Homilies on Romans 26

'I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself; save that to him who reckoneth anything to be unclean, to that man it is unclean.'

Having first rebuked him who judgeth his brother, and by this having drawn him away from his censoriousness, he then at length also declares his verdict concerning the doctrine, and with gentleness instructs the weaker, here too displaying much meekness.

For he does not say that such a one shall pay a penalty, nor anything else of that kind, but merely dissolves the fear of the matter, so that the man may more easily be persuaded by what is said by him; and he says:

Then, lest one of those who are not believers should say, 'And what is that to us, if thou art persuaded? for neither art thou worthy of credit to set thyself against so great a law and against oracles brought down from above'—

that is, 'Having learned it from that source, and being fully assured by Him.'

The decision, therefore, is not one of human reasoning.

'What then art thou persuaded of and knowest? Tell me.'

'That nothing is unclean of itself.'

'By nature,' he says, 'nothing is unclean, but it becomes so from the purpose of him who partakes of it';

at all events it becomes so to that man only, and not to all;

'For to him that reckoneth it,' he says, 'to be unclean, to that man it is unclean.'

'Why then dost thou not set thy brother right, that he may not deem it unclean? And why dost thou not, with all authority, lead him away from such a habit and supposition, that he may not make it unclean?' 'I am afraid,' saith he, 'lest I grieve him.'

'But if because of meat thy brother is grieved, thou walkest no longer according to love.'

Seest thou how meanwhile he made the man his own, showing that he makes so much account of him, that in order not to grieve him he does not even for the present venture to enjoin things exceedingly necessary, but rather draws him on by indulgence and by love? For not even after loosing the fear does he drag and force him, but leaves him master of himself.

For it is not the same thing to draw a man away from meat, and to cast him into grief.

Seest thou how great earnestness he makes about love? For he knows that it is able to set all things right.

Wherefore also here he requires something greater at their hands;

for 'it is not only,' he says, 'that ye must not bring them to constraint, but even, if need be, to condescend also, ye must not shrink from this.'

'Destroy not with thy meat him for whom Christ died.'

'Or dost thou not even count thy brother worth so much, as that thou wilt not even purchase his salvation by abstinence from meats? And Christ refused not even to become a servant, nor to die, for his sake;'

'but thou dost not even despise meats, that thou mightest save him? And yet Christ was not going to gain all men, but nevertheless He died for all, fulfilling His own part.'

'But thou knowest that thou dost overthrow him in the greater matters because of meat, and still thou art contentious, and dost account one so earnestly cared for by Christ to be thus contemptible, and dishonourest him whom He loved? And He died not for the weak only, but even for an enemy;'

'but thou dost not even abstain from meats for the sake of the weak? And Christ displayed even the greatest thing, but thou not even the lesser? And yet He was the Master, but thou art a brother.'

And these words were sufficient to abash that other one also;

for they show him to be little-souled, and to have enjoyed great things from God, yet to render not even little things in return.

'Let not then your good be evil spoken of;'

'for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking.'

By 'the good' here he means either the faith, or the hope of the prizes to come, or the perfected piety.

'For not only,' he says, 'dost thou not profit thy brother, but thou even causest the very doctrine, and the grace of God, and His gift, to be evil spoken of.'

'For when thou fightest, when thou art contentious, when thou grievest, when thou rendest the Church, and revilest thy brother, and art at enmity with him, they that are without blaspheme;'

'so that not only is nothing set right thereby, but even the very contrary of all.'

'For your good is love, brotherly kindness, being united, being knit together, living in peace, living in forbearance.'

Then again, relaxing the man's fear and that other's contentiousness, he says:

'For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking.'

'For is it from these things that we are to be well-approved?' Which also elsewhere he says:

'Neither, if we eat, are we the better;'

'neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.'

It needs no elaborate proof, but is content with the mere assertion.

And what he means is of this sort:

'For does eating, if thou eat, bring thee into the kingdom?' Wherefore also, disparaging them, as being highly conceited on this account, he said not merely 'eating,' but also 'drinking.'

What then are the things that bring one in? 'Righteousness, and peace, and joy'—the virtuous life, peace with one's brother, to which this contentiousness is opposed;

and the joy that comes of concord, which this censoriousness destroys.

And these things he was saying not to the one only, but to both;

for indeed there was occasion for them to be spoken to both.

Then, since he had spoken of peace and joy (but there is peace and joy even in evil doings), he added, 'in the Holy Spirit.'

