Homilies on Romans 21

For just as we have many members in one body, and all the members do not have the same function,

so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and each one members one of another.

Again he uses the same illustration which he also employed with the Corinthians, restraining this very same passion.

For great is the power of this remedy, and mighty is the force of this example, for correcting the disease of madness.

For why, he says, are you high-minded? Or why, on the other hand, does another debase himself? Are we not all one body, both the great and the small? Since, then, according to the sum of the matter, we are one and members one of another, why do you cut yourself off through madness? Why are you ashamed of your brother? For as he is your member, so are you also his;

and in this respect too there is much equality of honor.

For he has set down two things sufficient to cast down their madness:

both that we are members one of another—not only the small member of the great, but also the great of the lesser—and that we are all one body;

for he showed also that the gift which was given is one.

For it was given to you by God; you did not take it, nor did you find it.

For this reason, in taking up the subject of the gifts, he did not say that one received a greater and another a lesser, but what? A differing gift.

For, having gifts, he says, not greater and lesser, but differing.

For what does it matter if you were not appointed to the same tasks, when the body is the same? And having begun from a spiritual gift, he ends with a virtuous achievement.

For having spoken of prophecy and ministry and such like, he ended with almsgiving and diligence and helpfulness.

For since it was likely that some were virtuous yet did not possess prophecy, he shows that this too is a gift, and one far greater than that, just as he showed in the Epistle to the Corinthians;

and so much greater, inasmuch as the one has a reward while the other is deprived of recompense;

for the whole of it is a free gift and grace.

Having then gifts differing according to the grace given to us, whether prophecy, according to the proportion of faith.

For since he had sufficiently comforted them, he wishes also to make them earnest in striving and to render them more diligent, showing that they themselves furnish the occasions for receiving a greater or a lesser measure.

For on the one hand he says that it has been given by God;

as when he says, 'To each as God has apportioned a measure of faith';

and again, 'According to the grace given to us';

that he may restrain the proud.

But on the other hand he says that the beginnings have come from themselves, that he may rouse the slothful;

which he does also in the Epistle to the Corinthians, moving both these considerations.

For when he says, 'Earnestly desire the gifts,' he shows that they themselves are also responsible for the difference in what is given;

and when he says, 'But all these things one and the same Spirit works, apportioning to each just as He wills,' he establishes this, that those who have received ought not to be lifted up, comforting their passion from every side;

And again, rousing the fainthearted, he says, 'Whether prophecy, according to the proportion of faith.'

For though it is grace, yet it is not poured out simply and without measure, but taking its measures from those who receive it, it flows in to such a degree as it finds a vessel of faith presented to it.

Or ministry, in our ministering.

Here he sets down a general principle.

For even the apostolic office is called a ministry;

and every good spiritual work is a ministry.

For this is indeed also the name of a particular office.

Here, however, the saying is given in a general sense.

Whether it be he that teacheth, let him wait on his teaching.

See how indifferently he sets them down, the lesser first and the greater afterward;

again instructing them in this very thing, namely, not to be puffed up nor exalted.

Or he that exhorteth, let him wait on his exhortation.

This too is a kind of teaching.

For if there be in you a word of exhortation, saith he, for the people.

Then, to show that it is no great gain to pursue virtue unless it be done according to the fitting rule, he adds:

He that giveth, let him do it with simplicity.

For it is not enough to give, but one must do it also with liberality.

For everywhere he understands this by 'simplicity';

since the virgins also had oil, but because they had not enough of it, they fell away from the whole.

He that ruleth, with diligence.

For it is not enough to preside, unless one do it with diligence and zeal.

For it is not enough to show mercy, but one must do this also with liberality and with a mind free from grief;

nay rather, not only free from grief, but also with a cheerful and rejoicing spirit;

for it is not the same thing not to be grieved, and to rejoice.

And this very thing, when he wrote to the Corinthians, he established with much earnestness;

for stirring them up to liberality, he said:

He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly;

and he that soweth in blessings shall reap also in blessings;

and rectifying the mind, he added:

Not grudgingly, or of necessity.

