Giving Alms

Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

SUMMARY: When you can do good, do not put it off because alms deliver from death. Fasting is better than prayer, but almsgiving is better than both. If you give alms, do not let anyone know it. If we give alms in front of people to look generous and to be honored for our generosity, then we receive our reward from people. Everyone who is taught to hope in the heavenly kingdom is commanded to give alms. By almsgiving and faith, sins are cleansed. Do not hesitate to give, and do not complain when you give. Those who do good are taught not to brag, so that they do not become people-pleasers. God, who needs nothing, accepts our good works for this purpose, so that He may give us a reward from His own good gifts. When you can do good, do not put it off because alms deliver from death.

2 CLEMENT: Therefore, giving to the poor is a good thing, like repentance from sin. Fasting is better than prayer, but giving to the poor is better than both. But love covers a multitude of sins. But prayer that comes from a good conscience saves from death. Blessed is everyone who is found full of these things, because giving to the poor lightens the burden of sin.

THE DIDACHE: But do your prayers, your giving to the poor, and all your deeds the way you have it in the Gospel of our Lord.

HERMAS: listen to me, my sons. I raised you with much simplicity, trust, and purity because of the mercy of the Lord. He has poured His righteousness down on you so that you may be made righteous and holy, away from all your sin and moral corruption. But you do not want to stop sinning. Now, therefore, listen to me and live in peace with one another, visit each other, carry each other's burdens. Do not enjoy God's created gifts by yourself; instead, give generously from them to those in need. Some people, because they have so much food, bring weakness on their bodies, and in this way they harm their bodies. But the bodies of others who have no food are harmed because they do not have enough nourishment. Because of this, their bodies waste away. So this lack of self-control in eating is harmful to you who have plenty and do not share with those who are in need. Pay attention to the judgment that is coming. Therefore, you who are in high positions, look for the hungry while the tower is not yet finished. After the tower is finished, you will want to do good, but you will find no opportunity. Therefore, pay attention, you who take pride in your wealth. If those in need groan, their groans will rise up to the Lord, and you will be shut out with all your goods beyond the gate of the tower.

TATIAN: think carefully about your giving to the poor. Do not do it in front of people so they can see you. If you do, then you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. When you give to the poor, do not blow a trumpet in front of you, like hypocrites do in the synagogues and the marketplaces, so that people will praise them. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand does. Do this so your giving may be hidden. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you openly.

CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA: If you give to the poor, it is said, "Do not let anyone know it," and if you fast, put oil on yourself so that God alone may know, and not a single human being.

ARISTIDES: Christians do not announce to the crowd the good deeds they do; instead, they are careful that no one notices them. They hide their giving, just like someone who finds a treasure and hides it.

TERTULLIAN: Tertullian. Anyway, you Romans say the temple money is going down every day. You say that only a few people now put in a gift. Truly, we are not able to give alms to both your human beggars and your heavenly beggars. We also do not think we are required to give to anyone except those who ask for it. So let Jupiter hold out his hand and receive. Our compassion spends more in the streets than yours does in the temples.

TERTULLIAN: Tertullian. Scripture commands two things: first, that we work for the Lord without any second person knowing about it; second, that we do it without putting pressure on ourselves.

ORIGEN: So, if we give to the poor in front of people, and we are thinking about trying to look kind to them, and to be honored because we seem kind, then we receive our reward from people. And in general, anything that someone does while knowing that people will praise them for it has no reward from him who sees in secret. He gives the reward in secret to those who are pure in secret.

ORIGEN: It is sowing to the flesh when someone gives to the poor while having trumpets blown in front of him, in synagogues and streets, so that he will be honored by people. It is also sowing to the flesh when someone likes to pray while standing in synagogues and at broad street corners, so that he will be seen by people and thought to be a godly and holy person by those watching. Indeed, every traveler on the broad and spacious way that leads to destruction is like this: that way has no righteousness or straightness; instead, it is crooked and full of corners. The straight line in it is broken as much as possible. Such a traveler is standing no less than the one who prays at broad street corners. He is not standing in just one place; instead, because he loves pleasure, he is standing in many streets. In those streets you can find beings who, though they are human, are perishing because they have fallen away from their divinity. These people glorify and call blessed those whom they think are acting in a godly way.

