to be born, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. For that he does this to render [us] brilliant and notable, you see in my own case, he says, the event taking place, [even for me] who stand in no need of honor or glory; but nevertheless, even I accomplish those myriad good things through this. For before he took on the flesh, and humbled himself, everything was lost and corrupted; but since he did humble himself, he raised everything to a height, wiped away the curse, extinguished death, opened paradise, mortified sin, spread open the vaults of the heavens, raised up our first-fruits to heaven, filled the world with piety, drove away error, brought back the truth, raised up our first-fruits to the royal throne, [and] performed those myriad good things, which neither I nor all men could describe in speech. And before he humbled himself, only angels knew him; but since he humbled himself, the whole nature of men has come to know him. See how his humility did not work a diminution, but, on the contrary, myriad gains, myriad achievements, and made his glory shine forth even more brilliantly. And if in the case of God, who is in need of nothing, humility became the cause of so many good things, and brought even more servants to him, and extended his kingdom, what do you fear, [my student], that you might be diminished by being humbled? B You shall be higher then, then great, then brilliant, then manifest, when you make yourself lowly; when you do not pursue the first places; when you accept being diminished, and slaughtered, and endangered; when you pursue the service of the many, and their care and guardianship, and are prepared to both do and suffer all things for this. Reasoning these things, therefore, beloved, let us pursue humility with much eagerness, and when we are reviled and treated with contempt, and endure all the final things, and are dishonored and despised, let us bear everything with pleasure. For nothing is wont to produce height and glory and honor, and to show one great, as the virtue of humility; which, may it be granted to us to accomplish with precision, that we might attain the promised good things, by the grace and philanthropy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be glory and honor and worship to the Father and to the Holy Spirit, now and always, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
CONCERNING THE TWO FOLLOWING HOMILIES ON THE PRAYERS OF CHRIST
That we should place these two subsequent discourses on the prayers of Christ, which are separated by a long interval in previous editions, together—and that we should append them to the other homilies against the Anomoeans—is prompted by the nature of the argument as well as the occasion. For in both, the prayers of Christ directed to the Father are discussed; from which the heretical Anomoeans and Jews deduced that Christ did not possess power equal to the Father, nor the same substance, but a dissimilar one—an argument that pertains to the sequence of those debates which he held against the Anomoeans at the turn of the year and into the following year. That these were delivered at about the same time is not obscurely signified by Chrysostom in the second [homily], no. 2, where he intimates that the controversies concerning the glory of the Only-Begotten (thus he is wont to call the disputes against the Anomoeans) were then prevalent. Furthermore, in the same discourse, he makes mention more than once—as having been delivered not long before—of the first discourse on the four-day Lazarus, or on the prayers of Christ regarding the four-day Lazarus.
[524] Regarding the former, which is on the four-day Lazarus, Halesius raises a not-to-be-despised question in his notes on Savile, where it is read thus: "We have emended this oration, transcribed from the Royal Library at Paris, from a manuscript in the Augsburg Library. To Halesius it does not seem genuine. The style, certainly, he says, does not differ much; but the method of handling [the subject], and the manner of invention, do not taste of our John. The reason he gives as to why Christ called Lazarus by name, the apostrophe to hell, and the personification there, savor of the youthful boldness of a more recent talent, not the solidity of John." It certainly should have been placed among those that are doubted or even spurious. But I do not know how it happened that, while we were busy with other things, it slipped into the number of the genuine and authentic. This is Halesius, who, if he had noticed that this discourse is explicitly mentioned in the one which is inscribed "On the Prayers of Christ"—into which no suspicion of spuriousness can fall—he might perhaps have abstained from so grave a judgment. But because in the Savilian edition the former [homily] on Lazarus lies separated by a long interval from the later one on the prayers of Christ, Halesius did not notice that Chrysostom himself confirms [the former discourse] on Lazarus in this later one. For in no. 2, he has: "You know, therefore, and remember, that recently, when we were discoursing on the glory of the Only-Begotten... we sufficiently examined those causes, and refreshed the memory of that prayer which he offered for Lazarus, and the other which he offered on the cross, and we showed that the former was poured forth so that the faith of the dispensation in the flesh might be established, but the latter to consult the weakness of the hearers, since he himself was in no need of help. Furthermore, that many things were also done by him as a means to teach them to be humble, hear what proves it. He sent water into the basin, etc." Which are all clearly narrated in the discourse on the four-day Lazarus. And in no. 3: "And that you may understand that the oration is an accommodation, we have already demonstrated in the beginning from those things which happened regarding Lazarus... and we stated the cause then, that he wished to consult the weakness of those standing by: which cause he also said himself, when he openly added: 'Because of the crowd, which...'"
ON THE RESURRECTION OF LAZARUS ON THE FOURTH DAY
[525] Discourse Nine.
1. Today, Lazarus, being raised from the dead, grants us the resolution of many different scandals. For I do not know how this reading has given a handle to the heretics, and an occasion of contradiction to the Jews; not from truth—far be it—but from the crafty soul of those people. For many of the heretics say that the Son is not equal to the Father. Why? Because, they say, Christ needed prayer in order to raise Lazarus; for if he had not prayed, he would not have raised Lazarus. And how, they say, can the one who prayed be equal to the one who received the plea? For the one prays, while the other received the prayer from the one making the plea. But they blaspheme, not understanding how the prayer was for the sake of condescension and the weakness of those present. For, tell me, who is greater: the one washing the feet, or the one whose feet are being washed? Surely, the one is greater whose feet the washer washed.