For both must be present in him that showeth mercy, both bounty and gladness.

For why dost thou weep when giving alms? Why art thou pained in showing mercy, and dost forfeit the fruit of thy good deed? For if thou art pained, thou dost not show mercy, but art cruel and inhuman.

For if thou art pained, how wilt thou be able to raise up him that is in sorrow? For it is a great thing that he should suspect no evil, even when thou givest with gladness.

For since nothing seems so shameful to men as to receive from others, unless by an exceeding cheerfulness thou dost remove this suspicion, and show that thou art rather receiving than giving, thou hast cast down rather than raised up him that receiveth.

For this cause he saith, He that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.

For who that receiveth a kingdom is downcast? Who that obtaineth forgiveness of sins remains in dejection? Attend not therefore to the expenditure of money, but to the revenue that comes through the expenditure.

For if he that soweth rejoiceth, even though he soweth upon uncertain issues;

much more he that tilleth heaven.

For thus, even if thou givest little, thou wilt give much;

just as, on the other hand, with a gloomy countenance, even if thou givest much, thou hast made the much to be little.

Thus also the widow surpassed many talents by two mites;

And how is it possible, saith one, for a person living in the utmost poverty, and emptying out his all, to do this with readiness? Ask the widow, and thou shalt hear the manner of it, and shalt learn that it is not poverty that produces straitness, but the will; and this it is that works both this and its very contrary.

For it is possible both to be magnanimous in poverty, and to be niggardly in wealth.

For this cause also in giving he requires simplicity, and in showing mercy cheerfulness, and in presiding diligence.

For he wills that we help those in need not with money alone, but also with words and deeds and with the body, and with all other things.

And having spoken of the foremost kind of oversight, that through teaching, that through exhortation (for this is the more necessary, inasmuch as it is the nourishment of the soul),

he came to that which is through money and through all the rest.

Then, to show how these things might be rightly accomplished, he brings in their mother, love.

For love, saith he, is without dissimulation.

If thou hast this, thou wilt not feel the expenditure of money, nor the labour of the body, nor the toil of words, nor sweat and service, but wilt bear all things nobly, whether thou must help thy neighbour with body, or with money, or with word, or with anything else whatsoever.

As, then, he requires not merely giving, but that which is with simplicity, nor merely presiding, but that which is with diligence, nor merely almsgiving, but that which is with cheerfulness;

so also love, not simply, but that which is unfeigned;

and if this comes to pass, all the rest follows.

For indeed he that showeth mercy, showeth it with cheerfulness;

and he that presideth, presideth with diligence;

and he that giveth, doeth it with liberality.

Then, since there is also a love directed toward evil things, such as is the love of the licentious, of those who are of one mind for money and rapine, of those bent on drunkenness and carousals, purging it from these, he saith:

And he said not, Abstaining, but

Abhorring; and not simply Abhorring, but also Exceedingly abhorring.

For with him the prefix 'apo' is in many places a mark of intensity;

as when he saith earnest expectation (apokaradokia), and eagerly awaiting (apekdechomenoi), and redemption (apolytrosis).

For since many, even while not doing evil deeds, nevertheless have the desire of them, for this cause he said, Abhorring.

For he wills both that the mind be pure, and that we have much enmity toward wickedness, both hatred and war.

For lest, saith he, because I said, Love one another, ye should think that I speak only so far as even to cooperate with one another in evil things;

for I ordain the very contrary of all this;

namely, to be a stranger not only to the practice, but also to the disposition concerning wickedness, and not only to be a stranger to the disposition itself, but also to turn away from it and hate it with exceeding vehemence.

And he is not content with this alone, but adds also the working of virtue, saying:

He said not, Doing merely, but also, Being disposed toward it;

for this the command to cleave unto it made plain.

So also God, in joining the man to the woman, said:

For he shall cleave unto his wife.

