Homilies on John 10.1–11.2
Greek text: PG 59.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 14 (1889).
Chapter 10
10.1PG 59:25
Εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθε, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρέλαβον. Φιλάνθρωπος ὧν ὁ Θεὸς, ἀγαπητὲ 8, καὶ εὐεργετιχὸς, πάντα ποιεῖ καὶ πραγματεύεται, ὥστε ἡμᾶς κατ᾽ ἀρετὴν λάμπειν " καὶ βουλόμενος ἡμᾶς εὐδοχίμους εἶναι, καὶ τοῦτο, βίᾳ μὲν οὐδένα οὐδὲ ἀνάγκῃ, πειθοῖ δὲ καὶ τῷ ποιεῖν εὖ τοὺς βουλομένους ἅπαντας ἕλκει, καὶ πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἐπισπᾶται. Διὰ τοῦτο ἐλθόντα αὐτὸν οἱ μὲν ἔλαδον, οἱ δὲ οὐκ ἐδέξαντο. Οὐδένα γὰρ βούλεται ἄκοντα οὐδὲ ἠναγκασμένον ἔχειν οἰκέτην, ἀλλ᾽ ἐχόντας ἅπαντας καὶ προαιρουμένους, καὶ χάριν αὐτῷ τῆς δουλείας εἰδότας. Ανθρωποι μὲν γὰρ, ἅτε ἐν χρείᾳ καθεστῶτες τῆς τῶν οἰκετῶν διακονίας, καὶ μὴ βουλομένους αὐτοὺς "» τῷ τῆς δεσποτείας γχατέχουσι νόμῳ ὁ δὲ Θεὸς, ἀνενδεὴς ὧν, καὶ μηδενὸς τῶν ἡμετέρων ἐν χρείᾳ καθεστηκὼς, τῆς ὃὲ ἡμετέρας ἕνεκεν σωτηρίας μόνον ἅπαντα πράττων, ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ποιεῖ τούτου κυρίους" καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πῶν μὴ βουλομένων οὐδενὶ βίαν ἐπιτίθησιν οὐδὲ ἀνάγκην. Πρὸς γὰρ τὸ συμφέρον ἡμῖν ὁρᾷ μόνον. Τὸ γὰρ ἄκοντας πρὸς ταύτην ἕλκεσθαι τὴν δουλείαν, ἴσον τῷ μηδὲ ὅλως δουλεύειν ἐστί. Τί οὖν κολάζει, φησὶ, τοὺς οὐκ ἐθέλοντας ὑπακούειν ς αὐτῷ; τί δὲ καὶ γέενναν ἠπείλησε τοῖς οὐκ ἀκούουσι τῶν ἐπιταγμάτων αὑτοῦ; Ὅτ: καὶ μὴ πειθομένων ἡμῶν σφόδρα κήδεται, λίαν ὧν ἀγαθὸς, καὶ ἀποπηδώντων καὶ φευγόντων οὐκ ἀφίσταται" ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ 4 τὴν προτέραν τῆς εὐεργεσίας ὁδὸν ἀπωσάμεθα, ἐλθεῖν μὴ βουληθέντες τὴν διὰ τῆς πειθοῦς καὶ τοῦ παθεῖν εὖ, τὴν ἑτέραν ἐπεισήγαγε 5, τὴν διὰ τῆς κολάσεως καὶ τῶν τιμωριῶν, πικροτάτην μὲν οὖσαν, ἀναγκαίαν δὲ ὅμως. Ὅταν γὰρ ἡ προτέρα ἀτιμάζηται, ἀναγκαία τῆς δευτέρας ἣ ἐπεισαγωγή. Ἐπεὶ καὶ οἱ νομοθέται πολλὰς καὶ χαλεπὰς κατὰ τῶν ἡμαρτηκότων τιθέασι τιμωρίας, καὶ ὅμως αὐτοὺς οὐκ ἀποστρεφόμεθα διὰ ταῦτα, ἀλλὰ καὶ μᾶλλον τιμῶμεν τῶν κολάσεων χάριν, καὶ ὅτι μηδενὸς δεόμενοι τῶν παρ᾽ ἡμῶν, πολλάκις δὲ οὐδὲ εἰδότες τίνες ποτὲ ἔσονται οἱ μέλλοντες τῆς διὰ πῶν γραμμάτων { αὐτῶν ἀπολαύσεσθαι βοηθείας, ὅμως ἐφρόντισαν τῆς κατὰ τὸν βίον τὸν ἡμέτερον εὐταξίας, τιμῶντες μὲν τοὺς ἐν ἀρετῇ ζῶντας, εἴργοντες δὲ διὰ τῶν τιμωριῶν τοὺς ἀκολάστους, καὶ τῇ τῶν λοιπῶν ἡσυχίᾳ λυμαινομένους δ. Εἰ δὲ τούτους θαυμάζομεν καὶ φιλοῦμεν, οὐ πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὸν Θεὸν ἐκπλήττεσθαι δεῖ καὶ ἀγαπᾷν τῆς τοσαύτης ἕνεκεν κηδεμονίας; Καὶ γὰρ ἄπειρον τὸ μέσον ἐστὶ πἧς τε ἐχείνων καὶ τῆς τούτου προνοίας τῆς εἰς ἡμᾶς. Ἄφατός τε ὄντως καὶ ὑπερβολὴν πᾶσαν νικῶν ὁ πλοῦτος ὃ τῆς χρηστότητος αὐτοῦ. Σκόπει δέ' Εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθεν, οὐ τῆς αὐτοῦ χρείας ἕνεκεν (ἀνενδεὲς γὰρ, ὅπερ ἔφην, τὸ Θεῖον), ἀλλὰ τῆς τῶν ἰδίων ἕνεκεν εὐεργεσίας. Καὶ οὐδὲ οὕτως αὐτὸν οἱ ἴδιοι εἰς τὰ αὑτοῦ παραγενόμενον ἐπ᾽ ὠφελείᾳ τῇ αὑτῶν παρέλαβον, ἀλλὰ καὶ διεκρούσαντο καὶ οὐ τοῦτο μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔξω τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος ἐχδαλόντε; ἀπέκτειναν. Καὶ οὐδὲ οὕτω τῆς μετανοίας αὐτοὺς ἀπέχλεισεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἔδωκεν, εἰ βουληθεῖεν μετὰ τὴν τοσαύτην παρατῆς εἰς αὑτὸν πίστεως, καὶ τοῖς οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον εἰργασμένοις, ἀλλὰ μάλιστα πάντων αὐτῷ φίλοις ἐξισωθῆναι. Καὶ ὅτι οὐκ ἁπλῶς οὐδὲ ψυχαγωγίας ἕνεκεν ταῦτα φθέγγομαι, λαμπρὰν ὑπὲρ τούτων ἀφίησι τὴν φωνὴν τὰ κατὰ τὸν μακάριον Παῦλον ἅπαντα. Οὗτος γὰρ τὸν Χριστὸν διώκων μετὰ τὸν σταυρὸν, καὶ τὸν ἐχείνου μάρτυρα Στέφανον ταῖς πολλαῖς βαλὼν χερσὶν ἱ, ἐπειδὴ μετενόησε καὶ κατέγνω τῶν πρότερον ἀμαρτηθέντων αὐτῷ, καὶ τῷ διωχθέντι προσέδραμεν, εἰς τοὺς φίλους αὐτὸν 1 εὐθέως καὶ τὰ πρωτεῖα ἔχοντας χατέλεξε, κήρυκα καὶ διδάσκαλον τῆς οἰκουμένης ἀπάσης ἀποφήνας αὐτὸν, τὸν βλάσφημον, τὸν διώκτην, τὸν ὑδριστήν' καθὼς καὶ αὐτὸς, ἀγαλλόμενος ἐπὶ τῇ ποῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίᾳ, ταῦτα ἀνεχέρυττε, καὶ οὐκ ἠσχύνετο, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὥσπερ ἐν στήλῃ τοῖς γράμμασι τὰ πρότερον αὐτῷ τολμηθέντα καταθέμενος, ἅπασιν ἐπεδείχνυ, βέλτιον εἶναι νομίζων τὸν πρότερον αὑτοῦ παρὰ πάντων στηλιτεύεσθαι κ βίον ἐπὶ τὸ φανῆνα: τὸ μέγεθος τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δωρεᾶς, ἣ συσχιάσαι τὴν ἄφατον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνεκδιήγητον φιλανθρωπίαν, ὀχνοῦντα τὴν οἰκείαν ἅπασιν ἐχπομπεῦσαι πλάνην. Διὰ τοῦτο ἄνω καὶ κάτω στρέφει τὰς διώξεις, τὰς ἐπιβουλὰς, τοὺς πολέμους τοὺς κατὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας " νῦν μὲν λέγων, Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς καλεῖσθαι ἀπόστολος, διότι ἐδίωξα τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ" νῦν δὲ, “Ὅτι ἤλθεν ᾿Ιησοῦς ἁμαρτωλοὺς σῶσαι, ὧν πρὼτός εἶμι ἐγώ" καὶ πάλιν, Ἡκούσατε τὴν ἐμὴν ἀναστροφὴν ποτὲ ἐν τῷ Ἰουδαϊσμῷ,, ὅτι καθ' ὑπερβολὴν ἐδίωκον τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ,
Eis ta idia ēlthe, kai hoi idioi auton ou parelabon. Philanthrōpos hōn ho Theos, agapēte 8, kai euergetichos, panta poiei kai pragmateuetai, hōste hēmas kat᾽ aretēn lampein " kai boulomenos hēmas eudochimous einai, kai touto, bią men oudena oude anankę̄, peithoi de kai tǭ poiein eu tous boulomenous hapantas helkei, kai pros heauton epispatai. Dia touto elthonta auton hoi men eladon, hoi de ouk edexanto. Oudena gar bouletai akonta oude ēnankasmenon echein oiketēn, all᾽ echontas hapantas kai proairoumenous, kai charin autǭ tēs douleias eidotas. Anthrōpoi men gar, hate en chreią kathestōtes tēs tōn oiketōn diakonias, kai mē boulomenous autous "» tǭ tēs despoteias nchatechousi nomǭ ho de Theos, anendeēs hōn, kai mēdenos tōn hēmeterōn en chreią kathestēkōs, tēs hoe hēmeteras heneken sōtērias monon hapanta prattōn, hēmas autous poiei toutou kyrious" kai dia touto pōn mē boulomenōn oudeni bian epitithēsin oude anankēn. Pros gar to sympheron hēmin horą monon. To gar akontas pros tautēn helkesthai tēn douleian, ison tǭ mēde holōs douleuein esti. Ti oun kolazei, phēsi, tous ouk