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038 - Homily 21 - Romans 124-5 · Homilies on Romans

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  Speaker 1: Homily twenty one of Homilie's on Romans by John Chrysostom,
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  Speaker 1: translated by J. B. Morris. This LIBRIVANX recording is in
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  Speaker 1: the public domain. Homily twenty one, Romans twelve, Verses four
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  Speaker 1: and five. For as we have many members in one body,
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  Speaker 1: and all members have not the same office, so we,
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  Speaker 1: being many, are one body in Christ, and every one
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  Speaker 1: members one of another. Again he uses the same example
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  Speaker 1: as he does to the Corinthians, and that to allay
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  Speaker 1: the same passion. For great is the power of the
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  Speaker 1: medicine and the force of this illustration for the correcting
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  Speaker 1: of this disease of haughtiness. Why he means, dost thou
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  Speaker 1: think highly of thyself? Or why again does another utterly
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  Speaker 1: despise himself? Are we not all one body, both great
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  Speaker 1: and small? When then we are in the total number
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  Speaker 1: but one, and members one of another. Why dost thou,
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  Speaker 1: by thy haughtiness separate thyself? Why dost thou put thy
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  Speaker 1: brother to shame? For as he is a member of thee,
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  Speaker 1: so art thou also of him. And it is on
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  Speaker 1: this score that your claims to honor are so equal.
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  Speaker 1: For he has stated two things that might take down
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  Speaker 1: their haughty spirit. One that we are members one of another,
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  Speaker 1: not the small of the great only, but also the
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  Speaker 1: great of the small. And another that we are all
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  Speaker 1: one body. Or rather, there are three points, since he
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  Speaker 1: shows that the gift was also one. Therefore, be not
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  Speaker 1: high minded, for it was given thee of God. Thou
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  Speaker 1: didst not take it nor find it even. Hence too,
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  Speaker 1: when he touches upon the gifts, he does not say
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  Speaker 1: that one received more and another less, But what different?
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  Speaker 1: For his words are having then gifts not less and greater,
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  Speaker 1: but differing. And what if thou art not appointed to
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  Speaker 1: the same office? Still the body is the same. And
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  Speaker 1: beginning with gifts, he ends with good deeds. And so
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  Speaker 1: after mentioning prophecy and ministry and the like, he concludes
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  Speaker 1: with mercy and diligence and succor. Since then it was
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  Speaker 1: likely that some would be virtuous yet not have prophecy.
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  Speaker 1: He shows how that this too is a gift, and
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  Speaker 1: a much greater one than the other, as he shows
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  Speaker 1: in the Epistle to the Corinthians, and so much the greater,
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  Speaker 1: as that one has a reward, the other is devoid
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  Speaker 1: of a recompense, for the whole is a matter of
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  Speaker 1: gift and grace. Wherefore he saith verse six, having then
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  Speaker 1: gifts differing according to the grace that is given unto us,
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  Speaker 1: where the prophecy let Us prophesy according to the proportion
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  Speaker 1: of faith. Since then he had sufficiently comforted them, he
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  Speaker 1: wishes also to make them vie with each other and
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  Speaker 1: labor more in earnest by showing that it is themselves
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  Speaker 1: that give the grounds for their receiving more or less.
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  Speaker 1: For he says, indeed that it is given by God.
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  Speaker 1: As when he says, according as God hath dealt to
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  Speaker 1: every man the matter of faith, and again according to
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  Speaker 1: the grace given unto us, that he may subdue the haughty,
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  Speaker 1: and he says that the beginnings lie with themselves to
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  Speaker 1: rouse the listless. And this he does in the epistles
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  Speaker 1: the Corinthians also to produce both these emotions. For when
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  Speaker 1: he saith covet earnestly the gifts, he shows that they
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  Speaker 1: were themselves the cause of the differences in what was given.
