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ROM. XIV. 14.
"I know, and am persuaded by (Gr. in) the Lord Jesus, that
there is nothing unclean of itself, but to him that esteemeth anything
to be unclean, to him it is unclean."
AFTER first rebuking the person who judgeth his brother, and
moving him to leave off this reproaching, he then explains himself
further upon the doctrinal part, and instructs in a dispassionate tone
the weaker sort, displaying in this case too a great deal of
gentleness. For he does not say he shall be punished, nor anything of
the sort, but merely disburdens him of his fears in the matter, and
that with a view to his being more easily persuaded with what he tells
him; and he says, "I know, and am persuaded." And then to
prevent any of those who did not trust him (or "believe," twn ou
pistwn) saying, And what is it to us if thou art persuaded? for thou
art no trustworthy evidence to be set in competition with so great a
law, and with oracles brought down from above, he proceeds, "in the
Lord." That is, as having learned from Him, as having my
confidence from Him. The judgment then is not one of the mind of
man. What is it that thou art persuaded of and knowest? Tell us.
"That there is nothing unclean of itself." By nature, he says,
nothing is unclean but it becomes so by the spirit in which a man uses
it. Therefore it becomes so to himself only, and not to all. "For
to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean."
What then? Why not correct thy brother, that he may think it not
unclean? Why not with full authority call him away from this habit of
mind and conception of things, that he may never make it common? My
reason is, he says, I am afraid to grieve him. Wherefore he
proceeds, Ver. 15. "But if thy brother be grieved with thy
meat, now walkest thou not charitably."
You see how far, for the present, he goes in affection for him,
showing that he makes so great account of him, that with a view not to
grieve him he does not venture even to enjoin things of great urgency,
but by yieldingness would rather draw him to himself, and by charity.
For even when he has freed him of his fears, he does not drag him and
force him, but leaves him his own master. For keeping a person from
meats is no such matter as overwhelming with grief. You see how much
he insists upon charity. And this is because he is aware that it can
do everything. And on this ground he makes somewhat larger demand upon
them. For so far he says from its being proper for them to distress
you at all, the), ought even, if need be, not to hesitate at
condescending to you. Whence he proceeds to say, "Destroy not him
with thy meat, for whom Christ died." Or dost thou not value thy
brother enough even to purchase his salvation at the price of abstinence
from meats? And yet Christ refused not to become a slave, nor yet to
die for him; but thou dost not despise even food, that thou mayest
save him. And yet with it all Christ was not to gain all, yet still
He died for all; so fulfilling His own part. But art thou aware
that by meat thou art overthrowing him in the more important matters,
and yet makest a disputing? And him who is the object of such care
unto Christ, dost thou consider so contemptible, and dishonor one
whom He loveth? Yet He died not for the weak only, but even for an
enemy. And wilt not thou refrain from meats even, for him that is
weak? Yet Christ did what was greatest even, but thou not even the
less. And He was Master, thou a brother. These words then were
enough to tongue-tie him. For they show him to be of a little
spirit, and after having the benefit of great things from God, not to
give in return even little ones.
Ver. 16, 17. "Let not then your good be evil spoken of. For
the kingdom of God is not meat and drink."
By their "good," he means here either their faith, or the hope of
rewards hereafter, or the perfectness of their religious state. For
it is not only that you fail to profit your brother, he means, but the
doctrine itself, and the grace of God, and His gift, you cause to
be evil spoken of. Now when thou tightest, when thou quarrellest,
when thou art vexatious, when thou makest schism in the Church, and
reproachest thy brother, and art distant with him, those that are
without will speak evil of you. And so good is so far from coming of
this, that just the opposite is the case. For your good is charity,
love of the brotherhood, being united, being bound together, living
at peace, living in gentleness (epieikeias). He again, to put an
end to his fears and the other's disputatious-ness, says, "For the
kingdom of God is not meat and drink." Is it by these, he means,
that we are to be approved? As he says in another passage too,
"Neither if we eat are we the better, neither it we eat not are we
the worse." And he does not need any proof, but is content with
stating it. And what he says is this, If thou eatest, does this
lead thee to the Kingdom? And this was why, by way of satirizing
them as mightily pleased with themselves herein, he said, not "meat"
only, but "drink." What then are the things that do bring us here?
"Righteousness, and peace, and joy," and a virtuous life, and
peace with our brethren (whereto this quarrelsomeness is opposed),
the joy from unanimity, which this rebuking puts an end to. But this
he said not to one party only, but to both of them, it being a fit
season for saying it to both. Then as he had mentioned peace and joy,
but there is a peace and joy over bad actions also, he adds, "in the
Holy Ghost." Since he that ruins his brother, hath at Once
subverted peace, and wronged joy, more grievously than he that
plunders money. And what is worse is, that Another saved him, and
thou wrongest and ruinest him. Since then eating, and the supposed
perfect state, does not bring in these virtues, but the things
subversive of them it does bring in, how can it be else than right to
make light of little things, in order to give firmness to great ones?
