![[St. Pachomius Library]](title.gif)
Homily I
1. [The perfectly holy would not need books.]
Books; Scripture;
It were indeed meet for us not at all to require
the aid of the written Word, but to exhibit a life so pure,
that the grace of the Spirit should be instead of books to our
souls, and that as these are inscribed with ink, even so should
our hearts be with the Spirit. But, since we have utterly put
away from us this grace, come, let us at any rate embrace the
second best course.
For that the former was better, God hath made manifest, both by His words, and by His doings. Since unto Noah, and unto Abraham, and unto his offspring, and unto Job, and unto Moses too, He discoursed not by writings, but Himself by Himself, finding their mind pure. But after the whole people of the Hebrews had fallen into the very pit of wickedness, then and thereafter was a written word, and tables, and the admonition which is given by these.
And this one may perceive was the case, not of the saints in the Old Testament only, but also of those in the New. For neither to the apostles did God give anything in writing, but instead of written words He promised that He would give them the grace of the Spirit: for "He," saith our Lord, "shall bring all things to your remembrance," [John xiv. 26]. And that thou mayest learn that this was far better, hear what He saith by the Prophet: "I will make a new covenant with you, putting my laws into their mind, and in their heart I will write them," and, "they shall be all taught of God," [Jerem. xxxi. 31.33; Is. liv. 13; Heb. viii. 8.11; John vi. 45]. And Paul too, pointing out the same superiority, said, that they had received a law "not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart," [Cor. iii. 3 AV]. But since in process of time they made shipwreck, some with regard to doctrines, others as to life and manners, there was again need that they should be put in remembrance by the written word.
2. [But let us who need books not neglect them.]
3. [The book of the "Good Tidings" of the free gift of
salvation surpasses any other writing, even the Old Testament.]
Therefore he hath called the history "good tidings",
forasmuch as all other things surely are words only
without substance; as, for instance, plenty of wealth,
greatness of power, kingdoms, and glories, and honors,
and whatever other things among men are accounted to be
good: but those which are published by the fishermen would be
legitimately and properly called "good tidings": not only as being
sure and immoveable blessings, and beyond our deserts,
but also as being given to us with all facility.
For not by laboring and sweating, not by fatigue and suffering,
but merely as being beloved of God, we received what we have
received.
5. [Why four evangelists, neither more nor less?]
6. "But the contrary," it may be said, "hath come to pass,
for in many places they are convicted of discordance." Nay,
this very thing is a very great evidence of their truth. For
if they had agreed in all things exactly even to time, and
place, and to the very words, none of our enemies would have
believed but that they had met together, and had written what
they wrote by some human compact; because such entire agreement
as this cometh not of simplicity. But now even that discordance
which seems to exist in little matters delivers them from all
suspicion, and speaks clearly in behalf of the character of the
writers.
But if there be anything touching times or places, which they
have related differently, this nothing
injures the truth of what they have said. And these things too,
so far as God shall enable us, we will endeavor, as we proceed,
to point out; requiring you, together with what we have mentioned,
to observe, that in the chief heads, those which constitute our
life and furnish out [literally, "weld together,"
used of organizing a body of soldiers] our doctrine, nowhere is
any of them found to have disagreed, no not ever so little.
But what are these points? Such as follow: That God became man,
that He wrought miracles, that He was crucified, that He was
buried, that He rose again, that He ascended, that He will
judge, that He hath given commandments tending to salvation,
that He hath brought in a law not contrary to the Old Testament,
that He is a Son, that He is only-begotten, that He is a true Son,
that He is of the same substance with the Father, and as many
things as are like these; for touching these we shall find that
there is in them a full agreement.
And if amongst the miracles they have not all of them mentioned
all, but one these, the other those, let not this trouble thee.
For if on the one hand one had spoken of all, the number of the
rest would have been superfluous; and if again all had written
fresh things, and different one from another, the proof of
their agreement would not have been manifest. For this
cause they have both treated of many in common, and each of
them hath also received and declared something of his own; that,
on the one hand, he might not seem superfluous, and cast on the heap
to no purpose; on the other, he might make our test of the truth
of their affirmations perfect [literally "accurate"].
7. Now Luke tells us also the cause wherefore he proceeds
to write: "that thou mayest hold," saith he, "the certainty
of the words wherein thou hast been instructed;" [Luke i. 4]
that is, that being continually reminded thou mayest hold to
the certainty, and abide in certainty.
