ACC ~ 1 Timothy 4 v13

OUT OF HIS TREASURY THINGS NEW AND OLD. ORIGEN: Now “every scribe who has been made a disciple to the kingdom of heaven is like a man that is a householder who brings forth out of his treasury things new and old.” Therefore, it clearly follows by “conversion of the proposition,” as it is called, that every one who does not bring forth out of his treasury things new and old is not a scribe who has been made a disciple for the kingdom of heaven. We must endeavor, therefore, in every way to gather in our heart, “by giving heed to reading, to exhortation, to teaching” and by “meditating in the law of the Lord day and night.”We must observe not only the new oracles of the Gospels and of the apostles and their revelation but also the old things in the law “which has the shadow of the good things to come” and in the prophets who prophesied in accordance with them. COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 10.15.

TO PRESERVE RIGHT DOCTRINE. CAESARIUS OF ARLES: In addition, if grief and trouble, even perils and reproaches from an unlearned people are stirred up as the result of a spirit of animosity, bear them with courage and constancy. Look rather to our Lord and Savior, the true shepherd who condescended to suffer, not only tribulation but even death, for the sake of the sheep. It is necessary for you to bear many adversities, if you want to preserve right doctrine and continuously to preach the word of God as it is expedient to do. The precepts of justice are always bitter to those who lead a wicked life. For this reason I exhort you today in the sight of God and his angels, and I declare with the voice of the apostle, “Devote yourself to the reading of Scripture, to preaching and teaching.” SERMONS 230.4.

PAUL’S OWN WORK THE EXAMPLE. CHRYSOSTOM: In what did St. Paul surpass the rest of the apostles? … Is it not because of the excellence of his epistles? By this he has helped and will help and, as long as the human race remains, will never stop helping the faithful, not only of his own time but from that day to this and those who shall believe until the coming of Christ. For his writings fortify the churches all over the world like a wall of steel. … His writings are not only useful to us for the refutation of false doctrine and the establishment of the true, but they help us very greatly, too, in living a good life. … These facts are enough to show that he took great pains over this part of his work. But listen also to what he says to his disciple in a letter, “Give heed to reading, to exhortation, to teaching.” ON THE PRIESTHOOD 4.7.

SCRIPTURE AN INFINITE RESOURCE. CHRYSOSTOM: It is not possible, I say, not possible, ever to exhaust the mind of the Scriptures. It is a well which has no bottom. HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 19.5.

1 Tim