But the Savior washed the feet of the traitor Judas, for he was among the disciples. Who then is greater: the traitor Judas, or the Master Christ, since Christ washed his feet? Far be it! But what is more humble: to wash the feet, or to pray? Surely, to wash the feet. Therefore, if he did not refuse to do the more humble thing, how would he have refused to do the more lofty thing? But everything was done for the sake of the weakness of the Jews who were present, as the discourse will show as it proceeds. But the Jews also, having taken from this an occasion of contradiction, say: how do the Christians hold him to be God, who even was ignorant of the place where the dead Lazarus lay? Since the Savior was saying to the sisters of Lazarus, Martha and Mary, "Where have you laid him?" Do you see, he says, ignorance? Do you see weakness? He who even was ignorant of the place, is he God? But I will say to them that it was not so, but rather that he wished to put their objection to shame.
You say, O Jew, that Christ was ignorant because he said, "Where have you laid him?" Therefore, the Father also was ignorant in Paradise as to where Adam was hidden. For he went around as if searching for him in Paradise, saying, "Adam, where are you?"—meaning, "Where were you hidden?" Why did he not say the place beforehand, from which Adam spoke with God with confidence? "Adam, where are you?" And what did the other say? "I heard your voice walking in Paradise, and I was afraid, because I am naked, and I hid myself." If you call this ignorance, O Jew, call that ignorance as well; for Christ was saying to those around Martha and Mary, "Where have you laid him?" Do you therefore call this ignorance? Then what do you say when you hear God saying to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" What do you say? If you call this ignorance,
then it is ignorance to ask this as well. But neither did the Father in the Old Testament not know, nor did the Son in the New Testament. What, then, is “I will go down and see if they are doing according to their cry which is coming to me; and if not, that I may know?” It means, “A report has come to me.” But I wish to obtain proof again through the events themselves, not that I am ignorant, but because I wish to teach people not to attend to words simply, nor, if someone says something against another, to believe easily; but rather, they ought first to have touched upon it accurately and learned the proof through the events themselves, and only then to believe. And for this reason, another passage in Scripture said: “Believe not every word.” For nothing so overturns the life of men as believing something quickly according to one’s own reasoning. This the prophet David also, prophesying, said: “Him who secretly slandered his neighbor, him I drove out.”
B You see how there was no ignorance in the Savior when He said, “Where have you laid him?” just as there was not in the Father when He said to Adam, “Where are you?”, or to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?”, or “I will go down and see if they are doing according to their cry which is coming to me; and if not, that I may know.” It is high time, therefore, to draw up a battle line against those who say that it was out of weakness that Christ prayed to raise Lazarus. Attend, beloved, with all accuracy, I beseech you. Lazarus, then, died, and Jesus was not in those parts, but in Galilee, and He said to His disciples, “Lazarus our friend has fallen asleep.” But they, thinking that He was speaking about this sleep, say to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be saved.” Jesus speaks to them plainly, “Lazarus has died.” The Savior then comes into Jerusalem to the place where Lazarus was laid, and the sister of Lazarus meets Him and says to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” *If You had been here.* You are weak, O woman. The woman does not yet understand that even not being present bodily, Christ was present by the authority of His divinity; but she measures the power of the Teacher by the presence of the body. Martha says to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. And even now,” she says, “I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” The Savior, therefore, makes the prayer in response to her request. For God did not lack prayer in order to raise the dead. For did He not raise other dead also? When He met a certain dead man being carried out, at the gate, He just touched the bier and raised the dead man. Did He need prayer then to raise the deceased? And again, at another time, He merely said with a word C to the maiden, “Talitha cumi,” and immediately he restored her to her parents healthy. Did He need prayer then? And what do I say about the Teacher? His disciples raised the dead by a word alone. Did not Peter raise Tabitha by a word? Did not Paul perform many signs through his garments? And learn also the more paradoxical of these: the shadow of the apostles raised the dead. For they were bringing, it says, those who were ill on beds, so that even if the shadow of Peter overshadowed one of them, they were immediately raised. What then? Did the shadow of the disciples raise the dead, and the Teacher need prayer to raise the dead? But for the sake of the weakness of the woman, the Savior makes the prayer. For she says to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died; and even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” You asked for prayer, I give prayer. The well is ready; for instance, if one brings a vessel, he fills it; if it is large, he receives much; if it is small, he receives little. She, therefore, requested prayer, and the Savior gives the prayer. Another said, “I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed”; and the Savior said to him, “As you have believed, so let it be done to you.” Another said, “Come, heal my daughter”; and He said to him, “I will come.” Therefore, the healing of the Physician is applied according to the inclinations of the people. Another, again, touched the hem of His garment secretly, and secretly reaped the healing; each received the healing as he believed. She says, “I know that whatever You ask the Father, the Father gives You”; and because Martha asked for prayer, the Savior provides the prayer, not because He Himself was in need of prayer, but bearing with the weakness of the woman, and in order to show that He is not an adversary to God, but that whatever He Himself does, this the Father also does. God created man from the beginning; the creation was of both: “For let us make,” He says, “man after our image and likeness.” Again, He wished to bring the robber into paradise, and immediately He spoke a word, and He brought the robber into paradise, and He did not need prayer, even though Christ had been the one who forbade all those who came after Adam from that entry; for He had placed the flaming sword to guard paradise. But by His authority, Christ opened paradise and brought in the robber. A robber, O Master, do You bring into paradise? Your Father for a single sin cast Adam out of paradise, and do You bring in the robber, who was responsible for myriads of evils and myriads of transgressions, and simply thus, through a single word, You bring him into paradise? Yes; for neither did those things happen without Me, nor this without My Father; but this also
is Mine, as it is the Father's. For I am in the Father, and the Father in Me.
