Homily 43 — First Corinthians 16, verses 1 to 9

“Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I gave orders to the churches of Galatia, so you also must do.” Having finished his teaching on doctrine, and being about to move on to what belongs rather to conduct, he lets everything else go and turns to the chief of good things: he speaks about almsgiving. Nor does he discuss conduct in general; once he has dealt with this one matter, he stops. This is plainly unlike what he did everywhere else, for in his other letters he treats almsgiving, self-control, gentleness, patience and all the rest at the close. Why, then, does he take up only this part of practical conduct here? Because most of what he had said before was already about conduct. I mean where he disciplined the sexually immoral man; where he corrected those who went to court before pagans; where he frightened the drunkards and the gluttons; where he condemned those who stirred up factions and quarrels and loved to be first; where he handed over to that unbearable sentence those who approach the mysteries unworthily; where he spoke about love. For this reason, I say, he mentions only the subject that pressed on him most, that is, the help the saints needed. And notice how thoughtful he is. Only when he had persuaded them about the resurrection, and made them more eager, did he take up this point as well. It is true that he had spoken to them about these things before, when he said, “If we sowed spiritual things among you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?” and, “Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit?” But because he knew how great a moral achievement this is, he does not hesitate to mention it again at the end of his letter. And he calls it a “collection,” showing from the very first word that the thing is easy. For when everyone contributes together, the share that falls on each becomes light. Yet after speaking of the collection, he did not say at once, “Let each one of you store it up by himself,” though that would naturally have come next. He first said, “As I gave orders to the churches of Galatia,” and then added this, kindling their desire to match others by telling what those others had done well, and putting it in the form of a story. He did the same when writing to the Romans. With them too, while he seems only to be explaining why he was going away to Jerusalem, he brings in his teaching about almsgiving: “But now I am going to Jerusalem to serve the saints. For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints” (Romans 15, verse 25). Only, those he stirs up by mentioning the Macedonians and Corinthians; these, by mentioning the Galatians. For he says, “As I gave orders to the churches of Galatia, so you also must do.” And they would surely be ashamed ever after to be found behind the Galatians. And he does not say, “I advised,” or, “I counseled,” but, “I gave orders,” which carries more authority. Nor does he point to a single city, or two, or three, but to a whole nation. He does the same in his teaching on doctrine, when he says, “as in all the churches of the saints.” For if this has force to convince people of doctrines, it has much more force to make them imitate actions. [a]

“What, then,” I ask, “did you give orders about?” Verse 2: “On the first day of the week” — that is, the Lord’s day — “let each one of you set something aside by himself and store it up, as he may prosper.” Notice how he urges them on even from the time; for the day itself was enough to lead them to almsgiving. That is why he says: “Remember what you received on this day. All the blessings no words can tell, and what is the root and the beginning of our life, took place on this day.” But the season is suited to eager goodwill not in this respect only, but also because it brings rest and freedom from toil: souls released from their labors become readier and more inclined to show pity. Moreover, sharing on that day in mysteries so awesome and undying stirs up great eagerness. On this day, then, “let each one of you” — not just this or that person, but “each one of you,” whether poor or rich, woman or man, slave or free — “set something aside by himself and store it up.” He did not say, “Let him bring it to the church,” so that they would not feel ashamed at how small the sum was. Instead he says: “Let him add to his contribution little by little until it has grown, and then bring it out when I come. For now, store it up at home. Make your house a church, and your little box a treasury. Become a guardian of sacred wealth, a steward of the poor appointed by yourself. Your goodwill appoints you to this priesthood.” Our church treasury is a sign of this even now; but the sign remains, and the thing itself is nowhere to be found. [f]

