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

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostom114shall hear it with much readiness. I am always saying this, and will not cease to say it. Is it notstrange that those who sit by the market can tell the names, and families, and cities of charioteers,and dancers, and the kinds of power possessed by each, and can give exact account of the good orbad qualities of the very horses, but that those who come hither should know nothing of what isdone here, but should be ignorant of the number even of the sacred Books? If thou pursuest thoseworldly things for pleasure, I will show thee that here is greater pleasure. Which is sweeter, tellme, which more marvelous, to see a man wrestling with a man, or a man buffering with a devil, abody closing with an incorporeal power, and him who is of thy race victorious? These wrestlingslet us look on, these, which also it is seemly and profitable to imitate, and which imitating, we maybe 852 crowned; but not those in which emulation brings shame to him who imitates them. If thoubeholdest the one kind of contest, thou beholdest it with devils; the other, with Angels andArchangels, and the Lord of Archangels. Say now, if thou wert allowed to sit with governors andkings, and to see and enjoy the spectacle, wouldest thou not deem it to be a very great honor? Andhere when thou art a spectator in company with the King of Angels, when thou seest the devilgrasped by the middle of the back, 853 striving much to have the better, but powerless, dost thou notrun and pursue after such a sight as this? “And how can this be?” saith some one. If thou keep theBible in thy hands; for in it thou shalt see the lists, and the long races, and his grasps, 854 and theskill of the righteous one. For by beholding these things thou shalt learn also how to wrestle sothyself, and shalt escape clear of devils; the performances of the heathen are assemblies of devils,not theaters of men. Wherefore I exhort you to abstain from these Satanic assemblies; 855 for if itis not lawful to enter into an idol’s house, much less to Satan’s festival. I shall not cease to saythese things and weary you, until I see some change; for to say these things, as saith Paul, “to meindeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.” ( Phil. iii. 1 .) Be not then offended at my exhortation.If any one ought to be offended, it is I who often speak and am not heard, not you who are alwayshearing and always disobeying. God grant that you be not always liable to this charge, but thatfreed from this shame you be deemed worthy to enjoy the spiritual spectacle, 856 and the glory whichis to come, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Fatherand the Holy Ghost be glory for ever and ever. Amen.Homily XXXIII.852al, “ it were meet to be. ”853Morel. “ beholding the devil shamed by means of the Divine oracles, and greatly striving. ” Below Morel. reads, “ runto such a sight. ”854σκάμματα, διαύλους, λαβὰς , terms of the wrestling school. σκάμμα , the place dug out for the exercise, hence theexercise itself. δίαυλος , the double course. λαβὴ , the gripe of the wrestler. Thus of Job, on Stat. Hom. i. 16; of the ThreeChildren, ib. Hom. iv. 8, &c.855This clause is not found in Ben.856al. “ of the Eternal Goods. ”175