But as to John, he hath himself kept silence touching the
cause; yet [most mss "for"],
(as a tradition
[St. Irenĉus, iii. 11, 1]
saith, which hath come down to us from the first,
even from the Fathers,) neither did he come to write without
purpose; but forasmuch as it had been the care of the three to
dwell upon the account of the dispensation, i.e .,
our Lord's assumption of the Manhood. The word is so used
continually by the Fathers. and the doctrines of the Godhead
were near being left in silence, he, moved by Christ, then and
not till then set himself to compose his Gospel.
And this is manifest both from the history itself, and from the
opening of his Gospel. For he doth not begin like the rest
from beneath, but from above, from the
same point, at which he was aiming, and it was with a
view to this that
he composed the whole book. And not in the beginning only,
but throughout all the Gospel, he is more lofty than the rest.
Of Matthew again it is said,
[Euseb. E. H. iii. 24; St. Jer. de Vir. Ill. 3; Orig. in Matth.
t. iii. 440; St. Iren. iii. 1]
that when those who
from amongst the Jews had believed came to him, and
besought him to leave to them in writing those same things,
which he had spoken to them by word, he also composed his Gospel
in the language of the Hebrews. And Mark too, in Egypt,
[St. Iren. iii. 1],
is said to have done this self-same thing at the entreaty of
the disciples.
For this cause then Matthew, as writing to Hebrews,
sought to shew nothing more, than that He was from Abraham,
and David; but Luke, as discoursing to all in general,
traces up the account higher, going on even to Adam. And
the one begins with His generation, because nothing was
so soothing to the Jew as to be told that Christ was the
offspring of Abraham and David: the other doth not so, but
mentions many other things, and then proceeds to the genealogy.
8. But the harmony between them we will establish,
both by the whole world, which hath received their statements,
and by the very enemies of the truth. For many sects have
had birth, since their time, holding opinions opposed to
their words; whereof some have received all that they have
said, while some have cut off from the rest certain portions
of their statements, and so retain them for themselves.
But if there were any hostility
[or, "contradiction"]
in their statements, neither would the sects,
who maintain the contrary part, have received all, but only so
much as seemed to harmonize with themselves; nor would those,
which have parted off a portion, be utterly refuted by that
portion; so that the very fragments
cannot be hid, but declare aloud their connexion
with the whole body. And like as if thou shouldest take
any part from the side of an animal, even in that part thou
wouldest find all the things out of which the whole is
composed; --- nerves and veins, bones, arteries, and blood,
and a sample, as one might say, of the whole lump; ---
so likewise with regard to the Scriptures; in each portion
of what is there stated, one may see the connexion with the
whole clearly appearing.
Whereas, if they were in discord, neither could this have
been pointed out, and the doctrine itself had long since
been brought to nought: "for every kingdom," saith He,
.divided against itself shall not stand," [Matt. xii. 25; Mark
iii. 24; Luke xi. 17]. But now even in this shines forth the
might of the Spirit, namely, in that it prevailed on these
men, engaged as they were in those things which are more
necessary and very urgent, to take no hurt at all from these
little matters.
Now, where each one was abiding, when he wrote, it is not right
for us to affirm very positively.
But that they are not opposed to each other, this we will
endeavor to prove, throughout the whole work. And thou, in
accusing them of disagreement, art doing just the same as if
thou wert to insist upon their using the same words and forms
of speech.
9. And I do not yet say, that those likewise who glory
greatly in rhetoric and philosophy, having many of them
written many books touching the same matters, have not merely
expressed themselves differently, but have even spoken in
opposition to one another (for it is one thing to speak
differently and another to speak at variance); none of these
things do I say. Far be it from me to frame our defense from
the frenzy of those men, neither am I willing out of falsehood
to make recommendations for the truth.
But this I would be glad to inquire: how were the differing
accounts believed? how did they prevail? how was it that, while
saying opposite things, they were admired, were believed, were
celebrated everywhere in the world?
And yet the witnesses of what they said were many, and many too
were the adversaries and enemies thereof. For they did not
write these things in one corner and bury them, but everywhere,
by sea and by land, they unfolded them in the ears of all, and
these things were read in the presence of enemies, even as they
are now, and none of the things which they said offended any
one. And very naturally, for it was a divine power that pervaded
all, and made it to prosper with all men.
10. For if it had not been so, how could the publican, and the
fisherman, and the unlearned, have attained to such philosophy?
