Homilies on the First Epistle of John 2.11–2.14
Latin text: Migne, PL 35 (Latin text: Migne, Patrologia Latina, digitized by Open Greek and Latin (patrologia_latina-dev, University of Leipzig), CC BY-SA 4.0).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888).
Chapter 2
2.11PL 35:1995
Sed non diligamus mundum, neque ea quæ in mundo sunt. Quæ enim in mundo sunt, desiderium car nis est, et desiderium oculorum, et ambitio sæculi. Tria sunt ista: ne quis forte dicat, Quæ in mundo sunt, Deus fecit, id est, coelum et terram, mare, solem, lu nam, stellas, omnia ornamenta coelorum. Quae sunt ornamenta maris? Omnia repentia. Quæ terrae? Ani malia, arbores, volatilia. Ista sunt in mundo, Deus illa fecit. Quare ergo non amem quod Deus fecit? Spiritus Dei sit in te, ut videas quia hæc omnia bona sunt: sed vae tibi si amaveris condita, et deserueris conditorem. Pulchra sunt tibi; sed quanto est ille pulchrior qui ista formavit? Intendat Charitas vestra. Similitudinibus enim potestis instrui: ne subrepat vobis satanas, dicens quod solet dicere, Bene vobis sit in creatura Dei; quare illa fecit, nisi ut bene vobis sit? Et in ebriantur, et pereunt, et obliviscuntur Creatorem suum: dum non temperanter, sed cupide utuntur creatis, Creator contemnitur. De talibus dicit Apostolus: Co luerunt et servierunt creaturæ potius quam Creatori, qui est benedictus in sæcula. Non te prohibet Deus amare ista, sed non diligere ad beatitudinem; sed approbare et laudare ut ames Creatorem. Quem admodum, fratres, si sponsus faceret sponsae suæ annulum, et illa acceptum annulum plus diligeret quam sponsum qui illi fecit annulum; nonne in ipso dono sponsi adultera anima deprehenderetur, quamvis hic amaret quod dedit sponsus? Certe hoc amaret quod dedit sponsus: tamen si diceret, Sufficit mihi annulus iste, jam illius faciem nolo videre; qualis esset? Quis non detestaretur hanc amentiam? quis non adulteri num animum convinceret? Amas aurum pro viro, amas annulum pro sponso: si hoc est in te, ut ames annu lum pro sponso tuo, et nolis videre sponsum tuum, ad hoc tibi arrham dedit, ut non te oppigneraret, sed averteret. Ad hoc utique arrham dat sponsus, ut in arrha sua ipse ametur. Ergo dedit tibi Deus omnia ista, ama illum qui fecit. Plus est quod tibi vult dare, id est, seipsum, qui ista fecit. Si autem amaveris haec, quamvis illa Deus fecerit, et neglexeris Creatorem, et amaveris mundum; nonne tuus amor adulterinus de putabitur?
But let us not love the world, nor the things that are in the world. For the things that are in the world are the desire of the flesh, and the desire of the eyes, and the ambition of the world. These are three things; lest perhaps someone should say, "The things that are in the world God made, that is, heaven and earth, the sea, the sun, the moon, the stars, all the adornments of the heavens. What are the adornments of the sea? All creeping things. Of the earth? Animals, trees, birds. These are in the world; God made them. Why, then, should I not love what God made?" May the Spirit of God be in you, so that you see that all these things are good; but woe to you if you love the things made and forsake the maker. They are beautiful to you; but how much more beautiful is he who formed them? Let your Love attend. For you can be taught by comparisons, lest Satan steal upon you, saying what he usually says: "Enjoy yourselves in the creation of God; why did he make these things, except that you might enjoy yourselves?" And they get drunk and perish and forget their Creator: while they use created things not with moderation but with greed, the Creator is despised. Of such the apostle says, "They worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever." God does not forbid you to love these things, but not to love them so as to find your happiness in them; rather to approve and praise them so that you may love the Creator. Just as, brothers, if a bridegroom made a ring for his bride, and she, having received the ring, loved it more than the bridegroom who made the ring for her: would not an adulterous soul be detected in that very gift of the bridegroom, even though she loved what the bridegroom gave? Certainly she would love what the bridegroom gave; yet if she said, "This ring is enough for me; I do not want to see his face any more", what would she be? Who would not detest this madness? Who would not convict her of an adulterous mind? You love the gold instead of the husband, you love the ring instead of the bridegroom. If this is in you, that you love the ring instead of your bridegroom and do not want to see your bridegroom, then he gave you the pledge not to bind you to himself but to turn you away. Surely the bridegroom gives the pledge so that he himself may be loved in his pledge. So God has given you all these things; love him who made them. There is more that he wishes to give you, that is, himself, who made these things. But if you love these things, though God made them, and neglect the Creator and love the world, will not your love be counted adulterous?
