{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/113/1130111.htm","path":"chr/ecf/113/1130111.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/113/1130111.htm","text":"p. 471 Homily XVIII.\n\u201cI give thee charge in the sight of God, Who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; that thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: which in his times He shall show, Who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; Whom no man hath seen, nor can see; to Whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen.\u201d\nAgain he calls God to witness, as he had done a little before, at once to increase his disciple\u2019s awe, and to secure his safety, and to show that these were not human commandments, that receiving the commandment as from the Lord Himself, and ever bearing in mind the Witness 1309 before Whom he heard it, he may have it more fearfully impressed upon his mind.\n\u201cI charge thee,\u201d he says, \u201cbefore God, Who quickeneth all things.\u201d\nHere is at once consolation in the dangers which awaited him, and a remembrance of the resurrection awakened in him.\n\u201cAnd before Jesus Christ, Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession.\u201d\nThe exhortation again is derived from the example of his Master, and what he means is this; as He had done, so ought ye to do, for for this cause He \u201cwitnessed\u201d (1 Pet. ii. 21.), that we might tread in His steps.\n\u201cA good confession.\u201d 1310 What he does in his Epistle to the Hebrews,\u2014\u201cLooking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds\u201d (Heb. 12:2, 3.),\u2014that he now does to his disciple Timothy. As if he had said, Fear not death, since thou art the servant of God, Who can give life to all things.\nBut to what \u201cgood confession\u201d does he allude? To that which He made when Pilate asked, \u201cArt thou a King?\u201d \u201cTo this end,\u201d He said, \u201cwas I born.\u201d And again, \u201cI came, that I might bear witness to the Truth. Behold, these have heard Me.\u201d (John xviii. 37.) He may mean this, or that when asked, \u201cArt thou the Son of God?\u201d He answered, \u201cThou sayest, that I am (the Son of God).\u201d (Luke xxii. 70.) And many other testimonies and confessions did He make.\n1 Tim. 6.14. \u201cThat thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.\u201d\nThat is, till thy end, thy departure hence, though he does not so express it, but that he may the more arouse him, says, \u201ctill His appearing.\u201d But what is \u201cto keep the commandment without spot\u201d? To contract no defilement, either of doctrine or of life.\n1 Tim. 6.15. \u201cWhich in His times He shall show, Who is the blessed and only Potentate, King of kings, and Lord of lords, Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto.\u201d\nOf whom are these things said? Of the Father, or of the Son? Of the Son, undoubtedly: and it is said for the consolation of Timothy, that he may not fear nor stand in awe of the kings of the earth.\n\u201cIn His times,\u201d that is, the due and fitting times, that he may not be impatient, because it has not yet come. And whence is it manifest, that He will show it? Because He is the Potentate, the \u201conly Potentate.\u201d He then will show it, Who is \u201cblessed,\u201d nay blessedness itself; and this is said, to show that in that appearing there is nothing painful or uneasy.\nBut he says, \u201conly,\u201d either in contradistinction to men, or because He was unoriginated, 1311 or as we sometimes speak of a man whom we wish to extol.\n\u201cWho only hath immortality.\u201d What then? hath not the Son immortality? Is He not immortality itself? How should not He, who is of the same substance with the Father, have immortality?\n\u201cDwelling in the light which no man can approach unto.\u201d Is He then Himself one Light, and is there another in which He dwells? is He then circumscribed by place? Think not of it. By this expression is represented the Incomprehensibleness of the Divine Nature. Thus he speaks of God, in the best way he is able. Observe, how when the tongue would utter something great, it fails in power.\n\u201cWhom no man hath seen nor can see.\u201d As, indeed, no one hath seen the Son, nor can see Him. 1312\np. 472 \u201cTo whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen.\u201d Thus properly, and much to the purpose, has he spoken of God. For as he had called Him to witness, he speaks much of that Witness, that his disciple may be in the greater awe. In these terms he ascribes glory to Him, and this is all we can do, or say. We must not enquire too curiously, who He is. If power everlasting is His, fear not. Yea though now it take not place, 1313 to Him is honor, to Him is power evermore.\n1 Tim. 6.17. \u201cCharge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded.\u201d\nHe has well said, \u201crich in this world.\u201d For there are others rich in the future world. And this advice he gives, knowing that nothing so generally produces pride and arrogance as wealth. To abate this, therefore, he immediately adds, \u201cNor trust in uncertain riches\u201d; since that was the source of pride; inasmuch as he who hopes in God, is not elated. Why dost thou place thy hopes upon what is instantly transferable? For such is wealth! and why hopest thou on that of which thou canst not be confident? But you say, how can they avoid being high-minded? By considering the instability and uncertainty of riches, and that hope in God is infinitely more valuable; God being the Author of wealth itself.\n1 Tim. 6.17. \u201cBut in the living God,\u201d he says, \u201cwho giveth us richly all things to enjoy.\u201d\nThis \u201call things richly\u201d is justly spoken, in reference to the changes of the year, to air, light, water, and other gifts. For how richly and ungrudgingly are all these bestowed! If thou seekest riches, seek those that are stable and enduring, and which are the fruit of good works. He shows that this is his meaning by what follows.\n1 Tim. 6.18. \u201cThat they do good,\u201d he says, \u201cthat they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate.\u201d\nThe first phrase refers to wealth, the second to charity. For to be willing to communicate, implies that they are sociable and kind.\n1 Tim. 6.19. \u201cLaying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come.\u201d\nThere nothing is uncertain, for the foundation being firm, there is no instability, all is firm, fixed, immovable, fast, and enduring.\n1 Tim. 6.19. \u201cThat they may lay hold,\u201d he says, \u201con eternal life.\u201d\nFor the doing of good works can secure the enjoyment of eternal life.\n1 Tim. 6.20. \u201cO Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust.\u201d\nLet it not suffer diminution. It is not thy own. Thou art intrusted with the property of another, do not lessen it.\n1 Tim. 6.20. \u201cAvoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called.\u201d\nWell did he thus call it. For where there is not faith, there is not knowledge; when anything springs from our reasonings, it is not knowledge. Or perhaps he says this, because some then assumed the name of Gnostics, as knowing more than others.\n1 Tim. 6.21. \u201cWhich some professing have erred concerning the faith.\u201d\nYou see how again he commands Timothy not even to meet them. \u201cAvoiding opposition.\u201d There are therefore oppositions to which we ought not to vouchsafe an answer, because they turn men from faith, and do not suffer one to be firmly established or fixed in it. Let us not then pursue this science, but adhere to faith, that unshaken rock. For neither floods nor winds assailing will be able to harm us, since we stand on the rock immovable. Thus even in this life, if we choose Him, Who is truly the foundation, we stand, and no harm assails us. For what can hurt him who hath chosen the riches, the honor, the glory, the pleasure of the life to come? They are all firm, in them there is no variableness; all things here subject to reverse, and are for ever changing. For what wouldest thou have? glory? The Psalmist says, \u201cHis glory shall not descend after him.\u201d (Ps. xlix. 17.) And often it abides not with him whilst he lives. But it is not so with virtue, all things which pertain to her are permanent. Here, he who obtains glory from his office, upon another succeeding to his office, becomes a private man and inglorious. The rich man is reduced to poverty by the attack of robbers, or the snares of sycophants and knaves. It is not so with Christians. The temperate man, if he take heed to himself, will not be robbed of his virtue. He who rules himself, cannot become a common man and a subject.\nAnd that this rule is superior to any other, will appear upon examination. For of what advantage, tell me, is it to reign over nations of our fellow-men, and to be the slaves of our own passions? Or what are we the worse for having no one under our rule, if we are superior to the tyranny of the passions? That indeed is Freedom, that is Rule, that is Royalty and Sovereignty. The contrary is slavery, though a man be invested with countless diadems. For when a multitude of masters sway him from within, the love of money, the love of pleasure, and anger, and other passions, what avails his p. 473 diadem? The tyranny of those passions is more severe, when not even his crown has power to deliver him from their subjection. As if one who had been a king should be reduced to slavery by barbarians, and they wishing to show their power the more absolutely, should not strip him of his purple robe and his diadem, but oblige him to work in them, and to perform all menial offices, to draw water, and to cook their food, that his disgrace and their honor might be the more apparent: so do our passions domineer over us more barbarously than any barbarians. For he that despises them can despise the barbarians too; but he that submits to them, will suffer more severely than from barbarians. The barbarian, when his power prevails, may afflict the body, but these passions torture the soul, and lacerate it all over. When the barbarian has prevailed, he delivers one to temporal death, but these to that which is to come. So that he alone is the free man, who has his freedom in himself; and he who submits to these unreasonable passions, is the slave.