Philoxenus of Mabbug

In his own words on 1 Timothy

• 1 Timothy 1:9

  Whosoever hath made himself poor and goeth forth from the world is above the world, and he is of necessity also above the law, because the law hath not power to bring into subjection those who are above the law. For whosoever standeth in the country of bondage is perforce governed by the law, but whosoever standeth in the country of freedom, his whole life is like that of a free man, and of his own freewill, like a freeman, he doeth good deeds with power, and not like one who is bowed under the yoke of the law. And to speak briefly, wherever wickedness is wrought there also hath the law power to turn it back and to restrain it, according to the testimony of the teacher Paul, who saith, "The law was not laid down for the righteous, but for the wicked and unruly, and for the unclean, and for those who smite their fathers and mothers, and for murderers, and adulterers, and whoremongers"; over such as these hath the law power. Now therefore, although our discourse was wishing to shew that the perfect who are led by the spirit are alone above the law, it is found that Paul teacheth that the righteous also, who are on a lower level than the perfect, are free from the law, for they do not do the good things of the law as if they were fearers thereof, but as those who are at peace with the law. For the man who killeth not, that he may die not, since murder is ready in his mind, is a murderer; and he who committeth not adultery, although he wisheth to do so, through fear of being condemned by the judge, and delivered over to the law, is an adulterer; and every one who deviseth harm, but who by reason of the fear of the punishments which are commanded by the law is held back, and doeth it not, is nevertheless, according to his own will, the worker of all wickedness. Now as for the righteous who are kept back from doing wickedness, it is not because they are afraid lest wickedness should happen through them, but because they may not provoke God to anger by a deed which is unpleasing to Him. Therefore there are some who are held back from wickedness, because they are afraid of wickedness itself, and there are some who are held back therefrom because they would rather do the things which are good, for unless a man bringeth wickedness to nought, he is not able to do good things.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 8 -- First Discourse on Poverty

• 1 Timothy 1:9

  And that commandment, "Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbour as thyself," is like unto the words, "The law is not ordained for the righteous," because these commandments are above the fear of the law. Now the three degrees of righteousness are wrought in the world, and those who perform them are just and righteous, and are neither spiritual beings nor perfect; two degrees are set above the fear of the law, but the third is above both the power and the fear of the law, because it is fulfilled within the heart and inner mind, where the law can neither look nor see; for the eye of the law seeth matters which are external, and not the thoughts which are internal. Whosoever, then, loveth God with all his heart, and mind, and soul, his love is internal. He said particularly, "Love thy God," which is above the law, and not, "Thou shalt fear God," for the law hath dominion over fear, and not over love. Love is above the commandment of the law, and over those who are ruled thereby the law hath no power.

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

• 1 Timothy 4:4

  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 Timothy 4:4

  Hast thou forgotten that which Paul crieth, saying, "Everything which hath been created by God is holy, and nothing is to be rejected if it be received with thanksgiving?" But take good heed unto me, in this case also, that thou receive not this word as free permission to eat flesh, and that thou make not use thereof, for the sake of ministering unto thy lusts, for unto the free it is written. If thou hast been tempted in thy soul which standeth upon the height of the freedom of Christ, and hast subdued by the power of thy patient endurance the bondage which is in thee, thou mayest make use of these words, if when thou eatest thou dost not eat with thy senses, and when thou drinkest thou dost not drink longingly that which thou drinkest. If thou canst eat like a dead man, eat, but if thou eatest like a living man, take heed that thou dost not taste thy food with pleasure; for the perception of the taste of that which thou eatest testifieth against thee that thou art still alive unto lust, and that thou eatest in order that thou mayest eat, and not that thou mayest live.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 11 -- On Abstinence

• 1 Timothy 4:5

  Now with thee He hath not done thus, but He hath purified and sanctified everything, as it is written, "Everything is sanctified by the word of God and by prayer," that henceforth the patient endurance of thy discretion might appear, and that thou mightest not eat, not because they were impure, but because it hath been said that it is good that thou shouldst not eat flesh nor drink wine, nor anything by which our brother may stumble, and also that thou mightest overcome lust by thine own will, and not by the restriction of the uncleanness of meats.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 11 -- On Abstinence

• 1 Timothy 6:7

  Adam was thus created, and Eve was thus formed, and they were not only destitute of the riches of the world, but also of the clothing and raiment of the world, and they were like unto the child who goeth forth naked from the womb into creation, even as Job said, "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked will I return"; and as Paul also spake, "We brought nothing into the world, and it is evident that we are not able to take anything out from it." And as the after-birth in the womb envelopeth the child after he hath been fashioned and hath taken form to keep him alive, and when he is born from the womb it is cut off and cast away from him, because it belongeth not unto his person, nor is reckoned with the man, so also do riches, and possessions, and all other human things cling unto a man after he hath been born like the after-birth, but when he cometh to be born from this world into the next by the hand of death, his possessions are cut off and cast away from him like the after-birth which is cut off from the body.

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