Homilies on Second Timothy 6

'But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earthenware.'

'And some are unto honour, and some unto dishonour.'

'If therefore a man cleanse himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, meet for the Master's use, prepared unto every good work.'

It troubles many people even to this day, why the wicked continue to exist and are not destroyed. Now there are many other reasons for this, such as that they may change, or that through their punishment they may become an example to the many.

But here Paul offers something akin to this.

'For in a great house,' he says, 'there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earthenware.'

By this he shows that, just as in a great house it is likely there is much variety of vessels, so also here in the whole inhabited world.

He is not speaking about the Church, but about the whole world.

For do not suppose that I mean the Church.

For here He wills that there be no vessel of wood or of earthenware, but all of gold and of silver, where the Body of Christ is, where the pure Virgin is who has neither spot nor wrinkle.

Let it not disturb you that there are men wicked and defiled.

For indeed in a great house there are such vessels also.

What then? 'But it does not,' he says, 'enjoy the same honour; rather, some are unto honour, and some unto dishonour.'

'Yes,' he says, 'but here it fulfils some use, whereas in the world it does so in no way at all.'

Even if not for such a purpose, yet God makes use of these very persons for other ends.

For example, the vainglorious man builds much; the covetous man, the merchant, the tradesman, the ruler.

There are certain works in the world that are suited to them.

But the golden vessel is nothing of the sort; rather, it is engaged about the royal table.

He does not therefore say this, that wickedness is a necessary thing.

For how could it be? But rather that these persons too have their work.

For if all were golden and silver, there would be no need of those others.

For instance, if all were steadfast, there would be no need of buildings.

If all were free from luxury, there would be no need of dishes of food.

If all attended only to necessity, there would be no need of splendid buildings.

'If therefore a man cleanse himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified.'

Do you see that it is not of nature nor of any material necessity to be golden or of earthenware, but of our own choice? For there, the earthen vessel cannot become golden, nor can the golden fall into the baseness of the other.

But here there is great change and transformation.

Paul was an earthen vessel, but he became golden.

Judas was a golden vessel, but he became earthen.

Therefore the earthen vessels come from impurity.

The fornicator, the covetous man, becomes earthen.

How then does he say elsewhere, 'Having this treasure...'

'...in earthen vessels'? So that he honours, and does not disparage, the earthen vessel, calling it capable of receiving a treasure.

There he indicates the nature itself, not the kind of material.

Our body is an earthen vessel.

For just as earthenware is nothing else than baked clay,

so also our body is nothing else than clay made solid by the warmth of the soul.

For that it is earthen is plain.

For often, just as that vessel, when it falls, is broken and shattered, so also the body, when it falls in death, is dissolved.

For in what do the bones differ from potsherds, being so hard, so dry? And in what does the flesh differ from clay? Are not these too likewise made from water? But, as I said, how is it that there he does not disparage the thing? There he discourses concerning nature, here concerning choice.

'If therefore a man cleanse himself,' he says.

He did not say 'cleanse,' but 'cleanse out'—that is, cleanse completely.

'He shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, meet for the Master's use.'

Are those things, then, useless, even if they render some service?

'Prepared unto every good work.'

Even if it is not being put to use, yet nonetheless it is fit for service and capable of receiving it.

One must therefore be made ready for all things: whether for death, whether for martyrdom;

one must be prepared, whether for virginity, whether for all these things.

'But flee youthful lusts.'

The youthful lusts are not only those of fornication, but every unseemly desire is youthful.

Let those who have grown old give ear, that they ought not to do the things of the young.

Even if a man be insolent, even if he lust after power, or after money, or after bodies, or after anything whatsoever, the desire is youthful, it is senseless;

for while the heart is not yet steadfast, nor the mind set in its depths, but rather hangs suspended, all these things must needs come to pass.

In order, then, that no one may be caught by these things, what does he counsel? 'Flee youthful fancies;'

'but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, with all those who call upon the Lord out of a pure heart.'

By 'righteousness' he means virtue in general, godliness in one's manner of life, faith, love, meekness.

What means, 'With those who call upon the Lord out of a pure heart'? It is as if he said: Take confidence in those alone—not in those who simply call upon Him, but in those who do so without guile, without hypocrisy, who have nothing deceitful, who draw near in peace, who are not contentious;

mingle with those, but with the others one need not be gentle, only be at peace so far as it depends on oneself.

'But foolish and unlearned questionings avoid, knowing that they beget strifes.'