So that he who destroys his brother overturns both peace and joy, and has wronged him more than one who plunders his goods;

and what is indeed the worse, that another saved him, and thou dost wrong and destroy him.

When therefore eating and the seeming perfection do not bring in these things, but the things that overthrow them do bring them in, how is it not right to despise the small things so as to make fast the great? Then, since this censoriousness came in part also from vainglory, he proceeds, saying:

'For he that in these things serveth Christ is well-pleasing to God, and approved of men.'

'For they will not so admire thee for thy perfection, as all men will for thy peace and concord.'

'For of this good all will have enjoyment, but of that other not even one.'

'Let us then follow after the things which make for peace, and the things wherewith one may edify another.'

This to that one, that he may be at peace;

this to this one, that he may not pull down his brother.

Yet nevertheless he has again made both these things common, by saying 'of one another,' and showing that without peace it is not easy to edify.

'For meat destroy not the work of God;'

so calling the salvation of the brother, and intensifying the fear, and showing that he does the very contrary of what he is bent upon.

'For not only,' he says, 'dost thou not edify, as thou supposest, but thou even pullest down, and that a building not human but of God, and not for the sake of anything great, but of a paltry thing;'

'for because of meat,' he says.

Then, lest these many concessions should confirm the weaker in his evil supposition, he lays down the doctrine again, thus speaking:

'but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence;'

'for him who eateth with an evil conscience.'

So that even if thou constrain him and he eat, the profit is nothing;

for it is not the eating that makes him unclean, but the mind with which he eats.

If therefore thou correct not that mind, thou hast done all in vain, and hast rather done harm;

for it is not the same thing to deem something unclean, and, while deeming it unclean, to taste of it.

Two sins, therefore, thou committest here.

both in intensifying the prejudice by thy contentiousness, and in making him taste of what is unclean;

so that until thou hast persuaded him, do not constrain him.

It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother is made to stumble, or is offended, or is made weak.

Again he demands the greater thing: that thou shouldest not merely refrain from compelling him, but shouldest even condescend to come down to his level.

For indeed he himself did this very thing in many places;

as when he circumcised, as when he shaved his head, as when he offered that Jewish sacrifice.

And he does not say to him, 'Do this,' but sets it forth in the manner of an opinion, lest he should again make the weaker one more careless.

And what does he say? 'It is good not to eat flesh.'

And why do I speak of flesh? Even if it be wine, even if it be any other such thing that gives offence, abstain from it;

for nothing is equal to the salvation of thy brother.

And this Christ also declared, both in coming down from heaven, and in suffering for our sake all the things which he suffered.

But observe with me how he also touches that other one, saying,

'He is offended, or made to stumble, or is weak.'

For do not tell me, he says, that it is without reason, but that thou art able to set him right.

For indeed that man has a sufficient plea, namely his weakness, to be helped, and to thee there is no harm at all;

for the thing is not hypocrisy, but edification and a wise management.

For if thou compel him, he is both overthrown and will condemn thee, and will be the more confirmed in not eating;

but if thou condescend, for the present he will love thee, and will not hold thee in suspicion as one that teaches, and thou wilt henceforth receive authority to sow the right doctrines in him imperceptibly.

But if he come once for all to hate thee, thou hast also barred the entrance for thy word.

Compel not that man, but do thou also abstain for his sake, not abstaining as from a thing unclean, but because that man is offended, and he will love thee the more.

So also Paul commanded, saying, 'It is good not to eat flesh;'

not because it is unclean, but because the brother is offended and is weak.

Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself.

Here he seems to me gently to hint also at vainglory against the more perfect one.

And what he says is of this kind:

Dost thou wish to show me that thou art perfect and complete? Show it not to me, but let thy conscience suffice thee.

And by faith here he means not that concerning doctrines, but that concerning the matter now before us.

But with the mouth confession is made unto salvation;

and, 'Whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny.'

For the former, when not confessed, brings ruin, while the latter, when confessed out of season, does likewise.

Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

Again he strikes the weaker one, and shows him that the crown of a good conscience is sufficient.

For even though no man see, thou art enough for thyself to become blessed.

For since he had said, 'Have it to thyself,' lest one should think this tribunal a small thing, he says that this is better for thee than the whole world.

Even if all men accuse thee, yet if thou condemn not thyself, nor thy conscience lay hold on thee, thou art blessed.

But he has not set this down as speaking simply concerning all things.

For there are many who condemn not themselves, and yet sin exceedingly;

who are of all men the most wretched;

but for the present he is keeping to the matter now before us.

