Homilies on Romans 31

'Greet Epaenetus my beloved, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.'

I think that many, even of those who seem to be exceedingly earnest, pass over this part of the Epistle, as superfluous and containing nothing great;

and I suppose they experience this very same thing also in the genealogy that lies in the Gospel;

for since it is a list of names, they think they gain nothing great from it.

And whereas the children of the goldsmiths busy themselves even with the tiny filings, these men pass by even such great lumps of gold.

That they may not, then, suffer this, what has been said is indeed sufficient to lead them away from this slothfulness.

For that there is no small gain even from this, we have shown also from what was said before, having raised up your soul by means of these greetings;

and let us try today also to mine this same passage once more.

For it is possible even from bare names to find a great treasure.

If, at any rate, you learn why Abraham was so called, why Sarah, why Israel, why Samuel, you will find from this too the histories of many things.

And from times too, and from places, you will be able to gather this very same thing.

For the earnest man grows rich even from these, while the slothful gains nothing even from things exceedingly plain.

For indeed the name of Adam teaches us no small measure of wisdom, as does that of that son of his, and that of the woman herself, and, most of the rest, their names.

For names are memorials of many things;

and each shows both a benefaction of God and a thanksgiving of the women;

For conceiving through the gift of God, these women would give names to their children.

But why do we now philosophize about names,

when thoughts of such moment are neglected, and many do not so much as know even the very names of the books? Yet not even so must we withdraw from diligence about such matters.

For 'You ought,' He says, 'to have deposited the silver with the bankers.'

Therefore, even if there be no one to receive it, let us do our part, and show that nothing in the Scriptures is superfluous nor uttered at random.

For if these things brought no gain, they would not have been added to the Epistle, nor would Paul have written what he wrote.

But indeed some are so vulgar and slack and unworthy of heaven, that they reckon not only names, but even whole books, to be superfluous—such as Leviticus, such as Joshua, and many others besides.

In this way many of the senseless have also cast out the Old Testament;

and advancing along the road of this wicked custom, they have cut away much of the New as well.

But of these men, seeing they are as it were drunken and living according to the flesh, we make no great account;

yet if anyone be a lover of true wisdom, and a friend of spiritual hearing, let him hear that not even the things which seem small in Scripture lie there idly and in vain, and that the ancient things too bring much gain.

'For all these things,' he says, 'are types, and were written for our admonition.'

Wherefore also to Timothy he said, 'Give heed to reading, to exhortation,' thereby thrusting him into the reading of the ancient books—a man possessed of so great a Spirit that he could even cast out demons and raise the dead.

Let us therefore hold fast to the matters set before us.

'Greet Epaenetus my beloved.'

It is worth observing here how differently he apportions his praises to each one.

For this is no small praise, but exceedingly great and indicative of much virtue—to be beloved of Paul, who knew how to love not by favour but by judgment.

'Who is the firstfruits of Achaia.'

For either he means this, that he leapt forth before all the rest and believed—which is no small praise—or that he showed more piety than all the others.

For this reason, having said, 'Who is the firstfruits of Achaia,' he did not keep silence, lest you should suspect worldly glory, but added, 'unto Christ.'

For if in civic affairs the man who holds the first place seems great and illustrious,

and since it was likely that they were of humble stock, he speaks of the true nobility and precedence, adorning him from this.

And he says that he was the firstfruits not of Corinth only, but of a whole nation, as one who had become a door and an entrance for the rest.

And no small is the reward for such men;

for such a one will reap a large recompense even from what has been rightly wrought by others, inasmuch as he contributed much to them also by his precedence.

'Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on you.'

What is this? Again a woman is crowned and proclaimed, again we men are put to shame;

or rather, we are not only put to shame, but also exalted.

For we are exalted, in that there are such women among us;

but we are put to shame, in that we men fall so far short of them.

But if we learn whence those women adorn themselves, we too shall quickly overtake them.

Whence then do they adorn themselves? Let both men and women hear:

not from bracelets, nor from necklaces, nor from eunuchs and handmaids and garments shot with gold, but from the sweats endured for the truth.

'For she,' he says, 'bestowed much labour on us;'

not upon herself alone nor upon her own virtue—which many women do even now, fasting and sleeping on the ground—but upon others also, having taken up the courses of apostles and evangelists.

