Moralia in Job 1441 part 1/2

1. After the prophet, hinting at the oblique windows, had spoken many things concerning the grace of contemplation, he says that he was led forth outward, and he records that he saw treasure-chambers. In which treasure-chambers what else is designated but the knowledge of teachers? But rightly in this matter it may be asked: since holy teachers teach spiritual and inward things, why does the prophet say that he was led forth outward, and that he saw the treasure-chambers outside? But it must be known that one thing is contemplation, which sees only as much as it is unable to express; another thing is knowledge and doctrine, which sees only as much as it can express by the tongue. For in comparison with that light which cannot be expressed by the voice, as it were the whole of that is outside which can be expressed by the voice.

And so he says: Ezekiel 40:17: 'And he brought me into the outer court, and behold, there were treasure-chambers, and a pavement laid with stone in the court round about.' 2. Since in the Greek tongue 'to keep' is expressed, and in the Persian tongue riches are called 'gazae,' a treasure-chamber (gazophylacium) is usually the term for a place in which riches are kept. What, then, is designated by the treasure-chambers, except, as we said before, the hearts of teachers filled with the riches of wisdom and knowledge? Because, according to the voice of Paul: 'To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge in the same Spirit' (1 Corinthians 12:8). For there are some who, through the gift of grace, understand even those things which they have not heard expounded by teachers; these indeed have received the word of wisdom.

And there are some who by themselves are unable to understand the things they hear, but they retain those things which they have read in expositors, and knowingly bring forth what they have learned by reading. Whence, then, are these, except filled with the word of knowledge? Although this may be understood also in another way: that wisdom pertains to life, but knowledge to doctrine. He, therefore, who lives well and preaches prudently is rightly called a treasure-chamber of the spiritual building, because from his mouth heavenly riches are dispensed. That his disciples abounded in these riches, the same teacher of the nations had seen, when he said: 'Ye are made rich in him, in all utterance and in all knowledge' (1 Corinthians 1:5).

And so there are treasure-chambers constructed in the building of holy Church, because the tongue of teachers abounds in the riches of knowledge. That these are the true riches, Truth itself declares, when it says concerning transitory riches: 'The deceitfulness of riches chokes the word' (Matthew 13:22). For the wisdom and knowledge of spiritual doctrine are the true riches, in comparison with which the things that can pass away are called false. Of these riches it is said through Solomon: 'A treasure to be desired resteth in the mouth of the wise' (Proverbs 21:20). But apart from this,

that spiritual riches lead to the eternal fatherland, there is between them and earthly riches a great distance — because spiritual riches, when expended, increase, whereas earthly riches are either expended and fail, or are retained and are of no use. Those, therefore, who contain in themselves these true riches are rightly called treasure-chambers. 3. And these treasure-chambers have a pavement round about, because to them clings and beneath them lies the humility of hearers. Which pavement is rightly said to be laid with stone in the court, because in the breadth of charity the faithful souls are joined one to another in turn. And they are both called stones in the fortitude of faith, and are laid in the pavement in the framework of humility.

These minds of the faithful, strong in faith, the apostle Peter had beheld, when he said: 'And you also as living stones are built up a spiritual house' (1 Peter 2:5). Of these stones of holy Church the Lord says through Isaiah: 'I will lay thy bulwarks of jasper, and thy gates of graven stones, and all thy borders of desirable stones, all thy children taught of the Lord' (Isaiah 54:12-13). For Almighty God set the bulwarks of holy Church as jasper, which is a stone of green color, because he made firm the minds of her preachers with the love of inward greenness, so that they might despise all transitory things, desire nothing in this world which is closed by an end, and scorn all its joys as dry.

Whence also that same shepherd of the Church, calling his hearers to the pastures of eternal greenness, speaks of God, saying: 'According to his great mercy he hath regenerated us unto a living hope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, unto an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and unfading, reserved in heaven' (1 Peter 1:3-4). 4. The gates of this holy Church are set as graven stones, because those through whose voice we enter unto eternal life, while they displayed in themselves the holy works which were divinely commanded, held them as if graven in themselves. For the gates would be not graven, but plain, if they indeed uttered a voice, but did not demonstrate holy works in themselves.