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  Speaker 1: But when he says, now all these things worketh one
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  Speaker 1: the self same spirit, dividing to every man severally as
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  Speaker 1: he will, he is proving that those who have received
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  Speaker 1: it ought not to be elated, So using every way
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  Speaker 1: open to him, to allay their disorder. And this he
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  Speaker 1: does here also and again to rouse those who have
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  Speaker 1: fallen drowsy. He says, without prophecy let Us prophesy according
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  Speaker 1: to the proportion of faith. For though it is a grace,
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  Speaker 1: yet it is not poured forth at random, but framing
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  Speaker 1: its measure according to the recipients, it letteth as much
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  Speaker 1: flow as it may find the vessel of faith that
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  Speaker 1: is brought to be capable of Verse seven. Or ministry,
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  Speaker 1: let us wait on our ministering. Here he names a
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  Speaker 1: comprehensive thing for the apostleship even is called a ministry,
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  Speaker 1: and every good will work of the spirit is a ministry.
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  Speaker 1: This is indeed a name of a peculiar office. Here, however,
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  Speaker 1: it is used in a general sense. Or he that
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  Speaker 1: teacheth on teaching, See with what indifference he places them,
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  Speaker 1: the little first and the great afterwards, again giving us
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  Speaker 1: the same lesson not to be puffed up or elated
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  Speaker 1: verse eight. Or he that exhorteth on exhortation. And this
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  Speaker 1: is a species of teaching, too, For if you have
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  Speaker 1: any word of exhortation, it says, speak unto the people. Then,
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  Speaker 1: to show that it is no great good to follow
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  Speaker 1: after virtue unless this is done with the proper rule
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  Speaker 1: he proceeds. He that giveth, let him do it with simplicity,
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  Speaker 1: For it is not enough to give, but we must
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  Speaker 1: do it with munificence. Also, for this constantly answereth to
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  Speaker 1: the name of simplicity, since even the virgins had oil. Still,
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  Speaker 1: since they had not enough, they were cast out from everything.
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  Speaker 1: He that defendeth with diligence, for it is not enough
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  Speaker 1: to undertake the defense unless he do it with thither
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  Speaker 1: diligence and zeal. He that showeth mercy with cheerfulness. For
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  Speaker 1: it is not enough to show mercy, but it behooves
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  Speaker 1: us to do it with a largeness and an ungrudging spirit,
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  Speaker 1: or rather not with an ungrudging but even with a
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  Speaker 1: cheerful and rejoicing one, for not grudging does not amount
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  Speaker 1: to rejoicing. And this same point, when his writing to
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  Speaker 1: the Corinthians, also he insisted very strongly upon for to
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  Speaker 1: rouse them to such largeness, he said, he that soeth
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  Speaker 1: sparingly shall reap all so sparingly, And he which soeth
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  Speaker 1: bountifully shall reap bountifully, but to correct their temper, he added,
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  Speaker 1: not grudgingly or of necessity, for both the shower of
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  Speaker 1: mercy ought to have both ungrudgingness and pleasure. And why
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  Speaker 1: dost thou bemoan thyself of giving alms? Why dost thou
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  Speaker 1: grieve at showing mercy and lose the advantage of the
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  Speaker 1: good deed. For if thou grievest, thou dost not do mercy,
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  Speaker 1: but art cruel and inhuman. For if thou grievest, how
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  Speaker 1: shalt thou be able to raise up him that is
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  Speaker 1: in sorrow? For it is much if he suspect no ill,
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  Speaker 1: even when thou art giving with joyfulness. For since nothing
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  Speaker 1: seems to mend such a disgrace as to be receiving
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  Speaker 1: from others, unless by an exceeding thee cheerful look, thou
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  Speaker 1: removest the suspicion and ShoWest that thou art receiving, rather
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  Speaker 1: than giving, Thou wilt even cast down the receiver rather
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  Speaker 1: than raise him up. This is why he says, he
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  Speaker 1: that showeth mercy with cheerfulness. For who that is receiving
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  Speaker 1: a kingdom is of sad countenance. Who that is receiving
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  Speaker 1: pardon for his sins continueth of dejected Look mind not
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  Speaker 1: then the expenditure of the money, but the increase that
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  Speaker 1: cometh of that expenditure. For if he that soweth rejoiceth,
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  Speaker 1: though sowing with uncertainty of return, much more should he
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  Speaker 1: do so that farms the heaven. For in this way,
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  Speaker 1: even though thou give but little, thou wilt be giving much,
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  Speaker 1: even as how muchsoever thou givest with a sad countenance,
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  Speaker 1: thou wilt have made thy much a little. Thus the
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  Speaker 1: widow outweighed many talents by the two mts, for her
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  Speaker 1: spirit was large. And how is it possible? It may
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  Speaker 1: be said, for one that dwells with poverty in the
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  Speaker 1: extreme and empties forth his all to do this with
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  Speaker 1: a ready mind, ask the widow, and thou wilt hear
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  Speaker 1: the way, and wilt know that it is not poverty
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  Speaker 1: that makes narrow circumstances, but the temper of a man
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  Speaker 1: that affects both this and its opposite. For it is
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  Speaker 1: possible even in poverty to be munificent, and in riches
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  Speaker 1: to be niggardly. Hence, in giving he looks for simplicity,
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  Speaker 1: and in showing mercy for cheerfulness, and in patronizing for diligence.
