Homilies on Ephesians 9

'I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthily of the calling wherewith you were called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.'

The might of Paul's chain has been shown to be both great and more brilliant than signs.

Not in vain, then, as it seems, does he here put this forward, nor at random, but as intending, above all, to shame them by means of it.

And what does he say? 'I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith you were called.'

How? 'With all lowliness of mind, with meekness and long-suffering, forbearing one another in love.'

It is not simply to be a prisoner that is good, but to be one for Christ's sake.

For this reason he says, 'The prisoner in the Lord,' that is, for Christ's sake.

But rather the chain draws us away from the matter before us and distracts us, and we cannot resist but are dragged along even against our will—nay rather, willingly and with prayer.

Would that it were always possible to discourse concerning the chain of Paul!

For I still wish to say that which many, in their inquiry, ask:

And if afflictions are good, how was it that he himself, making his defense before Agrippa, said, 'I would to God that whether in little or in much, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am—except for these bonds'?

He did not say these things as though he counted the matter something to be shunned—God forbid!

For if indeed it were something to be shunned, he would not have gloried in his bonds, in his imprisonments, in his other afflictions;

nor would he have written, 'Most gladly will I glory in my weaknesses.'

But what then? This very thing was a proof that he esteemed his bonds as great.

For just as, writing to the Corinthians, he said:

'I fed you with milk, not with solid food, for you were not yet able to bear it';

so also here: they were not able to hear of the beauty, nor the ornament, nor the benefit of his bonds.

For this reason he says, 'Except for these bonds.'

To the Hebrews, however, it was not so; rather he exhorted them to be bound together with those who were bound.

For this reason he himself also rejoiced in his bonds, and was bound, and was led away with the prisoners into prison.

Great is the strength of the chain of Paul!

This one spectacle suffices in place of all: to behold Paul bound and led forth from the prison.

To behold him bound and seated within—what pleasure is not surpassed by this? For what would I not prize this thing? Do you not see the

kings and consuls borne upon their chariots and arrayed in gold, and the spearmen bearing everything of gold—golden spears, golden shields, golden garments, gold-caparisoned horses? How much more delightful is this than that sight! Once would I have prayed to see Paul coming forth from the prison with the prisoners, than ten thousand times to see those men escorted with that guard of spearmen.

How many angels do you think went before him when he was thus led forth? And that I do not lie, I will make the matter plain to you from a certain ancient history.

The prophet Elisha—perhaps you know the man—when the king of Syria was at war with the king of Israel, sitting in his own place, brought out into the open all that the king planned in his chambers with those who shared his counsel, and made void the counsels of the king, foretelling his secrets, and not allowing him to fall into the snares which the king had set.

This grieved the king, and being disheartened, he was placed in great perplexity, unable to learn who it was that brought out everything and plotted against him and made void his devices.

As he was thus at a loss and searching for the cause, one of his attendants told him that there was a certain prophet, Elisha, dwelling in Samaria, who did not let the king's purpose stand, but brought everything to light.

That king thought he had found the whole matter.

But indeed nothing was more wretched than he.

When he ought to have honored the man, to have marveled, to have been astounded—if indeed he had such power that, sitting so many stades away, he knew, with no one reporting it, everything in the king's chamber—

this he did not do, but being provoked and given over to anger alone, he mustered horsemen and men-at-arms and sent them to bring the prophet before him.

Now Elisha had a disciple, still in the vestibule of prophecy, not yet judged worthy of such revelations.

The soldiers of the king came upon them, as though to bind the man—or rather the prophet.

Again we fall into bonds; and what am I to do? On every side this discourse is thus woven together. And when the disciple saw the multitude of the soldiers, he was beside himself, and full of dread and trembling ran to his teacher, and announced the calamity, as he supposed, and disclosed the inescapable danger.

The prophet laughed at him, because he feared things not worthy of fear, and exhorted him to take courage.

But he, being still immature, was not persuaded, but still, being astonished at the sight, was gripped by fear.

What then did the prophet do? 'Lord,' he says, 'open the eyes of this young man, and let him see that those with us are more than those with them.'

And suddenly he saw the whole mountain where the prophet then dwelt, filled with horses of fire and chariots of the same.

And this was nothing else but the ranks of angels.

But if for this one thing alone so great an array of angels attended Elisha, what of Paul? This too the prophet David said:

'The angel of the Lord encamps round about those who fear him';

and again, 'They shall bear you up in their hands, lest at any time you dash your foot against a stone.'

And why do I speak of angels? The Master Himself was then with him as he went forth.

For surely He did not appear to Abraham, and yet was not with this man;

for He Himself promised, saying:

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

And again, appearing to him, He said:

'Do not be afraid, but speak, for I am with you, and no one shall set upon you to harm you.'

And in a dream also He stood by him, saying:

'For as you have testified concerning the things about me in Jerusalem, so must you also bear witness in Rome.'

Always then are the saints wonderful, and full of much grace; but most of all when they are in danger for Christ's sake, when they become prisoners.

