The Ethiopic Didascalia

Section 4

III. Concerning the Bishop, the Priest, and the Deacon. Concerning Bishops, we have heard thus from our Lord Jesus Christ: The Shepherd of the sheep who is appointed a Bishop in all the churches, must be without spot, good and pure, one who thinks not on the cares of this world; who is not younger than fifty years of age, who has passed the strength of his youth; who speaks not that which is false among the brethren. For He saith in the Gospel, Every word that a man shall speak idly and without thought, by it shall he be condemned in the day of judgment. And again He saith. By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Wherefore it behoveth him to be full of all things that are good; and if he be not learned, let him be discreet, and understanding, and of middle age. And if the city be small, and there be not found in it such a man fit for the Bishop's office, but of the younger men there be found one who understandeth and is wise, whose years are fewer, and to whom those who know him bear witness that he is worthy to be appointed Bishop; if he have lived from his youth in the works of the Holy Fathers, perfect and humble, walking in the right way, tried in every work, of whom they witness that he is perfect, let him be appointed in peace. For Solomon also, when he was but twelve years old, reigned over the people of Israel. And Ozias was made a ruler when he had attained seven years, and then in the eighth year he reigned in righteousness. For the Lord God spake by the mouth of Isaiah the prophet, and said. To whom shall I look, but to him that is meek and lowly and quiet, that trembleth at my word? And again he saith in the Gospel, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Let him then be merciful; for he saith. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Let him be a peace-maker; for he saith. Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the sons of God. Let him be pure in heart, without malice and evil and unrighteousness; for he saith. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Let him be a spiritual man, ready to do good, without covetousness and without wrath; not a drunkard, not revengeful, without hatred and strife, not vain-glorious, nor a lover of gold, nor an evil-speaker. Neither let him be puffed up, lest he fall into the snare of the devil: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be made honourable. Let such a man then be made a Bishop, a man that hath married one wife, a woman befitting him, who can govern his house as a good teacher and reprover, who hath brought up his children in purity. And let his wife be faithful, one who nurtureth her children in the true worship and in the fear of the Lord. It is right regarding a Bishop, that the men of his household should be obedient to him, with humility and fear; and let him also be a master: as it is written. Let them try him, that he be a man without spot: neither let him be an angry man, for thus saith Wisdom; An angry man destroyeth wisdom. But let him be merciful, and a giver of alms. For our Lord saith. And by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another. Let him be, therefore, a lover of mankind, one who receiveth strangers, who accepteth not persons, a judge who favoureth neither the rich nor the poor, who is ready to serve others, whose hands are open to give, who receiveth widows, a lover of the poor, the fatherless, and the desolate. And, moreover, let him feed those who have children. But if there be a slothful man, who hath wasted his substance in drunkenness and fornication, and desireth that men should give him alms, let not the Bishop shew any care towards him, and let him not suffer him to enter the church. For the Scripture saith to those who do thus. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard! and when wilt thou awake from thy slumber? A little thou wilt sleep, and a little thou wilt sit still, a httle thou wilt slumber, and a little thou wilt fold thy hand in thy bosom. And then poverty shall come upon thee like an evil messenger; and want, as a swift runner. It is not good for a Bishop, when he judgeth, to accept the person of the rich, and to neglect the poor. For the Lord said unto Moses, When thou judgest, accept not the person of the rich, and turn not aside the judgment of the poor; for judgment belongeth unto the Lord. But it behoveth him to judge uprightly. Let the food of the Bishop be meat seasoned with moderation, that he may be able to teach and rebuke the multitude, and to turn them to the Lord. And let him be far from all evil, and read the Scriptures at all times, and be a lover of wisdom, that he may be able to interpret the Scriptures, through the Holy Spirit, both the word of the Gospel, the Law, and the Prophets. For our Lord said. Understand ye the voice of the Scriptures, for they are witnesses concerning me. It becomes a Bishop to think upon searching into and expounding the Scriptures, in order that he may satisfy the people with doctrine, and water them from the light of the Law of the Lord, with much admonition. As the Lord said. Light up upon you the light of wisdom, for it is time. Thus then it behoveth the Bishop to labour and toil and wrestle for righteousness' sake; and so much the more in the presence of the people, that they, seeing his works, may be ready to receive his teaching. And, moreover, let him not become surety for any man, nor make friendship with the great, nor let him be of a double heart or of a double tongue; neither let him follow after princes, but let him fear