THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
If those who do not obey the Gospel will be subjected to punishment, what will those not suffer who, in addition to this disobedience, also insult you? But note, I ask you, the Apostle's wisdom. He did not say here, those who insult you, but those who do not obey. Therefore, he says, if not in vengeance for you, then in vengeance for Himself the Lord must necessarily subject them to punishment. Thus this was said to give greater assurance that, in every case, the persecutors must be punished. The preceding words were said to assure them that the persecuted will be deemed worthy of honor. The assurance that punishment is inevitable leads them to faith. The consolation lies in this: the persecutors will undergo this suffering in vengeance for the wrongs inflicted upon believers. Although this was said to them, the Thessalonians, it can also apply to us. Therefore, when we are in misfortune, let us reflect on this. Let us not rejoice at the punishment of others because we are avenged. Let us rejoice that we ourselves have escaped such punishment and inquiry. Indeed, what profit is there for us if others are subjected to punishment? Therefore, I beseech you, let us not nourish such a disposition of soul within ourselves. Let the thought of the kingdom move us to lead a virtuous life. It is true that one who is perfectly virtuous is guided neither by fear nor by the desire to acquire the kingdom, but by Christ Himself, as Paul was. But let us think on the blessings in the kingdom and on the torments in Gehenna. At least in this way let us rightly form and educate ourselves. In this way let us move ourselves to fulfill what we must fulfill. When in the present life you see something good and great, then think of the heavenly kingdom, and you will be convinced that what you have seen is insignificant. When you see something fearful, think of Gehenna, and you will laugh at it. When fleshly desire takes possession of you, think of the fire. Consider the pleasure itself from this sin, that it is insignificant and does not even bring pleasure. If fear of transgressing the laws enacted here has such power that it restrains us from evil deeds, much more will remembrance of the future, of unceasing torment and eternal punishment. If fear before an earthly king restrains us from so many crimes, much more will fear before the eternal King. How then can we continually awaken this fear in ourselves? We can do so if we are always attentive to the words of Scripture. Indeed, if the mere sight of a dead man so humbles our mind, how much more Gehenna and the unquenchable fire, and how much more the undying worm? If we constantly thought about Gehenna, we would not quickly be cast down into it. This is why God threatens punishment. If meditation on Gehenna did not bring us great benefit, God would not have threatened us with it. But since remembrance of it can help us properly accomplish great deeds, He has sown in our souls the fearful thought of it as a saving medicine. Therefore let us not neglect the great benefit born from this. Let us make it the constant subject of conversation at our morning and evening table. Conversation about pleasant subjects brings not the least profit to our soul. On the contrary, it makes it weaker. But conversation about mournful and sorrowful subjects cuts off every distraction and softness from it. It turns it to the true path and restrains it even when it has submitted to weakness. He who talks about theaters and actors brings not the least profit to our soul by this. On the contrary, he inflames it still more and makes it more frivolous. He who occupies himself with others' affairs and is curious to learn about them often exposes the soul to danger through such curiosity. But he who speaks about Gehenna exposes himself to no danger, and at the same time makes his soul more chaste. Perhaps you fear such terrible words. Do you think you will extinguish Gehenna if you do not speak about it? Or do you think you will kindle it if you speak about it? Whether you speak or not, the fire of Gehenna will still burn. Speak of it constantly, so that you may never fall into it. It is impossible for a soul constantly occupied with the thought of Gehenna to sin quickly. Therefore hear the excellent instruction: In all thy works remember thy end, and thou shalt never sin (Sir 7:39). It cannot be that a soul which fears being called to account for its deeds is not slow to transgress. Fear, once established in our mind, leaves no room in it for anything worldly. If discourse on Gehenna, occupying us only from time to time, so humbles and subdues us, will not the thought of it, constantly abiding in our souls, cleanse the soul better than any fire? Let us remember not so much the kingdom as Gehenna, because fear has more power over us than promises. I know that many would disregard a thousand blessings, if only they could remain free from punishments. For me also, at present, it is enough only that I not be subjected to inquiry and not be punished. He who always has Gehenna before his eyes will never fall into Gehenna. He who despises Gehenna will never escape Gehenna. Just as among us those who fear the tribunal are not dragged to tribunals, while those who despise them most often fall under them, so also there. If the Ninevites had not feared destruction, they would have perished. But because they feared, they did not perish. If those who lived in Noah's time had feared the flood, they would not have perished in the flood. And if the Sodomites had feared, they would not have been consumed by fire. It is a great evil to despise threats. He who despises threats will soon learn their consequences by experience. Nothing can be more useful than conversation about Gehenna. It makes our souls purer than any silver. Hear what the Prophet says: For all His judgments were before me, and I did not depart from His statutes (Ps 17:23). Christ also constantly spoke about Gehenna, because although this saddens the hearer, it brings him the greatest benefit. Everything