COPTIC LITERATURE IN ENGLISH
translated by frederic krueger

An exegesis which our holy reverend father Apa Makarios, the bishop of the city Tkôw, pronounced on the day of the great Archangel Michael, (who is) also the supreme commander of the Host of the Heavens, and which he pronounced in his (Michael’s) Holy Topos on the twelfth day of Hathor, when a great crowd came to it in order to receive Communion from him (Makarios), and (in which) he also spoke about the salvation of the soul. In God’s peace, amen!

 

I. 1 Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and blessed be his only-begotten (Son) and the Holy, Consubstantial, and Life-giving Spirit, the Trinity that is in Unity and the Unity that is in Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, that today once more he has deemed1 us worthy – me, this miserable one –, to become filled with the joy and the gladness that has come out of heaven today.

 

2 It is not only the Inhabitants of heaven that rejoice today, but those of the Earth, too, have become filled with the joy of the Archangel Michael, while those of heaven (can of course) rejoice at all times, because they exist in the light and the fragrance of our Lord and God, worshiping him day and night.

 

3 But above all did joy come about today in abundance, because they have cast from their midst the adversarial and audacious Devil who fights with them, who had himself been installed in the position of the merciful Michael, namely to intercede for everyone before God.2

 

4 <Which>3 tongue of flesh can describe the glory and the fame of this great Archangel Michael? Who among all those among the servant-spirits4 of heaven and all those who exist among the righteous on Earth has the (same kind of) freedom of speech before God as Michael the great Archangel and supreme commander of the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ?

 

5 For it is he who stands before God, praying for the entire human race, for Michael does not belong to a single city, or a single country, nor does he pray only for a single city and its district, instead his mercy is spread out over all the Earth. For just like the sun he is a servant whose light is spread out over all creation at the command of God. That is precisely how Michael acts as a governor and an intercessor for all of humanity, for it is for this task that God has installed him, to pray and to rule over all the (angelic) ranks in heaven.

 

6 For indeed, when a martyr is revealed in his district, whether a confessor or a spiritual one5 among the saints that are on Earth, his glory and his miracles which God grants unto him as a reward for his sufferings, these benefit only the inhabitants of his village and those of his district, and he obtains (God’s) grace only for those who come to his relics, even if his memory has captivated and filled the whole country. It is only up to this point that his miracles extend.

 

7 Michael, on the other hand, the great Archangel, his freedom of speech (before God) is not in the same way (effective) for a single country and a couple of cities, districts, and villages, instead his merciful deeds are spread out over the whole world when he prays for them. For the martyr belongs to a single place, but Michael belongs to everyone at once.

 

8 For Michael has ever been the one to minister at God’s command to all the saints, saving them from all the afflictions until he takes them up to the heavens, and not a single person among all the righteous has ever entered the heavens without the ministry and the prayers of the Archangel Michael.

 

9 For he walks with the patriarchs, he is with the prophets, he helps the righteous emperors, he guides the judges, he saves the martyrs. It is he who ministered to our fathers the Apostles so that they might fulfil the command of the Lord. It is he who prays for those who are in any kind of danger. It is he who serves our holy fathers the archbishops, saving them from every evil6 that has befallen them on account of the orthodox faith of Christ. He also walks with those who sail on the sea, saving them from all dangers, and those who sail on the rivers and the lakes, he guides them all. And he also walks with those who are lost in any country. Those who are in exile, he prays for them all until he takes them to their Holy Topoi. And also those who live in the desert, in holes in the ground, and (among) the rocks,7 he ministers to them all in their ascetic practice, and he gives them Communion with his holy hands. All who are ill from whichever illness, he obtains (God’s) grace for them so that they obtain healing. Those who beg him for (a rich) crop or anything (else) of a material nature, he satisfies them through his (own) prayers. Those who are guilty of many sins, if they come to him, weeping before him, he beseeches God on their behalf so that they receive (back) their innocent status8 and the forgiveness of their sins. In short: If anyone anywhere prays to him, he takes their prayer from them and beseeches God on their behalf, that he might forgive them.