the Lord: neither let him hear false accusation against his neighbour. And let him not neglect to fast, nor make pretexts for eating, and say. To-day is a feast, as the Gentiles do, to eat and to drink and to take their pleasure; but let him cast away from himself every idle desire, in which there is no profit; for all this is despised and hated in the sight of the Lord, and well-pleasing to the devils. It becomes the Bishop, therefore, to command and exhort the people, that they put away from themselves all these doings. But let him teach them, and turn them, that they may become like himself, and follow his way in uprightness. For the Lord said to the Children of Israel, Observe my Law, and my covenant, and my commandments. And Jesus Christ himself, our Lord and our God, first did all things, and then taught us to become like himself; and therefore he saith, that he who shall teach and do, shall be great in the kingdom of heaven. It is your office, O Bishops! to teach the people, and preserve them from error, according as Christ hath given you grace. For the Lord spake by the mouth of the Prophet Ezekiel, and said. Son of man, I have set thee as a watchman to the House of Israel; and thou shalt hear the word from my mouth, and shalt rebuke them with my word. When I say unto the sinner. Thou shalt surely die; and he hath not repented, and thou hast not told him, nor reproved [ Leaf is here lost from the MS. ] anoint them with oil, and put on their garments after baptism. But thou, O Bishop, anoint on the forehead them that are baptized, both men and women, with holy oil, according to the institution of the holy baptism. And after this, ye, O Bishops and Priests, pray for them that are put under you, and baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. And then let the Deacon take the men, and the Deaconess the women, that the seal which they receive, and which no man can break, may be holy and pure. And after that they are baptized, let the Bishop anoint them with oil of balsam; for they are baptized into the death of Christ. The oil of balsam is the confirmation of faith. For when a man cometh up out of the water. among each other, and hath taught us that we should love our neighbour. And if our Lord and Saviour humbled himself for our sakes, and did all these things, how is it then that ye are puffed up, and are slow to do good among the poor and afflicted? Serve each other then with perfect love, without murmuring and accepting of persons. Only do not this for the outward appearance, but him, that he may repent and turn from his way and live, that sinner shall die in his sin, but his blood will I require at thy hand. But if thou hast rebuked the sinner, and he hath not turned from his sin, he shall die in his iniquity, but thou hast saved thyself. And if the righteous man hath turned from his righteousness and committed iniquity, while I shew him judgment before his face, he shall surely die in his iniquity, neither will I remember his righteousness which he hath done; but his blood will I require at thy hand. But if thou reprove the righteous man, that he sin not, that righteous man shall surely live, and thou also hast saved thy soul. In Like manner as when there ariseth a war and fighting in the midst of the people, and they search out a watchman, to give them word, that they may take heed to themselves; if he do not tell them before, that they may be saved from destruction, his blood shall be upon his head, for they heard not the voice of the trumpet. But if he see the sword coming against the land, and blow the trumpet for a sign to the armies, and any man hear the sound of the trumpet and get him not away, and the sword come and overtake him, his blood shall come upon his own head; for he heard the voice of the trumpet and gat him not away, and his blood shall be poured out upon him. But he that gat him away saved his life: so shall it be also with the Bishop, if he teach the word of everlasting life. For the sword is Judgment, and the voice of the trumpet is the Holy Gospel. And the watchmen are the Bishops of the Holy Church. The Bishop must feed the flock, and teach, and hold fast the word of Scripture, and make men fear because of judgment. And therefore let him rebuke them that walk without knowledge, and guide them plainly; let him teach them that know not, and confirm them that know. And let him gather in those that are lost, and speak to them at all times concerning their salvation, that when they hear these things they may receive instruction and do that which is good. For the Lord saith by the prophet. Testify against this people, and tell them their sins, if so be they will turn and repent and be saved from their transgression. And Moses moreover saith unto the people. Hear, O Israel! the Lord our God is one. And again it is said in the Gospel, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear! And Solomon also saith. Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father; and despise not the commandment of thy mother. Yet they have not heard, even unto this day; but have left the Lord, the only true God, and He hath called them a perverse and adulterous generation; of whom we have spoken before. And now know ye, O beloved! who have been baptized into the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, that it becometh not you to transgress, who have received such grace as this. Understand, brethren; for they that, after having received baptism, turn back to the works of iniquity, go down into the condemnation of hell. And there are others, also, who have not been believers; but afterwards, when they have been baptized, they become blessed before the Lord; as our Lord said in the Gospel, Blessed are ye when men shall persecute you, and revile you, and speak all evil against you falsely, for my sake: rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven. If there be any one against whom men have spoken falsely, he is blessed. For it is written, saying. Every man who is not tried, is not chosen before the Lord. If any man have departed from the Law, and men curse him, he hath brought the curse upon his own head. And so we also, if we obey not the commandments of the Lord, and do not His will, shall bring upon ourselves a curse, and moreover shall be driven far from the Lord. For those who do not what themselves teach, neither turn from following their own ways, such men the Bishop ought to reprove and put to shame. But he must teach them, in the love of Christ, how they ought to be obedient. The Bishop ought to seek after righteousness, and not honour transgressors, nor shew partiality in judgment, nor receive gifts from any one; for a gift blindeth the eyes of the wise: nor must he pervert the right cause. And, moreover, it is said in a certain place. Remove from yom'selves all evil And Solomon also saith. Go not to the place where they pitch their tents; come not thither; remove from them, and turn back. For they sleep not, unless they do evil; sleep is taken away from them, and they sleep not who devour iniquity. But if the Bishop hath not wisdom, but walketh in deceit and vileness, doing as Saul did to Agag, and as Eli the priest, who reproved not his sons when they departed from the commandment of the Lord — and behold how he lost his honour, and, moreover, the holy tabernacle of his city! — then doth he commit iniquity in the sight of the Lord, and becometh a stumbling-block and cause of offence to many, both to the new converts, to those who are receiving baptism, and moreover to the young believers, to men and women alike. And if the Bishop teach not, nor reprove, and walk not in the right way, but depart from the commandments of the Lord, for this cause he shall receive excommunication, and the judgment of the Lord shall come upon him; for he hath perverted the way of the people, in like manner as the people erred in the days of Jeroboam, and as those who were destroyed with Korah. But if any man offend against the Bishop and against those who are ordained, while there is no offence in them, and they are guiltless, he is not worthy to enter into the Church of the I-ord, for he hath been without shame, and hath walked in folly, and after the lust of his own mind. Therefore shall that come upon him which came upon those who mocked at Noah; and as Achan, who received the curse upon himself; or as Gehazi, who took the substance of Naaman the Syrian. Behold then, the shepherd of the sheep must teach and reprove in humility and in the fear of the Lord, and turn them to repentance; inquiring into the life of each one, that he may regulate their manner of hving as it is fit, in peace; that the people may lead good lives, and turn from their sins. This is that which is acceptable in the sight of the Lord: for when a man turneth away from his sin, and returneth to repentance, then others, seeing him, are taught the true service of God. Therefore ought the Bishop to be watchful to do good, that his good conversation may be known to all; for he is the guide of the people, and the shepherd of the chiefs and rulers and teachers, and of all those who are under him. It becomes the Bishop, therefore, that he should sit in the church vidth the priests, and that they should give judgment for every man, as it is fitting; for to them the Lord hath given power, and commanded them, saying. Whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. It becomes the Bishop to turn the people to the knowledge of the Lord, and to receive the repentance of those who turn to the Lord, to teach and comfort them in humility and love and lowliness and joy of heart; for the Lord God himself is merciful. For He saith by the Prophet Ezekiel, As I hve, saith the Lord God, I desire not the death of a sinner, but that he should repent, and turn from his evil way: why will ye die in your sins, O House of Israel? Thou, son of man, say unto the children of thy people. The righteousness of the righteous shall not save him when he transgresseth, neither shall the wickedness of the sinner afflict him when he repenteth from his transgression; nor shall the righteous man be saved when he sinueth. And when I speak to the righteous man, if he trust in his righteousness and commit sin, all his righteousness that he hath done I will not remember unto him: in his sin that he hath committed shall he die. And if I say unto the sinner, thou shalt surely die, and he repent of his sin, and do that which is just and right, and return the pledge of his debt, and restore that which he hath taken by violence, and walk in the way of life, and commit not sin, he shall surely live, and not die in his sin that he hath sinned, neither will I remember unto him his transgression: for he hath done that which is just and right, and in it shall he live. And therefore is there hope for sinners, when they turn from their sins and repent, that they shall find a good hope; and they shall inherit the earth. And let them that have not transgressed take heed that they fall not into condemnation, and affliction, and sorrow, and weeping. Know and understand, O man, if thou hast transgressed in this world and hast committed sin, and