Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews

⁴ “Looking diligently lest any man come short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled: lest there be any fornicator or profane person.” Do you see how everywhere he puts the common salvation into the hands of each individual? “Exhorting one another daily” (he says) “while it is called Today.” Do not then cast all [the burden] on your teachers; do not [cast] all upon them who have the rule over you: ye also (he means) are able to edify one another. Which also he said in writing to the Thessalonians, “Edify one another, even as also ye do.” And again, “Comfort one another with these words.” This we also now exhort you.

5. If you be willing, you will have more success with each other than we can have. For you both are with one another for a longer time, and you know more than we of each other's affairs, and you are not ignorant of each other's failings, and you have more freedom of speech, and love, and intimacy; and these are no small [advantages] for teaching, but great and opportune introductions for it: ye will be more able than we both to reprove and to exhort. And not this only, but because I am but one, whereas you are many; and you will be able, however many, to be teachers. Wherefore I entreat you, do not “neglect this gift.” Each one of you has a wife, has a friend, has a servant, has a neighbor; let him reprove him, let him exhort him.

For how is it not absurd, with regard to [bodily] nourishment, to make associations for messing together, and for drinking together, and to have a set day whereon to club with one another, as they say, and to make up by the association what each person being alone by himself fails short of— as for instance, if it be necessary to go to a funeral, or to a dinner, or to assist a neighbor in any matter— and not to do this for the purpose of instruction in virtue? Yea, I entreat you, let no man neglect it. For great is the reward he receives from God. And that you may understand, he who was entrusted with the five talents is the teacher: and he with the one is the learner. If the learner should say, I am a learner, I run no risk, and should hide the reason, which he received of God, that common and simple [reason], and give no advice, should not speak plainly, should not rebuke, should not admonish, if he is able, but should bury [his talents] in the earth (for truly that heart is earth and ashes, which hides the gift of God): if then he hides it either from indolence, or from wickedness, it will be no defense to him to say, 'I had but one talent.' You had one talent. You ought then to have brought one besides, and to have doubled the talent. If you had brought one in addition, you would not have been blamed. For neither did He say to him who brought the two, Wherefore have you not brought five? But He accounted him of the same worth with him who brought the five. Why? Because he gained as much as he had. And, because he had received fewer than the one entrusted with the five, he was not on this account negligent, nor did he use the smallness [of his trust, as an excuse] for idleness. And you ought not to have looked to him who had the two; or rather, you ought to have looked to him, and as he having two imitated him who had five, so ought thou to have emulated him who had two. For if for him who has means and does not give, there is punishment, how shall there not be the greatest punishment for him who is able to exhort in any way, and does it not? In the former case the body is nourished, in the latter the soul; there you prevent temporal death, here eternal.

6. But I have no [skill of] speech, you say. But there is no need of [skill of] speech nor of eloquence. If you see a friend going into fornication, say to him, You are going after an evil thing; are you not ashamed? Do you not blush? This is wrong. 'Why, does he not know' (you say) 'that it is wrong?' Yes, but he is dragged on by lust. They that are sick also know that it is bad to drink cold water, nevertheless they need persons who shall hinder [them from it]. For he who is suffering, will not easily be able to help himself in his sickness. There is need therefore of you who art in health, for his cure. And if he be not persuaded by your words, watch for him as he goes away and hold him fast; perhaps he will be ashamed.

'And what advantage is it' (you say), 'when he does this for my sake, and because he has been held back by me?' Do not be too minute in your calculations. For a while, by whatever means, withdraw him from his evil practice; let him be accustomed not to go off to that pit, whether through you, or through any means whatever. When you have accustomed him not to go, then by taking him after he has gained breath a little you will be able to teach him that he ought to do this for God's sake, and not for man's. Do not wish to make all right at once, since you cannot: but do it gently and by degrees.

If you see him going off to drinking, or to parties where there is nothing but drunkenness, then also do the same; and again on the other hand intreat him, if he observe that you have any failing, to help you and set you right. For in this way, he will even of himself, bear reproof, when he sees both that you need reproofs as well, and that you help him, not as one that had done everything right, nor as a teacher, but as a friend and a brother. Say to him, I have done you a service, in reminding you of things expedient: do thou also, whatever failing you see me have, hold me back, set me right. If you see me irritable, if avaricious, restrain me, bind me by exhortation.

This is friendship; thus “brother aided by brother becomes a fortified city.” For not eating and drinking makes friendship: such friendship even robbers have and murderers. But if we are friends, if we truly care for one another, let us in these respects help one another. This leads us to a profitable friendship: let us hinder those things which lead away to hell.

7. Therefore let not him that is reproved be indignant: for we are men and we have failings; neither let him who reproves do it as exulting over him and making a display, but privately, with gentleness. He that reproves has need of greater gentleness, that thus he may persuade [them] to bear the cutting. Do you not see surgeons, when they burn, when they cut, with how great gentleness they apply their treatment? Much more ought those who reprove others to act thus. For reproof is sharper even than fire and knife, and makes [men] start. On this account surgeons take great pains to make them bear the cutting quietly, and apply it as tenderly as possible, even giving in a little, then giving time to take breath.

So ought we also to offer reproofs, that the reproved may not start away. Even if therefore, it be necessary to be insulted, yea even to be struck, let us not decline it. For those also who are cut [by the surgeons] utter numberless cries against those who are cutting them; they however heed none of these things, but only the health of the patients. So indeed in this case also we ought to do all things that our reproof may be effectual, to bear all things, looking to the reward which is in store.