Homilies on Second Thessalonians 5

But faithful is the Lord, who shall establish you, and keep you from evil.

And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that the things we command you, you both do and will do.

And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ.

Neither ought men, having committed the whole matter to the prayers of the saints, themselves to be idle and to run to wickedness, and to lay hold of nothing that leads to virtue;

nor again, while working good things, to despise that alliance.

For great is the power—great is the prayer that is on our behalf—but only when we ourselves also labour.

For this reason Paul too, praying on their behalf, again grounds his assurance upon the promise, and says:

But faithful is the Lord, who shall establish you, and keep you from evil.

For if He chose you unto salvation, He will not lie, nor will He by any means suffer you to perish.

Lest through these words He should lead them into slothfulness, and, supposing that the whole is God's, they themselves should sleep, see how he requires also the co-operation that comes from them, saying:

'And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command.'

God, he says, is faithful, and having promised to save, He will assuredly save—but in the way He promised.

And how did He promise? If we are willing, and hearken unto Him.

Not simply, nor while we remain idle like sticks and stones.

And well too has he set down the words, 'We have confidence in the Lord'; that is to say, We trust in His lovingkindness toward mankind.

Again he humbles them, suspending the whole matter there—upon God.

For had he said, 'We have confidence in you,' the praise would indeed have been great, yet he would not have shown them to be depending upon God in all things.

But if he had said, 'We have confidence in the Lord that He will keep you,' and had not added the words 'touching you,' and 'the things which we commanded, ye do and will do,' he would have made them more idle, casting the whole upon the power of God.

For we ought indeed to cast the whole upon Him, yet while we ourselves are also active, having entered upon the labors and the contests.

And he shows here that even if virtue by itself suffices to save, nevertheless it must be enduring, and must abide with us until we come to our last breath.

'And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ.'

Again he praises them, and prays for them, showing his tender care.

For since he is about to enter upon a rebuke, he first smooths their hearts by these means—by saying that he is confident they will hearken, and by asking their prayers, and again by praying for them countless good things.

'And the Lord,' he says, 'direct your hearts into the love of God.'

For many are the things that turn us aside from love, and many the by-paths that drag us away from it.

And first, the wickedness of Mammon, which, letting loose as it were certain shameless hands upon our soul, and gripping fast, hales and drags us thence even against our will.

Then vainglory; and afflictions too, and temptations, have oftentimes turned men about.

For this reason we need the help of God as of some wind, that our sail may be wafted, as by some strong breeze, toward the love of God.

For do not say to me, 'I love Him, even above myself.'

Show by your works whether you love Him above yourself.

Love Him above money, and then I will believe that you also love Him above yourself.

But he who does not despise riches for God's sake, how shall he despise himself? And why do I speak of riches? He who does not despise even covetousness—that which even apart from God's commandments one ought to do—how shall he despise himself? 'And into the patience,' he says, 'of Christ.'

What is 'into the patience'? That we may endure as He endured; or that we may do those things; or that we may with patience await Him—that is, that we may be prepared and ready.

For since He has promised many things, and He Himself comes to judge the living and the dead, let us await Him and endure.

And wherever he speaks of patience, he assuredly hints at affliction.

For this is to love God—to endure, and not to be troubled.

'Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which they received of us.'

That is to say, It is not we who say these things, but Christ.

For this is what is meant by, 'In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.'

Having spoken thus, he shows the fearfulness of the charge.

'Through Christ,' he says, 'we command.'

Christ, then, nowhere commanded that one should be idle.

'That ye withdraw yourselves,' he says, 'from every brother.'

Name not to me the rich man, name not the poor man, name not the holy man.

'That walketh,' he says—that is, that liveth.

'And not after the tradition which they received of us.'

He calls 'tradition' that which is by works.

And this, in the proper sense, he always calls tradition.

'For yourselves know how ye ought to imitate us.'

'For we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you, neither did we eat any man's bread for nought.'

And yet, even if they had eaten, it would not have been for nought.

'For the laborer,' he says, 'is worthy of his hire.'

'But in labor and travail, working night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you.'

