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

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostomwould He have dared, had He been one amongst many servants, to live 408 in the bosom of his Lord,for this belongs only to a true Son, to one who has 409 much confidence towards His Father, andwho is in nothing inferior to Him.Wouldest thou learn also His eternity? Hear what Moses saith concerning the Father. When heasked what he was commanded to answer should the Jews enquire of him, “Who it was that hadsent him,” he heard these words: “Say, I AM hath sent me.” ( Ex. iii. 14 .) Now the expression “IAM,” 410 is significative of Being ever, and Being without beginning, of Being really and absolutely.And this also the expression, “Was in the beginning,” declares, being indicative of Being ever; sothat John uses this word to show that the Son Is from everlasting to everlasting 411 in the bosom ofthe Father. For that you may not from the sameness of name, suppose that He is some one of thosewho are made sons by grace, first, the article is added, distinguishing Him from those by grace.But if this does not content you, if you still look earthwards, hear a name more absolute than this,“Only-Begotten.” If even after this you still look below, “I will not refuse,” says he, (St. John,) “toapply to God a term belonging to man, I mean the word ‘bosom,’ only suspect nothing degrading.”Dost thou see the lovingkindness and carefulness of the Lord? God applies 412 to Himself unworthyexpressions, that even so thou mayest see through them, and have some great and lofty thought ofHim; and dost thou tarry below? For tell me, wherefore is that gross and carnal word “bosom”employed in this place? Is it that we may suppose God to be a body? Away, he by no means saithso. Why then is it spoken? for if by it neither the genuineness of the Son is established, nor thatGod is not a body, the word, because it serves no purpose, is superfluously thrown in. Why then isit spoken? For I shall not desist from asking thee this question. Is it not very plain, that it is for noother reason but that by it we might understand the genuineness of the Only-Begotten, and HisCo-eternity with the Father?[3.] “He hath declared Him,” saith John. What hath he declared? That “no man hath seen Godat any time”? That “God is one”? But this all the other prophets testify, and Moses continually 413exclaims, “The Lord thy God is one Lord” ( Deut. vi. 4 ); and Esaias, “Before Me there was noGod formed, neither shall there be after me.” ( Isa. xliii. 10 .) What more then have we learnedfrom “the Son which is in the bosom of the Father”? What from “the Only-Begotten”? In the firstplace, these very words were uttered by His working; in the next place, we have received a teachingthat is far clearer, and learned that “God is a spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Himin spirit and in truth” ( c. iv. 24 ); and again, that it is impossible to see God; “that no man knoweth”Him, “save the Son” ( Matt. xi. 27 ); that He is the Father of the true and Only-Begotten; and allother things that are told us of Him. But the word “hath declared” 414 shows the plainer and clearerteaching which He gave not to the Jews only but to all the world, and established. To the prophetsnot even all the Jews gave heed, but to the Only-Begotten Son of God all the world yielded and408τρέφεσθαι , al. στρέφεσθαι , versari .409 lit. “uses.”410 lit. “He Who Is.” Another reading of the passage is, “if he were asked…and should answer, he is bidden to say that, &c.”411ἀ νάρχως καὶ ἀϊδίως .412 al. “allows to be applied.”413ἄ νω καὶ κάτω .414ἐ ξηγήσατο .84