Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew 74

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers;

therefore ye shall receive the greater condemnation.

From this point onward He satirizes them for their gluttony;

and what is dreadful is that they gorged themselves not from the wealthy but from the widows, and ground down the poverty of those whom they ought rather to have relieved.

For they did not merely eat, but devoured utterly.

Then also the manner of their hucksterism was the more grievous;

For a pretence making long prayers.

For everyone who does some evil is worthy of punishment;

but he who takes his occasion from piety, and uses this as a cloak for his wickedness, is liable to a far more grievous chastisement.

And for what reason did He not depose them from office? Because the time did not yet permit it.

For this cause He lets them alone for the present;

but by what He says, He renders the people proof against deception, that they may not be drawn into the same zeal because of the dignity of those men.

For since He had said, 'Whatsoever they bid you do, that do,'

He shows how much they corrupt, that it might not be supposed from that saying, among the unthinking, that He was entrusting everything to them.

Woe unto you, for ye shut up the kingdom before men.

For ye neither enter in yourselves, nor suffer them that are entering to go in.

But if to benefit no one is an accusation, what pardon can there be for actually harming and hindering? And what is the meaning of 'those that are entering in'? The fit and worthy ones.

For when it was needful to lay commands upon others, they made the burdens unbearable;

but when it was needful for themselves to do any of the things they ought, the very opposite: not only did they themselves do nothing, but—which is far worse in wickedness—they corrupted others also.

These are they who are called pestilences, who make it their business to destroy others, standing diametrically opposed to teachers.

For if it belongs to a teacher to save him that is perishing, then to destroy him that is about to be saved belongs to a plague.

Then again another charge:

For ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte;

and when he is made, ye make him twofold more a son of hell than yourselves;

that is, not even the fact that they had scarcely and with countless toils netted him prompts them to spare him.

And yet we cherish the more greatly the things acquired with difficulty;

but you, not even this makes more forbearing.

Here He brings against them two accusations:

one, that they are useless for the salvation of the many, and need much sweat so as to draw in even a single one;

and the other, that they are slothful with respect to the safekeeping of him that has been gained;

or rather, not only slothful, but even betrayers, corrupting him through the wickedness of their lives and making him worse.

For when the disciple sees his teachers to be such as these, he becomes worse.

For he does not stop at the measure of his teacher's wickedness;

but when the teacher is virtuous, he imitates him,

But when a man is base, he even goes beyond, because of the ease with which he slides toward the worse.

And He calls him a son of hell, that is to say, hell itself embodied.

And He said, 'Twofold more than yourselves,' in order both to strike fear into those disciples and to lay hold of these teachers more severely, because they are instructors in wickedness.

And not only this, but also that they are zealous to instil yet more evil into their disciples, grinding them down into a wickedness far greater than their own.

And this is most characteristic of a thoroughly corrupted soul.

Then He also mocks them for their folly, because they were bidding men to despise the weightier commandments.

And yet He was saying the opposite before, namely, that 'They bind heavy burdens and hard to bear.'

But they did these things too again, and did everything to the ruin of those subject to them, seeking exactness in the little matters while despising the great ones.

'For you tithe,' He says, 'mint and dill, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law, judgment and mercy and faith.'

'These you ought to have done, and not to have left the others undone.'

Here, then, He speaks fittingly, where there is question of tithing and of almsgiving;

for what harm is there in giving alms? Yet not as men keeping it as a law;

for neither does He Himself speak thus.

For this very reason, then, here He says this;

but where He discourses concerning clean and unclean things, He no longer adds this, but makes a distinction, and shows that the outward purity necessarily follows upon the inward.

For where the matter was one of loving-kindness, He passes it by indifferently, both on this very account, and because it was not yet the time to abolish the legal observances expressly and plainly;

but where there is the observance of bodily purifications, He overturns it more plainly.

For this reason, then, in the case of almsgiving He says:

'These you ought to have done, and not to have left the others undone';

but in the case of the purifications it is not so;

but what then? 'You cleanse,' He says, 'the outside of the cup and of the platter;'

'but inside they are full of extortion and unrighteousness.'

'Cleanse first the inside of the cup, that the outside also may become clean.'

And He took His illustration from a matter acknowledged and evident, from a cup and a platter.

