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Canon
IX.
With those also who, as it were from sleep,
themselves leap forth upon a contest which is travailing long and
likely to be protracted, and draw upon themselves the temptations as it
were of a sea-fight, and the inundations of many waves, or rather are
for the brethren kindling the coals of the sinners, with them also we
must communicate, inasmuch as they come to this in the name of Christ,
even though they take no heed unto His words, when He teaches us
“to pray that we enter not into temptation;”2303
and again in
His prayer, He says to His Father, “and lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil.”2304
And perhaps also they know not that
the Master of the House and our Great Teacher often retired from those
who would lay snares for Him, and that sometimes He walked not openly
because of them; and even when the time of His passion drew on, He
delivered not up Himself, but waited until they came to Him with
“swords and staves.” He said to them therefore,
“Are ye come out, as against a thief with swords and staves, for
to take Me?”2305
And they “delivered
Him,” He says, “to Pilate.”2306
As it was with Him it happens to
those who walk keeping Him before them as an example, recollecting His
divine words, in which, confirming us, He speaks of persecution:
“Take heed unto yourselves, for they will deliver you up to the
councils, and they will scourge you in their
synagogues.”2307
Now, He says, they will deliver
you up, and not, ye shall deliver up yourselves; and “ye shall be
brought before rulers and kings for My sake,”2308
but not, ye shall bring yourselves, for
He would have us pass from place to place as long as there are those
who persecute us for His name’s sake; even as again we hear Him
saying, “But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into
another.”2309
For He
would not have us go over to the ministers and satellites of the devil,
that we might not be the cause to them of a manifold death, inasmuch as
thus we should be compelling them both to be harsher, and to carry out
their deadly works, but He would have us to wait, and to take heed to
ourselves, to watch and to pray, lest we enter into
temptation.2310
Thus first
Stephen, pressing on His footsteps, suffered martyrdom, being
apprehended in Jerusalem by the transgressors, and being brought before
the council, he was stoned, and glorified for the name of Christ,
praying with the words, “Lord, lay not this sin to their
charge.”2311
Thus
James, in the second place, being of Herod apprehended, was beheaded
with the sword. Thus Peter, the first of the apostles, having
been often apprehended, and thrown into prison, and treated with
igominy, was last of all crucified at Rome. Likewise also, the
renowned Paul having been oftentimes delivered up and brought in peril
of death, having endured many evils, and making his boast in his
numerous persecutions and afflictions, in the same city was also
himself beheaded; who, in the things in which he gloried, in these also
ended his life; and at Damascus he was let down by night in a basket by
the wall, and escaped the hands2312
of him who sought to take him. For
what they set before themselves, first and foremost, was to do the work
of an evangelist, and to teach the Word of God, in which, confirming
the brethren, that they might continue in the faith, they said this
also, “that we must out of much tribulation enter into the
kingdom of God.”2313
For they sought not what was
profitable for them, but that which was profitable for the many, that
they might be saved, and that they might be enabled to say unto them
many things conducing to this, that they might act suitably to the Word
of God, “unless,” as says the apostle, “the time
should fail me in speaking.”2314
Balsamon. Those who have
but just arisen from sleep, and especially if they were weighed down
with a heavy and profound sleep, have no constant reason, but one
perturbed and unsteady. To such as these this blessed martyr
likens those who, not in due order, but rashly and inconsiderately,
thrust themselves upon the contest, which is as it were in travail, and
delayed and protracted, inasmuch as it has not yet burst forth openly,
but meditates and delays, hesitating in truth to bring forth the
combatants, who bring temptation upon themselves, or draw it towards
them. Now these especially are, for the rest of the faithful,
kindling the coals of the sinners, that is to say, the punishment of
the tyrants. But although he reprehends those who act so, yet he
enjoins the faithful nevertheless to communicate with them, because on
account of Christ they have undergone the contest, even though they
have ignored His teaching, for He teaches them to pray that they may
not be tempted; and He did not deliver up Himself, but was delivered
up; and we are not to go over to the tormentors, that we may not be the
cause of bringing upon them the guilt of many murders, as those do who
incite them to inflict punishment upon the godly. The canon
brings forward different examples from Holy Scripture.
Zonaras. Those who have
recently arisen from sleep, especially if they were oppressed with a
heavy sleep, have no steady reason, but one inconstant and
perturbed. To men of this sort this holy martyr likens those who
rush upon the contest, that is, those who, not in due course, but
rashly and inconsiderately, intrude themselves upon it. It is, as
it were, in travail, and delayed and protracted, inasmuch as it has not
yet burst forth openly, but meditates and delays, and hesitates to
bring forth the combatants, who bring temptation upon themselves, that
is, draw it towards themselves, or rather, for the rest of the
faithful, kindle the coals of the sinners, the torments, namely, which are by the
tyrants inflicted. But although he finds fault with those who act
in this way, he nevertheless decrees that the faithful must communicate
with them, because in the name of Christ they come forward to this,
trusting, that is, in Christ, or in His name demanding this trial for
themselves, even though, perhaps, they are not obeying His precepts;
for He taught them to pray that they might not be tempted; and they are
ignoring the fact too that the Lord retired from those who were laying
snares for Him, and was wont sometimes to walk not openly; neither did
He give up Himself to His passion, but was given up by others; and He
commanded His disciples, when their enemies persecuted them, to fly
from city to city, and not of their own accord to give themselves up to
the tormentors, lest they should be the cause of bringing the guilt of
much blood upon their heads, irritating them as it were to inflict
punishment upon godly men. And he brings forward the example of
the apostles, of Stephen, of James, and the chiefs of the order, Peter
and Paul. E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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