ORIGEN: Just as water always fights against fire, and fire fights against water, and those things can never live together at the same time, in the same way selfish pride and virtue are against each other, they can never easily live together in one and the same soul. Therefore, selfish pride must be driven out of our souls, and we must obey Christ's commandments.

ORIGEN: Therefore, the law of nature will not help at all in knowing God's righteousness, even though it seems to understand something about human righteousness. The law really can recognize what is just among people. For example, it can see that what someone does not want to suffer himself, he should not do to his neighbor. But can it naturally recognize that righteousness which says, "Beware of practicing your righteousness before men," and "Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing." These things, and other just things like them, are things the law of nature cannot declare. Therefore, the apostle says, "But now, apart from the law, that is, of nature, the righteousness of God has been disclosed." It has the attestation of the law of Moses and of the prophets. In them, the Holy Spirit had recorded many things about God's righteousness through figures and enigmas.

ORIGEN: The zeal of the Jews was not based on knowledge. That is why, since they did not understand God's righteousness, they were trying to set up their own. That is, they were trying to have a righteousness that people could see. But truly, they should have obeyed the righteousness of God, who is Christ.

CYPRIAN: Cyprian. He gave a law to the healthy man and told him to sin no more, so that something worse would not happen to the sinner. We had been limited and shut into a narrow space by the commandment of innocence. Human weakness and frailty would have had no help unless God's mercy came again to help us. Then it opened a way to secure salvation by pointing out works of justice and mercy. In this way, by giving alms, we can wash away whatever uncleanness we later pick up. The Holy Spirit speaks in the sacred scriptures and says, "By almsgiving and faith sins are purged." This does not mean the sins that were committed earlier, because those are purged by the blood and sanctification of Christ. Also, He says again, "As water extinguishes fire, so almsgiving quenches sin." Here it is also shown and proved that just as in the washing of saving water the fire of Gehenna is put out, so by almsgiving and works of righteousness the flame of sins is brought down. And because in baptism forgiveness of sins is granted once for all, steady and unending labor following the pattern of baptism gives God's mercy again. The Lord teaches this in the Gospel too. The disciples were pointed out as eating and not first washing their hands. He answered and said, "He that made that which is within made also that which is without; but give alms, and look, all things are clean to you." By this, He teaches and shows that it is not the hands that must be washed, but the heart. The uncleanness from the inside should be removed more than the uncleanness from the outside. The one who has cleaned what is within has also cleaned what is without. If the mind is cleaned, a person has begun to be clean in skin and body too. Then, warning us and showing how we can be clean and purged, He added that alms must be given. He who is compassionate teaches and warns us that compassion must be shown. And because He wants to save those whom He redeemed at a great cost, He teaches that those who, after the grace of baptism, have become unclean, can be cleaned again. The divine warning in the scriptures, both old and new, has never failed. It has never been silent in urging God's people, always and everywhere, to do works of mercy. In the message and encouragement of the Holy Spirit, everyone who is taught to hope for the heavenly kingdom is commanded to give alms. The remedies for pleasing God are given in the words of God Himself. God's instructions have taught what sinners should do: that God is satisfied by works of righteousness, and that sins are cleansed by the rewards of mercy. And in Solomon we read, "Shut up alms in the heart of the poor, and these shall intercede for you from all evil." And again, "Whoever closes his ears so that he will not hear the weak, he also shall call upon God, and there will be none to hear him." Remembering these commands, Daniel, when King Nebuchadnezzar was anxious and frightened by a troubling dream, gave him a remedy to turn away evils and to gain God's help. He said, "Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you, and redeem your sins by almsgiving, and your unrighteousness by mercies to the poor, and God will be patient to your sins." But because the king did not obey him, he suffered the troubles and harms he had seen. He could have escaped and avoided them if he had redeemed his sins by almsgiving. Raphael the angel also gives the same witness and urges that alms should be given freely and generously. He says, "Prayer is good with fasting and alms, because alms deliver from death and it purges away sins." He shows that our prayers and fasting help less unless almsgiving supports them. Requests by themselves have little power to get what they ask for unless they are made strong by adding actions and good works. The angel reveals, makes clear, and confirms that our requests become effective by almsgiving. Life is rescued from dangers by almsgiving. Souls are delivered from death by almsgiving.

