Homilies on First Timothy 10

'If any man aspire to the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.'

'A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober-minded, orderly, hospitable, apt to teach; not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre, but gentle, not a brawler, not covetous, one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity.'

Being about to enter upon his discourse concerning the office of a bishop, he shows once for all what manner of man the bishop ought to be, not framing this as an exhortation to Timothy in particular, but as discoursing to all, and through him regulating all;

And what does he say? 'If any man aspire to the office of a bishop'—I find no fault, he says;

for it is a work of protective care.

If any man has this desire, so as not to covet merely the rule and the authority, but the protective oversight, I find no fault;

'For he desireth a good work,' he says.

Since Moses also desired the thing, but not the authority, and so desired it that he heard:

'Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?' If any man has so desired it, let him desire it;

for it is called 'oversight' (episcopê) from overseeing all.

'A bishop then,' he says, 'must be blameless, the husband of one wife.'

He says this not as laying down a law, as though it were not permitted to become a bishop without this, but to restrain excess;

for among the Jews it was permitted both to enter into second marriages, and to have two wives at the same time; for marriage is honourable.

But some say that this was spoken to the intent that he should be the husband of one wife.

In saying 'blameless,' he comprehended every virtue.

So that if any man is conscious to himself of any sins, he does not do well

in aspiring to a dignity from which he has by his deeds cast himself out;

for such a one ought not to rule, but to be ruled.

For the ruler ought to be brighter than any lamp, and to lead a life without stain, so that all may look to him, and shape their own life after his.

He does this, not without reason employing so great an exhortation;

but since he himself was about to appoint bishops—which he also enjoined when writing to Titus—and since it was likely that many would desire the office, for this cause he gives these charges.

'Vigilant,' he says—that is, clear-sighted, having countless eyes on every side, keen of vision, and not dulling the eye of the understanding.

For many are the things which befall, and which suffer not a man to see clearly and as matters really stand;

for despondencies and cares and a throng of affairs and many things flow in from every side.

He must therefore be wakeful, taking thought not only for his own concerns, but also for those of the rest;

he must be roused up and fervent in spirit, and, so to speak, breathe fire, and, more than a general who goes about his army both by night and by day, toil and minister, and have care and anxiety on behalf of all.

'Sober-minded, orderly, hospitable.'

Since these qualities most of the ruled also possess (for they too ought to be equal to their rulers in such things), showing what is peculiar to bishops, he added, 'apt to teach';

for this is no longer required of the one who is ruled;

but this above all things must belong to him to whom this office has been entrusted.

He does not here mean the drunkard, but the insolent and self-willed man.

He does not mean the man who does not strike with his hands.

What then is meant by 'no striker'? Since there are some who unseasonably strike the conscience of the brethren, these, it seems to me, he here darkly hints at.

'Not greedy of filthy lucre, but gentle, not a brawler, not covetous; one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity.'

If then he that is married careth for the things of the world, and the bishop ought not to care for the things of the world, how does he say, 'the husband of one wife'? Some indeed say that he darkly signified the man who remains free from a wife;

but if this be not so, it is possible even for one who has a wife to be as though he had none.

For at that time he rightly conceded this, with regard to the nature of the matter as it then stood.

But it is possible to handle it well, if one so wills.

For just as wealth makes it hard to enter into the kingdom of heaven, yet in many cases the wealthy have entered in;

But what are you saying, tell me? Discoursing concerning a bishop, he said that he ought not to be a drunkard, but hospitable, when he ought to have mentioned things greater than these.

For why did he not say, 'The bishop must be an angel, subject to no human passion' (those great things which Christ spoke, which even the ruled ought to have—to be crucified, and ever to hold their soul in their hands; which also Christ said, 'The good shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep')?

And again: 'Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.' Yet he says instead, 'Not given to wine.' Fine hopes indeed, if it is about such matters that the bishop must be admonished!

For why did you not say, 'He ought already to have departed from the earth'? Instead, the very things you enjoined upon worldly men, these you do not enjoin upon the bishop.

And what did he say to those others? 'Put to death your members that are upon the earth.'

And again: 'He who has died is justified from sin.'

And again: 'Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh.'

And Christ again says, 'Whoever does not renounce all that he possesses is not worthy of me.'

Why then did he not say these things? Because it was possible to find but few of such a kind, whereas many bishops were needed, indeed men to preside in every city.

