THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
Here is another superiority of the Son over the servants. Do you see again how he points to Christ's closeness to God the Father by the name Son? "Christ as a Son over His own house." Do you notice how he distinguishes the creature and the Creator, the servant and the Son? The latter enters His Father's house as Master, the former as a servant.
"And His house we are, if only we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of hope firm to the end." Here again he persuades them to stand manfully and not fall. We shall be, he says, the house of God, like Moses, if only we hold fast to the end the hope and expectation in which we boast.
He who grieves in temptations and falls cannot boast. He who is ashamed and hides has no confidence. He who is despondent is unworthy of praise. At the same time he praises them when he says, "if only we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of hope firm to the end." He shows that they have begun to possess confidence and hope. Only they must preserve it to the end, and not simply stand, but hold firm hope with undoubting faith, not shaken by temptations.
Do not be surprised that something human is said of Christ in the words, "having been tempted" (Heb 2:18). Scripture says of the Father, who was not incarnate: "The Lord looked down from heaven upon the sons of men." This means that He examines everything carefully (Ps 13:2). Again it says, "I will go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to Me; and if not, I will know" (Gen 18:21). Again: "The Lord could no longer bear your evil deeds and abominations" (Jer 44:22). In these places Holy Scripture expresses the greatness of God's wrath. Therefore, much more may what belongs to man be said of Christ, who suffered in the flesh.
Since many people consider experience the surest means to knowledge, the Apostle wishes to show that Christ, who Himself suffered, knows what human nature endures. "Christ as a Son over His own house." The one cared for those who were strangers; the other cares for His own.
"And the rejoicing of hope." He said well, "hope," because all the good things were still in hope. But this hope must be kept so as to boast in it as though in a reality. Therefore the Apostle says, "the rejoicing of hope," and adds, "firm to the end," because we are "saved in hope" (Rom 8:24).
If we are saved in hope and wait in patience, then we must not grieve over present good things or be troubled about those promised in the future, since "hope that is seen is not hope" (Rom 8:24). If these good things are great, he says, then we cannot receive them here in this brief present life.
Why then did God foretell them to us, if He did not wish to grant them to us here? In order to draw our souls by the promise, to strengthen our zeal by hope, and to encourage and lift up our heart. This was precisely the purpose of all this.
Therefore let us not be disturbed. Let no one complain when he sees wicked people prospering. Here there is no recompense either for vice or for virtue. And if sometimes there is recompense for vice and virtue, it is not according to their worth, but lightly, as a foretaste of the judgment, so that those who do not believe in the resurrection may at least in this way come to their senses.
Therefore, when we see a wicked man rich, let us not lose heart. When we see a virtuous man suffering, let us not be troubled, for there are the crowns, and there also the punishments.
Moreover, there is no wicked man who is completely wicked, but there is also something good in him. Likewise there is no virtuous man who is completely virtuous, but he too has certain transgressions.
So when the wicked man prospers, know that this is to the destruction of his own head. He enjoys it here so that, having received here the recompense for his little good, he may there undergo full punishment. Much more blessed is the man who receives punishment here, so that he may pay the debt for all his sins and depart from here justified, pure, and guiltless.
Paul teaches us this when he says, "For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and many sleep" (1 Cor 11:30). And again: "Deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor 5:5).
The prophet also says, "For she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins" (Isa 40:2). David likewise says, "Consider my enemies, for they are many, and they hate me with cruel hatred," and, "forgive all my sins" (Ps 24:19, 18). Another says, "Lord, You will grant us peace, for You have also wrought all our works for us" (Isa 26:12).
All this proves that the virtuous receive punishments here for their sins. And where is it said that the wicked receive good here so that they may undergo full punishment there? Listen to Abraham saying to the rich man: "Child, remember that you received your good things in your life, and Lazarus likewise evil things" (Lk 16:25).
What "good things"? By using the expression "you received back," and not simply "you received," he shows that both received according to their deserts, one prosperity and the other calamities. He says, "But now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish."
Therefore let us not grieve when we see sinners prospering here. When we ourselves suffer, let us rejoice, because this wipes away our sins. Let us not seek ease, because Christ foretold afflictions to His disciples, and Paul says, "All who desire to live piously in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Tim 3:12).
No brave wrestler, during the contest, seeks baths or a table abundant with food and wine. That belongs not to a combatant but to a soft man. The combatant endures dust, oil, the heat of the sun, much sweat, afflictions, and the weight of the contests.