'Not because we have not the right, but to make ourselves an example unto you, that ye should imitate us.'

'For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.'

Observe how in the former Epistle he discourses on these matters somewhat more gently, as when he says, 'But we exhort you, brethren, that ye abound more and more, and be ambitious'—and nowhere 'We command,' nor 'In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,' which was fearful and carried danger; but he says 'abound' and 'be ambitious,' which was the language of one urging on toward virtue.

'That ye may walk becomingly,' he says.

But here there is nothing of the sort; rather, 'If any would not work.'

For if Paul, who was under no necessity, but had the right to be idle, and had undertaken so great a work, nevertheless labored—and labored not simply, but night and day, so as to be able to succor others also—much more ought others to do this.

'For we hear that there are some who walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.'

But there, in the former Epistle, he says, 'That ye may walk becomingly toward them that are without.'

For what reason? Perhaps as yet nothing of this sort had happened.

For elsewhere too, in exhorting, he said:

'It is a more blessed thing to give than to receive.'

But the words 'Walk becomingly' are not spoken concerning disorder.

Here, however, he sets down yet another necessity, namely, to do what is right and good toward all.

For going on he says, 'Be not weary in well-doing.'

For certainly he that is idle, and yet able to work, must of necessity be a busybody.

But almsgiving is given to those alone who are not able to support themselves by the work of their hands, or to those who teach and are wholly occupied in the ministry of teaching.

'For thou shalt not muzzle,' he says, 'the ox that treadeth out the corn.'

And, 'The laborer is worthy of his hire.'

So that neither is this man idle, but he receives the reward of work, and of great work.

But to pray and fast while remaining idle is not a work of the hands.

For by 'work' he here means that which is done with the hands.

And that you may suspect nothing of the kind, he added:

'Working not at all, but being busybodies.'

'Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ.'

Since he had rebuked them sharply, wishing to make his word more gentle, he added:

'By our Lord'—again showing thereby its trustworthiness and its fearfulness.

'That with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.'

Why did he not say, 'But if they refuse to be disorderly, let them be fed by you'?

Instead he requires both things—both that they live in quietness and that they work. Because he wishes them, by working, to feed themselves.

For this is the meaning of 'that they eat their own bread'—that is, the bread that comes from their own labors, and not another's, the bread procured by begging.

'But you, brethren, be not weary in well-doing.'

See how at once his fatherly heart was moved with compassion.

He had not the heart to carry the rebuke any further, but again he showed them mercy.

And see with how much prudence he does it.

He did not say, 'Only, bear with them until they amend themselves.'

But what does he say? 'But you, in doing what is good, be not weary.'

'Withdraw yourselves, indeed,' he says, 'from them, and rebuke them; yet do not look on while they perish of hunger.'

'What then,' he says, 'if a man, having abundance from us, persists in remaining idle?' 'For this case,' he says, 'I have prescribed a gentle remedy, namely: Withdraw from him'—that is, do not grant him free intercourse, but show him that you are angry.

For such is the rebuke that is administered toward a brother, if it be truly done.

We are not ignorant of the modes of rebuke.

For tell me: if you had a brother according to the flesh, would you look on while he wasted away with hunger?

But perhaps you would even bring him back into order.

'And if any one obey not our word, by this epistle...'

See the humility of Paul.

He did not say, 'He that disregards, disregards me.'

So that he urges them to do this not secretly.

This too is no small discipline.

Thus he does not allow him to proceed any further.

For just as, having said, 'If any will not work, neither let him eat,' fearing lest they should perish of hunger, he added, 'But you, in doing what is good, be not weary';

so also, having said, 'Withdraw yourselves' and 'Do not mingle with him,' then fearing lest this very thing should cut him off from the brotherhood (for he who despairs of himself quickly perishes, if he does not partake of free intercourse), he added:

'And count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.'

By this he shows that he had appointed a great punishment against him, in that he should be deprived of free intercourse.

