馬太福音講道集 第 15 章 第 2/2 段

'Do not therefore marvel,' He says, 'if, leaving the others aside, I converse with you and draw you into so many dangers.'

'For consider to how many cities and peoples and nations I am about to send you as overseers.'

'For this reason I would have you be not only prudent yourselves, but able to make others such as well.'

And such men must be exceedingly wise, in whose hands lies the salvation of others, and must possess so great an abundance of virtue as to impart the benefit to others also.

For if you do not become such, you will not even suffice for yourselves.

Do not, therefore, be indignant, as though the things being said were burdensome.

For while it is possible for the rest, who have become insipid, to be restored through you,

you, if you should suffer this, will destroy others along with yourselves.

So that in proportion as you are entrusted with great matters, so much the greater diligence do you need.

'But if the salt should lose its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and to be trodden underfoot by men.'

For the rest, though they fall ten thousand times, are able to obtain pardon;

but the teacher, if he suffers this, is stripped of every defence, and shall pay the utmost penalty.

For lest, hearing, 'When they reproach you and persecute you, and speak every evil word against you,' they should be afraid to come forth into the midst, He says that unless you are arrayed against these things, you were chosen in vain.

For it is not being ill spoken of that one must dread, but rather being seen to play the hypocrite along with them;

for then you will lose your savour and be trodden underfoot.

But if you continue to bite them with your sharpness, and are then ill spoken of, rejoice.

For this is the work of salt: to sting and to grieve the dissolute.

So that the evil-speaking follows of necessity, in no way harming you, but rather bearing witness to your firmness.

But if, fearing it, you should betray the vehemence that befits you, you shall suffer things far more grievous, being both ill spoken of and despised by all.

For this is what it means to be trodden underfoot.

Then He leads them on to another, more exalted illustration:

'You are the light of the world.'

Again, of the world—not of one nation, nor of twenty cities, but of the whole inhabited earth;

and a light that is spiritual, far better than this visible ray, just as the salt too was spiritual.

And first salt, and then light;

that you may learn how great is the gain of astringent words, and the profit of grave instruction.

For it binds tight and does not allow one to dissolve away, and it makes one see clearly, leading him by the hand toward virtue.

'A city set on a mountain cannot be hid;

neither do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel.'

Again by these words He leads them to strictness of life, training them to be vigilant, as men set beneath the eyes of all,

and contending in the midst of the theatre of the whole inhabited world.

'For do not regard this,' He says, 'that we are now sitting here, and are in a small corner of a nook;

for so shall you be manifest to all, as a city lying upon a mountain-top, as a lamp shining in a house upon the lampstand.'

Where now are they who disbelieve in the power of Christ? Let them hear these things, and being amazed at the power of the prophecy, let them worship His might.

For consider how great things He promised to men who were not even known in their own country;

that land and sea should know them, and that they should reach the ends of the inhabited world by their fame;

or rather, not by fame alone, but also by the active working of their beneficence.

For it was not fame, spreading everywhere, that made them conspicuous, but the very demonstration that came through their deeds.

For as though they had become winged, they overran the whole earth more swiftly than the sunbeam, sowing the light of true religion.

And here He seems to me to be anointing them also for boldness of speech.

For to say, 'A city set on a hill cannot be hidden,' is the saying of One who is displaying His own power;

for just as it is impossible for that city to be concealed, so is it impossible for the preaching to be silenced and to escape notice.

For since He had spoken of persecutions and slanders and plots and wars, lest they should suppose that these could silence them, He encourages them, saying that not only will the message not be hidden, but it will illuminate the whole inhabited world.

And for this very reason they shall be resplendent and renowned.

By this, then, He displays His own power;

but by what follows He requires boldness on their part, speaking thus:

'Neither do men light a lamp and put it under the bushel, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.'

'Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.'

'For I,' He says, 'have kindled the light;

but that it remain burning, let this be the work of your own diligence;

and this not for your own sakes alone, but also for the sake of those who are to enjoy this radiance, and to be led by the hand toward the truth.'

