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Epistle of Matthetes (church father)
CHAPTER 5
THE MANNERS OF THE CHRISTIANS
For the Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country,
nor language, nor the customs which they observe. For they neither inhabit
cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech, nor lead a life
which is marked out by any singularity. The course of conduct which they
follow has not been devised by any speculation or deliberation of
inquisitive men; nor do they, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates
of any merely human doctrines. But, inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian
cities, according as the lot of each of them has determined, and following
the customs of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their
ordinary conduct, they display to us their wonderful and confessedly
striking method of life. They dwell in their own countries, but simply as
sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure
all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native
country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry,
as do all [others]; they beget children; but they do not destroy their
offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in
58
the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on
earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and
at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are
persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to
death, and restored to life. They are poor, yet make many rich; they are in
lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonored, and yet in
their very dishonor are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are
justified; they are reviled, and bless; they are insulted, and repay the insult
with honor; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. When punished,
they rejoice as if quickened into life; they are assailed by the Jews as
foreigners, and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are
unable to assign any reason for their hatred.
CHAPTER 6
THE RELATION OF CHRISTIANS TO THE WORLD
To sum up all in one word — what the soul is in the body, that are
Christians in the world. The soul is dispersed through all the members of
the body, and Christians are scattered through all the cities of the world.
The soul dwells in the body, yet is not of the body; and Christians dwell
in the world, yet are not of the world. The invisible soul is guarded by the
visible body, and Christians are known indeed to be in the world, but their
godliness remains invisible. The flesh hates the soul, and wars against it,
though itself suffering no injury, because it is prevented from enjoying
pleasures; the world also hates the Christians, though in nowise injured,
because they abjure pleasures. The soul loves the flesh that hates it, and
[loves also] the members; Christians likewise love those that hate them.
The soul is imprisoned in the body, yet preserves that very body; and
Christians are confined in the world as in a prison, and yet they are the
preservers of the world. The immortal soul dwells in a mortal tabernacle;
and Christians dwell as sojourners in corruptible [bodies], looking for an
incorruptible dwelling in the heavens. The soul, when but ill-provided with
food and drink, becomes better; in like manner, the Christians, though
subjected day by day to punishment, increase the more in number. God
59
has assigned them this illustrious position, which it were unlawful for
them to forsake.
Im not sure these qualities exist in me. Some sins are defeating me...its my fault.. how then could I have these qualities
How can a person be ill provided with food?
it is true what st paul said.. being slaves of sin make us not able to be slaves of righteousness.
CHAPTER 5
THE MANNERS OF THE CHRISTIANS
For the Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country,
nor language, nor the customs which they observe. For they neither inhabit
cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech, nor lead a life
which is marked out by any singularity. The course of conduct which they
follow has not been devised by any speculation or deliberation of
inquisitive men; nor do they, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates
of any merely human doctrines. But, inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian
cities, according as the lot of each of them has determined, and following
the customs of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their
ordinary conduct, they display to us their wonderful and confessedly
striking method of life. They dwell in their own countries, but simply as
sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure
all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native
country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry,
as do all [others]; they beget children; but they do not destroy their
offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in
58
the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on
earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and
at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are
persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to
death, and restored to life. They are poor, yet make many rich; they are in
lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonored, and yet in
their very dishonor are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are
justified; they are reviled, and bless; they are insulted, and repay the insult
with honor; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. When punished,
they rejoice as if quickened into life; they are assailed by the Jews as
foreigners, and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are
unable to assign any reason for their hatred.
CHAPTER 6
THE RELATION OF CHRISTIANS TO THE WORLD
To sum up all in one word — what the soul is in the body, that are
Christians in the world. The soul is dispersed through all the members of
the body, and Christians are scattered through all the cities of the world.
The soul dwells in the body, yet is not of the body; and Christians dwell
in the world, yet are not of the world. The invisible soul is guarded by the
visible body, and Christians are known indeed to be in the world, but their
godliness remains invisible. The flesh hates the soul, and wars against it,
though itself suffering no injury, because it is prevented from enjoying
pleasures; the world also hates the Christians, though in nowise injured,
because they abjure pleasures. The soul loves the flesh that hates it, and
[loves also] the members; Christians likewise love those that hate them.
The soul is imprisoned in the body, yet preserves that very body; and
Christians are confined in the world as in a prison, and yet they are the
preservers of the world. The immortal soul dwells in a mortal tabernacle;
and Christians dwell as sojourners in corruptible [bodies], looking for an
incorruptible dwelling in the heavens. The soul, when but ill-provided with
food and drink, becomes better; in like manner, the Christians, though
subjected day by day to punishment, increase the more in number. God
59
has assigned them this illustrious position, which it were unlawful for
them to forsake.
Im not sure these qualities exist in me. Some sins are defeating me...its my fault.. how then could I have these qualities
How can a person be ill provided with food?
it is true what st paul said.. being slaves of sin make us not able to be slaves of righteousness.
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