Distributing to the Needs of the Saints; Given to Hospitality (Romans 12:13–16)

Rom. 12:13. Distributing to the needs of the saints; given to hospitality.

Having depicted the burning spirit with its distinctive features or inseparable properties, the Apostle turns to its active manifestation, what it is occupied with and what deeds it performs. Before this depiction of the burning spirit, having said: “be kindly affectioned one to another,” – in the depiction he indicated the power from which brotherly love proceeds; and now he denotes the deeds in which brotherly love is expressed, moved by the power of the burning spirit. The burning spirit is zealous only to please God. But since God Himself said that no one can please Him without benefiting the brethren, he turns his zeal chiefly to this. Christians are called saints throughout, as here. “He teaches about almsgiving to the faithful; for he calls them saints” (blessed Theophylact). By “needs” he means their necessities and wants – food, drink, clothing, shelter. To share in these needs of the saints, when one of them has them, is to have a part in meeting them. “He did not say: share in great expenditures of theirs – but: ‘needs’ of theirs – so as to satisfy the necessities of the saints” (blessed Theophylact). By the word: “distributing,” – sharing – is indicated a certain reciprocity, that is, that in this one gives and another receives. Those helping give the material, in which they themselves are rich; and from them they receive the spiritual, in which they are rich – prayers. This reciprocity can serve as an incentive to help. Thus blessed Theodoret writes: “By reminding of communion he persuades to generosity. For who would not agree to give money and become a sharer of the advancements (that is, of that in which the saints advance and in which they are rich)? The Apostle said this also in the Epistle to the Corinthians: ‘that your abundance may supply their lack’ (2 Cor. 8:14).” Holy Chrysostom points out also what exactly is received from the saints. “He did not say: help the saints in their needs, but: distribute to the needs of the saints – showing thereby that those helping receive more than they give, that helping is also a purchase, for it is communion. You give money, and they give you boldness before God (that is, the prayer of the one helping, supported by the prayer of the saints toward God, is more bold and acceptable).”

“Given to hospitality.” δκόκοντες, – pursuing, zealously caring for it and striving to not miss an opportunity for it. “Strangers the Apostle calls the saints who have come from another place and have need of service; and he commands that care be applied to them” (blessed Theodoret). – Then many were deprived of their homes and driven from their cities and villages. Therefore they were forced to seek shelter in other places. Then hospitality to strangers was a universal practice among Christians. In urging pursuit of hospitality, the Apostle teaches as though to snatch away from others the strangers appearing, in zealousness to house them. – Holy Chrysostom says: “The Apostle did not say: be hospitable, – but: pursue hospitality, teaching us not to wait for those in need (of shelter and rest) to come to us, but ourselves to run to them and pursue them. Thus did Lot, thus did Abraham. He spent the whole day watching for this fine catch, and, seeing them, sprang up, ran to meet them, bowed to the ground and said: Lord, ‘if now I have found favor in Your sight, do not pass by Your servant’ (Gen. 18:3). He did not imitate us, who, as soon as we see a stranger or a beggar, raise our eyebrows and do not deign to greet him with a word. And if, moved by a thousand requests, we command one of the servants to give a small coin, we think we have fulfilled all our duty. Abraham did not act so: he presented himself as a petitioner and servant, though he knew not whom he would receive. But we know perfectly that we receive Christ; yet we do not become condescending because of it. Abraham calls, asks, bows; and we insult those who come to us. Abraham does everything himself with his wife; and we will not trouble the servants. He especially deserves admiration for showing generosity and zeal, not knowing who came to him. So neither be curious; for you receive for Christ’s sake. The one receiving even the unworthy does not become guilty, but has his reward. For ‘he who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward’ (Mt. 10:41). So, do not be curious about his life and deeds; to try a whole life for one piece of bread shows extreme lack of discernment.”