useful has such qualities, and do not be surprised at this. Medicines and foods also are unpleasant at first for the sick man, but afterward they bring him benefit. If we cannot endure words unpleasant to us, it is clear that we will be unable to endure heavy trials in deed. If none of us can endure a word about Gehenna, then it is clear that if persecution overtook us, none of us would be able to stand against fire or sword. Let us train our hearing, lest we become soft. From words we can pass also to deeds. If we become accustomed to hearing fearful things, we will also become accustomed to enduring fearful things. But if we are so soft that we cannot endure even words, how shall we stand against events? Do you see how blessed Paul despised everything that happens in this world, even dangers? Why was this? Because he had learned to despise even Gehenna for the sake of those whom God loved. Out of love for Christ he counted endurance of torments in Gehenna as nothing. But for our own benefit, we cannot endure even speech about it. Now, after listening for a little while, you will depart from here. But I beseech you, if there is any love in you, constantly occupy yourselves with conversations about such things. At the very least, this will not harm you, if it does not bring benefit. But without doubt it will also bring benefit. According to what our conversation is, so the soul becomes. It is said: Evil company corrupts good morals (1 Cor 15:33). Therefore good conversations bring benefit. Therefore conversations that inspire fear make one chaste. Our soul is like wax. If you speak cold words, you will make it hard and harsh. If you speak fiery words, you will soften it. And once you soften it, you can give it whatever form you wish and inscribe the royal image upon it. Therefore let us close our hearing to idle conversations. They are no small evil. From them every evil proceeds. If our mind had learned to attend to divine words, it would pay attention to nothing else. And if it paid attention to nothing else, it would never dare evil deeds. Speech is the path to deeds. First we think, then we speak, then we act. Many people, even chaste people, have often passed from shameful words to shameful deeds. Our soul by nature is neither good nor evil. Both in it depend on free will. As a sail moves the ship wherever the wind blows, or better, as the rudder directs the ship if a favorable wind is blowing, so also our mind sails safely if a favorable wind carries good words to it. But if contrary winds blow, it is often drowned. What winds are for ships, words are for the soul. You can move and direct it wherever you wish. Therefore someone, instructing us, said: And let all thy discourse be in the law of the Most High (Sir 9:20). Therefore, I beseech you, when we take children from their mothers' breast, let us not teach them old women's tales. Rather, let the child learn from infancy that there is a judgment. Let the thought that there is punishment take root in his mind. When this fear takes root in him, it will bring great benefit. Indeed, a soul accustomed from early age to tremble at the expectation of such a lot cannot easily be freed from this fear. Like an easily guided horse, having the thought of Gehenna as its guide, it will walk rightly. It will speak and take part in conversation only about useful subjects. Neither youth, nor wealth, nor orphanhood, nor anything else will be able to harm it. So firm will its mind be, and so able to withstand everything. With such words let us edify ourselves, our wives, our servants, our children, our friends, and even our enemies, if possible. With the help of such words we will be able to cut off a multitude of sins. We will prefer to live in sorrowful circumstances rather than favorable ones. This can be seen from the following. Tell me: if you entered a house where a wedding feast was being celebrated, for one hour you would feel pleasure from the sight. But afterward, when you left, would you not be crushed with sorrow because you do not have the same? But if you entered the house of people who were weeping, even if they were very rich, then on leaving you would more readily feel calm. From there you would carry away not envy, but consolation and encouragement for your poverty. You see by experience that wealth is not a good, and poverty is not an evil. Both in themselves are indifferent. So it is in the present case. If you occupy yourself with conversation about pleasures, you will grieve your soul still more, since it does not enjoy these pleasures. But if amid pleasures you begin to speak about Gehenna, this will become for you a source of joy and great consolation. Indeed, when you consider that these pleasures cannot help us at all against that fire, you will not seek them. And when you think that they usually inflame that fire still more, you will not only cease seeking them, but you will feel aversion toward them and reject them. Therefore let us not avoid words about Gehenna, so that we may avoid Gehenna. Let us not avoid reminders of punishment, so that we may not be subjected to that punishment. If that rich man had thought about that fire, he would not have sinned. But since he never brought it to mind, he fell into it. Tell me, man: when the time comes for you to appear before the judgment seat of Christ, will you then speak about everything except this, except Gehenna? When you have a case in court, often one not even worth speaking of, you speak of nothing else night and day, at every time and always, except that case. Yet when you must give an account before God for your whole life and be held responsible, you cannot endure even others reminding you of judgment. This is why everything tends toward ruin and corruption. When we prepare to stand before a human tribunal concerning worldly matters, we set everything in motion. We appeal to everyone with requests, constantly trouble ourselves about it, and do everything needed for it. Yet when we must soon stand before the judgment of Christ, we do nothing, neither personally nor through others.