For just as a noble soldier is always, even simply, a pleasant sight to those who behold him, but most of all when he stands and is arrayed in battle beside the king himself;

so also consider Paul—how great a thing it was to see him teaching amid his bonds.

Shall I tell of a thought that has just now come upon me? The blessed martyr Babylas was bound, he too from the same cause as John, having rebuked a king who transgressed the law.

At his death he commanded that his chains be laid together with his body, and the body along with them.

And now the fetters lie together with the ashes.

So great was his longing for the bonds borne for Christ's sake.

'The iron passed through his soul,' the prophet says concerning Joseph.

And by now even women have had experience of these bonds.

Yet neither do I exhort to this, since the present is not the time for it;

but do you not bind your hands, but bind your mind.

Those who do not bear these bonds will bear those others.

Hear Christ saying:

'Bind him hand and foot.'

But may it never be to have experience of those bonds; rather, may it be to be filled even with these bonds.

'I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith you were called';

and again, 'We have Christ for our Head.'

For He raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places, though we were enemies and had wrought ten thousand evils.

Great is the calling, and unto great things—not only that it is from those states, but that it is unto such things, and in such a manner.

But how is it possible to walk worthily? 'With all lowliness of mind.'

Such a one walks worthily.

This is the foundation of all virtue.

If you are humble, and consider who you were and how you were saved, you take from that memory an incentive to virtue; you are not lifted up either by your bonds or by the very things I have mentioned, but knowing that the whole is of grace, you draw yourself in and are lowly.

The humble-minded and grateful man is able also to be a thankful servant.

For what do you have, he says, that you did not receive? And hear him again saying:

I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

With all lowliness, he says, not that which is in words only, nor in deeds only, but also in bearing and in speech;

not humble toward this man, but insolent toward that one;

be humble toward all, whether he be friend or enemy, whether great or small;

And in your good deeds be humble.

For hear Christ saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit, and setting this first of all.

For this reason he too says:

With all lowliness and meekness and long-suffering.

For it is possible to be humble, yet quick-tempered and prone to anger;

for often a man, mastered by anger, has lost everything.

Forbearing one another, he says, in love.

How is it possible to forbear, if a man be prone to anger, if he be given to accusing? He told the manner too:

If you do not bear with your neighbor, he says, how shall God bear with you? If you yourself cannot endure your fellow-servant, how shall the Master endure you? Where there is love, all things are bearable.

Being diligent, he says, to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Bind then your hands with gentleness.

Again the good name has blossomed forth—the bond;

we let it go, and it has run back to us again.

Beautiful is that bond, and beautiful is this one too;

and the former is begotten from this.

Bind yourself fast to your brother;

such men, who are bound together by love, bear all things lightly.

Bind yourself to him, and him to you;

for whomever I may wish to make a friend, I shall be able.

Being diligent with readiness.

He shows that the matter is not a simple thing, nor one that comes by chance.

Being diligent, he says, to keep the unity of the Spirit.

What is the unity of the Spirit? Just as in a body there is a spirit that holds all things together and makes one out of that which consists of different members;

for it is for this reason that the Spirit was given, that it might unite those who are separated by race and by different characters.

For the old man and the young, the poor and the rich, the child and the youth, the woman and the man, and every soul become some one thing, and more so than if it were a single body.

For that union is far greater than this kinship, and the exactness of its uniting is fuller.

For the joining of the soul is the more exact, inasmuch as it is also simple and of one kind.

But how is this preserved? In the bond of peace.

It cannot exist in enmity and division.

For where there are strifes among us, he says, and jealousies and dissensions, are you not carnal, and walk according to man? For just as fire, when it finds dry wood, makes all of it into one blaze, but when it finds it damp, neither works upon it nor welds it together;

it can bind fast those that are cold, but each of the hot ones for the most part it binds.

From this then the warmth of love also is begotten;

from the bond of peace he wishes to bind us all together.

For just as, he says, if you wish to bind yourself to another, you cannot do so otherwise than by binding him also to yourself; and if you should wish to make the bond double, that one too must be bound to you;

so also here he wishes us to be bound to one another, not simply to be at peace, nor simply to love, but in all things to be one soul.

By this bond let us bind ourselves both to one another and to God.

This bond does not press or squeeze the bound hands, but loosens them and sets them in much freedom and makes them more cheerful than those that are unbound.

The strong man, when bound together with the weak, both bears him up and does not allow him to perish;

and even if he be bound to the slothful, he rather rouses him.

For a brother helped by a brother, he says, is as a strong city.

This chain no distance of roads can hinder, not heaven, not earth, not death, nor anything else, but it is mightier and stronger than all things;

this chain, though begotten of a single soul, is able to embrace many together.

For hear Paul saying:

You are not straitened in us, but you are straitened in your own affections.

What then is it that mars this bond? Love of money, love of rule, love of glory, and the other such things;

these make them slack and cut them apart.