[γ'] [528] And that you may see that the resurrection of the dead was not the work of prayer, hear the prayer. For what does He say? "I thank You, Father, that You have heard Me." What then? Is this a form of prayer? Is this a type of supplication: "I thank You that You have heard Me"? "But I," He says, "knew that You always hear Me." If then, O Lord, You know that the Father always hears You, why do You trouble Yourself regarding the things You already know? "I, indeed," He says, "know that the Father always hears Me, but for the sake of the crowd standing around I said it, that they might know that You sent Me." Did He pray for the sake of the dead man? Did He supplicate that Lazarus might rise? Did He say, "Father, command death to obey"? Did He say, "Father, command Hades not to close its gates, but to willingly return the dead man"? No; but "For the sake of this crowd standing around I said it, that they might know that You sent Me." Therefore, what is taking place is not a sign, but an instruction for those present.
You have seen how the prayer was not for the dead man, but for the present unbelievers, that they might know, He says, that You sent Me. And how are we to know, He says, that He Himself sent You? Pay attention, I beseech you, with all precision. "Behold," He says, "with My own authority I call the dead man; behold, with My own power I command death; I call the Father 'Father'; I also call Lazarus from the tomb. If the first is not true, then let not this come to pass; but if the Father is truly Father, let the dead man also obey for the instruction of those present." For what was Christ saying? "Lazarus, come forth." When the prayer occurred, the dead man did not rise; but when He said, "Lazarus, come forth," then the dead man rose. O tyranny of death! O tyranny of that power which holds the soul! O Hades, a prayer has occurred, and do you not release the dead man? "No," it says. Why? "Because I was not commanded. I am a prisoner there, holding the one who is liable; unless I am commanded," it says, "I do not release the one who is liable; for the prayer," it says, "was not for my sake, but for the sake of the unbelievers present. For I, unless I am commanded, do not release the one who is liable; I await the voice, that I may release the soul." "Lazarus, come forth." The dead man heard the master's command, and immediately cast off the laws of death. Let the heretics be ashamed, and let them perish from the face of the earth. For the argument has indeed proven that the prayer did not occur for the sake of the dead man's resurrection, but for the sake of the weakness of the unbelievers then present. "Lazarus, come forth." And why did He call the dead man by name? Why? So that, not casting a voice released [at random] toward the dead, he might not raise everyone in the tombs; for this reason He says, "Lazarus, come forth." "Only you do I summon for the present, so that through the part, I might also demonstrate the power of the things to come; for I, who raise one, raise the inhabited world. For I am the resurrection and the life." "Lazarus, come forth." And the dead man came forth, bound in grave clothes.
O wondrous things! [529] The One who loosened the soul from the bonds of death, the One who breached the gates of Hades, the One who shattered bronze gates and iron bars and liberated the soul from the bonds of death, was He not able also to loosen the grave clothes of the dead man? Yes, He was able; but He commands the Jews to loosen the grave clothes, which they themselves had tightened when they were burying him, so that from their own bonds they might recognize the tokens, so that by experience they might learn, from the things they did, that the one buried by them is Lazarus, and that Christ is the One who, by the good pleasure of the Father, came into the world, the One who has the power of life and death. To Him be glory and power, with His unoriginate Father and His all-holy and life-giving Spirit, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Tenth Discourse
α'. We have sufficiently celebrated, in the days preceding, having taken up the apostolic struggles, and having delighted in the account of the spiritual achievements; it is time now to pay the debt to you; for there is nothing hindering it. And I know indeed that you have forgotten your debts to me because of the multitude of the days; not, however, for this cause shall I myself hide them, but with all eagerness I shall render them to you. And I do this, not for the sake of gratitude alone, but also for my own benefit. For in the case of bodily transactions, it is a profit for the one who has borrowed that the lender should forget; but in the case of spiritual contracts, the greatest profit for the one about to pay the debt is that those who are about to receive them should continuously remember the debts. For there, indeed, the loan, once paid, releases the one who made the payment, but it is transferred to the one who is to receive it, and it diminished the substance of the one, while it increased it for the other; but in the case of spiritual matters, it is not so, but it is possible both to pay it and to possess it; and, what is truly wondrous, that we possess it most when we pay it to others. For if I bury it in my mind and keep it continuously, imparting it to no one, the profit is diminished for me, and the things of my estate are lessened; but if I bring it forth to all
