羅馬書講道集 第 32 章

Now I beseech you, brethren, to mark those who cause divisions

and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned;

For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly;

and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the guileless.

Again an exhortation, and a prayer after the exhortation.

For after saying to mark those who cause divisions, and not to hearken unto them, he added:

'And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet';

and, 'The grace of the Lord be with you.'

But observe how gently also he exhorts, doing this not in the rank of a counselor, but in the rank of a suppliant, and with much honour;

for he both called them brethren, and beseeches them.

'For I beseech you,' he says, 'brethren.'

Then he also makes them anxious, showing the craftiness of those who plot mischief.

For as though these persons were not manifest of themselves, he says:

'Now I beseech you to mark';

that is, to investigate with exactness, and to observe thoroughly and to search out.

Whom, tell me? Those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned.

For this above all is the overthrow of the Church, to be divided;

this is the weapon of the devil, this turns everything upside down.

For so long as the body is united, he has no strength to find an entrance, but the offense comes from the division.

But whence comes the division? From the doctrines that are contrary to the teaching of the apostles.

And whence come such doctrines? From being slaves to the belly and to the other passions.

'For they that are such,' he says, 'serve not the Lord, but their own belly.'

So that there would be no offenses, there would be no division, unless some doctrine were devised contrary to the apostolic teaching;

which also he made plain here in saying, 'Contrary to the doctrine.'

And he did not say, 'Which we taught,' but, 'Which ye learned,' anticipating them, and showing that they had been convinced and had heard and had accepted it.

And what shall we do to those who work such mischief? He did not say, 'Come to close quarters and fight them,' but, 'Turn away from them.'

For if they did this out of ignorance or error, it would be needful to set them right;

but since they sin knowingly, leap away from them.

And elsewhere too he says this:

'For withdraw yourselves,' he says, 'from every brother that walketh disorderly.'

And in discoursing to Timothy about the coppersmith, he gave such an admonition, saying:

Then, holding up to ridicule those who dare such things, he tells also the cause from which they devised this division:

'For they that are such,' he says, 'serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly.'

This too he said when writing to the Philippians:

But here he seems to me to be hinting at those of the Jews, whom he is especially wont ever to reproach as gluttons.

For indeed in writing to Titus he said concerning them:

'Evil beasts, slow bellies.'

And Christ too, reproaching them on this account, says, 'You devour the houses of widows.'

The prophets also bring such accusations against them.

'For the beloved,' he says, 'grew fat and gross, and kicked.'

Therefore Moses too admonished them, saying:

'When you have eaten and drunk and are filled, remember the Lord your God.'

And in the Gospels too, when they said to Christ, 'What sign do you show us?', passing over all else, they made mention of the manna.

Thus everywhere they appear to be mastered by this passion.

How then, you who are Christ's brother, are you not ashamed to have slaves of the belly for your teachers? Such, then, is the ground of the deception; but the manner of the plot is yet another disease—flattery.

'For by fair speech,' he says, 'they deceive the hearts of the guileless.'

And well did he say, 'fair speech.'

For the flattery reaches only as far as the words.

But the mind is not so; rather, it is full of guile.

And he did not say, 'They deceive you,' but, 'the hearts of the guileless.'

And not even with this was he content, but in order to make what was said less burdensome, he says:

'For your obedience has reached to all.'

This he does, not so as to allow them to grow shameless, but forestalling them with praises and holding them in check by the multitude of witnesses.

'For it is not I alone who bear witness, but the whole world.'

And he did not say 'your understanding,' but 'your obedience';

which bore witness to great meekness in them.

This too is no small praise.

Then, after the praise, comes admonition.

For lest, having freed them from the charges, he should make them more careless as though they had escaped notice, he again hints to them, saying:

'But I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple unto that which is evil.'

Do you see how he again touches them, yet without arousing suspicion? For this is the mark of one hinting that some of them had indeed been led astray.

'And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.'

For since he had spoken of those who make divisions and offenses, he spoke of 'the God of peace,' that they might take courage concerning their deliverance from these.

For He who rejoices in this peace will destroy the things that harm it.

And he did not say, 'He will subject,' but, what is greater, 'He will crush';

and not those men only, but also Satan, who leads them as general in such things.

And not simply 'He will crush,' but 'under your feet';

so that they themselves might carry off the victory and become resplendent by the trophy.

And from the mention of time too there is again consolation;

and this was at once both a prayer and a prophecy.

'The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.'

The mightiest weapon, the wall that cannot be breached, the tower that cannot be shaken;

for he reminded them of grace, that he might make them more eager.

For if you were delivered from things far more grievous, and were delivered by grace alone,

much more shall you be delivered from the lesser things, seeing that you have both become friends and contribute your own part as well.

See how he sets down neither prayer without works, nor works without prayer.

For having testified to their obedience, he then offered prayer, showing that we need both—both what is from ourselves and what is from God—if we are to be saved with exactness.

For not only before, but even now, however great and well-approved we may be, we stand in need of the grace that is from Him;

'Timothy my fellow-worker greets you.'