Such is the time of struggle, and consequently of wounds, bloodshed, and sorrows. Hear what blessed Paul says: "So I fight, not as one beating the air" (1 Cor 9:26). Let us regard our whole life as appointed for contests. Let us never seek repose. Let us not look on sufferings as something foreign, for even the combatant, when he performs his contests, does not regard this as foreign to himself.
There will be another time for rest. We must attain perfection through afflictions. Even if there is no persecution or oppression, there are other sorrows that happen to us daily. If we do not endure the latter, we would scarcely endure the former. "No temptation has overtaken you except what is human," says the Apostle (1 Cor 10:13).
Let us pray to God that we may not enter into temptation. When we do enter, let us endure manfully. It belongs to sensible men not to expose themselves to dangers. It belongs to the courageous and philosophic to stand firm when they have fallen into dangers.
Therefore let us not expose ourselves to dangers needlessly, for this is a sign of rashness. But when we are compelled, and when circumstances require it, let us not shrink back, for this is a sign of cowardice. If the evangelical preaching summons us, let us not refuse.
Simply, without cause, need, or profit for piety, let us not rush forward, for this is boasting and empty vainglory. But if anything harmful to piety occurs, let us never refuse, even if we must endure a thousand deaths.
Do not challenge temptations when the affairs of piety are going as you wish. Why draw upon yourself unnecessary dangers that bring no benefit? I say this because I wish you to keep the commandments of Christ. He commands us to pray that we not enter into temptation, and He also commands us to take up the Cross and follow Him.
These commandments do not contradict one another, but are entirely harmonious. Therefore prepare yourself as a brave soldier. Always be armed. Watch, be sober, and constantly expect the enemy. Yet do not start wars yourself, for this belongs not to a soldier but to a rebel.
When the trumpet of piety calls, go out immediately. Do not spare your life. Enter the contests with great readiness. Overthrow the ranks of the opponents, crush the devil's face, and raise the trophy of victory. But when piety suffers no harm, when no one distorts our doctrines, I mean those that concern the soul, and when nothing compels us to do what is displeasing to God, do not be overzealous.
The Christian's life must be full of blood, not in the sense of shedding another's blood, but of readiness to shed one's own. Therefore let us shed our own blood, when this is needed for Christ, with such zeal as though we were pouring out water. Blood is water flowing in the body. Let us cast off the flesh with such readiness as though we were taking off a garment.
This will happen when we are not attached to possessions and dwellings, and when we are not carried away by attachment to present goods. If those who dedicate themselves to military life renounce everything and go wherever war calls, travel, and gladly endure all things, then much more must we, soldiers of Christ, be just as ready and go forth to war against the passions.
There is no persecution now, and may God grant there never be one. But there is another war, the war against covetousness, against envy, and against the other passions. Describing this war, Paul says: "Our warfare is not against flesh and blood" (Eph 6:12).
This warfare always lies before us. Therefore he wishes us always to be armed. "Stand therefore," he says, "having girded your loins," which can apply also to the present time, and he teaches that we must always be armed.
Great is the war against the tongue, great against the eyes, great against desires. Let us restrain them. This is why he begins here to arm the soldier of Christ: "Stand therefore," he says, "having girded your loins," and adds, "with truth" (Eph 6:14).
Why "with truth"? Because desire is deception and falsehood, as David also said in one place: "For my loins are filled with inflammation, and there is no soundness in my flesh" (Ps 37:8). It is not pleasure, but only the shadow of pleasure. Therefore he says, "having girded your loins with truth," that is, with true pleasure, chastity, and honor.
He knew the insolence of sin, and therefore he exhorts us to protect all our members. "Unjust anger cannot be justified," says the Wise One (Sir 1:22). Therefore the Apostle commands us to protect ourselves with breastplate and shield.
Anger is a beast that quickly attacks us, and we need many fences and ramparts to hold it back and overcome it. For this reason God made this part of us, the breast, especially out of bones as though out of stones, placing a barrier against anger, lest it one day tear through and, having torn through, easily destroy the whole man.
Anger is a fire and a great storm, so that no other bodily member could endure its assault. Physicians also say that the lungs are placed beneath the heart so that the heart, striking these soft parts as against a sponge, may be calmed. Otherwise, striking a hard and rigid chest, it would be damaged by frequent shocks.
Therefore we need a strong breastplate, so that we may always keep this beast in calm. We also need a helmet for the head, because reason dwells there. From it we can be saved if it does what is proper, and we can be lost if it does what is improper. Therefore the Apostle says, "and the helmet of salvation" (Eph 6:17).
The brain is naturally soft. Therefore it is covered above by the skull, as by a kind of roof tile. It becomes for us the cause of every good and evil, depending on whether it recognizes what is proper or improper.