Homilies on the Gospel of St. Matthew

⁶ Let no man then beguile us with arguments. But although Paul says, “If any will not work, neither let him eat,” to them he says it; but to us he says not this, but, on the contrary, “Be not weary in well doing.” Even thus do we at home; when any two are striving with each other, we take each apart, and give them the opposite advice. This did God also, and Moses. For while to God he said, “If you will forgive them their sin, forgive it; else blot me out also;” them on the contrary he commanded to slay one another, and all that pertained to them. Yet these things are contrary; nevertheless, both looked to one end.

Again, God said to Moses in the hearing of the Jews, “Let me alone, that I may consume the people,” (for though they were not present when God was saying this, yet they were to hear it afterwards): but privately He gives him directions of the opposite tenor. And this, Moses upon constraint revealed afterwards, thus saying, “What? Did I conceive them, that you say to me, Carry them, as a nurse would carry the sucking child in her bosom?”

These things are done also in houses, and often a father while he blames the tutor in private for having used his child reproachfully, saying, “Be not rough, nor hard,” to the youth speaks in the contrary way, “Though thou be reproached unjustly, bear it;” out of those opposites making up some one wholesome result. Thus also Paul said to such as are in health and beg, “If any man will not work, neither let him eat,” that he may urge them into employment: but to such as can show mercy, “You, for your part, be not weary in well doing:” that he may lead them to give alms.

So also, when he was admonishing those of the Gentiles, in his Epistle to the Romans, not to be highminded against the Jews, he brought forward also the wild olive, and he seems to be saying one thing to these, another to those.

Let us not therefore fall away into cruelty, but let us listen to Paul, saying, “Be not weary in well doing;” let us listen to the Lord, who says, “Give to every man that asks of you,” and, “Be merciful as your Father.” And though He has spoken of many things, He has nowhere used this expression, but with regard to our deeds of mercy only. For nothing so equals us with God, as doing good.

“But nothing is more shameless,” says one, “than a poor man.” Why, I pray you? Because he runs up, and cries out after you? Will you then let me point out, how we are more importunate than they, and very shameless? Remember, I say, now at the season of the fast, how often, when your table was spread at eventide, and you had called your ministering servant; on his moving rather leisurely, you have overset everything, kicking, insulting, reviling, merely about a little delay; although fully assured, that if not immediately, yet a little after you shall enjoy your victuals. Upon which thou dost not call yourself impudent, changed as you are into a wild beast for nothing; but the poor man, alarmed and trembling about his greater interests (for not about delay, but about famine, is all his fear), him do you call audacious, and shameless, and impudent, and all the most opprobrious names? Nay, how is this anything but extreme impudence.

But these things we do not consider: therefore we account such men troublesome: since if we at all searched into our own doings, and compared them with theirs, we should not have thought them intolerable.

Be not then a severe judge. Why, if you were clear of all sins, not even then would the law of God permit you to be strict in searching out other men's sins. And if the Pharisee perished on this account, what defense are we to find? If He suffer not such as have done well to be bitter in searching out other men's doings, much less them that have offended.