Homilies on Ephesians 20.1–20.4
Greek text: PG 62.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 20
20.1PG 62:133
ΑἹ γυναῖκες, τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀνδράσιν ὑποτάσσεσθε, ὡς τῷ Κυρίῳ, ὅτι ὁ ἀνήρ ἐστι κεφαλὴ τῆς γυναικὸς, ὡς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς κεφαλὴ τῆς Ἐχχλησίας, καὶ αὐτός ἐστι σωτὴρ τοῦ σώματος. ὥσπερ ἡ Ἐχκχιησία ὑποτάσσεται τῷ Κυρίῳ, οὕτω καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀνδράσιν ἐν α΄. Σοφός τις ἀνὴρ ἐν τάξει μαχαρισμῶν πολλὰ θεὶς, ἕν καὶ τοῦτο τέθειχεν ἐν τάξει μαχαρισμοῦ" Καὶ γυνὴ, φησὶν, ἀνδρὶ συμπεριφερομένη. Καὶ πάλιν ἀλλαχοῦ μετὰ τῶν μαχαρισμῶν αὐτὸ τίθησι, τὸ γυγαῖχα ἀνδρὶ μετὰ ὁμονοίας συνεῖναι. Καὶ ἐξ ἀρχῇς δὲ πολλὴν ὁ Θεὸς φαίνεται πρόνοιαν πεποιημένος τῆς συζυγίας ταύτης " καὶ ὡς περὶ ἑνὸς, περὶ ἀμφοτέρων διαλεγόμενος, οὕτως ἔλεγεν" ΓΑρσεν καὶ θῆλυ ἐποίησεν αὑτούς" καὶ πάλιν, Οὐκ ἔνι ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ. Οὐ γάρ ἔστιν ἀνδρὸς πρὸς ἄνδρα τοσαύτη οἰχειότης, ὅση γυναιχὸς πρὸς ἄνδρα, ἂν ἧ τις, ὡς χρὴ, συνεζευγμένος. Διὰ τοῦτο χαΐ τις τὴν ὑπερδάλλουσαν ἀγάπην δηλῶν μακάριος ἀνὴρ, καί τινα τῶν αὐτῷ ςίλων καὶ ὁμοψύχων πενθῶν, οὐ πατέρα εἶπεν, οὐ μητέρα, οὗ τέκνον, οὐχ ἀδελφὸν, οὐ ςίλον, ἀλλὰ τί ᾿ ἽἝπεσεν ἐπ' ἐμὲ ἡ ἀγάπησίς σου, φησὶν, ὡς ἀγάπησις τῶν γυναικῶν. "Ὄντως γὰρ, ὄντως πάσης τυραννίδος αὕτη ἡ ἀγάπη τυραννιχωτέρα. Αἱ μὲν γὰρ ἄλλαι, σφοδραί " αὕτη δὲ ἢ ἐπιθυμία ἔχει καὶ τὸ σφοδρὸν, καὶ τὸ ἀμάραντον. “ἕνεστι γάρ τις ἔρως ἐμφωλεύων τῇ φύσει, καὶ λανθάνων ἡμᾶς συμπλέχει καῦτα τὰ σώματα. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐξ ἀρχῆ; ἀπὸ ἀνδρὸς ἡ γυνὴ, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἀπὸ ἀνδρὸς καὶ γυναιχὸς ἀνὴρ καὶ γυνή. Ὁρᾷς σύνδεσμον καὶ συμπλοχὴν, καὶ πῶς οὐχ ἀφῆχεν ἑτέραν [145] ἐπεισελθεῖν οὐσίαν ἔξωθεν : Καὶ ὄρα πόσα ᾧχονόμησε. Τὴν ἀδελφὴν ἠνέσχετο γαμῆσαι αὐτὸν τὴν αὑτοῦ, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐ τὴν ἀδελφὴν, ἀλλὰ τὴν θυγατέρα, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐ τὴν θυγατέρα, ἀλλά τι πλέον θυγατρὸς, τὴν σάρχα τὴν αὑτοῦ. Τὸ δὰ ὅλον ἐποίησεν ἄνωθεν, ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τῶν λίθων, εἰς ἕν αὐτοὺς συνάγων. Οὔτε γὰρ ἔξωϑεν αὐτὴν εἰργάσατο, ἵνα μὴ ὡς ἀλλοτρία προσέχῃ " οὔτε πάλιν μέχρις αὐτῆς τὸν γάμον ἔστησεν, ἵνα μὴ συστέλλων ἑαυτὸν καὶ συνάγων 8, τῶν λοιπῶν χωρίζξηται. Καὶ γχαθάπερ ἐπὶ τῶν φυτῶν ἐχεῖνα μάλιστά ἐστιν ἄριστα, ἂν καὶ ἕν πρέμνον ἔχῃ, καὶ εἰς πολλοὺς χλάδους ἐχτείνηται, ὡς ἐὰν περὶ τὴν ῥίζαν στρέφητα! μόνον πάντα εἰχῆ " χἂν καὶ πολλὰς ἔχῃ τὰς ῥίζας, οὐχέτι θαυμαστὸν τὸ δένδρον οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα, ἐξ ἑνὸς τοῦ ᾿Αδὰμ τὸ πᾶν ἐποίησε φυτευθῆναι γένος, τοῦ μὴ διασπᾶσθαι καὶ χωρίξεσθαι καταστήσας εἰς ἀνάγχην μεγάλην. Καὶ μᾶλλον συστέλλων, οὐχέτι ἐποέησεν ἀδελφὰς γαμεῖσθαι καὶ θυγατέρας, ἵνα μὴ πάλιν τὴν ἀγάπην εἰς τὸ ἕν συστέλλωμεν, καὶ ἑτέρὼς ἑαυτῶν χωρ:ζώμεθα. Διὰ τοῦτο ἔλεγεν " Ὁ ποιήσας ἐξ ἀρχῆς, ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ ἐποίησεν αὐτούς. Μεγάλα γὰρ ἀπὸ τούτου χαχὰ τίχτεται καὶ μεγάλα τὴν καὶ συνάγουσα, ἰὰ πιπιίτυπι δὰ θυγατέρα χαλὰ καὶ οἰκίαις καὶ πόλεσιν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτως ἡμῶν συγχροτεῖ τὸν βίον, ὡς ἔρως ἀνδρὸς καὶ γυναιχός ὑπὲρ τούτου καὶ ὅπλα πολλοὶ τίθενται, ὑπὲρ τούτου καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν προδιδόασιν. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἁπλῶς οὐδὲ εἰκῇ πολλὴν ὑπὲρ τούτου τοῦ πράγματος ἐποιήσατο τὴν σπουδὴν Παῦλος, λέγων " Αἱ γυναῖχες, τοῖς ἐδίοις ἀνδράσιν ὑποτάσσεσθε, ὡς τῷ Κυρίῳ. Τί δήποτε; Ὅτι ἐὰν ἐν ὁμονοίᾳ σιν οὗτοι, καὶ παῖδες τρέφονται καλῶς, καὶ οἰχέται εὐταχτοῦσι, καὶ γείπονες ἀπολαύουσι τῆς εὐωδίας Ρ, καὶ φίλοι καὶ συγγενεῖς " ἐὰν δὲ τοὐναντίον, πάντα ἀνατέτραπται καὶ συγχέχνται. Καὶ καθάπερ τῶν στρατηγῶν πρὸς ἀλταραττομένων πάλιν ἐχείνων, πάντα ἄνω καὶ χάτω γίνεται " οὕτω δὴ καὶ νῦν. Διὸ, Αἱ γυναῖχες, φησὶ, τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀνδράσιν ὑποτάσσεσθε, ὡς τῷ Κυρίῳ. Βαβαί! πῶς οὖν ἀλλαχοῦ λέγεις - Ἐὰν μὴ τις ἀποτάξηται καὶ γυναικὶ καὶ ἀνδρὶ, οὐ δύναται ἀχολουθῇσαί μοι; Εἰ γὰρ ὡς τῶ Κυρίῳ ὑποτάσσεσθαι χρὴ, πῶς λέγει διὰ τὸν Κύριον ἀφίστασθαι; Καὶ σφόδρα μὲν οὖν χρή " ἀλλὰ τὸ, ὡς, οὐ πάντως πανταχοῦ ἰσοτιμίας ἐστίν. Ἢ τοῦτό φησιν" Ὡς εἰδυῖαι ὅτι τῷ Κυρίῳ δουλεύετε " ὅπερ καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ φησιν, ὅτι εἰ καὶ μὴ διὰ ἄνδρα, ἀλλὰ προηγουμένως διὰ τὸν Κύριον " ἣ, Ὅταν ὑπείχῃς τῷ ἀνδρὶ, ὡς τῷ Κυρίῳ δουλεύουσα ἡγοῦ πείθεσθαι. Εἰ γὰρ Ὃ ἀρχαῖς ταύταις ταῖς ἔξωθεν». ταῖς πολιτικαῖς ἀγτιτασσόμενος, τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ διαταγῇ ἀνθέστηκε, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡ τῷ ἀνδρὶ μὴ ὑποτασσομένη. Οὕτως ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἠθέλησε, φησὶν, ὁ Θεός. Ὑποθώμεθα οὖν τὸν μὲν ἄνδρα ἐν τάξει κεῖσθαι χεφαλῆς, τὴν δὲ γυναῖκα [444] ἐν τάξει σώματος. Εἶτα καὶ ἀπὸ λογισμῶν δειχνὺς, Ὅτε ὁ ἀνὴρ κερα.ή ἐστι τῆς γυναικὸς, φησὶ, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς τῆς ᾿Εχκλησίας, καὶ αὐτός ἐστι σωτὴρ τοῦ σώματος. ᾿Α.1.1᾽ ὡς ἡ ᾿Ἐκχλησία ὑποτάσσεται τῷ Χριστῷ, οὕτω καὶ αἱ γυγναῖχες τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀνδράσι» ἐν παντί. Εἶτα, Ὃ ἀνήρ ἐστιν, εἰπὼν, κεφρα.1ὴ τῆς γυναικὸς, ὡς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς τῆς Ἐχκλησίας, καὶ αὐτός ἐστι σωτὴρ, ἐπάγει, τοῦ σώματος" καὶ γὰρ ἡ χεφαλὴ τοῦ σώματος σωτηρία ἐστίν. Ἤδη προκατεθάλετο τῷ ἀνδρὶ καὶ τῇ γυναιχὶ τῆς ἀγάπης τὴν ὑπόθεσιν καὶ τὴν πρόνοιαν, ἑχάστῳ τὴν προσήχουσαν ἀπονέμων χώραν, τούτῳ μὲν τὴν ἀρχικὴν καὶ προνοητιχὴν, ἐχείνῃ δὲ τὴν ὑποτα-
HaI gynaikes, tois idiois andrasin hypotassesthe, hōs tǭ Kyriǭ, hoti ho anēr esti kephalē tēs gynaikos, hōs kai ho Christos kephalē tēs Echchlēsias, kai autos esti sōtēr tou sōmatos. hōsper hē Echkchiēsia hypotassetai tǭ Kyriǭ, houtō kai hai gynaikes tois idiois andrasin en a΄. Sophos tis anēr en taxei macharismōn polla theis, hen kai touto tetheichen en taxei macharismou" Kai gynē, phēsin, andri symperipheromenē. Kai palin allachou meta tōn macharismōn auto tithēsi, to gygaicha andri meta homonoias syneinai. Kai ex archę̄s de pollēn ho Theos phainetai pronoian pepoiēmenos tēs syzygias tautēs " kai hōs peri henos, peri amphoterōn dialegomenos, houtōs elegen" GArsen kai thēly epoiēsen hautous" kai palin, Ouk eni arsen kai thēly. Ou gar estin andros pros andra tosautē oicheiotēs, hosē gynaichos pros andra, an hē tis, hōs chrē, synezeugmenos. Dia touto chaï tis tēn hyperdallousan agapēn dēlōn makarios anēr, kai tina tōn autǭ silōn kai homopsychōn penthōn, ou patera eipen, ou mētera, hou teknon, ouch adelphon, ou silon, alla ti ᾿ HiEpesen ep' eme hē agapēsis sou, phēsin, hōs agapēsis tōn gynaikōn. "Ontōs gar, ontōs pasēs tyrannidos hautē hē agapē tyrannichōtera. Hai men gar allai, sphodrai " hautē de ē epithymia echei kai to sphodron, kai to amaranton. “henesti gar tis erōs emphōleuōn tę̄ physei, kai lanthanōn hēmas symplechei kauta ta sōmata. Dia touto kai ex archē? apo andros hē gynē, kai meta tauta apo andros kai gynaichos anēr kai gynē. Horąs syndesmon kai symplochēn, kai pōs ouch aphēchen heteran [145] epeiselthein ousian exōthen : Kai ora posa hǭchonomēse. Tēn adelphēn ēnescheto gamēsai auton tēn hautou, mallon de ou tēn adelphēn, alla tēn thygatera, mallon de ou tēn thygatera, alla ti pleon thygatros, tēn sarcha tēn hautou. To da holon epoiēsen anōthen, hōsper epi tōn lithōn, eis hen autous synagōn. Oute gar exōϑen autēn eirgasato, hina mē hōs allotria prosechę̄ " oute palin mechris autēs ton gamon estēsen, hina mē systellōn heauton kai synagōn 8, tōn loipōn chōrizxētai. Kai nchathaper epi tōn phytōn echeina malista estin arista, an kai hen premnon echę̄, kai eis pollous chladous echteinētai, hōs ean peri tēn rhizan strephēta! monon panta eichē " chan kai pollas echę̄ tas rhizas, oucheti thaumaston to dendron houtō dē kai entautha, ex henos tou ᾿Adam to pan epoiēse phyteuthēnai genos, tou mē diaspasthai kai chōrixesthai katastēsas eis ananchēn megalēn. Kai mallon systellōn, oucheti epoeēsen adelphas gameisthai kai thygateras, hina mē palin tēn agapēn eis to hen systellōmen, kai