4:1 In that day Tobit remembered the money which he had committed to Gabael in Rages of Media, 2 And said with himself, I have wished for death; wherefore do I not call for my son Tobias that I may signify to him of the money before I die

4:3 And when he had called him, he said, My son, when I am dead, bury me; and despise not your mother, but honor her all the days of your life, and do that which shall please her, and grieve her not. 4 Remember, my son, that she saw many dangers for you, when you was in her womb: and when she is dead, bury her by me in one grave.

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA. There is nothing more outstanding than the dutifulness and respect of children for their parents. Besides, they will know how dangerous it is to harass them with reproaches if they ever deviate from righteousness because of the weakness of nature. But that parents are considered a most sacred thing among all nations, the divine law will show clearly as well, which, after commanding that one should love one God with all one’s heart, also added this: Honor your father and your mother, that it may be well with you, and you may be long-lived upon earth (Ex. 20:12, Eph. 6:2-3). Indeed parents, in a way, bear the image of God, whence it is said, Remember that you was born through them (Sir. 7:30); and again: He that mocks his father’s eye, and honors not the old age of his mother, the ravens will pluck him out of the mouth of the earth (Prov. 30:17). Moreover, that he who fails to treat his parents with the greatest respect exposes himself to reproaches and everlasting torments, the adventures of Ham very easily make clear. [Cyrl of Alexandria, Glaphyra, Commentary on Gen. 50:4]

AMBROSE. I cannot, without breaking the law of duty, hate my father, to whom I owe my being created, or my mother, when a mother bears the burden of her pious fetus for ten long and weary months, and there is for her more danger in delivery, more weariness in delay. [Ambrose of Milan, Expositio in psalmum David 118, PL 15.15.1415D] 22

AMBROSE. But you are in debt to your mother for violation of her chastity, long-lasting nausea, long-lasting dangers, she for whom in her misery, there was a greater peril in the very fruits of her prayers; and when she was brought forth what she desired, she is delivered of her offspring, not of her fear Why do I speak of fathers anxious for the progress of their sons, and possessions of multiplied by strange uses, and the seeds of the farmer sown to benefit the ages of posterity Surely, it is needful that obedience at least be recompensed for these [Ambrose of Milan, Expositio Evangelii secundum Lucam, PL 15 2.66. 1576B]?

4:5 My son, be mindful of the Lord our God all your days, and let not your will be set to sin, or to transgress his commandments: do uprightly all your life long, and follow not the ways of unrighteousness. 6 For if you deal truly, your doings shall prosperously succeed to you, and to all them that live justly. 7 Give alms of your substance; and when you give alms, let not your eye be envious, neither turn your face from any poor, and the face of God shall not be turned away from you. 8 If you have abundance give alms accordingly: if you have but a little, be not afraid to give according to that little: 9 For you lay up a good treasure for yourself against the day of necessity.

AMBROSE. That lending is different and rightly accursed, to give money for usury, which the law prohibits. But Tobias shunned this, who warned his son not to transgress the precept of the Lord, but of his substance to give alms, not to put out his money at interest, not to turn his face from any poor man. He who advises this condemns usury in lending. [Ambrose of Milan, de Tobia, PL 14.2.761A]**

AMBROSIASTER. Paul did not want the Corinthians to feel that they were acting under compulsion to offer more than they could afford, and that they would come to be resentful because they were not acting voluntarily, and thus would be unlikely to receive any reward from God in the future. The more generous they were in giving, the more they would themselves receive. If someone gives as much as he can or wants to, that is accepted, because he is seen to be acting judiciously. Because of this, he should give as much as his mind can and will allow, so that he may be rewarded for his deed. [Ambrosiaster, Commentana in Epistolam ad Corinthios Secundam, PL 17 8.12.309B]*°

CYPRIAN. Therefore you are an unfair and traitorous father, unless you faithfully consult for your children, unless you look forward to preserve them in religion and true piety. You who are careful rather for their earthly than for their heavenly estate, rather to commend your children to the devil than to Christ, are sinning twice, and allowing a double and twofold crime, both in not providing for your children the aid of God their Father, and in teaching your children to love their property more than Christ. Be rather such a father to your children as was Tobit. Give useful and saving precepts to your pledges, such as he gave to his son; command your children what he also commanded his son, saying: “And now, my son, I command you, serve God in truth. [Cyprian of Carthage, Treatise 8.19-20, ANF v.5]

4:10 Because that alms do deliver from death, and suffer not to come into darkness. 11 For alms is a good gift unto all that give it in the sight of the most High.

