Patient with Outsiders but Not with Brothers

This, too, should be bitterly lamented. Some of the brothers, when angered by some reproachful words, are besieged by the pleas of someone else who wants to soothe them. And when they hear that resentment against a brother ought not to be let in or kept, as it is written, “Whoever is angry with his brother is in danger of the judgment,” and, “Do not let the sun go down on your anger,” they at once declare that if a pagan or someone living in the world had said or done this, it ought rightly to be endured. “But who could put up with a brother who is guilty of so great a fault, or who has let so insolent a reproach pass his lips?” As if patience were to be shown only to unbelievers and blasphemers, and not to all in general! Or as if anger should be counted bad when it is against a pagan, but good when it is against a brother! Yet certainly the obstinate rage of an angry soul does the same injury to oneself, whoever it may be against whom it is roused. [a]

But how terribly obstinate, yes, and senseless it is of them that, through the stupidity of their dull minds, they cannot see the meaning of these words. For it is not said, “Everyone who is angry with a stranger will be in danger of the judgment,” which by their interpretation might perhaps leave out those who share our faith and life. But the word of the Gospel expresses it most pointedly by saying, “Everyone who is angry with his brother will be in danger of the judgment.” And so, though by the rule of truth we ought to regard every person as a brother, in this passage the title of brother denotes one of the faithful who shares our way of life, rather than a pagan.