1 John 2:15–16 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 1:31 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 1:25 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Created things are good, but to love them in place of their Creator is like a bride who loves the ring more than the bridegroom who gave it.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip): car nia est → car nis est; Tria Bunt ista → Tria sunt ista; Deus iila fecit → Deus illa fecit; ut videas quia hoec omnia → ut videas quia hæc omnia; Putchra sunt tibi → Pulchra sunt tibi; Similitudiui-' bus → Similitudinibus; etpereunt, etobliviscunturCreatoremsuum → et pereunt, et obliviscuntur Creatorem suum; qui eat benediclus in sæcul. → qui est benedictus in sæcula.; sponsae suæ an. nulum → sponsae suæ annulum; Certo hoc amaret → Certe hoc amaret; annulus Iste → annulus iste; adulteri nam animum → adulteri num animum; ames annu tom → ames annu lum; nolis vidcre sponsum tuum;, → nolis videre sponsum tuum,; quamvis illa Deus recent,. → quamvis illa Deus fecerit,; amavcris → amaveris; de putabitur'? → de putabitur?.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ep. Jo. 2.11 (PL 35:1995; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-epistulam-ioannis/2-11/#p-2-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne PL 35 (digital text, Open Greek and Latin), then compared batch by batch with the public-domain English of NPNF¹ 7 (Gibb and Innes, 1888); differences checked against the Latin.
2.12PL 35:1995
Mundus enim appellatur non solum ista fabrica quam fecit Deus, cœlum et terra, mare, visibilia et invisibilia: sed habitatores mundi mundus vocantur, quomodo domus vocatur et parietes et inhabitantes. Et aliquando laudamus domum, et vituperamus inha bitantes. Dicimus enim, Bona domus; quia marmo rata est et pulchre laqueata: et aliter dicimus, Bona domus; nemo ibi patitur injuriam, nullæ rapinae, nullæ oppressiones ibi fiunt. Modo non parietes lau damus, sed inhabitatores parietum: domus tamen vocatur, sive illa, sive illa. Omnes enim dilectores mundi, quia dilectione inhabitant mundum; sicut cœlum inhabitant quorum sursum est cor, et ambu lant carne in terra: omnes ergo dilectores mundi mundus vocantur. Ipsi non habent nisi ista tria, desi derium carnis, desiderium oculorum, et ambitionem sæculi. Desiderant enim manducare, bibere, concum bere, uti voluptatibus istis. Numquid non est in his modus? Aut quando dicitur, Nolite ista diligere, hoc dicitur, ut non manducetis, aut non bibatis, aut filios non procreetis? Non hoc dicitur. Sed sit modus pro pter Creatorem, ut non vos illigent ista dilectione; ne ad fruendum hoc ametis, quod ad utendum habere debe tis. Non autem probamini, nisi quando vobis proponun tur duo, hoc aut illud: Justitiam vis, an lucra? Non habeo unde vivam, non habeo unde manducem, non habeo un de bibam. Sed quid, si non potes habere ista nisi per iniquitatem? Nonne melius amas quod non amittis, quam iniquitatem committis? Lucrum auri vides, damnum fidei non vides. Hoc ergo, ait nobis, deside rium carnis est, id est, desiderium earum rerum quae pertinent ad carnem: sicut cibus et concubitus, et cætera hujusmodi.
For not only is this fabric which God made called the world, heaven and earth, sea, things visible and invisible; but the inhabitants of the world are called the world, just as a house is the name both of the walls and of those who live in it. And sometimes we praise a house and find fault with those who live in it. For we say, "A good house", because it is faced with marble and finely panelled; and in another sense we say, "A good house: no one suffers injury there, no robberies, no oppressions take place there." Then we are praising not the walls but those who live within the walls; yet both are called a house. For all lovers of the world, because they dwell in the world by love, as those dwell in heaven whose heart is above though they walk on earth in the flesh, all lovers of the world, then, are called the world. They have only these three: the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the ambition of the world. For they desire to eat, to drink, to lie together, to enjoy these pleasures. Is there no measure in these things? Or when it is said, "Do not love these things", is it said so that you may not eat, or not drink, or not beget children? That is not what is said. But let there be measure, for the Creator's sake, so that these things do not bind you with love of them, lest you love for enjoyment what you ought to have for use. And you are not tested except when two things are put before you, this or that: "Do you want justice, or gain?" "I have nothing to live on, nothing to eat, nothing to drink." But what if you cannot have these things except by iniquity? Is it not better to love what you do not lose than to commit iniquity? You see the gain of gold; you do not see the loss of faith. This, then, he tells us, is the desire of the flesh, that is, the desire of the things that belong to the flesh, such as food and intercourse and other things of this kind.
