Wealth And Contentment

Nihil enim intulimus in mundum, verum quia nec auferre possumus quidquam; habentes autem alimentum, et quibus tegamur, his contenti simus. Frustra mortales homines copiae studere, et locupletes fieri velle aperta voce declarat, cum sciant nihil se proprium habere in mundo. Cui rei proficit humana cupiditas, nisi quia ipsa sibi inimica exsistit? Nihil enim intulit mundo, nihil auferre poterit. Quid sibi incutit sollicitudinem, et quaerit congregare? Talis hinc exiet, qualis venit. Quod etiam scribit Job, et in sua passione fatetur, dicens: Nudus exivi de utero matris meae, nudus revertar in terram...sit nomen Domini benedictum. Quod si avari non retinerent in perniciem suam, pauci conderent quod pluribus posset proficere cum eorum ipsorum emolumento. Ambrosiaster, Commentaria in Epistolam ad Timotheum Primam, Caput VI Source: Migne PL 17.482a-b

'Nothing we brought into the world, and nothing are we able to take from it; having, then, food and with what we are covered, with these things we shall be content.' 1 Vainly mortal men desire wealth, and openly declare their wish to be rich, when they should know that they have nothing of their own in the world. To whom is human cupidity a benefit, but to him who is the enemy? Nothing indeed a man brings into the world, nothing he is able to take out of it. Why does he trouble himself with care for it and seek to gather it? As he came in, so he goes out. So indeed Job writes in the confession of his suffering, saying: 'Naked I came from the womb of my mother, naked I return to the earth ... may the name of the Lord be blessed.' 2 If by avarice they did not wallow in their wickedness, a little would establish them, so that with the same riches they would be a benefit to many. Ambrosiaster, Commentary On The First Letter of Saint Paul To Timothy, Chapter 6 1 1 Tim 6.7-8 2 Job 1.21

Prayer And Curses

Παρακαλῶ οὖν πρῶτον πάντων ποιεῖσθαι δεήσεις, προσευχάς, ἐντεύξεις, εὐχαριστίας, ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων... Πᾶσα τοίνυν ἡμῖν εὐχὴ εὐχαριστίαν ἐχέτω. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ὑπερεύχεσθαι τῶν πέλας οὐχὶ πιστῶν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπίστων προσταττόμεθα, ἐννόησον ὅσον ἐστὶ κακὸν κατεύχεσθαι τῶν ἀδελφῶν. Τί λέγεις; ἐκεῖνός σε ὑπὲρ ἐχθρῶν ἐκέλευσεν εὔχεσθαι, σὺ δὲ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ κατεύχῃ; Οὐκ ἐκείνου κατεύχῃ, ἀλλὰ σαυτοῦ· τὸν γὰρ Θεὸν παροξύνεις, ἐκεῖνα τὰ ἀνόσια φθεγγόμενος ῥήματα· οὕτω δεῖξον αὐτῷ, οὕτω ποίησον αὐτῷ, βάλε αὐτὸν, ἀνταπόδος αὐτῷ. Πόῤῥω ταῦτα τῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ μαθητῶν, τῶν ἐπιεικῶν καὶ προσηνῶν. Τοῦ στόματος τοῦ ἠξιωμένου τοιαύτης μυσταγωγίας μηδὲν πικρὸν ἐκβαλλέτω, μηδὲν ἀηδὲς, ἡ τῷ θείῳ σώματι προσομιλοῦσα γλῶσσα· καθαρὰν αὐτὴν φυλάττωμεν, μὴ ἀρὰς προσφέρωμεν δι' αὐτῆς. Εἰ γὰρ λοίδοροι οὐ κληρονομήσουσι βασιλείαν, πολλῷ μᾶλλον οἱ κατευχόμενοι· ἀνάγκη γὰρ καὶ ὑβρίζειν τὸν κατευχόμενον· ὕβρις δὲ καὶ εὐχὴ ἀλλήλων ἀπεσχοίνισται· ἀρὰ καὶ εὐχὴ πολὺ τὸ μέσον ἔχει· κατηγορία καὶ εὐχὴ πολὺ τὸ μέσον ἔχουσι. Προσεύχῃ τὸν Θεὸν ἵλεων ποιῆσαι, καὶ ἑτέρου κατεύχῃ; Ἐὰν μὴ ἀφῇς, οὐκ ἀφεθήσεταί σοι· καὶ αὐτὸς οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἀφίης, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν Θεὸν μὴ ἀφεῖναι παρακαλεῖς; Εἶδες ὑπερβολὴν κακίας; Εἰ τῷ μὴ ἀφιέντι οὐκ ἀφίεται, τῷ καὶ τὸν Δεσπότην παρακαλοῦντι μὴ ἀφεῖναι, πῶς ἀφεθήσεται; Οὐκ ἐκεῖνον βλάπτεις, ἀλλὰ σαυτόν. Τί δήποτε; Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἀκούεσθαι ἔμελλες ὑπὲρ τῶν σαυτοῦ, διὰ ταῦτα οὐδέποτε εἰσακουσθήσῃ, ὅτι μιαρῷ στόματι τὰς εὐχὰς ποιεῖς· μιαρὸν γὰρ ὄντως τὸ τοιοῦτον στόμα καὶ ἀκάθαρτον, πάσης δυσωδίας ἐμπεπλησμένον, πάσης ἀκαθαρσίας. Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Χρυσόστομος,Ὑμομηνμα Εἰς Την Προς Τιμοθεον Ἐπιστολη Πρωτην, Ὁμιλὶα Ϛ' Migne PG 62.531-2

