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

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostomagainst that abandoned woman. But why speak I of the flesh? For though thou place a chain uponthe flesh, no harm is done. “Though I am bound,” saith Paul, yet “the word of God is not bound.”( 2 Tim. ii. 9 .) And why speak I of bonds and chains? Add to these the prison, 2171 and bars, yetneither are these any hindrance to virtue; at least so Paul hath instructed us. For the bond of thesoul is not iron but cowardice, and the desire of wealth, and the ten thousand passions. These bindus, though our body be free. “But,” saith some one, “these have their origin from the body.” Anexcuse this, and a false pretense. For had they been produced from the body, all would haveundergone them. For as we cannot escape weariness, and sleep, and hunger, and thirst, since theybelong to our nature; so too these, if they were of the same kind, would not allow any one to beexempt from their tyranny; but since many escape them, it is clear that such things are the faultsof a careless soul. Let us then put a stop to this, and not accuse the body, but subdue it to the soul,that having it under command, we may enjoy the everlasting good things, through the grace andlovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.Homily LXXVI.John xiv. 31; xv. 1“Arise, let us go hence. I am the true Vine, (ye are the branches, 2172 ) and My Father is theHusbandman.”[1.] ‘ Ignorance’ makes the soul timid and unmanly, just as instruction in heavenly doctrinesmakes it great and sublime. For when it has enjoyed no care, it is in a manner timid, not by naturebut by will. 2173 For when I see the man who once was brave, 2174 now become a coward, I say thatthis latter feeling no longer belongs to nature, for what is natural is immutable. Again, when I seethose who but now were cowards all at once become daring, I pass the same judgment, and referall to will. Since even the disciples were very fearful, before they had learned what they ought, andhad been deemed worthy of the gift of the Spirit; yet afterwards they became bolder than lions. SoPeter, who could not bear the threat of a damsel, was hung with his head downwards, and wasscourged, and though he endured ten thousand dangers, would not be silent, but enduring what heendured as though it were a dream, in such a situation spake boldly; but not so before the Crucifixion.Wherefore Christ said, “Arise, let us go hence.” “But why, tell me? Did he not know the hour atwhich Judas would come upon Him? Or perhaps He feared lest he should come and seize them,and lest the plotters should be upon him before he had furnished his most excellent teaching.” Awaywith the thought! these things are far from His dignity. “If then He did not fear, why did He remove2171al. “ prisons. ”2172from ver. 52173προαίρεσιν2174al. “ a brave darer. ”417