LACTANTIUS: This is the main and truest benefit of riches: it is not to use wealth for the private pleasure of one person, but for the good of many. It is not for your own quick enjoyment, but for justice, which alone does not perish. Therefore, we must always keep this in mind: when we show mercy, the hope of getting something back must be completely absent. The reward for this work and duty must be expected from God alone. If you expect it from a person, then it will not be kindness; it will be like lending a favor for interest. A person cannot seem to have done well if he gives what he gives, not for another, but for himself. And yet it comes to this: whatever a person has given to another, hoping for no benefit from him, he truly gives to himself because he will receive a reward from God. God has also commanded that if we ever make a feast, we should invite those who cannot invite us back, and so repay us. In this way, no action in our life should be without the practice of mercy. However, let no one think that he is kept from spending time with his friends or showing kindness to his neighbors. But God has made known to us what our true and right work is. We should live with our neighbors in this way, as long as we know that one way of living is related to people, and the other is related to God.

LACTANTIUS: Therefore, as often as you are asked for help, believe that God is testing you. He is testing you so it can be seen whether you are worthy to be heard. Examine your own conscience. As much as you can, heal your wounds. But because offenses are removed by giving to the poor, do not think you are being given permission to keep sinning. Sins are taken away if you are generous to God because you have sinned. But if you sin because you are counting on your giving to the poor, then your sins are not taken away. God especially wants people to be cleansed from their sins. Therefore, He commands them to repent. To repent is nothing else than to say and to promise that you will sin no more. Therefore, those are forgiven who, without knowing it and without being careful, slip into sin. But the one who sins on purpose has no forgiveness. Also, if someone has been made clean from every stain of sin, he should not think he can stop giving to the poor because he has no faults to wipe away. No, truly, he is then even more obligated to practice justice when he has become just. Then what he once did to heal his wounds, he should later do for the praise and glory of virtue. Also, no one can be without fault as long as he is weighed down with a body of flesh. The weakness of the flesh is under the power of sin in three ways: in deeds, in words, and in thoughts. By these steps, justice rises to the greatest height. The first step of virtue is to stay away from evil actions. The second is to stay away from evil words too. The third is to stay away even from thoughts of evil things. The one who climbs the first step is just enough. The one who climbs the second is now of complete virtue since he offends neither in deeds nor in speech. The one who climbs the third truly seems to have reached the likeness of God. For it is almost beyond what a human can do to not even allow into the mind what is either evil in action or improper in speech. Therefore, even just people who can hold back from every unjust act are sometimes overcome by human weakness. Then they either speak evil in anger or, when they see pleasing things, they desire them in silent thoughts. But if being mortal does not allow a person to be clean from every stain, then the faults of the flesh should be removed by continual giving to the poor.

LACTANTIUS: God warns us that a person who does what is right should not brag. If that person brags, it may look like they did acts of kindness not so much because they wanted to obey God's commands, but because they wanted to please people. Then they would already have the reward of human praise that they were aiming for, and they would not receive the payback of that heavenly and divine reward. The Didache: Do not be someone who stretches out your hands to receive and then pulls them back when it is time to give. If you have anything at all, you will give it through your hands as a ransom for your sins. Do not hesitate to give. Do not complain when you give, because you will know who repays well for the work. Do not turn away from someone who is in need. Instead, share everything with your brother, and do not say that these things are your own. For if you share in what is immortal, how much more should you share in things that are mortal?

TERTULLIAN: Tertullian. Since they cover their heads when heathens are present, then at least in the church they should also hide their virginity, which they do hide outside the church. They fear strangers. They should also stand in awe of the brothers and sisters, or else let them be consistently bold and appear as virgins in the streets too, just as they are bold enough to do in the churches. So what is the point? Why do they push their glory out of sight in public but show it in the church? I demand a reason. Is it to please the brothers and sisters or God himself? If it is God himself, he is just as able to see whatever is done in secret as he is to reward what is done for his honor alone. In conclusion, he commands us not to announce any of those things that will earn a reward in his sight, and he commands us not to get payment for them from people.