hast not repented, thou shalt sm"ely die, and hast not life. Repent, therefore, while thou art alive; for David saith. There is none that remembereth thee in death; and in the grave who trusteth in thee? For after men are dead, there is no repentance. It is right therefore, brethren, that we should stand ready in doing good, and should walk in the right way, in which there is no sorrow. Let us hear, then, and understand that which he saith. Direct my way and my goings, according to Thy word: and let us not fall behind in any good work, but observe the holy word that is written in the Gospel concerning the five wise virgins, neither let us be as the five foolish virgins, with whom the oil of good works was spent, and they were cast out firom the heavenly marriage. Therefore ought we to keep ourselves, and be diligently watchful over ourselves, and observe the time of the bridegroom, that we fall not into sin; but he that doeth righteousness, let him take heed to do it unto the end. It behoveth the Bishop, therefore, to understand, and to judge with righteousness; for judgment is the Lord's. Let him rebuke sinners that they walk in the right way; and when they turn, let him receive their repentance with compassion and mercy. Remember what our Lord saith. There is great joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth. But if thou receivest not them that repent, but rejectest them, thou hast dispersed thy flock, and hast not understood what David saith. Give not up unto the fierce beasts the soul that confesseth unto thee. For thus hath the Lord said, That which falleth, shall it not arise? and that which hath erred, shall it not be brought back? Wherefore have the people rebelled with an evil rebellion, and confirmed their purpose, and refused to leave it? Hearken now, and hear, say they not thus? Is there not a man that repenteth of his evil, and saith. What have I done? Turn, O ye children that are gone afar off, and I will heal your wound. Receive them that repent, O Bishop! and be not of a double heart, neither harden thy heart as those that have no pity. For he that doeth thus feareth not the Lord; but let him rather consider to direct the concerns of the people, as it is fitting. Let us keep ourselves therefore; and have thou no communion with sinners and wicked men, who do thus. The righteousness of the righteous shall be for himself; and he that doeth sin after this manner without law, his transgression shall come upon his own head. For He saith by the Prophet Ezekiel, If a land sin against me and err and transgress, and I lift up my hand against it and cut off the strength of its bread, and send against it famine, and destroy from it man and beast, though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in the midst of it, they (only) shall be saved in their righteousness, saith the Lord God. And if I send evil beasts against and upon that land and punish it, and destroy it, and there be left none that moveth before those beasts, though these three men were in the midst of it, as I hve, saith the Lord God, they shall save neither their sons, nor their little ones, nor their daughters; but they only themselves shall be saved, and that land shall be destroyed. As it is written, if there be in this world a righteous man and a sinner, the righteous shall not perish with the sinner. But He causeth his rain to fall upon the good and the evil. And if there be any one that thinketh and saith otherwise, yet is judgment equal towards all; for in battle also there is a strong man, and there is another stronger than he; and he that conquereth receiveth his crown of victory openly. For the Lord condemneth not the righteous man with the sinner. Noah was not drowned in the water of the flood; and Lot was not burnt in the fire; and Rahab the harlot perished not. And if ye will know that which hath happened among us: Judas Iscariot, though he was united with us in the same ministry, perished; and Simon the sorcerer also received the seal of the Lord; yet inasmuch as these two were evil, their wickedness was made known openly. Judas strangled himself; and Simon, flying up into the air, fell upon the earth. And while Noah was in the ark with his sons. Ham, by his wickedness, brought a curse upon his children. And, therefore, he hath taught us that the fathers are not recompensed for the sin of their children, nor the children for the sin of their fathers. And this thing is manifest, that women are not condemned for their husbands, nor young men for their wives; nor servants for their masters, nor masters for their servants; nor relations for their relations, nor friends for their friends; nor the just for sinners, but every one shall be recompensed according to his doings. For Noah also perished not in the sin of the people, nor was Lot burnt in the fire of Sodom, nor did Rahab perish in the sin of Jericho, nor the Children of Israel on account of the Egyptians. We must not, therefore, follow the way and the works of the violent and unjust and deceitful, and adulterers and murderers, who make pretexts for evil, men full of hatred, who are ready for violence and death; for every man shall be recompensed according to his deeds; as David saith. For thou wilt recompense to every man according to his works. And therefore it is right that we should help the afflicted, and visit the sick, and convert sinners, who have been wounded by their sinful deeds. Let us teach them, and instruct them with the voice of reproof, that they may be saved from the death of sin. For the whole need not a physician, but they that