HOMILY XXXVI. 1 COR. xiv. 20. Brethren, be not children in understanding; howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. AS might be expected, after his long argument and demonstration he adopts a more vehement style, and abundance of rebuke; and mentions an example suited to the subject. For children too are wont to gape after trifles, and to be fluttered, but of things very great they have not so much admiration. Since then these also having the gift of tongues, which was the lowest of all, thought they had the whole; therefore he saith, Be not children, i. e. be not without understanding where ye ought to be considerate, but there be ye childlike and simple, where unrighteousness is, where vainglory, where pride. For he that is a babe in wickedness, ought also to be wise. Since as wisdom with wickedness would not be wisdom, so also simplicity with folly would not be simplicity, it being requisite both in simplicity to avoid folly, and in wisdom wickedness. For as neither bitter nor sweet medicines in excess do good, so neither doth simplicity by itself, nor wisdom and this is why Christ injoining us to mix both Mat. said, Be ye wise as serpents, and harmless as doves1. 10. 16. But what is it to be a babe in wickedness? Not even to know what wickedness is: yea, such he willed them to be. Wherefore also he said, Fornication is positively heard of 21 Cor. among you. He said not, "is done," but is heard of: as if he said, “ye are not without knowledge of the thing; ye have heard of it some time." I say, he would have them both to be men and children; the one however in wickedness, but the other in wisdom. For so even the man may become a man, if he 5. 1. Wisdom and Simplicity. Mode of quoting the Bible. 505 be also a child: but as long neither will he be a man. growth, will be but a fool. as he is not a child in wickedness, 1 COR. For the crafty, instead of perfect 14. 25. Ver. 21. For in the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people, and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. Yet surely it is no where written in the Law, but as I said before, he calls always the whole of the Old Testament, the Law: both the prophets, and the historical books. And he brings forward his testimony from Esaias the prophet, again covertly detracting from the glory of the gift, for their profit; nevertheless even thus he states it with a signification of honour. For the expression, not for all that, hath force to point out, that the miracle was enough to astonish them; and if they did not believe, the fault was theirs. And wherefore did God work it, if they were not to believe? That He might in every case appear to do His part. [2.] Having shewn then even from the prophecy, that the sign in question is not of great use, he adds, Ver. 22. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. Ver. 23. If therefore the whole Church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? Ver. 24. But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: Ver. 25. And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. Great in this place is the difficulty which one seems to find arising from what is said. For if tongues are for a sign to them that believe not, how saith he, if they that believe not should see you speaking with tongues, they will say that ye are mad? And if prophecy be not for them that believe not, but for them that believe, how shall also the unbelievers gain thereby? For if there come in, saith he, when ye are prophesying, one that believeth not, he is convinced of all, and judged. 506 Prophecy and Tongues compared as Signs. HOMIL. And not only this, but also after this another question hence XXXVI. springs up since the tongue will appear on the contrary greater than the prophety. For if the tongues are for a sign to them that believe not, but prophecy to them that believe, that which draws in aliens, and makes them of the household, is greater than that which regulates those of the household. What then is the meaning of that expression? Nothing difficult, nor obscure, nor contrary to what went before, but rather very agreeable to it, if we give heed: viz. that prophecy is suitable to both, but the foreign tongue not so. Wherefore having said of the unknown tongue, it is for a sign, he adds, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not, and to them for a sign, i. e. for astonishment, not so much for instruction. "he "But in the case of prophecy too," saith some one, did the very same thing, saying, but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. For the believer hath no need to see a sign, but requires only teaching and catechizing. "How then sayest thou," saith he, "that prophecy is of use to both, when Paul saith, not to them that believe not, but to them which believe?" If thou wilt accurately examine, thou wilt understand what is said. For he said not," prophecy is not useful to them that believe not," but," is not for a sign, as the unknown tongue," i. e. it is unprofitable: nor is the tongue any way useful to them that believe not; for its only work is, to astonish, and to confound; the word sign being one of those which may be taken two Ps. 86. ways: as when he saith, shew me a sign1, he adds, for good; and again, I am become as it were a monster unto many2, 2 Ps. 71. i. e. a sign. 17. 