Then, showing that there is no harm from despising the bodily purifications, but the greatest punishment from taking no thought for the purifications of the soul, which are virtue, He called these latter a gnat, for they were small and nothing;

but He called those matters a camel, for they were intolerable to bear.

'Straining out the gnat, and swallowing the camel.'

For indeed those little things too were enacted for the sake of these, for the sake of mercy and judgment;

so that not even then did they profit when they were done alone.

For when the little things had been enjoined for the sake of the great, and then the great were neglected while these alone were pursued with zeal, there was nothing gained from this even at that time.

For upon these the others did not follow;

And He says these things, showing that even before grace came, these matters were not among the foremost, nor among the things earnestly to be sought, but the things being sought were others.

And if before grace such things were of this kind, much more, now that lofty precepts have come, are these things profitless, and one ought not to pursue them at all.

Everywhere, then, wickedness is a grievous thing;

but most of all when it does not even think itself in need of correction;

and, what is yet more grievous, when it even supposes itself sufficient to correct others;

and it is this that Christ makes plain when He calls them blind guides.

For if not to think oneself in need of a guide is blindness, an utter calamity and misery,

then to wish oneself even to guide others—see to what a depth of the pit this leads.

And He said these things, hinting throughout at their madness for glory, and at their vehement disposition toward this disease.

For this became to them the cause of all their evils, namely, to do everything for display.

This it was that led them away from faith, and made them neglectful of true virtue, and persuaded them to busy themselves about bodily purifications alone, while they neglected the cleansings of the soul.

For this very reason, leading them toward true virtue and the purifications of the soul, He makes mention of mercy, and judgment, and faith.

For these are the things that hold together our life, these are the things that cleanse the soul: righteousness, loving-kindness toward men, truth;

the one leading us to forgiveness, and not allowing us to be excessively harsh toward those who sin, nor unforgiving;

(for thus we shall gain a double profit, both becoming lovers of mankind, and ourselves thereby enjoying much loving-kindness from the God of all;) and preparing us to suffer together with those who are wronged and to defend them;

and the other not permitting us to be deceivers and full of guile.

But neither when He says, 'These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone,' does He speak as introducing a legal observance;

for this we demonstrated before;

nor, when He says concerning the platter and the cup, 'Cleanse the inside of the cup and of the platter, that the outside also may become clean,' does He lead us back to the old pettiness;

but on the contrary, He does everything to show that such pettiness is superfluous.

For He said not, 'Cleanse the outside also,' but, 'The inside;'

and that other thing altogether follows upon this.

And in another sense, He speaks not about a cup and a platter, but discourses concerning soul and body;

calling the outside the body, and the inside the soul.

But if in the case of the platter there is need of the inside, much more in your own case.

But you do the contrary, He says;

guarding the small things and those outside, you neglect the great things and those within;

whence the greatest harm arises, because, thinking that you have accomplished the whole, you despise the rest;

and despising them, you neither strive nor endeavor to set them right.

Then again He reproaches them for vainglory, calling them whitewashed tombs, and adding to all, 'Hypocrites;'

which is the cause of all their evils, and the ground of their destruction.

And He called them not simply whitewashed tombs, but declared them to be full of uncleanness and hypocrisy.

And these things He said, showing the cause on account of which they did not believe, namely, that they were full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

And not Christ alone, but the prophets also continually bring these charges, that their rulers plunder, that they do not judge according to the standard of what is just;

and everywhere you would find that sacrifices are cast out, but these things are required.

So that there is nothing strange nor novel, either in the legislation, or in the accusation;

nor even in the image of the tomb.

For the prophet makes mention of it, and he too called it not simply a tomb, but 'Their throat is an open sepulchre.'

Such also are many men even now, adorned indeed on the outside, but filled within with all lawlessness.

For even now the ways of outward purifications are many, and much is the concern for them;

but of those according to the soul, there is not even one.

But if one were to lay open the conscience of each, he would find many worms and corruption, and unspeakable stench;

I mean, monstrous desires and wickednesses, which are more unclean than worms.

But that those men should be such is not so terrible, although it is terrible;

yet that you, who have been counted worthy to become temples of God, should suddenly become tombs, having so great a stench, this is the utmost misery.

