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MATT. VI. 24.
"No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and
love the other, or elsehe will hold to one and despise the other."
SEEST thou how by degrees He withdraws us from the things that now
are, and at greater length introduces what He hath to say, touching
voluntary poverty, and casts down the dominion of covetousness?
For He was not contented with His former sayings, many and great as
they were, but He adds others also, more and more alarming.
For what can be more alarming than what He now saith, if indeed we
are for our riches to fall from the service of Christ? or what more to
be desired, if indeed, by despising wealth, we shall have our
affection towards Him and our charity perfect?For what I am
continually repeating, the same do I now say likewise, namely, that
by both kinds He presses the hearer to obey His sayings; both by the
profitable, and by the hurtful; much like an excellent physician,
pointing out both the disease which is the consequence of neglect, and
the good health which results from obedience.
See, for instance, what kind of gain He signifies this to be, and
how He establishes the advantage of it by their deliverance from the
contrary things. Thus, "wealth," saith He, "hurts you not in
this only, that it arms robbers against you, nor in that it darkens
your mind in the most intense degree, but also in that it casts you out
of God's service, making you captive of lifeless riches, and in both
ways doing you harm, on the one hand, by causing you to be slaves of
what you ought to command; on the other, by casting you out of God's
service, whom, above all things, it is indispensable for you to
serve." For just as in the 'other place, He signified the mischief
to be twofold, in both laying up here, "where moth corrupteth," and
in not laying up there, where the watch kept is impregnable; so in
this place, too, He shows the loss to be twofold, in that it both
draws off from God, and makes us subject to mammon.
But He sets it not down directly, rather He establishes it first
upon general considerations, saying thus; "No man can serve two
masters:" meaning here two that are enjoining opposite things;
since, unless this were the case, they would not even be two. For
so, "the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one
soul,"and yet were they divided into many bodies; their unanimity
however made the many one.
Then, as adding to the force of it, He saith, "so far from
serving, he will even hate and abhor:" "For either he will hate the
one,"saith He," and love the other, or else he will hold to the
one and despise the other." And it seems indeed as if the same thing
were said twice over; He did not however choose this form without
purpose, but in order to show that the change for the better is easy.
I mean, lest thou shouldest say, "I am once for all made a slave;
I am brought under the tyranny of wealth," He signifies that it is
possible to transfer one's self, and that as from the first to the
second, so also from the second one may pass over to the first.
2. Having thus, you see, spoken generally, that He might persuade
the hearer to be an uncorrupt judge of His words, and to sentence
according to the very nature of the things; when he hath made sure of
his assent, then, and not till then, He discovers Himself. Thus
He presently adds, "Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Let us
shudder to think what we have brought Christ to say; with the name of
God, to put that of gold. But if this be shocking, its taking place
in our deeds, our preferring the tyranny of gold to the fear of God,
is much more shocking.
"What then? Was not this possible among the ancients?" By no
means. "How then," saith one, "did Abraham, how did Job obtain
a good report?" Tell me not of them that are rich, but of them that
serve riches. Since Job also was rich, but he served not mammon,
but possessed it and ruled over it, and was a master, not a slave.
Therefore he so possessed all those things, as if he had been the
steward of another man's goods; not only not extorting from others,
but even giving up his own to them that were in need. And what is
more, when he had them they were no joy to him: so he also declared,
saying. "If I did so much as rejoice when my wealth waxed great:"
wherefore neither did he grieve when it was gone. But they that are
rich are not now such as he was, but are rather in a worse condition
than any slave, paying as it were tribute to some grievous tyrant.
Because their mind is as a kind of citadel occupied by the love of
money, which from thence daily sends out unto them its commands full of
all iniquity, and there is none to disobey. Be not therefore thus
over subtle.Nay, for God hath once for all declared and pronounced
it a thing impossible for the one service and the other to agree. Say
not thou, then, "it is possible." Why, when the one master is
commanding thee to spoil by violence, the other to strip thyself of thy
possessions; the one to be chaste, the other to commit fornication;
the one to be drunken and luxurious, the other to keep the belly in
subjection; the one again to despise the things that are, the other to
be rivetted to the present; the one to admire marbles, and walls, and
roofs, the other to contemn these, but to honor self-restraint: how
is it possible that these should agree?
Now He calls mammon here "a master," not because of its own
nature, but on account of the wretchedness of them that bow themselves
beneath it. So also He calls "the belly a god,"not from the
dignity of such a mistress, but from the wretchedness of them that are
enslaved: it being a thing worse than any punishment, and enough,
before the punishment, in the way of vengeance on him who is involved
in it. For what condemned criminals can be so wretched, as they who
having God for their Lord, do from that mild rule desert to this
grievous tyranny, and this when their act brings after it so much harm
even here? For indeed their loss is unspeakable by so doing: there
are suits, and molestations, and strifes, and toils, and a blinding
of the soul; and what is more grievous than all, one falls away from
the highest blessings; for such a blessing it is to be God's
servant.
