The Profit of Virtue and the Sermon on the Mount
by admin ~ December 8th, 2009
As a regular reader, you will know that we have spent many weeks now in our DSR covering the Sermon on the Mount. Great effort has been put forth to bring out the sublime teaching found therein. In this post we want to review some conclusions we can draw from our Lord’s words. We hope you enjoy this summary, as we paraphrase from the early Church and St. John Chrysostom.
We begin by noting that as our Lord reached the end of His teaching in chapter 7 of Matthew, and thus the end of the Sermon on the Mount, He began to wind down with a wonderful parable about the wise man and the fool. You see, having finished His discourse accurately of all virtue, and having pointed out the pretenders to it, of various kinds, both such as for display fast and make prayers, and such as come in sheep’s clothing; and them too that spoil it, whom He also called swine and dogs: He proceeds to signify how great is the profit of virtue even here in this our earthly life, and how great the mischief of wickedness as well, by saying,
“Whosoever therefore hears these sayings of mine, and does them, shall be likened unto a wise man.”
And you should know what such as obey all these sayings shall enjoy; not in the world to come only, but even here. For whosoever, says He, hears these sayings of mine, and does them, shall be likened to a “wise” man.
In these words do you see how He, having previously spent His discourse touching the future–that is of an eternal Heavenly Kingdom, and unspeakable rewards and consolations and the like–is now showing that it is His will, as well, to provide us out of things here also great rewards, and to signify how great is the strength of virtue even in the present life?
Now of what does He speak when He lifts us up to understand the greatness of virtue even in this present life? What are the rewards of the virtuous life in this world? What rewards can we expect who seek first the Kingdom of God, and have all our earthly needs then added unto us?
Well, certainly to live in safety, to be easily subdued by no terror, and to stand superior to all that despitefully use us. If you meditate on these things, one is led to then ask, “To this what can be equal?” For these things, not even he that wears the diadem (an earthly king) can provide for himself, but only that man who follows after virtue. For such an one alone is possessed of it in full abundance: thus only such an one, in the ebb and flow of the things present, ever enjoys a great calm. And the truly marvellous thing about this is that not in fair weather only, but when the storm is vehement, and the turmoil great, and the temptations continual, he cannot be shaken even in the least.
And how is this point driven home by our Lord? With these words: “For the rain descended, the floods came, the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon the rock.”
Now make note that by rain here, and floods, and winds, He is expressing metaphorically the calamities and afflictions that befall men; such as false accusations, plots, bereavements, deaths, loss of friends, vexations from strangers, even all the ills in our life that any one could mention. But to none of these, says He, does such a soul give way; and the cause is, it is founded on the rock.
Yes indeed, He calls the steadfastness of His doctrine a rock! because in truth His commands are stronger than any rock, setting any one who follows them above all the waves of human affairs. For even he who keeps these things strictly, will not have the advantage of men only when they are vexing him, but even of the very devils plotting against him. And we do not here boast in vain of the virtuous life, for Job is our witness, who received all the assaults of the devil, and stood unmoveable.
And the apostles too are our witnesses, for that when the waves of the whole world were beating against them, when both nations and princes, both their own people and strangers, both the evil spirits, and the devil, and every engine was set in motion, they stood firmer than a rock, and dispersed it all.
And consider last-of-all for today, what can be happier than this kind of life? For this–not wealth, not strength of body, not glory, not power, nor anything else, will be able to secure–but only the possession of virtue. For there is not, nay there is not any other life we may find free from all evils, but this alone. And you are witnesses, who know the plots in king’s courts, the turmoils and the troubles in the houses of the rich. But there was not among the apostles any such thing.
Well, that’s all for today. . . but don’t worry, we will pick up in our next posting with more of our summary. If you are already walking daily with us through the New Testament–we trust God is blessing your time in His Word. If you are not already enrolled, but you would like to be, you can join us by enrolling here: DSR Teaching Service. No matter your choice, please remember in the meantime to keep yourself in the Word!
And remember to speak God’s love into someone’s life today!
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(c) Copyright – Paul Rakowicz. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
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