1 John 2:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Col 1:16 (allusion, medium confidence) · Phil 3:20 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: 'The world' also means the lovers of the world; bodily goods are to be used with measure for the Creator's sake, not loved for their own enjoyment or gained by injustice.
- The distinction between things to be "enjoyed" (frui) and things to be "used" (uti) is Augustine's (cf. On Christian Doctrine 1.3–4).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip): Et atiquando → Et aliquando; parietum.: domus → parietum: domus; sive illa, sive illa, Omnes enitn → sive illa, sive illa. Omnes enim; carne iu terra: omnes ergo dilectores. mundi → carne in terra: omnes ergo dilectores mundi; non babent → non habent; oculorumv et → oculorum, et; bere r uti → bere, uti; boc dicitur → hoc dicitur; illigent ista dilectione; ne ad fruendum hocametis → illigent ista dilectione; ne ad fruendum hoc ametis; Nen autem prebamiui → Non autem probamini; Justitiam visran luera? Non habeo unde vivam, non habeoundemanducem → Justitiam vis, an lucra? Non habeo unde vivam, non habeo unde manducem; deside rium carnii est → deside rium carnis est; ad carneni r sicut → ad carnem: sicut.
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ep. Jo. 2.12 (PL 35:1995; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-epistulam-ioannis/2-11/#p-2-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne PL 35 (digital text, Open Greek and Latin), then compared batch by batch with the public-domain English of NPNF¹ 7 (Gibb and Innes, 1888); differences checked against the Latin.
2.13PL 35:1995
Et desiderium oculorum: desiderium oculorum dicit omnem curiositatem. Jam quam late patet cu riositas? Ipsa in spectaculis, in theatris, in sacra men tis diaboli, in magicis artibus, in maleficiis ipsa est curiositas. Aliquando tentat etiam servos Dei, ut ve lint quasi miraculum facere, tentare utrum exaudiat illos Deus in miraculis; curiositas est, hoc est desi derium oculorum; non est a Patre. Si dedit Deus, fac; obtulit enim ut facias: non enim qui non fece runt, ad regnum Dei non pertinebunt. Cum gaude rent Apostoli quia daemonia eis subjecta erant, quid eis dixit Dominus? Nolite in hoc gaudere; sed gaudete quoniam nomina vestra scripta sunt in cælo. Inde voluit gaudere Apostolos, unde gaudes et tu. Væ tibi enim, si nomen tuum non est scriptum in cœlo. Numquid vae tibi, si non suscitaveris mortuos? numquid vae tibi, si non ambulaveris in mari? num quid vae tibi, si non excluseris daemonia? Si accepi sti unde facias, utere humiliter, non superbe. Nam et de quibusdam pseudoprophetis dixit Dominus, quia facturi sunt signa et prodigia. Ergo non sit ambitio sæculi. Ambitio sæculi superbia est. Jactare se vult in honoribus; magnus sibi videtur homo, sive de divitiis, sive de aliqua potentia.
"And the desire of the eyes": by the desire of the eyes he means all curiosity. Now how widely does curiosity extend? It is in shows, in theatres, in the sacraments of the devil, in magic arts, in sorceries: all this is curiosity. Sometimes it tempts even the servants of God, so that they want to work a miracle, as it were, to test whether God hears them in miracles: that is curiosity; that is the desire of the eyes; it is not from the Father. If God has given it, do it; for he has offered it so that you may do it. For those who have not done such things will not on that account not belong to the kingdom of God. When the apostles rejoiced that the demons were subject to them, what did the Lord say to them? "Do not rejoice in this, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." He wanted the apostles to rejoice in that in which you too rejoice. For woe to you if your name is not written in heaven. Is it woe to you if you have not raised the dead? Is it woe to you if you have not walked on the sea? Is it woe to you if you have not cast out demons? If you have received the power to do these things, use it humbly, not proudly. For the Lord said even of certain false prophets that they will do signs and wonders. So let there be no "ambition of the world". The ambition of the world is pride. A man wants to boast in honours; he seems great to himself, whether because of riches or because of some power.
