Homilies on the Gospel of St. John and the Epistle to the Hebrews

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostom98hardly go after virtue who believe in none of these things. Or, if any pretend to do so, they do itfor show; and he who doth so for show, will not, when he may escape observation, refrain fromindulging his evil desires. However, that we may not seem to any to be contentious, let us grantthat there are right livers among the heathen; for neither doth this go against my argument, since Ispoke of that which occurs in general, not of what happens rarely.And observe how in another way He deprives them of all excuse, when He saith that, “the lightcame into the world.” “Did they seek it themselves,” He saith, “did they toil, did they labor to findit? The light itself came to them, and not even so would they hasten to it.” And if there be someChristians who live wickedly, I would argue that He doth not say this of those who have beenChristians from the beginning, and who have inherited true religion from their forefathers, (althougheven these for the most part have been shaken from 731 right doctrine by their evil life,) yet still Ithink that He doth not now speak concerning these, but concerning the heathen and the Jews whoought to have come 732 to the right faith. For He showeth that no man living in error would chooseto come to the truth unless he before had planned 733 for himself a righteous life, and that nonewould remain in unbelief unless he had previously chosen always to be wicked.Do not tell me that a man is temperate, and does not rob; these things by themselves are notvirtue. For what advantageth it, if a man has these things, and yet is the slave of vainglory, andremains in his error, from fear of the company of his friends? This is not right living. The slave ofa reputation 734 is no less a sinner than the fornicator; nay, he worketh more and more grievousdeeds than he. But tell me of any one that is free from all passions and from all iniquity, and whoremains among the heathen. Thou canst not do so; for even those among them who have boastedgreat things, and who have, as they say, 735 mastered avarice or gluttony, have been, most of allmen, the slaves of reputation, 736 and this is the cause of all evils. Thus it is that the Jews also havecontinued Jews; for which cause Christ rebuked them and said, “How can ye believe, which receivehonor from men?” ( c. v. 44 .)“And why, pray, did He not speak on these matters with Nathanael, to whom He testified ofthe truth, nor extend His discourse to any length?” Because even he came not with such zeal as didNicodemus. For Nicodemus made this his work, 737 and the season which others used for rest hemade a season for hearing; but Nathanael came at the instance of another. Yet not even him didJesus entirely pass by, for to him He saith, “Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels ofGod ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” ( c. i. 51 .) But to Nicodemus He spakenot so, but conversed with him on the Dispensation and on eternal life, addressing each differentlyand suitably to the condition of his will. It was sufficient for Nathanael, because he knew the writingsof the prophets, and was not so timid either, to hear only thus far; but because Nicodemus was asyet possessed by fear, Christ did not indeed clearly reveal to him the whole, but shook his mind soas to cast out fear by fear, declaring that he who did not believe was being judged, 738 and that731παρεσαλεύθησαν732al. “ shifted themselves. ”733ὑ πογράψας . al. ἐ πιγράψας734or, “ glory. ”735or, “ thou sayest. ”736or, “ glory. ”737i.e. his one great object.738κρίνεσθαι151