Now I know that many of you will find fault with me again when I speak on these subjects. They will say: “Please, please do not be harsh and unpleasant to your audience. Make allowances for how they feel; give way to the mood of your hearers. In this matter you really do put us to shame; you make us blush.” But I cannot put up with such talk. Paul was not ashamed either to press this point again and again, and to use words like a beggar’s. I grant that if I said, “Give it to me,” and, “Store it up in my house,” there might perhaps be something to be ashamed of in what I said — though hardly even then, for, as we read, “those who serve at the altar have their share with the altar” (First Corinthians 9, verse 13). Still, someone might perhaps find fault, as though I were making a case in my own interest. But as it is, I am pleading for the poor; or rather, not so much for the poor as for you who give. That is why I dare to speak out. For what shame is there in saying, “Give to your Lord in his hunger; put clothes on him as he goes about naked; take him in when he is a stranger”? Your Lord is not ashamed to say before the whole world, “I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat” — he who lacks nothing and needs nothing. And am I to be ashamed and hold back? Far from it! This shame is part of the devil’s snare. So I will not be ashamed. I will say it, and say it boldly: “Give to the needy.” I will say it more loudly than the needy themselves. It is true that if anyone can show and prove that in saying these things we are drawing you over to ourselves, and making a profit for ourselves under the pretext of the poor, such conduct would deserve — I do not say shame — but ten thousand thunderbolts; and life itself would be more than people who behave like that deserve. But if, on the contrary, by the grace of God we are a burden to you in nothing on our own account, but “have made the good news free of charge” to you — not working as Paul did, indeed, but content with what is our own — then with all boldness I will say, “Give to the needy.” Yes, and I will not stop saying it, and I will be a severe accuser of those who do not give. For if I were a general with soldiers under me, I would not be ashamed to demand food for my men: for I have set my heart intensely on your salvation. [g]

But so that my argument may carry more force and do more good, I will take Paul as my comrade, and speak as he does: “Let each one of you set something aside by himself and store it up, as he may prosper.” Notice too how he avoids being a burden. He did not say, “So much,” or, “So much,” but, “as he may prosper,” whether that is much or little. Nor did he say, “whatever anyone has earned,” but, “as he may prosper,” showing that the supply comes from God. And not only that: by not telling them to put in everything at once, he makes his advice easy, since collecting little by little keeps you from feeling the burden and the cost at all. Here you see also why he did not tell them to hand it over at once, but gave them a long time to pay. He adds the reason himself: “so that there will be no collections when I come.” That is, so that when the time comes to hand in your contributions, you are not forced to gather them just then. And this too encouraged them no little: waiting for Paul’s arrival was sure to make them more eager. Verse 3: “And when I arrive, whomever you approve I will send with letters to carry your bounty to Jerusalem.” He did not say, “This person,” and, “That person,” but, “whomever you approve,” whomever you choose; and so he frees his service from suspicion. That is why he leaves to them the right to vote on who will carry it. He is very far from saying, “The paying is yours, but the choosing of those who carry it is not.” Next, so that they would not think him wholly absent, he adds his letters, saying, “Whomever you approve I will send with letters.” It is as if he said: “I too will be with them, and share in the service, by my letters.” And he did not say, “These I will send to carry your alms,” but, “your bounty,” to show that they were doing great deeds, and to mark that they themselves were the ones who gained. Elsewhere he calls it both “a blessing” and “a distribution” (Second Corinthians 9, verses 5 and 13): the first so as not to make them less eager, the second so as not to make them proud. But nowhere at all has he called it “alms.” Verse 4: “And if it is fitting for me to go as well, they will go with me.” Here again he urges them to be generous. It is as though he said: “If it is so much as to need my presence too, I will not refuse even this.” But he did not promise this at the start, or say, “When I come I will carry it.” He would not have made so much of it if he had set it down that way from the first. Afterward, however, he adds it well and at the right moment. Here, then, you see why he neither promised it at once nor kept completely silent about it: having said, “I will send,” he then at last adds himself as well. And here too he leaves the decision to them, by saying, “If it is fitting for me to go as well.” For this rested with them: to make their collection large — so large, even, as to change his plans and bring him to make the journey in person. [h]