A and make many sharers and participants, the things of my spiritual wealth increase. And that this is so, and that one who imparts them to others increases the deposit, while one who hides them lessens the whole work, witnesses are those who were entrusted with the talents, he of the five, and he of the two, and he of the one. For those who brought forward double what was entrusted were honored for this; but he, since he kept it by himself and imparted it to no one, and could not make it double, was punished for this. Having heard these things, then, all of you, and fearing the punishment from thence, whatever good we may possess, let us bring it forth to our brothers and cast it into the midst for all, and let us not hide it. For when we impart to others, then we ourselves are more greatly enriched; when we make many sharers in the commerce, then we increase our own surplus. But you think that your glory is diminished when you are among many, knowing what you alone know. And yet, then both the things of glory and the things of benefit are increased. When you trample down envy, when you extinguish malice, when you display great brotherly love; but if you go about knowing it alone, men will turn away from you as from one who is envious and hateful to his brother, and they will hate you, and God as a wicked one will exact from you the final penalty—and apart from these things, even this grace itself, having left you destitute, will quickly depart. For even grain, if it lies continuously in the storehouses, is consumed, as the moth devours it; but if, having been brought out, it is cast into the fields, it is multiplied and sprouts again. So also spiritual discourse, if it is locked within continuously, with the soul being corrupted and devoured by envy, sloth, and wasting, is quickly extinguished; but if, as into a fertile field, it is scattered into the souls of the brothers, the treasure is multiplied both for those receiving it and for him who possesses it. And just as a spring, by being continuously drawn from, is purified all the more and gushes forth more, but by being blocked up is choked—so also spiritual grace and the word of instruction, by being continuously drawn from and giving to those who wish to partake of it, gushes forth more; but by malice and envy being blocked up, it is diminished and extinguished entirely. Since, then, the gain is so great for us, whatever we may have, come, let us put it into the midst and render to you the whole debt, having first reminded you of the sequence of all these debts.
B β'. You know, then, and remember recently, that when we were discoursing concerning the glory of the Only-begotten, we enumerated many causes for the condescension in the words; and we said that it is not only because of the garment of flesh, nor only because of the weakness of those who hear, that Christ often speaks lowly things, but in many places, even while teaching us to be humble-minded. And we went through those causes sufficiently at that time, and having remembered the one at Lazarus, and the prayer that took place at the very cross, and having shown clearly that the one He did to confirm the dispensation, the other to correct the weakness of those who hear, He Himself needing no help. And that He was doing many things also teaching them to be humble-minded, hear this too. He poured water into the basin; and as if this were not enough, He even girded Himself with a towel, bringing Himself down to the final lowliness, and began to wash the feet of the disciples, and after the disciples, He washed the feet of the betrayer as well. Who would not be struck with wonder and amazement? He washes the feet of the one about to betray Him; and He does not pass by Peter who is refusing and saying, Lord, do You not wash my feet? but He says to him: If I do not wash your feet, you have no part with Me; and he, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. You saw the reverence of the disciple through both, both through the refusal and through the acceptance? For although the words were opposite, yet both were spoken from a fervent mind. Do you see how he was everywhere fervent and awakened? But as I was saying, so that you might not, because of the lowliness of the action, suspect lowliness of His nature, C after the washing, hear what He says to them: Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me the Lord and the Teacher, and you say well; for I am. If then I, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to do so to one another. For I gave you a pattern, that as I did to you, you also should do to one another. Do you see that He was doing many things for the sake of the pattern? For just as a teacher filled with wisdom lisps with children who are lisping, and this lisping is not a sign of the teacher’s ignorance, but of his care for the children; so indeed Christ also was not doing these things because of the lowliness of His essence, but because of condescension. And it is necessary not simply to pass over these things; for also if we look at this very thing by itself now, see how much absurdity will follow. For if the one who washes seems to be lowlier than the one being washed (and the one washing is Christ, but the disciples are the ones being washed), then Christ will be lowlier than the disciples. But no one would say this, not even one who is mad. Do you see how great an evil it is to be ignorant of the causes for which Christ was doing all the things He was doing? Or rather, do you see how great a good it is to examine everything with precision, and not simply that He said or did something lowly, but also for whose sake and why to add it? He did not do this here only, but also elsewhere He hinted at this very same thing. For having said, Who is greater, the one reclining or the one serving? He added, Is it not the one reclining? But I am in the midst of you as the one serving. D And He said this, and He did that, showing that in many places He catches at the lesser things for the instruction of the disciples, at the same time persuading them to be moderate. And it is clear that it was not because of the nature being inferior, but because of their instruction that He endures all these things. For also elsewhere He says: The rulers of the nations lord it over them, but among you it is not so; but whoever desires to be first among you, let him be the servant of all. For indeed The Son of man came not to be served, but to serve. If then He came to serve and to teach humility, do not be troubled, nor despond, if the things of the servants
A you see Him executing and declaring.
Thus also, He performs many of His prayers from the same mindset. For they approached Him saying, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." What then [532] was He required to do, tell me? Not to teach them to pray? But for this very reason He came, that He might lead them into all philosophy. But was He required to teach? Then He was required to pray.