But when according to this they show themselves to live as they speak, they are both gates, because they lead inward; and graven, because by living they keep what they speak to others. All the borders of this holy Church we see set as desirable stones, when in her we behold each of the faithful strong in faith and charity. He who, to demonstrate what he called stones, added: 'All thy children taught of the Lord' (Isaiah 54:13). What, therefore, Isaiah saw as all the borders of the Church, desirable stones, this Ezekiel declared to be a pavement laid with stone round about, because he still adds concerning the treasure-chambers: Same verse: 'Thirty treasure-chambers round about the pavement.' 5.

The number ten is always taken for perfection, because in the ten precepts the keeping of the law is contained. For the active and contemplative life are joined together in the commandments of the Decalogue, because in it both the love of God and the love of neighbor are enjoined to be kept. For the love of God pertains to the contemplative, but the love of neighbor to the active life. But each teacher, in order that he may fully enlarge himself in the active life, and may vigilantly rise up into the contemplative, ought to be perfect in the faith of the holy Trinity. Whence also the same treasure-chambers are recorded to be thirty, so that when ten is taken three times, the life and tongue of the teacher may be made firm in the Trinity. 6.

But in this matter that must be vigilantly regarded by us: that the prophet, when he had described the treasure-chambers, added: 'the pavement round about.' And below he subjoined: 'The treasure-chambers round about the pavement.' So that both the treasure-chambers might be seen to be round about the pavement, and the pavement round about the treasure-chambers. For the pavement and the treasure-chambers are so distinguished in order that the treasure-chambers are laid between pavement and pavement, and the pavement between treasure-chambers and treasure-chambers. This is not, brethren, without great mystery, that round about the treasure-chambers the pavement is said to be, and round about the pavement the treasure-chambers are said to be.

For the pavement has the treasure-chambers round about it, because the tongue of teachers daily instructs and guards the life of hearers. For good teachers, in the words of holy instruction, keep watch now by the soothing of sweetness, now by the sharpness of rebuke, that they may defend the life of their hearers from vices. But these treasure-chambers themselves also have the pavement round about them, because often even the heart of teachers is touched by the temptations of vices, so that now it is lifted up by the pride of boasting, now it is inflamed by the goads of anger.

But when they consider the life of good hearers, and reckon that these have made progress by their own exhortations, they blush not to be such as, by the authorship of God, they behold others to have been made through themselves; and they stabilize themselves in mind before they fully slip into fault. For when their own words come back to the teachers' memory, they blush not to keep what they say. Whence also it is said through Solomon: 'The soul of him that laboreth laboreth for himself, because his mouth hath constrained him' (Proverbs 16:26). For our mouth constrains us to labor, when by that which we say we are restrained from vices, because it is exceedingly shameful for us to fall there by neglecting ourselves, whence by preaching we have striven to raise others.

Therefore the treasure-chambers have the pavement round about them, because the venerable life of hearers is a great safeguard to teachers. And their own discourse becomes a help to them, because those who have armed others against vices blush not to resist the vices that assail them. 7. For since, as long as we live in this life, against the malignant spirits what else do we do but stand in the battle-line? — as we said before, the mind of the teacher is perhaps assailed by some self-exaltation. But whether lest he himself perish, or lest by his example he drag others to perdition, he looks about himself vigilantly and swiftly, he stings himself with remorse in his thoughts; bringing the life of his hearers to memory, he humbles himself, and by what means he prevails acts so that self-exaltation may not gain rule in his mind, may not lord it in his work.

For it is written: 'The beginning of all sin is pride' (Ecclesiasticus 10:15). What fruit of good work, therefore, shall there be before the eyes of God, if it has rotted from the root of self-exaltation? Often, as has been said before, his mind is tempted by anger; but quickly, by looking about himself, he recollects himself, and pressing himself down by the weight of discipline, he acts so that the emotion of his mind may not pass over into speech, may not burst forth in the voice. And so it comes about that the anger of a disturbed mind, where it arises through negligence, there, suffocated by judgment, dies. By which thing it is brought about that from the conceived fault the mind brings forth virtue, because although it was unwilling to guard itself strongly lest it rise to the emotion, yet in the commotion it strongly conquered itself. Whence it is well said through Solomon:

'Better is the patient man than the strong, and he that ruleth his own mind than he that taketh cities' (Proverbs 16:32). And rightly is the patient man preferred to the taker of cities, because in that action of victory the conqueror is a conqueror of men, but in this gentleness of patience the mind is conqueror of itself. There follows: Verse 18: 'And the pavement was on the front of the gates, according to the length of the gates it was lower.' 8. If we refer the length of the gates to the place in which the gates had been constructed, according to the length of the gates the pavement was within, because as much as the place of the gates could hold, so much was extended also the pavement which was lower.

