THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
Such should believers be: restrained neither by fear, nor threats, nor shame, but helping one another, and defending and assisting as in war. They benefit not so much those in danger as themselves, making themselves sharers in the crowns prepared for them through the services they render.
For example, someone dedicated to God has fallen into affliction, suffers many calamities, and struggles with great patience. This contest has not yet been laid upon you. Yet, if you wish, you also can share in the crowns prepared for him without entering the arena. Be present with him, strengthen him, comfort him, and encourage him.
That this is truly so, listen to what the Apostle says in another epistle: "Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my affliction." And again: "Even in Thessalonica you sent once and again for my need" (Phil 4:14, 16). But how did those who were absent share in the affliction of one who was not with them? How? "You sent," he says, "once and again for my need."
He also says of Epaphroditus: "He was near to death, risking his life, that he might supply what was lacking in your service toward me" (Phil 2:30). With kings, not only those who fight, but also those who guard the weapons, are deemed worthy of honor. Often they even receive equal gifts with the fighters, though they have not stained their hands with blood. They have not taken up weapons, nor even seen the enemy host.
So it is, and much more, in these spiritual afflictions. Whoever helps a warrior of Christ weakened by hunger, staying beside him, encouraging him with words, and rendering every other service, receives the same reward as the warrior.
Do not understand here Paul, that unconquered and unshaken champion, but any other man. Perhaps he would not have stood firm or struggled had he not received great encouragement and great consolation. Thus those outside the contest become causes of victory for the one who entered it. Therefore they will also share in the crowns prepared for victory.
And what wonder is it if someone shares in the struggles of living warriors and receives equal rewards with them? It is possible to share even in those already dead, already laid to rest, already crowned, and needing nothing after death. Listen, indeed, to what Paul says: "Share in the needs of the saints" (Rom 12:13).
But how, you ask, can one become their sharer? If you admire a holy man, if you do something for which he was crowned, if you share in his struggles, then you also share in his crowns.
"May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord in that Day." He showed mercy to me, he says, and for this he will receive recompense on that fearful and dread Day, when we shall need great mercy. "May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord." Are there then two Lords? By no means. "For us there is one Lord, Christ Jesus, and one God." "For us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we for Him, and one Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor 8:6).
Those infected with the heresy of Marcion appeal to this expression. But let them know that it is very common in Scripture. In other places one often meets this expression, as when it says: "The Lord said to my Lord" (Ps 109:1). And again: "I said to the Lord, You are my Lord" (Ps 15:2). And again: "The Lord rained brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven" (Gen 19:24).
By this the consubstantiality of the divine Persons is shown, not a difference of essence. The Apostle speaks so, not so that we should imagine two essences differing from one another, but two Persons having one and the same essence. And notice how he speaks: "May the Lord grant him." What? Nothing other than mercy.
As the Apostle himself received mercy from Onesiphorus, so he wishes Onesiphorus to receive the same from God. If Onesiphorus, who exposed himself to dangers, is saved for works of mercy, how much more should we be so?
A fearful, truly fearful account awaits us. We must show much love for mankind, lest we hear the terrible words: "Depart from Me," I do not know you, "you who work iniquity" (Mt 7:23). Again, lest we hear the dreadful words: "Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Mt 25:41). Lest we hear: "Between us and you a great gulf is fixed" (Lk 16:26). Lest we hear with trembling: "Take him away, and cast him into outer darkness" (Mt 22:13). Lest we hear with great fear: "You wicked and slothful servant" (Mt 25:26).
Fearful, very fearful and dreadful, is that tribunal, though God is good and merciful. He is called the God of mercies and the God of consolation (2 Cor 1:3). He is good as no other is good, forbearing, bountiful, and rich in mercy. He does not desire the death of the sinner, but that he should turn and live (Ezek 33:11).
Why then, why will that Day be filled with such terror? A river of fire will flow before His face. The books of our deeds will be opened. The Day itself will be like a burning furnace. Angels will move about, and many fires will be laid out. How then, you ask, is God loving toward mankind? How is He merciful? How is He good?
He is loving toward mankind even in all this. Here especially the greatness of His love for mankind is revealed. For He instills such fear in us so that, even by this means, we may awaken and begin to strive for the kingdom of heaven.
"And how much he ministered to me at Ephesus, you know better," he says. Not only at Ephesus, but here also. Such should the zealous and watchful Christian be. He should do good not once, nor twice, nor three times, but throughout his whole life.
Our body is not fed once so as to sustain itself for life, but needs daily nourishment. So also here, in piety, we daily need help from good works. We need great mercy, and the God who loves mankind does everything because of our sins. He Himself needs nothing, but accomplishes everything for our sake.