How then, that they may not be cut apart? If these things be put out of the way, and nothing of the things that corrupt love trouble them.

For hear Christ saying:

When iniquity is multiplied, the love of the many shall grow cold.

Nothing is so contrary to love as sin, and I do not mean sin against God only, but also that against one's neighbor.

How then, one may say, do even robbers keep peace? When, tell me? Certainly, when they do not act in a robber's fashion.

For if, among the very things which they divide up, they do not observe the laws of justice, and render to each his due, you will find even them in wars and fights.

So that not even among the wicked is it possible to find peace;

but everywhere it is possible to find it, wherever men live with righteousness and virtue.

But what? Do rival lovers keep peace? By no means.

But whom do you wish me to name? A covetous man would never be at peace with a covetous man;

so that, were they not just and fair, there would be wronging even among themselves, and the race would be torn asunder.

For just as with two beasts exceedingly hungry, if there be nothing put between them that can be consumed by them, they devour one another;

so also would it be in the case of the covetous and the wicked.

So that peace cannot exist unless virtue be first accomplished.

But let us construct, if you will, a city all of covetous men and of equal standing, and let no one cast a vote for being wronged, but let all commit wrong;

can that city stand? By no means.

But is there peace among adulterers? No, you will not find even two of them of one mind.

So that there is again no other cause of this than that love has grown cold.

And the cause of love's growing cold is that iniquity has been multiplied.

For this leads to self-love, and it divides and rends the body, and it enervates and tears it asunder.

But where virtue is, it does the contrary.

For the virtuous man is superior even to money.

So that even if there be ten thousand in poverty, they could still be at peace.

But the covetous, even if there be but two of them, can never be at peace.

So that if we are virtuous, love will not perish.

For from love comes virtue, and from virtue comes love.

The virtuous man does not prefer money to friendship, nor is he mindful of wrongs, nor does he wrong his neighbor.

He does no insolence, but bears all things nobly.

From these things love is established.

Again, he who loves undergoes all these things.

Thus they are productive of one another.

And this is shown from hence, that love springs from virtue;

for by saying, 'When iniquity is multiplied, love shall grow cold,' He declared this.

And that virtue springs from love: 'He that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law,' he says.

So that a man must of necessity be either one of the two: either exceedingly loving and beloved, or exceedingly [wicked].

For he who has the one, of necessity possesses the other also;

and on the contrary, he who knows not how to love will also work wicked things;

and he who works wicked things knows not how to love.

Let us therefore pursue after love;

for it is a stronghold to keep us from suffering any evil.

Let there be nothing deceitful among us, nothing hollow;

for nothing of the sort is found where friendship is.

And a certain other wise man said this also:

'Though you have drawn a sword against a friend, despair not;'

'though you have opened your mouth against a friend, despair not;'

for there is a reconciliation, save for reproach, and the revealing of secrets, and a treacherous wound.

In these things a friend flees away, 'in the revealing,' he says, 'of secrets.'

If then we all be friends, there is no need even of secrets;

for just as a man has no secret towards himself, neither will he be able to hide himself from himself;

So that, secrets not existing, the breach that comes from them is impossible.

For we have secrets for no other reason than because we do not trust everyone;

so that the growing cold of love has produced secrets.

For what secret have you? Do you wish to wrong your neighbor? Or do you hinder him from partaking of some good, and for this reason hide it? But it is none of these;

but you are ashamed? Then not trusting is the proof of this.

If then love be present, there will be no revealing of secrets, nor yet any reproach.

For who, tell me, and when, would reproach his own soul? And even if it were to happen, it would be for his profit.

Since we reproach even children, wishing to sting them;

and Christ too then began to reproach the cities, saying, 'Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida!' that He might deliver them from reproaches.

For nothing is so able to lay hold of the understanding, and to rouse it up the more, and to set upright what has been enfeebled.

Let us not then reproach one another without cause.

For what? Will you reproach him concerning money? By no means, if indeed you possess your goods in common.

But concerning sins? Nay, not this either, but rather you should correct them.

What then? Will he destroy himself? And who would smite him? Not one.

Let us therefore pursue after love.

He did not say simply, 'Let us love,' but, 'Let us pursue.'

It quickly vanishes, it is swift to depart;

so many things in this life do injury to this matter.

If we pursue it, it will not manage to get away, but we shall quickly draw it back to us;

the love of God joined earth to heaven;

the love of God seated man upon the royal throne;

the love of God showed God upon the earth;

the love of God made the Master a servant;

the love of God caused the Beloved to be delivered up for His enemies, the Son for those who hated Him, the Master for His servants, God for men, the free One for slaves.

And He did not stop even at this, but called us also to yet greater things.

For not only did He deliver us from our former evils, but He also promised to give other things far greater.

For these things, then, giving thanks to God, let us pursue every virtue, and above all let us diligently attain unto love, that we may be counted worthy to obtain the good things that have been promised, by the grace and love toward man of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might,

and honor be unto Him, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.