THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
"Do nothing through rivalry." The Apostle then exhorts them and sets forth the way to attain this. "Do nothing through rivalry or vainglory."
This, as I always say, is the cause of all evils. From this come wars and quarrels, slanders and disputes, and the cooling of love. It happens when we become attached to human glory and enslaved to the honor given by the crowd.
A slave of glory cannot be a true slave of God. Someone will say, then, how can we avoid vainglory? You have not yet shown us the way. Hear what follows: "but in humility of mind let each esteem the other better than himself."
What a rule he has proposed, full of all wisdom. What guidance for our salvation! If you suppose, he says, that another is better than you, and are persuaded of it, then you will not feel displeasure when you see him honored.
Indeed, if you are not merely saying this, but are fully convinced, and you render him honor, you will not be grieved when another honors the one whom you honor.
Therefore esteem another not simply as better than yourself, but as superior. This indicates a great preeminence. Then it will be neither strange nor painful for you to see him honored.
Even if he wrongs you, you will bear it nobly, because you have acknowledged him as better than yourself. If he reviles you, you will endure it. If he does you some evil, you will suffer it in silence.
Once you have been fully convinced in your soul that he is better than you, then whatever evil he does to you, you will not be angry. Nor will you envy him.
No one envies those who are far above him, because each man thinks that everything belongs to those who are higher. Here the Apostle teaches us to maintain this disposition of soul.
If, he says, the other who has received such honor from you has the same disposition toward you, then consider what a double wall of goodwill this will be.
So long as you consider the other worthy of honor, and he likewise considers you so, nothing unpleasant will happen. If such conduct by one person is enough to destroy all irritability, who will overthrow such a fortress when it is mutual?
Not even the devil himself can do so, because it will become a threefold fortification, a fourfold one, and still more. Humility of mind is the cause of every good.
To understand this, listen to the words of the prophet: "For Thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it. Thou delightest not in burnt offering. A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; a broken and humbled heart God will not despise" (Ps 50:18-19).
God requires not simply humility of mind, but a striving after humility of mind. As with bodies, what is broken can never withstand what is solid. At every shock it is shattered before it collides with another.
So it is also with the soul. When it is continually pressed down by misfortune, it will choose to die rather than attack and defend itself.
How long shall we be puffed up with ridiculous pride? We laugh when we see children stretching themselves up and behaving grandly. We laugh when they pick up a stone and then throw it away again.
So also the foolish pride of men is the fruit of childish reasoning and an imperfect mind. "Why is earth and ashes proud?" (Sir 10:9). Man, are you high-minded? Why? Tell me, what profit is there for you?
Why are you high-minded before those who are of the same race as you? Are you not of the same nature? Is there not the same soul in you? Have you not been honored by God in equal measure?
But you are wise? Then you ought to give thanks, not be puffed up. The first mark of ingratitude is pride, because it does not regard benefits as a gift.
The proud man is puffed up because he thinks himself complete. But the man who thinks himself complete is ungrateful to Him who bestowed the honor.
Do you have anything good? Give thanks to Him who gave it. Hear what Joseph says, and what Daniel says.
When the Egyptian king summoned Joseph from prison and asked him before the whole assembly about a matter from which all the Egyptians had withdrawn, even those most skilled in it, Joseph could have exalted himself in every way.
He could have shown himself wiser than the astrologers, diviners, enchanters, magicians, and all the philosophers of that time. He was a captive, in bondage and slavery.
In this case his glory would have been greater. It is not the same thing to become famous when already known and to become famous unexpectedly. The unexpected would have made him more worthy of admiration.
Yet what did he say when he stood before Pharaoh? Did he say, yes, I know this? No, not that. What then?
Though no one was accusing him, what does he say, in great meekness? "Do not interpretations belong to God?" (Gen 40:8). See how he first glorified the Master. For this reason he himself was glorified.
This is not a small matter in relation to glory. It is far greater when God manifests it than when you appropriate it to yourself. Moreover, by this his words became credible.
A very strong proof was given of his closeness to God. There is nothing better than to be close to God.
"If he was justified by works," it says, "he has something to boast about, but not before God" (Rom 4:2). He who has been counted worthy of grace has his praise with God, because God loves him and forgives his sins.
He who has earned it by works also has praise, but not with God in the same way as the first. This is a proof of your great weakness.
How much more worthy of wonder is the one who received wisdom from God! He glorified God, and was himself glorified by Him. "For I will glorify those who glorify Me" (1 Sam 2:30), God says.
The descendant of Joseph acted in the same way, he than whom no one was wiser. For it is written, "Behold, you are wiser than Daniel" (Ezek 28:3).
When all the wise men of Babylon, even the astrologers, diviners, magicians, enchanters, and all the philosophers, were not only put to shame but destroyed, Daniel stood before the king to resolve the matter.
