Homily
XX.
2 Cor. ix. 10
Now He that supplied seed to the sower, both
minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed for sowing and
increase the fruits of your righteousness866
| 866 [The Rev. Version differs from Chrysostom’s text,
which is the same as the T.R. but is not well sustained. C.] |
.
Herein one may
particularly admire the wisdom of Paul, that after having exhorted
from spiritual considerations and from temporal, in respect of the
recompense also he again does the very same, making the returns he
mentions of either kind. This, (for instance,) “He hath
scattered abroad, he hath given to the poor, his righteousness
abideth for ever,” belongs to a spiritual return; that again,
“multiply your seed for sowing,” to a temporal recompense.
Still, however, he rests not here, but even again passes back to
what is spiritual, placing the two continually side by side; for
“increase the fruits of your righteousness,” is spiritual.
This he does, and gives variety by it to his discourse, tearing up
by the roots those their unmanly and faint-hearted reasonings, and
using many arguments to dissipate their fear of poverty, as also
the example which he now brings. For if even to those that sow
the earth God gives, if to those that feed the body He grants
abundance; much more will He to those who till the soil867
of
heaven,
to those who take care for the
soul; for these things He willeth
should yet more
enjoy His
providing care. However, he does not
state this in the way of inference nor in the manner I have done,
but in the form of a prayer; thus at once making the reference
plain, and the rather leading them on to
hope, not only from what
[commonly] takes place, but also from his own prayer: for, ‘May
He
minister,’ saith he, ‘and multiply your
seed for sowing, and
increase the fruits of your
righteousness.’ Here also again he
hints, in an unsuspicious way, at largeness [in giving], for the
words, “multiply and increase,” are by way of indicating this;
and at the same time he allows them to
seek for nothing more than
necessaries, saying, “
bread for
food.” For this also is
particularly worthy of admiration in him, (and it is a point he
successfully established
868
even before,) namely, that in
things which be necessary, he allows them to
seek for nothing more
than need requires; but in
spiritual things
counsels them to get
for themselves a large superabundance. Wherefore he said above
also, “that having a sufficiency ye may abound to every good
work:” and here, “He that ministereth
bread for
food,
multiply your
seed for sowing;” that is to say, the
spiritual
[
seed]. For he asks not almsgiving merely, but with largeness.
Wherefore also he continually calls it “
seed.” For like as
the corn cast into the ground showeth luxuriant crops, so also many
are the handfuls almsgiving produceth of
righteousness, and
unspeakable the fruits it showeth. Then having
prayed for great
affluence unto them, he shows again in what they ought to expend
it, saying,
Ver. 11. “That being enriched in
every thing to all liberality, which worketh through us
thanksgiving to God.”
Not that ye may consume it upon things not
fitting, but upon such as bring much thanksgiving to God. For God
made us to have the disposal of great things, and reserving to
Himself that which is less yielded to us that which is greater.
For corporeal869
nourishment
is at His sole disposal, but mental
870
He permitted to us; for we have it
at our own disposal whether the crops we have to show be
luxuriant. For no need is here of rains and of variety of
seasons, but of the will only, and they
run up to
heaven itself.
And largeness in giving is what he here calls liberality
871
. “Which
worketh through us thanksgiving to
God.” For neither is that
which is done almsgiving merely, but also the ground of much
thanksgiving: yea rather, not of thanksgiving only, but of many
other things besides. And these as he goes on he mentions, that
by showing it to be the cause of many good works, he may make them
thereby the forwarder.
[2.] What then are these many good works? Hear
him saying:
Ver. 12–14. “For the ministration of
this service, not only filleth up the measure of the wants of the
saints, but aboundeth also through
many thanksgivings unto God; seeing that
through the proving872
of you by this ministration, they
glorify God for the obedience of your confession unto the
Gospel873
, and for the
liberality of your contribution unto them and unto all; while they
also with
supplication on your behalf, long after you by reason of
the exceeding
grace of
God in you.”
What he says is this; ‘in the first place ye not
only supply the wants of the saints, but ye are abundant even;’
that is, ‘ye furnish them with even more than they need: next,
through them ye send up thanksgiving to God, for they glorify Him
for the obedience of your confession.’ For that he may not
represent them as giving thanks on this account solely, (I mean,
because they received somewhat,) see how high-minded he makes them,
exactly as he himself says to the Philippians, “Not that I desire
a gift.” (Philip. iv.
