Romans 12:13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He did not act as we do. As soon as we see a stranger or a beggar, we lift our eyebrows and do not wish to honor them even with a word. If, after countless pleas, we order servants to give a small coin, we think we have done everything required.

Abraham did not act so. He presented himself as a suppliant and a servant, though he did not know whom he would receive. We know clearly that we receive Christ, yet this does not make us gentle.

Abraham calls, entreats, and bows down, while we insult those who come to us. Abraham himself arranges everything with his wife, while we do not even wish to trouble our servants.

If you wish to look at the very meal Abraham offered, you will also see great generosity there. It consisted not in the abundance of what was set forth, but in the wealth of his zeal.

How many prosperous people were there then? Yet none did anything like this. How many widows were there in the land of Israel? Yet none received Elijah into her house.

Again, how many prosperous people were there in the time of Elisha? Yet one Shunammite woman reaped the fruit of hospitality, like Abraham, who in his time was distinguished by generosity and zeal.

What especially deserves wonder is that he did this without knowing who those who came to him were. You too must not pry, because you receive for Christ's sake.

If you investigate every time, you will often pass by a worthy man and lose the reward that would have followed. Meanwhile, one who receives even an unworthy man does not become guilty, but has his reward.

"He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward" (Mt 10:41). But one who passes by a man worthy of admiration through misplaced curiosity brings punishment upon himself.

Therefore do not pry into a man's life and deeds. To examine an entire life for one piece of bread is a sign of extreme vainglory.

If he were a murderer, a robber, or something of the sort, do you think he is not worth a piece of bread and a few coins? Your Lord commands the sun to shine even for him, yet you consider him unworthy of one day's food.

I will tell you something more. Even if you knew well that he was filled with countless evils, you would still have no excuse if you deprived him of one day's food.

You are the servant of Him Who said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of" (Lk 9:55). You are the servant of Him Who served those who stoned Him, or rather, Who was crucified for them.

Do not tell me that he killed a man. Even if he intends to kill you yourself, do not despise him when he is hungry.

You are the disciple of Him Who desired the salvation of those who crucified Him, and Who even on the Cross said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Lk 23:34).

You are the servant of Him Who served the one who struck Him, and Who crowned the one who reviled Him even on the Cross. Can anything be compared with this?

At first both thieves reviled Him. Yet despite this, He opened paradise to one of them.

He weeps for those who are about to kill Him. He is troubled and disturbed when He sees the betrayer, not because He Himself will be crucified, but because Judas will perish.

He is troubled because He foresees the hanging, and after the hanging, the punishment. Knowing Judas' wickedness, He endured him until the last hour and did not reject him, but kissed the betrayer.

Your Master kisses and allows to touch His lips the man who is soon to shed His precious Blood. Yet you do not deem a beggar worthy of a piece of bread, nor honor the law given by Christ.

By these deeds He proved that one must not turn away, not only from beggars, but even from those who lead us to death.

Therefore do not tell me that such a man has harmed you. Think rather what Christ did just before the Cross through the kiss by which Judas betrayed Him, wishing to correct the betrayer.

See what shame this kiss should have brought him. Christ said, "Judas, do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?" (Lk 22:48). Whom would that voice not soften? Whom would it not move? What beast, what adamant?

Yet it did not soften that wretched man. Therefore do not say that this man killed that man, and for this reason I turn away from him.

If someone wishes to pierce you with a sword and plunge his hand into your throat, kiss that hand. Christ kissed the lips that brought Him death.

Do not subject him to hatred, but repay the one plotting against you with tears and mercy. Such a man deserves our pity and our tears.

We are servants of Him Who kissed the betrayer. I will never cease repeating this. He spoke words more tender than the kiss itself.

The Lord did not say to Judas, "Filthy man, wholly wicked betrayer, is this how you repay Us for so many benefits?" What then does He say? "Judas." He calls him by name.

This belongs more to one who pities and calls back than to one who is angry. Nor did He say, "You betray your Teacher, Master, and Benefactor." He says, "You betray the Son of Man."

Even if I were not your Teacher and Master, can you betray One disposed toward you so mercifully and sincerely that He kisses you during the betrayal, when the kiss is the sign of betrayal?

Blessed art Thou, O Lord. What an example of humility and guilelessness hast Thou shown us.

Christ acted so toward Judas. Toward those who came with clubs and swords, He acted otherwise. And what could be more restrained than what the Lord said to them?

Having power to destroy them all at once, He did nothing of the sort. He entered into conversation, to awaken shame in them, and said, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs?" (Mt 26:55).

When He had cast them before Himself to the ground, and they lay senseless, He again voluntarily gave Himself up. He calmly looked on as they placed bonds on His holy hands, though He could have shaken and overthrown everything in an instant.

And after this you deal harshly with the beggar? Even if he were guilty of countless crimes, his poverty and hunger should be enough to soften your soul, unless it has grown utterly coarse.

But you stand like a beast, resembling a lion in anger. Yet even lions cannot eat dead bodies. You see a man worn down by many evils and trample on one who lies fallen.

You tear his body with insults. You add storm to storm. You strike upon a rock the one who has fled to harbor, and you subject him to a shipwreck more terrible than the sea.

