Truth And Treachery

Quod dico vobis in tenebris, dicite in lumine: et nolite timere eos, qui occidunt corpus. Ne forte timorem mortis non libere dicatis quod audistis: nec fiducialiter praedicetis in omnibus, quod in aure soli audistis. Sic ergo ex his verbis ostenditur, quod non solum ille proditor est veritatis, qui transgrediens veritatem, palam mendacium pro veritate loquitur, sed etiam ille, qui non libere pronuntiat veritatem, quam libere pronuntiare oportet, aut non libere vertitatem defendit, quam libere defendere oportet, proditor est veritatis. Nam sicut sacerdos debitor est, ut veritatem quam audivit a Deo libere praedicet; sic laicus debitor est, ut veritatem, quam audivit quidem a sacerdotibus probatam in Scripturis, defendat fiducialiter. Quod si non fecerit, proditor est veritatis. Corde enim creditur ad justitiam, ore autem confessio fit ad salutem. Haec autem diximus, quoniam multi Christianorum palam quidem transgredi veritatem putant peccatum, tacere autem veritatem coram infidelibus non putant esse peccatum: et propterea multi inveniuntur in isto reatu. Ideo nos convenit apertius dicere, quoniam nihil de veritate neganda praesens loquitur sermo, sed de veritate non libere praedicanda, dicens: Quod dico vobis in tenebris, dicite in lumine: et nolite timere eos, qui occidunt corpus, quo minus dicatis in lumine, quod audisits in tenebris. Vide quoniam non solum ille transgressor est veritatis, qui palam denegat veritatem, sed etiam ille, qui propter timorem eorum, qui possunt occidere corpus, tacet veritatem. Et quid dicam? Quid propter timorem mortis tacent homines veritatem, et propter miserum ventrem, et propter spem vani honoris, in conspectu infidelium tacent homines veritatem. Utputa, eunt homines ad convivium impiorum sacerdotum, et confugiunt ad patrocinium malorum haereticorum; fit sermo de fide: ille sacerdos impius, vel patronus, blasphemat veritatem tuam, quasi mendacium, fidem tuam, quasi perfidiam, ut aut seducat, aut vulneret conscientiam tuam, et faciat eam infirmam, etsi ad plenum capere non potuerit; tu autem etsi non denegaveris palam veritatem, tamen non contendis cum persona ejus, cujus panem inanem manducas, ut non perdas spem patrocinii, aut rapacitatis: veritatem quam oportebat te libere defendere, tacens, confundis eam in conspectu inimicorum ejus, ut videatur a te tacente falsa quae vera est. Et quomodo non es tu proditor veritatis? Opus Imperfectum in Matthaeum, Homilia XXV Source:  Migne PG 56.793

What I say to you in the darkness, say in the light, and do not fear those who kill the body... 1 Lest perhaps because of the fear of death you do no speak what you have heard, nor do you faithfully preach to all, what in your ear alone you have heard. So from these words it is shown that not only is he a traitor to the truth who transgresses the truth, openly speaking a lie for truth, but even that he who does not proclaim the truth, which freely he should proclaim, or does not freely defend what he should freely defend, is a traitor to the truth. For as a priest is a debtor, that the truth he has heard from God he should freely preach, so the lay man is a debtor, that the truth the has heard from priests, approved by Scripture, he faithfully defend. Because if he does not he is a traitor to the truth. 'For the heart believing to righteousness, the mouth makes confession to salvation.' 2 These things we say, because many Christians openly think it a sin to transgress the truth, but to be silent regarding the truth among the unfaithful they do think so, on account of which many are found in fault. Therefore it befits us to speak openly, that this passage tells us that nothing which denies the truth preaches the truth openly : 'What I say to you in the dark, say in the light, and do not fear those you kill the body,' by which you say less in the light than you hear in the darkness. See that he is not only a transgressor of the truth who openly denies the truth, but even he, who on account of fear of those who kill the body is silent concerning the truth. What shall I say? Why, on account of the fear of death men are indeed silent, and then also because of the stomach's demands, and hope of vain honours, they are silent regarding the truth in the presence of impious men. Men go off to a feast of impious priests, and they flee to the protection of wicked heretics, and there a speech is made concerning the faith, and some impious priest or patron blasphemes your truth as a lie, and your faith as betrayal, that either he seduces you, or wounds your conscience and makes it weak, even if he is not able to fully seize it; and even if you do not openly deny the truth, however, not contending with this person, eating his worthless bread, that you hope not to spoil your hope of patronage, or lust for gain, being silent about the truth which you should openly defend, you confound it in the sight of your enemies, that it seems that by your silence what is false is true. And how then are you not a traitor to the truth? Opus Imperfectum on Matthew, from The Twenty Fifth Homily 1 Mt 10.27 2 Rom 10.10