Lessons 7-9 from the Divine Office of St. Barnabas the Apostle: Matth. 10: 16-22; From Homily 34 in Matthew by St. John Chrysostom.
Lessons 7-9 from the Divine Office of St. Barnabas the Apostle:
Matth. 10: 16-22; From Homily 34 in Matthew by St. John Chrysostom.
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At that time: Jesus spake unto His disciples: Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
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When the Lord had cleared the minds of his disciples of all care, and had armed them by shewing forth His mighty works, had estranged them from all business of this world, and freed them from all anxiety touching the things of time, moulding them into a frame of iron-like, nay, diamond-like, hardness, then at length He told them of the contendings against the which they were afterward to wrestle. By this foretelling of things to come they were much holpen. First, they learnt the power of His fore-knowledge. Then, they were guarded against all suspicion that these great sorrows flowed from faultiness in their Master. Again, the future sufferers were made safe from all trouble of being taken unawares. Lastly, seeing that they heard these things at a time nigh to His own suffering, they were not over troubled.
And now, that they may understand how that this is a new kind of warfare, and an unaccustomed manner of contending, when He sendeth them forth unarmed, providing neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in their purses; nor scrip for their journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves, left to the hospitality of whosoever would receive them, He maketh not here an end to His discourse, but, in manifestation of His unspeakable power, He biddeth them, so going, to shew forth the meekness of sheep, seeing they were about going unto wolves, neither simply unto wolves, but in the very midst of wolves. Neither is it only the meekness of sheep which He biddeth them have, but also the harmlessness of doves, that He might so much the more gloriously display His power, when the sheep overcame the wolves. These are the sheep which albeit they abide in the midst of wolves, and are mangled by many a bite, not only are not destroyed, but do gradually make the wolves change their nature, and become sheep themselves.
Beyond all doubt, it is a greater and more marvellous thing to change the minds of enemies, and to turn their thoughts round, than to kill them; more especially when the work is to be done by only twelve sheep, and the whole world is full of the wolves. Shame then upon us, whose deeds are so contrary, and who rather run like wolves upon our enemies. For so long as we are sheep we conquer, yea, though a thousand wolves be gathered round about us, we overcome, and are the conquerors: but if we become wolves ourselves, then are we conquered. For then doth the Shepherd's help forsake us, Who feedeth not wolves but sheep.