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  Speaker 1: For it is not with money only that he wishes
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  Speaker 1: us to render every assistance to those in want, but
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  Speaker 1: both with words and deeds, and in person, and in
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  Speaker 1: every other way. And after mentioning the chief kind of
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  Speaker 1: aiding that which lies in teaching, namely, and that of exhorting,
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  Speaker 1: for this is a more necessary kind, in that it
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  Speaker 1: nurtures the soul, he proceeds to that by way of
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  Speaker 1: money and all other means. Then, to show how these
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  Speaker 1: may be practiced, a rite he bringeth in the mother
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  Speaker 1: of them. Love. Thus nine, let love be without dissimulation,
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  Speaker 1: he says. If thou hast this, thou wilt not perceive
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  Speaker 1: the loss of thy money, the labor of thy person,
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  Speaker 1: the toil of thy words, thy trouble, and thy ministering.
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  Speaker 1: But thou wilt bear all courageously, whether it be with
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  Speaker 1: person or money, or wode, or any other thing whatsoever,
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  Speaker 1: that thou art to assist thy neighbor. As then he
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  Speaker 1: doth not ask forgiving only but that with simplicity, not aiding,
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  Speaker 1: but that with diligence nor alms, but that with cheerfulness,
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  Speaker 1: so even love too, he requires not alone, but that
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  Speaker 1: without dissimulation, since this is what love is. And if
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  Speaker 1: a man have this, everything else follows. For he that
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  Speaker 1: showeth mercy and doth so with cheerfulness, for he is
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  Speaker 1: giving to himself, And he that aideth aideth with diligence,
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  Speaker 1: for it is for himself he is aiding. And he
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  Speaker 1: that imparteth doth this with largeness, for he is bestowing
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  Speaker 1: it on himself. Then, since there is a love even
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  Speaker 1: for ill things, such as is that of the intemperate,
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  Speaker 1: that of those who are of one mind for money,
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  Speaker 1: and for plunder's sake, and for revels and drinking clubs,
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  Speaker 1: he clears it of all these by saying, abhor that
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  Speaker 1: which is evil. And he does not speak of refraining
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  Speaker 1: from it, but of abhorring it, that is, hating it,
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  Speaker 1: and hating it exceedingly. For this word Abo is often
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  Speaker 1: of intensive force with him, as where he speaks of
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  Speaker 1: earnest expectation. Footnote Apo gaira Dogia, Romans, eight verse nineteen.
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  Speaker 1: In footnote looking out for footnote apec Dechomenu, Romans eight
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  Speaker 1: verse twenty three, and footnote complete redemption. Footnote apolutrosis Romans eight,
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  Speaker 1: verse twenty four see at loke ononly fourteen, page two
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  Speaker 1: hundred and forty eight. En footnote. For since many who
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  Speaker 1: do not evil think still have a desire after them.
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  Speaker 1: Therefore he says abhor. But what he wants is to
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  Speaker 1: purify the thought, and that we should have a mighty enmity, hatred,
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  Speaker 1: and war against vice. For do not fancy he means,
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  Speaker 1: because I have said love one another, that I mean
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  Speaker 1: you to go so far as to co operate, even
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  Speaker 1: in bad actions with one another. For the law that
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  Speaker 1: I am laying down is just the reverse, since it
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  Speaker 1: would have you an alien, not from the action only,
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  Speaker 1: but even from the inclination towards vice, and not merely
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  Speaker 1: an alien from this same inclination, but to have an
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  Speaker 1: excessive aversion and hatred of it too. And he is
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  Speaker 1: not content with only this, But he also odes the
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  Speaker 1: practice of virtue cleave to that which is good. He
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  Speaker 1: does not speak of doing only, but of being disposed too.