heterōs heautōn chōr:zōmetha. Dia touto elegen " Ho poiēsas ex archēs, arsen kai thēly epoiēsen autous. Megala gar apo toutou chacha tichtetai kai megala tēn kai synagousa, ia pipiitypi da thygatera chala kai oikiais kai polesin. Ouden gar houtōs hēmōn synchrotei ton bion, hōs erōs andros kai gynaichos hyper toutou kai hopla polloi tithentai, hyper toutou kai tēn psychēn prodidoasin. Ou gar an haplōs oude eikę̄ pollēn hyper toutou tou pragmatos epoiēsato tēn spoudēn Paulos, legōn " Hai gynaiches, tois ediois andrasin hypotassesthe, hōs tǭ Kyriǭ. Ti dēpote? Hoti ean en homonoią sin houtoi, kai paides trephontai kalōs, kai oichetai eutachtousi, kai geipones apolauousi tēs euōdias R, kai philoi kai syngeneis " ean de tounantion, panta anatetraptai kai synchechntai. Kai kathaper tōn stratēgōn pros altarattomenōn palin echeinōn, panta anō kai chatō ginetai " houtō dē kai nyn. Dio, Hai gynaiches, phēsi, tois idiois andrasin hypotassesthe, hōs tǭ Kyriǭ. Babai! pōs oun allachou legeis - Ean mē tis apotaxētai kai gynaiki kai andri, ou dynatai acholouthę̄sai moi? Ei gar hōs tō Kyriǭ hypotassesthai chrē, pōs legei dia ton Kyrion aphistasthai? Kai sphodra men oun chrē " alla to, hōs, ou pantōs pantachou isotimias estin. Ē touto phēsin" Hōs eiduiai hoti tǭ Kyriǭ douleuete " hoper kai allachou phēsin, hoti ei kai mē dia andra, alla proēgoumenōs dia ton Kyrion " hē, Hotan hypeichę̄s tǭ andri, hōs tǭ Kyriǭ douleuousa hēgou peithesthai. Ei gar Ho archais tautais tais exōthen». tais politikais agtitassomenos, tę̄ tou Theou diatagę̄ anthestēke, pollǭ mallon hē tǭ andri mē hypotassomenē. Houtōs ex archēs ēthelēse, phēsin, ho Theos. Hypothōmetha oun ton men andra en taxei keisthai chephalēs, tēn de gynaika [444] en taxei sōmatos. Eita kai apo logismōn deichnys, Hote ho anēr kera.ē esti tēs gynaikos, phēsi, kathōs kai ho Christos tēs ᾿Echklēsias, kai autos esti sōtēr tou sōmatos. ᾿A.1.1᾽ hōs hē ᾿Ekchlēsia hypotassetai tǭ Christǭ, houtō kai hai gygnaiches tois idiois andrasi» en panti. Eita, Ho anēr estin, eipōn, kephra.1ē tēs gynaikos, hōs kai ho Christos tēs Echklēsias, kai autos esti sōtēr, epagei, tou sōmatos" kai gar hē chephalē tou sōmatos sōtēria estin. Ēdē prokatethaleto tǭ andri kai tę̄ gynaichi tēs agapēs tēn hypothesin kai tēn pronoian, hechastǭ tēn prosēchousan aponemōn chōran, toutǭ men tēn archikēn kai pronoētichēn, echeinę̄ de tēn hypota-
“Wives, be subject to your own husbands as to the Lord; for the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, and he is himself the saviour of the body. As the church is subject to the Lord, so also wives to their own husbands in everything.” 1. A certain wise man, setting down many things in the rank of blessings, set down this one too in the rank of a blessing: “And a wife who goes along with her husband.” And again elsewhere he places it among the blessings, that a wife should live with her husband in concord. And from the beginning God is seen to have taken much forethought for this union; and speaking of both as of one, he said: “Male and female he made them”; and again, “There is neither male nor female.” For there is not so much intimacy of man with man as of wife with husband, if one has been yoked as one should. That is why a blessed man too, showing surpassing love, and mourning one of his friends and kindred spirits, did not say father, nor mother, nor child, nor brother, nor friend, but what? “Your love fell upon me,” he says, “like the love of women.” For truly, truly this love is more tyrannical than any tyranny. Other loves are strong; but this desire has both strength and an unfading quality. For there is a certain love lurking in nature, and without our noticing it, it knits these bodies together. That is why from the beginning the woman was from the man, and after that from man and woman come man and woman. Do you see the bond and the intertwining, and how he did not let another substance come in from outside? And see how many things he arranged. He allowed him to marry his own sister; or rather not his sister, but his daughter; or rather not his daughter, but something more than a daughter, his own flesh. And he made the whole from above, as with stones, gathering them into one. For neither did he make her from outside, lest he should attend to her as to a stranger; nor again did he stop marriage at her, lest, drawing himself in and gathering himself together, he should be separated from the rest. And just as among plants those are best which have one stem and spread into many branches, whereas if everything turned only about the root it would be to no purpose, and if it had many roots the tree would no longer be wonderful, so too here: from the one Adam he made the whole race spring, setting it under a great necessity not to be torn apart and separated. And drawing it in still more, he no longer let sisters and daughters be married, lest again we draw our love together into one and be separated from one another in another way. That is why he said, “He who made them from the beginning made them male and female.” For great evils are born from this, and great … goods too for households and cities. For nothing so knits our life together as the love of man and woman; for this many take up arms, for this they even give up their lives. For not simply or at random did Paul take so much trouble over this matter, saying, “Wives, be subject to your own husbands as to the Lord.” Why? Because if these are in concord, the children are well brought up, the servants are orderly, and neighbours, friends, and relatives enjoy the fragrance; but if the opposite, everything is overturned and thrown into confusion. And just as when the generals are … at peace with one another … but when they are at odds, everything is turned upside down, so it is now too. That is why he says, “Wives, be subject to your own husbands as to the Lord.” Wonderful! How then do you say elsewhere, “If anyone does not renounce both wife and husband, he cannot follow me”? For if one must be subject as to the Lord, how does he say that one must depart for the Lord's sake? One must indeed, very much; but “as” does not always and everywhere mean equality of honour. Either he means this: as knowing that you serve the Lord, as he says elsewhere too, that if not for the husband's sake, then first of all for the Lord's; or: when you yield to your husband, consider that you obey as one serving the Lord. For if one who sets himself against these outside authorities, the civil ones, resists the ordinance of God, much more she who is not subject to her husband. So God willed from the beginning, he says. Let us suppose, then, that the husband stands in the rank of the head and the wife in the rank of the body. Then, showing it also by reasoning, he says, “For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also of the church, and he is himself the saviour of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives to their own husbands in everything.” Then, having said, “The husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also of the church,” he adds, “and he is himself the saviour of the body”; for the head is the safety of the body. He has already laid down for husband and wife the ground of love and forethought, assigning each the fitting place: to him that of rule and forethought, to her that of subjection …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Eph 5:22–24 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 1:27 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 3:28 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 1:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 2:21–23 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 19:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 14:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 13:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 3:23 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Chrysostom opens his homily on marriage by praising the God-made bond of husband and wife and explaining that wives are to be subject to their husbands as the body to the head.