'I exhort, then, first of all things, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men...1 Let every prayer of ours, then, be of thanksgiving. And if we should pray for our neighbours, and not only for the faithful, but also the faithless, think how evil it is to pray against others. What do you say? Has He called on you to pray for your enemies, and you pray against your brother? But then you pray not against him, but against yourself. For you provoke God with the uttering of those impious words: 'Do it to him!' 'Make it so with him!' 'Strike him!' 'Give him what he deserves!' Far be such things from the disciples of Christ, they who should be peaceable and gentle. From the mouth that has been worthy of such holy mystery, let nothing bitter come forth. Let not the tongue that has touched the Lord's body be vile, let us keep it pure, let no curses be borne upon it. For if those who utter abuse shall not inherit the kingdom of God, 2 much less those who utter curses. For he must be harmful who curses, and harmfulness and prayer are opposed to one other. A curse and a prayer have great distance between them, accusation and prayer are far apart. Do you pray that God be propitious, and then curse another? If you do not forgive, you will not be forgiven. 3 Yet not only do you not forgive, but you beseech God not to forgive? What depth of evil is this? If he who does not forgive is not forgiven, he who calls on the Lord not to forgive, how shall he be forgiven? You do not harm another, but yourself. For though your prayers were on the point of being heard for yourself, because of this, they shall never be received, for you make your prayer with a polluted mouth. Truly such a mouth is polluted and defiled, replete with all that is foul, all that is unclean. Saint John Chrysostom, Commentary On The First Epistle To Timothy, from the Sixth Homily 1 1 Tim 2.1 2 1 Cor 6.10 3  Mt 6.15

Faith And Falsehood

Finis, inquit, praecepti est caritas de corde puro, et conscientia bona, et fide non ficta.  Sane finis eorum ficta est, de quibus dicitur: Dilexerunt eum in ore suo, et lingua sua mentiti sunt ei. A qua malitia Joannes Apostolis nos dehortans, Noli, inquit, diligere verbo, nec lingua, sed opere et veritate. Veritas operis est actio rectae intentionis. Veritas in ore est simplicitas in sermone. Sicut autem cor purum non simulat, ita pura intentio non errat. Ubi autem non erat error, aut simulatio, seu fictio, est pura et simplex intentio, et in ea caritas requiescat. Fictio vero fidei longe a caritate est relegata; et dicitur fides ficta eorum, qui de corde suo fingunt suae fidei formam, et sanae doctrinae adversari non dubitant. Ficta etiam a quodam sapiente dicitur quasi fictilis, eo quod tanquam vas fictile et fragile tempore tentationis cito a veritate recedit. Petrus Blenensis, De Caritate Dei Et Promixi, Cap II  Source:  Migne PL 207.898a-b