17.) ‘To them too I
bear record of the same thing. For they rejoice indeed that ye
supply their wants and alleviate their poverty; but far more, in
that ye are so subjected to the Gospel; whereof this is an
evidence, your contributing so largely.’ For this the Gospel
enjoins.
“And for the liberality of your contribution
unto them and unto all.” ‘And on this account,’ he says,
‘they glorify God that ye are so liberal, not unto them only, but
also unto all.’ And this again is made a praise unto them that
they gave thanks even for that which is bestowed upon others.
‘For,’ saith he, ‘they do honor874
, not to their own concerns only,
but also to those of others, and this although they are in the
extremest
poverty; which is an evidence of their great
virtue.
For nothing is so full of
envy as the whole race of such as are in
poverty. But they are pure from this passion; being so
far from
feeling pained because of the things ye impart to others, that they
even
rejoice over it no less than over the things themselves
receive.’
“While they themselves also with
supplication.” ‘For in respect of these things,’ saith he,
‘they give thanks to God, but in respect of your love and your
coming together, they beseech Him that they may be counted worthy
to see you. For they long after this, not for the money’s sake,
but that they may be witnesses of the grace that hath been bestowed
upon you.’ Seest thou Paul’s wisdom, how after having exalted
them, he ascribed the whole to God by calling the thing
“grace?” For seeing he had spoken great things of them, in
that he called them ministers and exalted them unto a great height,
(since they offered service875
whilst he himself did but
administer876
,) and termed
them ‘
proved877
| 877 i.e. In the word, proving. |
,’ he shows
that
God was the
Author of all these things. And he himself
again, along with them, sends up thanksgiving, saying,
Ver. 15. “Thanks be to God for His
unspeakable gift.”
And here he calls “gift,” even those so many
good things which are wrought by almsgiving, both to them that
receive and them that give; or else, those unspeakable good things
which through His advent He gave unto the whole world with great
munificence, which one may suspect to be the most probable. For
that he may at once both sober, and make them more liberal, he puts
them in mind of the benefits they had received from God. For this
avails very greatly in inciting unto all virtue; and therefore he
concluded his discourse with it. But if His Gift be unspeakable,
what can match their frenzy who raise curious questions as to His
Essence? But not only is His Gift unspeakable, but that
“peace” also “passeth all understanding,” (Philip. iv. 7.) whereby He reconciled the
things which are above with those which are below.
[3.] Seeing then that we are in the
enjoyment of so great grace, let us strive to exhibit a virtue of
life worthy of it, and to make much account of almsgiving. And
this we shall do, if we shun excess and drunkenness and gluttony.878
For
God
gave
meat and drink not for excess, but for nourishment. For it
is not the
wine that produceth
drunkenness, for if that were the
case, every body would needs be
drunken. ‘But,’ saith one,
‘it would be better, if even to drink it largely did not
injure.’ These are drunkards’ words. For if to drink it
largely doth
injure, and yet not even so thou desistest from thy
excess in it; if this is so disgraceful and injurious, and yet thou
ceasest not even so from thy depraved longing; if it were possible
both to drink largely and be nothing harmed, where wouldest thou
have stayed in thine excess? Wouldest thou not have longed that
the
rivers even might become
wine? wouldest thou not have
destroyed
and ruined everything? If there is a mean in
food which when we
overpass we are
injured, and yet even so thou canst not bear the
curb, but snapping it as under seizest on what every body else
hath, to
minister to the
wicked tyranny of this
gluttony; what
wouldest thou not have done, if this
natural mean were
abolished?
wouldest thou not have spent thy whole time upon it? Would it
then have been well to strengthen a
lust so unreasonable, and not
prevent the harm arising from excess? and to how many other harms
would not this have given
birth?
But O the senseless ones! who wallowing as in mire,
in drunkeness and all other debauchery,
when they have got a little sober again,
sit down and do nothing but utter such sort of sayings, ‘Why doth
this end879
in this
way?’ when they ought to be
condemning their own
transgressions. For instead of what thou now sayest, ‘Why hath
He set bounds? why do not all things go on without any order?’
