise man—to lay one foundation.

For having called himself wise, he did not allow this to be his own, but first dedicating his whole self to God, then he so named himself.

'For according to the grace of God which was given unto me,' he says.

For at once he shows both that the whole is God's, and that this above all is grace—not to be divided, but to rest upon one foundation.

'But let each one take heed how he builds thereon.'

Here it seems to me that he is bringing them into the remaining contest concerning their manner of life, since he had once joined them together and made them one.

'For no man can lay another foundation than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.'

But he cannot do so, so long as he is the master builder;

and if it be laid, he is no longer the master builder.

Behold how from common notions also he establishes the whole matter before him.

'I preached Christ, I delivered to you the foundation; take heed how you build thereon—whether in vainglory, whether by drawing away the disciples toward men.'

Let us then not give heed to the heresies;

'for no man can lay another foundation than that which is laid.'

Upon this then let us build, and let us hold fast to it as to a foundation, as a branch to the vine; and let there be nothing between us and Christ;

for if anything should come between, straightway we perish.

For the branch too draws its richness by its continuity, and the building stands by being cemented together;

as soon as it is parted, it perishes, having nothing on which to rest itself.

Let us then not merely hold to Christ, but let us be cemented fast to Him;

for if we be parted, we perish.

'For they that remove themselves far from Thee shall perish,' he says.

Let us then be cemented to Him, and be cemented through our works;

'For he that keeps My commandments,' He says, 'the same abides in Me.'

For indeed by many examples He unites us to Himself.

He is the Head, we are the body;

can there be any empty interval between head and body? He is the foundation, we are the building;

He is the vine, we are the branches;

He is the shepherd, we are the sheep;

He is the way, we are they that walk therein;

again, we are the temple, He is the indweller;

He is the firstborn, we are the brethren;

He is the heir, we are the joint-heirs;

He is the life, we are they that live;

He is the resurrection, we are they that rise again;

He is the light, we are they that are enlightened.

All these things declare union, and suffer no empty space to be between, not even the smallest.

For he that stands off a little, going further will stand off much.

For the body too, if it receive but a small separation from the sword, is destroyed;

and the building, though it gape but a little, is thrown down;

and the branch, though it be cut off but a little from the root, is become useless.

So that this 'little' is no little thing, but is well-nigh the whole.

Whenever then we commit some small fault, or are even a little slothful, let us not overlook the small thing;

since being quickly overlooked, this becomes great.

Thus a garment too, having begun to be torn and being neglected, carries the rent all the way through;

and a roof, when a few tiles have fallen and it is overlooked, brings down the whole house.

Considering these things then, let us never despise the small, that we fall not into the great;

but if perchance we do despise them, and come into the depth of evils, not even then, when we are come there, let us despair, lest we fall into a deadly torpor.

For it is henceforth hard for one who is not exceedingly watchful to come up thence, not only because of the depth, but also because of the very position.

For sin also is a depth, and bearing downward it presses hard.

And just as they that have fallen into a well could not easily come up, but will need others to draw them up;

so also is he that has come into the depth of sins.

Let us then let down ropes to such men, and draw them up;

or rather, there is need not only of others, but also of our own selves, that we too give ourselves and go up, not so far as we came down, but far more, if we be willing.

For He desires not the death of the sinner, so much as that he should turn again.

Let no man then despair, let no man suffer the passion of the ungodly;

for such a sin belongs to them.

'For the ungodly man,' he says, 'when he is come into the depth of evils, despises.'

So that it is not the multitude of sins that produces the despair, but the mind of the ungodly man.

Even then if you have gone through all wickedness, say to yourself:

'God is a lover of mankind, and desires our salvation.'

'For though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow,' He says, and 'I will translate you to the opposite state.'

for it is not the falling that is so grievous, as the lying still when fallen;

nor is it the being wounded that is dreadful, as the refusing to be healed when wounded.

'For who shall boast that he has a pure heart? or who shall have confidence that he is clean from sins?' These things I say, not that I may make you the more slothful, but that I may hinder you from falling into despair.