For if even to be among many while receiving is worthy of shame—when they both give with rebuke and withdraw themselves—how great a reproach is this? How able to sting the soul? For if men, merely by giving somewhat too grudgingly, or by murmuring, set on fire those who receive (do not, I pray, speak to me of the shameless beggars, but of the faithful);

if they were even going to rebuke while giving, what would they not do? Of how great a punishment would it not be worthy? But we do not act thus; rather, as though we had been wronged in the greatest matters, so do we insult and turn away those who beg.

Why do you also grieve him? 'Admonish them,' he said, 'as brethren'; do not insult them as enemies.

He that admonishes his brother does not do this publicly, nor parades the insult, but privately and with much attentiveness, in pain, and stung to the heart, and weeping and lamenting.

Let us therefore give from a brotherly mind, and admonish from a brotherly disposition;

not as those grieving over the giving, but as those grieving over his transgressing the commandment.

For otherwise, what is the gain? For if even after giving you insult, you mar the pleasure of the gift;

but when you neither give nor insult, what evil have you not wrought upon that wretched and miserable man? He came to you as one who would be pitied;

but having received a mortal blow, he departed, and wept all the more.

For when a man is compelled by want to beg, and because of his begging is insulted, consider how great will be the punishment of those who insult him;

'He that dishonors the poor,' it says, 'provokes his Maker.'

He himself has permitted the man to be poor for your sake, that you might have the means to care for your own soul; and do you insult him who is made poor for your sake? Of how great senselessness are these things? Of how great ingratitude is this deed? 'Admonish them,' he says, 'as brethren.'

He commanded them to admonish even after giving;

but when we insult even without giving, what defense shall we have? 'Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always in every place.'

See how, whenever he dictates the things to be done, he seals them with prayer, placing supplication and entreaty as certain seals upon the things laid up.

'May he give you,' he says, 'peace in every place.'

For since from these matters it was likely that quarrels should arise—both because the offenders became more harsh, and because the others no longer supplied such men as before—with good reason he now added this prayer, saying, 'May he give you peace always.'

For this is the thing sought: that they may always have it.

What means, 'In every place'? He wishes them to be at peace from every quarter, so that they may have no occasion for strife from anywhere.

For peace is everywhere a good thing, seeing that it holds even toward those without;

for hear him saying elsewhere:

'If it be possible, as much as lies in you, be at peace with all men.'

For nothing is so well suited to accomplishing what we desire as a peaceable and untroubled spirit, as being freed from all enmity, and...

'The Lord be with you all.'

'The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is a sign in every epistle';

'The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.'

He says that he writes this in every epistle, so that it may not be possible for anyone to counterfeit them, the signature being laid down as a great token.

And he calls the prayer a salutation, showing that they did all things spiritually in those days, and that even when it was fitting to salute, the matter was done with profit;

and the prayer was not merely a token of friendship.

From this he began, and in this he ended, fencing round on both sides with great walls the things spoken, laying secure foundations, and adding a secure conclusion.

'Grace be unto you,' he says, 'and peace';

and again, 'The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.'

This the Lord also promised, saying to the disciples, 'Lo, I am with you all the days, even unto the consummation of the age.'

But this comes to pass whenever we so will;

for he will not by all means be with us, if we set ourselves far off.

'I will be with you,' he says, 'always.'

Let us not, then, drive away the grace.

He wishes us to withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly.

Great was this evil in those days—to be torn away from the fullness of the brethren.

By this, at any rate, he punishes them all, as also elsewhere, writing to the Corinthians, he said:

'With such a one, no not to eat,' he says.

But now the greater part do not account this a great matter; rather, all things have been confounded and corrupted;

with adulterers, with fornicators, with the covetous we mingle simply and at random.

If we ought to withdraw from him alone who is fed in idleness, how much more from the others? And that you may learn how terrible a thing it was to be separated from the assembly of the brethren, and how great a gain it brings to those who receive the rebuke with a good disposition, hear how that man who was puffed up by his sin, who had driven himself into the uttermost wickedness, who had committed such fornication as is not even named among the Gentiles, who was insensible of his wound (for this is the height of perversion)—

this very man was so bowed down and brought low, that Paul said:

For such a man this rebuke, administered by the majority, is sufficient.

So that, rather, you should confirm your love toward him.