Then since this rebuking took place in some degree out of vanity, he
proceeds to say, Ver. 18. "For he that in these things serveth
Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men."
For they will not admire thee so much for thy perfect state, as all
will for peace and amity. For this is a goodly thing, that all will
have the benefit of, but of that not one even will.
Ver. 19. "Let us therefore follow after the things which make for
peace, and things wherewith one may edify one another:"
This applies to the other, that he may grow peaceable. But the other
to the latter too, that he may not destroy his brother. Still he has
made both apply to either again, by saying, "one another," and
showing that without peace it is not easy to edify.
Ver. 20. "For meat destroy not the work of God."
Giving this name to the salvation of a brother, and adding greatly to
the fears, and showing that he is doing the opposite of that he
desires. For thou, he says, art so far from building up as thou
intendest, that thou dost even destroy, and that a building too not of
man but of God, and not for any great end either, but for a trivial
thing. For it was "for meat," he says. Then lest so many
indulgences should confirm the weaker brother in his misconception, he
again becomes doctrinal, as follows, "All things indeed are pure,
but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence."
Who does it, that is, with a bad conscience. And so if you should
force him, and he should eat, there would be nothing gained. For it
is not the eating that maketh unclean, but the intention with which a
man eats. If then thou dost not set that aright, thou hast done all
to no purpose, and hast made things worse: for thinking a thing
unclean is not so bad as tasting it when one thinks it unclean. Here
then you are committing two errors, one by increasing his prejudice
through your quarrel- someness, and another by getting him to taste of
what is unclean. And so, as long as you do not persuade him, do not
force him.
Ver. 21. "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine,
nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made
weak."
Again, he requires the greater alternative, that they should not only
not force him, but even condescend to him. For he often did this
himself also, as when he circumcised (Acts xvi. 3), when he was
shorn (ib. xviii. 18), when he sacrificed that Jewish
sacrifice. (ib. xxi. 26, see p. 126). And he does not say
to the man "do so," but he states it in the form of a sentiment to
prevent again making the other, the weaker man, too listless. And
what are his words? "It is good not to eat flesh." And why do I
say flesh? if it be wine, or any other thing of the sort besides,
which gives offence, refrain. For nothing is so important as thy
brother's salvation. And this Christ shows us, since He came from
Heaven, and suffered all that He went through, for our sakes. And
let me beg you to observe, how he also drives it home upon the other,
by the words "stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak." And do
not tell me (he means) that he is so without reason but, that thou
hast power to set it right. For the other has a sufficient claim to be
helped in his weakness, and to thee this were no loss not being a case
of hypocrisy (Gal. ii. 13), but of edification and economy.
For if thou force him, he is at once destroyed, and will condemn
thee, and fortify himself the more in not eating. But if thou
condescend to him, then he will love thee, and will not suspect thee
as a teacher, and thou wilt afterwards gain the power of sowing
imperceptibly in him the right views. But if he once hate thee, then
thou hast closed the entrance for thy reasoning. Do not then compel
him, but even thyself refrain for his sake, not refraining from it as
unclean, but because he is offended, and he will love thee the more.
So Paul also advises when he says, "It is good not to eat flesh,"
not because it was unclean, but because the brother is offended and is
weak.
Ver. 22. "Hast thou faith? have it to thyself."
Here he seems to me to be giving a gentle warning to the more advanced
on the score of vanity. And what he says is this, Dost thou wish to
show me that thou art perfect, and fully furnished? Do not show it to
me, but let thy conscience suffice. And by faith, be here means that
concerned not with doctrines, but with the subject in hand. For of
the former it says, "With the mouth confession is made unto
salvation" (Rom. x. 10); and, "Whosoever shall deny Me
before men, him will I also deny." (Luke ix. 26.) For the
former by not being confessed, ruins us; and so does this by being
confessed unseasonably. "Happy is he that condemneth not himself in
the thing which he alloweth." Again he strikes at the weaker one,
and gives him (i.e. the stronger) a sufficient crown, in that of
his conscience. Even if no man see, that is, thou art able to be
happy in thyself. For after saying, "Have it to thyself," to
prevent his thinking this a contemptible tribunal, he tells him this is
better to thee than the world. And if all accuse thee, and thou
condemn not thyself, and thy conscience lay no charge against thee,
thou art happy. But this is a statement he did not make to apply to
any person whatever. For there are many that condemn not themselves,
and yet are great transgressors: and these are the most miserable of
men. But he still keeps to the subject in hand.
Ver. 23. "And he that doubteth is condemned if he eat."
Again, it is to exhort him to spare the weaker, that he says this.
