Demonstrations 14.45–14.50

Translated by Claude from Jean Parisot's Latin translation (1894) of the Syriac; neither is shown

Brothers, we have written you these few words of peace and quiet because of the disturbance that has happened among us at this time, so that we might become sharers in your peace, and with us also our brothers [settled] in various places, to whom this quarrel and dissension has reached. But if anyone does not accept these words, we are neither cheated nor harmed by it. For even among those of whom the world was not worthy there were found at times men most wicked in their teachings, who resisted them, mocking them and opposing their words. The assembly of the wicked mocked Moses and opposed him. Jeremiah's brothers envied him and threw him into a pit; and when he rebuked his countrymen for their sins, they said this against him: "This man does not seek the peace of this people, and he weakens the hands of the fighting men." From Babylon too they sent false prophets to the priests of Jerusalem, [saying]: "Stop Jeremiah from his prophesying." And when he saw how stubbornly they rejected rebuke, he said: "I said indeed, I will not speak any more in the name of the Lord, nor remember his word; but it became in my mouth a burning fire, kindled in my bones; and I tried to bear it and could not." The Lord also commanded Ezekiel and said: "See, they will put bonds on you and bind you with them; and while they do so to you, you will be silent, and you will not be a man who rebukes them, for I will make your tongue cling to your palate." And at another time he said: "My mouth has been opened and will no longer be shut." They also said to Amos: "You shall not prophesy in the name of the Lord, nor teach the men of the house of Isaac." But he was not hindered from prophesying. And when Baruch son of Neriah had written the holy words from the mouth of Jeremiah, and King Zedekiah heard them, he burned them in the fire because they contained rebuke; but Jeremiah wrote [again] and added still other words; but they did not accept discipline and did not turn from their sins, and they received from the king of Babylon the punishment fitting for transgressors of the law. Again the Lord said of all the prophets: "I hewed my prophets and killed them by the word of my mouth; but the children of Israel did not turn from their sins." And even our Savior his own children called a Samaritan; they also called him Beelzebul and one who has a demon. And Paul too, when he taught, they called a babbler. And they not only did not receive their words, but afflicted them with blows and lashes even to death. His people rose against Moses to stone him; Ahab sent Micaiah to prison; they threw Jeremiah into a pit of mud; they loaded Ezekiel with bonds; and they seized our Savior, mocked him, made him guilty of sin, and hung him on wood. Paul they now bound, now stoned, and finally let down through the wall in a basket. All of them suffered these humiliations from their own countrymen, yet they did not resent their troubles, for their building was set on a firm foundation. Few rejected them, but many received them; by their words they gained life, and their good name remains for generations.

Translated by Claude from Jean Parisot's Latin translation (1894) of the Syriac; neither is shown

The Lord is the sower, and we are the earth that receives the seed. The sower filled his hand [with seeds], which he throws on his land. Some fell among thorns, some on rock, some the birds carried off; but what fell on good ploughed ground, when it grows and comes up, will bear fruit a hundredfold, sixtyfold, and thirtyfold. See then that of four parts one was kept as seed and bore fruit; another part fell among thorns, which choked it; another on rock, where the sun dried it with its rays; another was carried off by birds, which are harmful and greedy birds; and finally another fell on ploughed ground that received the water, and gave fruit.

Translated by Claude from Jean Parisot's Latin translation (1894) of the Syriac; neither is shown