Rom. 12:14. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

The Apostle does not mean mere manipulation of the tongue when he commands not to curse but to bless, but the feelings of the heart. One can bless without good wishes; one can refrain from cursing with the tongue while harboring in the heart hostility, vengeance, malice, and a curse: may this or that happen to you. The Apostle requires that toward persecutors we not only harbor nothing hostile, but rather cherish a benevolent disposition, as toward benefactors and friends. How is this possible? It is possible when one lives by the spirit awakened and burning under the action of God’s grace dwelling in him. Having passed in consciousness and will to this side of the spirit, the Christian has nothing on earth, but transfers his heart, thoughts, and hopes to another world. His goods are there, he occupies himself with theirs; the earthly all does not occupy or trouble him. He is cut off from this and assesses it in relation to that. What conduces to the gaining, increase, and preservation of goods there, he considers good, and what has the opposite effect, he considers evil. And this not in word and thought, but in the depths of his heart, with all his feeling. Consequently, for him the goods of the world are evil, and his evil is good. So too in persecutions he does not see and feel evil, but good; therefore he blesses those persecuting as benefactors. Why does the Apostle remind of this, when it should naturally be in the heart of those living by the grace-given spirit, which all truly believing, sacrament-sanctified are? Because within us there is always alongside the higher spiritual side a lower, psychical side, whose nature is to arrange earthly well-being. So long as this side is not recreated by the spirit, not spiritualized, and not transferred with the spirit to another world, it ceases not to present its demands. According to its demands, when persecuted, one must defend oneself, take vengeance, prove that no wrong is done to us with impunity: otherwise life on earth is impossible. Whoever takes such presentations to heart cannot bless those persecuting. But as this is an urgent requirement of life in Christ Jesus, the Apostle reminds: see, do not allow hostile self-seeking feelings toward persecutors into your heart, but hold to what the Spirit of Christ requires: “bless, and do not curse.”

At length on this holy Chrysostom interprets: “The Apostle did not say: do not remember injuries, do not take vengeance; but he required something far greater. The first a lover of wisdom can accomplish; but what the Apostle requires is the work of angels. – Persecutors are distributors of rewards to you. And if you are watchful, beyond this reward, you yourself acquire another. He will give you reward for being persecuted; and you yourself acquire by blessing the persecutor; for this is the surest proof of your love for Christ. As the one cursing the persecutor shows he does not bear persecution for Christ with great joy; so the one blessing shows strong love. Therefore, do not reproach the persecutor, so that you yourself may receive a greater reward, but show him that you bear it zealously, not by necessity – that this is for you a triumph and joy, not a disaster and sorrow. Therefore Christ also said: ‘Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven’ (Mt. 5:12, 11). Therefore the Apostles returned from the Sanhedrin rejoicing, that not only were they reviled, but also beaten. Besides you will acquire another not insignificant advantage: you will strike your opponents with wonder and teach them through your deeds that you are preparing for another life. As soon as your persecutor hears that you bear evil with joy and willingness, he will be convinced by experience itself that you have other hopes surpassing all the present. And if you conduct yourself otherwise, weep and complain; how is he to know that you expect another life? Besides this, another new gain presents itself. When the persecutor sees that you are not offended by wrongs, but even bless the wrongdoer; he will cease to trouble you. And see what good comes from this! Your reward is increased, temptation is diminished, the persecutor stops persecuting, God is glorified, your wisdom turns for the erring into a lesson guiding toward piety. Therefore to those offending not only in word, but also in deed, even persecutors, the Apostle commanded to render the opposite. And first he commands to bless them; later (verses 20-21) he persuades to show them kindness.”