For what good is it if he eat in doubt, and condemn himself? For I
approve of him, who both eateth, and doeth it not with doubting. See
how he induces him not to eating only, but to eating with a good
conscience too. Then he mentions likewise the reason why he is
condemned. continuing in these words, "Because he eateth not of
faith." Not because it is unclean, but because it is not of faith.
For he did not believe that it is clean, but though unclean he touched
it. But by this he shows them also what great harm they do by
compelling men, and not persuading them, to touch things which had
hitherto appeared unclean to them, that for this at all events they
might leave rebuking. "For whatsoever is not of faith is sin." For
when a person does not feel sure, nor believe that a thing is clean,
how can he do else than sin? Now all these things have been spoken by
Paul of the subject in hand, not of everything. And observe what
care he takes not to offend any; and he had said before, "If thy
brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably."
But if one should not grieve him, much less ought one to give him
offence. And again, "For meat destroy not the work of God." For
if it were a grievous act of iniquity to throw down a Church, much
more so is it to do so to the spiritual Temple. Since a man is more
dig nified than a Church: for it was not for walls that Christ died,
but for these temples.
Let us then watch our own conduct on all sides, and afford to no one
ever so little handle. For this life present is a race-course and we
ought to have thousands of eyes (Hilary in Ps. cxix.) on every
side, and not even to fancy that ignorance will be an adequate excuse.
For there is such a thing, there certainly is, as being punished for
ignorance, when the ignorance is inexcusable. Since the Jews too
were ignorant. yet not ignorant in an excusable way. And the
Gentiles were ignorant, but they are without excuse.
(Rom. i. 20.) For when thou art ignorant of those things which
it is not possible to know, thou wilt not be subject to any charge for
it: but when of things easy and possible, thou wilt be punished with
the utmost rigor. Else if we be not excessively supine, but
contribute our own share to its full amount, God will also reach forth
His hand unto us in those things which we are ignorant of. And this
is what Paul said to the Philippians likewise. "If in anything ye
be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you." (Phil.
iii. 15.) But when we are not willing to do even what we are
masters of, we shall not have the benefit of His assistance in this
either. And this was the case with the Jews too. "For this
cause," He says, "speak I unto them in parables, because seeing
they see not." (Matt. xiii. 13.) In what sense was it that
seeing they saw not? They saw devils cast out, and they said, He
hath a devil. They saw the dead raised, and they worshipped not, but
attempted to kill Him. But not of this character was Cornelius.
(ib. xii. 24.) For this reason then, when he was doing the
whole of his duty with sincerity, God added unto him' that which was
lacking also. Say not then, how came God to neglect such and such a
one who was no formalist (aplastos) and a good man, though a
Gentile? For in the first place no man can possibly know for certain
whether a person is no formalist, but He only who "formed
(plasanti) the hearts severally." (Ps. xxxiii. (xxxii.)
15, LXX.) And then there is this to be said too, that
perchance (pollakis) such an one was neither thoughtful nor earnest.
And how, it may be said, could be, as being very uninformed?
(aplastos.) Let me beg you to consider then this simple and
single-hearted man, and take notice of him in the affairs of life,
and you will see him a pattern of the utmost scrupulousness, such that
if he would have shown it in spiritual matters he would not have been
overlooked: for the facts of the truth are clearer than the sun. And
wherever a man may go, he might easily lay hold of his own salvation,
if he were minded, that is, to be heedful, and not to look on this as
a by-work. For were the doings shut up into Palestine, or in a
little corner of the world? Hast thou not heard the prophet say,
"All shall know Me from the least even to the greatest?" (Jer.
xxxi. 34; Heb. viii. 11.) Do not you see the things
themselves uttering the truth? How then are these to be excused,
seeing as they do the doctrine of the truth spread far and wide, and
not troubling themselves, or caring to learn it? And dost thou
require all this, it is asked, of a rude savage? Nay not of a rude
savage only, but of any who is more savage than men of the present
day. For why is it, pray, that in matters of this world he knows how
to answer when he is wronged, and to resist when he has violence done
him, and do and devise everything to prevent his ever having his will
thwarted even in the slightest degree; but in spiritual concerns he has
not used this same judgment? And when a man worships a stone, and
thinks it a god, he both keeps feasts to it, and spends money on it,
and shows much fear towards it, and in no case becomes listless from
his simpleness. But when he has to seek to the very and true God, do
you then mention singleness and simpleness to me? These things are not
so, assuredly they are not! For the complaints are those of mere
listlessness. For which do you think the most simple and rude, those
in Abraham's day or those now? (Josh. xxiv. 2.) Clearly the
former. And when that it was easiest to find religion out now or
then? Clearly now. For now the Name of God is proclaimed even by
all men, and the Prophets have preached, the things come to pass,
the Gentiles been convinced. (Gen. xxxii. 29; Judges xiii.