 

II. 1 So, have you now understood, O my children who are gathered in this Place this day, that it is no small joy that is spread throughout the whole world this day in the name of the Archangel Michael, the supreme commander of the Host of the Heavens? Now that we have understood that we have this great and merciful ruler who obtains grace on our behalf before the Lord King Christ, let us come to him with gifts in our hands and present them to him in reverence and let us wear a white and pure garment.

 

2 What are the gifts that we should present to him? They are mercy towards the poor, fasting and a pure marriage, bread to give it to the hungry, a garment (to give it) to the naked, love for one another in a spiritual intent, and the rest of the virtues.

 

3 These are the gifts over which the Archangel rejoices. You see, it is right that those who wear the white garment should cover soul and body alike, for many are gathered to this Place this day clothed beautifully on the outside but whose soul on the inside is stripped naked of the garment of virtue, so that the Angels can see the sins that inhabit them. Do you (pl.) perhaps think that you (pl.) will be able to hide from Those Who stand by the Altar, so that they do not see your (pl.) sins?

 

4 Do not turn your (pl.) eyes to the women in the church with evil desire! And even if no person knows what is in your (pl.) heart, still God knows all things, and Angels of fiery flame and spiritual Powers are standing there looking at you (pl.).

 

5 And above all the Holy Archangel Michael looks at what they are doing, for they are not honoring him on his feast day, but they anger him by their evil deeds. For the Church is called the House of Purity. How, O evil man, can you come in (here) unafraid while you stand there, stained all over by the lawlessness of sin, while thousands upon thousands and tens of thousands upon tens of thousands of Angels are standing around their King while you stand there without any understanding of life9 within you, but only the evil thoughts, while you wear the filthy garment in the middle of the Bridal Chamber.10 And were it not for the mercy of God and the prayers of the Holy Archangel Michael, they would annihilate you from their midst, bind your hands and feet behind you, and hand you over to the eternal darkness, according to the word of the Gospel.11

 

6 So do understand now, O my beloved children, of what kind is the (cause for) fear that exists in the Church at all times, but above all at the time of the Communion of the Holy Mysteries! Therefore, do not let anyone enter the Church in a dissolute condition, for it is the King of the Universe Who sits (enthroned) in its midst, and He knows the secrets of the heart.

 

7 So listen now and I shall explain to you the constitution of the House of God, what it is like. Just like the house of a king of this world, a royal house was built outside of his (own) palace, to which he gave his name as “the House of the King.” He appointed a steward over it that he might watch over it and take care of it day and night, so that the king may come to it at any moment and make use of his property in his house.

 

8 Understand now the interpretation of what was said: God it the King of the Universe. His palace is Heaven. Now, the house that he has built outside the palace is the Church, his holy dwelling place. And the steward whom he had appointed is the Archangel Michael who keeps it safe and (he was installed) that he might bless those who come before the Lord.

 

9 And just like the king comes out of his palace in order to visit his house and sends ahead of himself some messengers that they might prepare his seat, and brings along his army that follows him – even though he is (merely) an earthly king and a mortal man is he feared so greatly by everyone who is gathered to him –, that is what the entire Choir of the Christians is like when they enter the Church, the House of God.

 

III. 1 And when the priests, deacons, cantors, and the entire congregation small and great open their mouths to bless God with psalms and spiritual hymns, they then spend the rest of the night reciting (scripture). This is the (spiritual) food and these are the (metaphorical) garments that they shall bring to prepare themselves at that time with every preparation before our King and God comes out of his palace that is in Heaven.

 

2 And just like the River of Egypt swells up little by little until it is spread out over the land and joy takes hold of everyone, that is also what God is like. For you see, when the Book of the Apostles is read from in the Church that is on Earth, that is the first trumpet that signals to the King Christ. Then the incense spreads out little by little, and the Psalter is sung from.

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3 When these (parts) are completed, the King of Life descends, with thousands upon thousands and myriads upon myriads of Angels singing all around him, as he enters into His House which is the Holy Church, and he causes the fragrance of his divinity to issue forth from his Holy Gospel and His Word of Life that issues forth from the entire congregation. Thus, then, does the King of Life give to each one, depending on his deeds, from His Holy Body and His Reverend Blood.