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  Speaker 1: For this the command to cleave to it indicates. So God,
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  Speaker 1: when he knit the man to the woman, said, for
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  Speaker 1: he shall cleave to his wife. Then he mentions reasons
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  Speaker 1: why we ought to love one another. Verse ten, be
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  Speaker 1: kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love. Ye are brethren,
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  Speaker 1: he means, and have come of the same pangs. Hence,
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  Speaker 1: even on this head you ought to love one another.
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  Speaker 1: And this Moses said to those who are quarreling in Egypt,
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  Speaker 1: ye are brethren. Why do ye wrong one to another?
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  Speaker 1: When then he is speaking of those without, he says,
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  Speaker 1: if it be possible, as much as in you lieth,
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  Speaker 1: live peaceably with all men. But when he is speaking
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  Speaker 1: of his own, he says, be kindly affectioned one to another,
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  Speaker 1: with brotherly love. For in the other case he requires
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  Speaker 1: abstinence from quarreling and hatred and aversion. But here loving too,
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  Speaker 1: and not merely loving, but the loving of relatives. For
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  Speaker 1: not only must one's love be without dissimulation, but intense
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  Speaker 1: also and warm and glowing. Because to what purpose would
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  Speaker 1: you love without fraud, and not love with warmth. Whence
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  Speaker 1: he says, kindly affectioned one towards another, that is, be
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  Speaker 1: friends and warm ones too. Do not wait to be
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  Speaker 1: loved by another, but leap at it thyself, and be
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  Speaker 1: the first to begin it. For so wilt thou reap
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  Speaker 1: the wages of his love. Also, having mentioned the reason
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  Speaker 1: then why we ought to love one another, he tells
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  Speaker 1: us also the way in which the affection may grow unchangeable.
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  Speaker 1: Whence he proceeds in honor preferring one another. For this
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  Speaker 1: is the way that affection is produced, and also when
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  Speaker 1: produced abideth. And there is nothing which makes friends so
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  Speaker 1: much as the honest endeavor to overcome one's neighbor in
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  Speaker 1: honoring him. For what he had mentioned before comes of love,
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  Speaker 1: and love of honor, as honor does too of love,
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  Speaker 1: then that we may not honor only he looks for
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  Speaker 1: something besides when he says verse eleven, not backward in zeal,
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  Speaker 1: for this also genderous love. When with honor we also
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  Speaker 1: show a readiness to protect, as there is nothing that
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  Speaker 1: makes men beloved so much as honor and forethought, for
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  Speaker 1: to love is not enough, but there must be this also,
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  Speaker 1: or rather this also comes of loving, as also loving
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  Speaker 1: has its warmth. From this, they are confirmative one of another,
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  Speaker 1: For there are many that love in mind, yet reach
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  Speaker 1: not forth the hand. And this is why he uses
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  Speaker 1: every means to build up love. And how are we
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  Speaker 1: to become not backward in zeal fervent in spirit. See
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  Speaker 1: how in every instance he aims after higher degrees. For
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  Speaker 1: he does not say give only but with largeness, nor rule,
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  Speaker 1: but do it with diligence, nor show mercy, but do
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  Speaker 1: it with cheerfulness. Nor honor, but prefer one another. Nor love,
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  Speaker 1: but do it without dissimilation. Nor refrain from evil things
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  Speaker 1: but hate them. Nor hold to what is good, but
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  Speaker 1: cleave to it. Nor love, but do it with brotherly affection.