7. (2.) And to shew thee that he introduced the term sign here, not as a thing which of course did some good, he added that which resulted from it. And what was this? They will say, saith he, that ye are mad. This however not from the nature of the sign, but from their folly. But when thou hearest of unbelievers, do not suppose that the same persons are in every case intended, but at one time they which are incurably diseased, and abide uncorrected, and at another they which may be changed; such as were they who in the times of the Apostles admire the mighty things of God which they hear Case in which Tongues might be an Offence. 507 14. 25. of; such as in the case of Cornelius. His meaning accord- 1 COR. ingly is this; that prophecy avails both among them that believe not, and among them that believe: as to the unknown tongue, when heard by the unbelieving and inconsiderate, instead of profiting by it, they rather deride the utterers, as madmen. For, in fact, it is to them but for a sign, i. e. in order to astonish them merely; whereas they who had understanding used also to profit by it: with a view to which the sign was given. Even as then there were not only certain who accused them of drunkenness, but many also admired them, as relating the wonderful works of God. It appears then that the mockers were those without understanding. Wherefore also Paul did not simply say, they will say that ye are mad, but added, unlearned and unbelievers. But prophecy is not for a sign merely, but is also suitable and useful for faith, and for profit unto both. And this, if not directly, yet in the sequel he more clearly explained, saying, he is convinced of all. For if all prophesy, saith he, and there come in one that believeth not, or unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all; and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. ἐν ἀπί στοις καὶ πίστοις. So that not in this only is prophecy greater, in its availing with each class1, but also in its attracting the more shameless i. e. of the unbelievers. For it was not the same wonder, when Peter convicted Sapphira, which was a work of prophecy, and when he spake with tongues: but in the former case all shrank into themselves; whereas, when he spake with tongues, he got the credit of being even beside himself. 2 ήλιγ ... [3.] Having said then, that the unknown tongue profited not, and having again qualified this statement by turning the Eμόμενος charge upon the Jews, he proceeds to signify that it even avrò doth injury. "And wherefore was it given?" That it might TT. go forth with interpretation: since without this, it hath even the contrary effect among them that are without understanding. For if, saith he, all speak with tongues, and there come in unbelievers or unlearned, they will say that ye are mad; as indeed even the Apostles incurred the suspicion of being drunken: for these men, it saith, are full of new wine1: Acts but it is not the fault of the sign, but of their unskilfulness; 2. 13. XXXVI. 508 St. Paul's Way of giving Things a contrary Turn: HOMIL. therefore he added, unlearned and unbelievers, to shew that the notion belongs to their ignorance and want of faith; for, as I before said, his object is to rank that gift not among things that are disparaged, but among those which do not greatly profit, and this, in order to repress them, and bring them to a necessity of seeking for an interpreter. For since the greater part looked not to this, but made use of it for display and rivalry, this is what he especially withdraws them from, intimating that their credit is injured, they bringing on themselves a suspicion of madness. And this especially is what Paul continually attempts to establish, when he wants to lead men away from any thing: he shews that the person suffers loss in respect of those very things which he desires. 6.9. And do thou accordingly likewise: if thou wouldest lead men away from pleasure, shew that the thing is bitter: if thou wouldest withdraw them from vain-glory, shew that the thing is full of dishonour: thus also was Paul used to do. When he would tear away the rich from their love of money, he said not merely that wealth is a hurtful thing, but also that it casts into temptations. For they that will be rich, 11 Tim. saith he, fall into temptation'. Thus, since it seems to deliver from temptations, he attributes to it the contrary of that which the rich supposed. Others again held fast by the wisdom that is without, as though by it establishing Christ's doctrine; he signifies that not only it gives no aid to the cross, but even makes it void. They held to going to law before strangers, thinking it unmeet to be judged by their own, as if those without were wiser: he points out that going to law before them that are without, is shameful. They clave to things offered in sacrifice to idols, as displaying perfect knowledge: he intimates that this is a mark of imperfect knowledge, not to know what economy to practise in the things which concern our neighbours. So also here, ir because they were wild' about this gift of tongues, through their love of glory, he signifies that this on the other hand more than any thing brings shame upon them, not only depriving them of glory, but also involving them in a suspicion of madness. But he did not at once say this, but having spoken very many things before, when he had made МУТО. |