ποιήσας. Referring to what is implied in ver. 2 , that Moses was faithful to Him that made him.
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Homily 5, editorial note cite_note-3 · Original source
Search a Bible verse · Source library · Sources and text rights
Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews — Source paragraphs and footnotes
Homily 5
19 complete historical source paragraphs and 3 editorial footnotes. Author and edition credits are shown for each record; original wording is retained.
English translation and editorial credits: Thomas Keble, John Keble, Dr. Barrow, Frederic Gardiner.
Read the original source · Text reuse terms
Read the surrounding source paragraph
Ver. 3. “For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses,” (Again [he is speaking] of the Flesh), “inasmuch as he who hath builded [the house] hath more honor than the house”; [Moses] himself also (he means) was of the house. (Moreover he did not say, For this one was a servant, but the Other a master, but he covertly intimated it.) If the people were the house and he was of the people, then he certainly was of the household. For so also we are accustomed to say, such an one is of such an one’s house. For here he is speaking of a house, not of the temple, for the temple was not constructed by God, but by men. But He that made him [is] God. Moses he means. And see how he covertly shows the superiority. “Faithful,” he says, “in all His house,” being himself also of the house, that is, of the people. The builder has more honor than the house, yet he did not say “the artificer hath more honor than his works,” but “he that hath builded the house, than the house.” ( Ver. 4.) “But He that built all things is God.” Thou seest that he is speaking not about the temple but about the whole people.
St. Chrys. had mentioned hills (βουνοὶ) as called to witness by God: in the verse preceding this (Mic. vi. 1) occur the words, “let the hills hear Thy voice” ; and this verse itself runs, “Hear ye hills” (βουνοὶ ) according to the Alexandrine mss. of the LXX. or “ye mountains” (ὄ ρη according to the Vatican), “the judgment of the Lord, and ye ravines,” &c.
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Homily 5, editorial note cite_note-5 · Original source
Read the surrounding source paragraph
“For a testimony of those things which shall be spoken.” What meanest thou? Doth God receive the witness of man? Yes, certainly. For if He call to witness heaven and earth and hills (saying by the prophet, “Hear, O heaven, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord hath spoken”— Isa. i. 2 —and “Hear ye ravines, foundations of the earth, for the Lord hath a controversy with His people”— Mic. vi. 2 ), much more men; that is, that they may be witnesses, when themselves [the Jews] shameless.
The words “above the hairs of my head” are part of another Psalm, xl. 12, or lxix. 4
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Homily 5, editorial note cite_note-6 · Original source
Read the surrounding source paragraph
Yea and in another point of view, it is not possible either that a bad man should be altogether bad, but he may have some good things also: nor again that a good man should be altogether good, but he may also have some sins. When therefore the wicked man prospers, it is for evil on his own head, that having here received the reward of those few good things, he may hereafter be utterly punished yonder; for this cause does he receive his recompense in this life. And happy is he most of all who is punished here, that having put away all his sins, he may depart approved, and pure, and without having to be called to account. And this Paul teacheth us when he says, “For this cause many [are] weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.” ( 1 Cor. xi. 30.) And again, “I have delivered such an one to Satan.” ( 1 Cor. v. 5.) And the prophet says, “for she hath received of the Lord’s hand her sins double” ( Isa. xl. 2 ); and again David, “Behold mine enemies that they are multiplied above the hairs of my head and [with] an unjust hatred have they hated me”: “and forgive Thou all my sins.” ( Ps. xxv. 19, 18.) And again another: “O Lord, our God, give peace unto us; for Thou hast rendered all things to us again.” ( Isa. xxvi. 12.)
Moreover he said not “of men (simply) He taketh hold,” but wishing to exalt them [the Hebrews] and to show that their race is great and honorable, he says, “but of the seed of Abraham He taketh hold.”
Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Homily 5, source paragraph 5 · Original source
“Wherefore it behooved [Him] in all things to be made like unto His brethren.” What is this, “in all things”? He was born (he means), was brought up, grew, suffered all things necessary, at last He died. This is, “in all things to be made like unto His brethren.” For after he had discoursed much concerning His majesty and the glory on high, he then begins concerning the dispensation. And consider with how great power [he doth this]. How he represents Him as having great zeal “to be made like unto us”: which was a sign of much care. For having said above, “Inasmuch then as the children were partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself in like manner took part of the same”; in this place also he says, “in all things to be made like unto His brethren.” Which is all but saying, He that is so great, He that is “the brightness of His glory,” He that is “the express image of His person,” He that “made the worlds,” He that “sitteth on the right hand of the Father,” He was willing and earnest to become our brother in all things, and for this cause did He leave the angels and the other powers, and come down to us, and took hold of us, and wrought innumerable good things. He destroyed Death, He cast out the devil from his tyranny, He freed us from bondage: not by brotherhood alone did He honor us, but also in other ways beyond number. For He was willing also to become our High Priest with the Father: for he adds,
Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Homily 5, source paragraph 6 · Original source
[2.] “That He might become a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God.” For this cause (he means) He took on Him our flesh, only for Love to man, that He might have mercy upon us. For neither is there any other cause of the economy, but this alone. For He saw us, cast on the ground, perishing, tyrannized over by Death, and He had compassion on us. “To make reconciliation,” he says, “for the sins of the people. That He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest.”
Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Homily 5, source paragraph 7 · Original source
What is “faithful”? True, able. For the Son is a faithful High Priest, able to deliver from their sins those whose High Priest He is. In order then that He might offer a sacrifice able to purify us, for this cause He has become man.
Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Homily 5, source paragraph 8 · Original source
Accordingly he added, “in things pertaining to God,”—that is, for the sake of things in relation to God. We were become altogether enemies to God, (he would say) condemned, degraded, there was none who should offer sacrifice for us. He saw us in this condition, and had compassion on us, not appointing a High Priest for us, but Himself becoming a High Priest. In what sense He was “faithful,” he added [viz.], “to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.”
Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Homily 5, source paragraph 9 · Original source
Ver. 18. “For,” he says, “in that He hath suffered Himself being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted.” This is altogether low and mean, and unworthy of God. “For in that He hath suffered Himself,” he says. It is of Him who was made flesh that he here speaks, and it was said for the full assurance of the hearers, and on account of their weakness. That is (he would say) He went through the very experience of the things which we have suffered; “now” He is not ignorant of our sufferings; not only does He know them as God, but as man also He has known them, by the trial wherewith He was tried; He suffered much, He knows how to sympathize. And yet God is incapable of suffering: but he describes here what belongs to the Incarnation, as if he had said, Even the very flesh of Christ suffered many terrible things. He knows what tribulation is; He knows what temptation is, not less than we who have suffered, for He Himself also has suffered.
Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Homily 5, source paragraph 10 · Original source
(What then is this, “He is able to succor them that are tempted”? It is as if one should say, He will stretch forth His hand with great eagerness, He will be sympathizing.)
Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Homily 5, source paragraph 11 · Original source
[4.] But when Paul has once taken in hand the flesh, he proceeds to utter all the lowly things, without any fear: for see what he says next:
Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Homily 5, source paragraph 14 · Original source
C. iii. 1, 2. “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him that appointed [or made] Him, as also Moses [was faithful] in all His house.”
Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Homily 5, source paragraph 15 · Original source
Being about to place Him before Moses in comparison, he led his discourse to the law of the high-priesthood; for they all had a high esteem for Moses: moreover, he is already beforehand casting down the seeds of the superiority. Therefore he begins from the flesh, and goes up to the Godhead, where there was no longer any comparison. He began from the flesh [from His Human nature], by assuming for a time the equality, and says, “as also Moses in all His house”: nor does he at first show His superiority lest the hearer should start away, and straightway stop his ears. For although they were believers, yet nevertheless they still had strong feeling of conscience as to Moses. “Who was faithful,” he says, “to Him that made Him”—made [Him] what? “Apostle and High Priest.” He is not speaking at all in this place of His Essence, nor of His Godhead; but so far concerning human dignities.
Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Homily 5, source paragraph 16 · Original source
“As also Moses in all His house,” that is, either among the people, or in the temple. But here he uses the expression “in His house,” just as one might say, concerning those in the household; even as some guardian and steward of a household, so was Moses to the people. For that by “house” he means the people, he added, “whose house we are” ( c. iii. 6 ); that is, we are in His creation. Then [comes] the superiority.
Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Homily 5, source paragraph 17 · Original source
Ver. 5. “And Moses verily [was] faithful in all His house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken.” See also another point of superiority, that [which is derived] from the Son and the servants. You see again that by the appellation of The Son, he intimates true relationship. ( Ver. 6.) “But Christ as a Son over His own house.” Perceivest thou how he separates the thing made and the maker, the servant and the son? Moreover He indeed enters into His Father’s property as a master, but the other as a servant.
Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Homily 5, source paragraph 19 · Original source
“Whose” [i.e.] God’s “house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” Here again he encourages them to press forward nobly, and not to fall: for we shall be the “house” of God (he says), as Moses was, “if we hold fist our confidence and our rejoicing firm unto the end.” He however (he would say) that is distressed in his trials, and who falls, doth not glory: he that is ashamed, he that hideth himself, has no confidence, he that is perplexed doth not glory.
Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Homily 5, source paragraph 20 · Original source
And then he also commends them, saying, “if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end,” implying that they had even made a beginning; but that there is need of the end, and not simply to stand, but to have their hope firm “in full assurance of faith,” without being shaken by their trials.
Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Homily 5, source paragraph 21 · Original source
“Whence holy brethren” (he says “whence” instead of “for this cause”), “partakers of an heavenly calling”—(seek nothing here, if ye have been called yonder—yonder is the reward, yonder the recompense. What then?) “Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him that appointed Him, as also Moses [was faithful] in all His house.” (What is “who was faithful to Him that appointed Him?” it is, well disposed, protecting what belongs to Him, not allowing them to be lightly carried away, “as also Moses in all His house”) that is, know who your High Priest is, and what He is, and ye will need no other consolation nor encouragement. Now he calls Him “Apostle,” on account of His having been “sent,” and “high priest of our profession,” that is of the Faith. This One also was entrusted with a people, as the other with the leadership of a people, but a greater one and upon higher grounds.
Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Homily 5, source paragraph 23 · Original source
Ver. 6. “But Christ as a Son.” The one takes care of the property of others, but this One of His own. “And the rejoicing of the hope.” Well said he “of the hope.” For since the good things were all in hope, and yet we ought so “to hold it fast,” as even now to glory as for things which had already come to pass: for this cause he says, “the rejoicing of the hope.”
Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Homily 5, source paragraph 25 · Original source
[6.] Let us not then be troubled, let no man be troubled, when he seeth the wicked prospering. The recompense is not here, either of wickedness or of virtue; and if in any instance there be either of wickedness or of virtue, yet is it not according to desert, but merely as it were a taste of the judgment, that they who believe not the resurrection may yet even by things that happen here be brought to their senses. When then we see a wicked man rich, let us not be cast down; when we see a good man suffering, let us not be troubled. For yonder are the crowns, yonder the punishments.
Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Homily 5, source paragraph 27 · Original source
The life of the Christian must be full of blood-sheddings; I say not in shedding that of others, but in readiness to shed one’s own. Let us then pour out our own blood, when it is for Christ’s sake, with as great readiness as one would pour out water (for the blood which flows about the body is water), and let us put off our flesh with as much good temper, as one even would a garment. And this shall we do, if we be not bound to riches, if not to houses, if not to affections, if we be detached from all things. For if they who live this life of [earthly] soldiers bid farewell to all things, and whithersoever war calls them there present themselves, and make journeys, and endure all things with ready mind; much more ought we, the soldiers of Christ, so to have prepared ourselves, and to set ourselves firm against the war of the passions.
Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Homily 5, source paragraph 33 · Original source
Moreover he wishes us to have around us a breastplate and a buckler. For desire is a wild beast which easily springs forth, and we shall have need of walls and fences innumerable, to overcome, and to restrain it. And for this cause God has built this part [of our body] especially with bones, as with a kind of stones, placing around it a support, so that [desire] might not at any time, having broken or cut through, easily injure the whole man. For it is a fire (it is said) and a great tempest, and no other part of the body could endure this violence. And the sons of the physicians too say that for this cause the lungs have been spread under the heart, so that the heart being itself [put] into something soft and tender, by beating as it were into a sort of sponge, may continually be rested, and not [by striking] against the resisting and hard sternum, receive hurt through the violence of its beatings. We have need therefore of a strong breastplate, so as to keep this wild beast alway quiet.
Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Homily 5, source paragraph 36 · Original source