For just as a limb severed from the rest of the body, so was such a one at that time.

But consider the reason, and why this was so fearful at that time.

Because to be together with them was reckoned by them a great good.

For just as men who dwell in one house, and are under one father, and share one table, so did they live at that time in each Church.

To fall away, then, from so great a love—how great an evil that was! But now it does not even seem to be anything great, because to be together with one another is no longer thought anything great.

What at that time held the rank of a punishment, this, through the great chilling of love, now comes to pass even without punishment; and we withdraw from one another for no reason and out of coldness.

For that which is the cause of all evils is the absence of love.

This has dissolved and made to vanish the venerable and splendid things of the Church, in which we ought to have rejoiced.

Great is a teacher's boldness of speech, when out of his own good deeds he is able to rebuke his disciples.

'For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us.'

And a teacher ought to be a teacher rather by his life than by his word.

And let no one think that this is boasting.

For being brought to necessity he uttered this, and with a view to the common good.

'For we did not behave in a disorderly manner among you,' he says.

From this, do you not see his humility, which he calls both a free gift and good order? 'We did not behave disorderly among you,' he says, 'nor did we eat anyone's bread as a free gift.'

Here he shows that they too were perhaps poor.

And do not say to me, 'But surely they were not all poor.'

For he is speaking about the poor, and about those who have no other supply of necessary food than the labor of their hands.

For he did not say, 'that they may have it from their fathers,' but 'that,'

working, may eat their own bread.

For if I, he says, the herald of the word of teaching, was afraid to burden you, much more should he who benefits you in nothing.

For this is truly a burden.

And it is a burden, when a man does not give with much readiness.

But it is not this that he hints at, but rather that they did not readily possess the means.

For why do you not work? God gave you hands for this purpose—not that you should receive from others, but that you should supply to others.

'And the Lord,' he says, 'be with you.'

This we too are permitted to pray for ourselves, if we do the things of the Lord.

For hear Christ saying to His disciples:

'Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you;'

'and lo, I am with you all the days, even unto the consummation of the age.'

These things were spoken not only to those men, but also to us.

For that it was not promised to them alone is plain from His saying, 'unto the consummation of the age'—it was promised also to those who walk in their footsteps.

What, then, does He say to those who are not teachers? Each of you, if he will, is a teacher—if not of another, yet of himself.

If you teach all things whatsoever He has commanded you to observe, through this you will have many who emulate you.

For just as a lamp, when it is itself bright, is able to kindle ten thousand others;

but when quenched it will neither furnish light to itself, nor will it be able to kindle other lamps;

so also in the case of a pure life: if the light within us is bright, we shall make ten thousand both disciples and teachers, being set forth as an archetype.

For not even so will my words be able to benefit those who hear as our life will.

For suppose, if you will, a certain man who is a friend of God, and shining in virtue, and having a wife;

for it is possible even for one who has a wife to please God, and children and household servants and friends;

will not this man, tell me, be far more able than I to benefit all? For me they will hear once or twice a month, or not even once, and whatever they hear they will perhaps keep only as far as the threshold of the church, and then immediately cast it away;

but seeing his life continually, they reap great gain.

For when a man, being insulted, does not return the insult, has he not almost fixed and engraved the reverence for his own gentleness upon the soul of the one who insulted him? And even if he does not at once acknowledge the benefit, being either ashamed or abashed on account of his anger, yet nevertheless he immediately gains a perception of it.

And it is impossible for an insolent man, even were he a wild beast, to come into contact with one who is long-suffering, and to depart without having gained greatly.

For even if we do not practice good things, yet we all praise and admire them.

Again, if a wife sees her husband to be gentle, she reaps great gain by being ever with him, and so does the child.

It is possible, therefore, for everyone to become a teacher.

'For build one another up,' he says, 'each one the other, even as also you do.'

Has a loss befallen the household? The wife is thrown into distress, inasmuch as she is weaker and fond of adornment; the husband, if he is a lover of wisdom and one who laughs at loss, both comforts her and persuades her to bear it nobly.

Will he not then, tell me, benefit her far more than our words? For to speak is easy for anyone, but to act, when we come into the actual need, is exceedingly difficult.

