Chastity

From Jesus and St. Paul to John the Baptist, Timothy, and Elijah; the life of volitional chastity has been of great vitality and utility to the Church. Jesus foretold of an entire class of celibates of the Kingdom (Matt 19:10-12), and St. Paul taught forcefully on the subject, both in word and example (1 Cor 7:7-8, 32-35). The following quotes examine the early teachings and practices of chastity among the first Christians.

St. Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch (martyred between AD 98 - AD 117)

"Virgins, have Christ alone before your eyes, and His Father in your prayers, being enlightened by the Spirit. May I have pleasure in your purity, as that of Elijah, or as of Joshua the son of Nun, as of Melchizedek, or as of Elisha, as of Jeremiah, or as of John the Baptist, as of the beloved disciple, as of Timothy, as of Titus, as of Evodius, as of Clement, who departed this life in [perfect] chastity, Not, however, that I blame the other blessed [saints] because they entered into the married state" (St. Igantius: Letter to the Philadelphians; Ch 4)

"Wives, be ye subject to your husbands in the fear of God; and ye virgins, to Christ in purity, not counting marriage an abomination, but desiring that which is better, not for the reproach of wedlock, but for the sake of meditating on the law" (St. Igantius: Letter to the Philadelphians; Ch 4)

Acts of Paul and Thecla

In the noncanical early christian writing, Acts of Paul and Thecla (circa AD 180), we hear about Thecla of Iconium, a reputed pupil of the Apostle Paul who takes a heroic vow of chastity and later dies a martyr in Seleucia. Despite the work's legendary connection to St. Paul, the text reflects ascetic tendencies of the early Christians. In the Eastern Church, the wide circulation of the Acts led to a great veneration of Thecla. She is listed in many of the early church Martyrologies and her feast days have been widely celebrated since early centuries. The following representative excerpts show the desire of many Christians to follow the volitional chastity modeled by St. Paul and Jesus:

Excerpts from Chapter One

Blessed are they who have wives, as though they had them not, for they shall be made angels of God.

Blessed are the bodies and souls of virgins, for they are acceptable to God and shall not lose the reward of their virginity, for the word of their Father shall prove effectual to their salvation in the day of his Son

Excerpts from Chapter Two

For that man has disturbed the whole city of Iconium, and even your Thecla, among others. All the women and young men flock to him to receive his doctrine; who, besides all the rest, tells them that there is but one God who alone is to be worshipped, and that we ought to live in chastity.

Demas and Hermogenes replied, We cannot so exactly tell who he is, but we know that he deprives young men of their intended wives, and virgins of their intended husbands, by teaching, There can be no future resurrection, unless you continue in chastity and do not defile your flesh.

Excerpt from Chapter Five

Then the young men and women brought wood and straw for the burning of Thecla; who, being brought naked to the stake, extorted tears from the governor, who was surprised to see the greatness of her beauty. And when they had placed the wood in order, the people commanded her to go upon it, and she did so, first making the sign of the cross. Then the people set fire to the pile; though the flame was exceeding large, it did not touch her, for God took compassion on her and caused a great eruption from the earth beneath, and a cloud from above to pour down great quantities of rain and hail; So that by the rupture of the earth, very many were in great danger and some were killed, but the fire was extinguished and Thecla preserved.

Excerpt from Chapter Eight

When the people saw this, they said: The judgments passed in this city are unjust. But Thecla desired only the favor of the governor that her chastity might not be attacked, but preserved till she should be cast to the beasts.

Excerpt from Chapter Eleven

They laid hold on her by main force and would have raped her. Then she with the greatest mildness said to them: Young men, have patience and see the glory of the Lord. And while they held her, she looked up to heaven and said: O God most reverend, to whom none can be likened; who makes yourself glorious over your enemies; who delivered me from the fire, and did not give me up to Thamyris, or give me up to Alexander; who delivered me from the wild beasts; who did preserve me in the deep waters; who have everywhere been my helper and have glorified your name in me; Now also deliver me from the hands of these wicked and unreasonable men, nor suffer them to debauch my chastity which I have always preserved for your honor; for I love you and long for you, and worship you, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, forevermore. Amen.