- Quotations: Eph 5:22–24; Sir 25:1 (“a wife who goes along with her husband”); Gen 1:27; Gal 3:28; 2 Sam 1:26; Matt 19:4; Luke 14:26 (Chrysostom's form names wife and husband); Rom 13:2. Chrysostom raises the command to “renounce” wife or husband for Christ (Luke 14:26) and reconciles it with subjection “as to the Lord”. Lines are lost after “great evils are born from this, and great …” (where a word of Migne's Latin intrudes) and in the simile of the generals (marked …). κ/χ confusions translated by sense.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slips; joined words; OCR slip): ὡς τεῷ Κυρίῳ, ὅτι ὁ ἁγήρ ἐστι κεραὴ τῆς γυγαικὸς, ὡς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς κεραὴ → ὡς τῷ Κυρίῳ, ὅτι ὁ ἀνήρ ἐστι κεφαλὴ τῆς γυναικὸς, ὡς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς κεφαλὴ; συμπεριφρερομένη → συμπεριφερομένη; ἀγάαησὶς → ἀγάπησις; ἣνἔσχετο → ἠνέσχετο.
Extrabiblical texts: Sir 25:1 (Sirach [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; quotation); Sir 40:23 (Sirach [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; allusion)
Topics: Marriage, Divorce and remarriage, Women, Parents and children
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Eph. 20.1 (PG 62:133; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-ephesios/20-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-ephesios/20-1
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek (PG 62, archive OCR); the marriage passages compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF¹ 13 (1889).
20.2PG 62:133
Ὡς οὖν ἡ Εχχιησία ὑποτάσσεται τῷ Χριστῷ, τουτέστιν, ἄνδρες καὶ γυναῖχες " οὕτω καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες, τοῖς ἀγδράσιν ὡς τῷ Θεῷ ὑποτάσσεσθε. Οἱ ἄνδρες, ἀγαπᾶτε τὰς γυναῖχας ἑαυτῶν, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἠγάπησε τὴν ᾿Εκκιησίαν. "Ἤχουσας τῆς ὑποταγῆς τὴν ὑπερδολήν " ἐπήνεσας καὶ ἐθαύμασας τὸν Παῦλον, ἅτε συγχροτοῦντα τὸν βίον ἡμῶν, ὡς θαυμαστόν τινα καὶ πνευματιχὴν ἄνδρα " χαλῶς. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἄχουσον, ἃ καὶ παρὰ σοῦ ἀπαιτεῖ" πάλιν γὰρ τῷ αὐτῷ χέχρηται ὑποδείγματι" Οἱ ἄνδρες, ἀγαπᾶτε, φησὶ, τὰς γυναῖκας ἑαυτῶν, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἠγάπησα τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν. Εἶδες μέτρον ὑπακοῆς; ΓΑκουσον καὶ μέτρον ἀγάπης. Βούλει σοι τὴν γυναῖκα ὑπακούειν, ὡς τῷ Χριστῷ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν; Προνόει καὶ αὐτὸς αὐτῆς, ὡς ὁ Χριστὸς τῆς Ἐχχλησίας χἂν τὴν ψυχὴν ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς δοῦναι δεῖ, χἂν χατακοπῆναι μυριάκις, κἂν ὁτιοῦν ὑπομεῖναι καὶ παθεῖν, μὴ παραιτήσῃ ᾿ χἂν ταῦτα πάθῃς, οὐδὲν οὐδέπω πεποίηκας, οἷον ὁ Χριστός. Σὺ μὲν γὰρ ἤδη συναφθεὶς καῦτα ποιεῖς, ἐκεῖνος δὲ ὑπὲρ ἀποστρεφομένης αὐτὸν καὶ μισούσης. Ὥσπερ οὖν αὑτὸς τὴν ἀποστρεφομένην αὐτὸν καὶ μισοῦσαν καὶ διαπτύουσαν καὶ θρυπτομένην περὶ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ τῇ πολλῇ ἤγαγε χηδεμονίᾳ, οὐχ ἀπειλαῖς, οὐδὲ ὕδρεσιν, οὐδὲ φόδῳ, οὐδὲ ἑτέρῳ τινὶ τοιούτῳ ᾿ οὕτω καὶ σὺ πρὸς τὴν γυναῖχα ἔχε τὴν σήν χἂν ὑπερορῶσαν, χἂν θρυπτομένην, χαταφρονοῦσαν ἴδης, δυνήσῃ αὐτὴν ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας ἀγαγεῖν τοὺς σοὺς τῇ πολλῇ περὶ αὐτὴν προνοίᾳ, τῇ ἀγάπῃ, τῇ φιλίᾳ. Οὐδὲν γὰρ τούτων τυραννιχώτερον τῶν δεσμῶν, καὶ μάλιστα ἀνδρὶ καὶ γυναιχί. Οἰχέτην μὲν γὰρ φόδῳ τις ἂν καταδῆσαι δυνήσεται, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ ἐχεῖνον" ταχέως γὰρ ἀποπηδήσας οἰχήσεται " τὴν δὲ τοῦ βίου χοινωνὸν, τὴν παίδων μητέρα, ᾿τὴν πάσης εὐφροσύνης ὑπόθεσιν, οὗ φόδῳ καὶ ἀπειλαῖς δεῖ χαταδεσμεῖν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀγάπῃ καὶ διαθέσει. Ποία γὰρ συζυγία, ὅταν ἡ γυνὴ τὸν ἄνδρα τρέμῃ; ποίας δὲ αὐτὸς ὁ ἀνὴρ ἀπολαύσεται ἡδονῆς, ὡς δούλῃ συνοιχῶν τῇ γυναικὶ, καὶ οὐχ ὡς ἐλευθέρα; Κἂν πάθῃς τι ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς, μὴ ὀνειδίσῃς ᾿ οὐδὲ γὰρ ὁ Χριστὸς τοῦτο ἐποίησε " Καὶ ἑαυτὸν, φησὶ, παρέδωκεν ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς, ἵνα αὑτὴν καθαρίσας ἁγιάσῃ. Ἄρα ἀχάθαρτος ἦν, ἄρα μῶμον εἶχεν, ἄρα ἄμορφος ἣν, ἄρα εὐτελής. Οἵαν ἂν λάδῃς γυναῖχα, [145] οὐ τοιαύτην λήψῃ νύμφην, οἵαν ὁ Χριστὸς τὴν Ἐχχλησίαν, οὐδὲ ποδοῦτόν σου ἀπέχουσαν, ὅσον ἡ Ἔχχλησία τοῦ Χριοτοῦ" ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως οὐχ ἐδδελύξατο, οὐδὲ ἐμίσησε διὰ τὴν ὑπερδολὴν τῆς ἀμορφίας. Βούλει ἀχοῦσαι αὐτῆς τὴν ἀμορφίαν; ἄκουε Παύλου λέγοντος" Ἦτε γάρ ποτε σκότος. Ἐΐδες αὐτῆς τὸ μέλαν; τί σχότους μελανώτερον; ἀλλ᾽ ὅρα καὶ τὸ θρασύ: Ἐν κακίᾳ, φησὶ, καὶ φθόνῳ διάγοντες. "Ὅρα καὶ τὸ ἀχάθαρτον" "Απειθεῖς, ἀγόητοι. Τί δὲ λέγω; καὶ μωρὰ ἣν, καὶ βλάσφημος " ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως τοσούτων ὄντων, ὡς ὑπὲρ ὡραίας, ὡς ὑπὲρ ἀγαπωμένης, ὡς ὑπὲρ θαυμαστῆς, οὕτως ἑαυτὸν ἐξέδωχεν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀμόρφου. Καὶ τοῦτο θαυμάζων ὁ Παῦλος ἔλεγε" Μόλις γὰρ ὑπὲρ δικαίου τις ἀποθανεῖται " καὶ πάλιν, Εἰ ἔτι ἁμαρτωλῶν ἡμῶν ὄντων ὁ Χριστὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀπέθανε. Καὶ οὐδὲ τοῦτο παραιτεῖται. “νὰ αὐτὴν ἁγιάσῃ, φησὶ, χαθαρίσας τῷ «ουτρῷ τοῦ ὕδατος ἐν ῥήματι. Ἵνα παραστήσῃ αὐτὴν ἑαυτῷ ἔνδοξον τὴν Ἐχχάησίαν, μὴ ἔχουσαν σπίλον, ἢ ῥυτίδα, ἢ τι τῶν τοιούτων, ἀλλ. ἵνα ἦ ἁγία καὶ ἅμωμος. Τῷ λουτρῷ. λούει αὐτῆς τὴν ἀχαθαροίαν. Ἐν ῥήματι, φησί. ΤΠοίῳ; Ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματο;. Καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς αὐτὴν ἐκόσμησεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἔνδοξον ἐποίησε, Μὴ ἔχουσαν σπίλον. ἢ ῥυτίδα, ἢ τι τῶν τοιούτων. Καὶ ἡμεῖς τοίνυν τοῦτο ἐπιζητῶμεν τὸ κάλλος, καὶ δυνησόμεθα αὐτοῦ γενέσθαι δημιουργοί. Μὴ ζήτει σὺ παρὰ τῆς γυναιχὸς, ἃ μὴ ἐστιν αὐτῆς. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι πάντα παρὰ τοῦ Δεσπότου εἶχεν ἡ Ἐχχλησία " παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ γέγονεν ἔνδοξος, παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἅμωμος. Μὴ ἀποστραφῇς δι᾽ ἁμορφίαν τὴν γυναῖκα. ἼΑχουε τῆς Γραφῆς λεγούσης" Μιχρὰ ἐν πετεινοῖς ἡ μέλισσα, καὶ ἀρχὴ γλυκασμάτων ὃ καρπὸς αὑτῆς. Θεοῦ πλάσμα ἐστίν: οὐκ ἐκείνην ὑδρίξεις, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἐργασάμενον. Τί πάθῃ ἡ γυνῆ; Μὴ ἐπαινέσῃς αὐτὴν δι᾽ εὐμορφίαν" ἀκολάστων ψυχῶν καὶ ὁ ἔπαινος, καὶ τὸ μῖσος ἐχεῖνο, καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ ἀγάπη. Ψυχῆς ἐπιζήτει κάλλος" τὸν νυμφίον «ἣς Ἐχχλησίας μιμοῦ, Τὸ ἔξωθεν κάλλος ἀλαζονείας καὶ ἀπονοίας γέμει πολλῇς, καὶ εἰς ζηλοτυπίαν ἐμδάλλει, καὶ ὑποπτεύειν σε πολλάχις ποιεῖ τὸ πρᾶγμα ἄτοπα. ᾿Αλλὰ ἡδονὴν ἔχει; Μέχρι τοῦ πρώτου μηνὸς καὶ τοῦ δευτέρου, ἣ τὸ πολὺ, τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ, λοιπὸν δὲ οὐκέτι, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ τῆς συνηθείας τὸ θαῦμα μαραίνεται" τὰ μέντοι διὰ τὸ χάλλος προσγενόμενα χαχὰ ἐναπομένει, ὁ τῦφος, ἡ ἀπόνοια καὶ ἡ ὑπεροψία. Ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς μὴ τοιαύτης, οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον" ἀλλ᾽ εἰκότως ἀρχόμενος ὁ ἔρως παραμένει σφοδρὸς, ἐπειδὴ κάλλους ἐστὶ ψυχῆς, καὶ οὐ σώματος.
