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

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostomthe woman after childbirth 3468 polluted: and “whosoever comes from the bed,” it is said, “is notclean.” 3469 Those things are not polluted 3470 which arise from nature, O ungrateful and senselessJew, 3471 but those which arise from choice. 3472 For if “marriage is honorable” and pure, why forsoothdost thou think that one is even polluted by it?“Let your conversation” (he says) “be without covetousness”: since many after having exhausted3473their property, afterwards wish to recover it again under the guise of alms, therefore he says,“Let your conversation be without covetousness”; that is, that we should be [desirous only] of whatis necessary 3474 and indispensable. What then (you say) if we should not have a supply even ofthese? This is not possible; indeed it is not. “For He hath said,” and He doth not lie, “I will neverleave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we boldly say, The Lord is my Helper, and I will not fear whatman shall do unto me.” Thou hast the promise from Himself: do not doubt henceforward. He haspromised; make no question. But this, “I will never leave thee,” he says not concerning moneyonly, but concerning all other things also. “The Lord is my Helper, and I will not fear what manshall do unto me”; with good reason.This then also let us say in all temptations; let us laugh at human things, so long as we haveGod favorable to us. For as, when He is our enemy, it is no gain, though all men should be ourfriends, so when He is our friend, though all men together war against us, there is no harm. “I willnot fear what man shall do unto me.”[6.] “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word ofGod.” In this place I think that he is speaking about assistance also. 3475 For this is [implied in thewords] “who have spoken unto you the word of God.”“Whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation.” What is, “considering”? 3476Continually revolving, examining it by yourselves, reasoning, investigating accurately, testing itas you choose. “The end of their conversation,” that is, their conversation to the end: for “theirconversation” had a good end.“Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to-day and for ever.” Do not think that then indeed Hewrought wonders, but now works no wonders. He is the same. This is, “remember them that havethe rule over you.” 3477“Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines.” “Strange,” that is, different from thoseye heard from us; [“Divers”] that is, of all sorts: for they have no stability, but are different [onefrom another]. For especially manifold 3478 is the doctrine of meats.3468τὴν λεχώ : Edd. τὴν κοίτην3469See Lev. xv. 183470βδελυρὰ3471[St. Chrys. might seem here to be casting contempt upon the laws of the Old Dispensation; but he probably means thatwhile they were fitting enough as parts of the temporary ceremonial law, they have no such foundation in nature as to remainof any force under the Christian Dispensation.—F.G.]3472τῆς προαιρέσεως3473κενῶσαι . This word is used commonly by St. Chrys. for giving away one’s whole property in charity, and probably thatis its meaning here.3474τῆς χρείας ὦμεν3475ἐ πικουρία : see 1 Tim. v. 17 , &c.3476ἀ ναθεωροῦντες3477That is, Remember them, because of the continual presence and working of Christ in His Church.3478or, “ intricate and complicated, ” πολύπλοκον748