But, one might say, it was necessary only to do this by word. But instruction through words is not accustomed to lead those who are being discipled as instruction through deeds is. For this reason, He does not teach them a prayer only by means of words, but He also continues doing this Himself; and He prays, keeping watch all night in the wilderness, educating and admonishing us that, when we are about to converse with God, we should flee from tumults and the distractions in our midst, and withdraw to a wilderness—not only of places, but also of times. And a wilderness is not only a mountain, but also a small room free from noise.
B 3. And that you may learn that prayer is for the sake of condescension, we have already demonstrated this especially through the events concerning Lazarus; nevertheless, it is also clear from other things. For why is it that for greater miracles He does not pray, but for lesser ones He does? For if He prayed needing help, and did not have independent power, He ought to have prayed in all cases and called upon the Father; but if not in all cases, at least in the greater ones. But now He does the opposite: in greater matters, He does not pray, in order to show that He was doing this while teaching others, not because He was in need of power. When, therefore, He blessed the loaves, looking up to heaven He prayed, instructing us not to taste of the table before we have given thanks to the God who produced the fruits; and having raised many dead, He did not pray, save C only in the case of Lazarus. We have already spoken of the cause for this, that He was correcting the infirmity of those present, which He Himself also stated, clearly adding, "because of the crowd standing around I said it." And that it was not the prayer, but the voice that raised the dead, we have sufficiently demonstrated then; and that you might learn this more clearly, behold.
For when it is necessary to punish, and when to honor, and when to remit sins, and when to give laws, and when it is necessary to do any of the much greater things, you will find Him nowhere calling upon the Father, nor praying, but doing everything with authority. I shall recount each of these; but you contemplate with precision how He nowhere needs prayer. "Come," He says, "you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you." And again, "Depart from me, you cursed, into the fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Behold, He punishes and honors with all authority, and He needs no prayer. Again, when it is necessary to correct a body that has been paralyzed: "Arise, take up your pallet, and walk"; when to release from death: "Talitha cumi, arise"; when to free from sins: "Be of good courage, child, your sins are forgiven"; when to rebuke demons: "I say to you, evil demon, come out of him"; when to calm the sea: "Be silent, be muzzled"; when to cleanse one possessed by leprosy: "I will, be cleansed"; when to legislate: "You have heard that it was said [533] to those of old, 'You shall not murder'; but I say to you, everyone who says to his brother, 'Fool,' shall be liable to the hell of fire." Do you see Him doing everything with lordly authority, and casting into hell, and leading into the kingdom, and correcting paralysis, and driving away death, and remitting sins, and rebuking demons, and calming the sea? And yet what is greater, tell me, to lead into the kingdom, and to cast into hell, and to remit sins, and to give laws with authority, or to create bread? Is it not clear and acknowledged by all that these are greater than those? But yet, in the greater matters D He does not pray, showing that even in the lesser matters He was not doing this due to a lack of power, but due to the instruction of those present at the time. And that you may learn how great a thing it is to remit sins, I bring forward the prophet as your witness; for the prophet demonstrates this to be of no one else but of God alone. "For who is God," he says, "like You, taking away iniquities, passing over transgressions?" And to lead into the kingdom is also much greater than to undo death; but yet He does even that with power. And to legislate is not of those who are subordinate, but of those who are reigning; and the very nature of the things cries out this; for it is the right of kings alone to establish laws; and the Apostle also shows this, saying: "Now concerning the virgins, I have no command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who has been shown mercy by the Lord to be trustworthy." Since he was a slave and a minister, he did not dare add to what had been legislated from the beginning. But Christ is not so, but with much authority reads the ancient laws, and introduces those from Himself in turn. And if it is of royal authority alone to simply establish laws, when He is found not only establishing laws, but also correcting the ancient ones, what argument remains for those wishing to be shameless? For from this it is clear that He is of the same essence as the One who begot Him.