Hōs oun hē Echchiēsia hypotassetai tǭ Christǭ, toutestin, andres kai gynaiches " houtō kai hai gynaikes, tois agdrasin hōs tǭ Theǭ hypotassesthe. Hoi andres, agapate tas gynaichas heautōn, kathōs kai ho Christos ēgapēse tēn ᾿Ekkiēsian. "Ēchousas tēs hypotagēs tēn hyperdolēn " epēnesas kai ethaumasas ton Paulon, hate synchrotounta ton bion hēmōn, hōs thaumaston tina kai pneumatichēn andra " chalōs. ᾿All᾽ achouson, ha kai para sou apaitei" palin gar tǭ autǭ chechrētai hypodeigmati" Hoi andres, agapate, phēsi, tas gynaikas heautōn, kathōs kai ho Christos ēgapēsa tēn Ekklēsian. Eides metron hypakoēs? GAkouson kai metron agapēs. Boulei soi tēn gynaika hypakouein, hōs tǭ Christǭ tēn Ekklēsian? Pronoei kai autos autēs, hōs ho Christos tēs Echchlēsias chan tēn psychēn hyper autēs dounai dei, chan chatakopēnai myriakis, kan hotioun hypomeinai kai pathein, mē paraitēsę̄ ᾿ chan tauta pathę̄s, ouden oudepō pepoiēkas, hoion ho Christos. Sy men gar ēdē synaphtheis kauta poieis, ekeinos de hyper apostrephomenēs auton kai misousēs. Hōsper oun hautos tēn apostrephomenēn auton kai misousan kai diaptyousan kai thryptomenēn peri tous podas autou tę̄ pollę̄ ēgage chēdemonią, ouch apeilais, oude hydresin, oude phodǭ, oude heterǭ tini toioutǭ ᾿ houtō kai sy pros tēn gynaicha eche tēn sēn chan hyperorōsan, chan thryptomenēn, chataphronousan idēs, dynēsę̄ autēn hypo tous podas agagein tous sous tę̄ pollę̄ peri autēn pronoią, tę̄ agapę̄, tę̄ philią. Ouden gar toutōn tyrannichōteron tōn desmōn, kai malista andri kai gynaichi. Oichetēn men gar phodǭ tis an katadēsai dynēsetai, mallon de oude echeinon" tacheōs gar apopēdēsas oichēsetai " tēn de tou biou choinōnon, tēn paidōn mētera, ᾿tēn pasēs euphrosynēs hypothesin, hou phodǭ kai apeilais dei chatadesmein, all᾽ agapę̄ kai diathesei. Poia gar syzygia, hotan hē gynē ton andra tremę̄? poias de autos ho anēr apolausetai hēdonēs, hōs doulę̄ synoichōn tę̄ gynaiki, kai ouch hōs eleuthera? Kan pathę̄s ti hyper autēs, mē oneidisę̄s ᾿ oude gar ho Christos touto epoiēse " Kai heauton, phēsi, paredōken hyper autēs, hina hautēn katharisas hagiasę̄. Ara achathartos ēn, ara mōmon eichen, ara amorphos hēn, ara eutelēs. Hoian an ladę̄s gynaicha, [145] ou toiautēn lēpsę̄ nymphēn, hoian ho Christos tēn Echchlēsian, oude podouton sou apechousan, hoson hē Echchlēsia tou Chriotou" all᾽ homōs ouch eddelyxato, oude emisēse dia tēn hyperdolēn tēs amorphias. Boulei achousai autēs tēn amorphian? akoue Paulou legontos" Ēte gar pote skotos. Eïdes autēs to melan? ti schotous melanōteron? all᾽ hora kai to thrasy: En kakią, phēsi, kai phthonǭ diagontes. "Hora kai to achatharton" "Apeitheis, agoētoi. Ti de legō? kai mōra hēn, kai blasphēmos " all᾽ homōs tosoutōn ontōn, hōs hyper hōraias, hōs hyper agapōmenēs, hōs hyper thaumastēs, houtōs heauton exedōchen hyper tēs amorphou. Kai touto thaumazōn ho Paulos elege" Molis gar hyper dikaiou tis apothaneitai " kai palin, Ei eti hamartōlōn hēmōn ontōn ho Christos hyper hēmōn apethane. Kai oude touto paraiteitai. “na autēn hagiasę̄, phēsi, chatharisas tǭ «outrǭ tou hydatos en rhēmati. Hina parastēsę̄ autēn heautǭ endoxon tēn Echchaēsian, mē echousan spilon, ē rhytida, ē ti tōn toioutōn, all. hina ē hagia kai hamōmos. Tǭ loutrǭ. louei autēs tēn achatharoian. En rhēmati, phēsi. TPoiǭ? En onomati tou Patros kai tou Huiou kai tou hagiou Pneumato?. Kai ouch haplōs autēn ekosmēsen, all᾽ endoxon epoiēse, Mē echousan spilon. ē rhytida, ē ti tōn toioutōn. Kai hēmeis toinyn touto epizētōmen to kallos, kai dynēsometha autou genesthai dēmiourgoi. Mē zētei sy para tēs gynaichos, ha mē estin autēs. Horąs hoti panta para tou Despotou eichen hē Echchlēsia " par᾽ autou gegonen endoxos, par᾽ autou hamōmos. Mē apostraphę̄s di᾽ hamorphian tēn gynaika. IAchoue tēs Graphēs legousēs" Michra en peteinois hē melissa, kai archē glykasmatōn ho karpos hautēs. Theou plasma estin: ouk ekeinēn hydrixeis, alla ton ergasamenon. Ti pathę̄ hē gynē? Mē epainesę̄s autēn di᾽ eumorphian" akolastōn psychōn kai ho epainos, kai to misos echeino, kai autē hē agapē. Psychēs epizētei kallos" ton nymphion «hēs Echchlēsias mimou, To exōthen kallos alazoneias kai aponoias gemei pollę̄s, kai eis zēlotypian emdallei, kai hypopteuein se pollachis poiei to pragma atopa. ᾿Alla hēdonēn echei? Mechri tou prōtou mēnos kai tou deuterou, hē to poly, tou eniautou, loipon de ouketi, all᾽ hypo tēs synētheias to thauma marainetai" ta mentoi dia to challos prosgenomena chacha enapomenei, ho typhos, hē aponoia kai hē hyperopsia. Epi de tēs mē toiautēs, ouden toiouton" all᾽ eikotōs archomenos ho erōs paramenei sphodros, epeidē kallous esti psychēs, kai ou sōmatos.
As, then, the church is subject to Christ, that is, men and women, so also, wives, be subject to your husbands as to God. “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church.” You have heard the excess of subjection; you have praised and admired Paul, as one who knits our life together, as a wonderful and spiritual man. Well done. But hear what he demands of you too; for again he uses the same example: “Husbands,” he says, “love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church.” You have seen the measure of obedience; hear also the measure of love. Do you wish your wife to obey you as the church obeys Christ? Then take forethought for her yourself, as Christ does for the church. Even if you must give your life for her, even if you must be cut to pieces ten thousand times, even if you must endure and suffer anything whatever, do not refuse. Even if you suffer these things, you have still done nothing like what Christ did. For you do these things when already joined to her, but he for one who turned away from him and hated him. As, then, he brought to his feet, by his great care, the one who turned away from him, hated him, spurned him, and gave herself airs, not by threats, nor insults, nor fear, nor anything else of the kind, so you too behave toward your wife. Even if you see her looking down on you, giving herself airs, despising you, you will be able to bring her to your feet by your great forethought for her, by love, by friendship. For there are no bonds more tyrannical than these, especially for husband and wife. A servant one may be able to bind by fear; or rather not even him, for he will quickly leap away and be gone. But the partner of one's life, the mother of one's children, the ground of all one's gladness, one must not bind by fear and threats, but by love and affection. For what kind of union is it when the wife trembles before the husband? And what pleasure will the husband himself enjoy, living with his wife as with a slave and not as with a free woman? And if you suffer something for her sake, do not reproach her with it; for Christ did not do this either. “And he gave himself up for her,” he says, “that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her.” So she was unclean, she had a blemish, she was ugly, she was worthless. Whatever wife you take, you will not take such a bride as Christ took the church, nor one so far removed from you as the church was from Christ; and yet he did not loathe her, nor hate her for her excessive ugliness. Do you wish to hear of her ugliness? Hear Paul saying: “For you were once darkness.” Do you see her blackness? What is blacker than darkness? But see her insolence too: “living in malice and envy,” he says. See her uncleanness too: “disobedient, foolish.” But what am I saying? She was both foolish and blasphemous; and yet, though she was so, he gave himself up for the ugly one as for a beautiful one, as for a beloved one, as for a wonderful one. And Paul, wondering at this, said, “For one will scarcely die for a righteous man”; and again, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” And he does not refuse even this: “that he might sanctify her,” he says, “having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the church to himself in glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she might be holy and without blemish.” By the washing he washes away her uncleanness. “With the word,” he says. What word? “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” And he did not simply adorn her, but made her glorious, “having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing.” Let us too, then, seek this beauty, and we shall be able to become its makers. Do not seek from your wife what is not hers. You see that the church had everything from the Master: from him she became glorious, from him without blemish. Do not turn away from your wife for her ugliness. Hear the Scripture saying, “The bee is small among winged creatures, but her fruit is the chief of sweet things.” She is God's handiwork; you insult not her but the one who made her. What has the wife done? Do not praise her for beauty; such praise, and that hatred, and the love itself belong to licentious souls. Seek beauty of soul; imitate the Bridegroom of the church. Outward beauty is full of much boasting and arrogance, casts one into jealousy, and often makes you suspect monstrous things. But it gives pleasure? For the first month and the second, or at most for a year, but after that no longer; the wonder fades through habit; but the evils that came with beauty remain: pride, arrogance, and contempt. With one who is not such, there is nothing of the kind; but love, having begun reasonably, stays strong, since it is love of beauty of soul and not of body.
Eph 5:24–27 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 5:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Titus 3:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 5:7–8 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 28:19 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Chrysostom tells husbands that the measure of their love is Christ's love for the church, who gave himself for an unlovely bride, and warns them not to rule by fear or to value outward beauty.
- Chrysostom urges the husband not to turn away from (μὴ ἀποστραφῇς) a wife for her plainness. Quotations: Eph 5:24–27; Eph 5:8; Titus 3:3; Rom 5:7–8; Matt 28:19; Sir 11:3. κ/χ confusions translated by sense.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slips): Ἐχχληαἰαν → Ἐκκλησίαν; ἀποστρεφομόνην → ἀποστρεφομένην; λέγοντας" Ἧτο → λέγοντος" Ἦτε; Μόΐζις γὰρ → Μόλις γὰρ; τὴν τυναῖχα → τὴν γυναῖκα.