But he that doubteth is condemned if he eat.

Again, exhorting him to spare the weaker one, he says this.

For what profit is it, if he eat doubting, and condemn himself? For I accept that man who both eats and does so without wavering.

See how he leads him not only to eat, but also to eat with a clean conscience.

Then he states also the cause on account of which he is condemned, adding and saying:

not because it is unclean, but because it is not of faith;

for he did not believe that it is clean, but touched it as though it were unclean.

And by these things he shows them also how great is the harm they work, when they compel and do not persuade men to touch the things which for the present seem to them to be unclean, that at least on this account they may cease from reproaching.

And whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

For when a man is not confident, he says, nor believes that it is clean, how has he not sinned? But all these things were spoken by Paul concerning the matter now before us, not concerning all things.

And observe how great forethought he takes not to give offence;

But if because of meat thy brother be grieved, thou walkest no longer according to love.

But if one ought not to grieve him, much more ought one not to make him stumble.

And again, 'Destroy not the work of God for the sake of meat.'

For if to pull down a church is grievous and unholy, much more so is it to destroy a spiritual temple;

for indeed man is more august than a church.

For not for the walls did Christ die, but for these temples.

Let us therefore on every side watch over our own concerns, and give no man even a small handle against us.

For the present life is a race-course, and we must have ten thousand eyes on every side, and not think ignorance sufficient for our defence.

For there is, yea there is, a paying of penalty even for ignorance, when the ignorance is inexcusable;

since the Jews too were ignorant, but they were not ignorant of things worthy of pardon;

and the Greeks were ignorant, but they have no defence. For when thou art ignorant of those things which it is not possible to know, thou wilt incur no charge;

but when it is of things easy and possible to be known, thou wilt pay the uttermost penalty.

But in another way, if we be not utterly supine, but contribute all that is in our own power, God will also stretch out his hand to us in the things we know not;

which also Paul said to the Philippians:

'And if in anything ye be otherwise minded, this also shall God reveal unto you.'

But when we are not willing to accomplish even those things whereof we are masters, neither shall we enjoy that alliance;

which also came to pass in the case of the Jews.

For, 'On this account I speak to them in parables,' he says, 'because seeing they see not.'

How seeing did they not see? They saw demons driven out, and said, 'He hath a devil;'

the dead being raised, and they worshipped not, but attempted to slay him.

But Cornelius was not such a one.

For this reason, since he did all that was in his own power with diligence, God also added to him that which was lacking.

Do not, then, say: 'How is it that God overlooked so-and-so, a Greek who was without guile and good?' For, in the first place, whether a man is guileless is not something men can know, but only He who fashioned the heart can know it, examining the hearts one by one.

Next, this too may be said: that often such a man neither took thought nor made any earnest effort for these things.

'And how,' he says, 'could he do so, being so utterly guileless?' Consider for me, then, this simple and unaffected man, and observe him in the affairs of daily life, and you will see him displaying much diligence; and if only he had been willing to display the same in spiritual matters, he would not have been passed over.

For the things of the truth are more radiant than the sun.

And wherever a man may find himself, he will easily lay hold of his own salvation, if only he be willing to give heed and not regard this as a matter of secondary importance.

For have the affairs been shut up in Palestine? Have they been confined to some small corner of the inhabited world? Have you not heard the prophet saying that 'All shall know Me, from the least even unto the greatest'? Do you not see the events confirming the truth? How then could these men have any excuse, when they see the teaching of the truth spread abroad, and yet neither inquire into it nor take any care to learn it?

'And do you demand these things,' he says, 'from a rustic and a barbarian?' Not only from a rustic and a barbarian, but even from anyone among men now living who is more barbarous still.

For tell me, why is it that in the affairs of daily life he knows how to answer back when he is wronged, and to resist when he is compelled, and does everything and takes every pains so that he may never suffer even the smallest injury;

but in spiritual matters he does not make use of this same intelligence? And when he worships a stone and reckons it a god, and celebrates festivals, and spends money, and displays much fear, and is nowhere careless by reason of his simplicity;

but when it is needful to seek out the God who truly is, then you remind me of his simplicity and guilelessness? These things are not so, they are not!

For the charges belong to slothfulness alone.

For whom do you consider to have been the simpler and more rustic—those in the days of Abraham, or those of the present time? It is plain that it was the former.

And when was it easier to find true religion—now, or then? It is plain that it is now.

