[561] [The editions in Greek, and the Latin translations, without support from any known Greek ms., here repeat, "thou oughtest to desire thy release from these things." Field retains it as if necessary. Yet it is not necessary, and is in character quite similar to the additions which are so common in the altered text.--J.A.B.]
[562] georgion.
[563] [Chrys. frequently refers to Rom. ix. 3, according to his mistaken interpretation.--J.A.B.]
[564] St. Chrys. seems to take "your glorying" as "the glorying which I Paul have in you." The passage quoted from 2 Cor. i. 14 shows that the two senses are connected. Compare 2 Cor. v. 12.
[565] The punctuation is altered. He seems to be proving, not the unity of the Spirit, but the relation of that doctrine to practice.
[566] [i.e. you and the faith.--J.A.B.]
[567] Chrys. seems to make a false opposition between ekeinon and hauton; but if the reading is correct, this is really one of his rapid changes of the "point of view," though not amounting to a change of person. Dounæus suggests hoti ta ekeinon alethe; (for asthene;) That the others' (principles) are true.' Compare the letter of Antoninus [Hadrian] quoted by Justin Martyr. Apol. i. 70.
[568] See on Stat. Hom. vi.
[569] kratein. He seems to mean "to have them in their power."
[570] See on the passage, Hom. xxii., Tr. p. 508.
[571] kataklasthai. See on Stat. Hom. xiii. § 9, Tr. p. 429. In that and Hom. xii. the law of nature is discussed at some length.
[572] [This is obscure, and the Oxford editor follows the suggestion of Downes that for argos, "idle," we should read aorgos, "without anger," but, as Field points out, there is no such word.--J.A.B.]
[573] eleemosune.
[574] eleou.
[575] Comp. Wisd. i. 14, xi. 24.
[576] Ecclus. xviii. 13, as above. Compare Ps. cxlv. 9 and Job iv. 18.
[577] [So the best group of mss., though Field retains the reading of the other group, "if he were to make darkness." The vague expression, "so to do as He once did," probably refers to the universal destruction at the Deluge.--J.A.B.]
[578] [There is a queer play upon the words elaiou, "oil," and eleou, "mercy," which in Chrys.'s day (as in Mod. Greek) were pronounced alike. As oil in the natural, so mercy in the spiritual sphere, he says, is the cause of light.--J.A.B.]
[579] [The Greek word which we borrow and contract into "alms" is derived from the word here rendered pity and mercy.--J.A.B.]
[580] al. This oil; see note 2; and on Rom. xiv. 13, Hom. xxv., Tr. p. 425, note g; and on Matt. xxv., Hom. lxxviii. init., also Hom. on Stat. vi., Tr. p. 130, note c. He may mean here to distinguish the fire of Hell, from which we may be freed, from that which is to rage, but to be quenched.
[581] [This probably means God, as suggested by the altered text, which of course tinkered so obscure a passage.--J.A.B.]
Homily V.
Philippians ii. 1-4
"If there is therefore any comfort in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassions, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind; doing nothing through faction or through vainglory; but in lowliness of mind, each counting other better than himself; not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others."
There is nothing better, there is nothing more affectionate, than a spiritual teacher; such an one surpasses the kindness of any natural father. Do but consider, how this blessed one entreats the Philippians concerning the things which were to their own advantage. What says he, in exhorting them concerning concord, that cause of all good things? See how earnestly, how vehemently, with how much sympathy he speaks, "If there be therefore any comfort in Christ," that is, if ye have any comfort in Christ, as if he had said, If thou makest any account of me, if thou hast any care of me, if thou hast ever received good at my hands, do this. This mode of earnestness we use when we claim a matter which we prefer to everything else. For if we did not prefer it to everything, we should not wish to receive in it our recompense for all things, nor say that through it all is represented. We indeed remind men of our carnal claims; for example, if a father were to say, If thou hast any reverence for thy father, if any remembrance of my care in nourishing thee, if any affection towards me, if any memory of the honor thou hast received of me, if any of my kindness, be not at enmity with thy brother; that is, for all those things, this is what I ask in return.
But Paul does not so; he calls to our remembrance no carnal, but all of them spiritual benefits. That is, if ye wish to give me any comfort in my temptations, and encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if ye wish to show any communion in the Spirit, if ye have any tender mercies and compassions, fulfil ye my joy. "If any tender mercies and compassions." Paul speaks of the concord of his disciples as compassion towards himself, thus showing that the danger was extreme, if they were not of one mind. If I can obtain comfort from you, if I can obtain any consolation from our love, if I can communicate with you in the Spirit, if I can have fellowship with you in the Lord, if I can find mercy and compassion at your hands, show by your love the return of all this. All this have I gained, if ye love one another.
Ver. 2. "Fulfil ye my joy."
That the exhortation might not seem to be made to people who were still deficient, see how he says not, "do me joy," but "fulfil my joy"; that is, Ye have begun to plant it in me, ye have already given me some portion of peacefulness, but I desire to arrive at its fulness? Say, what wouldest thou? that we deliver thee from dangers? that we supply somewhat to thy need? Not so, but "that ye be of the same mind, having the same love," in which ye have begun, "being of one accord, of one mind." Just see, how often he repeats the same thing by reason of his great affection! "That ye be of the same mind," or rather, "that ye be of one mind." For this is more than "the same."
