Greco-Christian stream·The Imitation of Christ·Book I — Admonitions Profitable for the Spiritual Life·Chapter IX. Of Obedience And Subjection
IX. Of obedience and subjection
On the virtue of obedience. Magna res est in obedientia vivere — it is a great thing to live under obedience. Even when the command seems contrary to one's own judgment, the giving over of one's will is the surer path than pursuing one's own counsel.
Source context
- Theme
- voluntary obedience and subjection of self-will as precondition for spiritual progress
- Soul-faculty
- Consciousness Soul
Steiner
not engaged in the GA corpus
Cross-tradition
- Benedictine monasticismThe Rule of Saint Benedict structures obedience as the first degree of humility, treating the subordination of individual will to communal and divine authority as the foundational spiritual discipline — a structural parallel to the Imitation's treatment here.
- Sufi discipline (fana and nafs-mortification)Sufi orders systematize the annihilation of the commanding self (nafs al-ammara) through submission to the shaykh, displaying cross-tradition congruence with the Imitation's insistence that subjection of will is more meritorious than learning.
- Aristotelian virtue ethicsAristotle's analysis of practical wisdom (phronesis) requires the subordination of appetitive impulse to rational governance, offering a philosophical-structural antecedent to the chapter's claim that the disobedient soul undermines its own formation.
Chapter IX. Of Obedience And Subjection
OF OBEDIENCE AND SUBJECTION
It is verily a great thing to live in obedience, to be under authority, and not to be at our own disposal. Far safer is it to live in subjection than in a place of authority. Many are in obedience from necessity rather than from love; these take it amiss, and repine for small cause. Nor will they gain freedom of spirit, unless with all their heart they submit themselves for the love of God. Though thou run hither and thither, thou wilt not find peace, save in humble subjection to the authority of him who is set over thee. Fancies about places and change of them have deceived many.
2True it is that every man willingly followeth his own bent, and is the more inclined to those who agree with him. But if Christ is amongst us, then it is necessary that we sometimes yield up our own opinion for the sake of peace. Who is so wise as to have perfect knowledge of all things? Therefore trust not too much to thine own opinion, but be ready also to hear the opinions of others. Though thine own opinion be good, yet if for the love of God thou foregoest it, and followest that of another, thou shalt the more profit thereby.
3Ofttimes I have heard that it is safer to hearken and to receive counsel than to give it. It may also come to pass that each opinion may be good; but to refuse to hearken to others when reason or occasion requireth it, is a mark of pride or wilfulness.
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