Against those who absent themselves from the divine services, and concerning the holy and saving baptism of our Savior Jesus Christ, and concerning those who communicate unworthily, and that those who leave the divine liturgy uncompleted and depart before the final prayer imitate Judas; A Discourse.
A 1. You are all in joy today, but I am alone in grief. For when I look out upon this spiritual sea and contemplate the immense riches of the Church, and then consider that once this festival is past, this crowd will once again leap away and depart, I am bitten and pained in my soul, that although the Church has brought forth so many children, she cannot enjoy their presence at every gathering, but only at a feast. What spiritual exultation would there be, what joy, what glory of God, what profit for souls, if we saw the courts of the church so filled at every gathering? But as it is, while sailors and pilots do everything they can to traverse the sea and arrive at the harbor, we strive to be tossed about through the whole sea, constantly drownings in the storms of worldly affairs, and turning about in the marketplaces and in the courts of law, while we appear here hardly once or twice in the whole year. Do you not know that just as God has set harbors in the sea, so he has set churches in cities, so that by taking refuge here from the gale of worldly turmoil, we might enjoy the greatest calm? For there is no need here to fear any storm of waves, no incursions of robbers, no assault of criminals, no force of winds, no plots of wild beasts; for it is a harbor stripped of all these things, a spiritual harbor for souls. And you are witnesses of what I say. For if any of you were to open up his conscience now, he would find great stillness within; for no anger harasses, no desire burns, no envy wastes, no pride puffs up, no love of vanity corrupts; but all these wild beasts are subdued, as if by some divine incantation—the hearing of the divine Scriptures—entering through the ears of each person into the soul and lulling these irrational passions to sleep. What wretchedness, then, would it not be, when one is going to enjoy such holiness of character, not to abide continuously and frequent the mother of all in common, the Church? For what more necessary occupation could you tell me of than this? What more wholesome company? And what is the obstacle B to your attendance here? You will certainly tell me that poverty is a hindrance to you from this good gathering; but the excuse is not reasonable. The week has seven days; God has divided these seven among us, and he did not give the most to himself and the least to us, but rather he did not even divide them equally; he did not take three and give us three, but he assigned six to us, and left one for himself. And yet in this one day you do not endure to be free from worldly affairs; but what those who plunder sacred treasures do, this you also dare to do on this day, snatching it away—though it is sacred and dedicated to the hearing of spiritual oracles—and misusing it for worldly cares. And why do I speak of a whole day? What the widow did in the matter of almsgiving, do you also on your own time; just as she cast in two mites and drew unto herself great favor from God, so do you also lend two hours to God, and you will bring the gain of ten thousand days into your home. But if you do not endure this, consider lest, not wanting to detach yourself from earthly gains for a small part of a day, you lose the labors of whole years. For God knows how to dissipate even collected money when he is despised; just as he said also in threatening the Jews, since they despised the care of the temple: "You brought them into your houses, and I blew them away," says the Lord (Haggai 1:9). For what, tell me, shall we be able to teach you of the necessary things, coming to us once or twice in the year—concerning the soul, concerning the body, concerning immortality, concerning the kingdom of heaven, concerning punishment, concerning Gehenna, concerning the longsuffering of God, concerning forgiveness, concerning repentance, concerning baptism, concerning the things above and the things below, concerning the nature of men, concerning the remission of sins, concerning this creation of angels, concerning the evil-doing of demons, concerning the wiles of the devil, concerning manner of life, concerning dogmas, concerning correct faith, concerning corrupt heresies? For the Christian must know these things and even much more than these, and must be able to give an account of all these to those who ask you. But you will not be able to know even the thousandth part of these, C if you are here only in a perfunctory manner.
and gather yourselves together here, and that not so much for the devotion of your souls as for the custom of the solemnity. For by attending these assemblies each day, one could hardly learn all these things with precision. You have many servants, both those who are present here and your own children; and when you wish to hand them over to masters of the arts for training, you exclude them from entering your homes, once you have provided them with bedding, food, and every other supply and equipment. You send them off to live with their teacher and forbid them to come to your home, so that by residing there continuously, they may learn the art more easily, and their study and labor may be interrupted by no anxiety. But now, when you are to learn not some ordinary art, but the greatest of all—how one must please God and attain to heavenly goods—do you think that you can accomplish this in a perfunctory manner? What kind of madness is this, I ask? That this pursuit is a discipline demanding great attention, learn from these words: *Learn from me,* he says, *for I am meek and humble in heart* (Matt. 11:29). And again the prophet says: *Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord* (Ps. 33:12). And again: *Be still and know that I am God* (Ps. 45:11). So, much leisure B is needed by one who wishes to acquire this discipline of morals and this philosophy.