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  Speaker 1: Nor be zealous, but be so without backwardness. Nor have
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  Speaker 1: the spirit, but have it fervent, that is that he
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  Speaker 1: may be warm and awakened. For if thou hast these
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  Speaker 1: things aforesaid, thou wilt draw the Spirit to THEE. And
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  Speaker 1: if this abide with THEE, it will likewise make THEE
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  Speaker 1: good for those per and all things will be easy
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  Speaker 1: from the spirit and the love. While thou art made
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  Speaker 1: to glow from both sides. Dost thou not see the
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  Speaker 1: bulls that carry a flame upon their back, how nobody
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  Speaker 1: is able to withstand them. So thou also wilt be
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  Speaker 1: more than the devil can sustain. If thou takest both
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  Speaker 1: these flames, serving the Lord. For it is possible to
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  Speaker 1: serve God in all these ways, in that whatever thou
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  Speaker 1: doest to thy Master, and as having been himself benefited,
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  Speaker 1: he will reckon thy reward accordingly. See to what height
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  Speaker 1: he has raised the spirit of the man that worketh
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  Speaker 1: these things. Then, to show how the flame of the
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  Speaker 1: spirit might be kindled, he says verse twelve, rejoicing in hope,
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  Speaker 1: patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer, for all these
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  Speaker 1: things our fuel for that fire. For when he had
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  Speaker 1: required the expenditure of money, and the labor of the person,
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  Speaker 1: and ruling, and zeal and teaching, and other laborious occupations,
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  Speaker 1: he again supples the wrestler with love with the spirit
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  Speaker 1: through hope. For there is nothing which makes the sol
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  Speaker 1: so courageous and venturesome for anything as a good hope. Then,
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  Speaker 1: even before the good things hoped for, he gives another
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  Speaker 1: reward again, For since hope is of things to come,
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  Speaker 1: he says, patient in tribulation, and before the things to
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  Speaker 1: come in this present life, thou wilt gain a great
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  Speaker 1: good from tribulation, that of becoming hardy and tried. And
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  Speaker 1: after this he affords them another hope when he says,
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  Speaker 1: continuing instant in prayer. When therefore love maketh things easy,
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  Speaker 1: and the spirit assisteth and hope, lightness and tribulation maketh
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  Speaker 1: thie tried and apt for bearing everything nobly, And thou
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  Speaker 1: hast along with these another very great weapon to it,
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  Speaker 1: prayer and the aidences that come of prayer. What further
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  Speaker 1: grievousness can there be in what he is enjoining? Surely none.
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  Speaker 1: You see how in every way he gives the wrestler
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  Speaker 1: firm footing and shows that the injunctions are perfectly easy.
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  Speaker 1: Consider again how he vindicates alms giving, or rather not
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  Speaker 1: alms giving absolutely, but that to the saints. For above,
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  Speaker 1: when he says he that showeth must see with cheerfulness,
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  Speaker 1: he makes us open handed to everybody here. However, it
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  Speaker 1: is in behalf of the faithful that he is speaking.
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  Speaker 1: And so he proceeds to say Verus thirteen. Sharing with
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  Speaker 1: the necessity of the saints. He does not say bestow upon,
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  Speaker 1: but share with the necessity of the saints, to show
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  Speaker 1: that they receive more than they give, that it is
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  Speaker 1: a matter of merchandise, because it is a community. Do
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  Speaker 1: you bring in money they bring you Boldness towards God
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  Speaker 1: given to hospitality. He does not say doing it, but
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  Speaker 1: given to it so to instruct us not to wait
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  Speaker 1: for those that shall ask it, and see when they
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  Speaker 1: will come to us, but run to them and be
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  Speaker 1: given to finding them. Thus did Lot, thus Abraham, for
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  Speaker 1: he spent the whole day upon it, waiting for his
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  Speaker 1: goodly pray, And when he saw it, leapt on it
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  Speaker 1: and ran to meet them, and worshiped upon the ground,
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  Speaker 1: and said, my Lord, if now I have found favor
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  Speaker 1: in thy sight, pass not away from thy servant, not
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  Speaker 1: as we do. If we happen to see a stranger
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  Speaker 1: or a poor man knitting our brows, and not deigning
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  Speaker 1: even to speak to them. And if after thousands of entreaties,
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  Speaker 1: we are softened and bid the servant give them a trifle,
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  Speaker 1: we think we have quite done our duty. But he
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  Speaker 1: did not so, but assumed the fashion of a suppliant
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  Speaker 1: and a servant, though he did not know who he
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  Speaker 1: was going to take under his roof. But we, who
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  Speaker 1: have clear information that it is Christ whom we take in,
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  Speaker 1: do not grow gentle even for this. But he both
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  Speaker 1: beseeches and entreats, and falls on his knees to them.
