Dance in Christian Worship
And why marvel at these things so happening
then, since even now, after the coming in of so high a wisdom,
for a dance' sake many of these
effeminate young men give up their very souls, and that without constraint of any oath? For
being made captive by the pleasure, they are led like sheep, wheresoever
the wolf may drag them; which was then the case with that
frenzied man, who was guilty of two extreme acts of madness b. AD 347, Antioch, Syria d. Sept. 14, 407, Comana, Helenopontus;
Western feast day September 13; Eastern feast day November
13
"And it came to pass, that, when
Jesus had finished these parables, He departed thence."
Wherefore said He, "these"? Because He was to
speak others besides. And wherefore, again, doth He depart? Desiring
to sow the word everywhere. "And when He was come into His own country, He
taught
them in their synagogue. And what doth he now call His country? As it
seems to me, Nazareth. "For He did not many mighty works there, it is
said, but in Capernaum He did miracles: wherefore He said also, "And
thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto Heaven, shalt be brought down
to hell; for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had
been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
But having come there, while He slackens somewhat in His
miracles; so as not to inflame them unto more
envy, nor to condemn them more grievously, by the aggravation of their unbelief: He yet puts forth a doctrine, having no less of wonder in it than the miracles.
For these utterly senseless men, when they
ought to have marvelled, and to have been amazed at the power of His words, because of him who seemed to be His father; yet
we know they had many examples of these things in the former times,
and from fathers of no note had seen illustrious children. For so
David was the son of a certain mean husbandman, Jesse; and Amos, the
child of a goatherd, and himself a goatherd and Moses too, the
lawgiver, had a father very inferior to himself. When they therefore, for this especially, ought
to adore and be amazed, that being of such parents He spake such
things, it being quite manifest, that so it was not of man's care,
but of God's grace: yet they, what things they should admire Him for, for
those they despise Him. He is moreover continually frequenting the synagogues, lest if He were always abiding in the wilderness, they
should the more accuse Him as making a schism, and fighting against
their polity. Being amazed therefore, and in perplexity, they
said, "Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these
powers?
either calling the miracles powers, or even the wisdom itself. "Is
not this the carpenter's son? The greater then the marvel, and the
more abundant the ground of amaze. "Is not His mother called Mary,
and His brethren James, and Joses,
and Simon, and Judas? and
His sisters, are they not all with us? Whence hath this man these
things? And they were offended in Him. Seest thou that Nazareth was where He was
discoursing? "Are not his brethren," it is said, "such a one, and
such a one?" And what of this? Why, by this especially you ought
to have been led on to faith. But envy you see is a poor
base thing, and often falls foul of itself. For what things were
strange and marvellous, and enough to have gained them over, these
offended them. What then saith Christ unto them? "A prophet,"
saith He, "is not without honor, save in
his own country, and in his own
house: and He did not," it is said, "many mighty works, because of
their unbelief. But Luke saith, "And He did not there many
miracles. For if the feeling of wonder towards Him was
gaining ground (for indeed even there He was marvelled at), wherefore
did He not do them? Because He looked not to the
display of Himself, but to their
profit. Therefore when this succeeded not, He
overlooked what concerned Himself, in
order not to aggravate their punishment.
And yet see after how long a time He came to
them, and after how great a display of miracles: but not even so did they endure it,
but were inflamed again with envy. Wherefore then did He yet do a few miracles?