Rom. 12:15. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

Such is the law of love that those who love each other mutually live one in another; because what happens to one, the other receives as if it happened to himself. And he rejoices with those rejoicing and weeps with the weeping. Compassion is natural to us and deeply felt; but rejoicing together is not so common, more rare and manifested more superficially. This is because compassion may not manifest itself only toward those who have wronged us. In this case there lives in the soul the desire for vengeance. The affliction visited on the wrongdoer satisfies this desire and, instead of compassion, resounds with malicious pleasure. But since wrongs in communal life are not everywhere, compassion rarely meets obstacles to its manifestation. On the contrary, rejoicing together presupposes preference for the well-being of others over one’s own, while in the natural order, self-love dwelling in the heart makes us think and feel opposite to this. Another’s well-being directly offends self-will, which instead of rejoicing is tormented with envy. So it is in the natural order of life. But when grace comes and awakens the spirit, then together with its igniting there is reborn disinterested love for the brethren; yet it does not at once embrace the whole being, but ascends to a flame through struggle with self-will. The measure of suppression of self-will is the measure of the elevation of love. When that completely melts away – this begins to burn with flame. And then rejoicing together and suffering together manifest themselves in their full force. Until then they are maintained sincerely only through struggle. And this struggle, that is, self-overcoming, self-compelled arousal and maintenance of the force of feelings of rejoicing and suffering, serves as the best means for advancement in love and its elevation to the proper degree.

Holy Chrysostom also expounds these feelings at length: “The Apostle wishes us to be warmed by friendship. Therefore he added that we must sympathize and suffer with those when we see that the neighbors have fallen into misfortune. – I agree, you say; but if the Apostle had reason to prescribe that we mourn with the weeping; why did he give another commandment (to rejoice with the rejoicing), which seems to need no explanation? On the contrary, to rejoice with the rejoicing, the soul needs more wisdom than to weep with the weeping. To the latter nature itself draws us; and there is no man so hard that he does not weep at the sight of the unfortunate. But to see a man in good fortune and not only not envy, but even share his joy – this requires a very noble soul. Therefore the Apostle spoke of this first. – Nothing so inclines us to love as when we share both joys and sorrows with one another. So, do not shun compassion because calamity is far from you. When your neighbor suffers evil, you must consider his misfortune as your own. Share with him tears, to lighten his sorrow; share joys, so that the joy be lasting, love unbroken, so that not only your neighbor, but you yourself gain benefit, when, weeping with him, you will train yourself in mercy, and, rejoicing with him, will drive away envy and ill-will. See how light is Paul’s commandment! He did not say: deliver from calamity; then you might object that this is in many cases impossible. On the contrary, the Apostle prescribed the lightest, which is wholly in your power. If you cannot avert misfortune, shed tears, and thereby greatly diminish it. If you cannot increase well-being, add your joy, and thereby add much to it. Therefore the Apostle commands not only not to envy, but, far more importantly, to rejoice together with the neighbor; for this means far more than not to envy.”

Rom. 12:16. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

“Be of the same mind toward one another” – can have more than one sense. One can see here a lesson on unity of mind generally, as in the Epistle to the Philippians: “that you be like-minded, of one accord” (Phil. 2:2). Divergence in views on things and in judgments about them is the beginning of division and heartfelt separation, as a result of which inevitably those of differing minds become strangers to each other, and alien; and after this there will no longer be joy with the rejoicing and weeping with the weeping, nor unity in prayer. Therefore below holy Paul also prays: “May the God of patience and comfort grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 15:5, 6).

But it can also be understood thus: be of like minds toward one another, accommodate yourselves to each other, with thought and heart enter into each other, be separate in nothing. Holy Chrysostom says: “What do the words mean: ‘Be of the same mind toward one another?’ A poor man comes into your home: be of one mind with him, do not assume too important an air because you are rich. In Christ there is neither rich nor poor. Do not be ashamed of outward clothing, but receive according to inner faith. Do you see a weeping one – do not think him unworthy of comfort. Do you see one prosperous – do not be ashamed to share his pleasure and feelings; but as you think of yourself, so think of him. For example, you consider yourself an important man? Regard him as such too. Do you suspect that he is small and low? Pass the same judgment on yourself, cast off all inequality. But how is this possible? It is possible if you lay aside arrogance. Therefore the Apostle added: ‘Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble.’”

