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| 1 Timothy 2:1-4
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Homily VI.
1 Timothy ii. 1–4
“I exhort therefore that,
first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of
thanks be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in
authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness
and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our
Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the
knowledge of the truth.” [R.V.: who willeth that all men should
be saved, &c.]
The Priest is the common father, as it were, of all the world; it is
proper therefore that he should care for all, even as God, Whom he
serves.1158
For this reason he says, “I
exhort therefore that, first of all, supplications, prayers,
intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men.” From
this, two advantages result. First, hatred towards those who are
without is done away; for no one can feel hatred towards those for whom
he prays: and they again are made better by the prayers that are
offered for them, and by losing their ferocious disposition towards us.
For nothing is so apt to draw men under teaching, as to love, and be
loved. Think what it was for those who persecuted, scourged, banished,
and slaughtered the Christians, to hear that those whom they treated so
barbarously offered fervent prayers to God for them.1159
| 1159 This
is urged by Tertullian, Apol. i. § 30, and Address to Scapula,
§ 2. See also St. Justin, M. Apol. i. § 23. | Observe how he wishes a Christian to be
superior to all ill-treatment. As a father who was struck on the face
by a little child which he was carrying, would not lose anything of his
affection for it; so we ought not to abate in our good will towards
those who are without, even when we are stricken by them. What is
“first of all”? It means in the daily Service; and the
initiated know how this is done every day both in the evening and the
morning, how we offer prayers for the whole world, for kings and all
that are in authority. But some one perhaps will say, he meant not for
all men, but for all the faithful. How then does he speak of kings? for
kings were not then worshipers of God, for there was a long succession
of ungodly princes. And that he might not seem to flatter them, he says
first, “for all men,” then “for kings”; for if
he had only mentioned kings, that might have been suspected. And then
since the soul of some Christians might be slow1160
at
hearing this, and reject the exhortation, if at the celebration of the
holy Mysteries it was necessary to offer prayers for a heathen king, he
shows them the advantage of it, thus at least to reconcile them to the
advice, “that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life”; as
much as to say, Their safety is a security to us;1161
as also in his Epistle to the Romans, he
exhorts them to obey their rulers, “not for wrath but for
conscience’ sake.” (Rom. xiii. 5.) For God has
appointed government for the public good. When therefore they make war
for this end, and stand on guard for our security, were it not
unreasonable that we should not offer prayers for their safety in wars
and dangers? It is not therefore flattery, but agreeable to the rules
of justice. For if they were not preserved, and prospered in their
wars, our affairs must necessarily be involved in confusion and
trouble; and if they were cut off, we must either serve ourselves, or
be scattered up and down as fugitives. For they are a sort of
bulwarks
thrown up before us, within which those who are inclosed are in peace
and safety.
He says, “supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks.” For we must give
thanks to God for the good that befalls others, as that He maketh the
sun to shine upon the evil and the good, and sendeth His rain both upon
the just and the unjust. Observe how he would unite and bind us
together, not only by prayer but by thanksgiving. For he who is urged
to thank God for his neighbor’s good, is also bound to love him,
and be kindly disposed towards him. And if we must give thanks for our
neighbor’s good, much more for what happens to ourselves, and for
what is unknown, and even for things against our will, and such as
appear grievous to us, since God dispenses all things for our
good.
Moral.
Let every prayer of ours, then, be accompanied with thanksgiving. And
if we are commanded to pray for our neighbors, not only for the
faithful, but for the unbelieving also, consider how wrong it is to
pray against your brethren. What? Has He commanded you to pray for your
enemies, and do you pray against your brother? But your prayer is not
against him, but against yourself. For you provoke God by uttering
those impious words, “Show him the same!” “So do to
him!” “Smite him!” “Recompense him!” Far
be such words from the disciple of Christ, who should be meek and mild.