1 John 2:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 10:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 24:24 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The desire of the eyes is curiosity, which may even seek miracles; what matters is that our names are written in heaven. The ambition of the world is pride.
- The "sacraments of the devil" are pagan rites.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip): lin quasi miraculum → lint quasi miraculum; oculorum; nou est → oculorum; non est; non enim qui. non. fece runt → non enim qui non fece runt; Cum gaude. rent → Cum gaude rent; sed gaudeU → sed gaudete; undegaudes → unde gaudes; non super be → non superbe; dixit Dominus, quia. facturi suut → dixit Dominus, quia facturi sunt; Ergo. non sit → Ergo non sit.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ep. Jo. 2.13 (PL 35:1995; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-epistulam-ioannis/2-11/#p-2-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne PL 35 (digital text, Open Greek and Latin), then compared batch by batch with the public-domain English of NPNF¹ 7 (Gibb and Innes, 1888); differences checked against the Latin.
2.14PL 35:1995–1997
Tria sunt ista, et nihil invenis unde tentetur cu piditas humana, nisi aut desiderio carnis, aut desiderio oculorum, aut ambitione sœculi. Per ista tria tenta tus est Dominus a diabolo. Desiderio carnis tentatus est, quando dictum est ei, Si Filius Dei es dic lapidi bus istis ut panes fiant; quando esurivit post jejunium. Sed quomodo repulit tentatorem, et docuit pugnare militem? Attende quid illi ait: Non in solo pane vivit homo, sed in omni verbo Dei. Tentatus est et desiderio oculorum de miraculo, quando ei dixit: Mitte te deor sum, quia scriptum est, Angelis suis mandavit de te, ut suscipiant te, ne quando offendas ad lapidem pedem tuum. Ille restitit tentatori: si enim faceret miracu lum, non videretur nisi aut cessisse, aut curiositate fecisse: fecit enim quando voluit tanquam Deus, sed tanquam infirmos curans. Nam si tunc faceret, quasi tantummodo miraculum voluisse facere putaretur. Sed ne hoc homines sentirent, attende quid respon dit; et quando tibi talis tentatio evenerit, dic illud et tu, Redi post me, satanas; scriptum est enim, Non tentabis Dominum Deum tuum: id est, Si hoc fecero, tentabo Deum. Hoc dixit, quod te voluit dicere. Quando tibi suggerit inimicus, Qualis homo, qualis christianus? modo vel unum miraculum fecisti, aut orationibus tuis mortui surrexerunt, aut febrientes sanasti? si vere esses alicujus momenti, faceres ali quod miraculum: responde et dic, Scriptum est, Non tentabis Dominum Deum tuum: non ergo tentabo Deum, quasi tunc pertineam ad Deum si fecero mira culum, et non pertineam si non fecero. Et ubi sunt verba ejus, Gaudete quia nomina vestra scripta sunt in coelo? De ambitione sæculi quomodo tentatus est Do minus? Quando elevavit eum in excelsum, et dixit ei: Hæc omnia tibi dabo, si prostratus adoraveris me. De elatione regni terreni voluit tentare regem saeculo rum: sed Dominus qui fecit coelum et terram, dia bolum calcabat. Quid magnum, a Domino diabolum vinci? Quid ergo respondit diabolo, nisi quod te do cuit ut respondeas? Scriptum est, Dominum Deum tuum adorabis, et illi soli servies. Te nentes ista, non habebitis concupiscentiam mundi: non habendo concupiscentiam mundi, non vos subju gabit nec desiderium carnis, nec desiderium oculo rum, nec ambitio sæculi; et facietis locum charitati venienti, ut diligatis Deum. Quia si fuerit ibi dilectio mundi, non ibi erit dilectio Dei. Tenete potius dile clionem Dei, ut quomodo Deus est æternus, sic ei vos maneatis in æternum: quia talis est quisque, qualis ejus dilectio est. Terram diligis? terra eris. Deum diligis? quid dicam? deus eris? Non audeo di cere ex me, Scripturas audiamus: Ego dixi, Dii estis, et filii Altissimi omnes. Si ergo vultis esse dii et filii Altissimi, nolite diligere mundum, neque ea quæ sunt in mundo. Si quis dilexerit mundum, non est charitas Patris in illo. Quia omnia quæ sunt in mundo, desiderium carnis est, et desiderium oculorum, et ambitio sæculi, quæ non est ex Patre, sed ex mundo: id est, ab hominibus dilectoribus mundi. Et mundus transit, et desideria ejus: qui autem facit voluntatem Dei, manet in æternum, sicut et Deus manet in æternum.