How then does he say, 'I permit not a woman to teach'? He is forbidding her the public precedence and the throne in the pulpit, not the word of teaching;

for if it were this, how did he say to her who had an unbelieving husband,

'For how do you know, O woman, whether you shall save your husband?' How did he permit her to admonish children, saying,

'She shall be saved through childbearing, if they continue in faith and love and holiness with sobriety'? How did Priscilla instruct Apollos? It was therefore not the discourse made in private for benefit that he was forbidding when he said this, but that which befits teachers in the midst and in the

common theatre becomes teachers.

And again, when the husband is a believer and thoroughly furnished and able to teach her, so that she may be the wiser, he does not forbid her to teach and set right.

And he did not say, 'who taught much,' but 'who laboured much,' showing that along with the word she also ministered in other ways—in perils, in monies, in journeyings abroad.

For the women of that day were more ardent than lions, sharing with the apostles the toils undertaken for the preaching;

wherefore they also travelled abroad with them, and ministered in all other things.

And in the days of Christ also women followed Him, ministering out of their substance, and tending the Teacher.

'Greet Andronicus and Junia my kinsmen.'

This too seems to be an encomium;

but what follows is far greater.

And what is this? 'And my fellow-prisoners.'

For this is the greatest crown, the great proclamation.

And where did Paul become a prisoner, that he should say, 'my fellow-prisoners'? A captive indeed he never became, but he suffered things far more grievous than captives, being estranged not from his country and home only, but also wrestling with famine and continual death and countless other things.

For the captive's only hardship is this, that being estranged from his own, he often becomes a slave instead of a free man;

but here one may speak of snowstorms of trials which this blessed man endured, being led and dragged about, scourged and bound, stoned, shipwrecked, having countless plotters against him.

And captives have no further enemy after being led away, but even enjoy much forethought from those who took them;

but this man was continually turning about in the midst of his enemies, and everywhere beheld spears, and whetted swords, and armed ranks, and battles.

Since then it was likely that these too had shared in many perils with him, he calls them fellow-prisoners, as also elsewhere he says,

'Aristarchus my fellow-prisoner.'

'Who are of note among the apostles.'

And yet even to be apostles is great; but to be also of note among these—consider how great an encomium this is;

and they were of note from their works, from their achievements.

Oh! how great is the true wisdom of this woman, that she should be counted worthy even of the appellation of apostle!

And not even here does he stop, but again adds another encomium, saying,

'Who also were in Christ before me.'

For this too is a very great praise, to have leapt forward and come before the rest.

But mark me the holy soul, how pure it was from vainglory.

For after such and so great glory, he sets others before himself, and does not hide the fact that he came after them, nor is he ashamed to confess this.

And why do you wonder that he is not ashamed of this, when he does not even decline to parade his former life, calling himself a blasphemer and a persecutor? Since then he could not from this quarter set them before the others, he sought a way, since he himself had come after the others, and found even from this a means to compose praise for them, saying, 'Who also were in Christ before me.'

'Greet Amplias my beloved.'

Again he commends this man from love;

for the love of Paul, being for God's sake, held countless good things.

For if to be loved by a king is a great thing, how vast a commendation is it to be dearly loved by Paul! For he would never have drawn this man into such affection, had he not possessed great virtue.

For he knew how not only to withhold love from those who live in wickedness and lawlessness, but even to anathematize them;

as when he says, 'If anyone loves not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema';

and, 'If anyone preaches to you a gospel other than that which you received, let him be anathema.'

'And Urbanus, my fellow-worker in Christ.'

This is a greater commendation than the former;

for indeed the former is also comprehended in this one.

'And Stachys my beloved.'

Again he crowns this man from the same qualities.

'Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ.'

There is nothing equal to this praise—to be beyond reproach and to give no handle for censure in the things that pertain to God.

And why does he nowhere say, 'my lord such-and-such,' or 'my master'? Because these commendations are greater than those;

for those pertain merely to honor, but these to virtue.

And by this very thing too he has honored them in no ordinary way, by addressing many of the lowlier along with the exalted and great.

For by addressing them, and addressing them together with one another, and in the same letter, he honored all alike;

but by setting down the praises peculiar to each, he presented to us the virtue peculiar to each;

so as neither to breed envy by honoring some and dishonoring others, nor to produce sloth and confusion by counting all worthy of the same things when they were not of the same worth.