But we, dearest friends, though we are sinners and the lowest [of men], still build on that foundation; we too have received of that leaven; the Lord's seed has fallen on our land, and we have received money from the richest merchant. His Spirit has been poured out on all flesh, and his grace is withheld from no one. If it happens that someone mocks us and does not receive what we have written, it will do us no harm and him no good. But our words will be useful to those who hear, because we have written you nothing contrary to the law, nor sent you a stolen treasure, but from the seed and the dough of the holy Scriptures. Debased silver is not accepted wherever it is carried; old leaven is not kneaded with good flour; worn-out wineskins cannot bear the strength of wine, and a new patch put on an old garment tears it. A vineyard that is tended will bear fruit, not wild grapes; but a heart hard like rock will dry up the seed. A building built on sand the rain will carry away and the wind throw down; salt that has lost its savour will be eaten by the serpent; the fisherman will throw the bad fish out; the tares will be rooted up in due time, and the chaff will at the end be separated from the wheat. Lazy workers will be ashamed at the hour of payment; the foolish virgins who lack oil will not be able to buy it when the Bridegroom comes. The steward who has beaten his fellow servants, his lord will judge when he comes. The wicked servant who hid his lord's money, when he who entrusted it to him comes, will reckon the interest with him. The doorkeeper who loves sleep will, when he wakes, be shut out from life. A wise king, while war is still far off, sends envoys asking for peace.

Translated by Claude from Jean Parisot's Latin translation (1894) of the Syriac; neither is shown

We have written you these short reflections, dearest friends. But if anyone hisses them off and wishes to mock us, we will not blame him at all, since he brings out the abundance of his heart and gives birth to and brings forth the offspring of his mind. Each one shows, brings out, and speaks from his own treasure. If someone does not possess gold, what will he give you from his treasury? A rich man, possessing treasures of every kind, brings out from them what he gives to those who ask; but a poor man brings out from his own tin or lead, mixed with false veins. Every tree yields its fruit in summer. The one that bears thorns is rooted out of the vineyard and is good for nothing but to be burned in the fire. The vine that bears good fruit its owner will prune and tend further; but the vine that bears wild grapes is of the planting of Sodom, and its grapes are bitter. "They do not gather grapes from thorns, nor figs from thistles. For every good tree makes good fruit, but a bad tree makes bad fruit. A good tree cannot give bad fruit, nor a bad tree give good fruit. A good man brings forth and speaks good things from the good treasures of his heart; but a wicked man brings forth and speaks evil things from the abundance of his heart; for out of the abundance of the heart the lips speak," as our Savior taught and said. Each one brings forth from his own and opens up what he has. A man full of agitation thinks no treasure better than his own; but when peace comes, it keeps off sedition, quenches tumult, and the wicked man … his treasure …

Translated by Claude from Jean Parisot's Latin translation (1894) of the Syriac; neither is shown

Brothers, this world lacks nothing, and it is filled with all kinds [of people], good and bad, rich and needy, sweet and bitter, bright and dark, righteous and wicked, upright and unjust. Some resist others, and there is no perfection in this world. But he will come who will separate and set apart the chaff and pull up the tares. Today the tares are mixed among the wheat, the good mingled with the bad; the upright are not separated from sinners, nor the righteous from the wicked, nor the wise from fools. But at that time the lord of the harvest will give command, and they will gather the wheat and root up the tares. They will separate the righteous to life; but the wicked will go away into darkness. The wise [virgins] will go in with the Bridegroom, but the foolish will be shut out. The money will be taken from the wicked servants, and the good servants will receive their talents. All who have prayed will find what they asked. Everyone who has sown will gather his labour. But, brothers, we trust that you will pursue peace, driving away tumult and quarrelling, envy and jealousy, spite and discord. For no one sees himself at once while he behaves badly, just as [no one] can see his own face. So it has now seemed good to us, as far as we are able, to recall to you the conduct of those of old: how prudent and perfect men excel, and how unhappy are the fools who spread tumult. You are sons of peace. Love peace, so that you may receive a reward from the Lord of peace, and become sharers in the blessedness the Savior bestowed when he proclaimed good things to many; for he said: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God."

Translated by Claude from Jean Parisot's Latin translation (1894) of the Syriac; neither is shown

This letter was written in the month of February, in the six hundred and fifty-fifth year of the reign of Alexander son of Philip the Macedonian, and in the [thirty-fifth] year of King Shapur … and likewise to the one who hears, if he has followed good exhortations, loved peace, and not stirred up quarrelling. For the sons of dissension are called sons of Cain; but the sons of peace are brothers of Christ [and] sons of the Father who is in heaven, and they will inherit the kingdom.

Here ends the Demonstration of Exhortation.