\nNo master, however inhuman, imposes such severe and inhuman commands. They say to him, in effect, \u201cDisgrace thy soul without end or object,\u2014offend thy God,\u2014be deaf to the claims of nature; though it be thy father or thy mother, be not ashamed to set thyself against them.\u201d Such are the commands of avarice. \u201cSacrifice to me, she says, not calves, but men.\u201d The prophet indeed says, \u201cSacrifice men, for the calves have failed.\u201d (Hosea xiii. 2, Sept.) But avarice says, \u201cSacrifice men, though there are yet calves. Sacrifice those who have never injured thee, yea slay them, though they have been thy benefactors.\u201d Or again, \u201cBe at war, and go about as the common enemy of all, of nature herself, and of God. Heap up gold, not that thou mayest enjoy it, but that thou mayest keep it, and work greater torture to thyself.\u201d For it is not possible that the lover of money should be able to enjoy it, since he fears lest his gold should be diminished, lest his hoards should fail. \u201cBe watchful,\u201d it says, \u201cbe suspicious of every one, even domestics and friends. Have an eye to the goods of other men. Though you see the poor man perishing with hunger, give him nothing; but strip him, if it be possible, even of his skin. Break thine oaths, lie, swear. Be an accuser, a false informer. Refuse not, if it be necessary, to rush into fire, to submit to a thousand deaths, to perish with hunger, to struggle with disease.\u201d Does not avarice impose these laws? \u201cBe offensive and impudent, shameless and bold, villainous and wicked, ungrateful, unfeeling, unfriendly, faithless, devoid of affection, a parricide, a beast rather than a man. Surpass the serpent in bitterness, the wolf in rapacity. Exceed in brutality even the beast, nay should it be necessary to proceed even to the malignity of the devil, refuse not. Be a stranger to thy benefactor.\u201d\nDoes not avarice say all this, and is it not listened to? God on the contrary says, Be a friend to all, be gentle, beloved by all, give offense causelessly to no one. \u201cHonor thy father and thy mother.\u201d Win an honorable reputation. Be not a man, but an angel. Utter nothing immodest, nothing false, nor even think of it. Relieve the poor. Bring not trouble on thyself, by ravaging others. Be not bold nor insolent. God says this, but no one hearkens. Is not hell then justly threatened, and the fire, and the worm that dieth not? How long are we thus to thrust ourselves down the precipice? How long are we to walk upon thorns, and pierce ourselves with nails, and be grateful for it? We subject ourselves to cruel tyrants, and refuse the gentle Master, who imposes nothing grievous, nor barbarous, nor burdensome, nor unprofitable, but all things such as are useful, and valuable, and beneficial. Let us then arouse ourselves, and be self-collected, and gather our forces. Let us love God as we ought, that we may obtain the blessings promised to those that love Him, through the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom, to the Father, &c.\nEdd. \u1f00\u03c6\u1fbd \u03bf\u1f57, \u201cfrom whom\u201d; but B. has \u1f10\u03c6\u1fbd \u03bf\u1f57, and Old Lat. sub quo, which is much better.\n471:1310\nSavile\u2019s punctuation. Ben. joins this to the preceding clause, but so it is scarcely grammatical.\n471:1311 471:1312\nThat is, in His divine nature, considered apart from the human. See on Philip. ii. 5-11, Hom. vii. p. 78, and note g, and compare John 1:14, John 6:46, John 14:7, 9, Luke 24:39, John 4:24, 2 Cor. 3:17, 1 Tim. 3:16, 1 John 3:2.\n472:1313\n\u03bc\u1f74 \u03b3\u03ad\u03bd\u03b7\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9. He either means that though not yet fully come, His Kingdom, when come, shall be eternal, or puts \u03b3\u03ad\u03bd\u03b5\u03c3\u03b8\u03b1\u03b9, \u201cto take place,\u201d in opposition to \u03b5\u1f36\u03bd\u03b1\u03b9, \u201cto be.\u201d The former word refers to events in time, the latter to the real constitution of things. Phil. 2:10, Heb. 2:8.","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. XIII: The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Timothy, Titus, and Philemon.: 1 Timothy 6:13-16","type":"page"}