Extrabiblical texts: Sir 11:3 (Sirach [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; quotation)
Topics: Marriage, Baptism, Love of God and neighbour
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Eph. 20.2 (PG 62:133; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-ephesios/20-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-ephesios/20-2
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek (PG 62, archive OCR); the marriage passages compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF¹ 13 (1889).
20.3PG 62:135
Τί βέλτιον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, εἰπέ μοι, τί βέλτιον τῶν ἄστρων; Οἷον ἂν εἴποις σῶμα, οὐκ ἔστιν οὕτω λευχόν' οἵους ἂν εἴποις ὀφθαλμοὺς, οὐκ εἰσὶν οὕτω φαιδροί. [146] Τούτων δὲ γενομένων καὶ οἱ ἄγγελοι ἐθαύμασαν, καὶ ἡμεῖς νῦν θαυμάζομεν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐχ ἁμοίως, ὡς παρὰ τὴν ἀρχήν. Τοιοῦτον γὰρ ἡ συνήθεια" οὐχ ὁμοίως ἐχπλήττει " πόσῳ μᾶλλον ἐπὶ γυναικός; Ἂν δὲ καὶ νόσος ἐπιγένηται, εὐθέως ἀπέπτη τὸ πᾶν. Εὔνοιαν ζητῶμεν παρὰ γυναιχὸς, μετριοφροσύνην, ἐπιείκειαν " ταῦτα τοῦ χάλλους τὰ γνωρίέσματα " σώματος μέντοι ὥραν μὴ ζητῶμεν, μηδὲ ἐγχαλῶμεν αὐτῇ περὶ τούτων, ὧν οὐχ ἔστι χυρία, μᾶλλον δὲ μηδὲ ὅλως ἐγχαλῶμεν (τολμηρῶν γὰρ), μηδὲ ἀποδυσπετῶμεν, μηδὲ δυσχεραίνωμεν. Ἢ οὐχ ὁρᾶτε πόσοι γυναιξὶν ὡραίαις συνοιχήσαντες, ἔλεεινῶς τὸν βίον κατέστρεψαν; πόσοι δὲ οὐ σφόδρα εὖμόρφοις, μετὰ πολλῆς ἡδονῆς εἰς ἔσχατον γῆρας ἢλασαν; Τὸν σπῖλον τὸν ἔσωθεν ἀποσμύχωμεν, τὰς ῥυτίδας τὰς ἔνδον ἐχτίλλωμεν, τοὺς μώμους τοὺς ἐπὶ τῆς ψυχῇς ἀνέλωμεν. Τοιοῦτον ὁ θεὸς ἐπιζητεῖ χάλλος " τῷ Θεῷ, μὴ ἡμῖν, καλὴν αὐτὴν χατασχευάζωμεν. Μὴ χρήματα ζητῶμεν, μηδὲ εὐγένειαν τὴν ἔξωθεν, ἀλλ᾽ εὐγένειαν τὴν ἐν ψυχῇ. Μηδεὶς ἀπὸ γυναιδιστος οὗτος ὁ πλοῦτος " μηδὲ ὅλως ζητείτω τις ἐντεῦθεν πλουτεῖν. Οἱ γὰρ βουλόμενοι πλουτεῖν, φησὶν, ἐμπίπτουσιν εἰς πειρασμὸν, καὶ ἐπιθυμίας ἀνοήτους καὶ βιλαδερὰς, καὶ εἰς παγίδας καὶ ὄλεθρον καὶ ἀπώλειαν. ᾿Απὸ γυναιχὸς τοίνυν μὴ ζήτει χρημάτων περιουσίαν, καὶ πάντα εὑρήσεις τὰ ἄλλα εὐχόλως. Τίς, εἰπέ μοι, τὰ χυριώτερα ἀφεὶς, τῶν ἐλαττόνων ἐπιμελήσεται; ᾿Αλλ᾽, οἴμοι ! πανταχοῦ τοῦτο πάσχομεν ᾿ χἂν παῖδα χτησώμεθα, οὐ σπουδάζομεν ὅπως γένηται: ἀγαθὸς, ἀλλ᾽ ὅπως πλουσίαν αὐτῷ γυναῖκα λάδωμεν " οὐχ ὅπως εὔτροπος, ἀλλ᾽ ὅπως εὔπορος " χἂν ἐπιτήδευμα μετίωμεν, οὐχ ὅπως ἁμαρτημάτων ἀπηλλαγμένον ἧ, ἀλλ᾽ ὅπως ἡμῖν κέρδος προποίσῃ μέγα " καὶ πάντα γέγονς χρήματα. Διὰ τοῦτο πάντα διέφθαρται, ὅτι ἐχεῖνος ἡμᾶς κατέχει ὁ ἔρως. Οὕτως ὀφείλουσι, φηπὶν, οἱ ἄνδρες ἀγαπᾷν τὰς ἑαυτῶν γυναῖχας, ὡς τὰ ἑαυτῶν σώματα. Τί δὴ τοῦτό ἐστιν; Ὡς εἰς μείζονα εἰχόνα, καὶ σφοδρότερον ἦλθεν ὑπόδειγμα " εὖ ποῦτο δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὡς ἐγγύτερον, καὶ σαφέπᾶὶ οἵ ἴαναὶ, οἱ π ἴος αυϊάοπι τϑουϑαὶ. ὕ{. ἑἰίαιη ι:8, δὲ ᾿π οἷν ἴῃ σοϊοιγρίαπι, δὲ βιῦρ6 6 (δοὶ( βυβρίἀϊιοῖυγ ἃ πι} 6 γα : ἔυγρθθ 6 ἢ] δὲ ῃγοῦγοβα βυηῖ Νὰ: πϑηὶ. οἱ ἐπ ἀδδίἀετία ἐπα δἰ ποαῖΐα, οἱ ἔπ ἰπφιάοδ, πυ8., 56 υἱ οἱ ἀϊν᾽ οι δροϊμίδῃλι5 υχογοπὶ; ἤθη οἱ ᾿ξ» 2 εχ ϑρί για βαποίο,, [(ἃ η05 4046 πος θα ΠΟΡΓΆΠΉΙ ἴῃ 566, ροιΐογθπ) ᾿νΝ8ΠῸ [Ν } 6 πηι}8 Γαι! οπ 6 πὶ ἴῃ τυ] Γαῖα, στερον, καὶ δικαίωμα ἕτερον. Ἐχεῖνο μὲν γὰρ οὐχ ἦν πολλῆς ἀνάγχης᾽ ἵνα γὰρ μή τις εἴπῃ, ἘἜχεϊνος Χριστὸς ἦν, καὶ Θεὸς ἦν, καὶ ἑαυτὸν παρέδωχεν, ἑτέρωθεν αὐτὸ μεθοδεύει λοιπὸν, λέγων " Οὕτως ὀφείλουσιν " οὐ γὰρ χάρις ἐστὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα, ἀλλ᾽ ὀφειλή. Εἰπὼν, ὡς τὰ ἑαυτῶν σώματα, ἐπήγαγεν, Οὐδεὶς γάρ ποτε τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σάρκα ἐμίσησεν, ἀ.11᾽ ἐχερέφει καὶ θάλπει αὑτήν. Τουτέστι, θεραπεύει μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἐπιμελείας. Καὶ πῶς αὐτοῦ ἐστι σάρξ : “Αχουε " Τοῦτο νῦν ὀστοῦν ὃκ τῶν ὀστῶν μου, φησὶ, καὶ σὰρξ ἐκ τῆς σαρκός μου. Καὶ οὐ τοῦτο μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ, ΓἜσον»ται, φησὶν, εἰς σάρκα μίαν. Καθὼς καὶ ὁ [141] Χριστὸς ἠγάπησε τὴν σίαν. Ἐπὶ τὸ πρῶτον ὑπόδειγμα ἦλθεν. Ὅτι μέλη ἐσμὲν τοῦ σώματος αὑτοῦ, ἐχ τῆς σαρχὸς αὖτοῦ, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ὀστῶν αὐτοῦ. Πῶς; ᾿Απὸ γὰρ τῆς ἡμετέρας γέγονεν ὕλης, ὥσπερ καὶ ἡ Εὔα σὰρξ ἀπὸ τῆς σαρχὸς τοῦ ᾿Αδάμ. Καλῶς δὲ ὀστῶν καὶ σαρχὸς ἐμνημόνευσε " ταῦτα γάρ ἐστιν ἐν ἡμῖν τὰ χυριώτερα, σάρχες καὶ ὀστᾶ “ τὰ μὲν ὥσπερ τις τρόπις ὑποχείμενα, τὰ δὲ ὥσπερ οἰχοδομία. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἔχεῖνο μὲν δῆλον τοῦτο δὲ πῶς; Ὥσπερ ἐχεῖ τοσαύτη ἐγγύτης ἐστὶν, οὕτω, φησὶ, καὶ ἐνταῦθα. Τί ἔστιν, ἐκ τῆς σαρχὸς αὐτοῦ; Τουτέστι, γνησίως ἐξ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ πῶς τοῦ Χριστοῦ μέλη οὕτως ἐσμέν; Ὅτι χατ᾽ αὐτὸν γεγενήμεθα. Καὶ πῶς ἐχ τῆς σαρχός; Ἴστε ὅσοι μετέχετε μυστηρίων " ἐκ τούτου γὰρ εὑθέως ἀναπλαττόμεθα. Καὶ πῶς; Πάλιν ἄκουε τοῦ μαχαρίου τούτου λέγοντος “ ᾿Επεὶ οὖν τὰ παιδία καὶ αὑτὸς μετέσχε τῶν αὐτῶν. ᾿Αλλ’ ἐνταῦθα αὖτὸς ἡμῖν ἐχοινώνησεν, οὐχ ἡμεῖς αὐτῷ " πῶς οὖν ἐκ τῆς σαρχὸς αὐτοῦ ἐσμεν, καὶ ἐχ τῶν ὀστῶν αὐτοῦ; Τινὲς τὸ αἷμά φασι καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ, οὐχ ἔστι δέ" ἀλλ᾽ ὅπερ δηλοῦν βούλεται, τοῦτό ἔστιν, ὅτι ὥσπερ ἄνευ. συνουσία; ἐχεῖνος γεγέννηται ἐχ Πνεύματυς ἁγίον, οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς γεννώμεθα ἐν τῷ λουτρῷ. Ὅρα πόσα ὑποδείγματα, ὥστε πιστευθῆναι τὴν γέννησιν ἐχείνην. Ὦ τῆς ἀνοίας τῶν αἱρετιχῶν ! τὸ ἤδη τεχθὲν ἐξ ὕδατος, ὅτι τίχτεται, γέννημα ἀληθινὸν ὁμολογοῦσιν " ὅτι δὲ γινώμεθα αὐτοῦ σῶμα,, οὐ δέχονται. Ἂν τοίγυν τοῦτο μὴ γιδύμεθα, πῶς ἁρμόαει τὸ, Ἐχ τῆς σαρκὸς αὑτοῦ, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ὀστέων αὐτοῦ, λεγόμε-νὸν Σχόπει δέ" ἐπλάσθη ὁ ᾿Αδὰμ, ἐτέχθη ὁ Χριστός " ἐχ τῆς πλευρᾶς τοῦ ᾿Αδὰμ εἰσῆλθε φθορὰ, ἐχ τῆς πλευρᾶς τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐπήγασεν ἡ ζωή " ἐν παραδείσῳ ἐδλάστησε θάνατος, ἐν τῷ. σταυρῷ αὐτοῦ ἡ,
Ti beltion tou ouranou, eipe moi, ti beltion tōn astrōn? Hoion an eipois sōma, ouk estin houtō leuchon' hoious an eipois ophthalmous, ouk eisin houtō phaidroi. [146] Toutōn de genomenōn kai hoi angeloi ethaumasan, kai hēmeis nyn thaumazomen, all᾽ ouch hamoiōs, hōs para tēn archēn. Toiouton gar hē synētheia" ouch homoiōs echplēttei " posǭ mallon epi gynaikos? An de kai nosos epigenētai, eutheōs apeptē to pan. Eunoian zētōmen para gynaichos, metriophrosynēn, epieikeian " tauta tou challous ta gnōriesmata " sōmatos mentoi hōran mē zētōmen, mēde enchalōmen autę̄ peri toutōn, hōn ouch esti chyria, mallon de mēde holōs enchalōmen (tolmērōn gar), mēde apodyspetōmen, mēde dyscherainōmen. Ē ouch horate posoi gynaixin hōraiais synoichēsantes, eleeinōs ton bion katestrepsan? posoi de ou sphodra eumorphois, meta pollēs hēdonēs eis eschaton gēras ēlasan? Ton spilon ton esōthen aposmychōmen, tas rhytidas tas endon echtillōmen, tous mōmous tous epi tēs psychę̄s anelōmen. Toiouton ho theos epizētei challos " tǭ Theǭ, mē hēmin, kalēn autēn chatascheuazōmen. Mē chrēmata zētōmen, mēde eugeneian tēn exōthen, all᾽ eugeneian tēn en psychę̄. Mēdeis apo gynaidistos houtos ho ploutos " mēde holōs zēteitō tis enteuthen ploutein. Hoi gar boulomenoi ploutein, phēsin, empiptousin eis peirasmon, kai epithymias anoētous kai biladeras, kai eis pagidas kai olethron kai apōleian. ᾿Apo gynaichos toinyn mē zētei chrēmatōn periousian, kai panta heurēseis ta alla eucholōs. Tis, eipe moi, ta chyriōtera apheis, tōn elattonōn epimelēsetai? ᾿All᾽, oimoi ! pantachou touto paschomen ᾿ chan paida chtēsōmetha, ou spoudazomen hopōs genētai: agathos, all᾽ hopōs plousian autǭ gynaika ladōmen " ouch hopōs eutropos, all᾽ hopōs euporos " chan epitēdeuma metiōmen, ouch hopōs hamartēmatōn apēllagmenon hē, all᾽ hopōs hēmin kerdos propoisę̄ mega " kai panta gegons chrēmata. Dia touto panta diephthartai, hoti echeinos hēmas katechei ho erōs. Houtōs opheilousi, phēpin, hoi andres agapąn tas heautōn gynaichas, hōs ta heautōn sōmata. Ti dē