ACC ~ Matthew 25 v9

PERHAPS THERE WILL NOT BE ENOUGH FOR US

EPIPHANIUS THE LATIN: “As the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’” [1] Likewise, the blessed apostle, Paul, declared, “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord.” [2] So those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. But the foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” [3] Their spiritual virginity was running out and failing, because they did not have works of religious devotion and compassion. But the wise replied, “Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.” For on the day of the resurrection and judgment, however much anyone might be rich in holy works, he will fear for himself, lest he not have enough. INTERPRETATION OF THE GOSPELS 36. [4]

[1] Mt 25:5-6.

[2] 1 Thess 4:16-17.

[3] Mt 25:8.

[4] PL Supp 3:892-93.

GO TO THE DEALERS AND BUY FOR YOURSELVES

AUGUSTINE: “But the wise replied, ‘Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’” This is hardly the voice of those who give counsel but rather those who rebuke. Why are they scornful? Because they were wise, because wisdom was in them. For they were not wise by anything that belonged to them. Rather that wisdom was in them of which it is written in a certain Scripture that wisdom shall say to those that despised her, when they have fallen upon the evils which she threatened them, “I will laugh over your destruction.” [1] No wonder the wise mock the foolish virgins. And what is this mocking?

“Go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves,” you who never desired to live well but because people praised you, who sold you oil. Who are these who “sold you oil”? They are the ones who sell praises. Who sells praises, but flatterers? How much better would it have been for you not to have acquiesced to flatterers, and to have carried oil within, and for the sake of a good conscience to have done all good works… .

Go then to those who deal in human praise, as you have been accustomed to doing, but do not expect the wise to give you oil at this crucial moment. Why? “Lest there not be enough for us and you.” What is “lest there not be enough”? This was not spoken in any lack of hope but in a sober and godly humility. For though the good person have a good conscience, how does he know how the final judge, who is deceived by no one, will judge? He has a good conscience; no sins conceived in the heart argue with him. Yet, though his conscience is good, because of the daily sins of human life, he says to God daily, “Forgive us our debts,” on the assumption that he has already done what comes next, “as we also forgive our debtors.” [2] He has broken his bread to the hungry from the heart; from the heart has he clothed the naked. Out of that inward oil he has done good works, and yet in that judgment even his good conscience trembles. SERMON 93.8-9. [3]

[1] Prov 1:26.

[2] Mt 6:12.

[3] PL 38:578; NPNF 1 6:404 (Sermon 43).