HOMILY VIII.

1 COR. iii. 1—3.

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal.

AFTER having overturned the philosophy which is from without, and cast down all its arrogance, he comes unto another argument. For it was likely that they would say, "If we were putting forth the opinions of Plato, or of Pythagoras, or any other of the philosophers, reason were, thou shouldest draw out such a long discourse against us. But if we were announcing the things of the Spirit, for what reason dost 1 äv xaì thou turn and toss up and down1 the wisdom which is from without?"

κάτω

στρέφεις.

Hear then how he makes his stand against this. And I, brethren, was not able to speak unto you as unto spiritual. Why, in the first place, says he, though you had been perfect in spiritual things also, not even so ought you to be elated; for what you preach is not your own, nor such as yourselves have found from your own means. But now even these things ye know not as ye ought to know them, but ye are learners, and the last of all. Whether therefore the Gentile wisdom be the occasion of your high imaginations; that hath been proved to be nothing, nay, in regard to spiritual things to be even contrary unto us: or if it be on account of things spiritual, in these too ye come short, and have your place among the hindmost. Wherefore he saith,

How highly-gifted Persons might be carnal.

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1-3.

I was not able to speak unto you as unto spiritual. He said 1COR.3.
not, "I have not spoken," lest the thing might seem to
proceed from his grudging them somewhat; but in two ways
he brings down their high spirit; first, because they knew
not the things that are perfect; next, because their ignorance
was owing to themselves: yea in a third way besides these,
by pointing out that not even now are they able [to bear it.]
For as to their want of ability at first, that perhaps arose
from the nature of the case.

leave them even this excuse.

In fact, however, he does not

For not through any inability

on their part to receive high doctrines, doth he say they received them not, but, because they were carnal. However, in the beginning this was not so blame-worthy; but that after so long a time, they had not yet arrived at the more perfect knowledge, this was a symptom of most utter dulness.

It may be observed, that he brings the same charge against the Hebrews, not however with so much vehemence. For those, he saith, are such, partly because of tribulation: but these, because of some appetite for wickedness. Now the two things are not the same. He implies too, that in the one case he was intending rebuke, in the other rather stirring them up, when he spake these words of truth. For to these Corinthians he saith, Neither yet now are ye able; but unto the others, Wherefore leaving the principles of the doctrine Heb.6. of Christ, let us go on unto perfection: and again, we are persuaded better things concerning you, and things which accompany salvation, though we thus speak.

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3

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7.22,23.

Depart from S.Mat.
And yet they

[2.] And how calleth he those" carnal," who had attained so large a measure of the Spirit; and into whose praises, at the beginning, he had entered so much at large? Because they also were carnal, unto whom the Lord saith, Me, ye workers of iniquity, I know you not. both cast out devils, and raised the dead, and uttered prophecies. So that it is possible, having wrought even miracles, to be carnal. For so God wrought by Balaam, and unto Pharaoh He revealed things to come, and unto Nebuchadnezzar; and Caiaphas prophesied, not knowing what he said; yea, and some others cast out devils in His name, though they were 'not with Him; since not for the doers' sake are Luke these things done, but for others' sake: nor is it seldom, that

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9.49.

102 Sacraments may be where Ministers are unworthy.

HOMIL. those who were positively unworthy have been made inVIII. strumental to them. Now why wonder, if in the case of

unworthy men these things are done for others' sake, seeing

that so it is, even when they are wrought by saints? For so 1 1 Cor. Paul saith, 'All things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, 3. 22. or Cephas, or life, or death: and again, He gave some 2 Eph.4. 11,12. Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Pastors and Teachers,

for the perfecting of the Saints unto the work of the ministry. For if it were not so, there would have been no security against universal corruption. For it may be that rulers are wicked and polluted, and their subjects good and virtuous; that laymen may live in piety, and priests in wickedness; and there could not have been either Baptism, or the Body of Christ, or Oblation, through such, if in every instance grace required merit. But as it is, God uses to work even by unworthy persons, and in no respect is the grace of Baptism damaged by the conduct of the priest: else would the receiver suffer loss. Accordingly, though such things happen rarely, still, it must be owned, they do happen. Now these things I say, lest any one of the bystanders, busying himself about the life of the priest, should be offended as 3 à concerning the things solemnized3. "For man introduceth λούμενα. nothing into the things which are set before us, but the whole ♦ is a work of the power of God, and He it is who initiates you into the mysteries."

τι

STAYW.

γῶν.

5 φιλο

[3.] And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat. For ye were not yet able [to bear it.]

