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

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostom137hath spoken thus terribly, 1037 that even fear may draw them to honor Him. And when He saith “all,”His meaning is this, that He hath power to punish and to honor, and doeth either as He will. 1038 Theexpression “hath given,” is used that thou mayest not suppose Him not to have been Begotten, andso think that there are two Fathers. For all that the Father is, this the Son is also, 1039 Begotten, andremaining a Son. And that thou mayest learn that “hath given” is the same as “hath begotten,” hearthis very thing declared by another place. “As,” saith Christ, “the Father hath life in Himself, sohath He given to the Son to have life in Himself.” ( Ver. 26 .) “What then? Did he first beget andthen give Him life? For he who giveth, giveth to something which is. Was He then begotten withoutlife?” Not even the devils could imagine this, for it is very foolish as well as impious. As then “hathgiven life” is “hath begotten Him who is Life,” so, “hath given judgment” is “hath begotten Himwho shall be Judge.”That thou mayest not when thou hearest that He hath the Father for His cause imagine anydifference 1040 of essence or inferiority of honor, He cometh to judge thee, by this proving HisEquality. 1041 For He who hath authority to punish and to honor whom He will, hath the same Powerwith the Father. Since, if this be not the case, if having been begotten He afterwards received thehonor, how came it that He was afterwards [thus] honored, by what mode of advancement reachedHe so far as to receive and be appointed to this dignity? Are ye not ashamed thus impudently toapply to that Pure 1042 Nature which admitteth of no addition these carnal and mean imaginations?“Why then,” saith some one, “doth Christ so speak?” That His words may be readily received,and to clear the way for sublime sayings; therefore He mixeth these with those, and those withthese. And observe how (He doth it); for it is good to see this from the beginning. He said, “MyFather worketh, and I work” ( c. v. 17 , &c.): declaring by this their Equality and Equal honor.But they “sought to kill Him.” What doth He then? He lowereth His form of speech indeed, andputteth the same meaning when He saith, “The Son can do nothing of Himself.” Then again Heraiseth His discourse to high matters, saying, “What things soever the Father doeth, these also doeththe Son likewise.” Then He returneth to what is lower, “For the Father loveth the Son, and showethHim all things that Himself doeth; and He will show Him greater things than these.” Then Heriseth higher, “For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickenethwhom He will.” After this again He joineth the high and the low together, “For neither doth theFather judge any one, but hath given all judgment to the Son”; then riseth again, “That all menshould honor the Son, even as they honor the Father.” Seest thou how He varieth the discourse,weaving it both of high and low words and expressions, in order that it might be acceptable to themen of that time, and that those who should come after might receive no injury, gaining from thehigher part a right opinion of the rest? For if this be not the case, if these sayings were not utteredthrough condescension, wherefore were the high expressions added? Because one who is entitledto utter great words concerning himself, hath, when he saith anything mean and low, this reasonableexcuse, that he doth it for some prudential purpose; 1043 but if one who ought to speak meanly of1037al. “ since men being benefited are not so sensible of it, He saith ‘ hath given all judgment to ’ Him, in order that, ” &c.1038al. “ to punish and honor all whomsoever He will. ”1039al. “ all things which belong to the Father, belong also to the Son. ”1040παραλλαγήν1041al. “ high Birth. ”1042ἀ κηράτῳ1043οἰκονομίας τινὸς209