Homilies on the Gospel of St. John and the Epistle to the Hebrews
Homilies on the Gospel of St. John and the Epistle to the Hebrews Homilies on the Gospel of St. John and the Epistle to the Hebrews
NPNF (V1-14)St. ChrysostomWhere did he “bear record that this is the Son of God?” he called Him indeed “Lamb,” and saidthat He should “baptize with the Spirit,” but nowhere did he say of Him, “Son of God.” But theother Evangelists do not write that He said anything after the baptism, but having been silent as tothe time intervening, they mention the miracles of Christ which were done after John’s captivity,455whence we may reasonably conjecture that these and many others are omitted. And this ourEvangelist himself has declared, at the end of his narrative. For they were so far from inventinganything great concerning Him, that the things which seem to bring reproach, these they have allwith one voice 456 and with all exactness set down, and you will not find one of them omitting oneof such circumstances; but of the miracles, part some have left for the others to relate, 457 part allhave passed over in silence.I say not this without cause, but to answer the shamelessness of the heathen. 458 For this is asufficient proof of their truth-loving disposition, and that they say nothing for favor. And thus aswell as in other ways you may arm yourselves for trial of argument 459 with them. But take heed.Strange were it that the physician, or the shoemaker, or the weaver, in short all artists, should beable each to contend correctly for his own art, but that one calling himself Christian should not beable to give a reason for his own faith; yet those things if overlooked bring only loss to men’sproperty, these if neglected destroy our very souls. Yet such is our wretched disposition, that wegive all our care to the former, and the things which are necessary, and which are the groundwork460of our salvation, as though of little worth, we despise.[4.] That it is which prevents the heathen from quickly deriding his own error. For when they,though established in a lie, use every means to conceal the shamefulness of their opinions, whilewe, the servants of the truth, cannot even open our mouths, how can they help condemning thegreat weakness of our doctrine? how can they help suspecting our religion to be fraud and folly?how shall they not blaspheme Christ as a deceiver, and a cheat, who used the folly of the many tofurther his fraud? And we are to blame for this blasphemy, because we will not be wakeful inarguments for godliness, but deem these things superfluous, and care only for the things of earth.He who admires a dancer or a charioteer, or one who contends with beasts, uses every exertion andcontrivance not to come off worst in any disputes concerning him, and they string together longpanegyrics, as they compose their defense against those who find fault with them, and cast sneerswithout number at their opponents: but when arguments for Christianity are proposed, they all hangtheir heads, and scratch themselves, and gape, and retire at length the objects of contempt.Must not this deserve excessive wrath, when Christ is shown to be less honorable in yourestimation than a dancer? since you have contrived ten thousand defenses for the things they havedone, though more disgraceful than any, but of the miracles of Christ, though they have drawn toHim the world, you cannot bear even to think or care at all. We believe in the Father, and the Son,and the Holy Ghost, in the Resurrection of bodies, and in Life everlasting. If now any heathen say,“What is this Father, what this Son, what this Holy Ghost? How do you who say that there are threeGods, charge us with having many Gods?” What will you say? What will you answer? How will455σύλληψιν .456 al. “mind.”457 al. “have made room for others.”458 lit. “Greeks.”459λόγων ὑποθέσει .460ὑ πόθεσις .96
NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostom61you repel the attack of these arguments? But what if when you are silent, the unbeliever shouldagain propose this other question, and ask, “What in a word is resurrection? Shall we rise again inthis body? or in another, different from this? If in this, what need that it be dissolved?” What willyou answer? And what, if he say, “Why did Christ come now and not in old time? Has it seemedgood to Him now to care for men, and did He despise us during all the years that are past?” Or ifhe ask other questions besides, more than these? for I must not propose many questions, and besilent as to the answers to them, lest, in so doing, I harm the simpler among you. What has beenalready said is sufficient to shake off your slumbers. Well then, if they ask these questions, andyou absolutely cannot even listen to the words, shall we, tell me, suffer trifling punishment only,when we have been the cause of such error to those who sit in darkness? I wished, if you hadsufficient leisure, to bring before you all the book of a certain impure heathen philosopher writtenagainst us, and that of another of earlier date, that so at least I might have roused you, and led youaway from your exceeding slothfulness. For if they were wakeful that they might say these thingsagainst us, what pardon can we deserve, if we do not even know how to repel the attacks madeupon us? For what purpose have we been brought forward? 