Oh then, let us trample under foot the power of the devil; let us trample under foot our sins, I mean everything that pertains to this life, wrath, lust, vain-glory, every passion; that when we depart to that world, we may not be convicted of betraying that power which God hath given us; for thus shall we attain also the blessings that are to come. But if in this we are unfaithful, who will entrust us with those things which are greater? If we were not able to trample down one who had fallen, who had been disgraced, who had been despised, who was lying beneath our feet, how shall the Father give us a Father's rewards? If we subdue not one so placed in subjection to us, what confidence shall we have to enter into our Father's house? For, tell me, suppose thou hadst a son, and, that he, disregarding the well-disposed part of thy household, should associate with them that have distressed thee, with them that have been expelled his father's house, with them that spend their time at the gaming table, and that he should go on so doing to the very last; will he not be disinherited? It is plain enough he will. And so too shall we; if, disregarding the Angels who have well pleased our Father and whom He hath set over us, we have our conversation with the devil, inevitably we shall be disinherited, which God forbid; but let us engage in the war we have to wage with him.
If any one hath an enemy, if any one hath been wronged by him, if any one is exasperated, let him collect together all that wrath, all that fierceness, and pour it out upon the head of the devil. Here wrath is a good thing, here anger is profitable, here revenge is praiseworthy, for just as amongst the heathen, revenge is a vice, so truly here is revenge a virtue. So then if thou hast any failings, rid thyself of them here. And if thou art not able thyself to put them away, do it, though with thy members also. [475] Hath any one struck thee? Bear malice against the devil, and never relinquish thy hatred towards him. Or again, hath no one struck thee? Yet bear him malice still, because he insulted, because he offended thy Lord and Master, because he injures and wars against thy brethren. With him be ever at enmity, ever implacable, ever merciless. Thus shall he be humbled, thus despicable, thus shall he be an easy prey. If we are fierce towards him, he shall never be fierce towards us. If we are compliant, then he will be fierce; it is not with him as it is with our brethren. He is the foe and enemy, both of life and salvation, both ours and his own. If he loves not himself, how shall he be able to love us? Let us then put ourselves in array and wound him, having for our mighty confederate the Lord Jesus Christ, who can both render us impregnable to his snares, and worthy of the good things to come; which God grant that we may all attain, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom, together with the Holy Ghost, be unto the Father, glory, might, and honor, now and ever, and throughout all ages. Amen.
[452] [The words, "or evil," ekakon, are not in the text of this passage at all, though Chrysostom has them. Chrysostom and the Patristic writers in general often quote the New Testament without exactness. They quote often from memory, and are seldom critical. Cf. Schaff, Companion to Greek Testament, p. 164.--G.A.]
[453] ["Wrong. It means those who are your human masters,' in distinction from Christ, the divine' master."--Meyer.--G.A.]
[454] ["With fear and trembling, i.e. with that zeal which is ever keenly apprehensive of not doing enough."--Meyer.--G.A.]
[455] ["From the heart" (ek psuches) is joined by Chrysostom with what follows. (So Westcott and Hort.) But as met' eunoias expresses the well-meaning disposition, it already includes the sense of ek psuches. So that ek psuches belongs to what precedes. So Meyer, Ellicott, and Rev. Ver.--G.A.]
[456] arpages.
[457] [The second kai (kai auton kai humon) is omitted in Chrysostom's text of this passage, and in the textus receptus, so that it does not appear in the Authorized English Version. The Revised Version has it, however, and correctly so.--G.A.]
[458] [Meyer quotes Seneca, Thyest. 607:-- Quicquid a vobis minor extimescit Major hoc vobis dominus minatur. Omne sub regno graviore regnum est.--G.A.]
[459] [He seems to refer slavery to three causes: 1. covetousness; 2. rebellion against parents; 3. war, where prisoners are taken and made slaves.--G.A.]
[460] [This is very beautiful, but hardly correct exegesis. "The word finally' introduces a general, final exhortation, winding up the whole parenetic portion of the epistle (iv. i-vi. 9.)."--Meyer.--G.A.]
[461] methodeuon.
[462] ["Flesh and blood, i.e. feeble men,' just as in Gal. i. 16, and Matt. xvi. 17. The word pale, which means nothing else than a wrestling,' is specially chosen by the Apostle (who elsewhere uses agon or mache), in order to bring out the more strongly in connection with pros haima kai sarka the contrast between this less perilous form of contest and that which follows."--Meyer.--G.A.]
[463] en tois epouraniois.
[464] en tois epouraniois.
[465] ["The word en does not mean for' or on account of,' and the phrase is here local (i. 3.)."--Meyer.--G.A.]
[466] to en huper esti, kai to en, dia estin.
[467] kosmokratoras.
[468] ["The use of hemera, rather than ai& 242;ni (Gal. i. 4.) is opposed to the interpretation of Chrysostom. Still more untenable is the view of Meyer, that Paul is here specifying the day when the last great Satanic outbreak was to take place. Paul has at heart what he knew was much more present and more constantly impending, namely, the day of violent temptation."--Ellicott.--G.A.]
[469] Not ergasamenoi, but katergasamenoi.
[470] i.e. "but a day.'"
[471] [This entire sentence and the preceding one, though attested by three mss. and read by Savile, are wanting in the text of Field, who has, in their stead, Nun oun elthe, phesin, emoi palaisai, "Now then," says some one, "he has come to wrestle with me," which seems to leave the sense incomplete, and does not suit the following sentence. See note on page 82.--G.A.]
[472] labas.
[473] [This text in Rom. has, "from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."--G.A.]
[474] [The words, "I fear," phoboumai gar, are not in the text of 1 Cor. ix. 27. See note 1 on page 157.--G.A.]
[475] [We have here followed the text of Savile (supported by three mss.), as follows: ei de me dunasai autos apothesthai, kan meta ton melon ton son, in preference to the text of Field, which has ei me dunasai auta apthoesthai, e meta ton melon ton son.--G.A.]