That they might not say, "Physician, heal thyself. That they might
not say, "He is a foe and an enemy to us, and overlooks His own;"
that they might not say, "If miracles had been wrought, we also
should have believed." Therefore He both wrought them, and stayed:
the one, that He might fulfill His own part; the other, that He might
not condemn them the more. And consider thou the power of His words,
herein at least, that possessed as they were by envy, they did yet
admire. And as with regard to His works, they do not find fault with
what is done, but feign causes which have no existence, slaying, "In
Beelzebub He casteth out the devils;" even so here too, they find no
fault with the teaching, but take refuge in the meanness of His
race. But mark thou, I pray thee, the Master's
gentleness, how He reviles them not, but with great mildness saith,
"A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country." And
neither here did He stop, but added, "And in his own house." To me it
appears, that with covert reference to His very own brethren, He made
this addition. But in Luke He puts examples also of this,
saying, that neither did Elias come unto
His own, but to the stranger widow;
neither by Eliseus was any other leper healed, but the stranger
Naaman; and Israelites neither received benefit, nor conferred
benefit, but the foreigners. And these things He saith, signifying in
every instance their evil disposition, and that in His case nothing
new is taking place. 2. "At that time Herod the tetrarch
heard of the fame of Jesus. For Herod the king, this man's father, he
that slew the children, was dead. But not without a purpose doth the evangelist
signify the time, but to make thee observe also the haughtiness of
the tyrant, and his thoughtlessness, in that not at the beginning did
he inform himself about Christ, but after a very long
time. For such are they that are in places of power, and are
encompassed with much pomp, they learn these things late, because
they do not make much account of them. But mark thou, I pray thee, how great a thing
virtue is, that he was afraid of him
even when dead, and out of his fear he
speaks wisely even concerning a resurrection. "For he said," it is mentioned,
"unto his servants, This is John, whom I
slew, he is risen from the dead, and
therefore the mighty powers do work in him. Seest thou the intensity of his fear? for
neither then did he dare to publish it abroad, but he still speaks
but to his own servants. But yet even this opinion savored of the
soldier, and was absurd. For many besides had risen from the dead,
and no one had wrought anything of the kind. And his words seem to me
to be the language both of vanity, and of fear. For such is the
nature of unreasonable souls, they admit often a mixture of opposite
passions. But Luke affirms that the multitudes said,
"This is Elias, or Jeremias, or one of the old prophets, but he, as
uttering forsooth something wiser than the rest, made this
assertion. But it is probable that before this, in answer
to them that said He was John (for many had said this too), he had
denied it, and said, "I slew him," priding himself and glorying in
it. For this both Mark and Luke report that he said, "John I
beheaded. But when the rumor prevailed, then he too saith the same as
the people. Then the evangelist relates to us
also the history. And what might his reason be for not introducing it
as a subject by itself? Because all their labor entirely was to tell
what related to Christ, and they made themselves no secondary work
besides this, except it were again to contribute to the same end.
Therefore neither now would they have mentioned the history were it
not on Christ's account, and because Herod said, "John is risen
again." But Mark saith, that Herod exceedingly honored the man, and this, when reproved. So great a thing is
virtue. Then his narrative proceeds thus: "For Herod
had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison, for
Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife. For John said unto him, It
is not lawful for thee to have her. And when he would have put him to
death, he feared the people, because they counted him as a
prophet. And wherefore doth he not address his discourse
at all to her, but to the man? Because it depended more on
him. But see how inoffensive he makes his
accusation, as relating a history rather than bringing a
charge. 4. "But when Herod's birth-day was
kept, saith he, "the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and
pleased Herod. O diabolical
revel! O satanic spectacle! O
lawless dancing! and more lawless reward for the dancing. For a murder
more impious than all murders was perpetrated, and he that was worthy
to be crowned and publicly honored, was slain in the midst, and the
trophy of the devils was set on the table. [They tried to get Jesus to
do this very thing] And the means too of the victory were worthy of
the deeds done. For, "The daughter of Herodias," it is
said, "danced in the midst, and pleased Herod. Whereupon
he swore with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. And she
being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John
Baptist's head in a charger. Her reproach is twofold; first, that she danced,
then that she pleased
him, and so pleased him, as to obtain
even murder for her reward. Seest thou how savage he was? how senseless?
how foolish? in putting himself under the obligation of an oath,
while to her he gives full power over her request. But when he saw
the evil actually ensuing, "he was sorry,it is said; and yet in the
first instance he had put him in bonds. Wherefore then is he sorry?