And that what I say may be clearer, let us come to the very passage of the Scripture. Having ascended the mountain, it says, He sat down, and as they were standing around, He began to say: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart." Then after those beatitudes He says: "Do not think that I came to abolish the law or the prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill." For who suspected this? Or what of the things said was contrary to the former ones, that He should say this? "Blessed," He says, "are the poor in spirit," that is to say, the humble-minded. But even the Old [Testament] said this: "For a sacrifice to God is a spirit of contrition; a broken and humbled heart, God will not"
A ignore." And again: "Blessed are the meek." And Isaiah also cries out this same thing from the person of God, saying: "On whom shall I look, if not on the meek and quiet man, and him who trembles at my words?" "Blessed are the merciful." And this too is scattered everywhere; for he says: "Do not deprive the life of the poor, and do not turn away from a suppliant who is afflicted." And the discourse everywhere is much concerned with philanthropy. [554] "Blessed are the pure in heart." David also says this: "Create a clean heart in me, O God, and renew a right spirit in my members." And if one were to go through the remaining beatitudes, he would find that there is great harmony. Why then, having said nothing contrary to what came before, did he add: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets?" He puts this correction not because of what has been said, but because of what is about to be said. For since he was going to enter upon an intensification of the commandments, so that they would not think that this elevation was a contradiction, nor that the addition was a conflict, for this reason he said: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets"; that is to say, I am about to speak of things that are more perfect than those previously mentioned; for instance: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not kill,' but I say to you, 'You shall not be angry.' You have heard that you shall not commit adultery, but I say to you that 'everyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery,'" and as many things as are like these. Do not, therefore, think that this perfection is an abolition; for it is not an abolition, but a fulfillment; and what He did in the case of bodies, this He does also in the case of the law. And what did He do in the case of bodies? Coming and finding many members crippled and all of them in a needy state, He restored them and brought them back to their proper decorum, making it evident to all through the deeds themselves that He is the one who both established the ancient laws and created our nature. And that He was eager to demonstrate this is clear, especially from the healing of the blind man. For passing by and seeing a man blind, He made clay, and smeared such clay upon the blinded eyes, and said to him: "Go, wash in Siloam." For why, since He was continually raising the dead with a bare command and performing many other such miracles, does He here add a work, making clay and molding eyes for him? Is it not evident so that when you hear that "God took dust from the earth and molded man," you might learn through what is now happening that this is the same one who in the beginning molded man? For if He did not want to show this, what He was doing was superfluous. Then, so that you might learn that the need for clay did not assist Him towards the restoration of sight for the blinded man, but that it sufficed even without that material to mold eyes by a command alone, He adds and says: "Go, wash in Siloam." For after showing us through the manner of the creation that He is the one who also fashioned man from the beginning, then He says to him: "Go, wash in Siloam." Just as, therefore, an excellent sculptor, wishing to demonstrate his own craft through his works, lets go, while molding the statue, a part [of it unfinished], so that he might give proof of the art of the whole in what is left lacking; so also Christ, because He wished to show that He Himself created the whole man, left him incomplete, so that by coming B and restoring his eyes, He might implant in us faith concerning the whole. And see where He did this: not on a hand or a foot, but on the eyes, the most beautiful and necessary of our members, and there is no member more precious to us. But he who was able to mold the most beautiful and necessary [part], I mean the eyes, [555] it is evident that He is able to construct also the hand and the foot and the remaining members. O the blessedness of those eyes, which became a spectacle to all those present, and drew everyone to themselves, and uttered a voice through their beauty, instructing all who were present in the power of Christ. And it was a paradox what was taking place; for the blind man was teaching those who see how to see. Which is why Christ, manifesting this, said: "For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind." O blessed blinding! For what it did not receive from nature, it received from grace, being in no way harmed by the delay as much as it gained from the mode of the creation. For what could be more wonderful than those eyes, which faultless and holy hands deigned to mold? And what happened in the case of the barren woman, this also happened here. For just as she was in no way harmed by the delay, but rather became more brilliant, obtaining the child not by the laws of nature but by the laws of grace; so indeed the blind man was harmed in no way by the past blinding, but even gained the greatest things therefrom, being deemed worthy first to see the Sun of Righteousness, and then this sensory [sun].
ε'. I say these things so that we may not be troubled when we see either ourselves or certain others in calamities. For if we bear all things that happen to us gratefully and nobly, every calamity will by all means come to a good end for us and will have many goods. But what I wished to say is that just as He fashioned the bodies [even when they were] lacking and made them complete, so also did He take the law [when] incomplete and set it in order and molded it and brought it to something better. But let no one, hearing that the law was incomplete, think that I am accusing the One who gave it. For that [law] was incomplete not because of its own nature, but because of the time; since at the time it was introduced, it was very perfect and appropriate for those receiving it; but since our nature, having been educated by Him toward something better, had progressed, it became more incomplete—not because of its own nature, but because of the growth in virtue of those who had been taught by it. And just as bows and arrows, constructed for a royal child for practice rather than for battle and war, become useless once the child has grown and learned to excel in wars; so indeed it happened also in the case of our nature; when we were disposed more imperfectly and were learning to be exercised, He gave us suitable weapons, which we were able to carry with ease; but when we had grown in the measure of virtue, those things became incomplete by reason of our own perfection. For this reason Christ came, entrusting to us other, greater things. And see with how much understanding He [reads] the laws...
and sets forth the new ones. "You have heard," He says, "that it was said to the ancients: You shall not kill." Tell me, by whom was it said? Was it you who said this, or your Father? But He does not say.
