Philoxenus of Mabbug

In his own words on 1 Corinthians

• 1 Corinthians 1:21

  "Because, by the wisdom of God, the world knew not the wisdom of God, God willed that by the simplicity of preaching, He might make to live those that believed." And it is well known that the Apostles were the simplest of men, and it was for this reason Jesus chose them, that by their simplicity He might mock at the wisdom of the world, and that by their ignorance He might make manifest the emptiness of the learning of the wise and learned.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 4 -- On Faith: First Discourse on Simplicity

• 1 Corinthians 1:21

  Although faith hath been implanted in our construction by God our Creator, yet hath it been corrupted and changed from faith to error, and after the manner of that natural wisdom which hath also been given to us in our construction we have changed it, and instead of the wisdom of God we have gathered together the wisdom of [this] world with it. And something else which is external to God through the wisdom of God have we changed, even as Paul saith, "Through the wisdom of God the world knew not the wisdom of God." And thus also hath the natural faith which is in us been turned into error, and these things which have been given to us by the Creator for [our] advantage have been found by us to be a loss, for we have changed their profitable orderings, and we have made use of them in a manner other than that for which they were designed. Our faith hath believed in what is unseemly, and our wisdom hath made acquaintance with what is not befitting; for where faith was unnecessary there have we made use of faith.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 2 -- On Faith

• 1 Corinthians 1:25

  The Apostle Paul considered Him as one "of no reputation", and the crucifiers considered Him to lack understanding, and His enemies accounted Him to be without knowledge and intelligence, and concerning Jesus Paul spake against them, "The foolishness of God is wiser than the children of men."

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 5 -- Second Discourse on Simplicity

• 1 Corinthians 1:26

  It is well known that the Apostles were the simplest of men, and it was for this reason Jesus chose them, that by their simplicity He might mock at the wisdom of the world, and that by their ignorance He might make manifest the emptiness of the learning of the wise and learned. And Paul said to certain men of his disciples who were boasting in the knowledge of the world, "Observe also your calling, my brethren, for there are not many among you who are wise according to the flesh."

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 4 -- On Faith: First Discourse on Simplicity

• 1 Corinthians 1:27

  It is well known that the Apostles were the simplest of men, and it was for this reason Jesus chose them, that by their simplicity He might mock at the wisdom of the world, and that by their ignorance He might make manifest the emptiness of the learning of the wise and learned, even as Paul saith, "God chose the fools of this world to put its wise men to shame."

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 4 -- On Faith: First Discourse on Simplicity

• 1 Corinthians 2:6

  And in teaching that not every man is able to be a hearer and a receiver of that wisdom which he had, Paul crieth out, saying, "We speak wisdom among the perfect: not the wisdom of this world nor that of the rulers of this world, which are brought to nought: but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, which none of the wise men of the world hath been able to hear." The wisdom of this world is not sufficient for a foundation, nor is it able to receive the building of the wisdom of God, and for this reason our Lord placed simplicity in us for a foundation.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 4 -- On Faith: First Discourse on Simplicity

• 1 Corinthians 2:7

  And in teaching that not every man is able to be a hearer and a receiver of that wisdom which he had, Paul crieth out, saying, "We speak wisdom among the perfect: not the wisdom of this world nor that of the rulers of this world, which are brought to nought: but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, which none of the wise men of the world hath been able to hear." The wisdom of this world is not sufficient for a foundation, nor is it able to receive the building of the wisdom of God, and for this reason our Lord placed simplicity in us for a foundation.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 4 -- On Faith: First Discourse on Simplicity

• 1 Corinthians 2:9

  Do not thou then, O thou who hast denied the things which are seen, ask what kind of riches thou wilt receive in exchange for thy poverty, but be thou in earnest only to forsake thy poverty, and to hasten to possess them. Now what these riches are, and unto what they are like, Paul explaineth not unto thee, nor of what kind they are, for there is nothing which can be compared with them, nor how much they are, because they cannot be measured. "That which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, and what hath not gone up in the heart of man, is what God hath prepared for them that love Him"; and the greatness of the reward is made manifest by these and such like words.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 9 -- Second Discourse on Poverty

• 1 Corinthians 2:9

  Whosoever receiveth not the teaching of Christ and groweth not in virtues, his loss is the kingdom of heaven, and the happiness and delight which are sealed and preserved for the chosen of God, and that which the eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard, and which hath not gone up in the heart of man, and that intercourse which the perfect will have with Christ, and for the sake of which Christ Himself even came down from heaven to earth, and in the end this man's loss is his own person, together with the good things which are above nature.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 5 -- Second Discourse on Simplicity