ethelontas hypakouein s autǭ? ti de kai geennan ēpeilēse tois ouk akouousi tōn epitagmatōn hautou? Hot: kai mē peithomenōn hēmōn sphodra kēdetai, lian hōn agathos, kai apopēdōntōn kai pheugontōn ouk aphistatai" all᾽ epeidē 4 tēn proteran tēs euergesias hodon apōsametha, elthein mē boulēthentes tēn dia tēs peithous kai tou pathein eu, tēn heteran epeisēgage 5, tēn dia tēs kolaseōs kai tōn timōriōn, pikrotatēn men ousan, anankaian de homōs. Hotan gar hē protera atimazētai, anankaia tēs deuteras hē epeisagōgē. Epei kai hoi nomothetai pollas kai chalepas kata tōn hēmartēkotōn titheasi timōrias, kai homōs autous ouk apostrephometha dia tauta, alla kai mallon timōmen tōn kolaseōn charin, kai hoti mēdenos deomenoi tōn par᾽ hēmōn, pollakis de oude eidotes tines pote esontai hoi mellontes tēs dia pōn grammatōn { autōn apolausesthai boētheias, homōs ephrontisan tēs kata ton bion ton hēmeteron eutaxias, timōntes men tous en aretę̄ zōntas, eirgontes de dia tōn timōriōn tous akolastous, kai tę̄ tōn loipōn hēsychią lymainomenous d. Ei de toutous thaumazomen kai philoumen, ou pollǭ mallon ton Theon ekplēttesthai dei kai agapąn tēs tosautēs heneken kēdemonias? Kai gar apeiron to meson esti pēs te echeinōn kai tēs toutou pronoias tēs eis hēmas. Aphatos te ontōs kai hyperbolēn pasan nikōn ho ploutos ho tēs chrēstotētos autou. Skopei de' Eis ta idia ēlthen, ou tēs autou chreias heneken (anendees gar, hoper ephēn, to Theion), alla tēs tōn idiōn heneken euergesias. Kai oude houtōs auton hoi idioi eis ta hautou paragenomenon ep᾽ ōpheleią tę̄ hautōn parelabon, alla kai diekrousanto kai ou touto monon, alla kai exō tou ampelōnos echdalonte? apekteinan. Kai oude houtō tēs metanoias autous apechleisen, all᾽ edōken, ei boulētheien meta tēn tosautēn paratēs eis hauton pisteōs, kai tois ouden toiouton eirgasmenois, alla malista pantōn autǭ philois exisōthēnai. Kai hoti ouk haplōs oude psychagōgias heneken tauta phthengomai, lampran hyper toutōn aphiēsi tēn phōnēn ta kata ton makarion Paulon hapanta. Houtos gar ton Christon diōkōn meta ton stauron, kai ton echeinou martyra Stephanon tais pollais balōn chersin hi, epeidē metenoēse kai kategnō tōn proteron amartēthentōn autǭ, kai tǭ diōchthenti prosedramen, eis tous philous auton 1 eutheōs kai ta prōteia echontas chatelexe, kēryka kai didaskalon tēs oikoumenēs apasēs apophēnas auton, ton blasphēmon, ton diōktēn, ton hydristēn' kathōs kai autos, agallomenos epi tę̄ pou Theou philanthrōpią, tauta anecherytte, kai ouk ēschyneto, alla kai hōsper en stēlę̄ tois grammasi ta proteron autǭ tolmēthenta katathemenos, hapasin epedeichny, beltion einai nomizōn ton proteron hautou para pantōn stēliteuesthai k bion epi to phanēna: to megethos tēs tou Theou dōreas, hē syschiasai tēn aphaton autou kai anekdiēgēton philanthrōpian, ochnounta tēn oikeian hapasin echpompeusai planēn. Dia touto anō kai katō strephei tas diōxeis, tas epiboulas, tous polemous tous kata tēs Ekklēsias " nyn men legōn, Ouk eimi hikanos kaleisthai apostolos, dioti ediōxa tēn Ekklēsian tou Theou" nyn de, “Hoti ēlthen ᾿Iēsous hamartōlous sōsai, hōn prōtos eimi egō" kai palin, Hēkousate tēn emēn anastrophēn pote en tǭ Ioudaïsmǭ,, hoti kath' hyperbolēn ediōkon tēn Ekklēsian tou Theou,
“He came to his own, and his own did not receive him.” God, beloved, being loving toward mankind and beneficent, does and arranges everything so that we may shine in virtue; and wishing us to be approved, and this too of our own accord, he draws no one by force or compulsion, but by persuasion and kindness draws all who are willing and attracts them to himself. That is why, when he came, some received him and others did not accept him. For he wishes to have no servant who is unwilling or compelled, but all willing and choosing, and grateful to him for their service. Men, since they need the service of their servants, hold them by the law of ownership even when they are unwilling; but God, being without need and lacking nothing of ours, and doing everything only for our salvation, makes us ourselves masters of this; and that is why he lays no force or compulsion on any who are unwilling. For he looks only to our advantage; and to be dragged unwillingly into this service is the same as not serving at all.
“Why, then,” someone says, “does he punish those who will not obey him? And why did he threaten Gehenna to those who do not listen to his commands?” Because, being exceedingly good, he cares greatly for us even when we do not obey, and does not abandon us when we leap away and flee. But since we rejected the first road, that of kindness, refusing to come by the way of persuasion and of being well treated, he brought in the other, the way of punishments and penalties, most bitter indeed, but necessary nonetheless. For when the first is scorned, the introduction of the second is necessary. Lawgivers too lay down many severe penalties against wrongdoers, and yet we do not turn away from them on that account, but honor them all the more because of the punishments, since, needing nothing from us and often not even knowing who will be the people to enjoy the help of their writings, they nevertheless took thought for the good order of our life, honoring those who live in virtue and restraining by penalties the licentious and those who harm the peace of the rest. If we admire and love these, ought we not much more to be amazed at God and to love him for such great care? For the difference between their providence for us and his is infinite. Truly unspeakable and surpassing all excess is the wealth of his goodness. Consider: “He came to his own,” not for his own need (for the divine, as I said, has no need), but for the benefit of his own. And not even so did his own receive him when he came to his own for their advantage; they repelled him; and not only this, but they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. And not even so did he shut them out from repentance, but granted them, if they wished, after so great a crime, [to wash it all away] through faith in him and to be made equal to those who had done nothing of the kind but were above all his friends.