Since therefore the affairs of the Churches were about to be beset with snares, for this reason he named a moderate virtue, not that lofty and exalted one.

To be orderly and temperate was within the reach of many.

'Having his children,' he says, 'in subjection with all gravity.'

For the examples must be furnished from one's own household.

For who would believe that a man who has failed to bring his own son into subjection could bring a stranger into subjection? 'One who rules his own house well.'

This too is what those outside the faith affirm, that the good household manager would quickly become also a good statesman.

For indeed this is what the Church is, as it were a small household.

And just as in a household there are children, a wife, and servants, and over them all the husband has taken up the rule;

so too in the Church there is nothing other than this: children, women, servants.

And if he who presides over the Church has partners in his rule, well, there too the husband has the wife as his partner.

But here he must take thought for the sustenance of the widows and the virgins? There too the husband has the servants and the daughters.

And besides, it is even easier to rule a household.

He then who has not managed these matters well, how shall he be able to manage the affairs of the Church? Then, having said, 'If anyone does not know how to preside over his own household, how shall he take care of the Church of God?' he adds, 'Not a novice,' he says.

He does not here mean the young man, but the newly instructed convert.

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

Wishing therefore to indicate this man, he said this.

Otherwise, what hindered him from saying, 'not a young man'? For what reason, then, did he himself make Timothy, who was a young man, a bishop? And he bears witness to this, saying to him, 'Let no one despise your youth.'

It was because he was conscious of the great virtue in him;

because of his great strictness of life;

which indeed he knew, for he writes, 'From infancy you have known the sacred Writings.'

And that he also kept intense fasting is shown by the words, 'Use a little wine because of your frequent infirmities';

for he wrote to him about this along with the other matters, so that, had he not known these things to have been rightly accomplished by him, he would neither have written thus nor given such charges to his disciple. Since therefore many from among the Greeks were then coming forward and being baptized, he says: Do not straightway lead a novice into the dignity of office—that is, one newly instructed.

For if, before he becomes a disciple, one quickly becomes a teacher, he falls into arrogance;

if, before learning to be ruled, he becomes one of the rulers, he is puffed up.

'Lest, being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the devil';

that is, into the same condemnation which that one endured because of his arrogance.

'Moreover he must have a good testimony from those outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.'

For he is bound to be reproached by them.

Perhaps it was for this reason too that he said, 'the husband of one wife,' although he says elsewhere, 'I wish that all men were as I myself am'—that is, in continence.

In order, therefore, that he might not confine the matter within too narrow bounds, if he were to demand a rigorously exact manner of life, for this reason he sought a moderate virtue.

For one to preside had to be appointed in every city;

for hear him writing to Titus, 'That you should appoint elders in every city, as I directed you.'

But what if a man have good testimony and a good reputation, yet not be such a person? Certainly, this is difficult;

for it is a rare thing that upright men should have an upright reputation among their enemies;

yet now he did not leave even this alone;

for he did not say, 'He must have testimony,' but 'He must also have testimony,' as this in addition to the rest.

But what if men should speak evil of him without cause, out of envy, and especially since they are Greeks? This cannot be;

for even those men respect the one whose life is blameless.

How so, you ask? Hear him speaking about himself: 'Through evil report and good report.'

For it was not their manner of life that men laid hold of, but their preaching;

for this reason he says, 'Through evil report.'

They were slandered as deceivers and impostors on account of the preaching.

And they did this because they could not lay hold of their manner of life.

For why did no one say of the apostles that they were fornicators, licentious, or covetous, but rather deceivers—which pertained only to the preaching? Was it not because their life was beyond reproach?

So then let us also live in this way, and no one will speak evil of us, though he be an enemy, though he be an unbeliever.

For he whose life shines brightly is worthy of reverence even in their eyes;

for the truth stops even the mouths of enemies.

But how does he fall into the snare? By often falling into the same sins as those men.

For if he be such a one, the devil quickly sets yet another snare for him, and those men quickly destroy him.

But if he must have testimony from his enemies, much more must he have it from his friends.

For that it is not possible for one who has led a blameless life to be evil spoken of, hear Christ saying:

'Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in the heavens.'

