CHAPTER 6
Lecture 2
6 And let him that is instructed in the word, communicate to him, that instructeth him, in all good things.
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked.
8 For what things a man shall sow, those also shall he reap. For he that soweth in his flesh of the flesh also shall reap corruption. But he that soweth in the spirit of the spirit shall reap life everlasting.
9 And in doing good, let us not fail; for in due time we shall reap, not failing.
10 Therefore, whilst we have time, let us work good to all men, but especially to those who are of the household of the faith.
After showing how those who are greater should act toward those below them, and how equals should act toward equals, the Apostle then shows here how those who are lesser should serve and revere those who are over them. About this he does three things:
First, he advises that they serve readily;
Secondly, that they serve perseveringly (v. 9);
Thirdly, that they serve all (v. 10).
Regarding the first he does two things:
First, he lays clown the admonition to serve;
Secondly, he forestalls an excuse (v. 7).
He says therefore: We have indicated above how those who are greater should act toward those who are below them, namely, by correcting them in a gentle manner and by instructing. Now, however, there remains to see how the lesser should accommodate themselves to those who are higher. Therefore he says, Let him that is instructed in the word , i.e., taught the word of God, communicate to him that instructeth him , i.e., who teaches him; let him, I say, communicate to him in all good things .
But it should be noted that a disciple can communicate in two ways with his teacher. First, so as to receive good things from the teacher; and so it is said, Let him that is instructed in the word communicate , i.e., make common to himself what belonged to the teacher, by imitating him: “Be imitators of me, as I also am of Christ” (1 Cor 11:1). But because teachers might at times not do what is good, they are not to be imitated in this Hence he adds, in all good things: “Whatsoever they shall say to you, observe and do: but according to their works, do ye not” (Mt 23:3). Secondly, that he communicate his own goods to the teacher. For this is commanded by the Lord: “They who preach the gospel should live by the gospel” (1 Cor 9:14); “The workman is worthy of his meat” (Mt 10:10); “The laborer is worthy of his hire” (Lk 10:7); and the Apostle says, “If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we reap your carnal things?” (1 Cor 9:11). And therefore he says here, Let him that is instructed in the word communicate to him that instructeth , i.e., the one taught should communicate to the teacher, in all good things that he has; for even temporal things are called goods: “If you be willing and will hearken to me, you shall eat the good things of the land” (Is 1:19); “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children: how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Mt 7:11).
But he says, in all good things , because one should not communicate solely to those who are in dire need; but whatever one has he ought universally to communicate to, his neighbor, including knowledge and advice and influence: “As every man hath received grace, administering the same one to another” (1 Pet. 4: 10). Of this sharing it is said in Romans (12:13): “Communicating to the necessities of the saints”; “In dividing by lot give and take” (Sir 14:15).
Then when he says, Be not deceived; God is not mocked, he forestalls an excuse.
First, he forestalls it;
Secondly, he gives a reason for this (v. 8).
He says, therefore: Be not deceived; God is not mocked. This can be taken in two ways, according to the two explanations given above. According to the first, this way: You say that we ought to imitate our teachers even in good things, but I cannot imitate them save in the things they do; and the only thing I observe in them is evil. Therefore, I ought to imitate them in evil. But he dismisses this, when he says, Be not deceived, God is not mocked . As if to say: It is erroneous to say this, for the evils of the prelates do not excuse us, because they are an example to their subjects only in those matters in which they imitate Christ, Who is the shepherd without sin. Hence he expressly says in John (10:11): “I am the good shepherd”; and the Apostle says in 1 Corinthians (4:16); (11:1): “Be imitators of me, as I also am of Christ.” As if to say: Imitate me in those things in which I imitate Christ. And although you excuse yourself before men because of the evil acts of prelates, yet God is not mocked, i.e., cannot be deceived: “Shall he be deceived as a man, with your deceitful dealings?” (Job 13:9). Hence it is said in Proverbs (3:34): “He shall scorn the scorners.”
But according to the second explanation it is understood in the following manner. They could say: We are poor and have nothing to communicate. But he rejects this, saying, Be not deceived , i.e., think not to excuse yourself in vain, by pretending poverty; God is not mocked , i.e., cannot be deceived, for He knows our hearts and is not unaware of our possessions. A likely excuse may deceive a man and satisfy him; but it cannot deceive God,
He assigns the reason for this, saying, For what things a man shall sow, those also shall he reap.
First, in a general way;
Secondly, in a specific way (v. 8)
He says therefore with respect to the first explanation: Surely you err in believing this, because God will render to each one according to his own merits: For what things a man shall sow, those also shall he reap, i.e., he will be rewarded or punished according to his works, be they good or evil, great or small. But according to the second explanation: what things a man shall sow, those also shall he reap ; i.e., he will be rewarded according to his good deeds, great or small, both as to the quality of the works and the quantity of the good deeds: “He that soweth sparingly, shall also reap sparingly; and he who soweth in blessings, shall also reap blessings” (2 Cor 9:6).