From the mouth that has been vouchsafed such holy Mysteries, let
nothing bitter proceed.1162
Let not the
tongue that has touched the Lord’s Body utter anything offensive,
let it be kept pure, let not curses be borne upon it. For if
“revilers shall not inherit the kingdom of God”
(1
Cor. vi. 10.), much less those who curse. For he that curses must be
injurious; and injuriousness and prayer are at variance with each
other, cursing and praying are far apart, accusation and prayer are
wide asunder. Do you propitiate God with prayer, and then utter
imprecations? If you forgive not, you will not be forgiven.
(Matt.
vi. 15.) But instead of forgiving, you beseech God not to forgive; what
excessive wickedness in this! If the unforgiving is not forgiven, he
that prays his Lord not to forgive, how shall he be forgiven? The harm
is to yourself, not him. For though your prayers were on the point of
being heard for yourself, they would never be accepted in such a case,
as offered with a polluted mouth. For surely the mouth that curses is
polluted with all that is offensive and unclean.
When you ought to tremble for
your own sins, to wrestle earnestly for the pardon of them, you come to
move God against your brother—do you not fear, nor think of what
concerns yourself? do you not see what you are doing? Imitate even the
conduct of children at school. If they see their own class within
giving account of their lessons, and all beaten for their idleness, and
one by one severely examined and chastised with blows, they are
frightened to death, and if one of their companions strikes them, and
that severely, they cannot have while to be angry, nor complain to
their master; so is their soul possessed with fear. They only look to
one thing, that they may go in and come out without stripes, and their
thoughts are on that time. And when they come out, whether beaten or
not, the blows they have received from their play-fellows never enter
their minds for the delight. And you, when you stand anxiously
concerned for your own sins, how can you but shudder at making mention
of others’ faults?1163
| 1163 In
the Apostolical Constitutions, b. viii. c. 12, the Deacon says, just
before the Offertory Prayer, “No man against another! no man in
hypocrisy! Upright before the Lord with fear and trembling let us stand
to offer!” The first sentence shows that the like abuse was
apprehended. | How can you
implore pardon of God? For your own case is made worse on the terms of
your imprecations against another, and you forbid Him to make allowance
for your own faults. Might He not say, “If thou wouldest have Me
so severe in exacting offenses against thee, how canst thou expect Me
to pardon thy offenses against Me?” Let us learn at last to be
Christians! If we know not how to pray, which is a very simple and easy
thing, what else shall we know? Let us learn to pray like Christians.
Those are the prayers of Gentiles, the supplications of Jews. The
Christian’s are the reverse, for the forgiveness and forgetting
of offenses against us. “Being reviled,” it is said,
“we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; being defamed, we
entreat.” (1 Cor. iv. 12, 13.) Hear Stephen saying,
“Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.” (Acts vi.
60.)
Instead of praying against them, he prayed for them. You, instead of
praying for them, utter imprecations against them. You then are wicked
in the degree that he was excellent. Whom do we admire, tell me; those
for whom he prayed, or him who prayed for them? Him certainly! and if
we, much more then God. Would you have your enemy stricken? pray for
him: yet not with such intention, not to strike him. That will indeed
be the effect, but let it not be your object. That blessed martyr
suffered all unjustly, yet he prayed for them: we suffer many things
justly from our enemies. And if he who suffered unjustly durst not
forbear to pray for his enemies, what punishment do we deserve, who
suffer justly, and yet do not pray for them, nay, pray against them?
Thou thinkest indeed that thou art inflicting a blow upon another, but
in truth thou art thrusting the sword against thyself.
Thou sufferest not the Judge to be lenient to thy own offenses, by this
way of urging Him to anger against others. For, “with what
measure ye mete,” He saith, “it shall be measured to you
again; and with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged.”
(Matt.
vii. 2.) Let us therefore be disposed to pardon, that God may be so
disposed towards us.