For the slanders will not be able to overshadow your brightness, if you live with strictness, and in such a way as those who are to convert the whole inhabited world.

Show forth, then, a life worthy of the grace, so that, just as it is proclaimed everywhere, so too your life may run alongside it.

Then He sets down yet another gain, besides the salvation of men, one sufficient to make them earnest and to lead them into all diligence.

'For you will not,' He says, 'merely set the inhabited world aright by living uprightly, but you will also cause God to be glorified;

just as, on the contrary, by doing the opposite, you will both ruin men and cause the name of God to be blasphemed.'

'And how,' one might say, 'shall God be glorified through us, if indeed men are going to slander us?' But not all will do so;

and even those very ones who do this out of envy will, in their conscience, marvel at you and approve of you;

just as, on the other hand, those who openly flatter men living in wickedness inwardly condemn them.

What then? Do You bid us live for display and for vainglory? Away with the thought—that is not what I say.

For neither did I say, 'Be eager to bring your good deeds into the midst';

nor did I say, 'Display them';

but rather, 'Let your light shine';

that is, let your virtue be abundant, and the fire lavish, and the light unspeakable.

For when virtue is so great, it is impossible for it to be hidden, even if he who pursues it should overshadow it ten thousand times.

Present to them a blameless life, and let them have no true occasion for accusation;

and even if there be ten thousand accusers, none will be able to cast a shadow over you.

For nothing makes a man so conspicuous, even if he wishes ten thousand times to be hidden, as the display of virtue.

For as though clothed with the very sunbeam, so he shines brighter than it, sending forth his rays not to the earth, but even surpassing heaven itself.

From this too He comforts them all the more.

'For even if you grieve,' He says, 'when you are slandered, yet you will have many who, on your account, marvel at God.'

And from both sides is the reward gathered for you, both

when God is glorified through you, and when you are slandered for God's sake.

For lest we should make it our practice to be ill spoken of, having learned that the matter has a reward, He set down that saying not simply, but with two limitations;

namely, when what is said is false, and when it is for God's sake;

and He shows that not that alone, but also being well spoken of brings much gain, since the glory passes over to God;

and He holds out to them good hopes.

'For the slander of the wicked,' He says, 'has not such power as also to darken for others the sight of your light.'

'For when you have become foolish, then only will they trample on you; not when, in doing what is right, you are slandered.'

'For then there will be many who marvel, not at you only, but on your account also at your Father.'

And He said not 'God,' but 'the Father,' already laying beforehand the seeds of the nobility that was to be given them.

Then, showing their equal honor, above He said:

'Grieve not when you are ill spoken of;

for it is enough for you that you hear these things for My sake.'

But here He sets down 'the Father,' everywhere indicating the equality.

Knowing therefore the gain that comes from this diligence, and the danger of negligence—for far worse than our own perdition is it that our Master should be blasphemed on our account—let us become without offense both to Jews and to Greeks and to the Church of God; offering a life brighter than the sun, and, if any wishes to slander us, grieving not at being ill spoken of, but at being justly ill spoken of.

For if we live in wickedness, even though there be none to slander us, we are more wretched than all men;

but if we are careful of virtue, even though the whole world speak ill of us, then shall we be more enviable than all, and shall draw to us all who choose to be saved;

for they will attend not to the slander of the wicked, but to the virtue of the life.

For the demonstration that comes through deeds is brighter than any trumpet, and a pure life is more luminous than the light itself, even though there be ten thousand who slander.

For if we have all the things spoken of before—if we are meek and lowly and merciful, pure and peacemakers, and when ill spoken of do not revile in return but even rejoice—we shall draw those who behold us no less than by miracles, and all will be gladly disposed toward us, be it a wild beast, be it some demon, be it whatsoever it may. And if there be some who slander, be not troubled thereat, nor look to their reviling you publicly, but examine their conscience, and you will see them applauding and admiring you, and reckoning up ten thousand praises.

See, at any rate, how Nebuchadnezzar praises the young men in the furnace;

and yet he was an enemy and a foe;

but when he saw them standing nobly, he proclaims and crowns them—for no other reason than that they disregarded him and obeyed the law of God.