Why then did He keep silent about this, and why did He not reveal who the speaker was, but instead brought forward the legislation anonymously? Because if He had said, "You shall not kill, but I say to you: You shall not be angry," it would have seemed burdensome to his hearers, for they were not yet able to understand that He was not overturning the former things but establishing them by increasing them. And they would have said to Him: "What are you saying? Your Father said: You shall not kill; but do you say: You shall not be angry?" So, that no one might think Him to be against the Father, or as if He were introducing some greater wisdom than Him, He did not say, "You have heard from the Father." Again, if He had said: "You have heard that I said to the ancients," it would have seemed intolerable, and this no less than the former. For if, because He said, "Before Abraham existed, I am," they attempted to stone Him, what would they not have done had He added that He Himself also gave the law to Moses? For this reason, neither speaking of Himself nor of the Father, but leaving it midway and saying, "You have heard that it was said to the ancients: You shall not kill"—what He did in the case of the bodies, having taught them through the filling up of what was lacking, and the one who from the beginning created man, this He also does here, by the correction of the Law and the addition of what was missing, teaching who He is who gave the law from the beginning. For this reason, even when discoursing about the creation of man, He made mention of neither Himself nor the Father, but even there makes the statement anonymous and indefinite, saying: "He who made them from the beginning made them male and female." And with that statement He kept silent about the Maker, but by the deed He taught, filling up the shortcomings of the bodies. Thus also here, saying "You have heard that it was said to the ancients," He was silent about by whom it was said, but by the very deeds He revealed Himself. For He who filled up what was lacking is He who also brought him into existence from the beginning. And He reads the ancient laws themselves, so that the hearers may learn by the comparison that the things said are not in opposition, and that He has the same authority as He who begat Him. The Jews also understood these things and were amazed. And that they were amazed, listen to the Evangelist declaring this and saying: "The crowds," he says, "were amazed at His teaching, because He taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes and the Pharisees." What then, if they suspected this wrongly? He says. But indeed, He did not call them to account, nor did He rebuke them, but He even confirmed their judgment. For when the leper immediately approached and said: "Lord, if You will, You can cleanse me," what did He say? "I will; be cleansed." And why did He not simply say, "Be cleansed?" Although the leper witnessed that He had authority by saying, "If You will." But in order that you might not imagine that the expression "If You will" was a matter of the leper's judgment, He added, also saying Himself: "I will; be cleansed." Thus He purposefully showed His authority everywhere, and that He does everything by His own power; for if this were not so, what was said would have been superfluous.
6. Having understood, then, His authority in all things, if we see Him elsewhere saying and doing something humble, because of the reasons we enumerated before, and because of the desire to lead his hearers into humility, let us not for this reason slander Him with lowliness of substance. For He even endured to take on flesh out of humility, not because He was inferior to the Father. And from what is this clear? For the enemies of the truth also bring this around, saying: "If He was equal to the One who begat Him, for what reason did the Father not take on flesh, but the Son put on the form of a servant? Is it not clear that it is because He was inferior?" But indeed, if because of this He put on our nature, then the Spirit, whom they themselves say is inferior to the Son (for we would not say so), ought to have been incarnate. For if the Father is greater than the Son for this reason, because the one was incarnate and the other was not, the Spirit would also be greater for the same reason; for He, too, did not take on flesh.
But in order that we may not conclude this from syllogisms, come let us demonstrate it from the Scriptures themselves, showing that out of humility He took on flesh. For Paul, who knew these things accurately, when he is about to advise us of something useful, brings down for us models of virtue from above. For example, he advises often concerning love, and wishing to lead the disciples into loving one another, he brings Christ into the midst, saying: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the Church." Again, when he discourses about almsgiving, he does this very thing; therefore he also says: "You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake He became poor, though He was rich, so that you by His poverty might become rich." What he says is like this: just as your Master became poor, clothing Himself in flesh, so do you become poor in money; for just as the poverty of glory harmed Him nothing, so the poverty of money will not be able to harm you, but will work for you great wealth. Thus also when discoursing again to the Philippians about humility, he brings Christ into the midst, and having said, "In humility counting others as better than yourselves," he added: "For this should be minded among you, which also was in Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not think it a robbery to be equal to God, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant." Yet if He accepted wearing flesh because He was inferior by nature, that which occurred is no longer a matter of humility, and Paul brought it forward in vain when urging [others] to humility; for humility is when an equal obeys an equal. This, then, He Himself also shows, saying: "Who, existing in the form of God, did not think it a robbery to be equal to God, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant." What is, "He did not think it a robbery to be equal to God, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant"? He who has snatched something that does not belong to him holds this continuously and would not wish to put it aside, fearing and having no confidence in his possession; the
A Son, however, would not refuse to perform any servile work, knowing that even if he serves all the work of servants, nothing of his freedom is harmed, but it remains immovable, since his natural nobility cannot be destroyed by servile works; for he does not possess it from seizure, as the servant does, but from above and from the very first day it was allotted to him. This, therefore, is what Paul also declares concerning Christ, saying that since he was free by nature and a genuine Son, not having taken equality as a seizure, he did not need to hide it, but confidently took on the form of a servant. For he knew, he knew clearly, that the condescension would not be able to diminish his glory in anything; for it was not added from outside, nor given by way of seizure, nor was it foreign and unbefitting, but natural and genuine. For this reason, he took the form of a servant, knowing clearly and being convinced that this would be unable to harm him in any way. Nor, therefore, did it harm him; rather, even in the form of a servant, he remained possessing the same glory. Do you see that even the taking on of flesh is a sign that the Son is such as the One who begat him, and that this equality is not added from outside, nor that it comes to be and ceases to be, but is immovable and firm, and such as it is natural for a son to have toward a father? B