These things I wish you not only
to hear, but to observe. For now the memory retains only the words, and
perhaps hardly those. And after we are separated, if any one who was
not present were to ask you, what had been our discourse, some could
not tell: others would know merely the subject we had spoken of, and
answer that there had been a Homily upon the subject of forgiving
injuries, and praying for our enemies, but would omit all that had been
said, as they could not remember: others remember a little, but still
somewhat. If therefore you gain nothing by what you hear, I entreat you
not even to attend at the discourse. For of what use is it? The
condemnation is greater, the punishment more severe, if after so many
exhortations, we continue in the same course. For this reason God has
given us a definite form of prayer, that we might ask for nothing
human, nothing worldly. And you that are faithful know what you ought
to pray for, how the whole Prayer is common. But one says, “It is
not commanded there to pray for unbelievers.” This you would not
say, if you understood the force, the depth, the hidden treasure of
that1164
Prayer. Only unfold it, and you find this
also comprised within it. For it is implied, when one says in prayer,
“Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven.” Now,
because in heaven there is no unbeliever nor offender; if therefore it
was for the faithful alone, there would be no reason in that
expression. If the faithful were to do the will of God and the
unbelievers not to do it, His will were not done in earth as it is in
heaven. But it means; As there is none wicked in heaven, so let there
be none on earth; but draw all men to the fear of Thee, make all men
angels, even those who hate us, and are our enemies. Dost thou not see
how God is daily blasphemed and mocked by believers and unbelievers,
both in word and in deed? What then? Has He for this extinguished the
sun? or stayed the course of the moon? Has He crushed the heavens and
uprooted the earth? Has He dried up the sea? Has He shut up the
fountains of waters? or confounded the air? Nay, on the contrary, He
makes His sun to rise, His rain to descend, gives the fruits of the
earth in their seasons, and thus supplies yearly nourishment to the
blasphemers, to the insensible, to the polluted, to persecutors; not
for one day or two, but for their whole life. Imitate Him then, emulate
Him as far as human powers admit. Canst thou not make the sun arise?
Abstain from evil speaking. Canst thou not send rain? Forbear reviling.
Canst thou not give food? Refrain from insolence. Such gifts from thee
are sufficient. The goodness of God to His enemies is shown by His
works. Do thou so at least by words: pray for thine enemies, so wilt
thou be like thy Father who is in heaven. How many times have we
discoursed upon this subject! nor shall we cease to discourse; only let
something come of it. It is not that we are drowsy, and weary of
speaking; only do not you that hear be annoyed. Now a person seems to
be annoyed, when he will not do what one says. For he who practices,
loves often to hear the same thing, and is not annoyed by it; for it is
his own commendation. But annoyance arises simply from not doing what
is prescribed. Hence the speaker is troublesome. If a man practices
almsgiving, and hears another speak of almsgiving, he is not wearied,1165
| 1165 ἀποκναίει. Dounæus conjectures ἀποκνεῖ. The
other is usually transitive. | but pleased, for he hears his own good
actions recommended and proclaimed. So that when we are displeased at
hearing a discourse upon the forgiveness of injuries, it is because we
have no interest in forbearance, it is not practiced by us; for if we
had the reality, we should not be pained at its being named. If
therefore you would not have us wearisome or annoying, practice as we
preach, exhibit in your actions the subject of our discourses. For we
shall never cease discoursing upon these things till your conduct is
agreeable to them. And this we do more especially from our concern and
affection for you. For the trumpeter must sound his trumpet, though no
one should go out to war; he must fulfill his part. We do it, not as
wishing to bring heavier condemnation upon you, but to avert it from
ourselves. And besides this, love for you constrains us, for it would
tear and torture our hearts if that should befall you, which God avert!
It is not any costly process that we recommend to you: it does not
require the spoiling of goods, nor a long and toilsome journey. It is
only to will. It is a word, it is a purpose of the mind. Let us only
set a guard on our tongues, a door and a bar upon our lips, that we may
utter nothing offensive to God. It is for our own advantage, not for
theirs for whom we pray, to act thus. For let us ever consider, that he
who blesses his enemy, blesses himself, he who curses his enemy, curses
himself, and he who prays for his enemy, prays not for him, but
for himself. If we
thus act, we shall be able to reduce to practice this excellent
virtue,1166
| 1166 He
evidently hints at a higher degree of Christian feeling, in which a man
would simply wish well to his enemies, and therefore pray for
them. See on Philip. i. 30, Hom. iv., and on Rom. xii. 20, Hom.
xxii. | and so to obtain the promised
blessings, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus
Christ.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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