Caput 2. Two apparitions of Christ; why not the day of his birth, but the day of his baptism, is called Epiphany. The miracle concerning the water of baptism.
But, lest we waste all our time in rebuking those who are accustomed to be absent, let us be content with what has been said for the correction of their negligence, and let us philosophize a little about the present solemnity. For many indeed celebrate the feasts and know their names, but they do not know the history and the occasions from which they arose. And it is clear to all that this festival is called Epiphany, that is, the Apparition; but what this apparition is, and whether it is one or two, they do not know equally well. And, which is most shameful and worthy of much laughter, although they celebrate this solemnity every year, they are ignorant of its subject and occasion. It is therefore necessary first to point out to your love that there is not only one apparition, but two: one is this present one, which has already occurred; the other is that which is yet to be, and which will come to pass in the consummation of the age with splendor and glory. And you heard Paul discoursing about both of them today, saying of the present one in these words: *The grace of God salvation-bringing has appeared to all men, training us that, denying impiety and worldly desires, we should live soberly, justly, and piously in this present age*; and of the future one: *awaiting the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ* (Tit. 2:11-13). And the prophet said about that very same one: *The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and illustrious day of the Lord comes* (Joel 2:31). But why is it that the day on which he was born is not called Epiphany and the Apparition, but the day on which he was baptized? For this is the day on which he was baptized and sanctified the nature of the waters. Therefore, also at this C solemnity, around midnight, all, having drawn the water, bring the liquids home and store them, and keep them for a whole year, because the waters were sanctified on this day. And a visible miracle occurs, in that the nature of those waters is not corrupted by the length of time, but for a whole year, and often even for two or three years, the water drawn today remains incorrupt and fresh, and even after such a time it competes with the waters just then drawn from the fountains. For what reason, then, is this called the Apparition? Because, in truth, he was not made manifest to all when he was born, but when he was baptized; for up to this day he was unknown to the common people. And that he was unknown to the common people, and that the majority did not know who he was, is evident from these words of John the Baptist: *There stands in the midst of you one whom you do not know* (John 1:26). But what is surprising if others did not know him, when even the Baptist himself was ignorant of him until that day? *I did not know him,* he says; *but he who sent me to baptize in water, he said to me: Upon whom you see the Spirit descending and abiding upon him, this is he who baptizes in the Holy Spirit* (John 1:33).
That there are two apparitions is evident from these things; but for what reason Christ came to the baptism, the subject now demands that we say, and to what kind of baptism he came; for this is also worth knowing, just as that other matter was. And it is necessary to instruct your love in this first, for from this we shall understand the other. The Jewish baptism was one which cleansed the defilements of bodies, not sins that reside in the conscience. For if anyone had committed adultery, if anyone had bound himself in theft, if anyone had committed any other such crime, it did not absolve him from guilt; but if anyone had touched the bones of the dead, if anyone had tasted food forbidden by the law, if anyone had come from corruption, if anyone had associated with lepers, he was washed, and was unclean until evening; then he was cleansed. *For his body shall be washed with clean water,* it says, *and he shall be unclean until evening, and he shall be cleansed* (Lev. 15:5, etc. and 13). For these were not truly sins nor pollution; but because they were more imperfect, God, by such things, made them more religious, preparing them for the observance of greater things. D
Thus, that Jewish expiation did not at all free one from sins, but only from bodily defilements; but ours is not like that, but is much greater and full of much grace: for it both frees from sins, cleanses the soul, and grants the grace of the Spirit. But the baptism of John was indeed much more sublime than the Jewish one, yet more humble than ours, like a bridge of both these baptisms, leading as if by hand from that one to this one. For he did not induce them to observe bodily purifications, but calling them away from those things, he exhorted and advised them that they should be converted from vice to virtue, and that they should have hopes of salvation in the rectitude of their deeds, not in different baptisms and ablutions of water.