AUGUSTINE. Tobit in giving advice to his son, instructed him to this, to cry out; that is, he instructed him to good works. He told him to give to the poor, charged him to give alms to the needy, and taught him, saying, “My son, alms suffers not to come into darkness.” The blind gave counsel for receiving and gaining light. “Alms,” says he, “suffers not to come into darkness.” Had his son in astonishment answered him, What then, father, have you not given alms, that you now speak to me in blindness; are you not in darkness, and yet you say to me, “Alms suffers not to come into darkness.” But no, he knew well what the light was, concerning which he gave his son instruction, he knew well what he saw in the inner man. The son held out his hand to his father, to enable him to walk on earth; and the father to the son, to enable him to dwell in heaven. [Augustine of Hippo, Sermon 38.16 on the New Testament, NPNF s.1 v.6]

AMBROSE. Pray without ceasing, fast often, and give alms; ‘because alms deliver from all sin, and from death, and will not suffer the soul to go into darkness.’ Alms is a good gift that washes away all filth and uncleanliness. [Ambrose of Milan, Ad Virginem Devotem, PL 17 3.584C ]

AMBROSE. What salvation we can obtain if we blot not our sins by fasting, seeing that the Scripture says that fasting and alms do deliver from sin Who are these new teachers that shut out the merit and fasting [Ambrose of Milan, Epistola rum classisl, PL 16.60.16.1194A ]

AMBROSE. He who seeks the higher shuns the lower, so that he is himself helped by the Higher Powers, he who is merciful purifies his own heart (Prov. 11:17). For who is it to cleanse the spirit, but to abolish the wretchedness of death. ‘For alms deliver from all death.” [Ambrose of Milan, Expositio Evangelii secundum Lucam, PL 15 6.59.1652C ]”6

CYPRIAN. But I wonder that some are so obstinate as to think that repentance is not to be granted to the lapsed, or to suppose that pardon is to be denied to the penitent, when it is written, “Remember whence you are fallen, and repent, and do the first works,” (Rev. 2:5) which certainly is said to him who evidently has fallen, and whom the Lord exhorts to rise up again by his works, because it is written, “““Alms do deliver from death,” and not, assuredly, from that death which once the blood of Christ extinguished, and from which the saving grace of baptism and of our Redeemer has delivered us, but from that which subsequently creeps in through sins. [Cyprian of Carthage, Ep. 51.22 ANF v.5]

AMBROSE. Why, the very law of the Lord teaches us that this rule must be observed, so that we may never deprive another of anything for the sake of our own advantage. For it says: “Remove not the bounds which your fathers have set.” (Prov. 22:28) It bids a neighbor’s ox to be brought back if found wandering. (Ex. 23:4) It orders a thief to be put to death. (Ex. 22:2) It forbids the laborer to be deprived of his hire, (Lev. 19:13) and orders money to be returned without usury. [Ambrose, Duty of the Clergy, 3.3.20 NPNF s.2 v.10]

4:12 Beware of all whoredom, my son, and chiefly take a wife of the seed of your fathers, and take not a strange woman to wife, which is not of your father’s tribe: for we are the children of the prophets, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: remember, my son, that our fathers from the beginning, even that they all married wives of their own kindred, and were blessed in their children, and their seed shall inherit the land. 13 Now therefore, my son, love your brethren, and despise not in your heart your brethren, the sons and daughters of your people, in not taking a wife of them: for in pride is destruction and much trouble, and in lewdness is decay and great want: for lewdness is the mother of famine. 14 Let not the wages of any man, which has wrought for you, tarry with you, but give him it out of hand: for if you serve God, he will also repay you: be circumspect my son, in all things you do, and be wise in all your conversation.

4:15 Do that to no man which you hate: drink not wine to make you drunken: neither let drunkenness go with you in your journey.