How will you say to God, "Have mercy on me"? You ask forgiveness of sins for yourself, yet you insult a man who has sinned against you in nothing.

You condemn him because he endures hunger and need, and you surpass every beast in cruelty. Beasts, when hunger drives them, fall upon their usual food.

But you, without any compulsion or necessity, devour your brother. You gnaw and tear him, if not with teeth, then with words more painful than any bite.

How then will you perform the holy offering when your throat is stained with human blood? How will you speak the word of peace with lips full of enmity? How will you eat bodily food when you gather so much poison?

You do not help the poor man. Why then oppress him? You do not raise the fallen. Why then cast him down? You do not deliver him from sorrow. Why then grieve him?

You do not give money. Why then insult him with words? Have you not heard what punishment awaits those who do not feed the poor, and to what torments they are condemned?

It will be said to them, "Depart into the fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Mt 25:41). If those who do not feed the poor are condemned in this way, what punishment will fall on those who not only do not feed them, but also insult them?

What torment and what Gehenna will they deserve? Therefore, so as not to kindle so many evils against ourselves, let us heal this evil sickness while we have power, and let us bridle our tongue.

Let us not only refrain from insulting the poor, but comfort them in word and deed. Thus we shall prepare much mercy for ourselves and receive the good things promised to us. May God grant that we all attain them by grace and love for mankind.

By “saints,” here as everywhere, the Apostle means Christians. “He teaches concerning alms to the faithful, for he calls them saints” (blessed Theophylact).

By their requirements he means needs and necessities: food, drink, clothing, shelter. To share in these needs of the saints, when one of them has them, means to have a part in satisfying them.

“He did not say, ‘share in their great expenses,’ but ‘in their requirements,’ in order to satisfy the needs of the saints” (blessed Theophylact).

By the word “share,” or “have communion,” a certain reciprocity is indicated here. One thing is given, and another is received. Those who help give material things, in which they themselves are rich. From them they receive spiritual things, in which those others are rich, namely prayers.

This reciprocity can also serve as an incentive to help. Thus blessed Theodoret writes: “By recalling communion, he persuades toward generosity. For who would not agree to give money and become a partaker of progress,” that is, of what the saints advance in and are rich in?

“The Apostle said this also in the Epistle to the Corinthians: ‘Your abundance for their lack, that their abundance also may be for your lack’” (cf. 2 Cor 8:14).

St. Chrysostom also indicates what precisely is received from the saints in this exchange. “He did not say, ‘Help the saints in their needs,’ but, ‘Share in their needs.’ By this he shows that those who help receive more than they give, and that assistance is also a purchase, since it is communion.

“You give money, and they give you boldness before God.” That is, for the helper, prayer to God, assisted by the prayer of the saints, is bolder and more accessible.

In another place, under verse 11, St. Chrysostom says this about the matter: “What you do for your brother, your Master attributes to Himself. As though He Himself had received the benefaction from you, He rewards you for it.”

In doing good, you enter into God’s portion. To deliver the saints from needs is God’s work, God’s labor. By satisfying these needs, you enter into a share of labor with God. Thus God receives this and prepares a reward for it.

“Practicing hospitality,” δκόκοντες, means pursuing it, being intensely concerned for it, and striving in every way not to miss an opportunity for it.

“By strangers the Apostle means saints who have come from some other place and need service. He commands that care be taken for them” (blessed Theodoret).

At that time many were deprived of their homes and driven out of their cities and villages. Therefore they were compelled to seek shelter in other places. Then the care of strangers was a universal work among Christians.

By urging us to pursue hospitality, the Apostle suggests that, out of zeal to give them rest, we should almost snatch arriving strangers away from others.

St. Chrysostom says: “The Apostle did not say, ‘Be hospitable,’ but, ‘Pursue hospitality.’ He teaches us not to wait until those in need of shelter and rest come to us, but to run to them ourselves and overtake them.

“Lot acted in this way, and Abraham acted in this way. Abraham spent the whole day waiting for this beautiful catch. When he saw it, he sprang up, ran to meet them, bowed to the ground, and said: ‘Lord, if now I have found grace before Thee, do not pass by Thy servant’ (Gen 18:3).

“He did not imitate us. As soon as we see a stranger or a poor man, we lift our brows and do not wish to deem him worthy even of a word.

“And if, moved by a thousand pleas, we order one of the servants to give a small coin, we think that everything due on our part has been fulfilled. Abraham did not act in this way. He presented himself as a suppliant and servant, though he did not know whom he would receive.

“But we know perfectly well that we receive Christ, and yet we do not become gentle because of this. Abraham calls, entreats, bows. We insult those who come to us. Abraham sets everything right himself with his wife. We do not even want to order the servants.

“He is especially worthy of wonder because he showed generosity and zeal without knowing who those who came to him were. So you also must not be curious, because you receive for Christ’s sake.

“He who receives even an unworthy man does not become guilty, but has his reward. For ‘he who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward’ (cf. Mt 10:41). Therefore do not investigate a man’s life and deeds. To subject a whole life to examination for a single piece of bread shows extreme lack of discernment.”