"Do you not know that if you come and worship God and take part in the work which goes on here, the business you have on hand is made much easier for you? Have you worldly anxieties? Come here on that account that by the time you spend here you may win for yourself the favour of God, and so depart with a sense of security; that you may have Him for your ally, that you may become invincible to the dæmons because you are assisted by the heavenly hand. If you have the benefit of prayers uttered by the fathers, if you take part in common prayer, if you listen to the divine oracles, if you win for yourself the aid of God, if, armed with these weapons, you then go forth, not even the devil himself will be able henceforth to look you in the face, much less wicked men who are eager to insult and malign you. But if you go from your house to the market place, and are found destitute of these weapons, you will be easily mastered by all who insult you. This is the reason why both in public and private affairs, many things occur contrary to our expectation, because we have not been diligent about spiritual things in the first place, and secondarily about the secular, but have inverted the order. For this reason also the proper sequence and right arrangement of things has been upset, and all our affairs are full of much confusion." - St. John Chrysostom, from the homily on "If thy enemy hunger, feed him."
Sunday, January 25, 2009
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2 comments:
Chrysostom confuses me sometimes. Sometimes he denounces wealth completely, sometimes he talks like all that matters is the attitude of the rich; sometimes he denounces making money all together, then here, he says that God will actually help you in the marketplace if you go to church.
I wish he'd just always say what I wanted him to say.
C
Ahhh, theology in context. The Bible is of course equally messy. Its what makes "systematics" so difficult. Theology and praxis are both so wrapped up into context!
So yes, Chrysostom is confusing, but then so is the Bible on the topic of wealth. The prosperity gospel guys didn't just make their stuff up, they got it from various texts that speak of God's "material blessing." But likewise those who take vows of poverty aren't just making their stuff up either. They got it from various texts that speak of mammon and camels and rich people.
Certainly Jesus seemed to have one view of money that was more extreme, akin to what Chrysostom often said. But most modern evangelicals that I know are more akin to Paul's softer approach: "if you're wealthy, be generous" (but not, "denounce all your wealth").
Of course someone will no doubt point out that wealthy women supported Jesus' ministry and that Judas carried the money purse around for JC and the boyz. Sure.
Mammon is messy. May our rabbi and His early later followers guide us in His ways when it comes to money.
REV
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