are sick: for our Father who is in heaven willeth not that one of these little ones should perish. O Brethren! let us not hear the voice of the foolish, and of them whose hearts are darkened; but let us perform the will of God the Father, the Creator of the whole world by our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever! Amen. The Bishop ought not to hear the word of accusation from the evil man who speaketh falsely against his neighbour. But do thou put thy trust in the Lord, and direct the people as is right. And let not the son exalt himself against his father, nor the servant against his master, nor the disciple against his teacher, nor the officer of the Court against the King, nor the layman against the Bishop. For a teacher must not have communion with the wicked; for the sinner desireth not the voice of reproof. Ezekiel the Prophet saith. As I live, saith the Lord God, they shall not again speak this proverb in Israel: for the soul of every man is mine. As the soul of the father, so the soul of his children, and so the soul of every man is mine; and the soul that sinneth, it shall die. But the man that doeth that which is just and right, and hath not eaten upon the mountains, nor lifted up his eyes to the imagination of the House of Israel, nor hath defiled his neighbour's wife, nor come near to a woman in her uncleanness, nor hath done violence to his neighbour; and hath returned the pledge of his debt, and hath not taken by violence, nor oppressed, and hath given of his substance to the poor, and clothing from his garments to the naked, and hath not lent his money upon usury, nor hath taken unjustly, but hath turned his hand from violence and sin, and hath done judgment and righteousness and justice between a man and his neighbour, and hath walked in my commandments and kept my law, and done righteousness, he shall surely live, saith the Lord God. But if he beget a son who is a sinner and a murderer and doeth violence, and hath not walked in the way of his righteous father, hath eaten upon the mountains and hath defiled his neighbour's wife, hath oppressed the poor and needy and hath committed violence and injustice, hath not restored the pledge of his debt, hath turned his eyes towards idols, and hath done iniquity, hath lent his money upon usury, and oppressed, and taken that which was stolen, he that doeth thus shall not hve: in all his sin that he hath done he shall surely die, and his blood shall come upon his own head, if he repent not and turn. But if he beget a son, who seeth all the sin of his father that he doeth, and feareth and doeth not likewise, but ceaseth from it, and hath not eaten upon the mountains, nor lifted up his eyes to the imagination of the House of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour's wife, nor committed violence against any man; and hath returned the pledge of his debt, and turned his eyes from evil, neither hath oppressed nor taken violently, and hath given of his substance to the hungry to eat, and hath clothed the naked with his garments, and hath turned his hands from violence, and hath taken no usury, nor the substance of another wrongfully, but hath done righteousness and walked in my commandments, he shall not die for the sin of his father; he shall surely live: but his father, because he committed violence and wrong, and plundered and oppressed, and did that which ought not to be done in the midst of my people, he shall die in his transgression. Yet ye say. How is it that the son is recompensed for the sin of his father? But if the son be righteous, and shew mercy, and keep all my Law, he shall surely live; and the soul that sinneth, it shall die. For the son shall not be recompensed for the sin of his father: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the sin of the sinner shall be upon him. And if the sinner turn from all the sin that he hath done, and keep all my Law and Commandments, and do righteousness and shew mercy, he shall surely live, he shall not die: all his sin that he hath done will I not remember unto him, but in his righteousness that he hath done shall he live. Do I at all desire that the sinner should die, saith the Lord, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? But if the righteous man turn from his righteousness and commit sin, in his transgression that he hath committed shall he die; and all his righteousness that he hath done I will not remember unto him, but in his sin that he hath sinned, in it shall he die. Yet ye say, It is not just. When the righteous man turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity, in his transgression that he hath done he shall die. And if the sinner turn from his sin that he hath committed, and do that which is just and right, he that doeth thus hath saved his soul: he hath seen and turned from all his sin that he hath done; he shall surely live; he shall not die. Yet the House of Israel say. The way of the Lord is not just. Are not my ways just, O House of Israel? Are not your ways unjust, O House of Israel? Therefore will I judge you all according to your ways, O House of Israel! saith the Lord God. Turn ye, and repent you of your sins, and let not the punishment of your sin come upon you. Cast away from off you all your transgression in which ye have sinned against me, saith the Lord, and make you a new heart and a new spirit: why will ye die in your sins, O House of Israel? For I desire not that ye should die, saith the Lord God; but that ye should repent and live, saith the Lord God. Turn ye, and repent you of your evil, that ye may live.