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

NPNF (V1-14)St. ChrysostomJerusalem; and to an innumerable company of Angels, to the general assembly, 3425 and Churchof the first-born which are written in Heaven; and to God the Judge of all; and to the spirits ofjust men made perfect: and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant: and to the blood ofsprinkling that speaketh better things than 3426 that of Abel.”[1.] Wonderful indeed were the things in the Temple, the Holy of Holies; and again awful werethose things also that were done at Mount Sina, “the fire, the darkness, the blackness, the tempest.”(Cf. Deut. xxxiii. 2 .) For, it says, “God appeared in Sina,” and long ago were these thingscelebrated. 3427 The New Covenant, however, was not given with any of these things, but has beengiven in simple discourse by God. 3428See then how he makes the comparison in these points also. And with good reason has he putthem afterwards. For when he had persuaded them by innumerable [arguments], when he had alsoshown the difference between each covenant, then afterwards, the one having been alreadycondemned, he easily enters on these points also.And what says he? “For ye are not come unto a fire that might be touched, and that burned, andunto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words;which they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more.”These things, he means, are terrible; and so terrible that they could not even bear to hear them,that not even “a beast” dared to go up. (But things that come hereafter 3429 are not such. For whatis Sina to Heaven? And what the “fire which might be touched” to God who cannot be touched?For “God is a consuming fire.”— c. v. 29 .) For it is said, “Let not God speak, but let Moses speakunto us. And so fearful was that which was commanded, Though even a beast touch the mountain,it shall be stoned; Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake.” ( Ex. xx. 19 .) What wonder asrespects the people? He himself who entered into “the darkness where God was,” saith, “Iexceedingly fear and quake.” ( Ex. xx. 21 .)[2.] “But ye are come unto Mount Sion and unto the city of the living God, the heavenlyJerusalem: and to an innumerable company of angels and to the general assembly and Church ofthe first-born which are written in Heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of justmen made perfect, and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling,that speaketh better [things] than that of Abel.”Instead of “Moses,” Jesus . Instead of the people, “myriads of angels.”Of what “first-born” does he speak? Of the faithful.“And to the spirits of just men made perfect.” With these shall ye be, he says.“And to Jesus the mediator of the New Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speakethbetter [things] than that of Abel.” Did then the [blood] “of Abel” speak? “Yea,” he saith, “and by3425πανηγύρει . See next column. This word is connected with the preceding μυρίασιν ἀγγέλων by St. Chrys. as appearsfrom his interpretation. So the Latin Vulgate has et multorum millium angelorum frequentiam, et ecclesiam primitivorum , &c.[The English edition translates “ to myriads of angels in festive gathering. ” Whether πανηγύρει should be connected withthe preceding or following clause is merely a question of punctuation. It is joined to the latter both in the A.V. and the R.V.—F.G.]3426“ in comparison of. ”3427̔ᾔδετο , e.g. Ps. xviii., lxviii., Habak. iii . as well as Ex. xix3428παρὰ Θεοῦ . The reading of the common edition is: Χριστοῦ : which was that of Mutianus.3429τὰ μετὰ ταῦτα739