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Evergetinos Hypothesis 27: Monks Should Avoid Worldly Friendships
10:40
Hypothesis 27 of the Evergetinos teaches that monks should not pursue friendships with people who are prominent in the world. The text illustrates this through several stories. Archbishop Theophilos and the governor traveled to Sketis to see Abba Arsenius. When they asked for an edifying word, Arsenius replied: "If I tell you something, will you agree to put it into practice?
That by which I ask you to abide is that you never wish to go where you hear that Arsenius is." Later, when the archbishop invited Arsenius to Alexandria, the elder refused, saying that if he opened his door to the archbishop he would have to open it to many others and would then have to withdraw far away from those parts. Abba Ore likewise prevented Count Longinos, a man of many charities, from visiting him, telling the monk who brought the request: "It is impossible for him to cross this ravine, and so he will not see me."
An Egyptian monk in Constantinople received Emperor Theodosius the Younger at his door as if he were a palace guard, without particular attentiveness. When the emperor asked if he knew who he was, the elder answered: "God knows who you are." An elder said: "Avoid making the acquaintance of one in authority and do not visit him often, for from this familiarity you will acquire boldness and will desire thenceforth to be in a position of authority yourself."
When a magistrate came to see Abba Moses, the elder fled to the marsh; meeting the magistrate on the way, he called himself a fool and sent the magistrate away, who later learned the elder was Moses and was greatly edified. Christ visited an abbot of 200 monks in the guise of a poor elder; the abbot ignored him to entertain a rich man, and at evening the poor elder declared: "If you desire the glory of men because of your previous toil...
I will send people to visit you from the four points of the compass... but of the goods of my kingdom, you shall not taste."
Key moments
- The hypothesis states that we should not pursue friendships with people who are prominent in the world.
- When Archbishop Theophilos and the governor asked Abba Arsenius for an edifying word, he replied: "If I tell you something, will you agree to put it into practice? That by which I ask you to abide is that you never wish to go where you hear that Arsenius is."
- When the archbishop later invited Arsenius to visit Alexandria, Arsenius refused, saying that if he opened his door to the archbishop he would have to open it to many others and would then have to withdraw far away from those parts.
- Abba Ore would not allow Count Longinos, a man of many charities, to visit him, telling the monk who brought the request: "It is impossible for him to cross this ravine, and so he will not see me."
- An Egyptian monk in Constantinople received Emperor Theodosius the Younger at his door as if he were a palace guard, without particular attentiveness, and when the emperor asked if he knew who he was, the elder answered: "God knows who you are."
- An elder said: "Avoid making the acquaintance of one in authority and do not visit him often, for from this familiarity you will acquire boldness and will desire thenceforth to be in a position of authority yourself."
- When a magistrate came to see Abba Moses, the elder fled to the marsh; meeting the magistrate on the way, he called himself a fool and sent the magistrate away, who later learned the elder was Moses and was greatly edified.
- Christ visited an abbot of 200 monks in the guise of a poor elder; the abbot ignored him to entertain a rich man, and at evening the poor elder declared: "If you desire the glory of men because of your previous toil... I will send people to visit you from the four points of the compass... but of the goods of my kingdom, you shall not taste."