touto estin? Hōs eis meizona eichona, kai sphodroteron ēlthen hypodeigma " eu pouto de monon, alla kai hōs engyteron, kai saphepai hoi ianai, hoi p ios auïaopi tϑouϑai. hy{. heiiaiē i:8, de ᾿p hoin ię̄ soïoigriapi, de biyr6 6 (doi( bybriaïioiyg ha pi} 6 ga : eugrthth 6 ē] de ę̄gougoba byēi Na: pϑēi. hoi ep addiaetia epa di poaiïa, hoi ep ipphiaod, py8., 56 hui hoi aïn᾽ oi droïmidę̄li5 ychogopi? ēthē hoi ᾿x» 2 ech ϑri gia bapoio,, [(ha ē05 4046 pos tha PORGAPĒI ię̄ 566, roiïogthp) ᾿nN8PO [N } 6 pēi}8 Gai! op 6 pi ię̄ ty] Gaia, steron, kai dikaiōma heteron. Echeino men gar ouch ēn pollēs ananchēs᾽ hina gar mē tis eipę̄, EEcheïnos Christos ēn, kai Theos ēn, kai heauton paredōchen, heterōthen auto methodeuei loipon, legōn " Houtōs opheilousin " ou gar charis esti to pragma, all᾽ opheilē. Eipōn, hōs ta heautōn sōmata, epēgagen, Oudeis gar pote tēn heautou sarka emisēsen, a.11᾽ echerephei kai thalpei hautēn. Toutesti, therapeuei meta pollēs tēs epimeleias. Kai pōs autou esti sarx : “Achoue " Touto nyn ostoun hok tōn ostōn mou, phēsi, kai sarx ek tēs sarkos mou. Kai ou touto monon, alla kai, GEson»tai, phēsin, eis sarka mian. Kathōs kai ho [141] Christos ēgapēse tēn sian. Epi to prōton hypodeigma ēlthen. Hoti melē esmen tou sōmatos hautou, ech tēs sarchos autou, kai ek tōn ostōn autou. Pōs? ᾿Apo gar tēs hēmeteras gegonen hylēs, hōsper kai hē Eua sarx apo tēs sarchos tou ᾿Adam. Kalōs de ostōn kai sarchos emnēmoneuse " tauta gar estin en hēmin ta chyriōtera, sarches kai osta “ ta men hōsper tis tropis hypocheimena, ta de hōsper oichodomia. ᾿All᾽ echeino men dēlon touto de pōs? Hōsper echei tosautē engytēs estin, houtō, phēsi, kai entautha. Ti estin, ek tēs sarchos autou? Toutesti, gnēsiōs ex autou. Kai pōs tou Christou melē houtōs esmen? Hoti chat᾽ auton gegenēmetha. Kai pōs ech tēs sarchos? Iste hosoi metechete mystēriōn " ek toutou gar heutheōs anaplattometha. Kai pōs? Palin akoue tou machariou toutou legontos “ ᾿Epei oun ta paidia kai hautos metesche tōn autōn. ᾿All’ entautha autos hēmin echoinōnēsen, ouch hēmeis autǭ " pōs oun ek tēs sarchos autou esmen, kai ech tōn ostōn autou? Tines to haima phasi kai to hydōr, ouch esti de" all᾽ hoper dēloun bouletai, touto estin, hoti hōsper aneu. synousia? echeinos gegennētai ech Pneumatys hagion, houtō kai hēmeis gennōmetha en tǭ loutrǭ. Hora posa hypodeigmata, hōste pisteuthēnai tēn gennēsin echeinēn. Ō tēs anoias tōn hairetichōn ! to ēdē techthen ex hydatos, hoti tichtetai, gennēma alēthinon homologousin " hoti de ginōmetha autou sōma,, ou dechontai. An toigyn touto mē gidymetha, pōs harmoaei to, Ech tēs sarkos hautou, kai ek tōn osteōn autou, legome-non Schopei de" eplasthē ho ᾿Adam, etechthē ho Christos " ech tēs pleuras tou ᾿Adam eisēlthe phthora, ech tēs pleuras tou Christou epēgasen hē zōē " en paradeisǭ edlastēse thanatos, en tǭ. staurǭ autou hē,
What is better than heaven, tell me, what better than the stars? Whatever body you name, it is not so white; whatever eyes you name, they are not so bright. When these came into being the angels too wondered, and we wonder now, but not as at the beginning. For such is habit: it does not strike us in the same way. How much more with a wife! And if sickness comes on too, at once the whole has flown away. Let us seek from a wife goodwill, modesty, gentleness; these are the marks of beauty. But let us not seek bloom of body, nor blame her for things of which she is not mistress; or rather let us not blame at all (for that belongs to the rash), nor be peevish, nor be vexed. Or do you not see how many who lived with beautiful wives ended their lives pitiably, and how many who lived with not very handsome ones came to extreme old age with much pleasure? Let us wipe away the stain within, pluck out the wrinkles inside, remove the blemishes on the soul. Such is the beauty God seeks; let us make her beautiful for God, not for us. Let us not seek money, nor noble birth outwardly, but nobility of soul. Let no one … from a wife … this wealth; let no one seek to grow rich from this source at all. “For those who wish to be rich,” he says, “fall into temptation and many foolish and harmful desires, and into snares and ruin and destruction.” Do not seek, then, abundance of money from a wife, and you will find all the rest easily. Who, tell me, leaving aside the more important things, will take care of the lesser? But alas! we suffer this everywhere: if we have a son, we do not take trouble that he may become good, but that we may take a rich wife for him; not that she may be of good character, but that she may be well off; and if we take up a trade, it is not that it may be free of sins, but that it may bring us great gain; and everything has become money. That is why everything is corrupted, because that love holds us. “So ought husbands,” he says, “to love their own wives as their own bodies.” What is this? He has come to a greater image and a stronger example; and not this only, but also a nearer and clearer one, and another claim. … For that one was not of great necessity; for lest anyone say, “That one was Christ and was God, and gave himself up,” he next approaches it from another side, saying, “So they ought”; for the thing is not a favour but a debt. Having said, “as their own bodies,” he added: “For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it,” that is, tends it with great care. And how is she his flesh? Hear: “This now is bone of my bones,” he says, “and flesh of my flesh.” And not only this, but also, “They shall become,” he says, “one flesh.” “Just as Christ also the church.” He has come to the first example. “For we are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones.” How? For he came into being from our material, just as Eve too was flesh from the flesh of Adam. And he rightly mentioned bones and flesh; for these are the more important things in us, flesh and bones: the one lying beneath like a keel, the other like the building. But that is clear; how is this? As there, he says, there is such nearness, so here too. What is “of his flesh”? That is, truly from him. And how are we members of Christ in this way? Because we have come into being according to him. And how from his flesh? You know, all of you who share in the mysteries; for by this we are at once refashioned. And how? Hear this blessed man again saying, “Since, then, the children have shared, he himself likewise partook of the same things.” But there he shared with us, not we with him; how then are we of his flesh and of his bones? Some say it means the blood and the water, but it is not so; but what he wishes to show is this: that as he was born without intercourse of the Holy Spirit, so we too are born in the washing. See how many examples, so that that birth may be believed. O the folly of the heretics! They confess that what has already been born from water, because it is born, is a true offspring; but that we become his body they do not accept. If, then, we do not become this, how does the saying, “of his flesh and of his bones,” fit? But consider: Adam was formed, Christ was born; from the side of Adam corruption came in, from the side of Christ life sprang forth; in paradise death sprouted, in his cross life …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
1 Tim 6:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 5:28–30 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 2:23–24 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 2:14 (quotation, high confidence) · John 19:34 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Chrysostom urges husbands to seek virtue rather than beauty or wealth in a wife, and explains that a wife is the husband's own flesh as believers are members of Christ's body.