For this reason He has said and explained everything to us. He has not only explained it, but has also shown it by deeds. Though His words alone are trustworthy, He adds confirmation through deeds, lest anyone suspect His words of exaggeration or mere threat.
How does He do this? By sending punishments upon men, both particular and general. To convince you by the deeds themselves, He punished Pharaoh, brought on the flood of water and the universal destruction, and sent consuming fire. Even now we see many wicked men punished and handed over to torments. All these are images of Gehenna.
Thus, so that we may not give ourselves to sleep and carelessness, and may not forget the words of the Lord, He reminds us of them and arouses us by deeds. Even here He establishes examinations, tribunals, and punishments.
If men care so much for justice, shall God, who is Himself the Lawgiver, pay no attention to it? Can this be believed? Truly, everywhere one can see tribunals, both in the house and in the marketplace. In the house the master judges the servants daily, requires an account of their actions, punishes some things, and forgives others.
In villages the farmer and his wife judge one another daily. On ships the helmsman judges. In armies the commander judges the soldiers. In the arts the teacher judges the pupil. Many tribunals can be found. Thus, both privately and generally, all judge one another. Nowhere will you see justice neglected, but everywhere and by all an account is rendered.
If concern for justice is so widespread here, in cities, in houses, and in each person individually, is there no justice there, where the right hand of God is full of righteousness (Ps 47:11)? Is there no justice where His righteousness is like the mountains of God (Ps 35:7)?
But why, you ask, does God, the righteous Judge, almighty and longsuffering, permit sins and not punish at once? The cause is already contained in what you say. He is longsuffering, and He bears long with you to lead you to repentance. But if you remain obstinate, then "according to your hardness and impenitent heart, you are treasuring up wrath for yourself" (Rom 2:4-5).
Therefore, if He is righteous, He will repay according to desert and will not leave evildoers unpunished. This belongs to the righteous Judge. If He is almighty, He will repay even after death and at the resurrection. This belongs to the Almighty. If in His longsuffering He delays, let us not be troubled and say: why does He not punish here?
If it were so, and if He subjected us daily to punishment for our offenses, the human race would no longer exist. No, truly, no day is free from sins. Daily we sin, more or less. None of us could reach even twenty years of age, were it not for His great longsuffering and goodness, which gives us sufficient time for repentance, so that we may be cleansed from sins.
Let each man, therefore, examine his deeds with an upright conscience. Let him investigate his whole life and see whether he does not deserve countless torments and punishments. When he is indignant that someone who commits many evil deeds is not punished, let him set his own deeds before himself, and his indignation will cease.
The sins of another seem great because they concern important and visible matters. But if he examines his own deeds, perhaps he will find them still greater. To steal and to be covetous is equally a sin, whether it concerns gold or silver. Both are born from one and the same thought. He who steals a little will not refuse to steal more. If he has not done so, this has happened not because of himself, but through circumstances.
A poor man who wrongs one poorer than himself would not spare a rich man either, if he could. He does not do it because of weakness, not because of his own will. You say, some official steals the property of his subjects. Tell me, do you not steal? Do not tell me that he steals talents of gold, while you steal tens of obols.
Others put gold into the treasury, while the widow put in two mites, and yet she contributed no less than they. Why? Because with God the disposition is valued, not the gift. If you allow God to judge almsgiving in this way, so that your offering of two mites, because of your poverty, is no less than the offerings of thousands of talents of gold, then why do you not allow the same in covetousness?
Is this reasonable? As the widow, by putting in two mites, according to her disposition, gave no less than the others, so you, by stealing two mites, are no better than other thieves. Indeed, if one may say something startling, you display covetousness even more than they.
In adultery, a man is equally guilty whether he commits it with the wife of a king, the wife of a poor man, or the wife of a slave. The sin is judged not by the difference of persons, but by the evil disposition of the one who resolved upon it. So it is here also.
I would even call the man more truly an adulterer who commits adultery with some insignificant woman than one who commits it with the queen herself. In the latter case, wealth, beauty, and many other things could serve as enticement. In the former there is nothing of the kind. Therefore the adultery there is much greater.
Likewise I will call the man more truly a drunkard who gets drunk on bad wine. Likewise I will call the man more covetous who does not despise even a little. For he who steals much may perhaps despise little. But he who steals little will never refuse much. Therefore the latter is especially a thief.
He who does not despise silver, will he despise gold? Therefore, when we condemn officials, let us set our own deeds before ourselves. We shall see that we ourselves are more guilty than they in theft and covetousness, if we judge not by deeds alone, but by the disposition of the soul, as one ought to judge.
Tell me, if one man who stole from a poor man is brought to trial, and another who stole from a rich man, will they not both receive the same punishment? Likewise, is not a murderer equally a murderer, whether he kills a poor and lowly man, or a rich and powerful one?