 

4 For you see, the king of this world does not know what is in the hearts of those who are gathered to him, nor their sins or good deeds. But whoever gathers to the House of God, the King of the Universe knows all their deeds, whether good or evil. And anyone who stands before Him in purity and understanding, repeating His Words of Life from the beginning to the end, to them shall He give the perfected Blessing.

 

5 But woe to whoever shall (quickly) run (back) to the street and abandon the King of the Universe who is standing (there) with those who serve <Him>. Woe to people of this kind, for they have robbed themselves of their own life.

 

IV. 1 Tell me, you who are sitting outside the gate of the Church, what blessing do you expect? Nor shall any peace of Christ come to you if you sit outside the gate of the Church.

 

2 Tell me, when the deacon says, as he prays for the salvation of the congregation that is gathered to him, “πορεύεσθε ἐν εἰρήνῃ,”12 where will you be found in their midst repeating, “amen,” (the midst of) those who are standing13 and can barely repeat (the words) for their own salvation and that of their house?

 

3 But you, even if you are a rich man among the inhabitants of the world, you have become poor and wretched in terms of the blessings14 of God that are in His Kingdom, and because of your carelessness you have robbed yourself of the joy of the angels which those that are standing (inside the Church) get to enjoy.

 

4 Tell me, foolish one who is not wise, why did you not stand with endurance inside the Church, that your sins might be washed away? What is with you that you did not endure until the record of your sins was erased?

 

5 The priest has filled the Church with the peace of Christ when he exclaimed, “εἰρήνη πᾶσιν,”15 and the congregation has received the crown of the “peace.”16

 

6 But you were not found in their midst, instead you have become a stranger to all spiritual grace of the Heavens. You have gone (back) to your house devoid17 of any apostolic commandment, wearing not a single commandment, and on every day that you wear no peace, no angel will join himself to you.18

 

7 If a great official of the earthly king comes to your city, you would not dare sit before him, but you would stand up (straight) before him until he withdraws (again), and even if it is hot or freezing cold, you would not dare sit before him, or chitchat.

 

8 Even though he is a man like yourself, still you fear him more than the God who has made you, and you give glory to a mortal man, and you would19 rather stand up (straight) before him than the Lord in whose hand your breath is. Have the priests, deacons, and the entire congregation (perhaps) sinned more than you that they (have to) stand and pray?

 

9 But you who are sitting and chitchatting as an injury to your wretched soul, perhaps <you> feared the intense heat20 and (that is why) you did not enter to pray, or (perhaps you feared) that the heat and the cold would come over you, but (no), that is not what is in your heart.

 

10 Rather, instead of life you have chosen death for yourself. Instead of becoming free,21 you have made yourself a slave to sin. Instead of (enjoying) the spiritual sight of the Altar you have abandoned it, and instead gazed with evil desire at the foolish women outside.

 

11 The saying which our Savior spoke, “Everyone who looks at a woman and desires her has already committed adultery with her in his heart,”22 you have not taken this to heart enough, instead you have focused your mind on gazing (at women) with desire until the light inside you has turned progressively dark,23 and the passage that is written in the Gospel has become applicable to you, “If the light inside you is darkened, then how great is the darkness,”24 which means: If the light inside you has turned dark from this point on, then how great is the darkening of the darkness in which you shall be enveloped in Hades, the place in which are the disobedient ones who have gazed at women from the beginning as well as those who (are only beginning to) gaze now?

 

V. 1 Do not, therefore, O my beloved ones, choose now for yourselves the weakness of those who have given up and fallen into carelessness! For the men are always called “strong,” but the women “weak vessels.”25

 

2 But there are two struggles between these two, strength and weakness. And what might these be? I will tell you about them.

 

3 If you see a man who is strong in his body and a rich man among the inhabitants of the world, and with all these things going for him26 walks with arrogance and also fornicates with the women of his neighbors, and is hateful and a slanderer – that is a weak and wicked person, and that is one who has fallen from his glory and strength and has been led into captivity by the Devil. That is the struggle, the (source of) shame and defeat.