Such is the nature of virtue, even amongst the wicked admiration and
praises are its due. But alas for her madness! When she too
ought to admire, yea, to bow down to him, for trying to redress her
wrong, she on the contrary even helps to arrange the plot, and lays a
snare, and asks a diabolical favor. But he was afraid "for the oath's sake," it is
said, "and them that sat at meat with him." And how didst thou not
fear that which is more grievous? Surely if thou wast afraid to have
witnesses of thy perjury, much more oughtest thou to fear having so
many witnesses of a murder so lawless. But as I think many are ignorant of the
grievance itself, whence the murder had its origin, I must declare
this too, that ye may learn the wisdom of the lawgiver. What then was
the ancient law, which Herod indeed trampled on, but John vindicated?
The wife of him that died childless was to be given to his
brother. For since death was an incurable ill, and all was
contrived for life's sake; He makes a law that the living brother
should marry her, and should call the child that is born by the name
of the dead, so that his house should not utterly perish. For if the
dead were not so much as to leave children, which is the greatest
mitigation of death, the sorrow would be without remedy. Therefore
you see, the lawgiver devised this refreshment for those who were by
nature deprived of children, and commanded the issue to be reckoned
as belonging to the other. But when there was a child, this marriage was
no longer permitted. "And wherefore?" one may say, "for if it was
lawful for another, much more for the brother." By no means. For He
will have men's consanguinity extended, and the sources multiplied of
our interest in each other. Why then, in the case also of death without
offspring, did not another marry her? Because it would not so be
accounted the child of the departed; but now his brother begetting
it, the fiction became probable. And besides, any other man had no
constraining call to build up the house of the dead, but this had
incurred the claim by relationship. Forasmuch then as Herod had married his brother's wife, when she had a
child, therefore John blames him, and
blames him with moderation, showing together with his boldness, his
consideration also. But mark thou, I pray thee, how the
whole theatre was devilish. For first, it was made up of
drunkenness and luxury, whence nothing healthful could come. Secondly, the
spectators
in it were depraved, and he that gave the banquet the worst
transgressor of all. Thirdly, there
was the irrational pleasure. Fourthly, the
damsel, because of whom the marriage was illegal, who ought even to
have hid
herself, as though her mother were dishonored by her, comes making a show, and
throwing into the shade all harlots, virgin as she was. And the time again contributes no little to the
reproof of this enormity. For when he ought to be thanking God, that
on that day He had brought him to light, then he ventures upon those
lawless acts. When one in chains ought to have been freed by him,
then he adds slaughter to bonds. Hearken, ye virgins, or rather ye wives also,
as many as consent to such unseemliness at other person's weddings, leaping, and
bounding,
and disgracing our common nature. Hearken, ye men too, as many as follow after
those banquets, full of expense and drunkenness, and fear ye
the gulf of the evil one. For indeed so
mightily did he seize upon that
wretched person just then, that he sware even to give the half of his
kingdom: this being Mark's statement, "He sware unto her, Whatsoever
thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my
kingdom. Such was the value he set upon his royal power;
so was he once for all made captive by his passion, as to give up his
kingdom for a dance. And why marvel at these things so happening
then, since even now, after the coming in of so high a wisdom,
for a dance' sake many of these
effeminate young
men give up their very souls, and
that without constraint of any oath? For being made
captive by the pleasure, they are led
like sheep, wheresoever the wolf may drag them; which was then the
case with that frenzied
man, who was guilty of two extreme acts
of madness; first, in making it depend on her that was so
maddened, and intoxicated with her
passion, and shrinking from nothing;
next, in making the deed fast with the constraint of an oath.
5. But albeit he was so wicked, that base woman
was more wicked than all of them, both the damsel and the tyrant. For
she was the very first contriver of all the mischiefs, and the framer
of the whole plot (she who most of all ought to have been thankful to
the prophet); since it was in obedience to her that her daughter both
disgraced herself, and danced, and sought the murder; and Herod was
entrapped by her. Seest thou how justly Christ said, "He that
loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me. For had
she kept this law, she would not have trangressed so many laws, she
would not have perpetrated this foul murder. For what could be worse than this brutal
fierceness? to ask a murder by way of a favor, a lawless murder, a
murder in the midst of a banquet, a murder publicly, and without
shame? Since she went not unto him privately to speak of these
things, but publicly, and with her mask thrown off, barefaced, and
having got the devil to plead with her, in this guise she saith
whatever she saith. Yea, and he it was that caused her at all to get
credit by her dancing, and to catch
Herod at that moment. For where dancing is, there is the
evil one.