“Do not think of yourselves more highly than you ought.” Do not hold high opinions of yourselves. Pride produces contempt for others and brings about division. The Apostle everywhere arms himself against this evil, and especially in the Romans, to whom this evil was nearer than to others. He spoke against this before; now he “again forbids the arrogance of pride” (Blessed Theodoret). “Again, as at the beginning of the discourse, he is very concerned about humility of mind, because the Romans both by place of residence and by many other reasons, as is natural, were full of pride. Therefore the Apostle constantly strives to remove the disease and overthrow arrogance. For nothing so divides the body of the Church as pride” (Saint Chrysostom). “To think lofty thoughts is pride. And the devil, having thought lofty thoughts, fell away from God. Let there be no exaltation in your heart, so that in attributing perfection to your deeds, you do not demean your brother as a sinner, when you yourself are already in sin precisely by that exaltation, and in a sin greater than any other. Signifying this, the Lord said: ‘Hypocrite, first remove the beam from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye’ (Lk. 6:42). The one who exalts himself exalts himself as if sinless, and by this very fact he sins, for who is without sin? Therefore the wise Solomon wrote: ‘God opposes the proud’ (Prov. 3:34)” (Ambrosiaster).

“But associate with the lowly.” The word “lowly” can be understood both in the sense of people humbled by condition and external station. Thus Saint Chrysostom: “by the name of the lowly the Apostle here understands not simply the humble-minded, but those who are abased and despised.” So all our interpreters. Blessed Theodoret expresses the Apostle’s thought thus: “The Apostle decrees to condescend to those who, in men’s judgment, are humbled.” Associate with them, enter into their needs and yourself personally meet their needs, not fearing to suffer some humiliation through it. Saint Chrysostom says: “Condescend, adapt yourself, adjust to their lowness. Not only share their humble feelings, but help by extending your hand, not a strange hand, but your own, as a father cares for his son, a head for the body. The Apostle says the same thing in another place: ‘Remember those in chains as if you were bound with them’ (Heb. 13:3).”

But one can under “the lowly” understand humble thoughts and feelings. The instruction would then be: do not think highly of yourselves, but be guided by humble thoughts and feelings about yourselves. Among the holy ascetics one often encounters the lesson: always hold to the humble or last place. Whether you go with someone, lag back a little; whether you enter an assembly, choose the last place; whether a conversation is being held, either be silent or, if you must speak, speak last; whether you choose obedience, take the lowest task. Thus in everything. This is the surest path to acquiring true humility. Such a thought appears in Ambrosiaster, who writes: “associate with the lowly so as to have grace with God.”

“Do not be wise in your own sight.” Do not think that you yourself can think everything through well and arrange it properly; verify your thoughts by consulting with others more experienced. “Do everything by counsel,” the Wise One taught long ago (Prov. 31:4). And this applies both to worldly and all the more to spiritual matters. Blessed Theodoret expresses the Apostle’s thought thus: “do not be satisfied with what you have thought up yourself, but accept counsel from others.” Saint Chrysostom interprets thus: “do not think that you can satisfy yourselves in all things by yourselves. And Scripture says in another place: ‘Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight’ (Isa. 5:21)! The Apostle again undermines pride here, overthrows presumption and arrogance.”

Concerning how dangerous it is in spiritual life to rely on one’s own reason alone and how beneficial it is to do everything here with counsel, the holy Abba Dorotheus teaches at length in his fifth instruction. Those wishing to know about this more thoroughly are referred to this instruction. But all other ascetics also have many lessons about this. Among them a special phrase has been coined to designate this disease of the mind: to accept thoughts or to believe one’s own mind. The main danger is that the enemy comes up and instills much that appears good but is not. As he himself transforms himself into an angel of light, so too he knows how to give his thoughts an appearance of light. And thus he leads someone from one apparent good to another, and then brings him to evil that appears to be good, then to actual evil, and finally casts him into ruin.