That where Christ dwells, and the Holy Spirit has wrought, and so great mysteries have been performed, this should be a tomb — of how great misery is this? Of how many lamentations and wailings, when the members of Christ become a tomb of uncleanness? Consider how you were begotten, of what things you were counted worthy, what manner of robe you received, how you were fashioned into an unbreakable temple, how beautiful;

not adorned with gold, nor with pearls, but with the Spirit that is more precious than these.

Consider that no tomb is built within a city;

therefore neither will you be able to appear in the city above.

For if this is forbidden here, much more is it forbidden there.

Or rather, even here you are an object of ridicule to all, carrying about a dead soul;

and not only ridiculous, but also one to be shunned.

For tell me: if a man were to go about carrying a dead idol, would not everyone spring away from him? would not all flee? Think of this now too.

For you go about carrying a sight far more grievous than that: a soul deadened by sins, a soul stricken with palsy.

Who then will have pity on such a one? For when you yourself do not pity your own soul, how shall another pity one who is thus cruel and hostile toward himself, indeed his own enemy? If someone were to bury a dead body in the place where you sleep and dine, what would you not do? Yet you bury a dead soul, not where you take your meals, nor where you sleep, but in the very members of Christ; and are you not afraid lest ten thousand thunderbolts and lightnings be hurled down from above upon your head? And how do you even dare to set foot in the churches of God and in the holy temples, reeking within of so great an abomination? For if a man carrying a corpse into the royal palace and burying it there would pay the uttermost penalty,

you who set foot within the sacred precincts and fill the house with so great a stench, consider what punishment you will undergo.

Imitate that harlot who anointed Christ's feet with ointment and filled the whole house with fragrance;

whereas you do the very opposite in the house.

For what if you yourself do not perceive the stench? This is precisely what is grievous in the disease;

for this reason your sickness is incurable, and more grievous than those whose bodies are maimed and putrid.

For that sickness at least gives the sufferers awareness of it, and bears no reproach, but is even worthy of pity;

but this one is worthy of hatred and of punishment.

Since then it is both more grievous than that, and grievous in this too, that the sufferer does not even perceive it as he ought, come, give yourself over to the word, that I may plainly teach you its ruinous nature.

But first hear what you say as you sing the psalm:

Let my prayer be set forth before Thee as incense.

When, therefore, not incense, but a foul-smelling smoke rises up from you and from your deeds, what penalty are you not worthy to undergo? What then is this foul-smelling smoke? Many come in gazing round about at the beauty of women;

others busy themselves with the bloom of boys.

Then do you not marvel how it is that thunderbolts are not hurled down, and everything torn up from its foundations? For indeed the things that are done are worthy of thunderbolts and of hell;

but God, being long-suffering and of great mercy, holds back His wrath for a while, calling you to repentance and amendment.

What are you doing, O man? You busy yourself with the beauty of women, and do not shudder at thus outraging the temple of God? Does the church seem to you to be a brothel, and less honourable than the marketplace? For in the marketplace you are afraid and ashamed to be seen ogling a woman;

but in the temple of God, while God Himself is speaking to you and threatening you concerning these very things, you commit fornication and adultery at the very moment when you hear that you must not do these things;

and do you not shudder, nor stand aghast? These things the theatres of lewdness teach you: that plague hard to be stayed, those poisonous drugs, the grievous snares of the dissolute, the destruction of the licentious wrought amid pleasure.

For this reason the prophet also, bringing his charge, said:

Neither your eyes nor your heart is good.

Better were it for such men to be blind;

better to be diseased, than to misuse the eyes for such purposes.

Indeed, you ought to have within you the wall that separates you from the women;

but since you are not willing, the Fathers thought it necessary at least to partition you off with these boards;

for as I hear from the elders, of old there were not even these barriers.

For in Christ Jesus there is neither male nor female.

And in the time of the apostles too, men and women were together.

For the men were indeed men, and the women were women;

but now it is quite the reverse: the women have thrust themselves into the manners of courtesans;

and the men are in no better state than maddened horses.

Have you not heard that men and women were gathered together in the upper room, and that assembly was worthy of the heavens? And with good reason.

For at that time women too practised much wisdom, and men practised gravity and self-control.

Hear, at any rate, the seller of purple, as she says:

If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and abide there.

Hear of the women who went about with the apostles, having taken up a manly resolve—of Priscilla, of Persis, and of the rest.

From these women the wives of the present day fall as far short as men fall short of those men of old.