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  Speaker 1: Yet we insult those that come to us, and he
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  Speaker 1: indeed did all by himself and his wife, whereas we
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  Speaker 1: do it not even by our attendants. But if you
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  Speaker 1: have a mind to see the table that he set
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  Speaker 1: before them, there too you will see great bounteousness, not
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  Speaker 1: such as the temper for superfluous display occasions, but what
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  Speaker 1: the riches of a ready will does. Yet, how many
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  Speaker 1: rich persons were they not? Then still none did anything
• 17:52
  Speaker 1: of the kind. How many widows were there in Israel,
• 17:55
  Speaker 1: yet none showed hospitality to Elijah. How many wealthy persons
• 17:59
  Speaker 1: again were not in Elisia's day by the Shuna might
• 18:02
  Speaker 1: alone gathered in the fruits of hospitality, as did Abraham
• 18:06
  Speaker 1: also then with largeness and ready mind. And on this
• 18:09
  Speaker 1: ground it deserves one's admiration most that when he had
• 18:12
  Speaker 1: no knowledge who they were that had come, yet he
• 18:15
  Speaker 1: so acted. Do not thou then be curious either, since
• 18:19
  Speaker 1: for Christ thou dost receive him. And if thou art
• 18:22
  Speaker 1: always so scrupulous, many a time wilt thou pass by
• 18:26
  Speaker 1: a man of esteem and lose thy reward from him?
• 18:29
  Speaker 1: And yet he that receiveth one that is not of esteem,
• 18:32
  Speaker 1: hath no fault found with him, but is even rewarded
• 18:35
  Speaker 1: for he that receiveth a profit in the name of
• 18:37
  Speaker 1: a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward. But he who,
• 18:41
  Speaker 1: out of this ill timed scrupulousness passeth one that should
• 18:44
  Speaker 1: be admired, shall even suffer punishment. Do not then busy
• 18:48
  Speaker 1: thyself with men's lives and doings, For this is the
• 18:51
  Speaker 1: very extreme of nakedliness. For one loave to be exact
• 18:55
  Speaker 1: about a man's entire life. For if this person be
• 18:58
  Speaker 1: a murderer, if a robber, or what not, does he
• 19:01
  Speaker 1: therefore seem to thee not to deserve a loaf and
• 19:04
  Speaker 1: a few pence. And yet thy master causeth even the
• 19:07
  Speaker 1: sun to rise upon him, and dost thou judge him
• 19:10
  Speaker 1: unworthy of food even for a day. I will put
• 19:12
  Speaker 1: another case to you. Besides, now, even if you were
• 19:15
  Speaker 1: positively certain that you were laden with countless iniquities, not
• 19:19
  Speaker 1: even then wouldst thou have an excuse for depriving him
• 19:22
  Speaker 1: of this day's sustenance. For thou art the servant of
• 19:25
  Speaker 1: him who said, ye know not what spirit ye are of.
• 19:30
  Speaker 1: Thou art servant to him who healed those that stoned him,
• 19:32
  Speaker 1: or rather who was crucified for them. And do not
• 19:35
  Speaker 1: tell me that he killed another. For even if he
• 19:38
  Speaker 1: were going to kill thee thyself, even then thou shalt
• 19:41
  Speaker 1: not neglect him when starving. For thou art a disciple
• 19:44
  Speaker 1: of him who desired the salvation, even of them that
• 19:47
  Speaker 1: crucified him, who said, upon the cross itself, Father, forgive them,
• 19:51
  Speaker 1: for they know not what they do. Thou art the
• 19:54
  Speaker 1: servant of Him who healed him that smote him, who
• 19:56
  Speaker 1: upon the cross itself, crowned the man who had scorned him.
