"Be not wise in your own conceits." This is, do not
think that you can do for yourselves. Because the Scripture saith in another
place besides, "Woe to them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent
in their own sight." (Is. v. 22.) And by this again, he secretly draws
off recklessness, and reduces conceit and turgidity. For there is nothing
that so elates men and makes them feel different from other people, as
the notion that they can do by themselves. Whence also God hath placed
us in need one of another, and though thou be wise thou wilt be in need
of another: but if thou think that thou art not in need of him, thou wilt
be the most foolish and feeble of men. For a man of this sort bares himself
of all succor, and in whatever error he may run into, will not have the
advantage either of correction or of pardon, and will provoke God by his
recklessness, and will run into many errors. For it is the case, aye, and
often too, that a wise man does not perceive what is needful, and a man
of less shrewdness hits upon somewhat that is applicable. And this happened
with Moses and his father-in-law, and with Saul and his servant, and with
Isaac and Rebecca. Do not then suppose that you are lowered by needing
another man For (his exalts you the more, this makes you the stronger,
and the brighter too, and the more secure.
Ver.17. "Recompense to no man evil for evil."
For if thou findest fault with another who plots against thee, why dost
thou make thyself liable to this accusation? If he did amiss how comest
thou not to shun imitating him? And observe how he puts no difference here
but lays down one law for all. For he does not say, "recompense not evil"
to the believer, but to "no man," be he heathen, be he contaminated, or
what not. "Provide things honest in the sight of all men."
Ver.18. "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably
with all men."
This is that: "let your light shine before men" (Matt. v. 16), not that
we are to live for vanity, but that we are not to give those who have a
mind for it a handle against us. Whence he says also in another place,
"Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the
Church of God." (1 Cor. x. 32.) And in what follows he limits his meaning
well, by saying, "If it be possible." For there are cases in which it is
not possible, as, for instance, when we have to argue about religion, or
to contend for those who are wronged. And why be surprised if this be not
universally possible in the case of other persons, when even in the case
of man and wife he broke through the rule? "But if the unbelieving depart,
let him depart." (1 Cor. vii. 15.) And his meaning is nearly as follows:
Do thine own part, and to none give occasion of war or fighting, neither
to Jew nor Gentile. But if you see the cause of religion suffering anywhere,
do not prize concord above truth, but make a noble stand even to death.
And even then be not at war in soul, be not averse in temper, but fight
with the things only. For this is the import of "as much as in you lieth,
be at peace with all men." But if the other will not be at peace, do not
thou fill thy soul with tempest, but in mind be friendly (filoj, several
mss. filosofoj) as I said before, without giving up the truth on any occasion.
Ver.19. "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place
unto wrath. For it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the
Lord."
Unto what wrath? To the wrath of God. Now since what the injured man
desires most to see is, himself having the pleasure of revenge, this very
thing he gives him in full measure, that if thou dost not avenge thyself.
he means, God will be thy avenger. Leave it then to Him to follow up thy
wrongs. For this is the force of "give place unto wrath." Then to give
further comfort, he brings the quotation forward also, and after winning
him more throughly to himself in this way, he demands more Christian heroism
(filosofian) of him, and says:
Ver. 20, 21. "If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give
him to drink; for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head.
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."
Why, he means, am I telling you that you must keep peace for? I even
insist upon your doing kindness. For he says, "give him to eat, and give
him to drink." Then as the command he gave was a very difficult and a great
one, he proceeds: "for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his
head." And this he said both to humble the one by fear, and to make the
other more ready-minded through hope of a recompense. For he that is wronged,
when he is feeble, is not so much taken with any goods of his own as with
the vengeance upon the person who has pained him. For there nothing so
sweet as to see an enemy chastised. What he is longing for, then, that
he gives him first, and when he has let the venom go, then be again gives
advice of a higher tone, saying, "Be not overcome of evil." For he knew
that if the enemy were a very brute, he would not continue an enemy when
he had been fed. And if the man injured be of ever so little a soul, still
when feeding him and giving him to drink, he will not himself even have
any farther craving for his punishment. Hence, out of confidence in the
result of the action, he does not simply threaten, but even dwells largely
upon the vengeance. For he did not say, "thou shall take vengeance" but,
"thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head." Then he further declares
him victor, by saying, "be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with
good." And he gives a kind of gentle hint, that one is not to do it with
that intention, since cherishing a grudge still would be "being overcome
of evil." But he did not say it at once, as he did not find it advisable
yet. But when he had disburdened the man of his anger, then he proceeded
to say, "overcome evil with good." Since this would be a victory. For the
combatant is rather then the conqueror, not when he brings himself under
to take the blows, but when he withdraws himself, and makes his antagonist
waste his strength upon the air. And in this way he will not be struck
himself, and will also exhaust the whole of the other's strength. And this
takes place in regard to affronts also. For when you do affronts in return,
you have the worse, not as overcome (so I ms. nikhqeij, Sav. kinhqeij)
by a man, but what is far more disgraceful, by the slavish passion of anger.
