Homily on Philemon 1

'Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our beloved and fellow-worker, and to Apphia the beloved, and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the Church in thy house.'

'Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.'

These things are on behalf of a household servant to his master.

Immediately from the very preface he brought down his high spirit, he did not allow him to be ashamed, he quenched his wrath; by calling himself a prisoner he pricked and restrained him, and made the present affairs seem to be nothing.

For if a bond for Christ's sake is no shame, but even a boast, much more is servitude not a thing of reproach.

And he says these things not to exalt himself, but doing it profitably, and thereby showing his trustworthiness—not for his own sake, but that the favour might be more readily granted;

as if he said, 'It is for your sakes that I am compassed with this bond;'

just as he said also in another place—there indeed showing his tender care, but here his trustworthiness.

Nothing is greater than this boast, to hear that one is

a branded one of Christ: 'For I bear,' says he, 'the marks of Christ.'

Who would not stand in awe, who would not be put to shame, on hearing of the bonds of Christ? Who would not give up even his very soul, let alone a single household servant? 'And Timothy our brother.'

He takes along another also with himself, so that Philemon, being asked by many, might the more readily yield and grant the favour.

'Unto Philemon our beloved, and fellow-worker.'

If beloved, it is not presumption to be confident, nor rashness, but a proof of much friendship;

if a fellow-worker, he ought not only to be asked on behalf of such matters, but even to feel gratitude;

for he does a favour to himself, he builds up the same work.

So that, even apart from the request, he says, thou hast another necessity of granting the favour;

For if he is useful to the Gospel, and you are zealous for the Gospel, then you ought not to be entreated, but to entreat.

It seems to me that she was this man's wife.

And he takes Timothy along for the entreaty, and he entreats not the husband alone, but also the wife, and perhaps some other friend as well.

'And to Archippus,' he says, 'our fellow-soldier.'

He does not wish to accomplish such things by way of command, nor is he indignant if the other does not at once obey his order; but the very things which a stranger would do, these he entreats them also to do, so that they may lend their aid to his petition.

For not only being entreated by many, but also the petition being addressed to many, contributes something toward the accomplishment of what is asked.

'And to Archippus our fellow-soldier.'

If you are a fellow-soldier, then you ought to share in these matters as well.

This is that Archippus concerning whom, writing to the Colossians, he said:

'Say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfill it.'

It seems to me that he was also one of those enrolled among the clergy.

whom he also takes along for the entreaty, and calls a fellow-soldier, so as by every means to lend his aid.

'And to the Church in your house.'

Here he did not pass over even the slaves.

For he knows that often even the words of slaves are able to turn the master, and especially when the entreaty is on behalf of a slave.

And those who most provoked him were perhaps those very ones.

So then he does not let them fall into envy, having honored them by the address along with the masters.

But neither does he allow the master to be indignant.

For if he had spoken of them by name, the master would perhaps have been indignant;

but had he made no mention of them at all, the slaves would have been aggrieved.

See then how wisely he found a way, through the mention, both to honor these by the remembrance and not to wound that other one.

For the name of the Church does not permit the masters to be indignant, if indeed they are numbered together with the household servants.

For indeed the Church knows no distinction of master, nor of servant;

it defines the one and the other by good deeds and by sins.

If then it is a Church, do not be indignant that the slave was addressed along with you;

for in Christ Jesus there is neither slave nor free.

He brought him to a remembrance of his own sins, by reminding him of grace.

'Consider,' he says, 'how much God has forgiven you, how you were saved by grace;'

and he prays peace upon him.

For then does peace itself also come, when we imitate Him, when grace abides;

since that servant too, who became merciless toward his fellow-servant, so long as he did not demand back the hundred denarii, the master's grace also remained with him;

but when he demanded it back, it was taken away from him, and he was handed over to the torturers.

Considering these things ourselves also, let us be compassionate, and forgiving toward those who sin against us.

The hundred denarii here are the sins committed against us, but those committed by us against God are ten thousand talents.

And you know that sins are judged also according to the quality of the persons involved.

He who has insulted a private person has sinned, but not in the same way as he who has insulted a ruler;

he who insults a greater ruler sins, but not in like manner as he who insults a lesser one;

but he who insults the king, far more;

and the insult indeed is the same, but by reason of the eminence of the person it becomes greater.

But if he who insults a king incurs an intolerable punishment because of the dignity of the person, of how many talents will he be liable who insults God? So that even if we sin against God the very same things as against men, not even so is it equal; but by as much as God is removed above men, by so much do those sins exceed these.

But now I find the sins to be even greater, becoming great not only by the eminence of the person, but by their very nature;

and the word which I am about to speak is dreadful, and truly fearful, yet it must be spoken, that even so it may shake and stir our understanding, showing that we fear men far more than God, and honor men rather than God.

The adulterer knows that God sees him, and Him he despises;

but if a man should see him, he restrains his lust.

Such a one not only prefers men to God, not only insults God, but what is far more grievous, fearing those men, he despises Him.

For if he sees those men, he restrains the flame of his lust;

or rather, what flame? It is not a flame, but an outrage.

For if it were not permitted to make use of a wife, the thing would with reason be a flame; but as it is, it is outrage and wanton excess;

for if he sees men, he ceases from his madness, but of God's long-suffering he takes less account.