For neither did God give us feet for
this end, but that we may walk orderly:
not that we may behave ourselves unseemly, not that we may
jump like camels (for even they too are disagreeable when dancing, much more
women), but that we may join the choirs
of angels. For if the body is
base, thus making itself unseemly, much
more the soul. Like this is the dancing of the
demons,
like this, the jesting of such as are servants of the
demons. And mark too the very mode of asking. "Give me
here John Baptist's head in a charger." Dost thou see her lost to all
shame, become altogether the devil's? She mentions his very office,
and not even so does she hide her face, but as if it were some viand
she is speaking of, just so doth she ask for that sacred and blessed
head to be brought in in a charger. And she doth not so much as assign a cause, for
neither had she one to mention, but she claims simply to be
complimented by the calamities of others. And she said not, "Bring
him in here, and slay him," for she could not have endured his bold
language even when he was about to die. Yea, and she dreaded to hear
his awful voice, even when enduring slaughter; for not on the very
point of being beheaded would he have kept silence. Therefore she
saith, "Give me here in a charger," for "I long to see that tongue
silent:" her object being, not simply to be rid of his reproofs, but
also to trample upon him, and deride him when fallen. Yet God endured it, and neither discharged His
thunderbolt from above to scorch her shameless countenance, nor
commanded the earth to open, and receive that wicked revel; at once
both crowning the righteous man more signally, and leaving much
consolation to them that hereafter suffer anything unjustly.
6. Let us hearken therefore, as many as suffer
ill, living in virtue, at the hands of wicked men. For then too God
endured that even he in the wilderness, he in the leathern girdle, in
the garment of hair, the prophet, the man greater than all prophets,
who had no superior among those born of women, should actually be
murdered, and that by an immodest damsel, and a corrupt harlot, and
all in vindicating the laws of God. These things then let us
consider, and bear all nobly, whatever we may suffer. For then too this bloodthirsty and lawless
woman, as far as she desired to take vengeance on him that had
grieved her, so far did she prevail, and satiated all her anger, and
God permitted it. And yet to her he had said nothing, nor had he
accused her, but he found fault with the man only. But her conscience
was a bitter accuser. Wherefore also she was
led on in frenzy to greater evils, being grieved, and stung, and she
disgraced all at once, herself, her daughter, her departed husband,
her living paramour, and tried to surpass her former acts. For "if
thou art vexed," saith she, "at his committing adultery, I make him a
murderer also, and cause him to be the slayer of his
reprover." Hearken, as many as are unduly excited about
women. Hearken, as many as proffer oaths about things
uncertain, and give others power for your own
destruction, and dig a pit for your selves. Yea, for so came this man's ruin. I mean, he
surely expected her to ask some request suitable to the feast, and
that being a damsel, and asking a favor
at a banquet, and revel, and solemn
assembly, she would ask something cheerful, and gracious, and surely
not a head; and he was deceived. But nevertheless none of these things will be a
plea for him. And what if she had attained the spirit of the men that
fight with wild beasts? nevertheless he ought not to have been
deceived, nor to have ministered to such tyrannical
injunctions. For, in the first place, who would not have
shuddered to see that sacred head, dropping blood, set forth at the
feast? But not so the lawless Herod, nor the woman more accursed than
he. For such is the nature of the unchaste among women; none so
audacious and so savage as they. For if we shudder at hearing these things, what
must we suppose of the effect of that sight at the time? what of the
feeling of those who sat with him at meat, on seeing blood dropping
from a newly-severed head in the midst of the revel? But as for that
blood-thirsty woman, and fiercer than furies, she had no feeling at
that spectacle, but even took delight in it, yet if nothing else,
surely the mere sight, it was to be expected, would effectually turn
her cold. But no such feeling had she, the murderess, and full of
thirst after prophets' blood. For such is the nature of whoredom. It makes
men not wanton only, but murderous also. Those
