Chapter 13
PATIENCE
because he embraced repentance; repentance is not wasted because it meets up with patience!
(8) Consider now charity, the great bond of faith, the treasure of the Christian religion, which the Apostle extols with all the power of the Holy Spirit: how is it learned except by the exercise of patience? (9) 'Charity,' he says, 'is magnanimous.'6 It derives this from patience. 'It is kind.'
Patience works no evil. 'It does not envy.' Envy is certainly a characteristic of impatience. 'It is not pretentious.' It has derived its contentment from patience. 'It is not puffed up, is not ambitious, for that does not befit patience. 'It is not self-seeking. It suffers [the loss of] its own goods provided that it be to another's advantage. 'It is not provoked.' What, then, would it have left to impatience? Therefore, he says, charity bears with all things, endures all things.' Of course it does, because it is itself patient. (10) He is correct, then, in stating that it will never fall away. Everything else will pass away and come to an end. Tongues, knowledge, prophecies are made void, but there persist faith, hope, and charity: faith, which the patience of Christ has instilled; hope, to which the patience of man looks forward; charity, which patience accompanies, according to the teaching
Chapter 13 (1) Thus far [we have been speaking], however, of a patience which constitutes simply and uniformly and solely an operation of the soul, whereas in various ways we should strive for this same patience also in the body in order to 6 Cf. 1 Cor. 13.4-13.
TERTULLIAN
attain the good pleasure of the Lord, inasmuch as it was practised by the Lord Himself as a virtue also of the body; for the soul, as the directing agent, readily shares the inspirations of the Spirit with that wherein it dwells. (2) What, then, is the operation of patience in the body? Primarily, mortification of the flesh as a sacrifice acceptable to the Lord.
This is an offering of [one's] humility, since it offers to the Lord a sacrifice of mourning dress along with meager rations, contenting itself with plain food and a drink of clear water, joining fast with fast1 and persevering in sackcloth and ashes.
(3) This patience on the part of the body contributes to the value of our petitions and strengthens our prayers for deliverance. It opens the ears of Christ our God, dispels His severity, elicits His mercy.2 (4) Thus, after offending the Lord, the King of Babylon lived for seven years in squalor and filth, an exile from human society. By this offering of the patient endurance of bodily [discomfort] not only did he
1 Tertullian uses the expressions ieiunia coniungere (De patientia 13.2) and [ieiu'nium] continuare (De ieiunio 14.3) to describe the practice of extending the fast beyond the usual time—the ordinary fast ended at 6 p.m. It meant a total abstention from food for two, three, and even more days. The technical term for this practice was superpositio (sc. ieiunii) . These lengthy and continuous fasts, which were also called biduanum (sc. ieiunium), triduanum, quatriduanum, were in vogue especially among the ascetics.
2 The sense of the passage is certainly that 'bodily patience,' which manifests itself above all in the mortification of the flesh by penance done in sackcloth and ashes and the observance of vigorous fasts (see the preceding sentence!), recommends our prayers to God, gives additional strength to our prayers against evil, and opens the ears of God. The idea that prayer can be strengthened and made more effective by combining it with mortification of the flesh occurs also in Tertullian's De exhortatione castitatis 10.2, where he says: 'For this reason the Apostle added the counsel of temporary abstinence for the sake of recommending our prayers' to God (Ideo apostolus temporalem purificationem orationum commendandarum causa adiecit).
PATIENCE
regain his kingdom, but—and this is even more desirable in a man—he made satisfaction to God.3
(5) Now, if we go on to consider the higher and more blessed degrees of bodily patience, [we see that] it turns continence, too, into an opportunity for sanctity: this it is which preserves the widow [in her state], places its seal upon the virgin, and raises to the kingdom of heaven one who of his own free will embraces a life of celibacy.4
(6) That which derives from the power of the soul finds its fulfillment in the flesh. In persecutions the endurance of the flesh engages in battle. If flight besets one, the flesh surmounts the hardships of flight. If imprisonment precludes flight, it is the flesh which submits to the chains, the block of wood, and the bare ground. It is the flesh which endures both the scanty light [of the dungeon] and the deprivation of worldly comforts. (7) But, when one is led forth to the ordeal that will prove his happiness, to the opportunity to renew one's baptism, to the very ascent to the throne of divinity, there is nothing [which avails] more in that situation than endurance on the part of the body. If the spirit is willing but the flesh— without patience—weak,5 where is there salvation for the spirit as well as for the flesh itself? (8) On the other hand, when the Lord speaks thus of the flesh and declares it weak.
He points out what is needed for strengthening it, namely, patience in the face of everything that is ready to overthrow our faith and impose a penalty for it, that one may bear with constancy stripes, and fire, the cross, wild beasts, or the sword as the Prophets and Apostles bore them and won the victory.
3 Cf. Dan. 4.25-30.
4 Cf. Matt. 19.12.
5 Cf. Matt. 26.41.
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Chapter 14 (1) In virtue of his power of endurance, Isaias, though cut in pieces, does not refrain from speaking of the Lord.1
Stephen, as he is stoned, prays for pardon for his enemies.2
(2) Happy, too, was that man who displayed every manner of patience against every vicious attack of the Devil!3 His flocks were driven away, his wealth in cattle destroyed by lightning,1 his children killed at a single stroke when his house collapsed,0 his own body, finally, was tortured by painful sores yet, by none of these was he lured from his patience and the trust he owed the Lord. Though the Devil struck him with all his strength, he struck in vain! (3) Far from being turned away by so many misfortunes from the reverence which he owed to God, he set for us an example and proof of how we must practise patience in the spirit as well as in the flesh, in soul as well as in body, that we may not succumb under the loss of worldly goods, the death of our dear ones, or any bodily afflictions. (4) What a trophy over the Devil God erected in the case of that man! What a banner of His glory
He raised above His enemy when that man let fall from his lips no other word than 'Thanks be to God!' as each bitter message reached him; when he severely rebuked his wife who, weary by now of misfortunes, was urging him to improper remedies.6 (5) How God laughed, and how the Evil One was split asunder, when Job, with perfect calm, would wipe
1 Cf. Ascensio Isaiae 5.14.
2 Cf. Acts 7.59.
3 Cf. Job 1.15-19.
4 The reading of the text is doubtful and the translation here follows the emendation of Engelbrecht; cf. Tob 1.16.
5 Cf. Job 1.19.
6 Cf. Job 2.9-10.