'The end of the commandment is love from a pure heart, and a good conscience, and a faith that is not false.' 1   And truly their intent is false, concerning whom it is said: 'They loved Him with their mouths and with their tongues they spoke lies to Him.' 2 From which wickedness the Apostle John exhorts us, saying, 'Do not love in speech, or tongue, but in deed and truth.' 3 The truth of the deed is the act rightly intended. Truth in the mouth is simplicity in speech. For as the pure heart does not deceive, so the pure intent does not err. And where there was no error, or simulation, or falsehood, there is pure and simple intent, and in this love has rest. However, a false faith is banished far from love. And it is said that the false faith of those who from their own hearts fashion the form of their faith does not hesitate to fight against sound teaching. And by a certain wise one false faith is said to be like an earthenware vessel, for like a fragile earthenware pot in time of trial it swiftly falls away from the truth. Peter of Blois, On Love Of God and One's Neighbour, Chap 2 1 1 Tim 1.5 2 Ps 77.36 3 1 Jn 3.18

Love And Law

Ut autem sub certa diffinitione, quid sit caritas possit apertius et efficacius comprehendi, audiamus qualiter eam diffiniat aut describit Apostolus. Ipse enim Timotheum scribens, Finis, inquit, praecepti est caritas de corde puro, et conscientia bona, et fide non ficta. Praeceptum lex dicitur, cujus praeceptis vita hominum informatur. Est autem lex positiva: lex, scilicet, Moysi et Principum terrae. De quae Paulus apostolus dicit: Lex justo non est posita, sed injustis. Et est alia Lex, quam Psalmista postulat dicens: Legem pone mihi, Domine, viam justificationum tuarum. Ista lex spiritualis est, illa carnalis. Istius professor coram Principibus et inter gladios nihil timet, illa injustos et maleficos terret; illa injustis posita est, quibus praecipit ne occidant, haec justis non est posita, quia lex principum nihil in hominibus justis invenit puniendum. Audi quid dicat Apostolus: Vis non timere potestatem? Bonum fac, et habebis laudem ex illa. Et adjungit: Si malum feceris, time. Ab hoc equidem timore justum eximit caritas de puro corde. Ideoque ipsa finis legis illius est, quae timorem incutit: unde et ipsa mortis est finis: legis autem, quae justo posita est, caritas etiam finis est, quum sit operum bonorum consummatio et malorum abolitio, et sic finis est utriusque legis, illius scilicet legis malorum quam abolet, et alterius quam implet. Petrus Blenensis, De Caritate Dei Et Promixi, Cap. II  Source:  Migne PL 207.897c-898a

That by a certain definition, we might be able to openly and easily understand what love is, let us hear how the Apostle defines or describes it. Writing to Timothy he says, 'The end of commandment is love from a pure heart, and a good conscience, and a faith that is not false.' 1 The law speaks command, by which commands the life of men is shaped. And this is positive law, the law of Moses and in the beginning of the world. Concerning which Paul the Apostle says, 'The law is not given for the righteous man but for the unrighteous.' 2 And there is another law, which the Psalmist asks for, saying, 'Place in me the law of the way of your righteousness.' 3 This is the spiritual law, and the former is carnal. He who professes the latter fears nothing before rulers and amid swords, the former terrifies the unjust and the evildoer, that which is given for the unrighteous, by which he is commanded not to kill, but which is not given for the righteous, because the law of the beginning finds nothing to punish in the righteous man. Hear what the Apostle says: 'You do not wish to fear the one in power? Do good, and you shall have praise from it.' 4 And he adds: 'If you do evil, fear.' 5 Love from a pure heart removes the righteous man from this fear. Therefore it is the end of that law which instils fear, and so it is the death of it, but love is the end of the law which is given for the righteous, which is the consummation of good works and expulsion of evil; and so it is the end of both laws, abolishing the law which concerns itself with evils, and fulfilling the other law. Peter of Blois, On Love Of God and One's Neighbour, Chap 2 1 1 Tim 1.5 2 1 Tim 1.9 3 Ps 118.33 4 Rom 13.3 5 Rom 13.4