 

4 But a man, whether he be poor or rich, whether he be strong or weak, or if he is feeble in his body but lives in quiet, fasting, praying, and living in purity and a pure heart, his heart being full of all compassion, with no arrogance inside him, being humble, simple-minded, and good – that is the (truly) strong one, and that is the (truly) rich person among the inhabitants of both Heaven and Earth, and that is one who has fought and won. This is one who has come from one (kind of) riches to another (kind of) riches. For you see, we shall not be inspected27 for the beauty of the body, but for the health of our soul.

 

5 If you find a wise woman who pleases God through her actions, that is one who has become (truly) beautiful and strong in the sight of everyone. But a woman whose (out)side is beautiful while she is burdened with the load of sin, that woman is the (most) wicked among the wicked, and that one is the poor(est) woman on Earth, going to another (kind of) poverty, from grief to groaning.

 

6 For you see, a crowd (of people) who wear garments that are outwardly beautiful while their inside is black like sackcloth28 – for you see, what is hidden from men is visible to God and his servants who fear him.

 

7 Let us fear the Lord, for the (proper) fear of him is a great one, and no one can bear the wrath of God, for just like his mercy for us is great when we do his will, accordingly great is also his wrath and anger for us when we sin before Him. For he sees all our deeds, both good and evil.

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VI. 1 Have you no shame, O man, that you let a woman defeat you? For you are called “strong,” but you have become weak through your foolishness. How? I will tell you.

 

2 While you live in your house, and she also lives in hers, you are aroused by the great passion that has gained mastery over you, and you run to her. And even if she is a wise one, she will cast you down from your strength and give you the payment for your shame(ful intent), and send you (back) to your house empty, and take from you your physical strength, and give you the weakness of the nature of women. But through these things you have also turned to another (f.) who resembles you in worthlessness, who fulfilled your defiled desire. And so the same (kind of) weakness has won over29 you and her both.

 

3 Have you now understood that she who is weak by this nature has cast you down from your strength? What is wrong with you that you ran to her? Was it perhaps she who came to you, or not? Why could you not be content with she who is your own (wife), that you might “drink water from your (own) vessel and from the well of your (own) house,”30

 

4 as it is written about all our mighty fathers? Instead you behaved like a thief, stealing what is not yours. But surely you will31 say, you who fell and got up again, “It was she who came to me and attacked32 me (sexually).” If it was she who came to you, why did you not call to Joseph, the king of the righteous and the strong, that he might teach you how to fight until you are victorious? What is wrong with you that you did not rip off your garment to save your soul like that righteous one, Joseph? So, have you now understood that gazing at women with desire is (the path to) perdition?

 

5 Those who have achieved victory on Earth have desired to see victories: Joseph was victorious; Susanna fought and prevailed; Judith battled and defeated her enemies; and those saints who fought with them through the submission of those who had plotted against them.

 

6 (Why did you not follow their example) so that you shall understand that the sinful gaze is (the path to) perdition from the beginning. For you see, the lawless elders gazed with their eyes, desiring Susanna, and this “weak vessel” – or rather: this strong one (f.) – did cast them down. Judith, too, when Holofernes gazed at her sinfully, did cast him down by the strength of her soul, and salvation came to all her people thanks to her watchfulness.33

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7 These are the mighty ones among women. But while there are many good women, there are (also) many bad ones.

 

8 And just as it is impossible for us to count (all) those who have become righteous and victorious, whether man or woman, it is a (matter of) great distress for flesh and blood to count all the sinners, except for God alone, who shall judge the living and the dead.

 

VII. 1 Therefore flee now from the desire for evil women! Hades is full of souls because of women; the angels were expelled from Heaven because of women, because they gazed at them with desire; our (fore)father Adam was expelled from Paradise because of his wife; Joseph was thrown into prison because of his evil wife; Naboth the Israelite was killed by a woman, by a woman even who killed the entire population of the city of Sichem and Kabaat, the city of Benjamin; Elijah was persecuted by an evil woman.34

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2 And also John the Baptist and Precursor of Christ, the lamp that shone before the Savior and prepared his coming to us, was decapitated by an evil, lawless, and defiled woman. And also our father John, the archbishop of the (capital) city of the empire, who was exiled, died because of a foul and abominable woman. Peter, the great Apostle, denied the Lord because of a woman who was a servant and porteress.