Verse 5: “But I will come to you,” he says, “when I have passed through Macedonia.” He had said this earlier too, but then with anger; at any rate he added, “And I will find out not the talk of those who are puffed up, but their power” (First Corinthians 4, verse 19). Here he says it more gently, so that they might even long for his coming. Then, so that they would not say, “Why do you honor the Macedonians above us?” he did not say, “When I leave,” but, “When I have passed through Macedonia; for I am passing through Macedonia.” Verse 6: “But with you perhaps I will stay, or even spend the winter.” That is: “I do not want at all to see you merely on my way past, but to remain among you and spend some time.” For when he wrote this letter he was in Ephesus, and it was winter, as you can tell from his saying, “I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost; after that I will go to Macedonia, and when I have gone through it I will be with you in the summer, and perhaps I will even spend the winter with you.” And why did he say “perhaps,” instead of stating it positively? Because Paul did not know everything in advance — and that for good reasons. That is why he does not state it absolutely: so that if it did not happen, he would have something to fall back on. First, he had mentioned it beforehand only loosely; and second, the power of the Spirit led him wherever the Spirit willed, not where he himself wished. He says this too in the second letter, when he excuses himself for his delay: “Or the things I plan, do I plan according to the flesh, so that with me there should be yes, yes and no, no?” (Second Corinthians 1, verse 17.) “So that you may send me on my way wherever I go.” This too is a mark of love and of great strength of affection. Verse 7: “For I do not want to see you now just in passing; I hope to stay with you for a while, if the Lord permits.” He said these things both to show his love and to frighten the sinners — not openly, however, but under an outward show of friendship. Verse 8: “But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost.” As we would expect, he tells them everything precisely, informing them as friends. For this too is a mark of friendship: to tell them why he was not with them, why he was delaying, and where he was staying. Verse 9: “For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” It was “great” — then how could there be “adversaries”? Why, for this very reason the adversaries were many: because people’s faith was great, because the entrance was great and wide. But what does “a great door” mean? Many are prepared to receive the faith, many are ready to come forward and be converted: “There is a wide entrance for me, now that things have come to the point where the minds of those coming forward are at their ripest for the obedience of faith.” That is why the devil’s breath blew so fiercely: he saw many turning away from him. So you see that on both counts he needed to stay: because the gain was abundant, and because the struggle was great. And with this he also cheered them, by telling them that from now on the word is at work everywhere and springs up readily. And if many plot against it, that too is a sign that the good news is advancing. For that evil demon never grows fierce except when he sees his goods being plundered in abundance (Matthew 12). [i]