- Quotations: 1 Tim 6:9; Eph 5:28–30; Gen 2:23–24; Heb 2:14; John 19:34 (the blood and water, a reading Chrysostom rejects here). A passage of Migne's Latin translation is garbled into the Greek after “a nearer and clearer one”, and lines are lost at “Let no one … from a wife” (marked …). The section breaks off mid-sentence. κ/χ confusions translated by sense.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip): οἱ ἄγγελοε → οἱ ἄγγελοι; ἐνπεῦθεν → ἐντεῦθεν; παμμαδείσῳ → παραδείσῳ.
Topics: Marriage, Baptism, Heresy, Wealth and poverty
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Eph. 20.3 (PG 62:135; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-ephesios/20-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-ephesios/20-3
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek (PG 62, archive OCR); the marriage passages compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF¹ 13 (1889).
20.4PG 62:137
Ὡς οὖν ὁ ΥἹὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ τῇ, Κ ἡμετέρας φύσεως, οὕτως ἡμεῖς τῆς οὐσίας αὑτοῦ" καὶ ὡς ἡμᾶς ἐχεῖνος ἔχει ἐν ἑαυτῷ, οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς; αὐτὸν ἔχομεν ἐν ἡμῖν. ᾿Αγτὶ τούτου καταλείψει ἄγθρωπος τὸν πατέρα αὑτοῦ καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὑτοῦ, καὶ προσκολληθήσεται πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα αὑτοῦ, καὶ ἔσονται οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν. Ἰδοὺ καὶ τρῖτον δικαίωμα " δείχνυσι γὰρ, ὅτι τοὺς γεννησαμένους τις ἀφεὶς καὶ ἐξ ὧν ἔφυ, ἐκείνῃ συμπλέχεται " καὶ λοιπὸν ἡ σὰρξ ὁ πατὴρ καὶ ἡ μήτηρ καὶ ὁ παῖς ἐστιν ἐχ τῆς ἑχατέρου συνουσίας συγχραθεῖσα " καὶ γὰρ μιγέντων τῶν σπερμάτων, τέχτεται ὁ παῖς ὥστε τοὺς τρεῖς «4 εἶναι μίαν σάρχα. Οὕτως οὖν ἡμεῖς πρὸς τὸν Χριστὸν γινόμεθα μία σὰρξ διὰ μετουσίας " καὶ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡμεῖς, ἣ τὸ παιδίον. Τί δὴ ποτε; Ὅτι ἐξ ἀρχῆς οὕτω γέγονε. Μὴ μο: λέγε, ὅτι τοιάδε ἐστί͵ καὶ τοιάδε ἐστίν. Οὐχ ὁρᾷς, ὅτι καὶ ἐν τῇ σαρχὶ πολλὰ. ἔχομεν ἐλαττώματα; Ὁ μὲν γάρ ἐστι χωλὸς, ὁ δὲ διἐστραμμένους ἔχει τοὺς πόδας, ἕτερης χεῖρας ξηρὰς, ἄλλος ἄλλο τι μέλος ἀσθενές " καὶ ὅμως οὐχ ἀλγεῖ οὐδὲ ἐχχόπτει, ἀλλὰ καὶ προτίθησιν [148] αὐτὸ πολλάχις τοῦ ἄλλου" εἰχότως " αὐτοῦ γάρ ἕατιν. Ὅσην. τοίνυν ἕχαστος πρὸ; ἑαυτὸν ἀγάπην ἔχει, τοσαύτην. πρὸς τὴν γυναῖχα ἡμᾶς βούλεται ἔχειν - οὐχ ὅτι φύαεως μιᾶς χοινωνοῦμεν, ἀλλὰ πλέον τοῦτο ἡμῖν τὸ δικαίωμα τὸ πρὸς τὴν γυναῖχα, ἐπειδὴ οὐχέτι δύο εἰσὶ αώματα, ἀλλ᾽ ἕν, ὁ μὲν χεφαλὴ ὧν, ἡ δὲ σῶμα. Καὶ πῶς φησιν ἀλλαχοῦ, Κερα,1ὴ δὲ Χριστοῦ ὁ Θεός; Τοῦτο καὶ ἐγώ φημι, ὅτι ὥσπερ ἕν σῶμα ἡμεῖς, οὕτω καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἕν. Εὐρίσχεται ἄρα καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ χεφαλὴ ἡμῶν ὦν. Δύο τίθησιν ὑποδείγματα, τὸ τοῦ σώματος, καὶ τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ " διὸ καὶ ἐπάγει: Τὸ μυστήριον τοῦτο μέγα ἐστίν " ἐγὼ δὲ “έγω εἰς Χριστὸν καὶ εἷς τὴν ᾿Εκχιλησίαν. Τί ἔστι τοῦτο; Μέγα μυστήριον αὐτό φησιν, ὅτι μέγα τι καὶ θαυμαστὸν ἠνίξατο ὁ μαχάριος Μωῦσῆς, μᾶλλον δὲ ὁ Θεός " τέως μέντοι, Εἰς Χριστὸν, φησὶ, «λ1όγω, ὅτι καὶ αὐτὸς τὸν Πατέρα ἀφεὶς χατῆλθε, καὶ ἦλθε πρὸς τὴν νύμφην, καὶ ἐγένετο εἰς πνεῦμα ἕν" Ὁ κολλώμενος γὰρ τῷ Κυρίῳ, ἓν πνεῦμά ἔστι. Καὶ καλῶς εἶπε᾽ Μέγα μυστὴήριόν ἐστιγ' ὡς ἂν εἰ ἔλεγε᾽ Πλὴν ἀλλ᾽ οὐχ ἣ ἀλληγορία ἀνατρέπει: τὴν ἀγάπὴν. Πλὴν καὶ ὑμεῖς οἱ καθ' ἔνα, ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖχα οὕτως ἀγαπάτω, ὡς ἑαυτόν" ἡ δὲ γυνὴ ἵνα φοδῆται τὸν ἄνδρα. “Ὄντω: γὰρ, ὄντως μυστήριόν ἐστι, καὶ μέγα μυστήριον, ὅτι τὸν φύντα, σαν, τὴν ταλαιπωρηθεῖσαν ἀφεὶς, τοὺς τὰ τοσαῦτα εὐεργετήσαντας, τοὺς ἐν συνηθείζ γενομένους, τῇ μηδὲ ὀφθείσῃ, μηδὲ χοινόν τι ἐχούσῃ πρὸς αὐτὸν πρασχολλᾶται, καὶ πάντων αὐτὴν προτιμᾷ. Μυστή ριον ὄντως ἐστί. Καὶ οἱ γονεῖς τούτων γινομένων οὐχ ἄχθονται, ἀλλὰ μὴ γινομένων μᾶλλον " καὶ χρημάτῶν ἀναλισχομένων καὶ δαπάνης γινομένης, ἥδονται. "Ὄντως μέγα μυστήριον, ἀπόῤῥητόν τινα σοφίαν ἔχον. Τοῦτο ἄνωθεν προφητεύων ἐδήλου Μωῦσῆς τοῦτο καὶ νῦν ὁ Παῦλος βοᾷ λέγων " Εἰς Χριστὲ» καὶ εἰς τὴν Ἐκχχιησίαν. Πλὴν οὐ δι᾿ αὐτὸν εἴρηται μόνον οὕτως, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τὴν γυναῖκα, ἵνα ὡς τὴν ἰδίαν σάρχα αὐτὴν θάλπῃ, ὡς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς τὴν Ἔχχλησίαν. Ἡ δὲ γυνὴ ἵνα φοδῆται τὸν ἄνδρα. Οὐχέτι τὰ τῆς ἀγάπης τίθησι μόνον, ἀλλὰ τί; Ἵνα. φοδῆται τὸν ἄγδρα. ᾿Αρχὴ δευτέρα ἐστὶν ἡ γυνή. Μήτε οὖν αὕτη τὴν ἰσοτιμίαν ἀπαιτείτω ᾿ ὑπὸ γὰρ τὴν κεφαλήν ἐστι " μήτε ἐκεῖνος ὡς ὑποτεταγμένης χαταφρονείτω" σῶμα γάρ ἐστι, χἂν χαταφρανῇ τοῦ σώματος ἡ χεφαλὴῇ, καὶ αὐτὴ προσαπολεῖται " ἀλλ᾽ ἀντίῤῥοπον τῆς ὑπαχοῆ: εἰσαγέτω τὴν ἀγάπην. Ὥσπερ ἡ χεφαλὴ, καὶ τὸ αὥμα " τὸ μὲν αὐτῇ πρὸς διαχονίαν παρέχον τὰς χεῖρας, τοὺς πόδας, τὰ λοιπὰ πάντο μέλη " ἐκείνη δὲ αὐτοῦ προνοουμένη, πᾶσαν ἐν ἑαυτῇ αἴσθησιν ἔχουσα. Οὐδὲν ταύτης ἄμεινον τῆς συζυγίας. Καὶ πῶς ἂν γένοιτο ἀγάπη, φησὶ, φόθδου ὄντος; Μάλιστα τότε ἂν γένοιτο. Ἡ [149] γὰρ φοθουμένη καὶ ἀγαπᾷ ἡ ἀγαπῶσα ςοδεῖται ὡς χεφαλῇν, καὶ ἀγαπᾷ ὡς μέλος, ἐπεὶ καὶ ἡ χεφαλὴ μέ- )ος τοῦ παντός ἔστι σώματος. Διὰ τοῦτο τὴν μὲν ὁπέταξε͵ τὸν δὲ ἐπέθηχεν, ἵνα εἰρήνη ἧ. Ἔνθα γὰρ ἰσοτιμία, εἰρήνη οὐχ ἄν ποτε γένοιτο, οὐδὲ δημοχρατουμένης οἰχίας, οὐδὲ πάντων ἀρχόντων, ἀλλὰ ἀνάγχη μίαν εἶναι τὴν ἀρχήν. Καὶ ταῦτα πανταχοῦ ἐπὶ τῶν σωματιχῶν 4 " ἐπεὶ ἐὰν ὦσιν ἄνδρες πνευματιχοὶ, ἔτται εἰρήνη. Πενταχισχίλιαι ἧσαν ψυκαὶ, καὶ οὐδείς τι τῶν ὑπαρχόντων ἔλεγεν ἴδιον εἶναι, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπετάττόντο ἀλλήλοις. Τοῦτο δεῖγμα συνέσεως καὶ φόδου Θεοῦ. Τὸν μὲν οὖν τῆς ἀγάπης τρόπον ἔδειξε, τὸν δὲ
Hōs oun ho HuIos tou Theou tę̄, K hēmeteras physeōs, houtōs hēmeis tēs ousias hautou" kai hōs hēmas echeinos echei en heautǭ, houtō kai hēmeis? auton echomen en hēmin. ᾿Agti toutou kataleipsei agthrōpos ton patera hautou kai tēn mētera hautou, kai proskollēthēsetai pros tēn gynaika hautou, kai esontai hoi dyo eis sarka mian. Idou kai triton dikaiōma " deichnysi gar, hoti tous gennēsamenous tis apheis kai ex hōn ephy, ekeinę̄ symplechetai " kai loipon hē sarx ho patēr kai hē mētēr kai ho pais estin ech tēs hechaterou synousias synchratheisa " kai gar migentōn tōn spermatōn, techtetai ho pais hōste tous treis «4 einai mian sarcha. Houtōs oun hēmeis pros ton Christon ginometha mia sarx dia metousias " kai pollǭ mallon hēmeis, hē to paidion. Ti dē pote? Hoti ex archēs houtō gegone. Mē mo: lege, hoti toiade esti͵ kai toiade estin. Ouch horąs, hoti kai en tę̄ sarchi polla. echomen elattōmata? Ho men gar esti chōlos, ho de diestrammenous echei tous podas, heterēs cheiras xēras, allos allo ti melos asthenes " kai homōs ouch algei oude echchoptei, alla kai protithēsin [148] auto pollachis tou allou" eichotōs " autou gar heatin. Hosēn. toinyn hechastos pro? heauton agapēn echei, tosautēn. pros tēn gynaicha hēmas bouletai echein - ouch hoti phyaeōs mias choinōnoumen, alla pleon touto hēmin to dikaiōma to pros tēn gynaicha, epeidē oucheti dyo eisi aōmata, all᾽ hen, ho men chephalē hōn, hē de sōma. Kai pōs phēsin allachou, Kera,1ē de Christou ho Theos? Touto kai egō phēmi, hoti hōsper hen sōma hēmeis, houtō kai ho Christos kai ho Patēr hen. Eurischetai ara kai ho Patēr chephalē hēmōn ōn. Dyo tithēsin hypodeigmata, to tou sōmatos, kai to tou Christou " dio kai epagei: To mystērion touto mega estin " egō de “egō eis Christon kai heis tēn ᾿Ekchilēsian. Ti esti touto? Mega mystērion auto phēsin, hoti mega ti kai thaumaston ēnixato ho macharios Mōysēs, mallon de ho Theos " teōs mentoi, Eis Christon, phēsi, «l1ogō, hoti kai autos ton Patera apheis chatēlthe, kai ēlthe pros tēn nymphēn, kai egeneto eis pneuma hen" Ho kollōmenos gar tǭ Kyriǭ, hen pneuma esti. Kai kalōs eipe᾽ Mega mystēērion estig' hōs an ei elege᾽ Plēn all᾽ ouch hē allēgoria anatrepei: tēn agapēn. Plēn kai hymeis hoi kath' ena, hekastos tēn heautou gynaicha houtōs agapatō, hōs heauton" hē de gynē hina phodētai ton andra. “Ontō: gar, ontōs mystērion esti, kai mega mystērion, hoti ton phynta, san, tēn talaipōrētheisan