For this reason human nature is wont rather to be regulated by deeds.

And so great is the surpassing power of virtue, that often even a slave has benefited a whole household together with its master.

For it is not at random nor without purpose that Paul continually enjoins them to practice virtue, and to be obedient to their masters, caring not so much for the service of the masters as that the word of God and the teaching might not be blasphemed;

and when it is not blasphemed, it will quickly also be admired.

And I know many households that have gained greatly from the virtue of their slaves.

But if a household servant, lying under authority, is able to

regulate his master, much more can a master regulate his servants.

Share with me, I beseech you, this ministry.

I address you all in common;

you, each one privately, and let each take in hand the salvation of his neighbors.

For that those who preside over the household ought to take the lead in these things, hear where Paul refers the women:

'But if they wish to learn anything,' he says, 'let them ask their own husbands at home;'

and he does not bring them to the teacher.

For just as in the schools of letters there are teachers even among the pupils, so also in the Church;

for he wishes that the teacher should not be troubled by everyone.

Why? Because great goods will thus result, not only that the labor will be light for the teacher, but that each of the disciples also, having taken thought, may quickly become a teacher, having this care.

For see how great a ministry the wife brings in:

she keeps the house, and cares for all things pertaining to the household, presides over the maidservants, clothes you with her own hands, causes you to be called a father of children, delivers you from brothels, aids you unto self-control, and stills the frenzy of nature.

But do you also confer benefit upon her.

How? In spiritual matters stretch out a helping hand.

Whatever profitable things you may hear, these, like the swallows, carry off in your mouth and bring home, and place them into the mouth both of the mother and of the nestlings.

For how is it not absurd that in other matters you count yourself worthy of the first place, and occupy the position of the head, yet in teaching you forsake your rank? The ruler ought to surpass the ruled not in honors, but in virtues; for the former belongs to those who are ruled, but the latter is the achievement of the ruler himself.

For the former belongs to those who are ruled, but the latter is the achievement of the ruler himself.

If you enjoy much honor, this is nothing to your credit;

but if you shine with much virtue, this is wholly your own.

Therefore let the head govern the rest of the body.

Do you not see that it surpasses the rest of the body not so much by its place as by its forethought, directing the whole of it like some pilot? For in the head are both the eyes of the body and the eyes of the soul;

from thence flows to them the power of discernment, from thence the governing faculty.

And the rest is ordered for service, but she herself is set to command.

All the senses have their beginning and their source from thence;

the organs of speech are sent up from thence, the power of sight, of smell, all touch;

for the root of the nerves and of the bones is constituted from thence.

Do you see that it surpasses rather by forethought than by honor?

Even so let us rule over our women;

let us prevail over them not by seeking more honor from them, but by conferring greater benefit upon them from ourselves.

I have shown that they confer no small benefits upon us; but if we are willing to give the recompense in spiritual things, we prevail;

since in bodily things it is not possible to introduce anything of equal weight.

For what? Do you bring in much money? But she keeps it safe;

and this forethought of hers is a counterweight to that, and thus he has need of her.

Why? Because many who possessed much, since they had no one to keep it safe, lost everything.

But for the children's sake you both have a share, and the benefit from each is equal;

or rather she has in these matters the more laborious service, ever bearing what is conceived, and being torn by the pangs of childbirth.

So that in spiritual things alone will you be able to prevail.

Let us then not be anxious how we may have money, but how we may present to God with boldness the souls that have been entrusted to us;

for in governing them we shall also greatly profit ourselves.

For he who teaches another, even if in nothing else, yet in the very act of speaking is pricked in conscience, and especially when he sees himself to be liable in those very things for which he rebukes others.

Since therefore we benefit both ourselves and them, and through them the household, and this above all seems good to God, let us not grow weary in caring both for our own soul and for the souls of those who are ministered to by us, that for all these things

we may receive the reward, and with much wealth may attain unto the holy city, our mother, the Jerusalem which is above;

from which may it never befall us to fall away, but having shone in the most excellent manner of life, may we with much boldness be counted worthy to behold our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.