On Idolatry 15

“But let your works shine,” he says. Yet now it is our shops and our doors that shine! You will now find more doors of the heathen without lamps and laurels than of Christians. What do you think about this kind of thing too? If it is an honor to an idol, then without doubt the honor of an idol is idolatry. If it is done for a man's sake, let us reflect that all idolatry is done for men's sake; let us reflect that all idolatry is the worship of men, since it is agreed even among their own people that the very gods of the nations were once men. So it makes no difference whether this superstition is offered to men of an earlier age or of this one. Idolatry has been condemned not because of the persons to whom it is offered, but because of those services themselves, which belong to demons. “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's.” It is well that he added, “and to God the things that are God's.” What, then, are Caesar's? Those, namely, about which the question was then being raised, whether the tax should be paid to Caesar or not. So the Lord asked for the coin to be shown him and inquired about the image, whose it was; and when he heard “Caesar's,” he said, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's”: that is, the image of Caesar, which is on the coin, to Caesar, and the image of God, which is in man, to God; so that you render to Caesar your money, and to God yourself. Otherwise, what will be God's, if all things are Caesar's? “So,” you say, “are lamps before the doors and laurel on the doorposts an honor to God?” Certainly not because they are an honor to God, but because they honor him who is honored with such services in God's place, as far as is manifest, not to speak of the hidden working that reaches the demons. For we ought to be certain, if any are unaware of it through ignorance of secular literature, that among the Romans there are gods even of doors: Cardea, named from hinges, Forculus from doors, Limentinus from the threshold, and Janus himself from the gate. And we certainly know that although the names are empty and invented, yet, when they are brought into superstition, they draw to themselves demons and every unclean spirit through the bond of consecration. Otherwise demons have no name of their own individually, but they find a name where they find a pledge. Among the Greeks too we read of Apollo Thyraeus and the Antelii, demons who preside over doors. Foreseeing these things from the beginning, the Holy Spirit foretold through the most ancient prophet Enoch that even doors would come into superstition. For we see other doors too worshipped in the baths. But if there are beings who are worshipped in doors, the lamps and laurels will belong to them. Whatever you do to a door, you will have done to an idol. At this point I also call to witness the authority of God, because it is not safe to keep back what has been shown to one person, surely for the sake of all. I know a brother who was severely rebuked in a vision that very night, because his slaves had garlanded his door when public rejoicings were suddenly announced. And yet he had not garlanded it himself, nor ordered it; for he had gone out beforehand and, on his return, had reprimanded the deed. So strictly are we judged by God in such matters, even in the discipline of our household. So, as regards the honors due to kings or emperors, we have a sufficient rule: that we ought to be in all obedience, according to the apostle's precept, subject to magistrates, princes, and powers, but within the limits of discipline, so long as we keep ourselves separate from idolatry. For this is why the example of the three brothers went before us, who, obedient in other respects to King Nebuchadnezzar, most steadfastly refused to honor his image, proving that whatever is exalted beyond the measure of human honor to the likeness of divine loftiness is idolatry. So too Daniel, submissive to Darius in everything else, remained in his service only so long as he was free of danger to his discipline. For rather than undergo that, he no more feared the king's lions than they had feared the king's fire. Let those, then, light lamps every day who have no light; let those fix to their doorposts laurels that will afterwards burn, over whom the fires hang; to them belong both the testimonies of darkness and the omens of punishments. You are the light of the world and a tree ever green. If you have renounced temples, do not make your door a temple. I have said too little: if you have renounced brothels, do not clothe your house with the look of a new brothel.