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

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostom325yourselves. But why speak I of priests? Neither Angel nor Archangel can do anything with regardto what is given from God; but the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, dispenseth all, while thepriest lends his tongue and affords his hand. For neither would it be just that through the wickednessof another, those who come in faith to the symbols of their salvation should be harmed. Knowingall these things, let us fear God, and hold His priests in honor, paying them all reverence; that bothfor our own good deeds, and the attention shown to them, we may receive a great return from God,through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father and theHoly Ghost be glory, dominion, and honor, now and ever, and world without end. Amen.Homily LXXXVII.John xx. 24, 25“But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The otherdisciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said, Except I shall see in Hishands 2575 —I will not believe.”[1.] As to believe carelessly and in a random way, comes of an over-easy temper; so to bebeyond measure curious and meddlesome, marks a most gross understanding. On this accountThomas is held to blame. For he believed not the Apostles when they said, “We have seen theLord”; not so much mistrusting them, as deeming the thing to be impossible, that is to say, theresurrection from the dead. Since he saith not, “I do not believe you,” but, “Except I put my hand—Ido not 2576 believe.” But how was it, that when all were collected together, he alone was absent?Probably after the dispersion which had lately taken place, he had not returned even then. But dothou, when thou seest the unbelief of the disciple, consider the lovingkindness of the Lord, howfor the sake of a single soul He showed Himself with His wounds, and cometh in order to save eventhe one, though he was grosser than the rest; on which account indeed he sought proof from thegrossest of the senses, and would not even trust his eyes. For he said not, “Except I see,” but,“Except I handle,” he saith, lest what he saw might somehow be an apparition. Yet the discipleswho told him these things, were at the time worthy of credit, and so was He that promised; yet,since he desired more, Christ did not deprive him even of this.And why doth He not appear to him straightway, instead of “after eight days”? 2577 ( Ver. 26.) In order that being in the mean time continually instructed by the disciples, and hearing the samething, he might be inflamed to more eager desire, and be more ready to believe for the future. But2575“ But he said unto them, Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of thenails, and thrust my hand into His side. ” N.T.2576“ will not, ” N.T.2577Ver. 26 . “ And after eight days again His disciples were within, and Thomas with them; then came Jesus, the doorbeing shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. ” N.T.489