The length of the pavement, therefore, was not dissimilar from the gates, but nevertheless the equality of the pavement was not with the gates. What is it, then, that the pavement was long like the gates, but was not equal, except that the life of the peoples is far distant from the life of teachers? Because although those tending toward the heavenly kingdoms have the same long-suffering of hope, they nevertheless have not the same zeal of living. Let the pavement, therefore, be extended likewise in length, because the hearers retain in themselves that same faith, that same hope, which it is certain the preachers have. But let the pavement lie lower, so that all the hearers may recognize their preachers to excel far beyond their own merits.

But if, on the other hand, we ought to understand the length of the gates themselves — as we said above — as their height, then, as it is written a little after, since steps were ascended to the gates, the pavement lies as much lower as each gate rises in height. Because the holier the life of the teacher is, the more humble becomes the disposition of the hearer. And he despises himself, while he weighs the life of his preacher rising to a great height. For some of his good things he can perhaps imitate, others he cannot. In those in which he prevails, he makes progress; in those in which he does not at all prevail, he grows unto humility. And this very thing, therefore, is a means of advancement to him, which is not imitable by him for advancement. 9.

For behold, if we weigh the words and deeds of our preachers which we read, we recognize into what a height those gates have risen. For, to be silent about the display of signs, let us speak of the virtues of their hearts. Assuredly Paul, who says of himself that he was dead to the law through the law—since the law itself preached this to him, that he should believe in Christ (Rom. 7:4; cf. Rom. 10)—kindled with a great ardor of faith, would not keep the precepts of the law carnally, and forbade circumcision among the Gentiles. And when the apostle Peter wished the custom of the law to be still observed in circumcision, he withstood him to his face, and says that in this matter he was to be blamed (Gal. 2:11).

And this his zeal, when speaking to his disciples, he names not only a fault but—what is greater—hypocrisy, that is, dissimulation, saying: When Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed (Gal. 2:11). And a little after: And the rest of the Jews consented to his dissimulation (Gal. 2:13). Yet that same first of the apostles, when he admonished the disciples much, and perceived that certain men detracted from Paul's writings, says: As our most dear brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, speaking in them of these things, in which are certain matters difficult to understand, which the unlearned and unstable pervert, as they do also the other Scriptures, to their own destruction (2 Pet. 3:15-16).

Behold, Paul in his Epistles wrote that Peter was to be blamed, and behold, Peter in his Epistles asserts that Paul in what he had written was to be admired. For surely, unless Peter had read Paul's Epistles, he would not have praised them. But if he read them, he found that there he himself was called worthy of blame. The friend of truth therefore praised even that for which he was reproved, and this very thing pleased him, because in those matters he had not been pleasing in which he thought otherwise than he ought. And he even yielded consent to his lesser brother, and in that same matter became a follower of one lesser than himself, that even in this he might go before, so that he who was first at the summit of the apostolate might be first also in humility.

Weigh then, most dear brethren, on what summit of mind he stood, who praised those Epistles in which he found himself censured in writing. What great gentleness could there be, what quiet of soul, what solidity of mind, and what imperturbability of thought? Behold, he is reproved by his own colleague, and he does not disdain to be reproved. He does not call to memory that he was the first called to the apostolate, nor that he received the keys of the kingdom of heaven, nor that whatever sins he should loose on earth would be loosed in heaven also (Matt. 16:19), nor that he walked upon the sea with his feet (Matt. 14:29), nor that he raised up paralytics by commanding in the name of Jesus (Acts 9:33-34), nor that he had healed the sick with the shadow of his own body (Acts 5:15).

nor that he had slain liars by his word (Acts 5:5-10), nor that he raised the dead by prayer (Acts 9:40). He therefore, that he might not disdain to hear the words of rebuke, cast away as it were from memory all the gifts he had received, that he might firmly hold the one gift of humility. Which of us, I ask, if he had done even some slightest sign, being rebuked by a lesser brother, would patiently hear the words of rebuke? For we have done no sign at all, and if perhaps someone reproves us for our action, we straightway swell up, we silently think ourselves to be certain great men, we recall virtues to our mind—even those we do not possess. But Peter on the contrary, humble amid his virtues, remained under reproof; but the gate rose into the height.