Then he assigns a specific reason, saying, For he that soweth in his flesh, of the flesh also shall reap corruption. Now this reason has two parts, according to the two sowings: namely, in the flesh and in the spirit.
First therefore, he treats of the sowing in the flesh, where we must first of all see what it is to sow in the flesh;
Secondly, what it is, “of the flesh to reap corruption.”
To sow in the flesh is to work for the body and for the flesh. As though I were to say: I have spent much on that man, i.e., I have done many things for him. Hence he sows in the flesh who in all that he does, even in things that seem good, does them to favor and benefit the flesh. But with respect to reaping corruption of the flesh, he says and infers, that because seed fructifies for the most part according to the condition of the land, we see that on some lands wheat seeds degenerate into siligo or something else. Now the condition of the flesh is that it is corruptible; hence he that soweth in his flesh , i.e., directs his works and interest to the flesh, must expect that those works corrupt and perish: “Every work that is corruptible shall fail in the end” (Sir 14:20); “For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die” (Rom 8:13).
Secondly, he treats of the sowing in the spirit, saying, But he that soweth in the spirit , i.e., directs his interest to the service of the spirit by serving justice through faith and charity, shall reap from the spirit according to its condition. Now the condition of the spirit is that it is the principle of life: “It is the spirit that giveth life,” and not just any life, but eternal life; since the spirit is immortal (Jn 6:64). Hence, of the spirit he shall reap life everlasting : “To him that soweth justice there is a faithful reward,” because it never withers (Prov 11:18).
But note that when he treats of the sowing in the flesh, he says, in his flesh , because the flesh is ours, as part of our nature; but when he speaks of the seed of the spirit, he does not say “his own,” because the spirit in us is not from ourselves but from God.
Then when he says, And in doing good, let us not fail , he counsels perseverance in ministering, because we should do good not only for a time but always. This can be referred to those already mentioned, namely, to superiors, to equals, and to those who are lower. As if to say: Whatever our station, whether prelates towards subjects, or equals toward equals, or subjects toward prelates, in doing good , let us not fail, i.e., in doing good works; because in reaping we shall not fail: “Whatsoever thy band is able to do, do it earnestly” (Sir 9:10); “Be ye steadfast and unmovable” (1 Cor 15:58). And it is important that we do not fail; because we hope for an eternal and unfailing reward. Hence he adds: for in due time we shall reap , not failing. Therefore Augustine says: “If a man puts no limit on his works, God will put none on His reward.” But note that he says, in due time : because a farmer does not immediately reap the fruit of what he sows, but at the suitable time: “Behold the husbandman waits for the precious fruit of the earth; patiently bearing till he receive the early and latter rain” (Jam 5:7). Of this harvest it is said: “Who soweth in blessings shall also reap of the blessings, eternal life” (2 Cor 9:6).
Then when he says, Whilst we have time, let us work good to all men, he advises everyone to minister, saying: Since we shall reap, not failing, then whilst we have time , i.e., in this life, which is the time for sowing: “I must work the works of him that sent me, whilst it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (Jn 9:4); “Whatsoever thy hand is able to do, do it earnestly; for neither work nor reason nor wisdom nor knowledge shall be in hell whither thou art hastening” (Sir 9:10). As long, I say, as we have time, let us work good, and this to all men who are bound to us through a divine likeness, inasmuch as all of us have been made to the image of God.
But this seems to be contrary to Sirach (12:5): “Give to the good and receive not the sinner.” Therefore we are not obliged to do good to everyone. I answer that in the sinner are two things: namely, his nature and his guilt. Now the nature in everyone, including an enemy, must be loved and upheld: “Love your enemies” (Mt 5:44). But the guilt in them is to be shunned. Therefore, when it is said, “Give to the just and receive not the sinner,” the meaning is that you ought not to do good to the sinner precisely as he is a sinner, but because he is a human being. Hence Augustine says: “Be not remiss”in judging, or inhuman in helping. Therefore, in evil men let us attack their sin, but show mercy to our common condition.”
But because we cannot do good to everyone, he presents the order in which it is to be done, when he adds: but especially to those who are of the household of the faith, who, namely, are not only akin to us in nature but united by faith and grace: “You are no more strangers and foreigners: but you are fellow citizens of the saints and the domestics of God” (Eph 2:19). Therefore mercy must be extended to everyone but preferably to the just who share in the faith, because it is said: “But if any man have not care of his own and especially those of his house, he hath denied the faith and is worse than an infidel” (1 Tim 5:8).
But here it might be asked whether it is lawful to love one more than another. To answer this, it should be noted that love can be called greater or less in two ways. In one way, from the standpoint of the object; in another, from the intensity of the act. For to love someone is to will good to him. Accordingly, one can love one person more than another, either because he wills him a greater good, which is the object of love, or because he more intensely wills him a good, i.e., with a more intense love. Therefore, with respect to the first, we ought to love everyone equally, because we ought to wish the good of eternal life to everyone; but with respect to the second, it is not necessary that we love all equally, because since the intensity of an act results from the principle of the action, and the principle of the action is union and similarity, we ought to love in a higher degree and more intensely those who are more like us and more closely united to us.