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335 And also Job the Just was consigned to death by his wife when she said to him without pity, “Say a curse36 against the Lord and die.”37

 

438 All these evils were occasioned by evil women. To be sure, I was not speaking about all women, but I am (only) speaking about the evil women.

 

539 There have been many good and holy women, innocent40 and strong, whose names and blessings endure to this day.

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641 But our fathers have taught us about all these from the beginning, that we might escape evil and do good, and (they also wrote) “turn my eyes away, lest they look at vanity!”42

 

VIII. 1 But let us return now to the commemoration that is filled with the joy and blessings of the holy Archangel Michael, the great Supreme Commander of the Host of the Heavens, for whose celebration we have gathered today. Indeed, I have delayed a little to speak to you (pl.) about my (own) plentiful sins, and to give you (pl.) a reminder that myself and you (pl.), we have all sinned collectively.

 

2 But let us beg the holy Archangel Michael, (who is) also the Supreme Commander of the Host of the Heavens, exclaiming, “Holy Archangel Michael, pray to the Lord for us that He might forgive us our sins and our acts of ignorance, and that He might save us from falling into sin again!” And when I give this praise of the Archangel, (let us) search our hearts (to make sure) that there is no bitterness43 or dishonesty in us, (then) he shall pray to God for us that He might erase the record of our sins.

 

3 For the Psalmist David said, “the Angel of the Lord surrounds those fear Him and saves them.”44

 

4 Have you seen that if we fear the Lord and do good, his Holy Angel Michael will be unto us a helper and protector? Look at all the saints who have feared the Lord from the beginning, how he has been their protector and watched over them at the Lord’s command:

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5 It was the Angel of the Lord who saved the Three Saints in the fiery furnace, and he saved Daniel from the mouth of the lions; it was the Angel of the Lord who guided Tobias; it was the Angel of the Lord who led Joseph and walked with him until he was made king of all Egypt; it was the Angel of the Lord who walked with Jesus Son of Naue until he saved him and tore down the walls of Jericho; it was the Angel of the Lord who opened the door of the prison at night and freed Peter who had been bound in iron chains; it was the Angel of the Lord who guided Paul during the voyage over the sea, and it was him who saved him from the hands of Agrippa the king; it has ever been Michael who ministers at the Lord’s command to all the saints.45

 

6 So now let us rejoice with him today with an upright and pure heart! Let us extend our hands with charity towards the poor, each according to his means, one with a garment, another with a (loaf of) bread, another with a cup of cold water, according to the saying of the Savior,46 another with an (act of) hospitality, another with a good intention towards his neighbor. These are the virtues which God will accept from us in the name of the Archangel Michael.

 

7 So give yourselves over to what is good and fulfil it. The <Archangel>47 Michael prays for us before God, for he has the power to intercede on our behalf at all times, and he enjoys greater freedom of speech (before God) than all the saints, and he stands close to God day and night, praying for us.

 

8 For you see, Michael raises the curtain and enters without announcing himself and prostrates himself before the Lord (as he prays) for all creation, until His mercy reaches us. Indeed, it is thanks to the prayers of Michael that the son and moon shine upon the Earth; it is thanks to the prayers of Michael, the great governor of the Father, that dew and rainwater fall upon the Earth; it is thanks to the prayers of Michael the Holy Archangel that the (Nile) flood comes over the land; it is thanks to the prayers of Michael the Archangel and Supreme Commander of the Host of Heaven that we receive the full extent of the growth of our crops.

 

9 So now, you (pl.) who are gathered to this Place today in the name of the Holy Archangel Michael, the great Supreme Commander of the Host of the Heavens, let us rejoice today in the feast of the Archangel Michael, and let us keep ourselves away from all evil and let us put the fear of God in our hearts at all times, so that we might find grace before Him, and that He might accept us into his Kingdom forever, He to Whom glory <is due>,48 as well as His Good Father, and the Holy, Life-giving, and Consubstantial Spirit, now and always, unto all ages of the ages, amen.