For things, which they that are without have never been able to
imagine, no not in a dream, are by these men with great certainty
both published and made convincing, and not in their lives
only, but even after death: neither to two men, nor twenty men,
nor an hundred, nor a thousand, nor ten thousand, but to cities,
nations, and people, both to land and sea, in the land both
of Greeks and barbarians, both inhabited and desert; and all
concerning things far beyond our nature. For leaving the earth,
all their discourse is concerning the things in heaven, while
they bring in unto us another principle of life, another
manner of living: both wealth and poverty, freedom and slavery,
life and death, our world and our polity, all changed.
Not like Plato, who composed that ridiculous Republic,
or Zeno, or if there be any one else that hath written a polity,
or hath framed laws. For indeed, touching all these, it hath
been made manifest by themselves, that an evil spirit, and
some cruel demon at war with our race, a foe to modesty,
and an enemy to good order, oversetting all things, hath
made his voice be heard in their soul. When, for example,
they make their women common to all, and stripping virgins
naked in the Palæstra, bring them into the gaze of men;
and when they establish secret marriages, mingling all
things together and confounding them, and overturning the
limits of nature, what else is there to say? For that these
their sayings are all inventions of devils, and contrary
to nature, even nature herself would testify, not tolerating
what we have mentioned; and this, though they write not
amidst persecutions, nor dangers, nor fightings, but
in all security and freedom, and deck it out with many
ornaments from many sources. But these doctrines of the
fishermen, chased as they were, scourged and in jeopardy,
both learned and unlearned, both bond and free, both kings
and private soldiers, both barbarians and Greeks, have
received with all good will.
11. And thou canst not say, that it was because these things
were trifling and low, that they were easily to be
received by all men: nay, for these doctrines are far
higher than those. For as to virginity, they never imagined
even the name thereof so much as in a dream, nor yet of
voluntary poverty, nor of fasting, nor of any other of those
things that are high.
But they that are of our part not only exterminate lust,
they chastise not only the act, but even an unchaste look,
and insulting language, and disorderly laughter, and dress,
and gait, and clamor, and they carry on their exactness
even to the smallest things, and have filled the whole earth
with the plant of virginity. And touching God too, and the
things in heaven, they
philosophize what no one of them was at any time able even to
so much as to conceive in his mind
For how could they, who made for gods images of beasts, and of
monsters that crawl on the earth, and of other things still
more vile?
Yet these high doctrines were both accepted and believed,
and they flourish every day and increase; but the others
have passed away, and perished, having disappeared more
easily than spiders' webs.
And very naturally, for they were demons that published these
things; wherefore besides their uncleanness, their obscurity
is great, and the labor they require greater. For what could
be more ridiculous than that .republic.
in which, besides what I have mentioned, the philosopher,
when he hath spent lines without number, that he may be able
to shew what justice is, hath over and above this prolixity
filled his discourse with much indistinctness? This, even
if it did contain anything profitable, must needs be very
useless for the life of man. For if the husbandman and
the smith, the builder and the pilot, and every one who
subsists by the labor of his hands, is to leave his trade,
and his honest toils, and is to spend such and such a
number of years in order to learn what justice is; before
he has learnt he will often times be absolutely destroyed
by hunger, and perish because of this justice, not having
learnt anything else useful to be known, and having ended
his life by a cruel death.
12. But our lessons are not such; rather Christ
hath taught us what is just, and what
is seemly, and what is expedient, and all virtue in general,
comprising it in few and plain words: at one time saying that,
"on two commandments hang the Law and the Prophets;"
[Matt. xxii. 40], that is to say, on the love of God and on
the love of our neighbor: at another time, "Whatsoever
ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them;
for this is the Law and the Prophets," [Matt. vii. 12].
And these things even to a laborer, and to a servant, and
to a widow woman, and to a very child, and to him that
appeareth to be exceedingly slow of understanding, are all
plain to comprehend and easy to learn. For the lessons of
the truth are like this; and the actual result bears witness
thereto. All at least have learned what things they are to do,
and not learned only, but been emulous also of them; and not
in the cities alone nor in the midst of the market places,
but also in the summits of the mountains.
Yea, for there wilt thou see true wisdom [literally,
"philosophy"]
abounding, and choirs of angels shining forth in a human body,
and the republic
of Heaven manifested here on earth. For a Republic
did these fishermen too write for us, not with commands that
it should be embraced from childhood, like those others,
nor making it a law that the virtuous man must be so many
years old, but addressing their discourse generally to every
age. For those lessons are children's toys, but these are
the truth of things.
