Greet all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy greet you.
Read Chapter 13
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you. Grace be with you all. Amen.
6. Seest thou how he shows that virtue is born neither wholly from God, nor yet from ourselves alone? First by saying, make you perfect in every good work; You have virtue indeed, he means, but need to be made complete. What is good work and word? So as to have both life and doctrines right. According to His will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight.
In His sight, he says. For this is the highest virtue, to do that which is well-pleasing in the sight of God, as the Prophet also says, And according to the cleanness of my hands in His eye-sight. Psalm 18:24
And having written thus much, he said this was little, in comparison with what he was going to say. As he says also in another place, As I wrote to you in few words: whereby when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ. Ephesians 3:3-4
And observe his wisdom. He says not, I beseech you, suffer the word of admonition, but the word of exhortation, that is, of consolation, of encouragement. No one, he means, can be wearied at the length of what has been said (Did this then make them turn away from him? By no means: he does not indeed wish to express this): that is, even if you be of little spirit, for it is the peculiarity of such persons not to endure a long discourse.
Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty, with whom if he come shortly I will see you. This is enough to persuade them to submit themselves, if he is ready to come with his disciple.
Salute them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. See how he honored them, since he wrote to them instead of to those [their rulers].
