The Ascetic Life, The Four Centuries on Charity

Ancient Christian Writers #21

by Maximus the Confessor, Polycarp Sherwood (Translator)

St. Maximus the Confessor (c. 580–662), saint and martyr, might well be called the Saint of Synthesis. His thought, no less than his geographical wanderings, place him between Rome and Byzantium, between the theologies of East and West, and between the early Middle Ages and the ancient Church, whose representatives and traditions (which during his day had suffered much at the hands of imperial and ecclesial censure) he salvaged and brought back to the attention of his contemporaries. In this, we may take him as an exemplar for our own time, which demands of us as well such a re-excavation of the traditions of the Church as we seek also to bridge the divergences of the past (along with others that have meanwhile come to roost) in our present spiritual quest. The Ascetic Life takes the form of question and answer between a novice and an old monk. This dialogue springs directly from the nature of Christian life, centering above all on the quest for salvation, that is, the Lord’s purpose in His Incarnation—for it is by learning to make this purpose our own that we shall be saved, or deified, as St. Maximus would say. Once this purpose has been made clear and embraced, the three principal virtues required for attaining it are then explored—love, self-mastery, and prayer. Love tames anger, self-mastery overcomes desire, and prayer joins the mind to God. The Four Centuries on Charity is written in the form of sententious or gnomic literature, which was first fixed in “centuries” by Evagrius Ponticus, both the number 100 and the number of the centuries being the first as a perfect number referring to the One, God; and the other as representing the four Gospels. St. Maximus himself offers concision as the reason for his choice of the sententious form, for it facilitates the work of the memory in order that the reader may lay by a store of memorable, pithy sayings upon which to dwell prayerfully. This text begins A brother asked an old man and “Please, Father, tell What is the purpose of the Lord’s becoming man?” The old man answered and “I am surprised, brother, that you ask me about this, since you hear the symbol of faith every day. Still, I will tell the purpose of the Lord’s becoming man was our salvation.” This simple but infinite first interchange leads to a resounding composition, note-upon-note, of the song of our salvation, surrounding us with no less than a full symphony of renewed and refreshed understanding of our own Christian heritage.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Christianity, Religion

294 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1955

About the author

Maximus the Confessor (Greek: Μάξιμος ὁ Ὁμολογητής) also known as Maximus the Theologian and Maximus of Constantinople (c. 580 – 13 August 662) was a Christian monk, theologian, and scholar.

In his early life, Maximus was a civil servant, and an aide to the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius. However, he gave up this life in the political sphere to enter into the monastic life. Maximus had studied diverse schools of philosophy, and certainly what was common for his time, the Platonic dialogues, the works of Aristotle, and numerous later Platonic commentators on Aristotle and Plato, like Plotinus, Porphyry, Iamblichus, and Proclus. When one of his friends began espousing the Christological position known as Monothelitism, Maximus was drawn into the controversy, in which he supported an interpretation of the Chalcedonian formula on the basis of which it was asserted that Jesus had both a human and a divine will. Maximus is venerated in both Eastern Christianity and Western Christianity. His Christological positions eventually resulted in the mutilation of his tongue and right hand, after which he was exiled and died on August 13, 662 in Tsageri, Georgia. However, his theology was upheld by the Third Council of Constantinople and he was venerated as a saint soon after his death. He is almost unique among saints in that he has two feast days: the 13th of August and the 21st of January. His title of Confessor means that he suffered for the Christian faith, but was not directly martyred. The Life of the Virgin is commonly, albeit mistakenly, attributed to him, and is considered to be one of the earliest complete biographies of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Reviews

[Wyatt Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great edition of Maximos's writings. The translation keeps the complexity of the original while still being readable. Footnotes provide helpful information. And a long introduction (which I did not read, at least in full) supplies enough information to understand Maximos and his thought.

[Chandler Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

1.96: "We do not know God from His being but from the magnificence of His handiwork and His providence for creation. Through these as through mirrors we perceive His infinite goodness and wisdom and power."

2.27: "When you are about to enter theology, seek not out the very reasons of His nature (for that the human mind, or that of any other creature, is incapable of finding); scan rather, in so far as possible, the things about Him: for instance, His eternity, His immensity and infinity, His goodness and wisdom and power that makes, governs, and judges His creatures. For among men he truly is a great theologian who searches out these reasons, be it ever so little."

3.46: "Not as though in need of something did God, who is plenitude beyond measure, bring into being His creatures, but that they might proportionately share in Him with delight and that He Himself might enjoy His works, seeing them rejoice and ever insatiably sated on Himself the inexhaustible."

This book contains Polycarp Sherwood's indispensable introduction to Maximus's life and theological vision, as well as Sherwood's translations of "The Ascetic Life" and "The Four Centuries on Charity." Sherwood's chapter on Maximus's view of God is worth the price of the book alone. Initially, I did not know what to expect with the two translated works. At times, Maximus so emphasizes detachment from the world in such a way that seems entirely impractical and even impossible to me. Maximus affirms the goodness of creation but is wary of attachment to material things. I also have a hard time telling if Maximus thinks that the monastic life is a special calling for certain Christians, or a requirement of all Christians. With his emphasis on achieving pure prayer, he almost sets up the ascetic life of detachment as the norm for Christian life. I would have significant disagreement with Maximus here. Aside from this, the rest of the work is very edifying and I appreciate Maximus's humble approach to theological inquiry (as recorded in the quotes above). Maximus is doubtful that we can attain knowledge of God's essence. This eastern patristic emphasis is always intriguing to me because T. F. Torrance, himself a patrologist of the eastern tradition, believed that it was possible to know God according to his very essence in the person of Jesus Christ. I believe this contrast between the likes of Maximus and Torrance would be a fruitful research project. I conclude with this dialogical quote from Maximus on the incarnation in which he echoes the Nicene Creed. From the opening of "The Ascetic Life":

"A brother asked an old man and said: ‘Please, Father, tell me: What was the purpose of the Lord’s becoming man?’ The old man answered and said: ‘I am surprised, brother, that you ask me about this, since you hear the symbol of faith every day. Still, I will tell you: the purpose of the Lord’s becoming man was our salvation.’"

[Dennis Erwin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a review of the notes and introduction by Polycarp Sherwood. Warning to readers: I found them extremely dense and very hard to follow. It seems written for the expert. While I got a lot out of it in the end, I had to supplement most of Sherwood's writing with constant google searches.

[Ephrem Arcement · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reminds me just how much I've moved on from the Greek philosophical tradition which informed so much of early Christian theology. Nevertheless, nuggets of wisdom and spiritual insight are scattered throughout this work.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic we can all benefit from.

[Brother Gregory Rice, SOLT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read The Ascetic Life but only some of the Four Hundred Chapters (aphorisms on spiritual life). The Ascetic Life is remarkable for the simplicity and beauty of its system. Everything boils down to the command to love God and your brother above everything. And he says so simply, quickly, and clearly. Therefore, you must detach from what you continuously love above these in your fallen nature. But none of us are totally pure, in fact he is vehement that we are full of wickedness. We must then, while continuing to strive, show mercy always to our brother that we may beg mercy from our Father. That's it. Beautiful.

[John Tilinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit too dualistic (in the sacred-secular sense) for me, but heaps of gold.

[Joel Whitson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only read “The Ascetic Life” and not the 4 Crnturies (I will be reading in a different volume).