Not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Not defrauding. St. Jerome puts, not stealing. The Greek signifies private thefts. Dr. Wells, not by filching.
That they may adorn (or give honour to) the doctrine of God, our Saviour, in all things; by whom we may understand God, i.e. Christ, God and Man, or God as common to the three divine persons. (Witham)
Thus ought they to show forth in their whole conduct that strict love of justice and sanctity which the Catholic faith inspires into those who profess it, and live up to the admirable rules it prescribes; thus alone can they be said to do honour to their religion, when they practically perform what they speculatively believe.
Thus he has well said in another place, Doing service as to the Lord, and not to men. For if you serve your master with good will, yet the occasion of this service proceeds from your fear, and he who with so great fear renders Him service, shall receive the greater reward. For if he restrain not his hand, or his unruly tongue, how shall the Gentile admire the doctrine that is among us? But if they see their slave, who has been taught the philosophy of Christ, displaying more self-command than their own philosophers, and serving with all meekness and good will, he will in every way admire the power of the Gospel. For the Greeks judge not of doctrines by the doctrine itself, but they make the life and conduct the test of the doctrines. Let women therefore and servants be their instructors by their conversation. For both among themselves, and everywhere, it is admitted that the race of servants is passionate, not open to impression, intractable, and not very apt to receive instruction in ...