For lest he should seem to have spoken ambitiously these Tas things which he had just spoken; the spiritual man judgeth obtain all things, and he himself is judged of no man, and, we have favour. the mind of Christ; with a view also to repress their pride:

ivina, to

observe what he saith. "Not on this account, saith he, was I silent, because I was not able to tell you more, but because ye are carnal: neither yet now are ye able." (2.) Why said he not, ye are not willing, but, ye Even because he put the latter for the former. want of ability, it arises from the want of will.

are not able? For as to the Which to

• và #gonsiμsva, a liturgical word; Liturgy, and St. Chrysostom's. the Sacred Elements: vid. St. Basil's

A good Life the only Preparation for Faith.

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1-3.

them indeed is matter of accusation, but to their teacher, of 1COR.3. excuse. For if they had been unable by nature, one might perhaps have forgiven them: but since it was from choice, they were bereft of all excuse. He then speaks of the particular point also, which makes them carnal. For whereas there is among you strife, and envying, and division, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? Although he had fornications also and uncleannesses of theirs to speak of, he sets down rather that offence, which he had been a good while endeavouring to correct. Now if envying makes men carnal, it is high time for us all to bewail bitterly, and to clothe ourselves with sackcloth, and lie in ashes. For who is pure from this passion? Except indeed I am but conjecturing the case of others from myself. If envying maketh men carnal, and suffereth them not to be spiritual, although they prophesy, and shew forth other wonderful works; now, when not even so much grace is with us, what place shall we find for our own doings; when not in this matter alone, but also in others of greater moment, we are convicted?

[4.] From this place we learn that Christ had good reason for saying, 1He that doeth evil, cometh not to the light; and that S.John an unclean life is an obstacle to high doctrines, not suffering 3. 20. the clear-sightedness of the understanding to shew itself. As then it is not in any case possible for a person in error, but living uprightly, to remain in error; so it is not easy, for one brought up in iniquity, speedily to look up upon the height of the doctrines delivered to us, but he must be clean from all the passions, who is to hunt after the truth: for whoso is freed from these shall be freed also from his error, and attain unto the truth. For do not, I beseech you, think that abstinence merely from covetousness or fornication may suffice thee for this purpose. Not so. All must concur in him that seeketh the truth. Wherefore saith Peter, Of a truthe Acts I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, but in every 10. 34, nation he that feareth Him and worketh righteousness is accepted of Him: that is, He calls and attracts him unto the truth. Seest thou not Paul, that he was more vehement than any one in warring and persecuting? yet because he led an irreproachable life, and did these things not through human passion, he was both received, and reached a mark beyond

35.

VIII.

104 The Corinthians reproved under Paul's and Apollos' Names. HOMIL. all. But if any one should say, "How doth such a one, a Greek, who is kind, and good, and humane, continue in error?" this would be my answer: He hath some other passion, vainglory, or indolence of mind, or want of carefulness about his own salvation, accounting that all things which concern him are drifted along disorderly and at random. Paul's phrase for him that worketh righteousness, is "he that in all things has been irreproachable1, according rec. to the righteousness which is in the law. Again, I give

1 άλη

text, ἄμιμ

στος.

* Phil. 3. 6.

32 Tim.

1.3.

thanks to God, whom I serve from my forefathers with a pure conscience. How then, you will say, were unclean persons considered worthy of the Gospel? Because they wished and longed for it. Thus the one sort, though in error, are attracted by Him, because they are clean from passions; the others, of their own accord approaching, are not thrust back. Many also even from their ancestors have received the true religion. [5.] Ver.3. For whereas there is among you envying and strife. At this point he prepares himself to wrestle with those whose part was obedience: for in what went before he hath been casting down the rulers of the Church, where he said that wisdom of speech is nothing worth. But here he strikes at those in subjection, in the words,

Ver. 4. While one saith, I am of Paul, and, I of Apollos, are ye not carnal?

And he points out that this, so far from helping them at all, or causing them to acquire any thing, had even become an obstacle to their profiting in the greater things. For this it was which brought forth envying, and envying had made them carnal; and the having become carnal left them not at liberty to hear truths of the sublimer sort.

Ver. 5. Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos?

In this way, after producing and proving his facts, he makes his accusation henceforth more openly. Moreover he employs his own name, doing away all harshness, and not suffering them to be angry at what is said. For if Paul is nothing and murmur not, much less ought they to think themselves ill used. Two ways, you see, he has of soothing them; first by bringing forward his own person, then by not robbing them of all, as if they contributed nothing. Rather he allows them some small portion: small though