• 1 Corinthians 3:11

  Now the foundation is set and laid, and is, according to the word of Paul, "Jesus Christ our God," and every man, howsoever he pleaseth, buildeth upon that foundation. For by His love the foundation hath been laid down once and for all to receive everything which might be set upon it, until the coming of the day of the revelation in which the work of every man will be tested and proved; and He who hath been the foundation stone in the corner of the building will go up and become the Judge and Head in the top of the building.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 1 -- Prologue

• 1 Corinthians 3:12

  And according to what Paul himself spake, "If any man buildeth on this foundation gold, or silver, or stones of price, or wood, or hay, or stubble, each man's work shall be revealed, for that day shall reveal it, inasmuch as it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall prove each man's work of what sort it is." Now Paul likeneth the conduct of Christian life and character and the beauties of righteousness to gold and silver and precious stones, and among these faith is as gold, and the restraining of the passions and desires, and fasting, and self-denial and the other works of righteousness are as silver; and he likeneth to precious stones love, and peace, and hope, and pure thoughts, and holy meditations, and a mind which is wholly afraid in the Spirit, and which at all times reserveth in all its emotions wonder at God and admiration for the majesty of His Being, and an understanding which keepeth silence in trembling before the inexplicable and inexpressible mysteries of God. Now these heavenly thoughts, and emotions, and anxious fears, and life of the Spirit Paul calleth "precious stones;" and error and wickedness and the ministry of all the lusts he calleth wood, and hay, and stubble. And since the building itself is fixed in the ground every man can build and raise upon it whatsoever he pleaseth, until the day which shall decide is revealed.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 1 -- Prologue

• 1 Corinthians 3:13

  And according to what Paul himself spake, "If any man buildeth on this foundation gold, or silver, or stones of price, or wood, or hay, or stubble, each man's work shall be revealed, for that day shall reveal it, inasmuch as it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall prove each man's work of what sort it is." Now Paul likeneth the conduct of Christian life and character and the beauties of righteousness to gold and silver and precious stones, and among these faith is as gold, and the restraining of the passions and desires, and fasting, and self-denial and the other works of righteousness are as silver; and he likeneth to precious stones love, and peace, and hope, and pure thoughts, and holy meditations, and a mind which is wholly afraid in the Spirit, and which at all times reserveth in all its emotions wonder at God and admiration for the majesty of His Being, and an understanding which keepeth silence in trembling before the inexplicable and inexpressible mysteries of God. Now these heavenly thoughts, and emotions, and anxious fears, and life of the Spirit Paul calleth "precious stones;" and error and wickedness and the ministry of all the lusts he calleth wood, and hay, and stubble. And since the building itself is fixed in the ground every man can build and raise upon it whatsoever he pleaseth, until the day which shall decide is revealed.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 1 -- Prologue

• 1 Corinthians 3:16

  Now when the body hath intercourse with the soul, and the soul with the spirit, and through the spirit with the Trinity, in very deed are accomplished the words, "The Lord is over all, and in us all", and, "Ye are the temple of the Lord, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you." But Paul also frighteneth that soul which alloweth the body to become a minister unto fornication, saying, "Whosoever destroyeth the temple of God, God will destroy." And hereby he teacheth the soul not to allow the body to be corrupted by the union of fornication, because from this injury accrueth unto it, for together with the destruction of the body by its natural lusts, will the soul be condemned by the judgment which is for ever. And well did God ordain this retribution for the soul, though it is decreed for both the soul and the body by Him, because the soul in allowing the body to be debased unto the lusts of its nature will destroy it, and being able to restrain it, restraineth it not, and having the power to make it taste the sweetness of the lust for itself, the sweetness of its own corrupt lust, that is, the motions, and passions, and forms of which belong to shame, was pleasant unto it.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 12 -- First Discourse on Fornication

