God took from him his royalty, and gave it to the meek David. (I Sam. 15.27-28) Jezabel pursued Elias, pigs and dogs licked up her blood, (I Kgs. 19.2-3; II Kgs. 9.33ff) and harlots were bathed in it. Herod removed John, and was consumed by worms. (Acts 12.23) And now holy Germanus, shining by word and example, has been punished and become an exile, and many more bishops and fathers, whose names are unknown to us. Is not this a persecution? When the Pharisees and the learned surrounded our Lord, ostensibly to listen to His teaching, and when they asked Him if it was lawful to pay tribute to Caesar, He answered them “Bring me a coin.” And when they had brought it, He said:
“Whose image is this?” Upon their reply, “Caesar’s,” He said, “Give to Caesar that which is Caesar’s and to God that which is God’s.” (Mt. 22.17ff) We are obedient to you, O King, in things concerning our daily life, in tributes, taxes, and payments, which are your due; but in ecclesiastical government we have our pastors, preachers of the word, and exponents of ecclesiastical law. We do not change the boundaries marked out by our fathers (Prov. 22.28): we keep the tradition we have received. If we begin to lay down the law to the Church, even in the smallest thing, the whole edifice will fall to the ground in no short time.
Holy Scripture pronounces
You look down upon matter and call it contemptible. This is what the Manicheans did, but holy Scripture pronounces it to be good for it says, “And God saw all that He had made, and it was very good.” (Gen. 2.31) I say matter is God’s creation and a good thing. Now, if you say it is bad, you say either that it is not from God, or you make Him a cause of evil. Listen to the words of Scripture concerning matter, which you despise: “And Moses said to all the assembly of the children of Israel:
This is the word the Lord hath commanded, saying: Set aside with you first fruits to the Lord; let every one that is willing and hath a ready heart, offer them to the Lord: gold, and silver, and brass, violet and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, and fine linen, goat’s hair, and ram’s skins dyed red, and violet, and coloured skins, selimwood, and oil to maintain lights, and to make ointment, and most sweet incense, onyx stones and precious stones for the adorning of the ephod and the rational: Whosoever of you is wise let him come and make that which the Lord hath commanded: to wit, the tabernacle,” etc.(Ex. 35.4-10)
Read More about Memnon the Philosopher or Human Wisdom part 4