And as a place for this their republic
they have assigned Heaven, and God they have brought in as the
framer thereof, and as lawgiver of the statutes
there set; as indeed was their duty. And the rewards
in their republic
are not leaves of bay nor olive, nor an allowance of meat
in the public hall, nor statues of brass, these cold and
ordinary things, but a life which hath no end, and to
become children of God, to join the angels. choir,
and to stand by the royal throne, and to be always with
Christ. And the popular guides of this
republic
are publicans, and fishermen, and tent-makers,
not such as have lived for a short time, but such as
are now living for ever. Therefore even after their death
they may possibly do the greatest good to the governed.
This republic is at war not with men, but with devils, and
those incorporeal powers. Wherefore also their captain is
no one of men, nor of angels, but God Himself. And
the armor too of these warriors suits the nature of
the warfare, for it is not formed of hides and steel,
but of truth and of righteousness, and faith, and all
true love of wisdom. [literally, "philosophy"].
13. Since then the aforesaid republic
is both the subject on which this book was written, and
it is now proposed for us to speak thereof, let us give
careful heed to Matthew, discoursing plainly concerning
this: for what he saith is not his own, but all Christ's,
who hath made the laws of this republic.
Let us give heed, I say, that we may be capable of enrolment
therein, and of shining forth among those that have already
become citizens thereof, and are awaiting those incorruptible
crowns. To many, however, this discourse seems to be easy,
while the prophetic writings are difficult. But this again
is the view of men who know not the depth of the thoughts
laid up therein. Wherefore I entreat you to follow us with
much diligence, so as to enter into the very ocean of the
things written, with Christ for our guide at this our
entering in.
But in order that the word may be the more easy to learn,
we pray and entreat you, as we have done also with respect
to the other Scriptures, to take up beforehand that portion
of the Scripture which we may be going to explain, that your
reading may prepare the way for your understanding
(as also was the case with the eunuch [Acts viii. 28]),
and so may greatly facilitate our task.
14. And this because
the questions are many and frequent. See, for instance,
at once in the beginning of his Gospel, how many
difficulties might be raised one after the other.
As first, wherefore the genealogy of Joseph is traced,
who was not father of Christ. Secondly, whence may
it be made manifest that He derives His origin from
David, while the forefathers of Mary, who bare Him,
are not known, for the Virgin's genealogy is not traced?
Thirdly, on what account Joseph's genealogy is traced,
when he had nothing to do with the birth; while with
regard to the Virgin, who was the very mother, it is
not shown of what fathers, or grandfathers, or ancestors,
she is sprung.
And along with these things, this is also worth inquiry,
wherefore it can be, that, when tracing the genealogy
through the men, he hath mentioned women also; and why
since he determined upon doing this, he yet did not
mention them all, but passing over the more eminent,
such as Sarah, Rebecca, and as many as are like them,
he hath brought forward only them that are famed for
some bad thing; as, for instance, if any was a harlot,
or an adulteress, or a mother by an unlawful marriage,
if any was a stranger or barbarian. For he hath made
mention of the wife of Uriah, and of Thamar, and of
Rahab, and of Ruth, of whom one was of a strange race,
another an harlot, another was defiled by her near
kinsman, and with him not in the form of marriage,
but by a stolen intercourse, when she had put
on herself the mask of an harlot; and touching the
wife of Uriah no one is ignorant, by reason of the
notoriety of the crime. And yet the evangelist hath
passed by all the rest, and inserted in the genealogy
these alone. Whereas, if women were to be mentioned,
all ought to be so; if not all but some, then those
famed in the way of virtue, not for evil deeds.
See you how much care is required of us straightway
in the first beginning? and yet the beginning seems
to be plainer than the rest; to many perhaps even superfluous,
as being a mere numbering of names.
After this, another point again is worth inquiry; wherefore
he hath omitted three kings. For if, because they were
exceeding ungodly, he therefore passed by their names
in silence, neither should he have mentioned the others,
that were like them.
And this again is another question; why, after having spoken
of fourteen generations, he hath not in the third division
maintained the number.
And wherefore Luke hath made mention of other names,
and not only not all of them the same, but also many
more of them, while Matthew hath both fewer and different,
though he too hath ended with Joseph, with whom Luke
likewise concluded.
Ye see how much wakeful attention is needed on our part,
not only for explanation, but even that we may learn what
things we have to explain. For neither is this a little matter,
to be able to find out the difficulties; there being also
this other hard point, how Elizabeth, who was of the Levitical
tribe, was kinswoman to Mary.
