Homilies on Matthew, Homily 42

“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree rotten and its fruit rotten; for the tree is known by its fruit.” Again He shames them in another way, and is not content with His earlier refutations. But He does this not to clear Himself of accusations (for what came before was quite enough), but because He wants to reform them. Now His meaning is this: none of you has found fault with the people healed by claiming that they were not healed; nor has anyone said that delivering someone from a devil is evil. For however shameless they might have been, they could not have said this. Since, then, they brought no charge against the works but were slandering the One who did them, He shows that this accusation goes against both ordinary reasoning and the circumstances of the case. It is especially shameless not only to interpret things maliciously, but also to invent charges that contradict people's common understanding. And see how free He is from a desire to argue. For He did not say, “Make the tree good, since its fruit is good too.” Instead, completely silencing them and showing His own consideration and their insolence, He says: Even if you want to find fault with My works, I do not forbid it at all; only do not bring inconsistent and contradictory charges. For this was the surest way to expose them clearly, as they persisted in denying what was obvious. So your malice and your self-contradictory statements accomplish nothing, He says. For the character of the tree is revealed by the fruit, not the fruit by the tree; but you do the opposite. What if the tree is the source of the fruit? It is still the fruit that makes the tree known. It would be consistent either to find fault with Our works as well when blaming Us, or, if you praise these works, to clear Us who do them of these charges. But now you do the opposite: although you can find no fault with the works, which are the fruit, you pass the opposite judgment on the tree, calling Me possessed by a demon. This is utter madness. Yes, and what He said before He establishes here as well: a good tree cannot produce evil fruit, nor can the reverse happen. So their charges went against all consistency and nature. Then, since He is arguing not for Himself but for the Spirit, He pours out His rebuke like a torrent, saying, “You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things?” Now this both accuses them and proves His own words from their case. For look, He says: since you are evil trees, you cannot produce good fruit. So I am not surprised that you speak this way; for you were both badly brought up, coming from wicked ancestors, and have developed an evil mind. And see how carefully He has stated His accusations, leaving no opening for objection. He did not say, “How can you speak good things, being a brood of vipers?” (for the latter has no bearing on the former), but, “How can you, being evil, speak good things?” But He called them “broods of vipers” because they took pride in their ancestors. So, to show that they gained no advantage from this, He both excludes them from their relationship to Abraham and assigns them ancestors with a disposition like their own, stripping them of that basis for distinction. “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Here again He reveals His Godhead, which knew their secrets: they will be punished not only for their words but also for their wicked thoughts, and He knows it all as God. And He says that even human beings can know these things; for it follows naturally that when wickedness overflows within, its words pour out through the lips. So when you hear someone speak wicked words, do not suppose that there is only as much wickedness in him as his words reveal. Rather, infer that the spring is much fuller; for what is spoken outwardly is the overflow of what is within. See how fiercely He rebukes them. For if what they said is so evil and expresses the very mind of the devil, consider how deep the root and wellspring of their words must reach. And this is natural: while shame often keeps the tongue from pouring out all its wickedness at once, the heart, having no human witness, fearlessly gives birth to whatever evils it wants, for it has little regard for God. Since people's words are examined and placed before everyone, while the heart is hidden, the evils of the tongue decrease, while those of the heart increase. But when what is within multiplies, everything that has been hidden for a time bursts out in a violent flood. And just as people who are vomiting struggle at first to hold down the fluids forcing their way out, but, when overcome, throw up much that is foul, so it is with those who devise evil and speak ill of their neighbors. “A good man out of his good treasure,” He says, “brings out good things, and an evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil things.” For do not suppose, He says, that this applies only to wickedness; the same happens with goodness as well. There too, the virtue within is greater than the words spoken outwardly. By this He indicated both that they must be considered more wicked than their words showed, and that He Himself is more perfectly good than His sayings declared. And He calls it “a treasure” to indicate its abundance. Then again He hems them in with great terror. For do not suppose, He says, that the matter ends here, with condemnation by the crowd. No, everyone who acts wickedly in such matters will suffer the severest punishment. And He did not say “you,” partly to teach the whole human race, and partly to make His words less hard to bear. “But I say to you,” He says, “that for every idle word people speak, they will give an account on the day of judgment.” An idle word is one that does not accord with the facts, that is false, that contains an unjust accusation. And some say it also includes pointless words, such as those that provoke excessive laughter, or words that are filthy, indecent, and coarse. “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Do you see how free this court is from prejudice? How favorable are the terms of the account it requires? For the Judge will pass His sentence not on what someone else has said about you, but on what you yourself have spoken. This is the fairest thing of all, since surely it is up to you to speak or not to speak. 