For the devil, when he sees himself accomplishing nothing, thereafter withdraws, fearing lest he become the cause of yet more crowns for us;

and when he has withdrawn, even one who is defiled and corrupt will recognize your virtue, that mist having been removed.

But even if men should misjudge you, from God you shall have the praise and the greater admiration.

Grieve not, then, nor fall down;

since the apostles also were to some a savor of death, but to others a savor of life.

For if you afford no handle, you are quit of all charges;

nay rather, you have become the more blessed.

Shine forth, then, in your life, and take no account of any who slander.

For it is not possible—no, it is not possible—for one who is careful of virtue not to have many enemies.

But this is nothing to the virtuous man;

for through such things he will become the more resplendent.

Considering these things, then, let us look to one thing only—to order our own life with strictness;

for thus shall we also lead by the hand those who sit in darkness toward the life that is yonder.

For such is the power of this light, that it shines not here alone, but also guides on their way those who follow in the world to come.

For when they see us despising all present things and preparing ourselves for the world to come, they will be persuaded by our deeds before any word.

For who is so foolish that, seeing the man who but yesterday and the day before

lived in luxury and abounded in wealth now stripping himself of all things, taking wings, and arraying himself against hunger and poverty, against every hardship of ascetic living, against dangers, against bloodshed, against slaughter, and against all that seems to be dreadful—who would not take from this a clear proof of the things to come? But if we entangle ourselves in present things and thrust ourselves ever deeper into them, how shall they be able to be persuaded that we are hastening toward another abode? And what defence will then remain to us, when the fear of God has not among us the strength that human glory had among the philosophers of the Greeks? For some even of those men stripped themselves of their possessions and despised death, that they might make a display before men;

and for this reason their hopes proved empty.

What word then shall deliver us, when, with so much set before us and so great a philosophy opened to us, we cannot accomplish even the same as those men, but destroy both ourselves and others besides? For a Greek doing lawless deeds does not so much harm as a Christian who does these things;

for the reputation of those men is already corrupt;

but ours, through the grace of God, is honourable and illustrious even among the ungodly.

Wherefore, when they most wish to reproach us and to heighten their accusation, they add this word, saying, for instance, 'The Christian!'

which they would not say, unless they held a high estimation concerning our doctrine. Have you not heard how many things and how great Christ commanded? When, then, will you be able to accomplish even one of those commandments, when, forsaking all, you go about collecting interest, patching together loans, contriving business dealings, purchasing herds of slaves, fashioning silver vessels, buying fields and houses and countless furnishings? And would that it were this only!

But when to these unseasonable pursuits you add injustice as well—cutting off another's land, tearing away his house, grinding down the poor, increasing hunger—when will you ever be able to set foot within those doors? Yet there are times when you even show mercy to the poor.

but there too again is much corruption.

For you do it either with arrogance or with vainglory, so that not even in your good deeds do you gain anything;

than which what could be more wretched, when you suffer shipwreck even in the harbour? That this may not happen, then, when you have done some good deed, seek not the reward from me, that you may have God as your debtor.

'For lend,' it says, 'to those from whom you do not expect to receive.'

Why, forsaking Him, do you demand it of me, a poor and wretched man? Is the debtor vexed at being asked to repay? Is He poor? Is He unwilling to pay it down? Do you not see His unspeakable treasures? Do you not see His indescribable munificence? Take hold of Him, then, and demand payment;

for when thus asked, He rejoices.

For if He sees another being asked in place of what He Himself owes, He will be disposed as one insulted;

and He will no longer repay you, but will even justly bring a charge against you.

'For what ingratitude did you find in me?' He says;

'what poverty are you aware of in me, that passing me by you go to others? You lent to one, and demand of another? For even if a man received it, yet it was God who commanded that it be paid down;

and He wishes to be Himself both the principal debtor and the surety, furnishing you with countless occasions for demanding of Him on every side.

Do not, then, forsaking so great an ease and abundance, seek to receive from me who have nothing.