461 Dost thou not hear the Apostle say,“Be ready to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you”? (1 Pet. iii. 15 .) And Paul exhorts in like manner, saying, “Let the word of Christ dwell in yourichly.” ( Col. iii. 16 .) What do they who are more slothful 462 than drones reply to this? “Blessedis every simple soul,” and, “he that walketh simply 463 walketh surely.” ( Prov. x. 8 .) For this isthe cause of all sorts of evil, that the many do not know how to apply rightly even the testimonyof the Scriptures. Thus in this place, the writer does not mean (by “simple”) the man who is foolish,or who knows nothing, but him who is free from wickedness, who is no evil-doer, who is wise. Ifit were not so, it would have been useless to say, 464 “Be ye wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.”( Matt. x. 16 .) But why should I name these things, when the discourse comes in quite out ofplace? For besides the things already mentioned, other matters are not right with us, those, I mean,which concern our life and conversation. We are in every way wretched and ridiculous, ever readyto find fault with each other, but slow to correct in ourselves things for which we blame and accuseour neighbor. Wherefore I exhort you, that now at least we attend to ourselves, and stop not at thefinding fault, (this is not enough to appease God;) but that we show forth a change in every waymost excellent, in order that having lived here to the glory of God, we may enjoy the glory to come;which may it come to pass that we will all attain, through the grace and lovingkindness of our LordJesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.Homily XVIII.461παρήχθημεν .462 al. “irrational.”463 “uprightly,” E.V.464 al. “to hear.”97
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NPNF (V1-14)<strong>St</strong>. Chrysos<strong>to</strong>mWhere did he “bear record that this is <strong>the</strong> S<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> God?” he called Him indeed “Lamb,” <strong>and</strong> saidthat He should “baptize with <strong>the</strong> Spirit,” but nowhere did he say <strong>of</strong> Him, “S<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> God.” But <strong>the</strong>o<strong>the</strong>r Evangelists do not write that He said anything after <strong>the</strong> baptism, but having been silent as <strong>to</strong><strong>the</strong> time intervening, <strong>the</strong>y menti<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> miracles <strong>of</strong> Christ which were d<strong>on</strong>e after <strong>John</strong>’s captivity,455whence we may reas<strong>on</strong>ably c<strong>on</strong>jecture that <strong>the</strong>se <strong>and</strong> many o<strong>the</strong>rs are omitted. And this ourEvangelist himself has declared, at <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> his narrative. For <strong>the</strong>y were so far from inventinganything great c<strong>on</strong>cerning Him, that <strong>the</strong> things which seem <strong>to</strong> bring reproach, <strong>the</strong>se <strong>the</strong>y have allwith <strong>on</strong>e voice 456 <strong>and</strong> with all exactness set down, <strong>and</strong> you will not find <strong>on</strong>e <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m omitting <strong>on</strong>e<strong>of</strong> such circumstances; but <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> miracles, part some have left for <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs <strong>to</strong> relate, 457 part allhave passed over in silence.I say not this without cause, but <strong>to</strong> answer <strong>the</strong> shamelessness <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> hea<strong>the</strong>n. 458 For this is asufficient pro<strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir truth-loving dispositi<strong>on</strong>, <strong>and</strong> that <strong>the</strong>y say nothing for favor. And thus aswell as in o<strong>the</strong>r ways you may arm yourselves for trial <strong>of</strong> argument 459 with <strong>the</strong>m. But take heed.