3. Having now, as you see, in all ways taught. the advantage of
contemning riches, as well for the very preservation of the riches, as
for the pleasure of the soul, and for acquiring self-command, and for
the securing of godliness; He proceeds to establish the practicability
of this command. For this especially pertains to the best
legislation, not only to enjoin what is expedient, but also to make it
possible. Therefore He also goes on to say,
"Take no thoughtfor your life,what ye shall eat."
That is, lest they should say, "What then? if we cast all away,
how shall we be able to live?" At this objection, in what follows,
He makes a stand, very seasonably. For as surely as if at the
beginning He had said, "Take no thought," the word would have
seemed burdensome; so surely, now that He hath shown the mischief
arising out of covetousness, His admonition coming after is made easy
to receive. Wherefore neither did He now simply say, "Take no
thought," but He added the reason, and so enjoined this. After
having said, "Ye cannot serve God and mammon," He added,
"therefore I say unto you, take no thought. Therefore;" for
what? Because of the unspeakable loss. For the hurt you receive is
not in riches only, rather the wound is in the most vital parts, and
in that which is the overthrow of your salvation; casting you as it
does out from God, who made you, and careth for you, and loveth
you.
"Therefore I say unto you, take no thought." Thus, after He
hath shown the hurt to be unspeakable, then and not before He makes
the commandment stricter; in that He not only bids us cast away what
we have, but forbids to take thought even for our necessary food,
saying, "Take no thought for your soul, what ye shall eat." Not
because the soul needs food, for it is incorporeal; but He spake
according to the common custom. For though it needs not food, yet can
it not endure to remain in the body, except that be fed. And in
saying this, He puts it not simply so, but here also He brings up
arguments, some from those things which we have already, and some from
other examples.
From what we have already, thus saying:
"Is not the soul more than meat, and the body more than the
raiment?"
He therefore that hath given the greater, how shall He not give the
less? He that hath fashioned the flesh that is fed, how shall He not
bestow the food? Wherefore neither did He simply say, "Take no
thought what ye shall eat," or "wherewithal ye shall be clothed;"
but, "for the body," and, "for the soul:" forasmuch as from them
He was to make His demonstrations, carrying on His discourse in the
way of comparison. Now the soul He hath given once for all, and it
abides such as it is; but the body increases every day. Therefore
pointing out both these things, the immortality of the one, and the
frailty of the other, He subjoins and says,
"Which of you can add one cubit unto his stature?"
Thus, saying no more of the soul, since it receives not increase,
He discoursed of the body only; hereby making manifest this point
also, that not the food increases it, but the providence of God.
Which Paul showing also in other ways, said, "So then, neither is
he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that
giveth the increase."
From what we have already, then, He urges us in this way: and from
examples of other things, by saying, "Behold the fowls of the
air."Thus, lest any should say, "we do good by taking thought,"
He dissuades them both by that which is greater, and by that which is
less; by the greater, i.e. the soul and the body; by the less,
i.e. the birds. For if of the things that are very inferior He hath
so much regard, how shall He not give unto you? saith He. And to
them on this wise, for as yet it was an ordinarymultitude: but to the
devil not thus; but how? "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."But here He
makes mention of the birds, and this in a way greatly to abash them;
which sort of thing is of very great value for the purpose of
admonition.
4. However, some of the ungodly have come to so great a pitch of
madness, as even to attack His illustration. Because, say they, it
was not meet for one strengtheningmoral principle, to use natural
advantages as incitements to that end. For to those animals, they
add, this belongs by nature. What then shall we say to this? That
even though it is theirs by nature, yet possibly we too may attain it
by choice. For neither did He say, "behold how the birds fly,"
which were a thing impossible to man; but that they are fed without
taking thought, a kind of thing easy to be achieved by us also, if we
will. And this they have proved, who have accomplished it in their
actions.
Wherefore it were meet exceedingly to admire the consideration of our
Lawgiver, in that, when He might bring forward His illustration
from among men, and when He might have spoken of Moses and Elias and
John, and others like them, who took no thought; that He might
touch them more to the quick, He made mention of the irrational
beings. For had He spoken of those righteous men, these would have
been able to say, "We are not yet become like them." But now by
passing them over in silence, and bringing forward the fowls of the
air, He hath cut off from them every excuse, imitating in this place
also the old law. Yea, for the old covenant likewise sends to the
bee, and to the ant,and to the turtle, and to the swallow.And
neither is this a small sign of honor, when the same sort of things,
which those animals possess by nature, those we are able to accomplish
by an act of our choice. If then He take so great care of them which
exist for our sakes, much more of us; if of the servants, much more
of the master. Therefore He said, "Behold the fowls," and He
said not, "for they do not traffic, nor make merchandise,"for these
were among the things that were earnestly forbidden. But what? "they
sow not, neither do they reap." "What then?" saith one, "must
we not sow?" He said not, "we must not sow," but "we must not
take thought;" neither that one ought not to work, but not to be
low-minded, nor to rack one's self with cares. Since He bade us
also be nourished, but not in "taking thought."