say, ‘Why do we not cease from being
drunken? why are we never
satiated? why are we more senseless than creatures without
reason?’ For these things they ought to ask one another, and to
hearken to the voice of the
Apostle and
learn how many good things
he witnesseth to the Corinthians proceed from almsgiving, and to
seize upon this
treasure. For to contemn
money maketh men
approved, as he said; and provideth that
God be
glorified; and
warmeth
love; and worketh in men loftiness of
soul; and
constituteth them
priests, yea of a
priesthood that bringeth great
reward. For the merciful man is not arrayed in a vest reaching to
the
feet, nor does he carry about bells, nor wear a
crown; but he
is wrapped in the
robe of
loving-
kindness, a holier than the
sacred
vestment; and is
anointed with
oil, not composed of material
elements, but produced
880
by the Spirit, and he beareth a
crown of mercies, for it is said, “Who crowneth thee with pity
and mercies;” (
Ps. ciii. 4.) and instead of wearing
a plate bearing the Name of
God, is himself like to
God. For
how? “Ye,” saith He, “shall be like
881
| 881 This is St. Chrysostom’s usual reading of the
passage. As e.g. in his commentary on the text itself Hom. xviii.
on St. Matthew, Oxf. Translation p. 277. [This edition p.
126.] |
unto your
Father which is in
heaven.” (
Matt.
v. 45.)
Wouldest thou see His altar also? Bezaleel built
it not, nor any other but God Himself; not of stones, but of a
material brighter than the heaven, of reasonable souls. But the
priest entereth into the holy of holies. Into yet more awful
places mayest thou enter when thou offerest this sacrifice, where
none is present but “thy Father, Which seeth in secret,” (Matt. vi. 4.) where no other beholdeth.
‘And how,’ saith one, ‘is it possible that none should
behold, when the altar standeth in public view?’ Because this
it is that is admirable, that in those times double doors and veils
made the seclusion: but now, though doing thy sacrifice in public
view, thou mayest do it as in the holy of holies, and in a far more
awful manner. For when thou doest it not for display before men;
though the whole world hath seen, none hath seen, because thou hast
so done it. For He said not simply, “Do” it “not before
men,” but added, “to be seen of them.” (Matt. vi. 1.) This altar is composed of
the very members of Christ, and the body of the Lord is made thine
altar. That then revere; on the flesh of the Lord thou
sacrificest the victim. This altar is more awful even than this
which we now use, not only than that used of old. Nay, clamor
not. For this altar is admirable because of the sacrifice that is
laid upon it: but that, the merciful man’s, not only on this
account, but also because it is even composed of the very sacrifice
which maketh the other to be admired. Again, this is but a stone
by nature; but become holy because it receiveth Christ’s Body:
but that is holy because it is itself Christ’s Body. So that
this beside which thou, the layman, standest, is more awful than
that. Whether then does Aaron seem to thee aught in comparison of
this, or his crown, or his bells, or the holy of holies? For what
need is there henceforth to make our comparison refer to Aaron’s
altar, when even compared with this, it has been shown to be so
glorious? But thou honorest indeed this altar, because it
receiveth Christ’s body; but him that is himself the body of
Christ thou treatest with contumely, and when perishing,
neglectest. This altar mayest thou everywhere see lying, both in
lanes and in market places, and mayest sacrifice upon it every
hour; for on this too is sacrifice performed. And as the priest
stands invoking the Spirit, so dost thou too invoke the Spirit, not
by speech, but by deeds. For nothing doth so sustain and kindle
the fire of the Spirit, as this oil largely poured out. But if
thou wouldest see also what becomes of the things laid upon it,
come hither, and I will show thee them. What then is the smoke,
what the sweet savor of this altar? Praise and thanksgiving.
And how far doth it ascend? as far as unto heaven? By no means,
but it passeth beyond the heaven itself, and the heaven of heaven,
and arriveth even at the throne of the King. For, “Thy
prayers,” saith he, “and thine alms are come up before
God.” (Acts x. 4.) And the sweet savor
which the sense perceives pierceth not far into the air, but this
opened the very vault of heaven. And thou indeed art silent, but
thy work speaketh882
: and a
sacrifice of
praise is made, no
heifer slain nor
hide burnt, but a
spiritual soul presenting her proper offering. For such a
sacrifice is more acceptable than any
loving-
kindness. When then
thou seest a
poor believer, think that thou beholdest an
altar:
when thou seest such an one a
beggar, not only insult him not, but
even
reverence him, and if thou seest another insulting him,
prevent, repel it. For so shalt thou thyself be able both to have
God propitious to thee, and to obtain the
promised good things,
whereunto may we all attain, through the
grace and
love towards men
of our
Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom and with Whom, to the
Father and
the Holy
Ghost, be glory, might, honor, now and forever, and world
without end. Amen.
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