15. But that we may not overload your memory, by stringing
many things together, here let us stay our discourse
for a time. For it is enough for you in order that ye be
thoroughly roused, that you learn
the questions only. But if ye long for
their solution also, this again depends on yourselves,
before we speak. For if I see you thoroughly awakened,
and longing to learn, I will endeavor to add the solution
also; but if gaping and not attending, I will conceal both
the difficulties, and their solution, in obedience to a
divine law. For, saith He, "Give not the holy things to the dogs,
neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they
trample them under their feet," [cf. Matt. vii. 6].
But who is he that tramples them under foot? He that doth
not account these things precious, and venerable. And who,
it may be asked, is so wretched as not to esteem these things
venerable, and more precious than all? He who doth not bestow on
them so much leisure as on the harlot women in the theatres of
Satan. For there the multitude pass the whole day, and give
up not a few of their domestic concerns for the sake of this
unseasonable employment, and they retain with exactness
whatever they have heard, and this though it be to the
injury of their souls, that they keep it. But here, where
God is speaking, they will not bear to tarry even a little
time.
Therefore, let me warn you, we have nothing in common with
Heaven, but our citizenship [politeia, the same word
as "republic"] goes no further
than words. And yet because of this, God hath threatened even
hell, not in order to cast us therein, but that He might persuade
us to flee this grievous tyranny. But we do the opposite, and
run each day the way that leads thither, and while God is
commanding us not only to hear, but also to do what He saith,
we do not submit so much as to hearken.
When then, I pray thee, are we to do what is commanded, and to
put our hand to the works, if we do not endure so much as to hear
the words that relate to them, but are impatient and restless about
the time we stay here, although it be exceedingly short?
Reflect then how great an evil it is for us,
who ought to live so purely as not even to need written
words, but to yield up our hearts, as books, to the Spirit;
now that we have lost that honor, and are come to have
need of these, to fail again in duly employing even this
second remedy. For if it be a blame to stand in need of
written words, and not to have brought down on ourselves
the grace of the Spirit; consider how heavy the charge of
not choosing to profit even after this assistance, but
rather treating what is written with neglect, as if it
were cast forth without purpose, and at random, and so
bringing down upon ourselves our punishment with increase
[lit., "that is greater"].
But that no such effect may ensue, let us give strict
heed unto the things that are written; and let us learn
how the Old Law was given on the one hand, how on the other
the New Covenant.
How then was that law given in time past, and when, and where?
After the destruction of the Egyptians, in the wilderness, on
Mount Sinai, when smoke and fire were rising up out of the mountain,
a trumpet sounding, thunders and lightnings, and Moses entering
into the very cloud. But in the new covenant not so,
--- neither in a wilderness, nor in a mountain, nor with smoke
and darkness and cloud and tempest; but at the beginning of the
day, in a house, while all were sitting together, with great
quietness, all took place. For to those, being more unreasonable,
and hard to guide, there was need of outward pomp,
as of a wilderness, a mountain, a smoke, a sound of trumpet,
and the other like things: but they who were of a higher
character, and submissive, and who had risen above
mere corporeal imaginations.
Yea, for it was removal of punishment, and remission of sins,
and "righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption,"
[cf. 1 Cor. i. 30] and adoption, and an inheritance of Heaven,
and a relationship unto the Son of God, which he came declaring
unto all; to enemies,
to the perverse, to them that were sitting in darkness.
What then could ever be equal to these good tidings?
God on earth, man in Heaven; and all became mingled together,
angels joined the choirs of men, men had fellowship with the
angels, and with the other powers above: and one might see the
long war brought to an end, and reconciliation made between God
and our nature,
the devil brought to shame, demons in flight, death destroyed,
Paradise opened, the curse blotted out, sin put out of the way,
error driven off, truth returning, the word of godliness
everywhere sown, and flourishing in its growth, the polity
of those above planted on the earth, those powers in secure
intercourse with us, and on earth angels continually haunting,
and hope abundant touching things to come.
And why can it have been, that when there were so many
disciples, two write only from among the apostles, and two
from among their followers? (For one that was a disciple of
Paul, and another of Peter, together with Matthew and John,
wrote the Gospels.) It was because they did nothing for
vainglory, but all things for use.
"What then? Was not one evangelist sufficient to tell all?"
One indeed was sufficient; but if there be four that write,
not at the same times, nor in the same places, neither after
having met together, and conversed one with another, and then
they speak all things as it were out of one mouth, this becomes
a very great demonstration of the truth.