And that I do not say this idly, nor to entertain you, the whole story of blessed Paul cries aloud. For he persecuted Christ after the cross, and stoned his witness Stephen with many hands; yet when he repented and condemned his former sins and ran to the one he had persecuted, Christ at once enrolled him among his friends, among those who hold the first place, declaring him herald and teacher of the whole world, him, the blasphemer, the persecutor, the insolent man. As he himself, exulting in God’s loving-kindness, proclaimed these things and was not ashamed, but setting down in writing what he had dared before, as on a public pillar, displayed it to all, thinking it better that his former life should be exposed before all, so that the greatness of God’s gift might appear, than to obscure God’s unspeakable and indescribable loving-kindness by hesitating to parade his own error before all. That is why he turns over and over the persecutions, the plots, the wars against the church, now saying, “I am not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God”; now, “Jesus came to save sinners, of whom I am the first”; and again, “You have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
John 1:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 21:39 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 7:58 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 9:1 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Tim 1:13 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 15:9 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 1:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 1:13 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: God draws people by persuasion and kindness, not force, and turns to punishment only when kindness is refused; even those who killed Christ were offered repentance, as Paul the persecutor’s conversion shows.
- The parable of the vineyard: Matt 21:39. Stephen: Acts 7:58 (Paul is said to have stoned him “with many hands,” i.e. through the hands of those whose garments he kept). Quotations: John 1:11; 1 Cor 15:9; 1 Tim 1:15; Gal 1:13. Blasphemer, persecutor, insolent man: 1 Tim 1:13. A line is lost in the scan after “so great a crime”; the bracketed words supply the sense. Latin variant notes interleaved in the OCR have been removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; leaked Latin apparatus, marginal note or column marks removed): Εἷς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθες, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρἔλαθον. Φιλάνηρωπος → Εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθε, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρέλαβον. Φιλάνθρωπος; οἰχέπην → οἰκέτην; ἐπιταμάτων → ἐπιταγμάτων; χολάστεω-: → κολάσεως; ἀτιμάξηται → ἀτιμάζηται; εἴργόοντες → εἴργοντες; λφατός → Ἄφατός; ὑπερθολὴν πᾶταν → ὑπερβολὴν πᾶσαν; Εἰς τὰἀ ἴδια ἥϊθεν → Εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθεν; ἀγαπητοί [ἢ πιδγρίπο ϑανη 8. Ὁ ΝΡ. αὐτούς, ϑανὶ!. πολλούς. “ Μοτο!. ὑπείκειν, ϑαν!}. ὑπακούειν, οἱ τιοχ Μοται, ἐπεὶ οὖν. δαν1}. ἀφίσταται" ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδή. “ ϑΑνί!. ἐπήγα ε. Τ'.0}}0 ροδὶ. ϑν}}. ὅμως, ὅταν ἡ προτέρα ἀτιμάζηται. Ππεὶ καί. {Ουἰύδιη διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων. δ 56. 5ανὶ!. Μοτο]. ὀχολάστους. Ὥς τῇ τῶν λοιπῶν καταστάσει λυμαινόωγνος. " διο θ6η6. 5401}, Μογοῖ. ὑπὲρ διάνοιαν πᾶσαν ὁ πλοῦτος. → ; παρἐλαῦον, ἀλλὰ γαὶ → παρέλαβον, ἀλλὰ καὶ; ἐξτισωθῆναι → ἐξισωθῆναι; ἀφέησι → ἀφίησι; ἐπιθδονλὰς → ἐπιβουλὰς; ἱκαγὸς καλεῖσθαι ἀπόστοιϊος → ἱκανὸς καλεῖσθαι ἀπόστολος; τὴν ᾿Ἐκχι1ησίαν → τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν; ὑπερδοιλὴν ἐδίωκον τὴν Ἐκχιζησίαν → ὑπερβολὴν ἐδίωκον τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Jo. 10.1 (PG 59:25; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-ioannem/10-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-ioannem/10-1
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca 59 (archive.org OCR; homily starts checked against Gaume 1834; corrections logged); compared afterwards with NPNF¹ 14.
10.2PG 59:25
Καθάπερ γάρ τινὰ ταύτην ἁμοιδὴν ἀποδιδοὺς τῷ Χριστῷ τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν μακροθυμίας, τὸ δεῖξα: τίνα ὄντα, καὶ πῶς ἐχθρὸν καὶ πολέμιον ἔσωσεν " οὕτω μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς παῤῥησίας κηρύττει τὴν μάχην, ἣν πάπτῃ προθυμίᾳ παρὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐμαχήσατο τῷ Χριστῷ. Μετὰ δὲ τούτου καὶ τοῖς ἀπεγνωχόσιν ἑαυτῶν χρηστὰς ὑποτείνει τὰς ἐλπίδας. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὸν Χριστὸν διὰ τοῦτό φησι προσίεσθαι αὐτὸν, ἵνα ἐν αὐτῷ πρώτῳ 1 ἐνδείξηται τὴν πᾶσαν μακροθυμίαν, καὶ τὸν ὑπερβάλλοντα πλοῦτον τῆς χρηστότητος αὐτοῦ, πρὸς ὑποτύπωσιν τῶν μελλόντων πιστεύειν ἐπ᾽ αὑτῷ εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον. Καὶ γὰρ ἦν ἁπάσης αὑτοῖς συγγνώμης μεῖΐζονα τολμηθέντα ἅπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς ἐμφαίνων ἔλεγεν " Εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦ.1θε, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὑτὸν οὐ παρέλαβον. Πόθεν ἦλθεν ὁ πάντα πληρῶν, καὶ πανταχοῦ παρών; ποῖον κενώσας τόπον τῆς αὑτοῦ παρουσίας, ὁ πάντα τῇ χειρὶ συνέχων καὶ διαχρατῶν : Τόπον μὲν οὐδένα ἤμειψεν (πῶς γάρ); τῇ δὲ πρὸς ἡμᾶς χαταζάσει τοῦτο εἰργάσατο. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ὧν, οὐκ ἐδόκει παρεῖναι, τῷ μήπω γνωρίζεσῦαι, ὕστερον δὲ ἑαυτὸν ἐφανέρωσε, τὴν ἡμετέραν ὑποδῦναι σάρκα καταξιώσας, τὴν φανέρωσιν ταύτην καὶ τὴν χατάδασιν, παρουσίαν καλεῖ. Θαυμάσαι ἄξιον τὸν μαθητὴν μὴ αἰσχυνόμενον 5 ἐπὶ τῇ τοῦ διδασκάλου ἀτιμίᾳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ παῤῥησίας τὴν εἰς αὐτὸν γεγενη μένην ἀναγράφοντα ὕόριν. Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ οὐ μικρὸν τοῦ φιλαλήθους αὐτοῦ τρόπου τεκμήριον. Καὶ ἄλλως δὲ τὸν αἰσχυνόμενον ὑπὲρ τῶν ὑδριχότων οὐκ ὑπὲρ τοῦ παροινηθέντος αἰσχύνεσθαι χρή. Οὗτος μὲν γὰρ ταύτῃ μᾶλλον ἔλαμψε, καὶ μετὰ τὴν ὕδριν, τοσαύτην τῶν ὑδρικότων ποιούμενος πρόνοιαν" ἐκεῖνοι δὲ ἀγνώμονες καὶ μιαροὶ παρὰ πᾶσιν ἐφάνησαν ", τὸν ἐπὶ τονοι καὶ πολέμιον. Οὐ ταύτῃ δὲ μόνον ἐδλάδησαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ μὴ τυχεῖν ὧν ἔτυχον οἱ λαθόντες ε αὐτόν. Τίνος δὲ ἔτυχον οὗτοι; Ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαθον αὐτὸν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα Θεοῦ γενέσθαι, φησί. Τί οὖν οὗ λέγεις ἡμῖν, ὦ μακάριε, καὶ τὴν τῶν μὴ δεξαμένων αὐτὸν κόλασιν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι μὲν ἴδιοι ἧσαν, καὶ εἰς τὰ ἴδια παραγενόμενον οὐ παρέλαθον, εἶπες " τί δὲ ἀντὶ «ούτου πείσονται, καὶ ποίαν ὑποστήσονται κόλασιν, τοῦτο οὐκέτι προσέθηκας; καίτοι μειζόνως ἂν αὐτοὺς οὕτως ἐφόδησας, καὶ τὸ σκληρὸν τῆς ἀπονοίας ἐμάλαξας διὰ τῆς ἀπειλῆς. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν ἀπεσιώπησας; Καὶ τίς ταύτης, φησὶ, τῆς κολάσεως ἑτέρα μείζων ἄν ποτε γένοιτο, ὅταν προκειμένης ἐξουσίας αὑτοῖ; τέχνα Θεοῦ γενέσθαι, μὴ γίνωνται, ἀλλ᾽ ἑχόντες ἑχυτοὺς τῆς τοσαύτης ἀποστερῶσιν 4 εὐγενείας τε καὶ τιμῆς; Πλὴν ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ ἐνταῦθα μόνον αὑτοῖς τὰ τῖς τιμωρίας στήσεται, μέχρι τοῦ μηδὲν λαδεῖν ἀγαθόν " ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ἄσθδεστον αὐτοὺς διαδέξεται πῦρ, ὃ καὶ προϊὼν σαφέστερον ἀπεκάλυψε. Τέως δὲ λέγει τὰ ἀπόῤῥητα ἀγαθὰ τῶν εἰληφότων αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐν βραχεῖ παρίστησιν αὐτοῖς ῥήμασι 5, λέγων οὕτως" “Ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτὸν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα Θεοῦ γενέσθαι. Κἂν δοῦλοι, κἂν ἐλεύθεροι, κἂν Ἕλληνες, κἂν βάρβαροι, κἂν Σκύθαι, κἂν ἄσοφοι, κἂν σοφοὶ, κἂν γυναῖκες, κἂν ἄνδρες, κἂν παιδία, κἂν πρεσβῦται, κἂν ἄτιμοι, κἂν ἔντιμοι, κἂν πλούσιοι, κἂν πένητες, κἂν ἄρχοντες, κἂν ἰδιῶται, φησὶ, πάντες τῆς αὐτῆς ἐξίωνται τιμῆς. Ἡ γὰρ πίστις καὶ ἡ τοῦ Πνεύματος χάρις, τὴν ἐκ τῶν κοσμικῶν ἀξιωμάτων ἀνωμαλίαν περιελοῦσα ἴ, εἰς μίαν ἅπαντας ἔπλασε μορφὴν, καὶ εἰς ἕνα ἀπετύπωσε χαρακτῆρα τὸν βασιλικόν. Τί ταύτης ἂν γένοιτο τῆς φιλανθρωπίας ἴσον; Βασιλεὺς μὲν ὁ ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ διηρτισμένος ἡμῖν πηλοῦ, τοὺς ὁμοδούλους καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς αὐτῷ κοινωνοῦντας φύσεως, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ πὸν τρόπον ἀμείνους ὄντας, οὐκ ἀξιοῖ καταλέγειν εἰς τὸ στρατόπεδον τὸ βασιλικὸν, ἂν δοῦλοι τύχωσιν ὄντες " ὁ δὲ μονογενὴς τοῦ Θεοῦ Παϊῖς, οὐκ ἀπηξίωσε καὶ τελώνας, καὶ μάγους, καὶ δούλους, καὶ ποὺς πάντων ἀτιμοτέρους δ, πολλοὺς δὲ καὶ τὰ σώματα ἀναπήρους, καὶ μυρίαν ἔχοντας λώβην, εἰς τὸν τῶν τέχνων καταλέξαι χορόν. Τοσαύτη τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν πίστεως ἡ ἰσχύς " τοσαύτη τῆς χάριτος ἡ ὑπερδολή. Καὶ καθάπερ ἡ τοῦ πυρὸς φύσις τῇ τῶν μετάλλων ὁμιλήσασα γῇ, χρυσὸν αὐτὸν ὃ ἀπὸ γῆς εὐθέως ἐποίησεν’ οὕτω δὴ, καὶ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἀντὶ πηλίνων χρυσοῦς τὸ βάπτισμα ἐργάζετα: τοὺς λελουμένους, τοῦ Πνεύματος πυρὸς δίκην κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν εἰς τὰς ἡμετέρας ἐμπεσόντος ψυχάς" καὶ τὴν μὲν εἰκόνα τοῦ χοϊκοῦ κατακαίοντος, τὴν δὲ εἰκόνα τοῦ ἐπουρανίου νεοπαγῆ καὶ λαμπρὰν, καὶ ὡς ἀπὸ χωνευτηρίου στίλβουσαν ἀναφέροντος. Καὶ τί δήποτε οὐκ εἶπεν, ὅτι ἐποίησεν αὐτοὺς τέκνα Θεοῦ, ἀλλ᾽, Ἔδωκεν αὑτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα Θεοῦ γενέσθαι; Δεικνὺς ὅτι πολλῆς δεῖ τῆς σπουδῆς, ὥστε τὴν ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι τῆς υἷοθεσίας ἡμῖν ἐντυπωθεῖσαν εἰκόνα, ἀκηλίδωτον δι᾽ ὅλου διατηρῆσαι καὶ ἀνέπαφον" ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἐμφαίνων, ὅτι πὴν ἐξουσίαν ταύτην οὐδεὶς ἡμᾶς ἀφελέσθαι δυνή ται, ἂν μὴ προλαθόντες ἑαυτοὺς ἀφελώμεθα. Εἰ γὰρ οἱ παρὰ ἀνθρώπων κῦρος τινῶν πραγμάτων λαθόντες, τοσαύτην ἔχουσι τὴν ἰσχὺν, ὅσην σχεδὸν οἱ δεδωκότες αὐτοί" πολλῷ μᾶλλον οἱ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ταύτης τυχόντες τῆς τιμῆς, ἂν μηδὲν τῆς ἐξουσίας ταύτης ἀνάξιον πράξωμεν, πάντων ἐσόμεθα δυνατώτεροι, διὰ τὸ καὶ πάντων εἶναι μείξω τε καὶ ἀγαθώτερον τὸν ταύτην ἡμῖν ἐγχειρίσαντα τὴν τιμήν. Ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἐνδείξασθαι βούλεται, ὅτι οὐκ ἁπλῶς οὐδὲ ἡ χάρις ἔπεισιν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς βουλομένοις καὶ ἑσπουδακόσι" καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐν τῇ ἐξουσία χεῖται τῇ τούτων, τὸ γενέσθαι τέχνα. Ἂν γὰρ μὴ ἕλωνται αὐτοὶ πρότερον, οὐκ ἔπεισιν ἡ δωρεὰ, οὐδὲ ἐργάζεταί τι.