"Having the same love." That is, let it not be simply about faith alone, but also in all other things; for there is such a thing as to be of the same mind, and yet not to have love. "Having the same love," that is, love and be loved alike; do not thou enjoy much love, and show less love, so as to be covetous even in this matter; but do not suffer it in thyself. "Of one accord," he adds, that is, appropriating with one soul, the bodies of all, not in substance, for that is impossible, but in purpose and intention. Let all things proceed as from one soul. What means "of one accord"? He shows when he says "of one mind." Let your mind be one, as if from one soul.
Ver. 3. "Doing nothing through faction."
He finally demands this of them, and tells [582] them the way how this may be. "Doing nothing through faction or vainglory." This, as I always say, is the cause of all evil. Hence come fightings and contentions. Hence come envyings and strifes. Hence it is that love waxes cold, when we love the praise of men, when we are slaves to the honor which is paid by the many, for it is not possible for a man to be the slave of praise, and also a true servant of God. How then shall we flee vainglory? for thou hast not yet told us the way. Listen then to what follows.
"But in lowliness of mind, each counting other better than himself." Oh how full of true wisdom, how universal a gathering-word [583] of our salvation is the lesson he has put forth! If thou deemest, he means, that another is greater than thyself, and persuadest thyself so, yea more, if thou not only sayest it, but art fully assured of it, then thou assignest him the honor, and if thou assignest him the honor, thou wilt not be displeased at seeing him honored by another. Do not then think him simply greater than thyself, but "better," which is a very great superiority, and thou dost not think it strange nor be pained thereby, if thou seest him honored. Yea, though he treat thee with scorn, thou dost bear it nobly, for thou hast esteemed him greater than thyself. Though he revile thee, thou dost submit. Though he treat thee ill, thou bearest it in silence. For when once the soul is fully assured that he is greater, it falls not into anger when it is ill-treated by him, nor yet into envy, for no one would envy those who are very far above himself, for all things belong to his superiority.
Here then he instructs the one party to be thus minded. But when he too, who enjoys such honor from thee, is thus affected toward thee, consider what a double wall there is erected of gentle forbearance [comp. Philip. iv. 5.]; for when thou esteemest him thus worthy of honor, and he thee likewise, no painful thing can possibly arise; for if this conduct when shown by one is sufficient to destroy all strife, who shall break down the safeguard, when it is shown by both? Not even the Devil himself. The defense is threefold, and fourfold, yea manifold, for humanity is the cause of all good; and that you may learn this, listen to the prophet, saying, "Hadst thou desired sacrifice, I would have given it: Thou wilt not delight in burnt offerings. The sacrifice for God is a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart God will not despise." [584] (Ps. li. 16, 17.) Not simply humility, but intense humility. As in the case of bodily substances, that which is "broken" will not rise against that which is "solid," but, how many ills soever it may suffer, will perish itself rather than attack the other, so too the soul, even if constantly suffering ill, will choose rather to die, than to avenge itself by attack.
How long shall we be puffed up thus ridiculously? For as we laugh, when we see children drawing themselves up, and looking haughty, or when we see them picking up stones and throwing them, thus too the haughtiness [585] of men belongs to a puerile intellect, and an unformed mind. "Why are earth and ashes proud?" (Ecclus. x. 9.) Art thou highminded, O man? and why? tell me what is the gain? Whence art thou highminded against those of thine own kind? Dost not thou share the same nature? the same life? Hast not thou received like honor from God? But thou art wise? Thou oughtest to be thankful, not to be puffed up. Haughtiness is the first act of ingratitude, for it denies [586] the gift of grace. He that is puffed up, is puffed up as if he had excelled by his own strength, and he who thinks he has thus excelled is ungrateful toward Him who bestowed that honor. Hast thou any good? Be thankful to Him who gave it. Listen to what Joseph said, and what Daniel. For when the king of Egypt sent for him, and in the presence of all his host asked him concerning that matter in which the Egyptians, who were most learned in these things, had forsaken the field, when he was on the point of carrying off everything from them, and of appearing wiser than the astrologers, the enchanters, the magicians, and all the wise men of those times, and that from captivity and servitude, and he but a youth (and his glory was thus greater, for it is not the same thing to shine when known, and contrary to expectation, so that its being unlooked for rendered him the more admirable); what then, when he came before Pharaoh? Was it "Yea, I know"? But what? When no one urged it on him, he said from his own excellent spirit, "Do not interpretations belong to God?" [587] Behold he straightway glorified his Master, therefore he was glorified. And this also is no small thing. For that God had revealed it to him was a far greater thing than if he had himself excelled. For he showed that his words were worthy of credit, and it was a very great proof of his intimacy with God. There is no one thing so good as to be the intimate friend of God. "For if," says the Scripture, "he [Abraham] was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not toward God." (Rom. iv. 2.) For if he who has been vouchsafed grace maketh his boast in God, that he is loved of Him, because his sins are forgiven, he too that worketh hath whereof to boast, but not before God, as the other (for it [588] is a proof of our excessive weakness); he who has received wisdom of God, how much more admirable is he? He glorifies God and is glorified of Him, for He says, "Them that honor Me, I will honor." (1 Sam. ii. 30.)