Observe, then, how he again comes to the admirable women.

For having said, 'Greet them that are of the household of Aristobulus, and Herodion my kinsman, and them of the household of Narcissus' (who were likely perhaps not such as those before them;

wherefore he does not even mention all of them by name, yet rendered them the commendation fitting to them, namely that they are faithful;

for this is what 'those who are in the Lord' means)—

he again turns his address toward women, saying:

'Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord.'

And of the former he says that 'she labored for us';

but of these, that they still labor.

And this is no small praise—to be continually in works, and not merely to be active, but even to toil.

But Persis he even calls beloved, showing her to be greater than these;

for he says, 'Greet Persis the beloved.'

And he bears witness to much toil on her part, saying:

'who labored much in the Lord.'

Thus he knew how to name each according to their worth, making these more eager by depriving them of none of the qualities that belonged to them, but proclaiming aloud even the smallest superiority;

and rendering the others more diligent, and leading them into the same zeal by the commendations bestowed on these.

'Greet Rufus, the chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.'

Here again the good things are complete, when both the child is such, and the mother such, and the whole house full of blessing, and the root corresponds to the fruit.

For he would not simply have said, 'his mother and mine,' unless he were testifying to great virtue in the woman.

'Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them.'

Here do not look at this, that he sets them down without commendations, but at this—that even those who were lowliest of all he by no means deemed unworthy of his greeting;

or rather, this too is no small commendation, that he even calls them brethren, just as he does the saints who come after them;

for he says, 'Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them';

which was a most exalted dignity, and a greatness of honor unspeakable.

Then, that no strife might arise from some being addressed in one way and others in another, and some by name and others indefinitely, and some with more commendations and others with fewer, he again blends them together by the equal honor of love and by the holy kiss, saying:

'Greet one another with a holy kiss';

by this peace casting out every thought that would disturb them and every occasion of pettiness of soul, so that neither the great might despise the lesser, nor the small envy the greater;

but that both contempt and envy might be driven away, this kiss soothing and equalizing all things.

Wherefore not only does he bid them greet one another thus, but he also transmits to them in this way the greeting of all the Churches.

For he says, 'They salute you'—no longer this one and that one individually, but all in common—'the churches of Christ.'

Do you see how not a little have we gained even from these greetings? How many treasures we were about to run past, had we not examined even this portion of the epistle with the exactness—I mean, that is possible for us? For if some wise and spiritual man should be found, he will descend yet deeper, and will behold more pearls.

But since some have often inquired why in the world in this epistle

he addressed so many, which he did not do in any other epistle;

we would say this: that he does it because he had never seen the Romans.

And yet, one says, he had not seen the Colossians either, and he did no such thing.

But these were more tried than the others, and had removed thither from other cities, as into a more secure and more royal city.

Since therefore they were passing their time in a foreign land, and needed to enjoy much security, and some of them were among his acquaintances, while others had also ministered to him in many great things when they were present;

with good reason he commends them by means of his letter.

For indeed Paul's fame was no small thing at that time, but so great that even from letters alone those who enjoyed his epistles had much protection;

for they not only revered him, but even feared him.

For unless this were so, he would not have said, 'who has been a helper of many, and of my own self';

and again, 'I could wish that I myself were anathema.'

And writing to Philemon he said, 'as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner in Christ Jesus';

and to the Galatians, 'Behold, I Paul say unto you';

and, 'You received me as Christ Jesus.'

And writing to the Corinthians he said:

'Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you';

and again, 'These things I have transferred in a figure to myself and Apollos, that in us you might learn not to think beyond what is written.'

From all which it is plain that all had a great opinion concerning him.

Wishing therefore that they should be in security and honor, he addressed each one, adorning them so far as was possible.

For one he called beloved, another kinsman, another both, another fellow-prisoner, another fellow-worker, another approved, another chosen;

and the one woman from her dignity;

for he does not simply say 'her that ministers,' since, if that were the case, he would have named those about Tryphena and Persis in the same way; but the one as holding the ordination of a deaconess, another as fellow-worker and minister, another as a mother, and another from the toils wherein she labored;

and some from their household, others from the name of the brethren, and others from the appellation of the saints.

Some he honours by the very act of greeting them; others he honours also by greeting them by name.

