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Verse 16
Theosis · English Bible
3 Kingdoms (1 Kings)

3 Kingdoms (1 Kings) 17

Old TestamentTheosis · English Bible

1And Eliu the prophet, the Thesbite of Thesbæ of Galaad, said to Achaab, As the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be these years dew nor rain, except by the word of my mouth. 2And the word of the Lord came to Eliu, saying, 3Depart hence eastward, and hide thee by the brook of Chorrath, that is before Jordan. 4And it shall be that thou shalt drink water of the brook, and I will charge the ravens to feed thee there. 5And Eliu did according to the word of the Lord, and he sat by the brook of Chorrath before Jordan. 6And the ravens brought him loaves in the morning, and flesh in the evening, and he drank water of the brook. 7And it came to pass after some time, that the brook was dried up, because there had been no rain upon the earth. 8And the word of the Lord came to Eliu, saying, 9Arise, and go to Sarepta of the Sidonian land: behold, I have there commanded a widow-woman to maintain thee. 10And he arose and went to Sarepta, and came to the gate of the city: and, behold, a widow-woman was there gathering sticks; and Eliu cried after her, and said to her, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. 11And she went to fetch it; and Eliu cried after her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of the bread that is in thy hand. 12And the woman said, As the Lord thy God lives, I have not a cake, but only a handful of meal in the pitcher, and a little oil in a cruse, and, behold, I am going to gather two sticks, and I shall go in and dress it for myself and my children, and we shall eat it and die. 13And Eliu said to her, Be of good courage, go in and do according to thy word: but make me thereof a little cake, and thou shalt bring it out to me first, and thou shalt make some for thyself and thy children last. 14For thus saith the Lord, The pitcher of meal shall not fail, and the cruse of oil shall not diminish, until the day that the Lord gives rain upon the earth. 15And the woman went and did so, and did eat, she, and he, and her children. 16And the pitcher of meal failed not, and the cruse of oil was not diminished, according to the word of the Lord which he spoke by the hand of Eliu. 17And it came to pass afterward, that the son of the woman the mistress of the house was sick; and his sickness was very severe, until there was no breath left in him. 18And she said to Eliu, What have I to do with thee, O man of God? hast thou come in to me to bring my sins to remembrance, and to slay my son? 19And Eliu said to the woman, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and took him up to the chamber in which he himself lodged, and laid him on the bed. 20And Eliu cried aloud, and said, Alas, O Lord, the witness of the widow with whom I sojourn, thou hast wrought evil for her in slaying her son. 21And he breathed on the child thrice, and called on the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, let, I pray thee, the soul of this child return to him. 22And it was so, and the child cried out, 23and he brought him down from the upper chamber into the house, and gave him to his mother; and Eliu said, See, thy son lives. 24And the woman said to Eliu, Behold, I know that thou art a man of God, and the word of the Lord in thy mouth is true.

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3 Kingdoms (1 Kings) 17:16

John Chrysostom

John Chrysostom4th century

Consider this widow: with just a small amount of flour and a little oil, she experienced abundant provision. After she provided for the prophet, her supplies—neither flour nor oil—were depleted, even while the world around her suffered from hunger. Remarkably, she did not labor for her food; instead, flour and oil were available to her at all times. She had no need for farming, oxen, or any of life’s usual concerns, as everything she had was clearly a result of divine intervention. Meanwhile, the king, adorned in his royal garb, faced dire circumstances under the stranglehold of famine, while this impoverished widow began to thrive in endless sustenance because she welcomed the prophet into her home. Thus, Christ taught: ‘whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward’ (Matthew 10:41). Recall how the forefather was blessed for his diligent hospitality. Look to this woman from Sidon, who unexpectedly gained immense wealth when the prophet’s words turned her meager supplies into an endless source. Let us all, married couples included, strive to emulate her!

I wish to inspire you to pursue the dedication and virtue of the prophet, but it may seem beyond reach, despite him being a man of flesh and sharing our nature. He was, however, graced from above, as he consistently committed himself to what was within his power and above all cherished righteousness. So let us at least first model our actions after this widow, gradually aspiring to reflect the prophet’s example. Let us embrace her remarkable love and not dwell on our own poverty. No matter how destitute one feels, none can be poorer than she was: she had provisions for just one day, yet even in such a circumstance, she did not hesitate to fulfill the righteous man's request, showing commendable diligence, and for this, she quickly reaped her reward. Such are the workings of God; He often provides much in return for little.

What truly occurs is that the Lord values not just the quantity of what is given, but the earnestness of the heart; through genuine effort, little can become much, while great offerings may lose value if not given willingly. Just as the widow in the Gospel, who donated two small coins, outshined all others, not because her offering was greater, but because it stemmed from heartfelt devotion. The others contributed from their surplus, while she gave all she had. Let husbands too reflect the actions of their wives and not show themselves inferior; let us not only focus on indulging in our own desires but also diligently care for those in need.

Like a farmer sowing seeds, we should give not out of sorrow but with joy, and trust in the abundant harvest to come. You too, dear friends, should not dwell on what the poor may take from you or the expenses you incur; envision instead that your acts of kindness are received not by a mere man but by the Lord of all creation. Your giving becomes a profit, enhancing rather than diminishing your possessions, particularly when offered with faith and joyful zeal.

Higher still is the good that comes from such generosity: accompanied by other rewards, it offers the remission of sins. What could compare to such grace? Thus, to be truly enriched and receive forgiveness, let us share our resources with those in need, investing them in heaven where no thief or corrupting force can diminish our riches. That realm is free from all evils. Yet, let us act not out of vanity but in accord with God’s commandments, seeking His approval rather than that of men; else, the cost will outweigh any gain. Wealth brought to heaven through the hands of the needy is safeguarded from harm, save for the vanity that could destroy it. Just as moths and worms devour garments, the riches amassed in heaven are affected by mere vanity.

Therefore, I urge you: Let us engage in charity with true intention, transforming the little we possess into abundant benefits, the transient into the eternal, and alongside these gifts, may we also receive the forgiveness of sins and everlasting blessings, which may we all inherit through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with glory to the Father and to the Holy Spirit, now and always, and throughout all ages. Amen.