But we cannot imitate this so great gentleness; but because we are the pavement, we lie far below. 10. There are indeed some who understand that it was not Peter the prince of the apostles, but some other of that name, who was reproved by Paul. But if they had read Paul's words more carefully, they would not say these things. For Paul says: When Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face (Gal. 2:11); and, in order to show of which Peter he was speaking, he premised at the very beginning of his narrative, saying: The gospel of the uncircumcision was committed to me, as the gospel of the circumcision was to Peter. For he who wrought in Peter for the apostleship of the circumcision, wrought in me also among the Gentiles (Gal. 2:7-8).

It is plain therefore of which Peter Paul speaks, whom he both names an apostle and relates to have presided over the gospel of the circumcision. 11. And there have been certain men who said that the second Epistle of Peter, in which Paul's Epistles are praised, was not his. But if they had been willing to weigh the words of that same Epistle, they could have judged far otherwise. For in it is written: A voice came down to him of this sort from the excellent glory: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (2 Pet. 1:17). And it is added: And this voice we heard when we were with him in the holy mount (2 Pet. 1:18). Let them therefore read the Gospel, and they will at once recognize that, when this voice came from heaven, the apostle Peter stood in the mountain with the Lord.

He therefore wrote this Epistle who heard this voice concerning the Lord in the mountain. 12. But since we have said a few things about Peter, now, if it please you, let us turn to the gentleness of Paul, and let us weigh, if we can, how great was the gentleness in his zeal of long-suffering—he who is of such great ardor in the zeal of preaching that he did not spare even the first of the apostles. But let us be silent about the fact that he was three times beaten with rods, that he was once stoned, that he thrice suffered shipwreck, that he was a night and a day in the deep of the sea, that from the Jews he five times received forty stripes save one (2 Cor. 11:24-25). For those evils which are inflicted upon us by open adversaries move the soul less to wrath; this is wont to grieve us more, that we suffer from our own.

Whence Truth itself speaks by the Psalmist against its own betrayer, saying: For if my enemy had cursed me, I would verily have borne it. But you, my guide of one mind with me, and my familiar friend, who together with me took sweet food (Ps. 54[55]:13-15). Let us weigh, then, if we can, how patient the apostle Paul was among persecutors, and how gentle among disciples. Certainly, coming to Corinth, he drew the Corinthians away from the service of idols, made known who was the true God, and preached to them the joys of eternal life. And when he had gathered a great multitude of the people into the faith, he there endured such great want that he labored under the grave necessity of his own sustenance.

And he did not receive the bread of earth from those disciples to whom he preached the bread of heaven. He pressed on in the word for the life of his hearers; he pressed on in the labor of his hands for the life of his own body (1 Cor. 4:11-12; 1 Thess. 2:9; 2 Thess. 3:8). From other lands too stipends were sent him by disciples, that he might be able to preach to the Corinthians. For he himself afterward speaks by an Epistle to those same Corinthians, saying: When I was with you and was in want, I was burdensome to no one; for what was lacking to me the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied (2 Cor. 11:9). To whom he also premised as a great reproach, saying: I despoiled other churches, taking wages for the ministry to you (2 Cor. 11:8).

Let us weigh then, if we can, of what gentleness this was: to preach the bread of the spirit and not to receive the bread of the flesh; to instruct the hearts of his hearers concerning eternal riches, and among those same faithful and abundant disciples to labor with hunger; to suffer want among the satisfied, and yet not to tell what he suffered; to suffer things and not to speak of what he was suffering, and yet not to grieve; to see hard hearts toward himself in tenacious hearers, and yet not to desist from preaching. For, as the Acts of the Apostles testify, he preached continuously for a year and six months in that same city (Acts 18:11). And when he had departed from those same Corinthians, he afterward wrote to them what, while placed among them, he had endured (2 Cor. 11:23ff.).

But why did he never say this to them while he lived among them? Namely, lest what had not come from a good will should be done to him by compulsion; and lest, when their mercy became known, his intention should remain unknown. But why does he write this afterward, being far away? Lest by all means the disciples should remain uncorrected, and, such as they had been toward their master in tenacity, they should be such also toward other brethren. Truly in this Paul, the true teacher of the Gentiles, neglecting his own things and caring for the things of others, fulfilled what he had preached: Let no one seek what is his own, but what is another's (1 Cor. 10:24). And: not each considering the things that are his own, but the things of others (Phil. 2:4). How great therefore is this virtue of gentleness? How great the tranquility of spirit?