Kathaper gar tina tautēn hamoidēn apodidous tǭ Christǭ tēs eis auton makrothymias, to deixa: tina onta, kai pōs echthron kai polemion esōsen " houtō meta pollēs tēs parrhēsias kēryttei tēn machēn, hēn paptę̄ prothymią para tēn archēn emachēsato tǭ Christǭ. Meta de toutou kai tois apegnōchosin heautōn chrēstas hypoteinei tas elpidas. Kai gar kai ton Christon dia touto phēsi prosiesthai auton, hina en autǭ prōtǭ 1 endeixētai tēn pasan makrothymian, kai ton hyperballonta plouton tēs chrēstotētos autou, pros hypotypōsin tōn mellontōn pisteuein ep᾽ hautǭ eis zōēn aiōnion. Kai gar ēn hapasēs hautois syngnōmēs meiïzona tolmēthenta haper oun kai ho euangelistēs emphainōn elegen " Eis ta idia ē.1the, kai hoi idioi hauton ou parelabon. Pothen ēlthen ho panta plērōn, kai pantachou parōn? poion kenōsas topon tēs hautou parousias, ho panta tę̄ cheiri synechōn kai diachratōn : Topon men oudena ēmeipsen (pōs gar)? tę̄ de pros hēmas chatazasei touto eirgasato. Epeidē gar en tǭ kosmǭ hōn, ouk edokei pareinai, tǭ mēpō gnōrizesyai, hysteron de heauton ephanerōse, tēn hēmeteran hypodynai sarka kataxiōsas, tēn phanerōsin tautēn kai tēn chatadasin, parousian kalei. Thaumasai axion ton mathētēn mē aischynomenon 5 epi tę̄ tou didaskalou atimią, alla kai meta parrhēsias tēn eis auton gegenē menēn anagraphonta hyorin. Kai touto de ou mikron tou philalēthous autou tropou tekmērion. Kai allōs de ton aischynomenon hyper tōn hydrichotōn ouk hyper tou paroinēthentos aischynesthai chrē. Houtos men gar tautę̄ mallon elampse, kai meta tēn hydrin, tosautēn tōn hydrikotōn poioumenos pronoian" ekeinoi de agnōmones kai miaroi para pasin ephanēsan ", ton epi tonoi kai polemion. Ou tautę̄ de monon edladēsan, alla kai tǭ mē tychein hōn etychon hoi lathontes e auton. Tinos de etychon houtoi? Hosoi de elathon auton, edōken autois exousian tekna Theou genesthai, phēsi. Ti oun hou legeis hēmin, ō makarie, kai tēn tōn mē dexamenōn auton kolasin, all᾽ hoti men idioi hēsan, kai eis ta idia paragenomenon ou parelathon, eipes " ti de anti «outou peisontai, kai poian hypostēsontai kolasin, touto ouketi prosethēkas? kaitoi meizonōs an autous houtōs ephodēsas, kai to sklēron tēs aponoias emalaxas dia tēs apeilēs. Tinos oun heneken apesiōpēsas? Kai tis tautēs, phēsi, tēs kolaseōs hetera meizōn an pote genoito, hotan prokeimenēs exousias hautoi? techna Theou genesthai, mē ginōntai, all᾽ hechontes hechytous tēs tosautēs aposterōsin 4 eugeneias te kai timēs? Plēn all᾽ oude entautha monon hautois ta tis timōrias stēsetai, mechri tou mēden ladein agathon " alla kai to asthdeston autous diadexetai pyr, ho kai proïōn saphesteron apekalypse. Teōs de legei ta aporrhēta agatha tōn eilēphotōn auton, kai en brachei paristēsin autois rhēmasi 5, legōn houtōs" “Hosoi de elabon auton, edōken autois exousian tekna Theou genesthai. Kan douloi, kan eleutheroi, kan Hellēnes, kan barbaroi, kan Skythai, kan asophoi, kan sophoi, kan gynaikes, kan andres, kan paidia, kan presbytai, kan atimoi, kan entimoi, kan plousioi, kan penētes, kan archontes, kan idiōtai, phēsi, pantes tēs autēs exiōntai timēs. Hē gar pistis kai hē tou Pneumatos charis, tēn ek tōn kosmikōn axiōmatōn anōmalian perielousa i, eis mian hapantas eplase morphēn, kai eis hena apetypōse charaktēra ton basilikon. Ti tautēs an genoito tēs philanthrōpias ison? Basileus men ho ek tou autou diērtismenos hēmin pēlou, tous homodoulous kai tēs autēs autǭ koinōnountas physeōs, pollakis de kai pon tropon ameinous ontas, ouk axioi katalegein eis to stratopedon to basilikon, an douloi tychōsin ontes " ho de monogenēs tou Theou Païis, ouk apēxiōse kai telōnas, kai magous, kai doulous, kai pous pantōn atimoterous d, pollous de kai ta sōmata anapērous, kai myrian echontas lōbēn, eis ton tōn technōn katalexai choron. Tosautē tēs eis auton pisteōs hē ischys " tosautē tēs charitos hē hyperdolē. Kai kathaper hē tou pyros physis tę̄ tōn metallōn homilēsasa gę̄, chryson auton ho apo gēs eutheōs epoiēsen’ houtō dē, kai pollǭ mallon anti pēlinōn chrysous to baptisma ergazeta: tous leloumenous, tou Pneumatos pyros dikēn kat᾽ ekeinon ton kairon eis tas hēmeteras empesontos psychas" kai tēn men eikona tou choïkou katakaiontos, tēn de eikona tou epouraniou neopagē kai lampran, kai hōs apo chōneutēriou stilbousan anapherontos. Kai ti dēpote ouk eipen, hoti epoiēsen autous tekna Theou, all᾽, Edōken hautois exousian tekna Theou genesthai? Deiknys hoti pollēs dei tēs spoudēs, hōste tēn en tǭ baptismati tēs huiothesias hēmin entypōtheisan eikona, akēlidōton di᾽ holou diatērēsai kai anepaphon" hama de kai emphainōn, hoti pēn exousian tautēn oudeis hēmas aphelesthai dynē tai, an mē prolathontes heautous aphelōmetha. Ei gar hoi para anthrōpōn kyros tinōn pragmatōn lathontes, tosautēn echousi tēn ischyn, hosēn schedon hoi dedōkotes autoi" pollǭ mallon hoi para tou Theou tautēs tychontes tēs timēs, an mēden tēs exousias tautēs anaxion praxōmen, pantōn esometha dynatōteroi, dia to kai pantōn einai meixō te kai agathōteron ton tautēn hēmin encheirisanta tēn timēn. Hama de kai endeixasthai bouletai, hoti ouk haplōs oude hē charis epeisin, alla tois boulomenois kai hespoudakosi" kai gar kai en tę̄ exousia cheitai tę̄ toutōn, to genesthai techna. An gar mē helōntai autoi proteron, ouk epeisin hē dōrea, oude ergazetai ti.
For as if paying Christ this return for his patience with him, namely to show who he was and how Christ saved an enemy and adversary, he proclaims with great boldness the war he waged against Christ with all eagerness at the beginning. And with this he holds out good hopes to those who despair of themselves. For he says that Christ accepted him for this reason: that in him first he might show all his patience and the surpassing wealth of his goodness, as an example for those who would believe in him for eternal life. For what they had dared was greater than any pardon. The evangelist made this plain when he said, “He came to his own, and his own did not receive him.”
From where did he come, he who fills all things and is present everywhere? What place did he empty of his presence, he who holds and controls all things in his hand? He exchanged no place (how could he?), but he did this by his coming down to us. For since, being in the world, he did not seem to be present, because he was not yet known, but later manifested himself, deigning to put on our flesh, he calls this manifestation and descent a coming. It is worth admiring that the disciple is not ashamed of his teacher’s dishonor, but records with boldness the insult done to him. This too is no small proof of his truthful character. Besides, one should be ashamed for those who inflicted the insult, not for the one who was abused. For he shone the more by this, taking such care for those who had insulted him even after the insult; while they appeared ungrateful and foul in the eyes of all, [killing as an enemy] and adversary the one who [came for their good]. Nor were they harmed in this way only, but also in not obtaining what those who received him obtained. And what did these obtain? “But to as many as received him,” it says, “he gave power to become children of God.” Why, then, blessed one, do you not tell us the punishment of those who did not receive him? You said that they were his own and did not receive him when he came to his own; but what they will suffer in return, and what punishment they will undergo, this you did not add. Yet you would have frightened them more in this way, and softened the hardness of their arrogance by the threat. Why, then, were you silent? “And what punishment,” he says, “could ever be greater than this: that when power is set before them to become children of God, they do not become so, but willingly deprive themselves of such nobility and honor?” Yet their penalty will not stop here, at receiving no good thing; the unquenchable fire too will follow, which he revealed more clearly later on. For now he tells of the unspeakable good things of those who received him, and sets them out briefly in these words: “But to as many as received him he gave power to become children of God.” Whether slaves or free, Greeks or barbarians or Scythians, unlearned or learned, women or men, children or old men, without honor or honored, rich or poor, rulers or private persons, all, he says, have been counted worthy of the same honor. For faith and the grace of the Spirit, removing the unevenness that comes from worldly rank, have molded all into one form and stamped them with one stamp, the royal one.