For now the name of God is proclaimed aloud among all men, and the prophets have made it known, and the events have come to pass, and the things of the Greeks have been refuted;

but then the greater part were still untaught, and sin held sway, and there was no law to instruct, no prophet, no miracles, no teaching, no multitude of those who knew, nor anything else of the kind; but all affairs lay as in deep darkness and on a moonless, wintry night.

Yet nevertheless that admirable and noble man, though there were so many hindrances, both came to know God, and practised virtue, and led many to the same zeal—and this though he had no experience of the wisdom that is from without;

for how could he have it, seeing that letters had not yet been invented at all? But nevertheless, since he brought forward what was of himself, God thereupon contributed also what was His own.

For neither could you say this: that Abraham received his religion from his fathers;

for that one was an idolater;

but nevertheless, though sprung from such ancestors, and being a barbarian and reared in the midst of barbarians, and having no teacher of true religion, he both came to know God, and was so much more approved than all his descendants—who enjoyed the benefit of both law and prophets—as it is impossible to express.

Why so? Because in the affairs of daily life he was not overly anxious, but in spiritual matters he strained his whole self.

And what of Melchizedek? Did not he too arise in those same times, and shine forth so brightly that he was even called a priest of God? For it is impossible—utterly impossible—that the watchful man should ever be overlooked.

Let not these things throw you into confusion;

but knowing that everywhere the decisive authority lies in the will, let us look closely into our own affairs, that we may become better.

Let us not demand an accounting from God, nor inquire why He let one man be and called another.

For we do the very same thing as if someone

—a household servant who had given offence—should busy himself in prying into the stewardship of his master.

O wretched and miserable man, when you ought to be taking thought for your own accounts, and how you shall be reconciled to your master, do you demand an accounting for those things of which you yourself are going to render account? Do you run past those matters for which you are going to pay the penalty? 'What then,' he says, 'am I to say to the Greek?' These things that have been said.

And consider not only what you shall say to the Greek, but also how you shall set him right.

When, examining your life, he takes offence from that, then take thought as to what you shall say.

For as regards that question, even if he takes offence, you will render no account;

but if he be harmed by your manner of life, you will incur the utmost peril.

When he sees you philosophizing about the kingdom, and yet flustered over present things, and fearful about hell, and trembling at the terrors here, then take thought.

When, seeing these things, he brings the charge and says:

'If you love the kingdom, why do you not despise the things that are present? If you look for a fearful tribunal, why do you not think lightly of the terrors here? If you hope for immortality, why do you not laugh at death?'—when he says these things, be anxious as to what you shall answer in your defence.

When he sees you, who look for the heavens, trembling at the loss of money, and made overjoyed for the sake of a single obol, and again casting away your very soul for the sake of a little silver, then take thought;

for these are the things—these are the things—that give offence to the Greek.

So then, if you take thought for your own salvation, make your defence concerning these things, not by words, but by deeds.

For on account of that question no one has ever blasphemed God, but on account of a wicked life there are ten thousand blasphemies everywhere.

For again the Greek will say to you:

'Whence am I to learn that God has enjoined things that are possible? For behold, you who are a Christian from your forefathers, and reared in this fair religion, do nothing of the kind.'

What then will you say? By all means you will say, 'I will show you others doing it—monks seated in the deserts.'

Then are you not ashamed, while confessing yourself to be a Christian, to send him off to others, as though unable to show in yourself that you display the things of Christians? For that man too will straightway say:

'What need is there, then, for me to journey to the mountains and pursue the deserts? For if it is not possible to live the philosophic life while moving in the midst of cities, then great would be the accusation against this way of life, if we must forsake the cities and run off to the deserts.'

'But show me a man who has a wife and children and a household, and yet lives the philosophic life.'

What then shall we say to these things? Must we not bow down our heads and be ashamed? For Christ did not so command;

but how? 'Let your light shine before men'—not before the mountains, nor the desert, nor the trackless waste.

And I say these things, not reproaching those who have taken to the mountains, but bewailing those who dwell in the cities, because they have driven virtue out from thence.

Wherefore I beseech you, let us bring in here also the philosophy that is from thence, that the cities may become cities;

these things can set the Greek right, these things can rid him of ten thousand causes of offence.

So then, if you would both free him from offence, and yourself enjoy ten thousand rewards, set right your own manner of life, and make it shine forth on every side, 'That men may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.'

For thus we too shall enjoy that ineffable and great glory;

which may it be granted us all to attain, by the grace and love toward mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, honour, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.