These are the three, and you find nothing by which human desire is tempted except either by the desire of the flesh, or the desire of the eyes, or the ambition of the world. By these three the Lord was tempted by the devil. He was tempted by the desire of the flesh when it was said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread", when he was hungry after his fast. But how did he repel the tempter, and teach his soldier to fight? Notice what he said to him: "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word of God." He was tempted also by the desire of the eyes, with a miracle, when he said to him, "Throw yourself down, for it is written, He has given his angels charge concerning you, that they may bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone." He resisted the tempter; for if he had worked the miracle, he would have seemed either to have given in or to have done it from curiosity. For he worked miracles when he willed, as God, but as healing the sick. For if he had done it then, he would have been thought to have wanted only to work a miracle. But lest men should think this, notice what he answered; and when such a temptation comes to you, say it too: "Get behind me, Satan; for it is written, You shall not tempt the Lord your God"; that is, "If I do this, I shall be tempting God." He said what he wanted you to say. When the enemy suggests to you, "What kind of man, what kind of Christian are you? Have you worked even one miracle? Or have the dead risen through your prayers, or have you healed those sick with fever? If you were really of any importance, you would work some miracle", answer and say, "It is written, You shall not tempt the Lord your God. So I will not tempt God, as though I should belong to God if I work a miracle and not belong if I do not." And where are his words, "Rejoice that your names are written in heaven"? How was the Lord tempted by the ambition of the world? When he lifted him up on high and said to him, "All these I will give you, if you fall down and worship me." By the pride of an earthly kingdom he wished to tempt the King of the ages; but the Lord, who made heaven and earth, trampled the devil underfoot. What great thing is it for the devil to be conquered by the Lord? What, then, did he answer the devil, but what he taught you to answer? "It is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve." Holding to these things, you will not have the lust of the world; and not having the lust of the world, neither the desire of the flesh, nor the desire of the eyes, nor the ambition of the world will subdue you; and you will make room for love when it comes, so that you love God. For if the love of the world is there, the love of God will not be there. Hold rather to the love of God, so that, as God is eternal, you too may abide for ever; for each one is such as his love is. Do you love the earth? You will be earth. Do you love God? What shall I say? You will be a god? I do not dare to say it of myself; let us hear the Scriptures: "I said, You are gods, and all of you sons of the Most High." If, then, you wish to be gods and sons of the Most High, "do not love the world, nor the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world is the desire of the flesh, and the desire of the eyes, and the ambition of the world, which is not from the Father but from the world", that is, from men who love the world. "And the world passes away, and its desires; but whoever does the will of God abides for ever, as God too abides for ever."
Matt 4:3–10 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 91:11–12 (90:11-Ps LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 8:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 6:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 6:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 10:20 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 1:17 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 82:6 (81:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 John 2:15–17 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ was tempted by the devil in the same three ways and answered each from Scripture; we too must resist them and love God, for each person becomes like what he loves.
- "I said, You are gods": Ps 82:6 (81:6 LXX/Vulg.).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip): nibil invenis → nihil invenis; cu piditasbumana, nisi aut desideriocarnis → cu piditas humana, nisi aut desiderio carnis; tus cst Dominus → tus est Dominus; post jejunium, Sed → post jejunium. Sed; vivit. homo → vivit homo; quia scriptum eat, Angelis → quia scriptum est, Angelis; ad lapident pedem' teum → ad lapidem pedem tuum; Redi post met satanas; scriptum eat enim → Redi post me, satanas; scriptum est enim; fceisli → fecisti; febricntes → febrientes; seripta sunt → scripta sunt; sseculi quomodo → sæculi quomodo; regem saeculo rum I: → regem saeculo rum:; qui fccit coelum → qui fecit coelum; phiL nec desiderium → gabit nec desiderium; rtun, nec ambitio sa cadi → rum, nec ambitio sæculi; dHe → dile; est aLemus → est æternus; deus cris? → deus eris?; Dii eatis, et filii → Dii estis, et filii; esse dii et lilii → esse dii et filii; mundum, ne ea quæ → mundum, neque ea quæ; quæ non eat ex Patre → quæ non est ex Patre.
Topics: Ethics, Christology
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ep. Jo. 2.14 (PL 35:1995–1997; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-epistulam-ioannis/2-11/#p-2-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-tractatus-epistulam-ioannis-2-14) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne PL 35 (digital text, Open Greek and Latin), then compared batch by batch with the public-domain English of NPNF¹ 7 (Gibb and Innes, 1888); differences checked against the Latin.