Do you see how everywhere he leads him away from questionings? Not because he was unable sufficiently to refute them;

for had he not been able, he would have said to him, 'Be diligent to be fit for the refutation of such things;'

just as when he says, 'Give heed to reading;'

'for in doing this you shall both save yourself and those who hear you.'

But he knows that it is altogether useless even to enter into such contests, and that no end will come of it but strife and enmity, insults and revilings.

'These questionings, therefore, avoid.'

So then there are other questionings—those concerning the Scriptures, those concerning other matters.

'But the Lord's servant must not strive.'

It follows, then, that one ought not to strive even in inquiry;

for the servant of God ought to be far removed from strife.

For the God of peace is God;

and the servant of the God of peace, how should he strive? Rather he must be gentle toward all.

'For the Lord's servant must not strive,' he says, 'but be gentle toward all.'

How then does he say, 'Rebuke them with all authority'? and here again, 'Let no man despise your youth'? and again, 'Rebuke them sharply'? Because this too belongs to meekness.

For a vehement rebuke, when it is made with forbearance, is the very thing most able to sting.

For it is possible—yes, it is possible—to lay hold of a man with meekness rather than to shame him with harshness.

That is to say, toward all who are willing to be taught.

'For a heretical man,' he says, 'after a first and second admonition, reject.'

For this above all the teacher must possess;

for if the fishermen, though often casting their nets all day long and not succeeding, do not give up, much more should we.

It often happens that, through continual teaching, the plough of the word descends into the depths of the soul and cuts out the passion that troubles it.

For he who has heard ten thousand times will suffer some effect;

for it is not possible that a man, hearing continually, should be affected in nothing.

There are times, then, when a man on the point of being persuaded, because we have given up, has lost all.

And the same thing happens as if a man inexperienced in husbandry should treat a vine;

having planted it, he should dig about it in the first year, and in the second, seeking to receive fruit, and again in the third, and receiving none; then, when the three years are past, giving up in despair, he should thereupon leave it in the fourth—the very year in which he was about to reap the recompense of those labours.

Having said 'patient,' he is not content, but goes on, saying:

'In meekness instructing those who oppose themselves.'

For above all the teacher must do this in meekness;

for a soul that desires to learn cannot, amid harshness and strife, discern anything of what is profitable;

for even if it means to give heed, being thrown into perplexity it will learn nothing.

For he who is about to learn anything profitable must, before all else, be well-disposed toward the one who teaches;

and this not being prepared beforehand, nothing of what is needful nor of what is profitable can come to pass;

and no one could be well-disposed toward one who is insolent and abusive.

How then, he says, 'A heretical man, after a first or second admonition, reject'? He means the incorrigible one, whom he knows to be sick beyond cure.

'Lest at some time God should give them repentance unto the acknowledging of the truth, and they should recover themselves out of the snare of the devil.'

But what he says is of this sort:

Perhaps there will be some amendment;

and the word 'perhaps' is used of things uncertain.

So then we must withdraw only from those concerning whom we can plainly pronounce judgement, and of whom we are persuaded that, whatever may happen, they will not be moved.

Do you see that we must so receive those who are willing to learn, and never withdraw from the discussions before the demonstration is complete? 'Having been taken captive by him unto his will.'

Well did he say, 'having been taken captive';

for meanwhile they are swimming about in error.

See how he teaches humble-mindedness.

He did not say, 'Lest you should ever be able,' but, 'Lest at some time the Lord should give them to recover themselves.'

And even if anything be accomplished, the whole is the Lord's doing;

you plant, you water, but He sows and makes it bear fruit.

Let us therefore never be puffed up, as though we ourselves were persuading anyone, even if we do persuade.

'And having been taken captive,' he says, 'by him unto his will.'

But one would say this not concerning doctrines only, but also concerning manner of life;

for His will is that men should live uprightly.

And there are some in the snare of the devil on account of their manner of life also;

we ought not, therefore, to grow weary toward these either.

'Lest at some time they should recover themselves,' he says, 'having been taken captive unto His will.'

But the words 'if perchance' are indicative of great longsuffering;

for not to do the will of God is a snare of the devil.

For just as the sparrow, even though it is not held by its whole body but by one part only — by the foot, I mean — is under the power of him who set the snare;

so we also, even if we are not held wholly, both in faith and in life, but in life alone, are under the power of the devil.

For 'not everyone that says to me, Lord, Lord,' he says, 'shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;'

and again, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you that work iniquity.'