Again another: the thief is conscious that he is plundering, and tries to deceive men, and makes his defense to those who accuse him, and puts a fair form upon his defense;

but not being able to persuade God, he takes no thought, neither is he ashamed, nor does he honor Him.

And if the king should command us to abstain from another's goods, or rather even to give of our own, we all readily bring it in;

but when God commands us not to plunder, nor to gather together the goods of others, we do not endure it.

Do you see that we prefer men to God? The saying is burdensome and grievous;

but prove that it is burdensome—flee the deed;

and if you do not fear the deed, how can I believe you when you say, 'We fear the words, and you are burdensome to us'? You burden yourselves by the deed, and there is no reason for it;

but if I speak the words whose deeds you practice, you are vexed;

and how is this not absurd? Would that the things spoken by me might prove false!

I would rather myself incur the reputation of railing in that Day, as having reviled you idly and in vain, than see you called to account for such things.

But not only do you yourselves prefer men to God, you even compel others to do so.

Many have compelled many household servants and children;

some have dragged the unwilling into marriages, others into serving in unseemly offices, and into foul lust and robberies and greedy gains and acts of violence;

so that the charge is double, and they cannot even find pardon on the ground of compulsion.

For if you yourself do the wicked deeds unwillingly and because of the ruler's command—most of all, not even so is the defense sufficient—yet the sin becomes more grievous when you compel those others to fall into the same things.

For what pardon henceforth could there be for such a one? These things I have said, not wishing to condemn you, but to show how great debtors we are to God.

For if, even when we honor a man equally with God, we insult God, how much more when we prefer men to Him?

And if these sins committed against men are shown to be far greater when committed against God;

how much more, when the sin itself is greater and more grievous in its quality? Let each one examine himself, and he will see that he does all things for the sake of men.

We should be exceedingly blessed, if we did as much for God's sake as we do for the sake of men, and for the glory and the fear and the honor that come from men.

If then we are liable for so much, we ought with all readiness to forgive those who wrong us and take advantage of us, and not to bear a grudge.

For it is a way of release from sins that requires no toil,

nor any expenditure of money, nor anything else whatsoever, but simply a resolve of the will;

one need not set out on a journey, nor go into exile, nor undergo dangers and toils, but only to be willing.

What pardon, tell me, shall we have in matters that seem difficult, when even in a thing so light, and bringing such gain and such great benefit, and costing no toil at all, we still fail to act? Can you not despise money? Can you not spend what you have upon the needy? Can you not will some good thing? Can you not forgive the one who has wronged you? For if you were not liable for so much, and God had merely commanded you to forgive, ought you not to have done so? But as it is, being liable for so much, you do not forgive—and that too when you know that from what you have from Him He requires it back? Now if we come to one who is our debtor, that man, aware of this, tends to us and welcomes us and honors us and shows every kindness with lavish generosity, and this not to cancel the debt, but wishing to render us gentle in exacting it;

but you, who owe God so much, and are commanded to forgive—and this in order that you yourself may receive—do not forgive? Why ever so, I beseech you? Alas!

How great a kindness we enjoy!

and how great a wickedness we display, how great a slumber, how great a sluggishness!

How easy is virtue, and bringing much benefit!

yet we, having shunned that which is so light, pursue that which is heavier than lead.

Here there is need of no bodily strength, no wealth, no money, no power, no friendship, nor anything else, but it suffices only to will, and the whole thing is accomplished.

Has so-and-so grieved you and insulted you and mocked you? Yet consider that you too do many such things to others, and to the Master Himself, and let go and forgive;

'Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors';

consider that if you do not forgive, you will not be able to say this with boldness;

but if you forgive, you demand the matter as a debt owed—not because of the nature of the thing, but because of the loving-kindness of the One who gave the command.

And where is it equal, for those who forgive their fellow servants to receive forgiveness of what they have sinned against the Master? Yet nonetheless we obtain such great loving-kindness, since He is rich in mercy and compassions.

But that I may show you that even apart from these things, and apart from the remission, from the mere act of forgiving you reap the gain, consider how many friends such a man has, how everywhere all recount his praises, saying:

'a good man, easily reconciled, he knows not how to bear a grudge; no sooner was he struck than he was healed.'

Should such a man fall into some misfortune, who will not pity him? Who will not pardon him when he has sinned? Who will not grant him a favor when he intercedes on behalf of others? Who will not wish to be the friend and servant of a soul so good? Yes, I beseech you, let us do all things for this, not only toward friends, not only toward kinsfolk, but toward our household servants as well.

For 'forbearing threatening,' he says, 'knowing that your Master also is in heaven.'

If we forgive our neighbors their sins, it will be forgiven us also; if we give alms, if we are humble;

for this too takes away sins.

For if the tax collector, merely for saying, 'Be merciful to me a sinner,' went down justified, much more shall we too, if we are humble and contrite, be able to obtain much loving-kindness;

if we confess our own sins, and condemn ourselves, we shall wipe away the more of the defilement.

For many are the ways that cleanse.

Let us therefore from every side wage war against the devil.

I have said nothing difficult, nothing hard;

forgive the one who has grieved you, have mercy on the one in need, humble your soul;

and even if you are exceedingly a sinner, you shall be able to attain the kingdom as well, by these things cleansing away your very sins, and wiping them clean.

And may it be granted us, having here cleansed away all the defilement of our sins through confession, there to attain the good things that have been promised, in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom be to the Father the glory, the power, and so forth.