• 1 Corinthians 3:17

  Now when the body hath intercourse with the soul, and the soul with the spirit, and through the spirit with the Trinity, in very deed are accomplished the words, "The Lord is over all, and in us all", and, "Ye are the temple of the Lord, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you." But Paul also frighteneth that soul which alloweth the body to become a minister unto fornication, saying, "Whosoever destroyeth the temple of God, God will destroy." And hereby he teacheth the soul not to allow the body to be corrupted by the union of fornication, because from this injury accrueth unto it, for together with the destruction of the body by its natural lusts, will the soul be condemned by the judgment which is for ever. And well did God ordain this retribution for the soul, though it is decreed for both the soul and the body by Him, because the soul in allowing the body to be debased unto the lusts of its nature will destroy it, and being able to restrain it, restraineth it not, and having the power to make it taste the sweetness of the lust for itself, the sweetness of its own corrupt lust, that is, the motions, and passions, and forms of which belong to shame, was pleasant unto it.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 12 -- First Discourse on Fornication

• 1 Corinthians 4:10

  And again in another place he saith, "We are fools for Christ's sake, and sick, and despised, and dishonoured, and we have nothing." And while in this world in which we live we possess nothing, we hold everything in that which is ours.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 3 -- On Faith

• 1 Corinthians 6:10

  "Gluttons and drunkards shall not inherit the kingdom of God;" and read the passage, O disciple, and see unto what vices the Apostle compareth this wickedness—with soothsayers and destroyers, and other things like thereunto. And although the lust of the belly is not these, yet it leadeth unto them, for when the heart hath become gross through meats, straightway it driveth out from itself the remembrance of God, and when the memory of God hath departed from a man, what wickedness will he not do? and what iniquity will he be not moved to do?

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 10 -- On Gluttony

• 1 Corinthians 6:12

  And that a free man is not fettered by a lust for anything he sheweth by his freedom, and in that he hath the power and doth not make use thereof, he doubleth readily the freedom thereof, and he preserveth it from being dissipated, even as Paul writeth concerning this freedom, saying, "I have power to do everything, but not everything edifieth." And that thou mayest learn that it is thus with all other things, and especially in the matter of eating and not eating, he maketh known the power of his freedom and saith immediately after these words, "Meats of the belly, and the belly of meats, but God will bring both of them to nought."

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 11 -- On Abstinence

• 1 Corinthians 6:13

  And that thou mayest learn that it is thus with all other things, and especially in the matter of eating and not eating, he maketh known the power of his freedom and saith immediately after these words, "Meats of the belly, and the belly of meats, but God will bring both of them to nought." Preserve then, O disciple, the habit of abstinence, that thou mayest also arrive at the power of freedom, and wean thyself, and eat not, that thou mayest draw nigh unto the state of eating without perceiving it; abstain from food by the power of thy soul, in order that the lusts which are mingled in thy members may be destroyed.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 11 -- On Abstinence

• 1 Corinthians 6:13

  Let us say unto each other that which hath been said unto us by the Apostle, "The belly for meats, and meats for the belly, but God will bring them both to nought." The body then is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body, to Whom be glory from us all for ever.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 10 -- On Gluttony

• 1 Corinthians 6:13

  And again, when the Apostle Paul is read, and he heareth from him, "Everything which was created by God is holy, and nothing is to be rejected if it be received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer;" or another verse, "The belly for meats, and meats for the belly;" or that also which he spake, "Let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth." And in the other things like unto these which are written in the doctrine of Paul, the fool rejoiceth, and receiveth them gladly, without understanding the reason of the words. And the glutton is not pleased to hear the other things which have been written by Paul upon fortitude and asceticism, either when he recounteth his numerous fastings, or when he crieth out to his disciples, saying, "Ye are dead unto the world," or when he writeth, "It is good for a man not to eat flesh, and not to drink wine," or his exhortation, "Through many tribulations it is meet for a man to enter into the kingdom of God," or his saying, "God shall bring both the belly and the food to nought;" and the reading of these and such like passages the glutton considereth unnecessary, and he is not pleased even to hear them.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 10 -- On Gluttony

• 1 Corinthians 6:19

  Now when the body hath intercourse with the soul, and the soul with the spirit, and through the spirit with the Trinity, in very deed are accomplished the words, "The Lord is over all, and in us all", and, "Ye are the temple of the Lord, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you." But Paul also frighteneth that soul which alloweth the body to become a minister unto fornication, saying, "Whosoever destroyeth the temple of God, God will destroy." And hereby he teacheth the soul not to allow the body to be corrupted by the union of fornication, because from this injury accrueth unto it, for together with the destruction of the body by its natural lusts, will the soul be condemned by the judgment which is for ever. And well did God ordain this retribution for the soul, though it is decreed for both the soul and the body by Him, because the soul in allowing the body to be debased unto the lusts of its nature will destroy it, and being able to restrain it, restraineth it not, and having the power to make it taste the sweetness of the lust for itself, the sweetness of its own corrupt lust, that is, the motions, and passions, and forms of which belong to shame, was pleasant unto it.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 12 -- First Discourse on Fornication