Do you see again the customary commendations? 'And Lucius and Jason and Sosipater my kinsmen.'

Luke too makes mention of this Jason, and sets his manly courage before us, saying that they dragged him before the city rulers, crying out.

And it is likely that the others too were among the notable ones;

for he does not mention kinsmen simply, unless they were like him in piety.

'I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet you.'

This too is no small praise, to be Paul's amanuensis;

yet he says this not to praise himself, but that he might draw from them warm love on account of his service.

'Gaius, my host and the host of the whole Church, greets you.'

Do you see what a crown he wove for him, bearing witness to such hospitality, and gathering the whole Church into that man's house? For here by 'stranger' he means the one who receives strangers, the host.

But when you hear that he was Paul's host, do not admire him for his liberality alone, but also for the exactness of his life.

For had he not been worthy of that man's virtue, Paul would never have lodged there.

For he who was zealous to surpass many of Christ's commandments would not have transgressed this law which bids us make careful inquiry into those who receive us, and lodge with worthy people.

'Erastus the steward of the city greets you, and Quartus the brother.'

Not without purpose did he add, 'the steward of the city';

but just as he wrote to the Philippians, 'They of Caesar's household greet you,' in order to show that the preaching had laid hold even of the great,

so here too he mentions the man's rank, establishing this same point, and showing that to one who gives heed neither wealth becomes a hindrance, nor the cares of office, nor anything else of the kind.

'The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.'

Do you see whence one must begin, and where all must end? For from this he laid the foundation of the epistle, and from this he set on the roof, at once praying down upon them the mother of all good things, and reminding them of the whole benefit.

For this most of all belongs to a noble teacher: to profit not by word alone, but also by prayer

those who are being taught.

Wherefore he also said, 'But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.'

Who then will pray for us also, now that Paul is departed? These imitators of Paul. Only let us render ourselves worthy of such advocacy, that not here alone we may hear Paul's voice, but that, having departed thither, we may also be counted worthy to behold the athlete of Christ;

or rather, if we hear him here, we shall by all means see him there also, even if we do not stand near him; yet we shall by all means see him shining close to the royal throne, where the Cherubim give glory, where the Seraphim fly.

There we shall see Paul with Peter, being the chief and foremost of the choir of the saints, and we shall enjoy his genuine love.

For if, while here, he so loved men that, though it was open to him to depart and be with Christ, he chose to remain here,

much more will he there display his affection yet more warmly.

For this reason I too love Rome, although I could praise her on other grounds as well—for her greatness, her antiquity, her beauty, her multitude, her power, her wealth, and her achievements in war;

but setting aside all else, for this reason I count her blessed: that Paul, while yet living, wrote to them, and so loved them, and being present conversed with them, and there ended his life.

For this reason the city is renowned, more on this account than for all the rest.

And like some great and mighty body, it has two shining eyes—the bodies of these saints.

Not so bright is the heaven when the sun sends forth its rays, as is the city of the Romans, sending out these two lamps to every part of the whole world.

From there Paul shall be caught up, from there Peter.

Consider and tremble at what a spectacle Rome shall behold: Paul suddenly rising from that tomb together with Peter, and being taken up to meet the Lord.

What a rose Rome sends up to Christ, with what crowns the city is encircled—these two—with what golden chains it is girded, what springs it possesses!

For these reasons I marvel at the city—not for its abundance of gold, not for its columns, not for the rest of its splendour, but for these pillars of the Church.

Who will now grant me to be poured about the body of Paul, and to be nailed to his tomb, and to behold the dust of that body—of him who filled up what was lacking of Christ, who bore the marks, who sowed the preaching everywhere? The dust of that body through which he ran everywhere; the dust of that mouth through which Christ spoke, and the light shone forth brighter than any lightning, and a voice leapt out more terrible to the demons than any thunder; through which he uttered that blessed word, saying:

'I could wish that I myself were accursed for the sake of my brethren'; through which he spoke before kings and was not ashamed; through which we came to know Paul, and through which we came to know Paul's Master. Not so fearful to us is the thunder, as that voice was to the demons.

For if his very garments made them shudder, much more his voice.

This voice led them captive in bonds; this cleansed the whole world; this dissolved diseases, cast out vice, brought back the truth; it had Christ seated within, and everywhere it went forth together with Him; and what the Cherubim were, that was the voice of Paul.

For just as He was seated upon those powers, so also was He seated upon the tongue of Paul.

For it became worthy to receive Christ, uttering only those things which were dear to Christ, and soaring to an unspeakable height like the Seraphim.

For what is loftier than that voice which says, 'I am persuaded that neither angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus'? How many wings do you think this voice has? How many eyes? For this reason he said:

'For we are not ignorant of his devices.'

For this reason the demons fled, not only hearing him when he spoke, but even seeing his garment when he was afar off.

I longed to see the dust of that mouth through which Christ spoke the great and unutterable things, and things greater than through Himself;

for just as He wrought greater things through the disciples, so also He spoke through them.

through which the Spirit gave to the world those wondrous oracles.