GREGORY I. And the love of our neighbor is carried down into two precepts, since on the one hand it is said by a certain righteous man, Do that to no man which you hate. (Tob. 4:15) And on the other ‘Truth’ says by Himself, Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them. (Matt. 7:12) By which two precepts of both Testaments, by the one an evil disposition is restrained, and by the other a good disposition charged upon us, that every man not doing the ill which he would not wish to suffer, should cease from the working of injuries, and again that rendering the good which he desires to be done to him, he exert himself for the service of his neighbor in kindness of heart. But while these same two are thought on with heedful regard, the heart is made to open itself wide in innumerable offices of virtue, lest whether for the admitting of things which it ought not, the mind being agitated be heated by passions; or for the setting forth of whatsoever it ought, being undone by indolence, it may be rendered inactive. For when it guards against doing to another what it would not on any account itself undergo at the hands of another, it looks about itself on every side with a heedful eye, lest pride lift it up, and while cutting down set up the soul even to contempt of our neighbor; lest coveting mangle the thought of the heart, and while stretching it wide to desire the things of another, straightly confine it; lest lust pollute the heart, and corrupt it, thus become the slave of its passions, in forbidden courses; lest anger increase, and inflame it even to giving vent to insult; lest envy gnaw it, and lest jealous of the successes of others it consume itself with its own torch; lest loquacity drive on the tongue beyond all bounds of moderation, and draw it out even to the extent of license in slander; lest bad feeling stir up hatred, and set on the lips even to let loose the dart of cursing. Again, when it thinks how it may do to another what it looks for at the hands of another for itself, it considers how it may return good things for evil, and better things for good; how to exhibit towards the impertinent the meekness of longsuffering; how to render the kindness of good will to them that pine with the plague of malice, how to join the contentious with the bands of peace, how to train up the peaceable to the longing desire of true Peace; how to supply necessary things to those that are in need; how to shew to those that be gone astray the path of righteousness; how to soothe the distressed by words and by sympathy; how to quench by rebuke those that burn in the desires of the world; how by reasoning to soften down the threats of the powerful, how to lighten the bands of the oppressed by all the means that he is master of; how to oppose patience to those that offer resistance without; how to set forth to those that are full of pride within a lesson of discipline together with patience; how, with reference to the misdeeds of those under our charge, mildness may temper zeal, so that it never relax from earnestness for the rule of right; how zeal may be so kindled for revenge, that yet by kindling thus it never transgress the bounds of pity; how to stir the unthankful to love by benefits; how to preserve in love all that are thankful by services; how to pass by in silence the misdoings of our neighbor, when he has no power to correct them; how when they may be amended by speaking to dread silence as consent to them; how to submit to what he passes by in silence, yet so that none of the poison of annoyance bury itself in his spirit; how to exhibit the service of good will to the malicious, yet not so as to depart from the claims of righteousness from kindness; how to render all things to his neighbors that he is master of, yet in thus rendering them not to be swelled with pride; in the good deeds which he sets forth to shrink from the precipice of pride, yet so as not to slacken in the exercise of doing good; so to lavish the things which he possesses as to take thought how great is the bounteousness of his Rewarder, lest in bestowing earthly things he think of his poverty more than need be, and in the offering of the gift a sad look obscure the light of cheerfulness. [Gregory I, Morals on Job book 10.5.8]?’

CHRYSOSTOM. This is the reason why God makes us share an experience when we wrong others many times and his countless exhortations are ineffable; we learn from our experience, and are instructed in the extent of the trouble. [John Chrysostom, Commentary on Job, 31]

GREGORY I. Hence the Lord said in the Gospel, Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even to them. (Matt. 7:12) As if He said in plain words, ‘Visit your likeness in another man, and from your own selves learn what conduct it behooves you to exhibit to others.’ [Gregory I, Morals on Job 5:24]?

AUGUSTINE. Such men did not perceive, to take only one example, that the precept, “Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them,” cannot be altered by any diversity of national customs. And this precept, when it is referred to the love of God, destroys all vices when to the love of one’s neighbor, puts an end to all crimes. For no one is willing to defile his own dwelling; he ought not, therefore, to defile the dwelling of God, that is, himself. And no one wishes an injury to be done him by another; he himself, therefore, ought not to do injury to another. [Augustine of Hippo, On Christian Doctrine 3.14.22 NPNF s.1 v.2]

APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTIONS. Wherefore admonish the widows that are feeble-minded, strengthen those who are weak, and praise such of them as walk in holiness. Let them rather bless, and not calumniate. Let them make peace, and not stir up contention. [Apostolic Constitutions, 3.1.15, ANF v.7]

4:16 Give of your bread to the hungry, and of your garments to them that are naked; and according to your abundance give alms: and let not your eye be envious, when you give alms.

