Moralia in Job 876

13. The hypocrite is covetous and a robber. The hypocrite, who in the Latin tongue is called a dissembler, does not desire to be righteous, but to seem so. And therefore he is a covetous robber, because, while acting iniquitously he desires to be venerated for holiness, he snatches away the praise due to another's life. For it is wont to be the study of hypocrites both to suppress what they are, and to make themselves known to men as being that which they are not, in order that they may exceed their own measure through others' estimation, and may show themselves to outstrip the rest in the name of good action. They shrink from being seen as what they are, and before the eyes of men they clothe themselves with a certain overlaid decency of innocence. Whence rightly are they rebuked through the Gospel by the voice of our Redeemer, when it is said to them:

«Woe to you, hypocrites, because you are like to whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear beautiful to men, but within are full of dead men's bones, and of all filthiness. So you also outwardly indeed appear to men just, but inwardly you are full of covetousness and iniquity» (Matt. 23:27; Luke 11:39). By contrast, all who are truly holy not only do not at all desire glory beyond their own measure, but even shrink from this very thing—to be seen as that which they have deserved to be. Whence that excellent preacher of the Truth, speaking against the false apostles, while for the instruction of his disciples he narrated the eminent virtues of his own working (2 Cor. 11:13ff.),

while he described that he had endured so many perils by heaped-up persecution, and after these recalled that he had been caught up even to the third heaven and again into paradise, where he could learn such great things as he could by no means utter (ibid. 12:2), he was perhaps still about to speak yet more admirable things concerning himself; but tempering himself by lofty consideration from human praise, he adds: «But I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth in me, or heareth anything from me» (ibid. 12:6). He had therefore still something to say concerning himself, who forbears to say it;

but the excellent teacher did both, so that both by speaking he might instruct his disciples in the things he had done, and by keeping silent he might guard himself within the bound of humility. For he would have been too ungrateful if he had kept back from his disciples everything about himself, and perhaps too incautious if he had disclosed everything about himself even to his disciples. But, as has been said, he wonderfully did both, so that by speaking he might edify the life of his hearers, and by keeping silent might guard his own. 14. Holy men sometimes praise themselves without harm. But it is to be known that holy men, as often as they make something concerning themselves known to those who follow, imitate the custom of their Creator.

For God, who forbids us to be praised by our own mouth, speaks His own praises through sacred Scripture—not because He Himself needs them, He who cannot profit from praises, but because, while He narrates His greatness to us, He lifts up our ignorance toward Himself; and by speaking of His good things He teaches us concerning Him whom man would in no way know, if He had willed to keep silent about Himself. Therefore He makes known His praises for this reason, that we, hearing, may be able to know Him; knowing, to love; loving, to follow; following, to attain; and having attained, to enjoy the vision of Him. Whence the Psalmist says: «He will declare the power of his works to his people, that he may give them the inheritance of the Gentiles» (Ps. 110:6). As if he plainly said:

For this reason He makes known the might of His working, that whoever hears it may be enriched by His gifts. Imitating the custom of their Creator, therefore, holy men sometimes make known certain things concerning themselves, that they may instruct those who hear, not that they themselves may profit; and yet in these things they guard themselves by lofty consideration, lest, while they raise others from earthly intention, they themselves be plunged into the craving for earthly praise. Whose sayings hypocrites for the most part imitate, but they are utterly ignorant of the meaning of the sayings, because what the just do for the profit of their neighbour, these do for the extension of their own name. But the holy man, beholding hypocrites, says that they in no way desire the glory to come, but desire to hold the present: «For what is the hope of the hypocrite?»

because, while he loves things present, he by no means hopes for things to come. For it is written: «For what a man seeth, why doth he hope for?» (Rom. 8:24). For this reason, therefore, the hypocrite is by no means stretched out toward eternal rewards through hope, because what was to be sought elsewhere, here he glories to hold. And because his fault has been set forth, his penalty too is subjoined, when it is straightway added: