Possessions And Preaching

Nolite possidere aurum, neque argentum, neque pecuniam in zonis vestris. Non peram in via, neque duas tunicas, neque calceamenta, neque virgam. Haec itaque praecepta non solum apostolorum sunt, verum omnium eorum quibus praedicatio sancti Evangelii credita est, licet a multis corrumpantur. Quae tamen nisi recte intelligantur, non modo errare impellunt quoslibet incautos, verum dissonantiam inter sanctos evangelistas facere videntur. Unde primum cum gratis jubeat dare, superflua videtur auri argentique et pecuniarum interdictio. Praesertim cum et Judas ex commissu Domini loculos habuerit unde sibi emerent quae necessaria videbantur. Et alibi discipuli ierunt in civitatem emere sibi escas. Quo profecto patet Dominum necessaria non interdixisse, sed superfluo resecasse. Hinc quoque signanter ait: Nolite possidere aurum, neque argentum, neque pecuniam. Quoniam aliud est necessaria victus et vestimenti ad horam habere, aliud vero, longa sollicitudine quaesita, timide aut cupide possidere. Verumtamen, ut arbitror, non invidiosus thesaurus, neque sumptuosus, auri argentique, et aeris in zonis tantum haberi, sed docet quod praedicatorum in Domino tanta debeat fore fiducia, ut praesentis vitae sumptus, quamvis, non praevideant hos sibi deesse omnino non diffidat. Idcirco satis provide divitias detruncat, qui propemodum etiam necessaria praesentis vitae amputare festinat, ut ibi sit cor nostrum quo thesaurus esse probatur. Et ne forte viderentur apostoli magis lucri gratia praedicare, quam salutis humanae, omnia subtrahit quae possent esse scandali, et necessaria concedit ex Evangelio, quatenus eorum nemo de crastino cogitare videretur. Sanctus Paschasius Radbertus Corbeiensis, Expositio In Evangelium Matthaei, Lib VI Cap X Source: Migne PL 120.412a-d

Have no gold, nor silver, nor money in your pouches. Have no purse on the way, nor two tunics, nor shoes, nor a staff. 1 These commandments are not only for the Apostles, but truly for all who are entrusted with the preaching of the holy Gospel, lest they be corrupted by many things. Which, however, should be rightly understood, lest those who are incautious err in any way thinking there is some discord among the Evangelists. Whence when He first commands to give without payment, appears the prohibition of the superfluities of gold and silver and money. Certainly Judas was commissioned by the Lord to hold the purse by which he bought things that seemed to be needed. 2 And elsewhere the disciples went into the city to buy food. 3 Which openly shows that the Lord did not prohibit necessary things but rather that one should reject superfluous things. Which he indicates saying: 'Have no gold, nor silver, nor any money.' Because it is one thing to need necessities and have clothing for the moment, but another to have sought with great care, and to possess with fear or desire. However, so I judge it, it is not only that one should have neither envy producing treasure, nor excessive gold and silver and bronze in one's pouch, but that He teaches that the trust of the preacher should be in the Lord alone, that having taken up the things of this present life, they do not look to lack of them for themselves, and so they do not lack confidence. Therefore, it is  enough that He cuts off this looking for wealth, who near enough hurries to cast off the nesssities of the present life, so that it is proved that where the heart is there is the treasure. 4 And lest perhaps the Apostles seem to preach more for the sake of money than for the salvation of men, He takes away everything that might be a cause of scandal, allowing only necessities for the Gospel, as much as none of them seems to think about tomorrow. 5 Saint Paschasius Radbertus, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Book 6, Chapter 10 1 Mt 10.9 2 Jn 13.29 3 Jn 4.8 4 Mt 6.21 5 Mt 6.34