But which of us, if he had converted one rich man of this world to the service of Almighty God, and beheld himself in want, and that man not supplying him the aids of life, would not straightway have despaired of that man's way? Who would not say that he had labored in vain? Who would not fall silent from his exhortation of the man in whom he did not first see borne toward himself the fruit of a good work? 13. But Paul, solidified through gentleness on the summit of virtues, stood firm; he preached, he loved, and the good which he had begun he accomplished; and by bearing and by persevering he brought the hearts of the disciples through to mercy (2 Cor. 9:5ff.). For, indicating that he afterward knew their progress, he writes in that same Epistle:

Concerning the ministry that is done toward the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you. For I know your ready mind, for which I glory of you among the Macedonians, that Achaia has been ready since last year, and your emulation has provoked very many (2 Cor. 9:1-2). Of whom he again says: Who have begun not only to do, but also to will, since last year (2 Cor. 8:10). For in those in whom he required not so much works as pious wishes, in them he doubtless praises pious wishes more than works. Yet it is to be noted that this very consolation has a reproach, when it is said: Since last year. Good indeed, but they had done it late, and therefore the master praised this not without reproof.

For he is a physician; he applies medicine to the wound, which both refreshes the things that have been cleansed and bites the things that are found putrid. But by tolerating and by preaching these things, he accomplished what he had begun. And by the wondrous virtue of long-suffering he softened the hardness of the disciples to the bowels of mercy, because the length of the gate rose into the height. But we, infirm, are not fit to imitate the long-suffering of so great gentleness, because, namely, we are the pavement, and, despised in our own morals, we lie low. 14. But behold, while I speak of two leaders of the heavenly army, the martyr Stephen also occurs to memory,

who, seized for the name of his Creator, and led into the midst of persecutors, stood undaunted, taught confidently, and out of zeal for the truth boldly rebuked his persecutors, saying: You have always resisted the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51). And when they ran for stones and slew him with stones, kneeling down he prayed for those same persecutors, saying: Lord, lay not this sin to their charge (Acts 7:60). What virtue then is this, so to burn with zeal that he confidently spoke to those by whom he was held the reproaches of their perfidy; and so to love, that even in death he prayed for those by whom he was dying? For thus he burned with zeal, as if he had nothing of gentleness;

and thus he remained gentle in love toward them, as if he had had nothing of fervor against them. Let us weigh amid these things where the guilt of our conscience lies. For which of us, if he receives even the affront of a word from his neighbor, does not straightway return the affront, is not moved to the very foundations, does not break out into hatred, does not forget the precept of love? But blessed Stephen was able to do this by the grace of Almighty God, because, rising into the height, he was a gate. This we wretched ones cannot imitate by our own virtue, because we lie far below like the pavement. 15.

But what do we say concerning our admiration for the life of the saints, when the ancient fathers themselves also, considering the life of the preachers of the holy Church, greatly marveled? Did not the Psalmist marvel at their life, when he said: But to me your friends, O God, are made exceedingly honorable; their principality is exceedingly strengthened (Ps. 138[139]:17)? Of which friends he says this, ask the Gospel, in which Truth says to the preachers: You are my friends (John 15:14). Isaiah too, beholding their life, says: Who are these that fly as clouds, and as doves to their windows (Isa. 60:8)? Rightly, however, are the holy preachers called clouds, because they rain with words, they flash with miracles.

Who also are said to fly as clouds, because, even while living on earth, they were outside the earth in all that they did. Whence also it is said through a certain cloud: For walking in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh (2 Cor. 10:3). For the former fathers used marriages, begot sons, possessed substances, attended to the cares of the household. But these, foreseeing already through the spirit of prophecy, to forsake substances, not to desire marriages, not to beget sons, to seek nothing on earth, to possess nothing—these he names not as men walking through the earth, but as clouds flying. For they fly, because in mind they contemplate the things that are heavenly. And they, as it were, do not touch the earth, because in it they desire nothing.

Who are also as doves to their windows, because through the spirit of their gentleness they covet nothing in this world through the eyes. Let us consider then of how great a height are these gates of the spiritual building, which even the spiritual fathers admire. How much therefore is it necessary for us to be humbled in admiration of them, who are the pavement? But since under the name of length we have heard of the height of the gates, now let us learn something of their breadth. There follows: Verse 19. And he measured the breadth from the face of the lower gate to the fount of the inner court without, a hundred cubits toward the east and toward the north. 16.