CYPRIAN: Cyprian, be serious about doing what is right so that sins may be cleansed. Often give to those in need, because this frees souls from death.

CYPRIAN: Cyprian. We must not work in a loud way, and we must not brag. In the Gospel according to Matthew, "Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your arms may be in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, shall reward you." Also in the same place, "When you give an alms, do not sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the streets and in the synagogues, so that they may be honored by people. Truly I say to you, they have received their reward."

IRENAEUS: Irenaeus. Because he knew that we would use well the things we own, which we would have by receiving them from someone else. He says, "He that has two coats, let him share with him that has none; and he that has food, let him do likewise." And, "For I was hungry, and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and you gave me drink; I was naked, and you clothed me." And, "When you give your arms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing." And we are shown to be righteous by whatever else we do well. It is like we are buying back our property from strange hands. But when I say "from strange hands," I do not mean that the world is not God's possession. I mean that we have gifts like these, and we receive them from others. It is the same way these men, the Israelites, got them from the Egyptians who did not know God. And by these same things we build up in ourselves the tabernacle of God. For God lives in those who act rightly, as the Lord says, "Make for yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, so that they, when you are put to flight, may receive you into eternal tabernacles." For whatever we gained from unrighteousness when we were heathen, we are shown to be righteous when we have become believers by using it for the Lord's benefit.

IRENAEUS: Now we make an offering to him, not because he needs it, but to give thanks for his gift. In this way, we set apart as holy what has been created. God does not need our possessions. In the same way, we need to offer something to God. As Solomon says, "He that has pity upon the poor lends to the Lord." God needs nothing, but He takes our good works to Himself for this purpose, so that He may give us a reward from His own good things. As our Lord says, "Come, you blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you. For I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in, naked, and you clothed me. Sick, and you visited me in prison, and you came to me."

CYPRIAN: Cyprian. Alms do deliver from death, and certainly not from that death that the blood of Christ once wiped out, and from which the saving grace of baptism and of our Redeemer has delivered us. Instead, it delivers from the death that later creeps in through sins.

CYPRIAN: Cyprian. People who pray should not come to God with prayers that have no fruit, or with prayers that are empty. Holy Scripture teaches us and says, "Prayer is good with fasting and almsgiving, for the one who will give us a reward on the day of judgment for our labors and our alms is even in this life a merciful one who hears a person who comes to him in prayer, joined with good works." So, for example, Cornelius the Centurian, when he prayed, had reason to be heard. He was in the habit of doing many acts of giving to the poor for the people, and he was always praying to God. When this man was praying about the ninth hour, an angel appeared to him. The angel gave witness to his labors and said, "Cornelius, your prayers and your alms have gone up in remembrance before God."

LACTANTIUS: if a man were grabbed by some wild animal and he begged an armed man for help, do they think he should be helped or not? They are not so shameless as to deny that we should do what basic human kindness demands and requires. Also, if someone were surrounded by fire, crushed by a building that fell, thrown into the sea, or swept away by a river, would they think it is a man's duty not to help him? If they think that, then they are not really acting like men. No one can avoid being in danger like this at some time. Yes, truly, they will say that it is the role of a human being, and of a brave man too, to save someone who is about to die. Therefore, if in accidents like these that threaten a man's life, they admit that it is part of being human to give help, what reason is there for them to think that help should be held back if a man suffers from hunger, thirst, or cold? Even though these needs are naturally equal to those sudden accidents, and they require the same human kindness, they still make a difference between them. They do this because they judge everything, not by the truth itself, but by what is useful right now. They hope that the people they rescue from danger will pay them back for the favor, but because they do not expect this from the poor and needy, they think that whatever they give to people like that is wasted. However, we must be generous in giving. This kind of giving is not to be rejected. We must give from what we own to the right people when they need help. What does "the right people" mean? It means those who are able to repay and return the favor. But we must not give our generosity only to the "right" people. As much as possible, we should give to the "wrong" people, meaning those who cannot pay us back. That will be done with justice, reverence toward God, and human kindness, when you do it without any hope of getting anything back.