HOMILY III.

I al.' to make.'

1 THESS. ii. 9-12.

For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the Gospel of God. Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe: As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, That ye would walk worthy of God, Who hath called you unto His kingdom and glory.

THE teacher ought to think' none of those things burdensome which tend to the salvation of his disciples. For if the blessed Jacob was buffeted night and day in keeping his flocks, much more ought he, to whom the care of souls is entrusted, to endure all toils, though the work be laborious and mean, looking only to one thing, the salvation of his disciples, and the glory thence arising to God. Accordingly see how Paul, being the Preacher and Apostle of the world, and raised to so great honour, worked with his hands that he might not be burdensome to his disciples.

For ye remember, he says, my brethren, our labour and travail. He had said previously, we might have been burdensome as the Apostles of Christ, as he also says in the Epistle 1 Cor. to the Corinthians, Do ye not know that they which minister 9, 13. 14. about holy things, live of the things of the Temple? Even so hath Christ ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel. But I, he says, would not, but I laboured; and he did not

merely labour, but with much

III.

The Churches witnesses to St. Paul's personal labour. 359 diligence. And observe what he says; For ye remember, HOM. he has not said, the benefits received from me, but, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the Gospel of God. And to the Corinthians he said a different thing, I robbed other Churches, taking wages 2 Cor. of them to do you service. And yet even there he worked, but of this he made no mention, but urged what was more striking', as if he had said, I was maintained by others when ministering to you. But here it is not so. But what? Labouring night and day. And there indeed he says, And 2 Cor.8, when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man, and, I took wages to do you service.

But here

he shews that the men were in poverty, but there it was not

So.

On this account he frequently calls upon them as witnesses. For ye are witnesses, he says, and God also, making his speech worthy of credit, and suggesting that which most fully assured them. For that indeed was uncertain to those who were ignorant of it; but this was without doubt to all. And wonder not. For he did not look to this, that he was Paul who said these things. But much beyond what was necessary he gives them assurance. Wherefore he says, Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe. It was proper to praise them again. On this account he sets these things before them, which were sufficient to persuade them. For he reasons, that he who was in want, and did not receive any thing, would much more not receive any thing now. How holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe.

As ye know how we exhorted and comforted every one of you, as a father doth his children. Above having spoken of his behaviour, here he speaks of his love, which was even more than what belonged to his rule over them. And what is said marks his freedom from pride. As a father doth his children, we exhorted and comforted and charged every one

a or wounding; πληκτικώτερον.

b B. and Musculus, God indeed is a credible Witness, but this was what

most fully assured them.'

B. and Old Lat. for question not
Was it Paul, &c,'

11, 8.

11.9.

2,13-16.

360

What St. Paul asked of his Converts.

1 THES. of you, that ye would walk worthy of God, Who hath called you unto His kingdom and glory. When he has said, charging you, then he makes mention of fathers, shewing that although we charged, it was not violently, but like fathers. Every one of you. Strange! in so great a multitude to omit no one, neither small nor great, neither rich nor poor. Exhorting you to what, does he say? To bear all things. And comforting and charging. Exhorting, therefore they did not seek glory; and charging, therefore they did not flatter. That ye would walk worthy of God, Who hath called you to His kingdom and glory. Observe again, how, in relating, he both teaches and comforts. For if He hath called them unto His kingdom, they ought to endure all things. We entreat you, not that you should grant us any favour, but that you should gain the kingdom of heaven.

Ver. 13. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received the word of God, which ye have heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

It cannot be said, he says, that we indeed do all things unblameably, but you have done things unworthy of our conversation. For hearing us, you were not affected as hearing men, but ye gave such heed, as if God Himself were exhorting you. Whence is this manifest? Because as he shews from his own temptations and their testimony, and the way in which he acted, that he did not preach with flattery or vain-glory; so from their trials, he shews also that they rightly received the word. For whence, he says, unless ye had heard as if God were speaking, did ye endure such perils? And observe his dignity.

Ver. 14, 15, 16. For ye, brethren, became followers of the Churches of God, which in Judæa are in Christ Jesus; for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have from the Jews: Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us, and they please not God, and are contrary to all men; Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to d Or entreating, and so he takes it glory.' below.

e B. adds, if He called them unto

E. V. Exhorting.

1

The Jews persecuted in spite of knowledge.

361

fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them Hoм. to the uttermost.

III.

Ye, he says, became followers of the Churches of God (2) which are in Judæa. This is a great consolation. It is no wonder, he says, that they should do these things to you, inasmuch as they have done it also to their own countrymen. And this too is no little proof that the Proclamation is true, that even Jews were able to endure all things. For ye, he says, have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have from the Jews. There is something in his saying, as they also in Judæa,' for it shews, that every where they rejoiced, as having contended. He says therefore, that ye also have suffered like things. And again, what wonder is it, if they have dared to do to you, the like things which they have done also to the Lord?

1

Do you see how he introduces this as containing great consolation? And constantly he adverts to it; and upon a close examination one may find it in nearly all his Epistles, how variously, upon all occasions of temptation, he brings or 6 especiforward Christ. Observe accordingly, that here also, when ally.' accusing the Jews, he puts them in mind of the Lord, and diapós of the sufferings of the Lord; so well does he know that this is a matter of the greatest consolation.

Who both killed the Lord, he says-but, perhaps, they did not know Him,-rather they did know Him. What then? Did they not slay and stone their own prophets, whose books22 rsúxn even they carry about with them? However, they did not do this for the sake of truth. There is therefore not only a consolation under the temptations, but they are reminded not to think that [the Jews] did it for the truth's sake, and be troubled on that account. And have persecuted us, he says. And we also, he says, have suffered numberless evils. And they please not God, and are contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles, that they might be saved. Contrary to all men, he says. How? Because if we ought to speak to the world, and they forbid us, they are the common enemies of the world. They have slain Christ and the prophets, they insult God, they are the common enemies of the world, they banish us, when coming for their salvation. What wonder

« ixdiwžúvtwv, drove us out, see Acts 17 5. 14. or persecuted us to the utmost.

362 Punishment of enemies a comfort to the Church.

1 THES, if they have done such things also to you, when they have 2, 17. done them even in Judæa? Forbidding us to speak to the

Gentiles, that they might be saved. It is a mark of envy therefore to hinder the salvation of all. To fill up their sins alway. But the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost3. These things are not like the former. There is here no return back, no limit. But the wrath is nigh at hand. Whence is this manifest? From that which Christ foretold. For not only is it a consolation to have partakers in our afflictions, but to hear also that our persecutors are to be punished. And if the delay is a grievance, let it be a consolation that they will never lift up their heads again; or rather he hath cut short the delay, by saying, THE wrath, shewing again' that it was due, and predetermined, and predicted.

Ver. 17. But we, brethren, being taken from you* for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.

He has not said 'separated,' but what was much more. He had spoken above of flattery, shewing that he did not flatter, that he did not seek glory. He speaks here concerning love. Because he had said above, as a father,'' as a nurse cherisheth her children,' here he uses another expression, being made orphans, which is said of children who have lost their fathers. And yet were they made orphans? 'No' he says-' but we. For if any one should examine our regret, even as little children without a protector, having sustained an untimely bereavement, are in great regret for their parents, not only from the feelings of nature itself, but also on account of their deserted state, so truly do we too feel.' From this also he shews his own despondency on account of their separation. And this we cannot say, he says, that we have waited a long period, but for a short time, and that in presence, not in heart. For we always have you in our mind. See what great love! Although having them always in his heart, he sought also their presence face to face. Tell me not of your superlative" philosophy!