What could equal this loving-kindness? A king, though formed of the same clay as we, does not deign to enroll in the royal army his fellow servants, who share the same nature as he and are often better in character, if they happen to be slaves; but the only-begotten Son of God did not disdain to enroll in the company of his children tax collectors, magicians, slaves, the most dishonored of all, many maimed in body and suffering countless injuries. So great is the strength of faith in him, so surpassing the abundance of his grace. And as the nature of fire, meeting the earth of the ores, at once makes gold out of earth, so, and much more, baptism makes those who are washed golden instead of clay; for at that moment the Spirit falls like fire into our souls, burning up the image of the earthy, and bringing forth the image of the heavenly, newly cast and bright and gleaming as from a furnace. And why did he not say that he made them children of God, but, “He gave them power to become children of God”? To show that great zeal is needed to keep the image of adoption, stamped on us in baptism, spotless and untouched to the end; and at the same time to show that no one can take this power from us unless we first deprive ourselves of it. For if those who have received authority over certain affairs from men have almost as much power as those who gave it, much more shall we, who have received this honor from God, be stronger than all, if we do nothing unworthy of this power, because the one who has entrusted us with this honor is greater and better than all. At the same time he wishes to show that grace does not come indiscriminately, but to those who will it and are in earnest; for it lies in their power to become children. For unless they first choose it themselves, the gift does not come upon them nor work anything.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
1 Tim 1:16 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:11 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Col 3:11 (allusion, high confidence) · Gal 3:28 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 3:11 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 15:49 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Paul proclaims his past persecution to show Christ’s patience; those who rejected Christ lost the power to become children of God, which faith and baptism give to all ranks of people alike, though it must be guarded by our own effort and choice.
- Quotations: 1 Tim 1:16; John 1:11–12. Slaves or free, Greeks or barbarians or Scythians: Col 3:11; Gal 3:28. The Spirit as fire: Matt 3:11. The image of the earthy and of the heavenly: 1 Cor 15:49. A line is lost in the scan after “foul in the eyes of all”; the bracketed words supply the sense, and Latin notes interleaved in the OCR have been removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; leaked Latin apparatus removed; word rejoined; leaked Latin apparatus, marginal note or column marks removed): ὑπερδάλ-λοντα → ὑπερβάλλοντα; παρέλλαθον → παρέλαβον; Ροϊοβίλια ἱμ5]5 ἀλια υἱ Π}}} Πἱ ἤδγοηι, ἱρϑὶ ἤδθγὶ πὸ τοί. Εἰ σὰν ποη αἰχὶι, ποι 1108. Π] 05 Ποῖ; 56, ἴῃ ποβίγϑ δἰ ψππη οδὶ ροϊθβίδια 86 αἰ] σοι ἴα. Ἰἀοἰνοο οἱ Ἰυὶς συ ῖβ : 15, ()μὲ πον δ βαησιιλείδιις, πθῆημ6 δα → ; οὐκ ἐδύχει → οὐκ ἐδόκει; ἐφανέρωτε → ἐφανέρωσε; ὑπυδῦναι → ὑποδῦναι; αἰτχυνόμενον → αἰσχυνόμενον; τέκνω Θεοῦ γενέσθαι, φησί → τέκνα Θεοῦ γενέσθαι, φησί; ἔμαδον αὑτὸν → ἔλαβον αὐτὸν; γεγέσθαι → γενέσθαι; ἄπσοφοι → ἄσοφοι; πρεσθῦται → πρεσβῦται; ἀπἠξίωσε → ἀπηξίωσε; λώδην → λώβην; χρυ- 8 320}}. οἱ πηβδ. ρἰ ατίτιἱ θαυμάσαι δ᾽ ἄν τις τοῦ μαθητοῦ σοῦς → χρυσοῦς; τὸ βάπτιτμα → τὸ βάπτισμα; στῇ ὄουταν → στίλβουσαν; δ'αττιρῆσαι → διατηρῆσαι; ὅτην σχεδὸν → ὅσην σχεδὸν.
Topics: Baptism
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Jo. 10.2 (PG 59:25; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-ioannem/10-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-ioannem/10-2
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca 59 (archive.org OCR; homily starts checked against Gaume 1834; corrections logged); compared afterwards with NPNF¹ 14.
10.3PG 59:25
Πανταχοῦ τοίνυν τὸ μὲν κατηναγκασμένον ἀναιρῶν, τὸ δὲ αὐθαίρετον καὶ αὐτεξούσιον δεικνύς" τοῦτο καὶ νῦν εἴρηκε. Καὶ γὰρ ἐν αὐτοῖς τούτοις τοῖς ἀποῤῥήτοις ἱ τὸ μέν ἐστι τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὸ δοῦναι τὴν χάριν᾽ τὸ δὲ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, τὸ παρασχεῖν τὴν πίστιν. Καὶ ἐν τῷ μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ χρόνῳ, πολλῆς δεῖ λοιπὸν τῆς σπουδῆς. Οὐ γὰρ ἀρκεῖ πρὸς τὴν τῆς καθαρότητος ἡμῖν φυλακὴν, τὸ βαπτισθῆναι καὶ πιστεῦσαι μόνον" ἀλλὰ δεῖ, εἰ μέλλοιμεν ταύτης διαπαντὸς ἀπολαύσεσθαι τῇς φαιδρότητος. ἄξιον αὐτῆς παρέχεσθαι βίον». Τοῦτο δὲ ἐφ᾽ ἡμῖν ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεός. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ γεννηθῆναι τῇν μυστικὴν γέννησιν, καὶ πάντων ἐχχαθαρθῆναι τῶν πρότερον ἡμαρτημένων ἡμῖν, ἀπὸ τοῦ βαπτίσματος γίνεται τὸ δὲ μεῖναι εἰς τὸ ἑξῆς καθαροὺς, καὶ μηδεμίαν μετὰ ταῦτα δέξασθαι κηλῖδα πάλιν, τῆς ἣμετέρας ἐστὶν ἐξουσίας τε καὶ σπουδῆς. Διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ τοῦ τρόπου τῆς γεννήσεως ἡμᾶς ἀνέμνησε, καὶ ἀπὸ συγκρίσεως τῶν σαρκικῶν ὠδίνων τὴν ὑπεροχὴν ἔδειξεν εἰπών" Οἱ οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων, οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκὸς, οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρὸς, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ Θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν. Τοῦτο δὲ ἐποίησεν, ἵνα τὸ εὐτελὲς καὶ ταπεινὸν τοῦ προτέρου τόκου καταμαθόντες, τοῦ δι᾿ αἱμάτων καὶ θελήματος σαρκὸς, καὶ τὸ ὑψηλὸν καὶ εὐγενὲς τοῦ δευτέρου τοῦ διὰ τῆς χάριτος ἐπιγνόντες, μεγάλην τινὰ κἀντεῦθεν περὶ αὐτοῦ λάδωμεν ἔννοιαν, καὶ τῆς τοῦ γεγεννηκότος ἀξίαν δωρεᾶς, καὶ πολλὴν μετὰ ταῦτα ἐπιδειξώμεθα σπουδήν. Δέος γὰρ οὐ μικρὸν, μήποτε τὴν καλὴν ταύτην μολύναντες στολὴν, τῇ μετὰ ταῦτα ῥᾳθυμίᾳ καὶ τοῖς πλημμελήμασιν ἐκβληθῶμεν τῆς παστάδος καὶ τοῦ νυμφῶνος, κατὰ τὰς πέντε παρθένους ἐκείνας τὰς μωρὰς, ἣ κατὰ τὸν οὐκ ἔχοντα ἔνδυμα γάμου. Καὶ γὰρ κἀκεῖνος τῶν δαιτυμόνων ἦν" ἐκλήθη γὰρ καὶ αὐτός " ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ μετὰ τὴν κλῆσιν καὶ τὴν τοσαύτην τιμὴν ἐξύδρισεν εἰς τὸν κεκληκότα, ἄκουσον οἵαν δίδωσι δίκην, πῶς ἐλεεινὴν, καὶ πολλῶν ἀξίαν δακρύων. Παραγενόμενος γὰρ ἐπὶ τὸ τῆς λαμπρᾶς ἐκείνης τραπέζης μετασχεῖν, οὖ μόνον εἴργεται τῆς εὐωχίας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς χεῖρας δεθεὶς καὶ τοὺς πόδας ὁμοίως, εἰς τὸ σκότος ἄγεται τὸ ἐξώτερον, τὸν αἰώνιον καὶ ἄπειρον ὁλοφυρμὸν, καὶ τὸν βρυγμὸν τῶν ὀδόντων ὑποστησόμενος. Μὴ τοίνυν, ἀγαπητοὶ, μηδὲ ἡμεῖς νομίζωμεν Α ἀρχεῖν ἡμῖν πρὸς σωτηρίαν τὴν πίστιν. Ἂν γὰρ μὴ βίον ἐπιδειξώμεθα καθαρὸν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀνάξια τῆς μακαρίας κλήσεως ταύτης καὶ ἡμᾶς παθεῖν τὰ αὐτὰ, ἅπερ ἐκεῖνος ὁ δείλαιος. Καὶ γὰρ ἄτοπον. αὐτὸν μὲν, Θεὸν ὄντα καὶ βασιλέα, ἀνθρώπου; εὐτελεῖς, καὶ ἀγύρτας, καὶ μηδενὸς ἀξίους ὄντας μὴ ἐπαισχύνεσθαι », ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἀπὸ τῆ: τριόδου πρὸς τὴν τράπεζαν ἄγειν ἐχείνην ἡμᾶς δὲ τοσαύτην ἀναισθησίαν ἐπιδείκνυσθαι, ὡς μηδὲ τῇ τοσαύτῃ τιμῇ γενέσθαι βελτίους, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ τὴν κλῆσιν ἐπὶ τῆς αὑτῆς μένειν κακίας, εἰς τὴν ἄφατον τοῦ κεκληκότος ἐμπαροινοῦντας φιλανθρωπίαν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ τὴν πνευματικὴν ταύτην καὶ φρικτὴν τῶν μυστηρίων ἐκάλεσε κοινωνίαν, ἵνα μετὰ τῆς προτέρας εἰσερχώμεθα κακίας, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα ἀποδυσάμενοι τὴν αἱσχρότητα, μεταμφιασώμεθα ἃ τοὺς ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις ἑστιωμένους ἡμφιάσθαι χρή. Εἰ δὲ μὴ βουλοίμεθα ἄξια «ἧς κλήσεως πρᾶξαι ἐκείνης, οὐκ ἔστι 5 τοῦτο παρὰ τὸν τετιμηχότα, ἀλλὰ παρ᾽ ἡμᾶς. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ἡμᾶς ἐχδάλλει τοῦ θαυμαστοῦ τῶν δαιτυμόνων χοροῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ἡμεῖς ἑαυτούς. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ πᾶν ἦνυσε. Καὶ γὰρ τοὺς γάμους ἐποίησε, καὶ τὴν τράπεζαν παρεσκεύασε, καὶ τοὺς καλέσοντας ἔπεμψε, καὶ παραγενομένους ἐδέξατο, καὶ τὴν ἄλλην ἅπασαν τετίμῆχε τιμήν᾽ ἡμεῖς δὲ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν, καὶ εἰς τοὺς παρόντας, καὶ εἰς τὸν γάμον ὑδρίσαντες διὰ τῶν ῥυπαρῶν ἱματίων, τουτέστι, τῶν ἀκαθάρτων πράξεων, εἰκότως ἐχθαλλόμεθα λοιπόν. Ταύτῃ γὰρ καὶ τὸν γάμον τιμῶν, καὶ τοὺς κεκλημένους, ἀπελαύνει τοὺς ἱταμοὺς καὶ τοὺς ἀναισχύντους ἐκείνους. Εἰ γὰρ εἴασε τοὺς ἐκεῖνο ἡμφιεσμένους τὸ ἱμάτιον, αὐτὸς ἂν ἔδοξε καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ὑδρίζειν. ᾿Αλλὰ μηδένα γένοιτο τοιούτου πειραθῆναι τοῦ κεκληκότος, μήτε ἡμῶν, μήτε ἑτέρων τινῶν. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο, πρὶν ἣ γενέσθαι ταῦτα πάντα, ἀναγέγραπται" ἵνα ἐν τῇ τῶν γραμμάτων ἀπειλῇ σωφρονισθέντες, μὴ συγχωρήσωμεν εἰς ἔργον ἐλθεῖν τὴν ἀτιμίαν καὶ τὴν κόλασιν ταύτην, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ τῶν ῥημάτων αὐτὴν στήσωμεν μόνον, καὶ μετὰ λαμπρᾶς ἔκαστος στολῆς εἰς τὴν κλῆσιν ἐχείνην παραγενώμεθα" ἧς ἀπολαῦσαι γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ᾽ οὗ 4 «τῷ Πατρὶ ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι δόξα, κράτος, τιμὴ, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ᾿Αμήν.
Pantachou toinyn to men katēnankasmenon anairōn, to de authaireton kai autexousion deiknys" touto kai nyn eirēke. Kai gar en autois toutois tois aporrhētois hi to men esti tou Theou, to dounai tēn charin᾽ to de tou anthrōpou, to paraschein tēn pistin. Kai en tǭ meta tauta de chronǭ, pollēs dei loipon tēs spoudēs. Ou gar arkei pros tēn tēs katharotētos hēmin phylakēn, to baptisthēnai kai pisteusai monon" alla dei, ei melloimen tautēs diapantos apolausesthai tę̄s phaidrotētos. axion autēs parechesthai bion». Touto de eph᾽ hēmin epoiēsen ho Theos. To men gar gennēthēnai tę̄n mystikēn gennēsin, kai pantōn echchatharthēnai tōn proteron hēmartēmenōn hēmin, apo tou baptismatos ginetai to de meinai eis to hexēs katharous, kai mēdemian meta tauta dexasthai kēlida palin, tēs hēmeteras estin exousias te kai spoudēs. Dia toi touto kai tou tropou tēs gennēseōs hēmas anemnēse, kai apo synkriseōs tōn sarkikōn ōdinōn tēn hyperochēn edeixen eipōn" Hoi ouk ex haimatōn, oude ek thelēmatos sarkos, oude ek thelēmatos andros, all᾽ ek Theou egennēthēsan. Touto de epoiēsen, hina to euteles kai tapeinon tou proterou tokou katamathontes, tou di᾿ haimatōn kai thelēmatos sarkos, kai to hypsēlon kai eugenes tou deuterou tou dia tēs charitos epignontes, megalēn tina kanteuthen peri autou ladōmen ennoian, kai tēs tou gegennēkotos axian dōreas, kai pollēn meta tauta epideixōmetha spoudēn. Deos gar ou mikron, mēpote tēn kalēn tautēn molynantes stolēn, tę̄ meta tauta rhąthymią kai tois plēmmelēmasin ekblēthōmen tēs pastados kai tou nymphōnos, kata tas pente parthenous ekeinas tas mōras, hē kata ton ouk echonta endyma gamou. Kai gar kakeinos tōn daitymonōn ēn" eklēthē gar kai autos " all' epeidē meta tēn klēsin kai tēn tosautēn timēn exydrisen eis ton keklēkota, akouson hoian didōsi dikēn, pōs eleeinēn, kai pollōn axian dakryōn. Paragenomenos gar epi to tēs lampras ekeinēs trapezēs metaschein, ou monon eirgetai tēs euōchias, alla kai tas cheiras detheis kai tous podas homoiōs, eis to skotos agetai to exōteron, ton aiōnion kai apeiron holophyrmon, kai ton brygmon tōn odontōn hypostēsomenos. Mē toinyn, agapētoi, mēde hēmeis nomizōmen A archein hēmin pros sōtērian tēn pistin. An gar mē bion epideixōmetha katharon, all᾽ anaxia tēs makarias klēseōs tautēs kai hēmas pathein ta auta, haper ekeinos ho deilaios. Kai gar atopon. auton men, Theon onta kai basilea, anthrōpou? euteleis, kai agyrtas, kai mēdenos axious ontas mē epaischynesthai », alla tous apo tē: triodou pros tēn trapezan agein echeinēn hēmas de tosautēn anaisthēsian epideiknysthai, hōs mēde tę̄ tosautę̄ timę̄ genesthai beltious, alla kai meta tēn klēsin epi tēs hautēs menein kakias, eis tēn aphaton tou keklēkotos emparoinountas philanthrōpian. Oude gar dia touto hēmas epi tēn pneumatikēn tautēn kai phriktēn tōn mystēriōn ekalese koinōnian, hina meta tēs proteras eiserchōmetha kakias, all᾽ hina apodysamenoi tēn haischrotēta, metamphiasōmetha ha tous en tois basileiois hestiōmenous hēmphiasthai chrē. Ei de mē bouloimetha axia «hēs klēseōs praxai ekeinēs, ouk esti 5 touto para ton tetimēchota, alla par᾽ hēmas. Oude gar ekeinos hēmas echdallei tou thaumastou tōn daitymonōn chorou, all᾽ hēmeis heautous. Ho men gar to heautou pan ēnyse. Kai gar tous gamous epoiēse, kai tēn trapezan pareskeuase, kai tous kalesontas epempse, kai paragenomenous edexato, kai tēn allēn hapasan tetimēche timēn᾽ hēmeis de kai eis auton, kai eis tous parontas, kai eis ton gamon hydrisantes dia tōn rhyparōn himatiōn, toutesti, tōn akathartōn praxeōn, eikotōs echthallometha loipon. Tautę̄ gar kai ton gamon timōn, kai tous keklēmenous, apelaunei tous hitamous kai tous anaischyntous ekeinous. Ei gar eiase tous ekeino hēmphiesmenous to himation, autos an edoxe kai tous allous hydrizein. ᾿Alla mēdena genoito toioutou peirathēnai tou keklēkotos, mēte hēmōn, mēte heterōn tinōn. Dia gar touto, prin hē genesthai tauta panta, anagegraptai" hina en tę̄ tōn grammatōn apeilę̄ sōphronisthentes, mē synchōrēsōmen eis ergon elthein tēn atimian kai tēn kolasin tautēn, all᾽ epi tōn rhēmatōn autēn stēsōmen monon, kai meta lampras ekastos stolēs eis tēn klēsin echeinēn paragenōmetha" hēs apolausai genoito pantas hēmas, chariti kai philanthrōpią tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou, meth᾽ hou 4 «tǭ Patri hama tǭ hagiǭ Pneumati doxa, kratos, timē, nyn kai aei, kai eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn. ᾿Amēn.