So when we want to accomplish anything great and noble, let us not look at how great the labor is that it brings, but rather at the gain. See Paul, for example: he does not linger or shrink back because “there were many adversaries,” but presses on and perseveres because “there was a great door.” Yes, and as I was saying, this was a sign that the devil was being stripped; for you may be sure it is not by small and petty achievements that people rouse that evil monster to anger. So when you see a righteous man doing great and excellent deeds, yet suffering countless evils, do not be surprised. On the contrary, one might well be surprised if the devil, taking so many blows, kept quiet and bore his wounds calmly. You ought not to be surprised either if a snake that was constantly prodded grew fierce and sprang at the person prodding it. And no snake creeps up on you as fierce as the devil, who leaps out against everyone and, like a scorpion with its sting raised, rears himself upright. So do not let this disturb you. Of course a man who comes back from war and victory and slaughter must be covered in blood, and often wounded as well. So for your part, when you see someone giving alms and doing countless other good works, and so cutting down the devil’s power, and then falling into trials and dangers, do not be troubled by it. This is the very reason he fell into trials: because he struck the devil hard. You will say: “And how could God allow it?” So that he might be crowned more gloriously, and the devil receive a harsher wound. For when a man suffers after doing good, and suffers severely, and yet keeps giving thanks, it is a blow to the devil. It is a great thing to show mercy and hold fast to virtue even when our affairs are flowing along smoothly; but it is far greater not to give up this noble work in bitter misfortune. This is the man of whom it can most truly be said that he does it for God’s sake. So even if we are in danger, beloved, even if we suffer ever so much, let us throw ourselves into our labors for virtue with all the more zeal. For this is not the season for repayment at all. So let us not ask for our crowns here, or else, when the crowns come in their season, we will have made our reward smaller. With workmen, those who feed themselves while they work receive higher pay, while those who get their keep from their employers have no small part of their wages cut. It is the same with the saints. The one who does great good and suffers extreme evil keeps his reward undiminished and receives a far greater recompense: not only for the good he has done, but also for the evil he has suffered. But the one who enjoys rest and luxury here does not have such bright crowns there. So let us not look for our reward here. Instead, let us rejoice most of all at that very time, when we do good and suffer evil. For in that world God has stored up for us not only the reward of our good deeds, but the reward of our trials as well. To make myself clearer: suppose there are two rich men who are merciful, and let both of them give to the poor. Then let one stay rich and enjoy every prosperity, and let the other fall into poverty and sickness and disasters, and give thanks to God. Now when they have both gone to the other world, which will receive the greater reward? Is it not quite plain that it will be the one in sickness and misfortune, since though he did good and suffered evil, he did not give way as human weakness does? I suppose this is plain to everyone. And truly, this is the statue of diamond; this is the right-minded servant (see Matthew 25, verse 21). But if we ought not to do anything good for the hope of the kingdom, but because it pleases God — which is worth more than any kingdom — what does he deserve who grows slacker about virtue because he does not receive his reward here? So let us not be troubled when we see that someone who used to invite widows and gave feasts continually has lost his house to fire, or suffered some other such disaster. Yes, for this very thing he will receive his reward. Even Job was not admired so much for his almsgiving as for what he suffered afterward. And that is why his friends are thought little of and counted of no account: because they looked for the rewards of this present world, and with that in view passed sentence against the righteous man. So let us not look for our return here; let us not become poor and needy. For surely it is the height of pettiness, when heaven is set before us, and the things above heaven, to be looking around at the things here. Let us by no means do so. But whatever unexpected things come upon us, let us hold fast to the commands of God continually, and obey the blessed Paul. [k]

So let us make a little chest for the poor at home, and let it be placed near the spot where you stand to pray. Every time you go in to pray, first put in your alms, and then send up your prayer. Just as you would not want to pray with unwashed hands, so do not pray without alms either. For not even the book of the Gospels hanging by our bed matters more than having alms stored up for you. If you hang up the Gospels and do nothing, it will not do you much good. But if you have this little box, you have a defense against the devil; you give wings to your prayer; you make your house holy, since food for the King is stored up there (Matthew 25, verse 34). For this reason let the little box be placed near the bed as well, and your nights will not be troubled by phantoms. Only let nothing be put into it that is the fruit of injustice. For this thing is almsgiving, and almsgiving can never spring from hardheartedness. Would you like me to name also the resources from which you should make your deposits, so that this kind of contribution may be easy in this respect too? Take the craftsman: the sandal maker, the leatherworker, the bronze caster, or any other artisan. Whenever he sells something he has made, let him give the firstfruits of its price to God. Let him put a small portion in here, and set aside something for God out of his own share, even if it is rather scanty. I am not asking for anything great. As much as those childish ones among the Jews put in, full as they are of countless evils — just so much let us put in, we who look forward to heaven. I say this not to lay down a law, nor to forbid giving more, but to recommend putting aside no less than a tenth. And practice this not only when you sell, but also when you buy and when you are paid. Let those who own land keep this law with their rents too. Yes, let it be a law for all who gather their income honestly. For I have nothing to do with those who lend at interest, nor with soldiers who do violence to others and turn their neighbors’ misfortunes to their own profit; from that source God will accept nothing. What I am saying is for those who gather their goods by honest labor. And if we settle ourselves into this habit, our conscience will sting us ever after whenever we neglect this rule. After a while we will not even think it hard. Little by little we will arrive at greater things; and by practicing contempt for wealth and pulling up the root of evils, we will both pass this present life in peace and obtain the life to come. May we all attain it, by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be glory, power, and honor to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, now and always, and forever and ever. Amen. [m]