What then, one asks, if he be falsely accused, and endure calumny through some circumstance? This too is possible;

yet neither should such a one be brought into the midst;

'It is needful, therefore,' he says, 'that he too should have a good testimony.'

As therefore no one could call the sun dark, not even the blind man himself;

for he is ashamed to contend against the opinions of all;

so too no one could blame the man who is exceedingly good;

but on account of doctrines the Greeks would often slander them, while of an upright life they could lay no hold; rather, along with all the others, they too admire and are astonished.

So then let us live in such a way that the name of God may not be blasphemed.

Let us therefore neither look to human glory, nor so as to incur an evil reputation, but in either case let us honor the due measure.

'Among whom,' he says, 'you shine as luminaries in the world.'

For it was for this that He left us here: that we might be as luminaries, that we might be set as teachers of others, that we might become as leaven, that we might go about as angels among men, as grown men among little children, as spiritual among the natural, so that those others might be gained, that we might be as seed, that we might bear much fruit.

There would be no need of words, if our life were so radiant.

There would be no need of teachers, if we displayed works.

There would be no heathen at all, if we were Christians as we ought to be.

If we kept the commands of Christ, if when wronged we endured it, if when defrauded we bore it, if when reviled we blessed, if when ill-treated we returned kindness, no one would be so brutish as not to hasten to true religion, were these things done by us all.

And that you may learn this, Paul was but one man, and yet he drew so many after him.

If we were all such as he, how many worlds might we not draw to ourselves? Behold, the Christians are now more numerous than the heathen.

And in the other arts one man is able to teach a hundred children at once;

but here, though the teachers are more numerous, and the disciples far more numerous still, no one comes forward.

For those who are being taught look to the virtue of their teachers;

and when they see that we too covet the same things, aim at the same objects—at ruling, at being honored—how shall they be able to admire Christianity? They behold lives open to reproach, and souls that are earthbound.

We admire riches equally with them—nay, far more;

we shudder at death as they do, dread poverty as they do, are impatient under sickness as they do, are equally enamoured of glory and of power, wearing ourselves out for the love of money, and courting the times to our own advantage.

Whence then are they to be led to believe? From miracles? But these are no longer wrought.

From our manner of life? But that has been ruined.

From love? But not even a trace of it is anywhere to be seen.

For this reason we shall render account not only of our own sins, but also of the harm done to others.

Let us then at length recover our senses, let us watch, let us display a heavenly manner of life upon earth, let us say: 'Our citizenship is in heaven,' and let us exhibit our contest even upon the earth.

'But there have arisen among us great men,' one says.

'Whence am I to believe?' says the heathen; 'for I do not see you doing the same things as they did.'

'Since if we must relate such things, we too,' he says, 'have great philosophers and men wonderful for their lives.'

'But show me another Paul, another John!'

How then should he not laugh at us when we argue in this way? How should he endure to remain still in ignorance, when he sees us philosophizing not in works but in words? For now, for a single obol each man is ready both to be slain and to slay;

for a cup of earth you set up ten thousand law-courts;

for the death of a child you turn everything upside down.

For I pass over the other things worthy of much mourning, such as auguries, and omens, and observances of days, and casting of nativities, and tokens, and amulets, and divinations, and incantations, and sorceries.

Truly these are great sins, and sufficient to call forth the wrath of God, that even after He has sent His own Son, we dare such things.

What then is to be said? Nothing else, but that we must mourn;

for only a small fraction of the world is hardly being saved.

But those who are perishing rejoice when they hear it, as though they alone were not enduring this, but along with many others.

And of what sort is this joy of theirs? For of that very joy also they shall pay the penalty.

For do not think, as it is here, that to be sharers in calamity brings consolation; it is not so there also.

Whence is this clear? I will make it manifest.

If someone were commanded to be burned, and then were to see his own child being burned together with him, and the savour rising up from the flesh, would he not die of grief? Assuredly he would;

for if those who are not suffering, when they see these things happening, grow numb and faint, much more will those who are themselves being tormented feel this.

For hear a certain wise man saying: 'You too have been taken, even as we, and are reckoned among us.'

For human nature has in it somehow a fellow-feeling, and we are broken down by the calamities of others.

Tell me, then: will the father who sees his son lying under the same punishment receive consolation, or an addition to his miseries? And what of the husband beholding his wife? What of one human being beholding another? Are we not then all the more broken down? 'Yes,' one says;

'but there those sufferings do not exist.' I too know this, but... not to hasten to true religion, were these things done by all.