Questions And Answers

Μηδὲ προσέχειν μύθοις καὶ γενεαλογίαις ἀπεράντοις. Μύθους οὐ τὸν νόμον φησὶν, ἄπαγε· ἀλλὰ τὰς παραποιήσεις καὶ τὰ παραχαράγματα καὶ τὰ παράσημα δόγματα. Εἰκὸς γὰρ τοὺς ἐξ Ἰουδαίων ἐν τοῖς ἀνονήτοις τὸν πάντα λόγον ἀναλίσκειν, πάππους καὶ προπάππους ἀριθμοῦντας, ἵνα δῆθεν ἐμπειρῖας πολλὴς καὶ ἱστορίας δόξαν ἔχωσιν. Ἵνα παραγείλης τισὶ, φησὶ, μὴ ἑτεροδιδασκαλεῖν, μηδὲ προσέχειν μύθοις καὶ γενεαλογίαις ἀπεράντοις. Τί ἐστιν, Ἀπεράντοις; Ἤτοι πέρας οὐδὲν ἐχούσαις, ἤ οὐδεν χρήσιμον, ἢ δυσκατάληπτον ἡμῖν. Εἶδες πῶς διαβάλλει τὴν ζήτησιν. Ἔνθα γὰρ πίστις, οὐ χρεία ζητήσεως· ἔνθα μηδὲν δεῖ περιεργάζεσθαι, τί δεῖ ζητὴσεως; ἡ ζήτησις τῆς πίστεώς ἐστιν ἀναιρετική. Ὁ γὰρ ζητῶν, οὐδέπω εὗρεν· ὁ ζητῶν, πιστεῦσαι οὐ δύναται. Διὰ τοῦτο φησι, Μὴ ἀσχολώμεθα περὶ τὰς ζητήσεις· ἐπεὶ εἰ ζητοῦμεν, οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο πίστις· ἡ γὰρ πίστις ἀναπαύει τὸν λογισμόν. Πῶς οὖν φησιν ὁ Χριστὸς, Ζητεῖτε, καὶ εὑρήσετε, κρούετε, καὶ ἀνοιγήσεται ὑμῖν· καὶ, Ἐρευνᾶτε τὰς Γραφὰς, ὅτι ὑμεῖς ἐν ταύταις δοκεῖτε ζωὴν αἰώνιον ἔχειν; Ἐκεῖ μὲν τὸ, Ζητεῖτε, περὶ αἰτήσεως λέγει καὶ σφοδροῦ πόθου· ἐνταῦθα δὲ τὸ, Ἐρευνᾶτε τὰς Γραφὰς, οὐ τοὺς ζητητικούς ἐστιν εἰσάγοντος πόνους, ἀλλ' ἐκβάλλοντος. Εἶπε γὰρ, Ἐρευνᾶτε τὰς Γραφὰς, τουτέστιν; ὥστε τὴν ἀκρίβειαν αὐτῶν καταμαθεῖν καὶ εἰδέναι, οὐχ ἵνα ἀεὶ ζητῶμεν, ἀλλ' ἵνα παυώμεθα ζητοῦντες. Καὶ καλῶς εἶπε, Παράγγελλέ τισι Μὴ ἑτεροδιδασκαλεῖν, μηδὲ προσέχειν μύθοις καὶ γενεαλογίαις ἀπεράντοις, αἴτινες ζητήσεις παρέχουσι μᾶλλον, ἢ οἰκονομίαν Θεοῦ τὴν ἐν πίστει. Καλῶς εἴπεν Οἰκονομίαν Θεοῦ· μεγάλα γὰρ ἡμῖν δοῦναι ἡθέλησεν ὁ Θεὸς, ἀλλ' οὐ δέχεται ὁ λογισμὸς τὸ μέγεθος αὐτοῦ τῶν οἰκονομιῶν. Διὰ πίστεως οὖν τοῦτο γενέσθαι δεῖ, ὅπερ ἐστὶ φάρμακον ψυχῶν μέγιστον. Ἡ τοίνυν ζήτησις ἐναντία ἐστὶ τῇ οἰκονομίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τί γὰρ ἀπὸ πίστεως οἰκονομεῖται; Δέξασθαι τὰς εὐεργεσίας αὐτοῦ, καὶ γενέσθαι βελτίους, καὶ περὶ μηδενὸς ἀμφισβητεῖν καὶ ἀμφιβάλεειν, ἀλλ' ἀναπαύεσθαι. Ἅπερ γὰρ ἡ πίστις ἤνυσε καὶ ᾠκοδόμησε, ταυτᾶ αὕτη καταστρέφει, ζητήσεις παρέχουσα, καὶ τὴν πίστιν ἐκβάλλουσα. Μηδὲ προσέχειν, φησὶ, μύθοις καὶ γενεαλογίαις ἀπεράντοις. Καὶ αἱ γενεαλογίαι, φησὶ τί ἔβλαπτον; Ἔλεγεν ὁ Χριστὸς, ὅτι διὰ πίστεως δεῖ σωθῆναι· ἐκεῖνοι ἐζήτουν, καὶ ἔλεγον ὅτι οὐκ ἔνι τοῦτο.  Ἐπειδ γὰρ ἡ μὲν ἀπόφασις κατὰ τὸ παρὸν ἧν, ἡ δὲ ἔκβασις τῆς ἀποφάσεως ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι, πίστεως ἔδει. Ἐκεῖνοι δὲ προκατειλημένοι τοῖς νομικοῖς πατατηρήμασιν, ἐνεπόδιζον τῇ πίστει. Οἷμαι δὲ καὶ Ἕλληνας αὐτὸν ἐνταῦθα αἰνίττεσθαι, ὅταν λέγῃ, Μύθοις καὶ γενεαλογία, ὡς τοὺς θεοὺς αὐτῶν καταλεγόντων. Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Χρυσόστομος,Ὑμομηνμα Εἰς Την Προς Τιμοθεον Ἐπιστολη Πρωτην, Ὁμιλὶα Ἀ Migne PG 62 506-507

'Nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies.' 1 Fables are not the law, far from it, but falsehoods and forgeries and counterfeit doctrines. For, it seems, the Jews wasted their whole discourse on these unprofitable things, numbering their fathers and grandfathers, that, I must suppose, they gain glory for their studies and historical enquiries. 'That you might instruct some,' he says, 'that they do not give any other teaching, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies.' 1 Why does he call them endless? Why, because they had no end, or none of any use, or none easy for us to understand. Note how he accuses questioning. For where there is faith, there is no need for questioning. Where there is no need for prying, what need for questions? Questioning is the ruin of faith. For he that seeks has yet to find. He who seeks is not able to believe. Because of this he says that we should not be busy with questions, since if we question, it is not faith, for faith gives reasoning rest. Why then, does Christ say, 'Seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you' 2 and, 'You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life'? 3 There the seeking means prayer and vehement wish, and the searching of the Scriptures is not to introduce the toils of questioning, but to banish them, that we may accurately learn and know them, not that we may always be questioning, but that we may have rest from questioning. And well then he said, 'That you might instruct some that they do not give any other teaching, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies,' which bring forth questions rather than the 'dispensation of God in faith.' And well indeed he said next, 'the dispensation of God.' 1 For God is willing to give great blessings to you, but reason cannot conceive the greatness of the dispensation. This must then be of faith, which is the greatest balm for souls. And questioning therefore is opposed to the dispensation of God. For what is dispensed by faith? To receive His mercies and be improved, in nothing to dispute and be in doubt but to be at rest. For as faith swiftly builds up, what it has accomplished is overthrown by that which brings forth questions, and faith is cast out.'Nor give heed,' he says, 'to fables and endless genealogies' And why does he denounce genealogies? Christ has said that we must be saved by faith; they questioned and even denied it. For since the announcement was present but the satisfaction of the announcement in the future, faith was needed. But they being occupied by legal observances obstructed the faith. And I think He seems also here to speak indirectly of the Greeks, where he speaks of 'fables and genealogies,' for so is the recounting of their gods. Saint John Chrysostom, Commentary On The First Epistle To Timothy, from the First Homily 1Tim 1.4 2 Mt 7.7 3 Jn 5.39