women at all events, who desire to commit adultery, are prepared even
for the slaying of their injured husbands, and not one only, nor two,
but ten thousand murders are they ready to venture upon. And of this
sort of tragic plots there are many witnesses. Which thing she also did at that time, looking
to be concealed after this, and to hide her crime. The very contrary
whereunto was the result; for John's cry was heard more loudly after
these things. But wickedness looks to the present only, like fevered
persons unseasonably asking for cold water. For in fact, if she had
not slain her accuser, her crime would not have been so completely
discovered. His disciples at least, when she had thrown him into
prison, said nothing of the kind; but when she had slain him, then
they were compelled to mention the cause also. For willing as they
were to have concealed the adulteress, and not inclined to expose
their neighbor's calamities; yet when they found themselves compelled
to give an account of it, then they tell the whole crime. For lest
any one should suspect that the cause of his slaughter was a
discreditable one, as in the case of Theudas and Judas,they are
constrained to tell the occasion also of the murder. So that the more
thou wouldest dissemble a sin in this way, so much the more dost thou
expose it. For sin is not hidden by the addition of sin, but by
repentance and confession. 7. But see the evangelist, how he relates all
without invidiousness, and as far as he can, absolutely makes out an
excuse. Thus first in behalf of Herod he saith, "For the oath's sake,
and them which sat with him at meat," and that "he was sorry;" then
of the damsel, "Being before instructed of her mother," and that "she
brought the head to her mother;" as though he had said, it was her
command that she was fulfilling. Since not for the sufferers but for
the wrongdoers do all righteous men grieve, since in fact these are
they who properly speaking suffer ill. For neither was John injured,
but these the centrivers of such proceedings. Them let us also imitate, and not trample upon
our neighbors' sins, but so far as is right, shadow them over. Let us
take to ourselves a soul severe in goodness. For so the very
evangelist, speaking of a harlot and a blood-stained woman, avoided
harshness, as far as might be. For neither did he say, "by the
blood-stained and accursed woman," but "being before instructed of
her mother, using such names as have rather an innocent sound.
But thou dost even insult and revile thy
neighbor, and couldest never endure to make mention of a brother that
had grieved thee in such terms, as he hath done of the harlot, but
with much brutal fierceness, and re-preaches, calling him the wicked
one, the malefactor, the crafty, the feel, and many other names more
grievous than these. For so we make ourselves more and more like wild
beasts, and talk of him as of a man of monstrous origin, vilifying,
reviling, insulting. But not so the saints; they on the contrary
mourn for such as sin, rather than curse them. 8. This then let us also do, and let us
weep for Herodias, and for them that imitate
her. For many such revels now also take
place, and though John be not slain, yet the members of Christ are,
and in a far more grievous way. For it is not a head in a charger that the
dancers of our time ask, but the souls of them that sit at
the feast. For in making them slaves, and leading them to unlawful
loves, and besetting them with harlots, they do not take off the
head, but slay the soul, making them adulterers, and effeminate, and
whoremongers. For thou wilt not surely tell me,
that when full of wine, and drunken, and looking at a woman who is
dancing and uttering base words, thou dost not feel anything towards her,
neither art hurried on to profligacy, overcome by thy lust.
Nay, that awful thing befails thee, that
thou "makest the members of Christ members of an harlot.
For though the daughter of Herodias be not
present, yet the devil, who then danced in her person, in theirs also
holds his choirs now, and departs with the souls of those guests
taken captive. But if ye are able to keep clear of
drunkenness, yet are ye partakers of another most grievous sin; such
revels being also full of much rapine. For look not, I pray thee, on
the meats that are set before them, nor on the cakes; but consider
whence they are gathered, and thou wilt see that it is of vexation,
and covetousness, and violence, and rapine. "Nay, ours are not from such sources," one may
say. God forbid they should be: for neither do I desire it.