Then he states also the reasons why we ought to love one another.

In brotherly love be tenderly affectioned one to another.

Ye are brethren, saith he, and ye were loosed from the same birth-pangs;

therefore even on this account it would be just for you to love one another.

This also Moses said to those who were contending in Egypt:

Ye are brethren, why do ye wrong one another? Now when he speaks concerning those without, he saith, If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, be at peace with all men.

But when he speaks concerning our own household of faith, he says, 'In brotherly love be tenderly affectioned one to another.'

For there he was seeking only that we should not fight, nor hate, nor turn away from one another;

but here he requires also that we love, and not merely love, but cherish with tender affection.

For it is not enough, he says, that love be unfeigned, but it must also be intense and warm and fervent.

For what profit is there, if you love without guile, yet do not love warmly? Wherefore he also said, 'Be tenderly affectioned one to another';

that is to say, Love warmly.

Do not wait to be loved by another, but yourself leap forward to him and take the lead;

for in this way you will also reap the reward of his friendship as well.

Having stated, then, the reason for which we ought to love one another, he tells also how the bonds of friendship may be kept unshaken;

'In honour preferring one another.'

For thus friendship comes into being, and once it has come into being, it endures.

And nothing makes men friends so much as being eager to outdo one's neighbour in showing honour.

And not friendship only, but greater honour also comes to be from this.

For the things spoken of before come from love, and love from honour, just as honour also comes from love.

Then, that we should not merely honour, he requires yet something more, saying:

For this too begets love, when together with honour we also show protection and care;

for nothing makes a man beloved so much as honour and provident care.

For to love is not enough, but there is need of this also;

or rather, this too comes from loving, just as loving in turn is warmed by this, and they are constructive of one another.

For there are indeed many who love in mind, yet do not stretch out a hand.

For this reason he builds up love from every side.

And how might we come to be not slothful in diligence? 'Fervent in spirit.'

Do you see how everywhere he seeks intensity? For he did not merely say, 'Give a share,' but with liberality;

nor 'Take the lead,' but with diligence;

nor 'Show mercy,' but cheerfully;

nor 'Honour,' but prefer one another;

nor 'Love,' but without dissimulation;

nor 'Abstain from evils,' but abhor them;

nor 'Hold to good things,' but cleave to them;

nor 'Love,' but with tender affection;

nor 'Be diligent,' but not slothfully;

nor 'Have the Spirit,' but fervent in spirit—that is, that you may be warm and wide awake.

For if you have those things spoken of before, you will draw the Spirit to yourself;

and if this abides with you, it will make you diligent for those things also, and everything will be easy through the Spirit and through love, since you are set aflame on both sides.

Do you not see how the bulls that carry fire upon their backs are unbearable to all? So you too will be unbearable to the devil, if...

For through all these things it is possible to serve God.

For whatsoever you do unto your brother passes over unto your Master;

and as though He Himself had been well treated, so will He reckon the reward to you.

Do you see whither he has lifted up the mind of him who does these things? Then, showing how the flame of the Spirit may be kindled, he says:

'Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer.'

For all these things are kindling for that fire.

For since he had demanded the spending of money, and bodily toil, and protection and diligence and teaching, and the other laborious things, he again anoints the athlete—with love, with the Spirit, through hope.

For nothing makes the soul so courageous and daring for all things as a good hope.

Then, even before the good things hoped for, he gives yet another prize.

For since the hope was of things to come, he says, 'Patient in tribulation.'

For even before the things to come, in the present you will reap a great good from tribulation—namely, becoming steadfast and approved.

And along with this he furnishes yet another help, saying, 'Continuing instant in prayer.'

When, therefore, love makes it easy, and the Spirit helps, and hope lightens the load, and tribulation makes one approved and fit to bear all things nobly, and you have besides these yet another and greatest weapon—prayer and the help that comes from supplication—what then of the things enjoined will remain laborious? Nothing.

