Homilies on Ephesians

What is this, “in uncorruptness”? It either means, “in purity”; or else, “for the sake of those things which are incorruptible,” as, for example, not in riches, nor in glory, but in those treasures which are incorruptible. The “in” means, “through.” “Through uncorruptness,” that is, “through virtue.” Because all sin is corruption. And in the same way as we say a virgin is corrupted, so also do we speak of the soul. Hence Paul says, “Lest by any means your minds should be corrupted.” And again elsewhere, he says, “In doctrine, showing uncorruptness.” For what, tell me, is corruption of the body? Is it not the dissolution of the whole frame, and of its union? This then is what takes place also in the soul when sin enters. The beauty of the soul is temperance, and righteousness; the health of the soul is courage, and prudence; for the base man is hideous in our eyes, so is the covetous, so is the man who gives himself up to evil practices, and so the coward and unmanly man is sick, and the foolish man is out of health. Now that sins work corruption, is evident from this, that they render men base, and weak, and cause them to be sick and diseased. Nay, and when we say that a virgin is corrupted, we say so, strictly speaking, on this account also, not only because the body is defiled, but because of the transgression. For the mere act is natural; and if in that consisted the “corruption,” then were marriage corruption. Hence is it not the act that is corruption, but the sin, for it dishonors and puts her to shame. And again, what would be corruption in the case of a house? Its dissolution. And so, universally, corruption is a change which takes place for the worse, a change into another state, to the utter extinction of the former one. For hear what the Scripture says, “All flesh had corrupted his way”; and again, “In intolerable corruption”; and again, “Men corrupted in mind.” Our body is corruptible, but our soul is incorruptible. Oh then, let us not make that corruptible also. This, the corruption of the body, was the work of former sin; but sin which is after the Laver, has the power also to render the soul corruptible, and to make it an easy prey to “the worm that dies not.” For never had that worm touched it, had it not found the soul corruptible. The worm touches not adamant, and even if he touches it, he can do it no harm. Oh then, corrupt not the soul; for that which is corrupted is full of foul stench; for hearken to the Prophet who says, “My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.”

However, “this corruption” of the body “shall put on incorruption”, but the other of the soul, never; for where incorruption is, there is no corruption. Thus is it a corruption which is incorruptible, which has no end, a deathless death; which would have been, had the body remained deathless. Now if we shall depart into the next world having not corruption, we have that corruption incorruptible and endless; for to be ever burning, and not burnt up, ever wasted by the worm, is corruption incorruptible; like as was the case with the blessed Job. He was corrupted, and died not, and that through a lengthened period, and “wasted continually, scraping the clods of dust from his sore.” Some such torment as this shall it undergo, when the worms surround and devour it, not for two years nor for three, nor for ten, nor for ten thousand, but for years without end; for “their worm,” says He, “dies not.”

Moral. Let us take the alarm then, I entreat you, let us dread the words, that we meet not with the realities. Covetousness is corruption, corruption more dangerous than any other, and leading on to idolatry. Let us shun the corruption, let us choose the incorruption. Have you in covetousness overreached and defrauded some one? The fruits of your covetousness perish, but the covetousness remains; a corruption which is the foundation of incorruptible corruption. The enjoyment indeed passes away, but the sin remains imperishable. A fearful evil is it for us not to strip ourselves of everything in this present world; a great calamity to depart into the next with loads of sins about us. “For in Sheol,” it is said “who shall give You thanks?” There is the place of judgment; then is there no longer season for repentance. How many things did the rich man bewail then? And yet it availed him nothing. How many things did they say who had neglected to feed Christ? Yet were they led away notwithstanding into the everlasting fire. How many things had they then to say: “that had wrought iniquity”; “Lord, did we not prophesy by Your Name, and by Your Name cast out devils?” And yet notwithstanding, they were not owned. All these things therefore will take place then; but it will be of no avail, if they be not done now. Let us fear then, lest ever we should have to say then, “Lord, when saw we You an hungered, and fed You not?” Let us feed Him now, not one day, nor two, nor three days. “For let not mercy and truth,” says the Wise Man, “forsake you.” He says not “do it once, nor twice.” The Virgins, we know, had oil, but not enough to last out. And thus we need much oil, and thus should we be “like a green olive tree in the house of God.” Let us reflect then how many burdens of sins each of us has about him, and let us make our acts of mercy counterbalance them; nay rather, far exceed them, that not only the sins may be quenched, but that the acts of righteousness may be also accounted unto us for righteousness. For if the good deeds be not so many in number as to put aside the crimes laid against us, and out of the remainder to be counted unto us for righteousness, then shall no one rescue us from that punishment, from which God grant that we may be all delivered, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, etc.