For what reason do you make a display to me of pitying the poor man? Did I tell you, 'Give'? Did you hear it from me, that you should also demand of me? He Himself said,

'He that has mercy on the poor lends to God.'

But He does not repay the whole now.

For such is His manner as a debtor;

not as many are eager only to repay what was lent, but that He may also lay up in safety what was given, He devises and does all things.

For this very reason He pays some things down here, but treasures up others there.

Knowing these things, then, let us show much mercy and display great love toward men, both through money and through deeds.

And if we see someone suffering ill treatment and being beaten in the market-place, if it is possible to pay down money, let us do it;

and if it is possible to make peace by words, let us not shrink from it.

For there is a reward even for a word, or rather even for groanings;

and this the blessed Job said:

'I wept for every one that was helpless, and I groaned when I saw a man in distress.'

But if there is a reward for tears and groanings, when words and zeal and many other things are added besides, consider how great the recompense becomes.

For we too were enemies to God;

and the Only-begotten reconciled us, casting Himself into the midst, receiving blows on our behalf, and enduring death for our sake.

Let us too, then, be zealous to deliver from countless evils those who fall into them, and not, as we now do, when we see people clashing and coming to blows with one another, stand by rejoicing in others' disgrace and forming a diabolical spectacle around them;

than which what could be more savage? You see men reviled, torn to pieces, rending their garments, their faces battered, and you endure to stand quietly by? Is the one fighting a bear? A wild beast? A serpent? He is a man who shares all things with you everywhere, he is a brother, he is a member of the same body.

do not incite others to the disgrace, but drive off those who have gathered and disperse them.

For to rejoice in such misfortunes belongs to the shameless and to household drudges, to filth and to irrational asses.

You see a man behaving disgracefully, and do you not think that you yourself are behaving disgracefully? Nor do you go into the midst and scatter the devil's phalanx and dissolve human ills? 'That I too may receive blows,' you say;

and do you enjoin this on me?' Most likely you will not even suffer this;

but if you do suffer even this, the thing is a testimony for you.

But if you shrink from receiving blows, consider that your Master did not shrink from enduring the cross for your sake.

For those men are drunken and darkened, wrath tyrannizing over them and marshalling them as its general, and they have need of some sober person to help them—both he who does the wrong and he who is wronged;

the one, that he may be freed from suffering ill; the other, that he may cease from doing ill.

Come forward, then, and stretch out your hand—you who are sober—to the drunken.

For there is also a drunkenness of anger, and one more grievous than that which comes from wine.

Do you not see the sailors, who, when they see some fallen into shipwreck, spread their sails and depart with much haste, that they may snatch their fellow-craftsmen from the surge? But if partners in a craft display so great a championship, how much more is it right that partners in nature should do all these things? For here too there is a shipwreck more grievous than that one.

For either he blasphemed under provocation, and emptied out everything;

or he swore falsely, being tyrannized over by wrath, and again fell into hell;

or he strikes a blow and works murder, and undergoes this same shipwreck once more.

Go forth, then, and stay the evil, and drag up those who are sinking, going down into the very sea of the tempest;

and having broken up the devil's theatre, and having taken each one apart privately, exhort them to quell the flame and to lull the waves.

But if the fire is greater and the furnace becomes more grievous, be not afraid;

for you have many who will lay hold with you and stretch out a hand, if only you supply the beginning, and before all the God of peace.

And if you first shake off the flame, many others also will follow, and of the good deeds accomplished by them you yourself will receive the reward.

Hear what Christ enjoined upon the Jews, who crept upon the ground:

'If you see the beast of burden of your enemy,' He says, 'falling down, do not pass by, but raise it up.'

And yet, to raise up a fallen beast of burden is far lighter than to part fighting men and to reconcile them.

But if we must raise up together the ass of enemies, much more the souls of friends;

and especially when the fall is more grievous;

for these fall not into a mire, but into the fire of hell, unable to bear the burden of wrath.