• 1 Corinthians 9:22

  Craftiness in the soul is like a harlot in the street; for as the harlot speaketh with all men and putteth on all persons so that she may appear to be like unto every man, even so doth craftiness appear in every variety of opinion, and it prepareth the various kinds of ornamented forms which are required of it, that it may show itself to be like unto every man by them. And that which was written by the Apostle in integrity, "I have become all things unto all men, that I might profit all men", is wrought in the opposite manner by craftiness, which becometh all things unto all men that it may destroy all men, and that it may mock and laugh at all men.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 5 -- Second Discourse on Simplicity

• 1 Corinthians 9:25

  And as in worldly matters, if a man cannot perform properly the piece of work which he wisheth to do without setting himself free from all other work, and occupying himself with that alone, how much less can a man finish this spiritual labour unless he set himself free from the service of everything which is visible? Even as the blessed Paul also saith, "Every man who maketh a contest, keepeth his mind from everything"; and of what contest did he speak except the exercising of the body in the world? And if to a contest in which the body is engaged the service of carnal things is a hindrance, how much more will it be so to a spiritual contest? For in the one case, as regards the contest of the world, the contest, and the struggling therein, and the conquest therein, and also the things which retard the conquest therein, are one in nature, and they are all the children of one country, and although all these things are related to each other, the world with its cares and anxieties becometh an obstacle unto those who maintain the strife. How can a man fulfil the life here, then, which is a spiritual contest, and a service, and a life which is above the world, if he be tied unto and held fast by the things of the world?

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 9 -- Second Discourse on Poverty

• 1 Corinthians 9:27

  Do thou then, even though all these things help thee, persevere in the patience which befitteth thy discipleship, and conquer the wicked mistress of all iniquity, and subdue thy body and afflict thy members, even as Paul also said, "I subdue my body, and bring it into subjection, lest peradventure I, who have preached to others, am myself rejected." And if Paul, although he, by the power of Grace, gained the victory over the passions, still had need to subdue his body, how much more have those, in whom there still live the lusts of the flesh, need to subdue their bodies by fasting and abstinence, and to fight and to overcome!

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 11 -- On Abstinence

• 1 Corinthians 10:23

  And that a free man is not fettered by a lust for anything he sheweth by his freedom, and in that he hath the power and doth not make use thereof, he doubleth readily the freedom thereof, and he preserveth it from being dissipated, even as Paul writeth concerning this freedom, saying, "I have power to do everything, but not everything edifieth."

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 11 -- On Abstinence

• 1 Corinthians 15:19

  For behold with us is poverty, but with the world there are riches; with us there is disgrace, but with it glory; with us there is humility, but with it pride; with us there is inferiority, but with it dominion; with us there is indigence, but with it possessions; with us there is hunger, but with it satiety; with us there is want, but with it abundance; with us there are afflictions, but with it pleasures; with us there is subjection, but with it command; with us there is the "narrow way," but with it the broad path; with us is the single garment which is limited by command, but with it are various kinds of fine raiment and apparel; with us is the order which restraineth us from our daily food, but with it are the treasures which are collected for generations and years; with us is the obligation to appear in neglect and contempt, but with it the appearance of pride and honour. All these things, and those which are like unto them, appear glorious to the world, and better in every respect than those which we have; but if we remove from the midst faith which is our true riches, even as our teacher Paul also testified concerning this in his word, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, of all men we are the most miserable."

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 3 -- On Faith

• 1 Corinthians 15:50

  "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven," the blessed Paul teacheth us, or as a man might say, "So long as the motions of a man are established by flesh and blood he is unable to inherit the spiritual knowledge of Christ," which, as in a parable, he calleth the kingdom of heaven; and although this verse hath other meanings in respect of other passions, yet as regardeth the matter which is under discussion we may suitably apply it with this meaning. For the true kingdom is the knowledge which erreth not, and doubteth not, but seeth everything in its proper place distinctly, as well as things which are above nature, according to the capacity which is given unto created beings; and he whose life is established by means of motions of flesh and blood is unable to become the heir of this knowledge, and if it happen that he receive it by the tradition of words, he heareth the words from others, and it is not that knowledge which itself hath revealed itself in his soul, for this knowledge is beyond words, and beyond appellations and names.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 11 -- On Abstinence