Letter 79

To Euthenius the Deacon. You give yourself airs over the reading of the Scriptures, and you boast and are puffed up over your speculations, taking delight in holding bare leaves instead of fruits, and you sneer at those who have no knowledge. But this even stage-actors will often be able to do. Rather, by works pleasing to God, set your will to beautify and adorn your own soul. "For woe," he says, "to the scribes and Pharisees who counterfeit the learning of the blessed words, because they say good things and do not do them" [cf. Matthew 23:3, 13]. First, then, act; and after that, teach.

Φρύττη ἐπὶ τῇ ἀναγνώσει τῶν Γραφῶν, καὶ μεγαλαυχεῖς φυσώμενος ἐπὶ ταῖς θεωρίαις, ἀντὶ καρπῶν ψιλὰ τὰ φύλλα κατέχειν τερπόμενος, καὶ μυκητηρίζεις τοὺς γνῶσιν μὴ ἔχοντας. Τοῦτο δ᾽ ἂν καὶ σκηνικοὶ πολλάκις ποιῆσαι δυνήσονται. Ἀλλ᾽ ἔργοις μᾶλλον εὐαρέστοις τῷ Θεῷ τὴν σαυτοῦ ψυχὴν ὡραῖσαι καὶ κοσμῆσαι θέλησον· «Οὐαὶ γάρ, φησί, γραμματεῦσι καὶ Φαρισαίοις ὑποκρινομένοις τὴν μάθησιν τῶν μακαρίων λόγων, ὅτι λέγουσι τὰ χρηστά, καὶ οὐ ποιοῦσιν αὐτά.» Πρότερον τοίνυν πρᾶξον, καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο δίδαξε.