• 20:00
  Speaker 1: And what can equal this? For both the robbers at
• 20:02
  Speaker 1: the first scorned him. Still to one of these he
• 20:05
  Speaker 1: opened paradise, and he bewails those who were upon the
• 20:09
  Speaker 1: point of killing him, And is troubled and confounded at
• 20:11
  Speaker 1: seeing the traitor, not because he was going to be crucified,
• 20:15
  Speaker 1: but because he was lost. He was troubled then, as
• 20:18
  Speaker 1: having fore knowledge of the hanging and the punishment after
• 20:20
  Speaker 1: the hanging. And though he knew his wickedness, he bore
• 20:24
  Speaker 1: with it to the last hour, and thrust not away
• 20:26
  Speaker 1: the traitor, but even kissed him. Thy master kisseth, and
• 20:30
  Speaker 1: with his lips receiveth him who was on the very
• 20:32
  Speaker 1: point of shedding his precious blood. And dost thou count
• 20:35
  Speaker 1: the poor not worthy even of a loaf, and reverences
• 20:38
  Speaker 1: not the law which Christ laid down. Now by this
• 20:42
  Speaker 1: he shows that we ought not to turn aside, not
• 20:44
  Speaker 1: only from the poor, but not even from those that
• 20:48
  Speaker 1: would lead us away to death. Do not tell me
• 20:51
  Speaker 1: then that so and so hath done me grievous mischief.
• 20:54
  Speaker 1: But just consider what Christ did near the cross itself,
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: wishing to amend by his kiss the traitor by whom
• 20:59
  Speaker 1: he was on the point of being betrayed. And see
• 21:02
  Speaker 1: with how much power to shame him? For he says,
• 21:05
  Speaker 1: judas betrayest thou the son of man with a kiss?
• 21:09
  Speaker 1: Who is there he would not have softened? Who is
• 21:12
  Speaker 1: there that this address would not have made, yielding what beast,
• 21:15
  Speaker 1: what adamant he had not that wretched man? Do not
• 21:19
  Speaker 1: then say that such an one murdered such an one,
• 21:22
  Speaker 1: And that is why I turn aside from him. For
• 21:24
  Speaker 1: even if he were upon the point of thrusting a
• 21:27
  Speaker 1: sword down into thee and to plunge his hand into
• 21:29
  Speaker 1: thy neck itself, kiss this very right hand, Since even
• 21:33
  Speaker 1: Christ kissed that mouth which roared his death. And therefore
• 21:36
  Speaker 1: do not thou either hate, but bewail and pity him
• 21:39
  Speaker 1: that plotteth against THEE. For such an one deserveth pity
• 21:42
  Speaker 1: at our hands and tears. For we are the servant
• 21:45
  Speaker 1: of him who kissed even the traitor I wilt not
• 21:48
  Speaker 1: leave off dwelling over that continually spoke words unto him
• 21:52
  Speaker 1: more gentle than the kiss, For he did not even say, O, thou,
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: foul and villainous traitor? Is this the sort of recompense
• 22:00
  Speaker 1: returnest us for so great a benefit? But in what words?
• 22:04
  Speaker 1: Judas using his own name, which is more like a
• 22:07
  Speaker 1: person bemoaning and recalling him than one wrath at him?
• 22:11
  Speaker 1: And he does not say thy teacher, thy master and benefactor,
• 22:15
  Speaker 1: but the son of man, for though he were neither
• 22:18
  Speaker 1: teacher nor master. Yet is it with one who is
• 22:20
  Speaker 1: so gently, so unfeignedly affected towards THEE as even to
• 22:24
  Speaker 1: kiss THEE at the time of betrayal? And that when
• 22:27
  Speaker 1: he kissed, too, is the signal for the betrayal? Is
• 22:30
  Speaker 1: it with him that thou playest the traitor's part? Blessed
• 22:33
  Speaker 1: art thou, o Lord, what lowliness of mind? What forbearance
• 22:37
  Speaker 1: hast thou given us examples of? And to him he
• 22:40
  Speaker 1: is so behaved? But to those who came with staves
• 22:43
  Speaker 1: and swords to him? Was it not so too? What
• 22:47
  Speaker 1: can be more gentle than the words spoken to them?