For what good did that mouth not accomplish? It drove out demons, it loosed sins, it silenced tyrants, it stopped the tongues of philosophers, it led the world to God, it persuaded barbarians to love wisdom, it transformed all things upon the earth;

and the things in heaven also it disposed in whatever manner it willed, binding whom it willed, and loosing there according to the authority given to it.

Not only of that mouth, but of that heart also I longed to see the dust—which one would not err in calling the heart of the whole world, and the fountain of countless blessings, and the beginning and element of our life.

For the spirit of life was supplied from there to all, and was distributed to the members of Christ, not sent forth through arteries, but through the choice of good things.

So broad was this heart, that it could receive whole cities and peoples and nations;

'For my heart,' he says, 'is enlarged.'

And yet, broad as it was, the love which enlarged it often constrained and pressed it;

'For out of much affliction,' he says, 'and anguish of heart I wrote to you this.'

And I desired to see, dissolved into dust, that heart which was on fire for each of those who were perishing, which travailed a second time over the children who were being untimely cast off, which beheld God (for 'the pure in heart,' He says, 'shall see God');

that heart which had become a sacrifice (for 'a sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit');

that heart higher than the heavens, wider than the world, brighter than the sunbeam, hotter than fire, more solid than adamant, that sent forth rivers;

'For rivers,' He says, 'of living water shall flow out of his belly';

where was the spring that leaped up, watering not the face of the earth, but the souls of men;

whence not rivers only, but even fountains of tears went forth, both by night and by day;

that heart which lived the new life, not this life of ours (for 'I live,' he says, 'yet no longer I, but Christ lives in me.'

So then the heart of Paul was the heart of Christ, and a tablet of the Holy Spirit, and a book of grace);

that heart which trembled indeed for the sins of others (for 'I am afraid,' he says, 'lest somehow I have laboured in vain over you'; 'Lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve'; 'Lest somehow, when I come, I find you not such as I wish');

but for itself both fearing and taking courage (for 'I am afraid,' he says, 'lest somehow, having preached to others, I myself should become a castaway';

and, 'For I am persuaded that neither angels nor principalities shall be able to separate us'); that heart which was accounted worthy to love Christ as no other ever loved Him, which despised death and hell, and was crushed by the tears of the brethren (for 'What do you mean,' he says, 'weeping and breaking my heart?'); that most enduring heart, which could not bear to be parted from the Thessalonians even for the space of an hour.

I longed to see the dust of those hands that were in chains, through which the Spirit of the laying-on was supplied, through which these letters were written;

'For see,' he says, 'with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand';

and again, 'The salutation of Paul with my own hand'—of those hands which the viper saw and fell off into the fire.

I longed to see the dust of those eyes that were nobly blinded, that recovered sight for the salvation of the whole world, that were counted worthy to behold Christ even in the body, that saw earthly things and yet saw them not, that beheld the things unseen, that knew no sleep, that kept vigil in the dead of night, that suffered nothing of what those with diseased eyes suffer.

I longed also to see the dust of those feet that ran round the whole world and grew not weary, that were bound in the stocks when the prison was shaken, that went about the world and even the uninhabited parts, that journeyed many times.

And what need is there to speak in detail? I longed to see the tomb where the weapons of righteousness are laid up, the weapons of light, the members that now live, though put to death;

the members in which, while he lived, Christ lived in them all, the members crucified to the world, the members of Christ, clothed with Christ, the temple of the Spirit, the holy building, bound to the Spirit, nailed fast by the fear of God, bearing the marks of Christ.

This body walls in that city—a body safer than any tower and than ten thousand ramparts—and with it the body of Peter;

'For I went up to visit Peter.'

For this reason, when he had departed, grace deemed him worthy to make him share the same dwelling with Peter.

I longed to see the spiritual lion.

For just as a lion casting fire among herds of foxes, so he fell upon the faction of the demons and the philosophers, and like the stroke of a thunderbolt he crashed down upon the phalanxes of the devil.

For neither did the devil stand against him in battle array, but so feared and trembled that, if he saw so much as his shadow and heard his voice, he fled far away.

Thus, though he was far off, he delivered over to him the fornicator, and again snatched him out of that one's hands;

thus also others, that they might be taught not to blaspheme.

But consider how he leads out into battle also those who were ranged under him, rousing and anointing them for the contest;

and now to the Ephesians he says:

'Our wrestling is not against blood and flesh, but against the principalities and the powers';

then he also sets the prize in the heavenly places, saying:

'For our contest is not concerning earthly matters,' he says, 'but concerning the heavens and the things in the heavens';

and now to others he says, 'Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more things pertaining to this life?' Considering therefore all these things, let us stand nobly.

For Paul too was a man, sharing the same nature as ourselves, and having all other things in common;

but because he displayed great love toward Christ, he transcended the heavens and stood with the angels.

So then, if we too are willing to rouse ourselves a little, and to kindle that fire within us, we shall be able to emulate that holy man.

For otherwise, if this were impossible, he would not have cried aloud, saying:

'Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ.'

Let us not, then, merely marvel at him, nor only be astonished, but let us also imitate him, that we too may be counted worthy, when we depart hence, to behold him, and to partake of the unspeakable glory;

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