Would you learn how good our Master is toward us? The publican went up, laden with ten thousand evils, and having said only 'Be merciful to me,' he went down justified.

And through the prophet also God says:

'For his sin I grieved him a little, and I saw that he was grieved and went on his way sorrowful, and I healed his ways.'

What can equal this lovingkindness? 'That thou shouldest only be grieved,' He says, 'I have forgiven thy sins.'

Yet we do not so much as even this;

and for this reason above all we provoke God to anger.

For He who has been rendered merciful even through small things, when He does not obtain these, is justly indignant, and demands of us the uttermost penalty;

for this is a mark of surpassing contempt.

Who, then, has ever grieved for his sins? Who has groaned? Who has smitten his breast? Who has been anxious? No one, I suppose;

but men lament for countless days over departed servants, over the loss of money;

yet though we destroy our own soul day by day, we do not even take it to heart.

How then shalt thou be able to propitiate God, when thou dost not even know that thou hast sinned? 'Yea,' saith he, 'I have sinned.'

Yea, thou sayest it to me with thy tongue; say it to me with thy mind, and together with the word, groan, that thou mayest have gladness continually.

For indeed, if we grieved over our sins, if we groaned over our transgressions,

nothing else would grieve us, since this pain would thrust aside all despondency.

So that we should gain yet another thing along with confession, namely, not to be overwhelmed by the sorrows of the present life, nor to be puffed up by its splendours;

and by this again we should the more greatly propitiate God, even as now, by what we do, we exasperate Him.

For tell me, if thou hast a servant, and he, having suffered many evils at the hands of his fellow-servants, should make no account of all the rest, but be concerned only not to provoke his master to anger, would he not by this alone be sufficient to dissolve thy wrath? But what if he should take no thought of his offences against thee, while being concerned about those against his fellow-servants—wouldest thou not inflict the greater punishment? Even so also does God act;

when we neglect His anger, He brings it upon us more vehemently;

but when we are concerned about it, more gently;

or rather, He does not bring it at all thenceforth;

for He desires that we ourselves should exact of ourselves the punishment for our sins, and then no longer does He Himself exact it.

For this reason indeed He threatens the punishment, that by fear He may take away contempt;

and when we are made to fear by the threat alone, He does not suffer us to undergo the actual experience.

Consider then what He says to Jeremiah:

'Seest thou not what they do? Their fathers kindle a fire, their sons gather wood, and their women knead dough.'

There is fear lest something of this kind be said also concerning us.

'Seest thou not what they do?' No one seeks the things of Christ, but all seek their own.

Their sons run into wantonness, their fathers into covetousness and rapine, their women unto the fancies of this life, not only not restraining their husbands, but even inciting them.

Stand then in the market-place;

ask those who go and return, and thou wilt see no one hastening for a spiritual matter, but all running after carnal things.

How long shall we not become sober? How long shall we be borne down into deep sleep? Have we not taken our fill of evils? And yet, even apart from words, the very experience of present things suffices to teach you the nothingness of them and their utter wretchedness.

For men who cultivate the outward wisdom, and know nothing of the things to come, since they condemned the great worthlessness of present things, for this cause alone withdrew from them.

What pardon then shalt thou obtain, dragging thyself upon the ground, and not despising the little and passing things for the sake of the great and everlasting—thou who hearest God Himself showing thee and revealing these things, and who hast such promises from Him? For that these things are not enough to hold one fast, they showed who abstained from them even without any promise of greater things.

For what riches did they expect, that they came to poverty? None;

but from knowing full well that such poverty is better than wealth.

What life did they hope for, that they forsook luxury and gave themselves to a hard discipline? None;

but having learned the very nature of things, and perceived that this is more fitting both for the soul's love of wisdom and for the body's health.

These things then let us also consider, and continually revolving in ourselves the good things to come, let us withdraw from the things present, that we may attain unto those things to come, by the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, honour, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.