Some he honours by calling them 'the firstfruits,' others by the seniority of their years.

But more than all, those associated with Priscilla and Aquila.

For even though they were all believers, yet they were not all alike, but they differed in their labours.

Wherefore, in order to lead them all on to greater zeal, he concealed the praises of no one.

For when those who do more do not receive more reward, many become more slothful.

For this reason, neither in the kingdom is the honour equal, nor among the disciples were all equal, but the three excelled the rest, and among these very three there was again much difference.

For with God there is great exactness, even down to the last details.

For 'one star differs from another star in glory,' Scripture says.

And yet they were all apostles, and all are to sit upon twelve thrones, and all forsook what was their own, and all were with Him;

but nevertheless He took the three apart.

And again, of these very three He declared that some might be admitted and would surpass the others.

For 'to sit,' He says, 'on my right hand and on my left, is not mine to give, but for those for whom it has been prepared.'

And He sets Peter before them, saying, 'Do you love me more than these?' And John too was loved above the others.

For indeed the examination of all will be exact;

and if you surpass your neighbour but a little, even by a moment, even in any small thing, not even this will God overlook.

And this one may see shining forth from ancient times as well.

For Lot too was righteous, but not so much as Abraham;

and Hezekiah again, but not so much as David;

and all the prophets, but not so much as John.

Where, then, are those who, after such exactness, are unwilling to believe there is a hell? For if all the righteous will not enjoy the same rewards, even should they surpass the others but by a little (for 'one star differs from another star in glory,' Scripture says),

how shall sinners be in the same state as the righteous? For not even a man would make such a confusion, much less God.

But if you wish, I will show you this even in the case of those who have sinned, and of things that have already come to pass,

I will show you this difference and this exact justice of judgment.

Adam sinned, and Eve also sinned;

and both indeed transgressed, but they did not sin equally;

therefore neither were they punished equally.

For so great was the difference, that Paul said that 'Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.'

But nevertheless God's examination, made with exactness, showed the difference to be so great that Paul could say this.

Again, Cain was punished;

but Lamech, who committed murder after him, suffered no such thing;

and yet this too was murder, and that too was murder, and much more grievous, in that this man was not made better even by the example;

but nevertheless, since the one neither slew a brother after admonition, nor needed an accuser, nor was shameless when God questioned him, but even without anyone convicting him both accused and condemned himself, he obtained pardon;

while the other, since he did the opposite, was punished.

See with how great exactness God examines the things that are done.

For this reason He punished those in the flood in one way, and those in Sodom in another;

and the Israelites again in various ways, and those in Babylon, and those under Antiochus;

showing that He takes much account of our doings.

And some served seventy years, but others four hundred;

and some ate their own children, and endured countless other more grievous calamities, yet not even by this were they set free, neither these nor those who were burned alive in Sodom.

For 'it shall be more tolerable,' He says, 'for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that city.'

For if He cared nothing whether we sin or do rightly, there might perhaps be some reason in saying that there is no punishment;

but if He takes such great pains that we should not sin, and contrives so many things that we may do rightly, it is plain that He both punishes those who sin and crowns those who do rightly.

But consider for me the inconsistency of the many.

For here they accuse God, that He is often long-suffering, and overlooks many who are foul, licentious, and violent, not giving them their due;

there again, if He threatens to punish them, they are vehement and severe in finding fault;

and yet, if this grieves them, they ought to have accepted and admired the other.

But O the folly! O the irrational and brutish disposition!

O the soul that loves sin and loves pleasure and looks toward vice!

for indeed from the love of pleasure all these doctrines are born;

so that if those who say these things were willing to lay hold of virtue, they would soon be persuaded concerning hell also, and would not doubt.

'And where,' one says, 'and in what place will this hell be?' What is that to you? For what is sought is to show that it exists, not where it is stored up and in what place.

For some, telling fables, say that it is in the valley of Jehoshaphat—which was spoken concerning a certain war that had passed by—and now they drag this into a reference to hell;

but the Scripture does not say this.

'But in what place,' one says, 'will it be?' Somewhere, as I for my part suppose, outside the whole of this world.

For just as the prisons and the mines are set far apart from the royal palaces, so too the hell will be somewhere outside this inhabited world.

Let us not therefore seek where it is, but how we may escape it;

nor, because God does not punish all men here, on that account disbelieve the things to come;

for He is loving toward man, and is long-suffering.

