Homilies on First Thessalonians — Homily 11

St. John Chrysostom

1. 0. Greeting

[[1 Thessalonians 5.19]]-22

Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. But prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from every form of evil.

A thick mist, a darkness and cloud is spread over all the earth. And, showing this, the Apostle said, For we were once darkness. [[Ephesians 5.8]] And again, You, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Since therefore there is, so to speak, a moonless night, and we walk in that night, God has given us a bright lamp, having kindled in our souls the grace of the Holy Spirit. But some who have received this light have rendered it more bright and shining, as, for instance, Paul and Peter, and all those Saints; while others have even extinguished it, as the five virgins, as those who have made shipwreck concerning the faith, as the fornicator of Corinth, as the Galatians who were perverted.

On this account Paul says, Quench not the Spirit, that is, the gift of grace, for it is his custom so to call the gift of the Spirit. But this an impure life extinguishes. For as any one, who has sprinkled both water and dust upon the light of our lamp, extinguishes it, and if he does not this, but only takes out the oil — so it is also with the gift of grace. For if you have cast over it earthly things, and the cares of fluctuating matters, you have quenched the Spirit. And if you have done none of these things, but a temptation coming from some other quarter has vehemently assailed it, as some wind, and if the light be not strong, and it has not much oil, or you have not closed the opening, or have not shut the door, all is undone. But what is the opening? As in the lamp, so is it also in us: it is the eye and the ear. Suffer not a violent blast of wickedness to fall upon these, since it would extinguish the lamp, but close them up with the fear of God. The mouth is the door. Shut it, and fasten it, that it may both give light, and repel the attack from without. For instance, has any one insulted and reviled you? Do you shut the mouth; for if you open it, you add force to the wind. Do you not see in houses, when two doors stand directly opposite, and there is a strong wind, if you shut one, and there is no opposite draught, the wind has no power, but the greater part of its force is abated? So also now, there are two doors, your mouth, and his who insults and affronts you; if you shut your mouth, and dost not allow a draught on the other side, you have quenched the whole blast; but if you open it, it will not be restrained. Let us not therefore quench it.

And the flame is often liable to be extinguished even when no temptation assails it. When the oil fails, when we do not alms, the Spirit is quenched. For it came to you as an alms from God. Then He sees this fruit not existing in you, and he abides not with an unmerciful soul. But the Spirit being quenched, you know what follows, as many of you as have walked on a road in a moonless night. And if it is difficult