And that you may learn this, Paul was but one man, and yet he drew so many after him.

If we were all such as he, how many worlds might we not draw to ourselves? Behold, the Christians are now more numerous than the heathen.

And in the other arts one man is able to teach a hundred children at once;

but here, though the teachers are more numerous, and the disciples far more numerous still, no one comes forward.

For those who are being taught look to the virtue of their teachers;

and when they see that we too covet the same things, aim at the same objects—at ruling, at being honored—how shall they be able to admire Christianity? They behold lives open to reproach, and souls that are earthbound.

We admire riches equally with them—nay, far more;

we shudder at death as they do, dread poverty as they do, are impatient under sickness as they do, are equally enamoured of glory and of power, wearing ourselves out for the love of money, and courting the times to our own advantage.

Whence then are they to be led to believe? From miracles? But these are no longer wrought.

From our manner of life? But that has been ruined.

From love? But not even a trace of it is anywhere to be seen.

For this reason we shall render account not only of our own sins, but also of the harm done to others.

Let us then at length recover our senses, let us watch, let us display a heavenly manner of life upon earth, let us say: 'Our citizenship is in heaven,' and let us exhibit our contest even upon the earth.

'But there have arisen among us great men,' one says.

'Whence am I to believe?' says the heathen; 'for I do not see you doing the same things as they did.'

'Since if we must relate such things, we too,' he says, 'have great philosophers, and men admirable for their life.'

'But show me another Paul, another John!'

How then should he not laugh at us when we argue in this way? How should he endure to remain still in ignorance, when he sees us philosophizing not in works but in words? For now, for a single obol each man is ready both to be slain and to slay;

for a cup of earth you set up ten thousand law-courts;

for the death of a child you turn everything upside down.

For I pass over the other things worthy of much mourning, such as auguries, and omens, and observances of days, and casting of nativities, and tokens, and amulets, and divinations, and incantations, and sorceries.

Truly these are great sins, and sufficient to call forth the wrath of God, that even after He has sent His own Son, we dare such things.

What then is to be said? Nothing else, but that we must mourn;

for only a small fraction of the world is hardly being saved.

But those who are perishing rejoice when they hear it, as though they alone were not enduring this, but along with many others.

And of what sort is this joy of theirs? For of that very joy also they shall pay the penalty.

For do not think, as it is here, that to be sharers in calamity brings consolation; it is not so there also.

Whence is this clear? I will make it manifest.

If someone were commanded to be burned, and then were to see his own child being burned together with him, and the savour rising up from the flesh, would he not die of grief? Assuredly he would;

for if those who are not suffering, when they see these things happening, grow numb and faint, much more will those who are themselves being tormented feel this.

For hear a certain wise man saying: 'You too have been taken, even as we, and are reckoned among us.'

For human nature has in it somehow a fellow-feeling, and we are broken down by the calamities of others.

Tell me, then: when a father sees his son subjected to the very same punishment, does he receive any comfort, or rather an increase of his sufferings? And what of a husband seeing his wife? What of one man seeing another? Are we not then all the more crushed? 'Yes,' someone says;

'but there those sufferings will not exist.' I too know that; yet others far more grievous will be there;

for the weeping there will then be beyond all comfort, when all behold one another, when all are smitten with grief.

Those who are in famine—tell me—do they receive any comfort for their own miseries from the fellowship of others? And what, when a child, or a father, and a wife, and grandchildren pay the same penalty? What, when we see our friends—do we then have comfort? There is none, none at all; rather our sufferings are the more intensified for us.

And apart from these, there are evils which admit of no comfort from what is common to all, because of their very grievousness.

Suppose someone lies in fire, and again another likewise:

how shall they comfort one another? Tell me, I beseech you: if ever we have been in a violent fever, did not all means of comfort fail us? And with good reason;

for when sufferings prevail, the soul no longer has leisure to be comforted.

Or do you not see the women who have lost their husbands—how many other women who have suffered the same they can reckon up? Yet their grief is in no way lessened by this.

Let us not, then, feed ourselves on this hope; but let us find the one comfort—to repent of our sins, and to hold fast to the good way that leads to heaven, that we may attain the kingdom of the heavens, by the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, and honour to the Father, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.