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

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostommathematics and arithmetic, and who had been thoroughly instructed in 1754 every sort of learning,and 1755 were as much superior to them as true and real philosophers are superior to those who areby nature foolish and out of their senses. 1756 For observe, these men asserted that the soul wasimmortal, or rather, they did not merely assert this, but persuaded others of it. The Greeks, on thecontrary, did not at first know what manner of thing the soul was, and when they had found out,and had distinguished it from the body, they were again in the same case, the one asserting that itwas incorporeal, the other that it was corporeal and was dissolved with the body. Concerning heavenagain, the one said that it had life and was a god, but the fishermen both taught and persuaded thatit was the work and device 1757 of God. Now that the Greeks should use reasonings is nothingwonderful, but that those who seem to be believers, that “they” should be found carnal, 1758 this iswhat may justly be lamented. 1759 And on this account they have gone astray, some saying that theyknow God as He knoweth Himself, a thing which not even any of those Greeks have dared to assert;others that God cannot beget without passion, not even allowing Him any superiority over men; 1760others again, that a righteous life and exact 1761 conversation avail nothing. But it is not the time torefute these things now. [4.] Yet that a right faith availeth nothing if the life be corrupt, both Christand Paul declare, having taken the more care for this latter part; Christ when He teacheth, 1762 “Notevery one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven” ( Matt. vii. 21); and again, “Many will say unto Me in that day, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy Name? AndI will profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity” 1763 ( Matt. xxii.23 ); (for they who take not heed to themselves, easily slip away 1764 into wickedness, even thoughthey have a right faith;) and Paul, when in his letter to the Hebrews he thus speaks and exhortsthem; “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” ( Heb.xii. 14 .) By “holiness,” meaning chastity, so that it behooved each to be content with his ownwife, and not have to do with 1765 any other woman; for it is impossible that one not so contentedshould be saved; he must assuredly perish though he have ten thousand right actions, since withfornication it is impossible to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Or rather, this is henceforth 1766 notfornication but adultery; for as a woman who is bound to a man, if she come together with 1767another man, then hath committed adultery, so he that is bound to a woman, if he have another,hath committed adultery. Such an one shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven, but shall fall into1754al. “ had got together. ”1755al. “ these they cast as dust, and. ”1756al. “ so that these appeared henceforward to be truly philosophers, but those fools by nature and out of their senses.”1757al. “ devices. ”1758lit. “ having only the natural life, ” ψυχικὸς , opposed in G. T. to πνευματικὸς1759al. “ is the ridiculous thing. ”1760al. “ the many. ”1761al. “ right. ”1762al. “ Christ discourseth the more about this, and saith. ”1763al. “ I never knew you ” : and again, “ Rejoice not that the devils are subject to you ” : for, &c.1764al. “ often turn aside. ”1765al. “ attend to. ”1766i.e. after marriage.1767al. “ lie with. ”352