Nevertheless, although they be clear of these, not even so are our
costly feasts freed from blame. Hear, at all events, how even apart
from these things the prophet finds fault with them, thus speaking,
"Woe to them that drink wine racked off, and anoint themselves with
the chief ointments." Seest thou how He censures luxury too? For it
is not covetousness which He here lays to their charge, but
prodigality only. And thou eatest to excess, Christ not even for
need; thou various cakes, He not so much as dry bread;
thou drinkest Thasian
wine, but on Him thou hast not bestowed
so much as a cup of cold water in His thirst. Thou art on a soft and embroidered bed,
but He is perishing with the cold. Wherefore, though the banquets be clear from
covetousness, yet even so are they accursed, because, while for thy
part thou doest all in excess, to Him thou givest not even His need;
and that, living in luxury upon things that belong to Him. Why, if
thou wert guardian to a child, and having taken possession of his
goods, were to neglect him in extremities, thou wouldest have ten
thousand accusers, and wouldest suffer the punishment appointed by
the laws; and now having taken possession of the goods of Christ, and
thus consuming them for no purpose, dost thou not think thou wilt
have to give account? 9. And these things I say not of those who
introduce harlots to their tables (for to them I have nothing to say,
even as neither have I to the dogs), nor of those who cheat some, and
pamper others (for neither with them have I anything to do, even as I
have not with the swine and with the wolves); but of those who enjoy
indeed their own property, but do not impart thereof to others; of
those who spend their patrimony at random. For neither are these clear from
reprehension. For how, tell me, wilt thou escape reproving and blame,
while thy parasite is pampered, and the dog that stands by thee,
but Christ's worth appears to thee even not equal to
theirs? when the one receives so much
for laughter's sake, but the other for the Kingdom of Heaven not so
much as the smallest fraction thereof. And while the parasite, on saying
something witty, goes away filled; this Man, who hath taught us, what
if we had not learnt we should have been no better than the dogs,-is
He counted unworthy of even the same treatment with such an
one? Dost thou shudder at being told it? Shudder
then at the realities. Cast out the parasites, and make Christ
to sit down to meat with thee. If He partake of thy salt, and of thy table, He
will be mild in judging thee: He knows how to respect a man's table. Yea, if
robbers know this, much more the Lord. Think, for instance, of that harlot, how at a
table He justified her, and upbraids Simon, saying, "Thou gavest me
no kiss. I say, if He feed thee, not doing these things, much more
will He reward thee, doing them. Look not at the poor man, that he
comes to thee filthy and squalid, but consider that Christ by him is
setting foot in thine house, and cease from thy fierceness, and thy
relentless words, with which thou art even aspersing such as come to
thee, calling them impostors, idle, and other names more grievous
than these. And think, when thou art talking so, of the
parasites; what kind of works do they
accomplish? in what respect do they
profit thine house? Do they really make thy dinner pleasant to thee?
pleasant, by their being beaten and saying foul words? Nay, what can
be more unpleasing than this, when thou smitest him that is made
after God's likeness, and from thine insolence to him gatherest
enjoyment for thyself, making thine house a
theatre, and filling thy banquet with stage-players, thou who art
well born and free imitating the
actors
with their heads shaven? For among them too is laughter, and
rude blows. These things then dost thou call pleasure, I
pray thee, which are deserving of many tears, of much mourning and
lamentation? And when it were fit to urge them to a good life, to
give timely advice, dost thou lead them on to perjuries, and
disorderly language, and call the thing a delight? and that which
procures hell, dost thou account a subject of pleasure? Yea, and when
they are at a loss for witty sayings, they pay the whole reckoning
wits oaths and false swearing. Are these things then worthy of
laughter, and not of lamentations and tears? Nay, who would say so,
that hath understanding? And this I say, not forbidding them to be fed,
but not for such a purpose. Nay, let their maintenance have the
motive of kindness, not of cruelty; let it be compassion, not
insolence. Because he is a poor man,
feed him;
because Christ is fed, feed him; not for introducing satanical
sayings, and disgracing his own life.