2. So it is the slanderers who need to be anxious and tremble, rather than those who are slandered. For those slandered are not required to defend themselves against the evil things said about them, but the slanderers will have to answer for the evil they have spoken; the whole danger hangs over them. So those criticized should be free from anxiety, since they will not have to give an account of the evil others have said. But those who criticize have reason to be anxious and tremble, since they themselves will be dragged before the judgment seat for this. For this is truly a devilish snare, and a sin that offers no pleasure, only harm. Yes, and such a person is storing up an evil treasure in his soul. And if someone with a harmful fluid in his body is himself the first to suffer the effects of the disease, much more will someone who stores up within himself something more bitter than any bile—I mean wickedness—suffer the worst evils, bringing a terrible disease upon himself. This is evident from what he vomits out. For if these things cause others so much pain, they cause far more to the soul that gives birth to them. Thus the schemer destroys himself first, just as someone who steps on fire burns himself, someone who strikes an unbreakable stone injures himself, and someone who kicks against the sharp points of cattle prods draws his own blood. For the person who knows how to endure wrong and bear it courageously is something like this: he is an unbreakable stone, sharp cattle prods, and fire. But the person who has made a habit of doing wrong is weaker than any clay. So the evil is doing wrong and not knowing how to endure being wronged, rather than suffering wrong. For example, what great wrongs David endured! What great wrongs Saul committed! Which, then, was stronger and happier? Which was more wretched and miserable? Was it not the one who did wrong? Consider this. Saul had promised that if David killed the Philistine, he would take him as his son-in-law and give him his daughter with great favor. David killed the Philistine; Saul broke his promises, and far from giving her to him, even tried to kill him. Which, then, became more glorious? Was not one choking with despair and the evil demon, while the other shone brighter than the sun with his trophies of victory and his loyalty to God? Again, before the chorus of women, was not one suffocating with envy, while the other, enduring everything in silence, won everyone over and bound them to himself? And when David even had Saul in his power and spared him, which again was happy, and which wretched? Which was weaker? Which was more powerful? Was it not the man who refrained from taking revenge even justly? And this was entirely natural. For one had armed soldiers, but the other had righteousness, which is mightier than ten thousand armies, as his ally and helper. And for this reason, although Saul unjustly plotted against him, David could not bring himself to kill him even justly. For he knew from what had happened before that suffering evil, rather than doing evil, makes people more powerful. So it is with bodies too, and so it is with trees. And what about Jacob? Was he not wronged by Laban, and did he not suffer evil? Which, then, was stronger: the man who had the other in his power and did not dare touch him, but was afraid and trembling; or the man who, as we see, without weapons or soldiers proved more terrifying to him than countless kings? But to give you another proof of what I have said, greater than this, let us again use David himself to test the argument from the opposite side. For this man, who was so strong when he was wronged, later became the weaker one when he committed a wrong. At any rate, when he wronged Uriah, his position changed again, and weakness passed to the wrongdoer, and strength to the injured man; for Uriah, though dead, devastated David's house. And the one, though a king and alive, could do nothing, while the other, though only a soldier and killed, turned everything belonging to his adversary upside down. Would you like me to make what I am saying clearer in another way too? Let us look at the case of those who take revenge even justly. For as for wrongdoers, surely everyone can see that they are the most worthless of all people, waging war against their own souls. But who took revenge justly, yet set countless evils ablaze and pierced himself with many calamities and sorrows? The commander of David's army. For he both stirred up a terrible war and suffered countless evils, not one of which would have happened if he had only known how to control himself. So let us flee this sin and wrong our neighbors neither in words nor in deeds. For He did not say, If you slander someone and call for a court of justice, but simply, If you speak evil, even within yourself, you will still suffer the severest punishment. Even if what you said is true, even if you spoke from conviction, punishment will still come upon you. For God will pass sentence according to what you have spoken, rather than according to what the other person has done; “for by your words you will be condemned,” He says. Have you not been told that the Pharisee too spoke the truth, and stated what was obvious to everyone, without revealing anything hidden? Nevertheless, he paid the severest penalty. But if we should not accuse people of things that are acknowledged, much less should we accuse them of things that are disputed; for the offender has a judge. I warn you now: do not seize the privilege of the Only Begotten. The throne of judgment is reserved for Him. 3. But would you like to be a judge? You have a court of judgment that brings great benefit and incurs no blame. Set reflection as a judge over your conscience, and bring all your transgressions before