<strong>St</strong>range were it that <strong>the</strong> physician, or <strong>the</strong> shoemaker, or <strong>the</strong> weaver, in short all artists, should beable each <strong>to</strong> c<strong>on</strong>tend correctly for his own art, but that <strong>on</strong>e calling himself Christian should not beable <strong>to</strong> give a reas<strong>on</strong> for his own faith; yet those things if overlooked bring <strong>on</strong>ly loss <strong>to</strong> men’sproperty, <strong>the</strong>se if neglected destroy our very souls. Yet such is our wretched dispositi<strong>on</strong>, that wegive all our care <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> former, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> things which are necessary, <strong>and</strong> which are <strong>the</strong> groundwork460<strong>of</strong> our salvati<strong>on</strong>, as though <strong>of</strong> little worth, we despise.[4.] That it is which prevents <strong>the</strong> hea<strong>the</strong>n from quickly deriding his own error. For when <strong>the</strong>y,though established in a lie, use every means <strong>to</strong> c<strong>on</strong>ceal <strong>the</strong> shamefulness <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir opini<strong>on</strong>s, whilewe, <strong>the</strong> servants <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> truth, cannot even open our mouths, how can <strong>the</strong>y help c<strong>on</strong>demning <strong>the</strong>great weakness <strong>of</strong> our doctrine? how can <strong>the</strong>y help suspecting our religi<strong>on</strong> <strong>to</strong> be fraud <strong>and</strong> folly?how shall <strong>the</strong>y not blaspheme Christ as a deceiver, <strong>and</strong> a cheat, who used <strong>the</strong> folly <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> many t<strong>of</strong>ur<strong>the</strong>r his fraud? And we are <strong>to</strong> blame for this blasphemy, because we will not be wakeful inarguments for godliness, but deem <strong>the</strong>se things superfluous, <strong>and</strong> care <strong>on</strong>ly for <strong>the</strong> things <strong>of</strong> earth.He who admires a dancer or a charioteer, or <strong>on</strong>e who c<strong>on</strong>tends with beasts, uses every exerti<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong>c<strong>on</strong>trivance not <strong>to</strong> come <strong>of</strong>f worst in any disputes c<strong>on</strong>cerning him, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>y string <strong>to</strong>ge<strong>the</strong>r l<strong>on</strong>gpanegyrics, as <strong>the</strong>y compose <strong>the</strong>ir defense against those who find fault with <strong>the</strong>m, <strong>and</strong> cast sneerswithout number at <strong>the</strong>ir opp<strong>on</strong>ents: but when arguments for Christianity are proposed, <strong>the</strong>y all hang<strong>the</strong>ir heads, <strong>and</strong> scratch <strong>the</strong>mselves, <strong>and</strong> gape, <strong>and</strong> retire at length <strong>the</strong> objects <strong>of</strong> c<strong>on</strong>tempt.Must not this deserve excessive wrath, when Christ is shown <strong>to</strong> be less h<strong>on</strong>orable in yourestimati<strong>on</strong> than a dancer? since you have c<strong>on</strong>trived ten thous<strong>and</strong> defenses for <strong>the</strong> things <strong>the</strong>y haved<strong>on</strong>e, though more disgraceful than any, but <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> miracles <strong>of</strong> Christ, though <strong>the</strong>y have drawn <strong>to</strong>Him <strong>the</strong> world, you cannot bear even <strong>to</strong> think or care at all. We believe in <strong>the</strong> Fa<strong>the</strong>r, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> S<strong>on</strong>,<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Holy Ghost, in <strong>the</strong> Resurrecti<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> bodies, <strong>and</strong> in Life everlasting. If now any hea<strong>the</strong>n say,“What is this Fa<strong>the</strong>r, what this S<strong>on</strong>, what this Holy Ghost? How do you who say that <strong>the</strong>re are threeGods, charge us with having many Gods?” What will you say? What will you answer? How will455σύλληψιν .456 al. “mind.”457 al. “have made room for o<strong>the</strong>rs.”458 lit. “Greeks.”459λόγων ὑποθέσει .460ὑ πόθεσις .96