For he did not say, "Wash your garments and bathe your body, and you shall be clean," but what? A *Bring forth fruit worthy of repentance* (Matt. 3:8). And in this it was higher than the Jewish baptism, but lower than ours; since the baptism of John neither gave the Holy Spirit, nor provided the forgiveness granted through grace; for he commanded men to repent, but he did not have the power to forgive. Wherefore he also said: *I indeed baptize you in water,* but he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire (Ibid. 11). B Clearly, he himself did not baptize in the Spirit. And what is, *In the Holy Spirit and in fire?* Remember that day when there appeared to the apostles cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them (Acts 2:3). And that the baptism of John was imperfect, having neither the provision of the Spirit nor the remission of sins, is evident from this: for when Paul found certain disciples, he said to them, *Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance,*—of repentance, not of remission. And for what reason did he baptize? C Telling the people *that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.* And hearing this, *they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.* And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them (Acts 19:2-6). Do you see how imperfect was the baptism of John? For if it had not been imperfect, Paul would not have baptized them again, nor would he have laid his hands upon them; but having now done both these things, he demonstrated the superiority of the apostolic baptism, and that the former was far inferior to it. But we have learned the difference between the baptisms from these things; but for what reason Christ is baptized, and with what sort of baptism, it is necessary now to say. It was neither the Jewish baptism, which was former, nor ours, which is after; for he had no need of the forgiveness of sins; for how could he, who had no sin? *For he did no sin,* it says, *neither was guile found in his mouth* (1 Pet. 2:22); and again, *Which of you convinceth me of sin?* (John 8:46). Neither was that flesh destitute of the Spirit; for how could it have been, which from the beginning was fashioned by the Holy Spirit? If, then, that flesh was neither destitute of the Holy Spirit, nor liable to sins, for what reason was he baptized? D But it is necessary first to learn what kind of baptism he was baptized with, and then this also will become clearer to us. With what baptism, then, was he baptized? Not the Jewish, nor ours, but John’s. Why? So that, by the very nature of the baptism itself, you might learn that he was not baptized because of sin, nor as one needing the provision of the Spirit; for that baptism is devoid of both these things, just as we have proved. And that he did not come to the Jordan for the sake of the remission of sins or for the provision of the Spirit is evident from the fact that it was for two other reasons: one of which the disciple states, and the other he himself said to John. What reason, then, does John say was the cause of this baptism? That he might be made known to the many, just as Paul also was saying, that John baptized with the baptism of repentance, *that they should believe on him which should come after him*—this was the accomplishment of the baptism. For to go around to each man's house, and to approach the doors and call them out and say, while pointing to Christ, "This is the Son of God," would have made the testimony suspect and would have been very difficult; and to take them again and enter into the synagogue and point him out, this also would have made the testimony likewise suspect again; but when all the multitudes had poured forth from every city to the Jordan, and were lingering about the banks of the river, for him to come also to be baptized, and to receive the testimony from above which came through the voice of the Father, and through the descent of the Spirit in the form of a dove, made the testimony of John concerning him to be above suspicion. For this reason, *And I,* he says, *knew him not* (John 1:31), making his own testimony trustworthy. For since they were kinsmen of one another according to the flesh (For, *Behold,* the angel says to Mary concerning the mother of John, *thy cousin Elizabeth, she hath also conceived a son* [Luke 1:36]—if the mothers were kinswomen, it is evident that the children were too); since, therefore, they were kinsmen, that he might not seem to be testifying for Christ on account of kinship, the grace of the Spirit ordained that John should spend his whole early life in the desert, so that the testimony might not be thought to occur through friendship or by some arrangement of that kind, but that, as having learned it from God, he might thus proclaim him. For this reason he says: *And I knew him not.* From whom, then, did you learn it? *He that sent me,* he says, *to baptize with water, the same said unto me.* What did he say to you? *Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost* (John 1:33). Do you see that the Holy Spirit came for this reason, not as then first visiting him, but to point out him who was being preached, making him known to all as if by a finger with his flight? For this reason, then, he came to the baptism. But he also came for another reason, which he himself states: what then is this? When John said, *I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?* he answered him, saying: *Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.*
Chapter 4. How Christ fulfilled all righteousness.
A...it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness (Matt. 3:14-15). Did you see the modesty of the servant? Did you see the humility of the Lord? What, then, is "to fulfill all righteousness"? Righteousness is said to be the fulfillment of all of God's commandments, as when it says: "They were both righteous, walking in the commandments of the Lord blameless" (Luke 1:6). Since, therefore, it was necessary for all men to fulfill this righteousness, and yet no one had performed or completed it, when Christ came, He fulfilled this righteousness.