Their destruction showed that they had deceived before as well. Yet Daniel did not boast. Instead, he first ascribed everything to God and said: "O king, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have more wisdom than all the living" (Dan 2:30).
"Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and worshiped Daniel, and commanded that gifts and incense be offered to him" (Dan 2:46). Do you see humility? Do you see gratitude? Do you see a character alien to pride?
Listen also to the Apostles. At one time they say, "Why do you look at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk?" (Acts 3:12). At another time, "We also are men of like nature with you" (Acts 14:15).
If they so rejected the honors offered them, what shall we say of those who cannot drive away gnats, let alone demons?
The Apostles were men who, by humility in Christ and by His power, performed greater works than Christ, as He Himself says: "He who believes in Me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do" (Jn 14:12).
How poor and wretched are those who cannot profit even one man, let alone the whole world, and yet imagine so much of themselves that even the devil himself does not imagine so much.
Nothing is more alien to a Christian soul than pride. I say pride, not boldness or courage. These are close to one another, yet they are not the same.
Humility of mind is one thing; baseness, flattery, and servility are another. If you wish, I will present examples of all these.
It is known that contrary things somehow exist together, such as tares with wheat and thorns with roses. Children may easily be deceived, but mature men, experienced in spiritual labor, know how to distinguish the truly good from the bad.
Let us present examples of this from the Scriptures. What are flattery, baseness, and servility? Ziba flattered David at the wrong time and slandered his master. Ahithophel flattered Absalom still more (2 Sam 16).
David was not like this, but was humble-minded. Flatterers are crafty. Thus, for example, the magicians once said, "O king, live forever!" (Dan 2:4).
In the Acts of the Apostles we shall find much of this concerning Paul. When he spoke with the Jews, he did not flatter, but acted with humility of mind, because he also knew how to speak with boldness.
Thus he said, "Men and brethren, though I had done nothing against the people or the customs of the fathers, I was delivered in chains from Jerusalem" (Acts 28:17).
That these words came from humility of mind, hear how he rebukes them afterward, saying, "Well did the Holy Spirit say: You shall indeed hear but never understand, and you shall indeed see but never perceive" (Acts 28:26).
Do you see his courage? Look also at the courage John the Baptist showed before Herod, saying, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife" (Mk 6:18). This is boldness. This is courage.
But Shimei's words, "Get out, murderer" (2 Sam 16:7), do not express the same thing, though he too speaks boldly. This is not courage, but audacity, insolence, and an unbridled tongue.
Jezebel insulted Jehu, calling him a "murderer of his master" (2 Kgs 9:31). Yet this is audacity, not boldness.
Elijah also spoke reproachfully, but that was boldness and courage: "I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house have" (1 Kgs 18:18). Elijah also spoke boldly before the whole people: "How long will you limp between two opinions?" (1 Kgs 18:21).
To rebuke in this way, as the prophets did, is boldness and courage. The other was audacity.
Do you wish to hear words of humility and nobility? Listen to Paul, who says, "With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. I do not even judge myself. For I know nothing against myself, yet I am not thereby justified" (1 Cor 4:3-4).
This is a judgment fitting for a Christian. Again the Apostle says, "How dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints?" (1 Cor 6:1).
Do you wish to see the flattery of the senseless Jews? Hear how they say, "We have no king but Caesar" (Jn 19:15). Do you wish to see humility of mind?
Listen again to Paul, who says, "For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake" (2 Cor 4:5).
Do you wish to see flattery and audacity: the audacity of Nabal and the flattery of the Ziphites? Do you see how the former reviled David, while the latter deliberately betrayed him?
Do you wish to see the wisdom of David and not flattery? See how he took Saul and spared him. Do you wish to see the flattery of the murderers of Mephibosheth, whom David put to death?
To speak simply, generally, and briefly: audacity is when someone becomes angry and reviles another without cause, either in self-vengeance or through excessive irritation.
Boldness and courage are when a man ventures into dangers and death, despising both friendship and enmity in order to please God.
Flattery and baseness are when someone serves others, not for any necessary reason, but in order to catch some worldly advantage.
Humility of mind is when someone does this in order to please God, humbling himself so as to accomplish something great and worthy of praise.
Blessed are we if we know this and do it. For knowledge is not enough. "Not the hearers of the law," it says, "but the doers of the law will be justified" (Rom 2:13).
Even more, knowledge without action and virtues brings condemnation. Therefore let us be active, that we may escape condemnation and receive the promised good things, by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ.
With Him, to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, dominion, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages. Amen.
"But in humility of mind let each esteem the other better than himself." He says, "esteem," meaning regard him so. Since you are one in essence and in the honor received from God, this is entrusted to your judgment.