But if you are silent, then you will conquer, and erect a trophy without
a fight, and will have thousands to crown you, and to condemn the slander
of falsehood. For he that replies, seems to be speaking in return as if
stung. And he that is stung, gives reason to suspect that he is conscious
of being guilty of what is said of him. But if you laugh at it, by your
laughing you do away with the sentence against you. And if you would have
a clear proof of what has been said, ask the enemy himself, when he is
most vexed? when you are heated, and insult him in return? or when you
laugh at him as he insults you? and you will be told the last rather. For
he too is not so much pleased with not being insulted in return, as he
is vexed because his abuse was not able to gain any hold upon you. Did
you never see men in a passion, how they make no great account of their
own wounds, but rush on with much violence, and are worse than very wild
boars for seeking the hurt of their neighbor, and look to this alone, and
are more given to this than to being on their guard against getting harmed?
When therefore thou deprivest him of that he desires most, thou bereavest
him of everything, by holding him thus cheap, and showing him to be easy
to be despised, and a child rather than a man; and thou indeed hast gained
the reputation of a wise man, and him dost thou invest with the character
of a noisome beast. This too let us do when we are struck, and when we
wish to strike, let us abstain from striking again. But, would you give
a mortal blow? "Turn to him the other cheek also" (Matt. v. 39), and thou
wilt smite him with countless wounds. For they that applaud, and wonder
at thee, are more annoying to him than men to stone him would be; and before
them, his conscience will condemn him, and will exact the greatest punishment
of him, and so he will go off with a confused look as if he had been treated
with the utmost rigor. And if it is the estimation of the multitude that
you look for, this too you will have in larger share. And in a general
way we have a kind of sympathy with those who are the sufferers; but when
we also see that they do not strike (several mss. resist, antipiptontaj)
in return, but even give themselves up to it, we not only pity them, but
even feel admiration for them.
Here then I find reason to lament, that we who might have things present,
if we listened to Christ's Law as we should, and also attain to things
to come, are cast out of both by not paying attention to what has been
told us, but giving ourselves to unwarranted philosophising about them.
For He has given us laws upon all these points for our good, and has shown
us what makes us have a good name, what brings us to disgrace. And if it
was likely to have proved His disciples ridiculous, He would not have enjoined
this. But since this makes them the most notable of men namely, the not
speaking ill, when we have ill spoken of us; the not doing ill when we
have ill done us; this was His reason for enjoining it. But if this be
so, much more the speaking of good when we have ill spoken of us, and the
praising of those that insult us, and the doing good to those that plot
against us, will make us so. This then was why He gave these laws. For
He is careful for His own disciples, and knowing well what it is that maketh
little or great. If then He both careth and knoweth, why dost thou quarrel
with Him, and wish to go another road? For conquering by doing ill is one
of the devil's laws. Hence in the Olympic games which were celebrated to
him it is so that all the competitors conquer. But in Christ's race this
is not the rule about the prize, for, on the contrary, the law is for the
person smitten, and not for the person smiting, to be crowned. For such
is the character of His race, it has all its regulations the other way;
so that it is not in the victory only, but also in the way of the victory,
that the marvel is the greater. Now when things which on the other side
are signs of a victory, on this side he showeth to be productive of defeat,
this is the power of God, this the race of Heaven, this the theatre of
Angels. I know that ye are warmed thoroughly now, and are become as soft
as any wax, but when ye have gone hence ye will spew it all out. This is
why I sorrow, that what we are speaking of, we do not show in our actions,
and this too though we should be greatest gainers thereby. For if we let
our moderation be seen, we shall be invincible to any man; and there is
nobody either great or small, who will have the power of doing us any hurt.
For if any one abuseth thee, he has not hurt thee at all, but himself severely.
And if again he wrong thee, the harm will be with the person who does the
wrong. Did you never notice that even in the courts of law those who have
had wrong done them are honored, and stand and speak out with entire freedom,
but those who have done the wrong, are bowed down with shame and fear?
And why do I talk of evil-speaking (Sav. conj. and 5 mss. kakhgorian) and
of wrong? For were he even to whet his sword against thee, and to stain
his right hand in thy life-blood (eij ton laimon, as p. 505), it is not
thee that he hath done any harm to, but himself that he hath butchered.
And he will witness what I say who was first taken off thus by a brother's
hand. For he went away to the haven without a billow, having gained a glory
that dieth not away; but the other lived a life worse than any death, groaning,
and trembling, and in his body bearing about the accusation of what he
had done. Let us not follow after this then, but that. For he that hath
ill done him, has not an evil that taketh up its constant abode with him,
since he is not the parent of it; but as he received it from others, he
makes it good by his patient endurance. But he that doeth ill, hath the
well of the mischief in himself. Was not Joseph in prison, but the harlot
that plotted against him in a fine and splendid house? Which then wouldest
thou wish to have been? And let me not hear yet of the requital, but examine
the things that had taken place by themselves. For in this way thou wilt
rate Joseph's prison infinitely above the house with the harlot in it.
For if you were to see the souls of them both, you would find the one full
of enlargement and boldness, but that of the Egyptian woman in straitness,
shame, dejection, confusion, and great despondency. And yet she seemed
to conquer; but this was no real victor. Knowing all this then, let us
fit ourselves for bearing ills, even that we may be freed from bearing
ills, and may attain to the blessings to come. Which that we may all attain
to, God grant, by the grace and love toward man, etc.