But what, someone will say, is this righteousness—to be baptized? It was righteousness to obey the prophets. Therefore, just as He was circumcised, and offered a sacrifice, and kept the sabbaths, and fulfilled the Judaic festivals, so also He added this which was remaining—that He should obey the prophet who was baptizing. For that you may know it was the will of God that all should receive baptism at that time, hear what John says: "He who sent me to baptize with water" (John 1:33); and again Christ: "The publicans and the crowd justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John; but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the counsel of God, not having been baptized by him" (Luke 7:29-30). If, therefore, it is righteousness to obey God, and God sent John to baptize the people, Christ fulfilled this also, along with the other commandments of the Law. Imagine, then, that the commandments of the Law are two hundred denarii; this debt our race needed to pay. We did not pay it; death held us accountable for these crimes. When Christ came and found us held fast, He dissolved the debt, He fulfilled that payment, and He freed those who were unable to pay. Therefore He did not say, "It is fitting for us to do this or that," but "to fulfill all righteousness." It is fitting for Me, the Lord, He says, who possess the means to pay for those who do not possess them: this is the occasion for baptism, so that He might appear to fulfill all the Law; and this, and the previously mentioned reason, is the cause.
Therefore, the Spirit also descended in the form of a dove; for where there is reconciliation with God, there is the dove. For even in the time of Noah's ark, the dove came bearing an olive branch, a sign of divine kindness and of the storm having settled (Gen. 8). Now also, the Spirit of God comes in the form of a dove, not in a body (for this must be noted carefully), announcing mercy to the world, and at the same time indicating that a spiritual man ought to be innocent, simple, and not at all wicked, just as Christ says: "Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 18:3). And that ark, the storm having settled, remained on earth; but this divine ark, the divine wrath having settled, was caught up into heaven, and now that immaculate and unpolluted body is at the right hand of the Father.
On the reverence to be shown for the holy Eucharist.
BBut truly, since mention has been made of the Lord's body, it is worthwhile that we end our discourse after discussing it briefly with you. I know that very many among us, from the custom of the feast, run to this holy table. Indeed, it would be better, as I have often said at other times, that feasts were not observed when there was a need to communicate, but that the conscience should be cleansed, and then this holy sacrifice be approached. For anyone who is sinful and unclean, it is not right that even on a feast day he should become a partaker of that holy and tremulous flesh; but he who is clean, and has wiped away his sins by accurate repentance, whether on a solemnity or at any other time, is worthy to communicate in the divine mysteries and enjoy the gifts of God. But since this is neglected by some, I know not how, and many, abounding in six hundred evils, when they see a feast approaching—as if driven by the day itself—touch the holy mysteries, which it is not lawful for those thus affected even to behold with their eyes: those who are manifest to us, we shall plainly restrain; but those who are unknown to us, we shall leave to God, who knows the secrets of every mind. That indeed, however, in which there is manifest sinning by all, we shall attempt to amend today.
What, then, is that sin? That we do not approach with trembling, but pressing upward with heels, striking, turgid with anger, shouting, reviling, pushing our neighbor, filled with perturbation. These things I have said often, and I shall not cease saying them. Do you not see in the Olympic games, when the agonothete walks through the forum wearing a crown on his head, clothed in a stole, holding a rod in his hand, how great is the tranquility and modesty, while the herald proclaims with his voice that all should be silent and rest with decorum? To whom, therefore, would it not seem absurd that where the devil triumphs, there is such great quiet, but where Christ calls to Himself, a great tumult is heard? Silence in the forum, and shouting in the church? Tranquility on the sea, and a storm in the harbor? Why, I ask, do you create a tumult, my man? What urges you? The necessity of business, surely, calls you away. Or do you think that you have any business at that hour? Or do you remember at all that you are on earth? Or do you judge that you are mingling with men? Who would not say that it belongs to a stony mind to judge that at that time one is standing on earth, and not to be dancing in a chorus with the angels, with whom you have pronounced that mystical hymn; with whom you have sung that triumphant song to God! For this reason Christ also called us eagles, when He said, "Where the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered" (Luke 17:37), so that we might fly on high, lightened by the wings of the Spirit; but we, on the contrary, crawl on the ground like snakes, and eat dust.