For this reason He threatens, and does not straightway cast in;

for 'I do not will,' He says, 'the death of the sinner.'

But if there is no death of the sinner, what has been said is superfluous.

And I know indeed that nothing is more unpleasant to you than these words;

but to me nothing is more pleasant than these.

And would that it were possible, both while breakfasting and while dining and while bathing and everywhere, to discourse concerning hell;

for then we should not grieve at the terrors here, nor take pleasure in the pleasant things.

For what dreadful thing have you to name to me? Poverty, disease, captivity, maiming of the body? But all these are laughter compared with the punishment there;

and though you speak of those tormented throughout their whole life with famine, though of those maimed from their earliest years and begging, even these are luxury compared with those evils there.

Let us therefore continually turn over in our minds the discourses concerning these things;

for the remembrance of them does not allow us to fall into hell.

Do you not hear Paul saying:

'Who shall suffer eternal punishment from the presence of the Lord'? Do you not hear what manner of man Nero became, whom Paul even calls a mystery of the Antichrist? For, he says, 'the mystery of iniquity doth already work.'

What then? Shall Nero suffer nothing? Shall the Antichrist suffer nothing, and nothing the devil? Then the Antichrist and the devil will exist for ever;

for they will never desist from their wickedness so long as they are not chastised.

But that there is punishment and hell is surely plain to everyone;

yet, they say, the unbelievers alone will fall into it.

For what reason, tell me? Because, he says, the faithful have come to know their own Master.

And what of that? For when their life is unclean, on this very account they shall suffer a greater punishment than the unbelievers.

'For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law;

and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law';

and, 'The servant who knew his lord's will, and did it not, shall be beaten with many stripes.'

But if there is to be no account rendered of one's life, but these things have been said merely for the sake of speaking, then neither shall the devil be punished;

for he too knows God, and better than many men;

and the demons also all both know Him, and tremble, and confess Him to be Judge.

If then no account is to be rendered of one's life, nor of wicked deeds, these too shall escape.

This is not so, it is not so;

do not deceive yourselves, beloved.

For if there is no hell, how shall the apostles judge the twelve tribes of Israel? How does Paul say:

'Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?' How did Christ say:

'The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment, and shall condemn this generation'? and, 'It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment'? Why then do you play in matters not to be played with? Why do you deceive yourself and reason falsely with your own soul, O man? Why do you fight against the loving-kindness of God? For it was on this very account that He both prepared it and threatened it, that we might not fall into it, but become better through fear.

So that he who does away with the doctrine concerning these things, without perceiving it does nothing else than thrust himself into it and cast himself in through this very deception.

Do not therefore slacken the hands of those who labour for virtue, nor increase the sloth of those who slumber.

For if the multitude were persuaded that there is no hell, when would they desist from wickedness? And where would justice appear? I speak not of the case of sinners and righteous, but of sinners and sinners.

Why is it that one was chastised here, while another was not chastised, though he sinned the very same sins, or even far worse? For if there is no hell, you will be able to make no defense concerning these things to those who bring the charge.

Wherefore I exhort you, ceasing from this laughter, to stop the mouths of those who gainsay us concerning these matters.

For indeed even of the very smallest things, both in our sins and in our good deeds, the scrutiny shall be exact.

For indeed we shall render account even of unchaste eyes, and of an idle word, and of laughter and of mere reviling, and of a thought, and we shall submit to a reckoning for drunkenness;

just as, again, among good things we shall receive a reward even for a cup of cold water, and for a good word, and for a single groan.

For, 'Set,' He says, 'the mark upon the foreheads of those that groan and are in anguish';

how then do you dare to say, that He who examines our affairs with such exactness threatened hell merely and at random? Do not, I entreat you, do not by these empty hopes destroy both yourself and those who are persuaded by you.

For if you disbelieve our words, question Jews, Greeks, all heretics, and all will answer as with one mouth, that there shall be a judgment and a recompense.

But do men not suffice? Ask the very demons also, and you shall hear them crying out:

'Why art Thou come hither before the time to torment us?' And gathering all these things together, persuade your soul not to prate in vain, that it may not learn of hell by experience, but being sobered from now on, may be able both to flee those torments and to attain unto the good things to come, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, and honour, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.