Of this lesson David also lays the foundation from old time, saying
enigmatically on this wise, "Thou openest Thine hand, and fillest
every living thing with bounty;"and again, "To Him that giveth to
the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that call upon Him."
"Who then," it may be said, "have not taken thought"? Didst
thou not hear how many of the righteous I adduced? Seest thou not
with them Jacob, departing from his father's house destitute of all
things? Dost thou not hear him praying and saying, "If the Lord
give me bread to eat and raiment to put on?"which was not the part of
one taking thought, but of one seeking all of God. This the apostles
also attained, who cast away all, and took no thought: also, the
"five thousand," and the "three thousand."
5. But if thou canst not bear, upon hearing so high words, to
release thyself from these grievous bonds, consider the
unprofitableness of the thing, and so put an end to thy care. For
"Which of you by taking thought" (saith He) "can add one cubit
unto his stature."
Seest thou how by that which is evident, He hath manifested that also
which is obscure? Thus, "As unto thy body," saith He, "thou
wilt not by taking thought be able to add, though it be ever so
little; so neither to gather food; think as thou mayest otherwise."
Hence it is clear that not our diligence, but the providence of God,
even where we seem to be active, effects all. So that, were He to
forsake us, no care, nor anxiety, nor toil, nor any other such
thing, will ever appear to come to anything, but all will utterly pass
away,
Let us not therefore suppose His injunctions are impossible: for
there are many who duly perform them, even as it is. And if thou
knowest not of them, it is nothing marvellous, since Elias too
supposed he was alone, but was told, "I have left unto myself seven
thousand men."Whence it is manifest that even now there are many who
show forth the apostolical life; like as the "three thousand" then,
and the "five thousand."And if we believe not, it is not because
there are none who do well, but because we are far from so doing. So
that just as the drunkard would not easily believe, that there exists
any man who doth not taste even water (and yet this hath been achieved
by many solitaries in our time(11)); nor he who connects himself
with numberless women, that it is easy to live in virginity; nor he
that extorts other men's goods, that one shall readily give up even
his own: so neither will those, who daily melt themselves down with
innumerable anxieties, easily receive this thing.
Now as to the fact, that there are many who have attained unto this,
we might show it even from those, who have practised this self-denial
even in our generation.
But for you, just now, it is enough to learn not to covet, and that
almsgiving is a good thing; and to know that you must impart of what ye
have. For these things if thou wilt duly perform, beloved, thou wilt
speedily proceed to those others also.
6. For the present therefore let us lay aside our excessive
sumptuousness, and let us endure moderation, and learn to acquire by
honest labor all that we are to have: since even the blessed John,
when he was discoursing with those that were employed upon the tribute,
and with the soldiery, enjoined them "to be content with their
wages."Anxious though he were to lead them on to another, and a
higher self-command, yet since they were still unfit for this, he
speaks of the lesser things. Because, if he had mentioned what are
higher than these, they would have failed to apply themselves to them,
and would have fallen from the others.
For this very reason we too are practising youin the inferior duties.
Yes, because as yet, we know, the burden of voluntary poverty is too
great for you, and the heaven is not more distant from the earth, than
such self-denial from you. Let us then lay hold, if it be only of
the lowest commandments, for even this is no small encouragement. And
yet some amongst the heathens have achieved even this, though not in a
proper spirit, and have stripped themselves of all their
possessions.However, we are contented in your case, if alms are
bestowed abundantly by you; for we shall soon arrive at those other
duties too, if we advance in this way. But if we do not so much as
this, of what favor shall we be worthy, who are hidden to surpass
those under the old law, and yet show ourselves inferior to the
philosophers among the heathens? What shall we say, who when we ought
to be angels and sons of God, do not even quite maintain our being as
men? For to spoil and to covet comes not of the gentleness of men,
but of the fierceness of wild beasts; nay, worse than wild beasts are
the assailers of their neighbor's goods. For to them this comes by
nature, but we who are honored with reason, and yet are falling away
unto that unnatural vileness, what indulgence shall we receive?
Let us then, considering the measures of that discipline which is set
before us, press on at least to the middle station, that we may both
be delivered from the punishment which is to come, and proceeding
regularly, may arrive at the very summit of all good things; unto
which may we all attain, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord
Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever.
Amen.
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