But you, seeing your brother lying under the load, and the devil standing over him and kindling the fire, run past cruelly and mercilessly;

a thing which is not without danger to do even in the case of an irrational beast.

And the Samaritan, seeing a wounded man who was a stranger and in no way related to him, both stood over him, and set him upon his own beast of burden, and brought him to the

inn, and hired a physician, and gave the one sum of money, and promised the other.

But you, seeing one who has fallen not among robbers, but into a phalanx of demons and a siege of wrath, not in a wilderness, but in the midst of the market-place, not being about to spend money, nor to hire a beast of burden, nor to escort him a long road, but only to utter words—do you shrink back and draw away, and run past cruelly and mercilessly? And how do you expect ever to find God propitious when you call upon Him? And let me speak also to you who behave disgracefully in public, to the one who insults and does wrong.

Do you deal out blows, tell me, and kick, and bite? Have you become a wild boar, and a wild ass? And are you not ashamed, nor do you blush, turning savage and betraying your own nobility? For though you are poor, still you are free;

for though you are a craftsman, still you are a Christian.

For this very reason then, because you are poor, it is necessary for you to keep still.

For quarrelling belongs to the rich, not to the poor;

to the rich, who have many occasions for wars.

But you, who have not the pleasure of wealth, go about heaping upon yourself the evils of wealth—enmities and rivalries and quarrels;

and you throttle your brother, and choke him, and cast him down in public while all look on;

and do you not consider that you yourself are rather the one disgraced, imitating the impulses of the brute beasts—nay rather, becoming even worse than they? For among them all things are common, and they herd together with one another, and walk together;

but among us there is nothing common; rather all is turned upside down—quarrels, rivalries, revilings, and hatreds, and insults.

And we reverence neither the heaven, unto which we have all in common been called, nor the earth which He gave up in common to all, nor even nature itself;

but wrath and the love of money sweep all these away and are gone.

Have you not seen him who owed the ten thousand talents, and then, after the remission of that debt, throttled his own fellow-servant for a hundred denarii—

how many evils he underwent, and how he was delivered over to undying punishment? Do you not dread the example? Do you not fear lest you too suffer the same? For we also owe our Master many and great debts;

yet nevertheless He bears with us and is longsuffering, and neither presses upon us, as we do upon our fellow-servants, nor chokes and throttles us;

and yet, if He had willed to demand of us even the smallest fraction of them, we should long ago have perished.

Considering these things then, beloved, let us humble ourselves, and be thankful to those who are indebted to us;

for they become to us, if we are wise, an occasion of the greatest forgiveness, and giving little, we shall receive much.

Why then do you demand by force, when you ought—even if the other were willing to pay—to forgive him, that you might receive the whole from God? But as it is, you do everything, and use violence, and contend, so that nothing of yours may be forgiven you;

and while you seem to be injuring your neighbour, you are thrusting the sword against yourself, increasing your punishment in hell;

but if you will be a little wise here, you make the reckoning gentle for yourself.

For God on this account wills that we should begin such munificence, that He may take occasion to render us in return yet more.

As many debtors then as you have, both of money and of sins, releasing them all as free, demand from God the recompense of such magnanimity.

For as long as those men are indebted to you, you will not have God as your debtor;

but if you release them, you will be able to lay hold of God, and to demand, with much munificence, the recompense of so great wisdom.

For if a man passing by and seeing you holding fast your debtor, and bidding you release that one but hold him accountable in that one's stead, would not choose to act dishonourably after the release, seeing he had transferred the whole to himself—

how shall not God repay many times, yea ten thousand times over, when for the sake of His command we let those who are accountable to us depart freed, without calling them to account for anything, small or great? Let us not then think of the temporary pleasure that comes to us from exacting from our debtors, but of the loss, how great, which we shall thereafter endure from this, harming ourselves in things immortal.

Being made superior therefore to all these things, let us freely forgive both money and

trespasses to those who are accountable to us, that we may make the reckoning gentle for ourselves;

and what we were not able to accomplish through our other virtue, obtaining this through not bearing malice against our neighbours, may we enjoy the eternal good things, by the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.