Do you see that there is no gain from faith when the Master does not know us? And to the virgins he says the same:

What then is the gain of virginity and of those many toils, when the Master does not know them? And in many places

we find men in no way accused concerning faith, yet punished solely for a wicked life;

just as elsewhere we find men in no way accused concerning their life, yet perishing on account of perverted doctrine.

Do you see that when we do not do the will of God, we are under the snare of the devil? And not from our whole life only, but often from a single defect we enter into hell, when our other good deeds do not counterbalance it.

For indeed the virgins were not charged with fornication, nor adultery, nor envy, nor malice, nor drunkenness, nor unsound belief, but with a lack of oil;

that is, they had not practiced almsgiving;

And those who were condemned with the words, 'Depart, you cursed, into the everlasting fire,' were likewise charged with none of these things, but with this — that they did not feed Christ.

Do you see that the lack of almsgiving is enough to cast a man into the fire of hell? For where, tell me, will he be of any use who gives no alms? Do you fast every day? So also did those virgins then, yet they gained nothing by it.

Do you pray? And what of it? Without almsgiving, prayer is fruitless;

without it all things are unclean, all things unprofitable;

the greater part of virtue is cut away.

'He that loves not his brother,' it says, 'does not know God.'

But how do you love, when you are unwilling to share with him even these small and paltry things? Tell me now, are you chaste? For what reason? Is it not from fear of the punishment? 'By no means,' you say; 'I follow this course by nature.'

For if you are chaste from fear of the punishment, and endure so great a violence and so great a tyranny, much more ought you to give alms.

For it is not the same thing to master the desire for riches and the desire for bodies; the toil in the latter is greater.

Why so? Because that pleasure is natural, sown and implanted in our body; but the desire for riches is not so.

This is that whereby we may be made equal to God — by showing mercy and compassion;

when therefore we lack this, we are stripped of everything.

He did not say, 'If you fast, you are like your Father;'

he did not say, 'If you keep virginity,' nor did he say, 'If you pray, you are like your Father;'

for none of these things pertains to God, nor does God do any of them;

but what did he say? 'Be merciful, as your Father who is in heaven.'

If then you have not this, what do you have? 'I desire mercy,' he says, 'and not sacrifice.'

God made the heaven, he made the earth and the sea;

great are these works, and worthy of his wisdom;

yet by none of these did he so draw human nature to himself as by mercy and love for mankind;

for those indeed were the work of wisdom and power and goodness;

but far more was this shown in that he became a servant.

Do we not for this admire him the more? Are we not for this the more amazed at him? Nothing so draws God to us as mercy.

And concerning these things all the prophets discourse at length, from beginning to end.

But by mercy I mean that which is not joined with covetousness.

For the root of a thorn never yields olive oil, but the root of the olive does;

so neither does the root of covetousness yield mercy, nor the root of injustice, nor of rapine.

Do not bring slander upon almsgiving; do not cause it to be accused by all.

For if you plunder for this end, that you may give alms, nothing is worse than such almsgiving.

For when it is born of rapine, it is no longer almsgiving;

it is a kind of harshness and cruelty; it is an insult against God.

If Cain, who offered the lesser portion of his own goods, so offended God, how shall he not offend who offers the goods of others? An offering is nothing else than a sacrifice, a purification — not an uncleanness.

And do you not dare to pray with filthy hands, yet think you do nothing dreadful when you offer filth and uncleanness gotten by rapine? You do not suffer your hands to be full of filth and uncleanness, but make them clean before you offer;

and yet that filth carries no charge against you, while the other deserves accusation and reproach.

Let us then not make it our aim merely to offer and to pray with clean hands, but that the things offered also be clean.

It is as if one should wash a dish all round and then fill it with unclean gifts — is not this mockery and derision? Let the hands be clean;

and clean they will be, if we wash them not with water only, but first with righteousness;

But if we are full of injustice, though you wash them ten thousand times, there is no gain.

'Wash yourselves,' it says, 'make yourselves clean.'

What then? Did he go on to say, 'Go to the springs, go to the baths and the lakes and the rivers'? Nothing of the kind;

but what? 'Put away your wickednesses from your souls;'

that is, 'Make yourselves clean.'

This is what sets us free from defilement; this is the true purity.

For the other profits nothing much, but this bestows on us boldness toward God;

and the other even adulterers and thieves and murderers may possess, and sluggards and dissolute men and fornicators and those who have prostituted themselves — and these above all.

For these are they who most of all care for the cleanness of the body, continually reeking of perfumes, polishing up their tomb;

for their body is a tomb, since the soul within is dead.