Do you see how from every side he has established the athlete, and shown the commands to be very light? Consider again how he takes up the matter of almsgiving;

or rather, not almsgiving simply, but that which is toward the saints.

For above, in saying 'He that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness,' he opened the hand to all;

here, however, he speaks on behalf of the faithful;

wherefore also he adds, saying, 'Distributing to the necessities of the saints.'

He did not say, 'Supply their necessities,' but 'Have fellowship in their necessities,' showing that they receive more than they give, and that the matter is a trade;

Do you contribute money? They contribute to you boldness of access toward God.

He did not say, 'Working,' but 'Pursuing,' teaching us not to wait for those in need until they come to us, but ourselves to run to them and hunt them down.

So did Lot, so did Abraham.

For indeed he spent the day in this, waiting for this goodly prey, and when he saw it he sprang up and ran to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, and said:

'My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant.'

Not as we do, who, whenever we see a stranger or a poor man, draw up our eyebrows and do not deem them even worthy of a greeting;

and even if, softened after countless entreaties, we bid our servants give a little silver, we think we have accomplished the whole matter.

But that man was not so; rather, he took upon himself the guise of a suppliant and of a servant, although he did not know whom he was about to receive.

But we, though we know clearly that we are receiving Christ, are not made gentle even by this.

But he both entreats and supplicates and bows down;

while we insult those who come to us;

and he by his own self and by his wife accomplishes everything, whereas we do it not even by means of our servants.

And if you should also wish to see the table which he set forth, there too you will behold much munificence—not such as the manner of his abundance produced, but the wealth of his readiness of purpose.

How many, then, were wealthy at that time? Yet no one did any such thing.

How many widows were there in Israel? Yet not one entertained Elijah.

How many, again, were wealthy in the days of Elisha? Yet the Shunammite alone gathered the fruit of hospitality.

Just so was Abraham also, being then full of bounty and of eager readiness.

And for this reason he is especially worthy of admiration, that even without knowing who these visitors were, he did these things.

Do not you, then, be over-curious either.

For it is on Christ's account that you receive him.

And if you are always minded to pry, you will often pass by even an approved man, and lose the reward that would have come from him.

And yet he who receives one not approved is not called to account, but even receives a reward.

For he that receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward.

But he who, through this ill-timed curiosity, passes by the man worthy of admiration, both suffers loss and pays a penalty.

Do not, then, pry into men's lives and doings.

For it is the height of vulgarity to make an inquisition into a whole life for the sake of a single loaf.

For even if he be a murderer, even if a robber, even if anything you please, does he not seem to you worthy of a loaf and a few pieces of silver? Yet your Master causes even His sun to rise upon him.

And do you judge him unworthy even of a single day's food? But I will set forth yet another instance surpassing this.

For even if you know clearly that he is laden with ten thousand evils, not even so will you have any excuse for depriving him of the day's food.

For you are the servant of Him who said, 'You know not what manner of spirit you are of'; you are the household slave of Him who healed those that had stoned Him.

Or rather, of Him who was crucified on their behalf.

And do not say to me, 'He killed another'.

For even if he is about to kill you yourself, not even so should you overlook him when he is famishing.

For you are a disciple of Him who longed for the salvation of those that crucified Him, of Him who said upon the very cross:

'For they know not what they do'.

You are the servant of Him who healed the man that smote Him, of Him who upon the very cross crowned the man that had insulted Him.

What could be equal to Him? For indeed both robbers at the beginning were reviling Him.

Yet nevertheless to one of these He opened Paradise.

And He weeps over those who were about to slay Him, and is troubled and confounded at the sight of the traitor, not because He was about to be crucified, but because that man was perishing.

He was troubled, then, foreseeing the hanging and the punishment that would follow the hanging.

And knowing his wickedness, He bore with him even to the last hour, and did not thrust him away, but even kissed the traitor.

Your Master kisses, and receives with His lips, the man who was straightway to shed His precious blood.