CHRYSOSTOM. After pronouncing those numerous Beatitudes, thus speaks; “All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.” (Matt. 7:12) “Many words,” says He, are not necessary, nor laws of great length, nor a diversity of instruction. Let your own will be the law. Do you wish to receive kindness Be kind to another. Do you wish to receive mercy Show mercy to your neighbor. Do you wish to be applauded Applaud another. Do you wish to be beloved Exercise love. Do you wish to enjoy the first rank First concede that place to another. Become yourself the judge, yourself the lawgiver of your own life. And again; “Do not to another what you hate.” (Tob. 4:16) By the latter precept, he would induce to a departure from iniquity; by the former, to the exercise of virtue. “Do not you to another,” he says, “what you hate.” Do you hate to be insulted Do not insult another. Do you hate to be envied Envy not another. Do you hate to be deceived Do not deceive another. [John Chrysostom, The Statutes, 13.7 NPNFs.1 v.9]

4:17 Pour out your bread on the burial of the just, but give nothing to the wicked.

PSEUDO CHRYSOSTOM. If a Christian gives to him who is not of Christ, he does not have a great reward because he did not Give it either to a Christian or one who was as a Christian, as Tobit says, ‘Place your bread on the grave of the righteous, but give none to sinners.’ Again, Wisdom says, ’Give to the good man, but do not help the sinner.’ (Sir. 12:7) Nonetheless, because it is written, ’Do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith,’ (Gal. 6:10) whoever gives to an unbeliever has, to be sure, a modest reward, while he who gives to a believer has a double reward; first, because he is a creation of God; second, because he is a servant of God. But whoever gives to an unbeliever has one reward because he is a creation of God, but in his will he is opposed to God. But if a Christian welcomes in the name of Christi not a Christian but an unbeliever, he will nevertheless have his appointed reward because inasmuch as he received the non-Christian, he did so thinking he was a Christian. [Opus Imperfectum, Homilies on Matthew, PG 56 v.6 Hom.25}°°

AMBROSE. There is also that prophetic saying, that we should place certain things upon the sepulcher of our forefathers, which you the reader know, but an unbeliever should not understand; not that food or drink is ordered, but it is revealed that the Communion of the Holy Offerings is to be venerated. [Ambrose, Commentary on Luke, PL15 7.43.1710A-B]

GREGORY I. For he gives his bread and wine to sinners who gives assistance to the wicked for that they are wicked. For which cause also some of the rich of this world nourish players with profuse bounties, while the poor of Christ are tormented with hunger. He, however, who gives his bread to one that is indigent, though he be a sinner, not because he is a sinner, but because he is a man, does not in truth nourish a sinner, but a poor righteous man, because what he loves in him is not his sin, but his nature. [Gregory I, Pastoral Rule, 3.20, NPNF s.2 v.12]

AUGUSTINE. The latter clause of this sentence seems to forbid benevolence; for it says, “help not a sinner.” Understand, therefore, that “sinner” is put figuratively for sin, so that it is his sin you are not to help. [Augustine of Hippo, On Christian Doctrine 3.16.24 NPNF s.1 v.2]

4:18 Be not greedy to add money to money: but let it be as refuse in respect of our child. 19 For that which the Lord has given us to live with does suffice us. 20 Then said Tobit to her, Take no care, my sister; he shall return in safety, and your eyes shall see him. For the good angel will keep him company, and his journey shall be prosperous, and he shall return safe. 21 And fear not, my son, that we are made poor: for you have much wealth, if you fear God, and depart from all sin, and do that which is pleasing in his sight.

AMBROSE. For he is cast down, who seeks for usurious gains. (Ps. 17:13) Therefore let the Christian, if he has it, give money as though he were not to receive it again, or at all events only the principal which he has given. By so doing he receives no small increase of grace. Otherwise to lend would be to deceive not to succor. For what can be more cruel than to give money to one that has not, and then to exact double He that cannot pay the simple sum how can he pay double the amount Let Tobit be an example to us, who never required again the money he had lent, till the end of his life; and that rather that he might not defraud his heir, than in order to levy and recover the money he had lent out. (Tob. 4:21) Nations have often been ruined by usury, and this has been the cause of public destruction. [Ambrose, PL 16 Letter 19.45.984A ]