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

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostom319Seest thou how she knew not as yet anything clearly concerning the Resurrection, but thoughtthere had been a removal of the body, and tells all simply to the disciples? And the Evangelist hathnot deprived the woman of such a praise, nor thought it shame that they should have learnt thesethings first from her who had passed the night in watching. Thus everywhere doth the truth-lovingnature of his disposition shine forth. When then she came and said these things, they hearing them,draw near with great eagerness to the sepulcher, 2514 and see the linen clothes lying, which was asign of the Resurrection. For neither, if any persons had removed the body, would they before doingso have stripped it; nor if any had stolen it, would they have taken the trouble to remove the napkin,and roll it up, and lay it in a place by itself; but how? they would have taken the body as it was. Onthis account John tells us by anticipation that it was buried with much myrrh, which glues linen tothe body not less firmly than lead; in order that when thou hearest that the napkins lay apart, thoumayest not endure those who say that He was stolen. For a thief would not have been so foolish asto spend so much trouble on a superfluous matter. For why should he undo the clothes? and howcould he have escaped detection if he had done so? since he would probably have spent much timein so doing, and be found out by delaying and loitering. But why do the clothes lie apart, while thenapkin was wrapped together by itself? That thou mayest learn that it was not the action of men inconfusion or haste, the placing some in one place, some in another, and the wrapping them together.From this they believed in the Resurrection. On this account Christ afterwards appeared to them,when they were convinced by what they had seen. Observe too here again the absence of boastfulnessin the Evangelist, how he witnesses to the exactness of Peter’s search. For he himself having gottenbefore Peter, and having seen the linen clothes, enquired not farther, but withdrew; but that ferventone passing farther in, looked at everything carefully, and saw somewhat more, and then the othertoo was summoned to the sight. 2515 For he entering after Peter, saw the grave-clothes lying, andseparate. Now to separate, and to place one thing by itself, and another, after rolling it up, by itself,was the act of some one doing things carefully, and not in a chance way, as if disturbed.[5.] But do thou, when thou hearest that thy Lord arose naked, cease from thy madness aboutfunerals; for what is the meaning of that superfluous and unprofitable 2516 expense, which bringsmuch loss to the mourners, and no gain to the departed, or (if we must say that it brings anything)rather harm? For the costliness of burial hath often caused the breaking open of tombs, and hathcaused him to be cast out naked and unburied, who had been buried with much care. But alas forvainglory! How great the tyranny which it exhibits even in sorrow! how great the folly! Many, thatthis may not happen, having cut in pieces those fine clothes, and filled them with many spices, sothat they may be doubly useless to those who would insult the dead, then commit them to the earth.Are not these the acts of madmen? of men beside themselves? to make a show of their ambition,and then to destroy it? “Yea,” saith some one, “it is in order that they may lie safely with the deadthat we use all these contrivances.” Well then, if the robbers do not get them, will not the mothsget them, and the worms? Or if the moths and worms get them not, will not time and the moisture2514Ver. 3–7 . “ Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulcher. So they ran both together:and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulcher. And he stooping down, saw the linen clothes lying;yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulcher, and seeth the linen clothes lie; andthe napkin that was about His head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. ” N.T.2515Ver. 8, 9 . “ Then went in also that other disciple which came first to the sepulcher, and he saw, and believed. For asyet they knew not the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. ” N.T.2516al. “ senseless. ”480