For in those days, even when they traveled abroad, they incurred no evil repute;

but now, even when kept in the inner chamber, they scarcely escape this suspicion.

And these things come about through adornments and luxurious living.

In those days it was the business of those women to advance the preaching of the gospel;

but now their business is to appear shapely and beautiful and fair of face.

This is glory to them, this is their salvation;

but of lofty and great achievements they never so much as dream of taking thought.

What woman has ever taken pains to make her husband better? What man has ever made it his care to reform his wife? There is not one;

but the wife's whole zeal is for the care of gold and garments and the other adornments of the body, and for increasing her substance;

and to the husband belongs both this care and many others besides, yet all of them worldly.

Who, when about to marry, has ever inquired into a girl's character and upbringing? No one;

but straightway they ask about money and possessions, and the measure of her varied and diverse estate, just as though one were about to buy something, or to conclude some ordinary business transaction.

For this reason they even call marriage by such a name.

For I have heard many say:

"So-and-so has struck a bargain with such-and-such a woman"; that is to say, "He has married."

And they insult the gifts of God, and, as though buying and selling, so do they marry and are given in marriage.

And they require contracts needing greater security than those concerning selling and buying.

Learn how the men of old married, and be zealous to imitate them.

How then did those men marry? They sought after character and disposition, and the virtue of the soul.

For this reason they had no need of written contracts, nor of the security that comes from paper and ink;

for the bride's character sufficed them in place of all these things.

I therefore exhort you also, not to seek after money and abundance, but character and gentleness of disposition.

Seek a reverent and God-loving maiden;

and these things will be better for you than ten thousand treasures.

If you seek the things of God, these other things too will come;

but if, passing those by, you run after these, not even these will follow you.

"But so-and-so," someone says, "became wealthy through his wife."

Are you not ashamed to bring forward such examples? May I be poor ten thousand times over, rather than gain riches from a wife.

For what is more distasteful than that kind of wealth? What is more bitter than such abundance? What is more shameful than to be conspicuous on this account, and to have it said of you by everyone, "So-and-so grew rich by his wife"? For I pass over the domestic vexations, all that must of necessity result from this;

the wife's arrogance, the servility, the quarrels, the reproaches of the household slaves:

"The pauper, the ragged fellow, the base-born and sprung from base stock;"

"for what did he bring with him? Are not all things the mistress's?" But you care nothing for these words;

since even the parasites hear things more contemptible than these, and are not grieved;

so then neither do these men grieve, but they even pride themselves on their disgrace;

and when we say these things to them, "Let it be," one replies, "something pleasant and sweet, and let it choke me to death."

What proverbs he has introduced into life, able to overturn the whole existence of such men!

Consider, then, this very devilish and destructive saying, with how much ruin it is laden.

For it says nothing else than these very words:

"Let there be no account with you of what is honorable, no account with you of what is just;"

Seek one thing only: pleasure.

Even if the matter should throttle you, let it still be your choice.

Even if all who meet you spit upon you, even if they smear filth in your face, even if they drive you off like a dog, bear it all.

And what else would swine say, had they been given a voice? What would unclean dogs say? Yet perhaps not even those creatures would have uttered such things as the devil has driven men to rave.

Therefore I exhort you, since you are aware of the senselessness of such sayings, to flee from proverbs of this sort, and to choose out those from Scripture which stand opposed to them.

And what are these? 'Do not go,' it says, 'after the desire of your soul, and turn away from your appetites.'

And again, concerning the harlot, it speaks in opposition to that proverb, saying:

'For honey drips from the lips of a harlot woman, who for a season makes your throat smooth;'

'yet in the end you will find her more bitter than gall, and sharper than a two-edged sword.'

Let us then listen to these words, not to those.

For from this source spring the ignoble, from this source the servile reasonings; from this source men become irrational, because everywhere they wish to pursue pleasure according to that proverb, which even apart from our words is on its own face ridiculous.

For after one has been choked to death, what is the profit of the sweetness? Cease, then, from contriving so great a cause for laughter, and from kindling hell and unquenchable fire;

and let us, even if late at last, look clearly toward the things to come, casting off the rheum from our eyes, so that we may pass through this present life becomingly and with much gravity and reverence, and may attain unto the good things to come, by the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory unto the ages of ages.