But you do not count the poor man worthy even of a loaf? And are you not ashamed before the law which Christ laid down? For by these things He showed that we must not turn away, not only from the poor, but not even from those who lead us to death.

Do not, then, say to me, 'Such a one did me dreadful wrongs', but consider what Christ did upon the very cross by that kiss with which He was to be betrayed, seeking to amend the traitor.

For He says, 'Judas, do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?' Whom would this voice not have softened? Whom would it not have bent? What wild beast, what adamant? But not that wretched man.

Do not, then, say, 'Such a one murdered such a one, and therefore I turn away from him'.

For even if he is about to thrust the sword against you, and to plunge his right hand into your very throat, kiss that very right hand.

Since Christ also kissed that mouth which wrought the slaughter.

You too, therefore, do not hate, but weep and have pity on him that plots against you.

For such a one is worthy to be pitied by us and to be wept over.

For we are the servants of Him who even kissed the traitor (for I will not cease continually to turn this about) and who uttered words yet tenderer than the kiss.

For neither did He say, 'O foul and utterly wicked and traitorous man, is it such requital you render us for so great a benefit?'

But how? 'Judas', setting down the proper name, which belonged rather to one lamenting and calling back, than to one in anger.

And He did not say, 'your Teacher, your Master and Benefactor', but 'the Son of Man'.

For even if He were neither Teacher nor Master, do you betray One so gentle, so guilelessly disposed toward you, as even at the very moment of the betrayal to kiss you, and this though the kiss was the token of the betrayal? Blessed are You, O Lord.

What an example of humility, what an example of long-suffering, You have given us! But toward that man it was thus.

But toward those who came upon Him with staves and swords, it was not thus.

And what could be gentler than the words which were spoken even to those men? For though able all at once to make them all vanish, He did none of these things, but discoursed with them so as to put them to shame, saying:

'Why are you come out as against a robber, with swords and staves?' And,

having cast them down upon their backs, since they remained without perception, He willingly delivered Himself up again, and endured to see fetters cast about His holy hands, though able at once to shake them all and hurl them to the ground.

But do you, even after all this, rage against the poor man?

And yet even if he be guilty of ten thousand evils, want and hunger are enough to soften a soul that is not exceedingly hardened.

But you stand there brutalized, imitating the fury of lions.

And yet those beasts would never taste of dead bodies.

But you, seeing a man salted down, as it were, by so many evils, trample upon him as he lies, and tear his body by your insults, and heap storm upon storm, and cause him who had fled into harbor to dash against a rock, and work him a shipwreck more grievous than any at sea.

And how will you say to God, 'Have mercy on me'? And how will you ask forgiveness of sins, while you insult one who has done no wrong, and exact a penalty for hunger and such great necessity, and by your cruelty hide from view all the wild beasts? For they, when their belly compels them, seize the food appointed for them.

But you, with nothing driving nor compelling you, devour your brother, biting and tearing, if not with your teeth, yet with words more grievous than any bites.

How then will you receive the sacred offering, having reddened your tongue with human blood? How do you give the peace, with a mouth full of war? How will you enjoy even the food you perceive with your senses, gathering to yourself so much venom? You do not correct his poverty.

Why then do you crush him further? You do not raise up the fallen.

Why then do you cast him down? You do not take away his despondency.

Why then do you increase it? You do not give money.

Why then do you insult him with words? Have you not heard how great a penalty they pay who do not feed the poor? With what punishments they are condemned? For He says, 'Depart into the fire prepared for the devil and his angels'.

If, then, those who do not feed are thus condemned, what penalty shall they pay who, besides not feeding, also insult? What punishment will they undergo, what Gehenna? In order, then, that we may not kindle so many evils against ourselves, let us, while we are still masters of ourselves, both correct this wicked disease and put a bridle upon the tongue.

And let us not only not insult, but also comfort and encourage, both by words and by deeds, so that, having laid up beforehand for ourselves much mercy, we may obtain the good things that are promised to us.

Which may it be granted us all to attain, by the grace and lovingkindness, and so forth.