§ 7. Let us, then, say all these things to those people, and let us strive, so far as it concerns us, to lead them away from that wicked heresy and bring them back to the truth. And let us ourselves not think that faith alone suffices for our salvation, but let us also care for our way of life and show forth an excellent life, so that from both sides things pertaining to our benefit may be accomplished for us. And what I urged before, I now urge again, that we should succeed in this: let us dissolve our mutual enmities, and let no one be an enemy of his neighbor for more than a single day, but let him dissolve his anger before the sunset, so that he may not, by being by himself and collecting with precision the things that have happened and the things said out of enmity, make the end more difficult and make the reconciliation harder. For just as the bones of our body, when they have slipped out of their proper place, if they are brought back immediately, recover their own place without much pain; but if they remain outside their proper place for a long time, they return with difficulty and go back to their own place, and even when they have been brought back, they require many days so that they may be fitted and set and remain with precision; so, too, we, if we are reconciled to our enemies immediately, do this at once and do not require much effort to return to the ancient friendship; but if much time passes in between, as though blinded by the enmity, we blush, we are ashamed, we need others C not only to bring us together, but also to hold us after the return with precision, until we take up our previous confidence. And I do not yet mention the mockery and the shame. For how much condemnation would it not deserve, for us to need others to lead us toward our own members? And not only does this danger come from delay and postponement, but also that things which were not sins begin to appear as sins hereafter; and if the enemy says anything at all, we receive everything with suspicion—gestures, and looks, and voice, and gait; for even when seen, he inflames the hardened soul, and when he is not seen, he causes grief in the same way again. For it is not only the sight of those who have wronged us, but also the memory [of them] that is accustomed to grieve us continuously, and even if we hear someone else saying something about him, we respond in the same way, and we lead our entire life simply in dejection and pain, working greater evils for ourselves than for them, and maintaining a continuous war in our soul.
Knowing all these things, then, beloved, let us especially strive to behave toward no one with hostility; but if some enmity does arise, let us be reconciled with it on that same day. For if one forgets the second and the third [day], the third quickly becomes the fourth, and that one the fifth, and it itself will give birth again to many more days of enmity for us; for as much as we delay, by so much the more do we blush. But is it a shame to come forward and kiss the one who has done the wrong? This is, rather, praise, this is a crown, this is an encomium, this is a gain and a treasure having countless good things; and even the enemy himself will welcome you, and all who are present will praise you, and even if [other] men blame you, God will crown you in any case. But if you wait for him to come first and ask for forgiveness, you will not have as much gain; for he, having anticipated you, has snatched the prize and transferred the blessing entirely to himself; but if you yourself anticipate him, you have not been diminished, but you have conquered anger, you have overcome the passion, you have displayed much philosophy by obeying God, you have made the life after this more desirable, you have been delivered from troubles and confusion. Nor is it, before God alone, but also among men, slippery and dangerous to have many enemies. And why do I say "many"? It is dangerous to have even one and a lone enemy, just as it is safe and saving to possess everyone as friends. Not in such a way does the revenue of money, not in such a way do weapons and walls and trenches and countless other inventions naturally secure us, as genuine friendship. This is a wall, this is safety, this is wealth, this is luxury, this will prepare us to lead the present life with cheerfulness, and will reward us with the life that is to come. Considering, therefore, all these things, and calculating how much gain [there is] from the matter, let us do and arrange everything so as both to reconcile those who are already our enemies, and to prevent those who are about to become such, and D
making them more secure. For love is the beginning and the end of all virtue; and may we, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and power unto the ages of ages, truly and continuously enjoy the kingdom of heaven. Amen.
ADMONITION
This was delivered at Constantinople. This is clearly signified by Chrysostom when he says: "At that time, therefore,"—that is, recently, as is clear from the preceding, we were weaving that argument from the Old Testament, where the glory of the only-begotten Son of God was being discussed; "now," from this same source, "Christ was saying: If you believed Moses, you would believe me also." But now we say that this was spoken by Moses: "The Lord God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brethren; like me you shall hear him." Just as, for instance, in the preceding homily, which is against the Anomoeans, no. 2. For it happens that that verse, "If you believed Moses," etc., was removed in all previous editions from the place and time and argument where Chrysostom himself, placing both together, teaches that they should not be separated.
The first Latin interpretation is by someone unknown; the second is by Flaminius Nobilius. We have placed the latter, corrected in many places, opposite the Greek text.
HOMILY XI. Homily delivered at Constantinople against the Anomoeans concerning the Incomprehensible, and that the New is in harmony with the Old, and to those who absent themselves from the divine assemblies.
Eleventh Discourse.
1. I addressed you for one day, and from that day forth I have loved you in such a way as if I had been reared with you from the beginning and from the very first. I have been so bound to you by the bonds of love as if I had enjoyed your most sweet communion for an inexpressible amount of time. And this has come to pass, not because I am a friendly and affectionate person, but because you are, above all others, desirable and lovely. For who among you would not admire and marvel at your burning zeal, your unfeigned love, your goodwill toward your teachers, and your concord toward one another, all of which are enough to draw even a heart of stone to itself? For this reason, we also love you no less than that other Church in which we were born, and reared, and educated; for this one is a sister to that one, and you have demonstrated that kinship through your deeds. And if that one is older in time, this one is warmer in faith; greater is the assembly there, and more brilliant the spectacle, but greater here is the patience, and more numerous the displays of courage. Wolves surround the sheep from every side, and the flock is not...