Look not at him outwardly laughing, but examine his conscience, and then thou
wilt see him uttering ten thousand imprecations against himself, and
groaning,
and wailing. And if he do not show it, this also is due to
thee. 10. Let the companions of thy meals then be men
that are poor and free, not perjured persons, nor
stage-players. And if thou must needs ask of them
a requital for their
food, enjoin them, should they see
anything done that is amiss, to rebuke, to admonish, to help thee in
thy care over thine household, in the government of thy servants.
Hast thou children? Let these be joint fathers to them, let them
divide thy charge with thee, let them yield thee such profits as God
loveth. Engage them in a spiritual traffic. And if thou see one
needing protection, bid them succor, command them to
minister.
By these do thou track the strangers out, by
these clothe the naked, by these send to the prison, put an end to
the distresses of others. Let them give thee, for their food, this
requital, which profits both thee and them, and carries with it no
condemnation. Hereby friendship also is more closely riveted.
For now, though they seem to be
loved, yet for all that they are
ashamed, as living without object in thy
house; but if they accomplish these
purposes, both they will be more pleasantly situated, and
thou wilt have more satisfaction in maintaining
them, as not spending thy money without fruit; and they again will dwell with thee in boldness
and due freedom, and thy house, instead of a theatre, will become to thee a church, and the devil will be put to flight, and
Christ will enter, and the choir of the
angels. For where Christ is, there are the
angels
too, and where Christ and the angels are, there is Heaven, there is a
light more cheerful than this of the sun. And if thou wouldest reap yet another
consolation through their means, command them, when thou art at
leisure, to take their
books and read the divine law.
They will have more pleasure in so ministering to you, than in the
other way. For these things add respect both to thee and to them, but those bring disgrace upon all together; upon thee
as an insolent person and a drunkard, upon them as wretched and
gluttonous. For if thou feed in order to insult
them, it is worse than if thou hadst put them to death; but if for their good and profit, it is more
useful again than if thou hadst brought them back from their way to
execution. And now indeed thou dost disgrace them more than thy
servants, and thy servants enjoy more liberty of speech, and freedom
of conscience, than they do; but then thou wilt make them equal to
the angels. Set free therefore both them and thine own
self, and take away the name of
parasite, and call them companions of thy meals; cast away the
appellation of flatterers, and bestow
on them that of friends. With this intent indeed did God make our friendships,
not for evil to the beloved and loving, but for their good and profit.
But these friendships are more grievous than
any enmity. For by our enemies, if we will, we are even profiled; but
by these we must needs be harmed, no question of it. Keep not then friends to
teach thee harm; keep not friends who are enamored rather of thy
table than
of thy friendship. For all such persons, if thou retrench thy good
living, retrench their friendship too; but they that associate with thee for
virtue's sake, remain continually, enduring every
change. And besides, the race of the parasites doth
often take revenge upon
thee, and bring upon thee an ill fame. Hence at least I know many respectable persons
to have got bad characters, and some have been evil reported of for
sorceries, some for adulteries and
corrupting of youths. For whereas they
have no work to do, but spend their own
life unprofitably; their ministry is suspected
by the multitude as being the same with that of corrupt
youths. Therefore, delivering ourselves both from evil
report, and above all from the hell that is to come,
and doing the things that are well-pleasing to
God, let us put an end to this devilish
custom, that "both eating and drinking
we may do all things to the glory of God, and enjoy the glory that
cometh from Him; unto which may we all attain, by the grace and love
towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might, now
and ever, and world without end. Amen. John Chrysostom,
hohenwald, church of christ, church fathers, homily XLVIII, matthew
13:53, John Chrysostom speaks on performing servants as parasites,
John Chrysostom, hohenwald, church of christ, church fathers, homily
XLVIII, matthew 13:53, John Chrysostom speaks on performing servants
as parasites
they on the contrary hold Him
cheap,
And yet it was to be
expected He should have done them.