18.) But at that day the majority were still in an uninstructed
state, and sin was dominant. And there was no law to instruct, nor
prophets, nor miracles, nor doctrine, nor multitude of men acquainted
with it, nor aught else of the kind, but all things then lay as it
were in a deep darkness, and a night moonless and stormy. And yet
even then that wondrous and noble man, though the obstacles were so
great, still knew God and practised virtue, and led many to the same
zeal; and this though he had not even the wisdom of those without.
For how should he, when there were no letters even yet invented? Yet
still he brought his own share in, and God joined to bring in what was
lacking to him. For you cannot say even this, that Abraham received
his religion from his fathers, because he (Terah, see Josh. xxiv.
2.) was an idolater. But still, though he was from such
forefathers and was uncivilized, and lived among uncivilized people,
and had no instructor in religion, yet he attained to a knowledge of
God, and in comparison with all his descendants, who had the
advantage both of the Law and the Prophets, he was so much more
illustrious as no words can express. Why was it then? It was because
in things of this world he did not give himself any great anxiety, but
in things of the spirit he applied his whole attention. (In Gen.
Hem. 33, etc.) And what of Melchizedek? was not he also born
about those times, and was so bright as to be called even a priest of
God? (In Gen. Hem. 35, 36.) For it is impossible in the
extreme, that the sober-minded (nhfonta) should ever be overlooked.
And let not these things be a trouble to us, but knowing that it is
the mind with which in each case the power lies, let us look to our own
duties, that we may grow better. Let us not be demanding an account
of God or enquire why He let such an one alone, but called such an
one. For we are doing the same as if a servant that had given offence
were to pry into his master's housekeeping. Wretched and miserable
man, when thou oughtest to be thoughtful about the account thou hast to
give, anti how thou wilt reconcile thy master, dost thou call him to
account for things that thou art not to give an account of, passing
over those things of which thou art to give a reckoning?What am I to
say to the Gentile? he asks. Why, the same that I have been
saying. And look not merely to what thou shalt say to the Gentile,
but also to the means of amending thyself? When he is offended by
examining into thy life, then consider what thou wilt say. For if he
be offended, thou wilt not be called to a reckoning for him, but if it
be thy way of life by which he is injured, thou wilt have to undergo
the greatest danger. When he seeth thee philosophizing about the
kingdom, and fluttering at the things of this life, and at once afraid
about hell, and trembling at the calamities of this life, then lay it
to mind. When he sees this, and accuses thee, and says, If thou
art in love with the Kingdom, how is it thou dost not look down upon
the things of this life? If thou art expecting the awful judgment,
why dost thou not despise the terrors of this world? If thou hopest
for immortality, why dost thou not think scorn of death? When he says
this, be thou anxious what defence thou wilt make. When he sees thee
trembling at the thought of losing thy money, thee that expectest the
heavens, and exceedingly glad about a single penny, and selling thy
soul again for a little money, then lay it to mind. For these are the
things, just these, that make the Gentiles stumble. And so, if
thou art thoughtful about his salvation, make thy defence on these
heads, not by words, but by actions. For it is not through that
question that anybody ever blasphemed God, but through men's bad
lives it is, that there are thousands of blasphemies in all quarters.
Set him right then. For the Gentile will next ask thee, How am I
to know that God's commands are feasible? For thou that art of
Christian extraction, and hast been brought up in this fine religion,
dost not do anything of the kind. And what will you tell him? You
will be sure to say, I will show you others that do; monks that dwell
in the deserts. And art thou not ashamed to confess to being a
Christian, and yet to send to others, as unable to show that you
display the temper of a Christian? For he also will say directly,
What need have I to go to the mountains, and to hunt up the deserts?
For if there is no possibility for a person who is living in the midst
of cities to be a disciple, this is a sad imputation on this rule of
conduct, that we are to leave the cities, and run to the deserts.
But show me a man who has a wife, and children, and family, and yet
pursueth wisdom. What are we then to say to all this? Must we not
hang down our heads, and be ashamed? For Christ gave us no such
commandment; but what? "Let your light shine before men" (Matt.
v. 16), not mountains, and deserts, and wildernesses, and
out-of-the-way places. And this I say, not as abusing those who
have taken up with the mountains, but as bewailing those that dwell in
cities, because they have banished virtue from thence. Wherefore I
beseech you let us introduce the discipline they have there here also,
that the cities may become cities indeed. This will improve the
Gentile. This will free him from countless offences. And so if thou
wouldest set him free from scandal, and thyself enjoy rewards without
number, set thy own life in order, and make it shine forth upon all
sides, "that men may see your good works, and glorify your Father
which is in heaven." For so we also shall enjoy that unutterable and
great glory, which God grant that we may all attain to, by the grace
and love toward man, etc.
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