• 22:50
  Speaker 1: For when he had power to demolish them all in
• 22:52
  Speaker 1: an instant, he did nothing of the kind, But as expostulating,
• 22:56
  Speaker 1: addressed them in the words, have ye come out us
• 22:58
  Speaker 1: against a thief with swords and staves? And having cast
• 23:02
  Speaker 1: them down backwards, as they continued insensible, he of his
• 23:05
  Speaker 1: own accord gave himself out next and forebore, while he
• 23:08
  Speaker 1: saw them putting manacles upon his holy hands. While he
• 23:12
  Speaker 1: had the power at once to confound all things and
• 23:14
  Speaker 1: overthrow them. But dost thou, even after this deal fiercely
• 23:18
  Speaker 1: with the poor, And even were he guilty of ten
• 23:20
  Speaker 1: thousand sins, want and famine were enough to soften down
• 23:24
  Speaker 1: a soul, ever so blunted. But thou standest brutalized and
• 23:27
  Speaker 1: imitating the rage of lions. Yet they never taste of
• 23:31
  Speaker 1: dead bodies. But thou, while thou seest him a very
• 23:34
  Speaker 1: corpse for distresses, yet leapest upon him now that he
• 23:38
  Speaker 1: is down, and tearest his body by thine insults, and
• 23:41
  Speaker 1: gatherest storm after storm, and making him as he is
• 23:44
  Speaker 1: fleeing to the haven for refuge, to split upon a
• 23:47
  Speaker 1: rock and bringest a shipwreck about more distressing than those
• 23:50
  Speaker 1: in the sea. And how wilt thou say to God,
• 23:53
  Speaker 1: have mercy upon me, and ask of him remission of
• 23:55
  Speaker 1: sins when thou art insolent to one who hath done
• 23:59
  Speaker 1: no sin, and callest him to account for this hunger
• 24:02
  Speaker 1: and great necessity? And throwest all the brute beasts into
• 24:04
  Speaker 1: the shade by thy cruelty, For they, indeed, by the
• 24:08
  Speaker 1: compulsion of their belly, lay hold of the food needful
• 24:10
  Speaker 1: for them. But thou, when nothing either thrust thee on
• 24:14
  Speaker 1: or compels thee, devourst thy brother, bitest and tearest him,
• 24:18
  Speaker 1: if not with thy teeth, yet with words that bite more,
• 24:21
  Speaker 1: cutting thee. How then wilt thou receive the sacred host
• 24:25
  Speaker 1: when thou hast impurpled thy tongue in human gore? How
• 24:28
  Speaker 1: give the kiss of peace with mouth gorged with war? Nay,
• 24:32
  Speaker 1: how enjoy even common nourishment? When thou art gathering so
• 24:35
  Speaker 1: much venom thou dost not relieve thee poverty? Why make
• 24:40
  Speaker 1: it even more grinding? Thou dost not lift up him
• 24:43
  Speaker 1: that is fallen? Why throw him down. Also, thou dost
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: not remove despondency, why even increase it? Thou givest no money,
• 24:51
  Speaker 1: why use insulting words? Besides, hast thou not heard? What
• 24:55
  Speaker 1: punishment they suffer that feed not the poor? To what
• 24:58
  Speaker 1: vengeance they are condemned for? He says, depart to the
• 25:01
  Speaker 1: fire prepared for the devil and his angels. And if
• 25:04
  Speaker 1: they that feed not are so condemned, what punishment are
• 25:07
  Speaker 1: they to suffer? Who, besides not feeding, even insult What
• 25:11
  Speaker 1: punishment shall they undergo? What heil that we kindle not
• 25:15
  Speaker 1: so great evils against ourselves, whilst we have it in
• 25:18
  Speaker 1: our power. Let us correct this evil complaint also, and
• 25:21
  Speaker 1: put a bridle on the tongue. And let us be
• 25:23
  Speaker 1: so far from insulting as even to invite them, both
• 25:26
  Speaker 1: by words and actions, that by laying up much mercy
• 25:29
  Speaker 1: for ourselves, we may obtain the blessings promised us, which
• 25:32
  Speaker 1: God ground that we may all attain unto by His
• 25:35
  Speaker 1: grace and love towards Man et cetera. End of Section
• 25:39
  Speaker 1: thirty eight