Do you wish me to tell you whence the tumult and the shouting arise? That you do not shut your doors for us during the entire sacred time, but that we allow you to slip away and return home before the final thanksgiving, which in itself holds no small contempt. What are you doing, my man? With Christ present, with the angels standing by, with this fearful table proposed, while your brothers are still being initiated into the mysteries, you leave them and depart? And yet, if you were invited to a dinner, even if you were already satiated, you would not dare to depart before your friends while the rest are reclining; but here, while the mysteries of Christ are being celebrated, while that holy sacrifice is still being performed, you abandon everything in the midst and depart? Who would judge these things worthy of pardon? Who would clear them by a defense? Do you wish me to tell you whose work they perform who depart before the completion and the end, and, with the supper not finished...
are they offering hymns of thanksgiving? Perhaps what I am about to say will seem burdensome, yet it needs to be said because of the listlessness of many people. When Judas partook of the last supper on that final night, while all the others were reclining, he jumped up and went out. A Those, therefore, who hurry away before the final thanksgiving are imitating him. For if that man had not gone out, he would not have become a traitor; if he had not left his fellow disciples, he would not have perished; if he had not torn himself away from the flock, the wolf would not have found him alone and devoured him; if he had not separated himself from the Shepherd, he would not have fallen prey to the beast. For this reason, that man went out after he had sung a hymn with the Jews, whereas these others go out after having sung with the Master. Do you see that the final prayer after the sacrifice happens according to that pattern? And now, beloved, let us keep this in mind, let us reflect on this, fearing the judgment placed upon this matter. He imparts his own flesh to you; B if you tear yourself away from that sacred [banquet]—he cast him out—yet you do not even respond to him with words, nor give thanks for what you have received? Rather, enjoying bodily food after the table you turn to prayer, but when you partake of spiritual food, which surpasses all creation, both visible and invisible, being human and of humble nature, do you not remain giving thanks both in words and in deeds? And how are these things not deserving of ultimate punishment? I say this, not that you may merely applaud, nor that you may shout and cry out, but that, remembering these words at the proper time, you may exhibit the appropriate decorum. They are called mysteries, and such they are; and where there are mysteries, there is much silence. Therefore, let us approach this sacred sacrifice with much silence, with much decorum, with the appropriate reverence, that we may draw God toward greater favor, and cleanse our soul, and attain the eternal good things; which may we all attain, by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom, to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, and power, and worship, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
MONITUM
Second, we might hesitate to conjecture about Judas the betrayer. But Tillemont establishes this timing of the period based on slight conjectures, if I am not mistaken, as will be said at greater length in the *Monitum* to the Homilies on Genesis. Regarding this second homily, whose beginning is, "I wished, beloved," as to the first homily, which begins, "A little necessity," as regards the time, we can state nothing else for certain, or as very probable, than that it was delivered some years after the second. Nor should we remain silent about the fact that [the homily] "A little necessity" has a place among genuine works in the very ancient Augustan Catalogue, but the second does not; for it is evident that, with the exception of the beginning and a few other things, which were introduced when Chrysostom himself was revising it, it was the very same [as the first]: and otherwise, as Savile correctly warned, that Augustan Catalogue is so constructed that all the minor works which are mentioned in it are true and authentic; but you should not think that all things which are absent from it are spurious; nay, there are very many more genuine works of Chrysostom than are enumerated in the same catalogue. Furthermore, since Chrysostom revised this same sermon, and in most parts [of it] changed it, so that he created two homilies out of one, it is no wonder if there is such variety in the manuscripts; since, however, the variant readings pertain to one or the other, we have enough [information] that we have published both, and we have refrained from noting those most frequent variant readings. Noteworthy in both homilies is that passage numbered 6: "And now Christ is present adorning the table." For it is not a human being who makes the proposed [elements] the body and blood of Christ. He only fulfills the role, but it is God who offers and who performs the sacrifice; but it is the power of God that accomplishes all things. "This is my body," he says: this word transforms the proposed [elements]. Here the transubstantiation and presence of Christ in the Eucharist are clearly preached, as will be said at greater length in their proper place.
As for what is said in both homilies, that he is now on the fourth day acting on behalf of his enemies, this certainly indicates that Chrysostom held these homilies in both instances, in the same year, and maintained the same order of preaching.
We are issuing a new translation of both homilies.