apheis, tous ta tosauta euergetēsantas, tous en synētheiz genomenous, tę̄ mēde ophtheisę̄, mēde choinon ti echousę̄ pros auton praschollatai, kai pantōn autēn protimą. Mystē rion ontōs esti. Kai hoi goneis toutōn ginomenōn ouch achthontai, alla mē ginomenōn mallon " kai chrēmatōn analischomenōn kai dapanēs ginomenēs, hēdontai. "Ontōs mega mystērion, aporrhēton tina sophian echon. Touto anōthen prophēteuōn edēlou Mōysēs touto kai nyn ho Paulos boą legōn " Eis Christe» kai eis tēn Ekchchiēsian. Plēn ou di᾿ auton eirētai monon houtōs, alla kai dia tēn gynaika, hina hōs tēn idian sarcha autēn thalpę̄, hōs kai ho Christos tēn Echchlēsian. Hē de gynē hina phodētai ton andra. Oucheti ta tēs agapēs tithēsi monon, alla ti? Hina. phodētai ton agdra. ᾿Archē deutera estin hē gynē. Mēte oun hautē tēn isotimian apaiteitō ᾿ hypo gar tēn kephalēn esti " mēte ekeinos hōs hypotetagmenēs chataphroneitō" sōma gar esti, chan chataphranę̄ tou sōmatos hē chephalēę̄, kai autē prosapoleitai " all᾽ antirrhopon tēs hypachoē: eisagetō tēn agapēn. Hōsper hē chephalē, kai to haōma " to men autę̄ pros diachonian parechon tas cheiras, tous podas, ta loipa panto melē " ekeinē de autou pronooumenē, pasan en heautę̄ aisthēsin echousa. Ouden tautēs ameinon tēs syzygias. Kai pōs an genoito agapē, phēsi, phothdou ontos? Malista tote an genoito. Hē [149] gar phothoumenē kai agapą hē agapōsa sodeitai hōs chephalę̄n, kai agapą hōs melos, epei kai hē chephalē me- )os tou pantos esti sōmatos. Dia touto tēn men hopetaxe͵ ton de epethēchen, hina eirēnē hē. Entha gar isotimia, eirēnē ouch an pote genoito, oude dēmochratoumenēs oichias, oude pantōn archontōn, alla ananchē mian einai tēn archēn. Kai tauta pantachou epi tōn sōmatichōn 4 " epei ean ōsin andres pneumatichoi, ettai eirēnē. Pentachischiliai hēsan psykai, kai oudeis ti tōn hyparchontōn elegen idion einai, all᾽ hypetattonto allēlois. Touto deigma syneseōs kai phodou Theou. Ton men oun tēs agapēs tropon edeixe, ton de
As, then, the Son of God [shared] in our nature, so we in his substance; and as he has us in himself, so we too have him in us. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” See a third claim too: for he shows that a man, leaving those who begot him and from whom he sprang, is knit to her; and then the flesh is father and mother and child, blended from the intercourse of each; for when the seeds are mingled the child is born, so that the three are one flesh. So, then, we become one flesh with Christ through participation, and much more we than the child. Why so? Because so it was from the beginning. Do not tell me that she is like this and like that. Do you not see that in the flesh too we have many defects? One is lame, another has twisted feet, another withered hands, another some other weak member; and yet he does not grieve or cut it off, but often even prefers it to the other; naturally, for it is his own. As much love, then, as each has for himself, so much he wishes us to have for our wife; not because we share one nature, but this claim toward the wife is greater, since they are no longer two bodies but one, he being the head and she the body. And how does he say elsewhere, “And the head of Christ is God”? I say this too: that as we are one body, so also Christ and the Father are one. So the Father too is found to be our head. He sets down two examples, that of the body and that of Christ; that is why he also adds, “This mystery is great; but I speak with reference to Christ and to the church.” What is this? He calls it a great mystery because the blessed Moses, or rather God, hinted at something great and wonderful; but for the present, “I speak,” he says, “with reference to Christ,” because he too, leaving the Father, came down and came to the bride and became one spirit; “for he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.” And he rightly said, “This mystery is great,” as if he said: yet the allegory does not overturn love. “However, let each one of you also love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she fears her husband.” For truly, truly it is a mystery, and a great mystery, that leaving the one who begot him … her who laboured for him, those who did him so many kindnesses, those with whom he grew up, he is joined to one never seen before, who has nothing in common with him, and honours her above all. It is truly a mystery. And the parents are not grieved when these things happen, but rather when they do not; and when money is spent and expense incurred, they are glad. Truly a great mystery, holding some unspeakable wisdom. This Moses showed, prophesying from of old; this Paul too now cries aloud, saying, “with reference to Christ and to the church.” Yet it was not said so for his sake only, but also for the wife's, that he may cherish her as his own flesh, as Christ also the church. “And let the wife see that she fears her husband.” He no longer sets down only the things of love, but what? “That she fears her husband.” The wife is a second authority. Let her not, then, demand equality of honour, for she is under the head; and let him not despise her as subject, for she is the body; and if the head despises the body, it will itself perish with it. But let him bring in love as a counterweight to her obedience. As the head and the body: the one offers it hands, feet, and all the other members for service; the other takes forethought for it, having all perception in itself. Nothing is better than this union. And how can there be love, someone says, when there is fear? Then above all there can be. For she who fears also loves; she who loves fears him as head, and loves him as a member, since the head too is a member of the whole body. That is why he made the one subject and set the other over her, so that there might be peace. For where there is equality of honour there could never be peace, neither in a household ruled as a democracy, nor where all are rulers; but there must be one authority. And this is so everywhere among bodily men; since if men are spiritual, there will be peace. There were five thousand souls, and no one said that any of his possessions was his own, but they were subject to one another. This is a sign of understanding and of the fear of God. He has shown, then, the manner of love, and …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Eph 5:31–33 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 2:24 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 11:3 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 6:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 4:4 (allusion, medium confidence) · Acts 4:32 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Chrysostom explains “the two shall become one flesh” and the “great mystery” of Christ and the church, and why the wife's respect and the husband's love together keep peace in the home.
- Chrysostom holds that a husband must love his wife despite her defects as he does not cut off a weak limb. Quotations: Eph 5:31–33; Gen 2:24; 1 Cor 11:3; 1 Cor 6:17; Acts 4:4, 32. The opening is damaged (the verb of the first clause is lost; “[shared]” supplied by sense), and a line is lost at “leaving the one who begot him …” (marked …). κ/χ confusions translated by sense.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slips): ἀροσκο.λ2ηθήσεται πρὸς τὴν" γυγαῖχα → προσκολληθήσεται πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα; Βιγέντων → μιγέντων; Ὁ κοκλιλώμενος γὰρ τῷ Κυρίῳ, ὃν πνεῦμά → Ὁ κολλώμενος γὰρ τῷ Κυρίῳ, ἓν πνεῦμά.
Topics: Marriage, Christology, The church
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Eph. 20.4 (PG 62:137; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-ephesios/20-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-ephesios/20-4
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek (PG 62, archive OCR); the marriage passages compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF¹ 13 (1889).