it. Search out the sins of your soul, strictly demand an account of them, and say, “Why did you dare to do this and that?” And if she evades these questions and starts investigating other people's affairs, say to her, “I am not judging you about these things; you have not come here to answer for them. What if that person is wicked? Why did you commit this and that offense? Answer for yourself, instead of making accusations; attend to your own affairs, and leave other people's alone.” Keep pressing her to submit to this searching trial. Then, if she has nothing to say but draws back, wear her down with the whip, like some unruly and unchaste servant girl. Convene this court every day, and picture the river of fire, the venomous worm, and the rest of the torments. And do not allow her to associate with the devil anymore, or tolerate her shameless words: “He comes to me, he plots against me, he tempts me.” Instead, tell her, “If you were unwilling, all that would accomplish nothing.” And if she says again, “I am entangled with a body, I am clothed with flesh, I live in the world, I remain on earth,” tell her, “All these are excuses and pretexts. For this person too was surrounded by flesh, and that other person, living in the world and remaining on earth, has won approval; and you yourself, when you do well, do it while surrounded by flesh.” And if hearing this pains her, do not stop striking; for she will not die if you strike her, but you will save her from death. And if she says again, “That person provoked me,” tell her, “But it is in your power not to be provoked; at least, you have often restrained your anger.” And if she says, “That woman's beauty stirred me,” tell her, “Yet you could have controlled yourself.” Bring forward those who have overcome; bring forward the first woman, who said, “The serpent deceived me,” and yet was not cleared of blame. And when you examine these things, let no one be present, and let no one disturb you. Just as judges sit behind curtains to judge, so you too, in place of curtains, should seek a quiet time and place. When you have risen from supper and are about to lie down, then hold this judgment. This is the suitable time for you, and the place is your bed and your room. The prophet likewise commanded this, saying, “For the things you say in your hearts, be moved to remorse on your beds.” And demand great amends for small offenses, so that you never even approach great ones. If you do this every day, you will stand confidently before that fearful judgment seat. In this way Paul became clean; that is also why he said, “For if we judged ourselves, we would not be judged.” This is how Job cleansed his sons. For if he offered sacrifices for secret sins, much more did he demand an account of those that were obvious. 4. But we do not do this; we do entirely the opposite. For as soon as we lie down to rest, we instead think over all our worldly affairs. Some bring in unclean thoughts; others, loans at interest, contracts, and worldly cares. And if we have a daughter who is a virgin, we watch her closely; but our soul, who is more precious to us than a daughter, we allow to act as a prostitute and defile herself, bringing countless wicked thoughts to her. Whether it is a love of greed, or of luxury, or of beautiful people, or of anger, or anything else you please that wants to enter, we throw open the doors, attract and invite it, and help it defile our soul at its leisure. And what could be more barbarous than this: to stand by while our soul, more precious than everything else, is abused by so many adulterers and keeps company with them so long, until they are satisfied? And they never will be. So it is only when sleep overtakes us that they leave her—or rather, not even then, for our dreams and imaginings supply her with the same images. That is why, when day comes, the soul, filled with such images, often falls into actually carrying out those fantasies. And you, who will not allow so much as a grain of dust to enter the apple of your eye, do you ignore your soul as it gathers such a heap of evils? When, then, will we be able to clear out this filth that we pile up within us every day? When will we cut out the thorns? When will we sow the seed? Do you not know that harvest time is now approaching? But we have not even plowed our fields yet. If, then, the farmer comes and finds fault, what will we say? What answer will we give? That no one gave us the seed? No, it is sown daily. That no one, then, has cut out the thorns? No, every day we sharpen the sickle. But do life's necessary responsibilities distract you? Then why have you not crucified yourself to the world? For if the man who returns only what he was given is wicked because he did not double it, what will be said to the man who has wasted even that? If that person was bound and thrown out where there is gnashing of teeth, what will we have to suffer, when countless motives draw us toward virtue, yet we shrink back and refuse? For what is there that does not give you enough reason to be persuaded? Do you not see the world's worthlessness, life's uncertainty, the toil and sweat spent on present things? What? Does virtue require toil, while vice can be had without it? If, then, there is toil in both, why did you not choose virtue, which brings such great benefit? Or rather, some parts of virtue require no toil at all. For what toil does it take to refrain from slander, lies, and oaths, and to put aside our anger against our neighbor? On the contrary, slandering, lying, swearing oaths, and staying angry are hard work and bring much anxiety. What defense, then, will we have, what excuse, if we fail to do right even in these matters? For this makes it clear that carelessness and laziness also cause us to neglect the more demanding duties entirely. Let us consider all these things; let us flee vice and choose virtue, so that we may obtain both the good things of the present and those to come, by the grace and love for humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might forever and ever. Amen.