So then, this kind of purity even they can attain; but the purity within, they cannot.

It is nothing great, if you wash the body.

This is a Jewish purification, fruitless and unprofitable, when the purity within is absent.

Suppose a man has a gangrene, or a spreading sore; let him wash his body all over —

what is the gain? what is the end of it? Now if no one can bring any help to the putrefaction in the body by washing and scouring the outward surface,

then when the putrefaction is in the soul, what shall we gain from the cleanness of the body? Nothing.

and prayers cannot be pure, when the soul that gives them birth is defiled.

For nothing so defiles the soul as covetousness and rapine.

Yet there are some who, after working countless evils through the day, bathe themselves in the evening and enter the church with great boldness, stretching up their hands, as though they had put off everything in the pool of those waters.

If this were so, it would be a great gain to bathe every day.

If this were so, I too would never have ceased frequenting the baths, if they made men clean and delivered them from their sins.

These things are laughter and idle talk, mere games and children's playthings.

God does not turn away from the body's filth, but from the uncleanness of the soul.

For hear Him as He says:

Blessed are the pure in heart;

Is it then in body? By no means, but, The pure in heart;

for they shall see God.

Create in me a clean heart, O God;

and again, Wash the wickedness from your heart.

It is a great good to be in the habit of good things.

See how these things are small and unprofitable.

And once the soul has been taken captive by habit, it will not desist, nor will it endure to approach prayer before first fulfilling these things.

We have set ourselves in the habit of washing and praying, and it is not possible to do this unwashed; but we do not pray gladly if we do it with unwashed hands, as though we were about to give offense to God, and as though we were held by an evil conscience.

If this small matter has such tyranny, and is altogether fulfilled every single day,

if we had set ourselves in the habit of almsgiving, and had determined always to fulfill this too, never to enter a house of prayer with empty hands, the matter would have been set right.

For great is the tyranny of habit, both in good things and in evil.

We shall thereafter need no toil, since habit itself draws us on.

Many have set themselves in the habit of signing themselves continually, and no longer need one to remind them, but even when the mind often wanders elsewhere, as if by

a kind of living teacher, namely habit, the hand is drawn of itself to make the sign.

Some have set themselves in such a habit as not to swear, and neither willingly nor unwillingly will they be induced to do so.

Let us too set ourselves in this habit, the habit of almsgiving.

How much toil would we have needed, that this remedy might be found? For tell me, if there were not the consolation of almsgiving, and then, having sinned ten thousand times, we had made ourselves liable to punishment, would we not have lamented much? Would we not have said, Would that it were possible to wash away our sins with money, and we would have poured out everything;

would that it were possible to cast out the wrath of God with money, and we would not have spared our possessions? For if we do this in sickness, and in death say, If death could be bought off, so-and-so would have given all his possessions, much more here.

And yet behold the loving-kindness of God, how great it is;

He did not give you to buy off temporal death, but eternal death.

Do not buy off, He says, this little life, but that eternal life;

It is that life I sell you, not this;

Even if you gained this, you gained nothing;

I know that that life is great.

But the hucksters and those who traffic in the things of this life do not act thus;

they may cheat whomever they wish, and they give the little in exchange for the great.

But He is not so; rather, in exchange for the small things He gives things far greater.

Tell me, if you went to some merchant, and two stones were lying there, one of little worth and the other of great price and able to procure ample wealth, and having paid the price of that small one, you received the great one, would you accuse him? By no means, but rather you would have marveled.

So also now there lie two lives, the temporal and the eternal;

but He sells us this one, not that one;

Why then are we vexed like foolish children, because we receive the precious one? Is it then possible to buy life with money, one asks? Yes, when we pay out what is our own, and not what belongs to others, when we practice no extortion.

But it is henceforth mine, he says.

It is not yours after the plunder, but it is his;

it belongs to another, even if ten thousand times over you are its lord.

For neither, if you received something on deposit for the time during which the one who deposited it is away, are these things yours, even though they lie with you.

If then the things we received from those who deposited them willingly and with gratitude are not ours, nor for that time during which we hold them, much more are these things not ours, which we snatch from the unwilling and reluctant.

He is their lord, even if ten thousand times over you hold them.

Virtue is truly ours;

but riches are not even ours, much less another's, but today they are ours, and tomorrow they are not ours.

But the things of virtue are ours;

for it is not diminished, as those things are, but is present whole and entire to all.

Let us therefore acquire this, and despise riches, that we may be able to attain the good things that are truly good;

which may it be granted to us all to be counted worthy of.