Everywhere, then, removing compulsion and showing that the matter is one of free choice and self-determination, he has said this here too. For in these unspeakable mysteries themselves, God’s part is to give grace and man’s part is to supply faith. And in the time that follows, great zeal is needed. For being baptized and believing is not enough to keep our purity; if we are to enjoy this brightness always, we must show a life worthy of it. And this God has put in our power. For to be born with the mystical birth, and to be cleansed of all our former sins, comes from baptism; but to remain pure from then on, and to receive no stain again afterwards, belongs to our own power and zeal. That is why he reminded us of the manner of this birth, and showed its superiority by comparing it with the pangs of the flesh, saying, “who were born not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God.” He did this so that, learning the meanness and lowliness of the first birth, which is through bloods and the will of the flesh, and recognizing the loftiness and nobility of the second, which is through grace, we might form from this too a great idea of it, worthy of the gift of the one who begot us, and might afterwards show great zeal. For there is no small fear lest, having soiled this fair robe by later sloth and transgressions, we should be cast out of the bridal chamber and the wedding hall, like those five foolish virgins, or like the man who did not have a wedding garment. For he too was one of the guests; he too had been invited. But since after the invitation and such great honor he insulted the one who had invited him, hear what penalty he pays, how pitiable and worthy of many tears. Having come to share in that splendid table, he is not only shut out of the feast, but is bound hand and foot and led into the outer darkness, to undergo eternal and endless wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Let us not, then, beloved, think that faith is enough for our salvation. For if we do not show a pure life, but [act] unworthily of this blessed calling, we too [must] suffer the same things as that wretched man. For it is absurd that he, being God and King, is not ashamed of mean men, of vagrants, of men of no worth, but brings to that table those from the crossroads, while we show such insensibility that we do not become better even through so great an honor, but after the calling remain in the same wickedness, behaving outrageously toward the unspeakable loving-kindness of the one who called us. For he did not call us to this spiritual and awesome communion of the mysteries so that we might come in with our former wickedness, but so that we might strip off our shamefulness and put on the clothing that those who feast in palaces must wear. And if we will not act worthily of that calling, this is not the fault of the one who honored us, but our own. For he does not cast us out of the wonderful company of the guests; we cast ourselves out. He accomplished everything that was his to do. He made the wedding, prepared the table, sent those who were to invite, received those who came, and honored them with every other honor; but we, having insulted him, and those present, and the wedding itself by our filthy garments, that is, by our unclean deeds, are rightly cast out. For in this way, honoring both the wedding and those invited, he drives out those brazen and shameless men. For if he had allowed those who were wearing that garment to remain, he himself would have seemed to insult the others too. But may none of us, nor anyone else, ever have such an experience of the one who invited us. For this is why these things were written before they all come to pass: so that, sobered by the threat in the writings, we may not allow this dishonor and punishment to come into fact, but may stop it at words alone, and each of us may come to that calling in a bright robe. May we all enjoy it, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be glory, might, and honor to the Father together with the Holy Spirit, now and always and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
John 1:13 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 25:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 22:11 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 22:13 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 22:9 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Grace is God’s part and faith man’s; baptism gives the new birth “of God,” but keeping it pure depends on our effort, lest we be cast out like the foolish virgins or the guest without a wedding garment.
- Quotation: John 1:13. The foolish virgins: Matt 25:1–12; the guest without a wedding garment: Matt 22:11–13; guests from the crossroads: Matt 22:9–10. “The awesome communion of the mysteries” refers to the sacraments of initiation and the Eucharist. A line is lost in the scan in the paragraph beginning “Let us not, then”; the bracketed words supply the sense, and Latin variant notes interleaved in the OCR have been removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; leaked Latin apparatus removed; leaked Latin apparatus, marginal note or column marks removed): χκατηναγχασμένον λὼν → κατηναγκασμένον ἀναιρῶν; ἀ.1.1: ἐκ Θεοῦ ἐγεγγήθησαν → ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ Θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν; ἐχθληθῶμεν → ἐκβληθῶμεν; ἔνδυμσ. γάμου → ἔνδυμα γάμου; δαχρύοιν → δακρύων; ἐξὼτερον → ἐξώτερον; τὺν βρυγμὸν → τὸν βρυγμὸν; ἀ 54Ὑ}. οἱ εοὐά.10ὅ, 106, τοῖς ἀποῤῥήτοις ἀγαθοῖς. πτ → πη; ἐπ':δείκνυσθαι → ἐπιδείκνυσθαι; Ἄ :. ἡμεῖς ἀρχεῖν ἡμ. π. σ. τ. π. ἐλπίζωμιν. ἃ: ἐμά αν σοόμ Ὁ Ρὴ ᾿ «ἴϑὶς ΝΗ 841}. οὐκ ἰπῆς → ; τοὺς χαλέσαντας → τοὺς καλέσοντας; ἐμάτιον → ἱμάτιον; ἑτέρων πινῶν → ἑτέρων τινῶν; ἃ Γ,οοἰἰοηθιη ϑνῖ]. οἱ (οά. 105 οχργοϑβϑεὶϊ ΠΟΙΊΡΘ, δι᾽ οὗ καὶ μεθ᾽ οὗ. → .
Topics: Baptism, Ethics, Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Jo. 10.3 (PG 59:25; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-ioannem/10-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-ioannem/10-3
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca 59 (archive.org OCR; homily starts checked against Gaume 1834; corrections logged); compared afterwards with NPNF¹ 14.
Chapter 11
11.1PG 59:25
Καὶ ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο, καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν. Μίαν ὑμᾶς ἅπαντας αἰτῆσαι βούλομαι χάριν, πρὶν ἢ τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν ἄψασθαι ῥημάτων ἀλλὰ μὴ ἀνανεύσητε πρὸς τὴν αἴτησιν. Οὔτε γὰρ βαρύ τι καὶ ἐπαχθὲς αἰτῶ, οὔτ᾽ ἐμοὶ τῷ λαμδάνοντι μόνον χρήσιμον ἔσται τὸ διδόμενον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς παρέχουσι" καὶ τάχα πολλῷ πλέον ὑμῖν. Τί ποτ᾽ οὖν ἐστιν ὅπερ αἱτοῦμαι ὑμᾶς; Κατὰ μίαν Σαδδάτων, ἣ καὶ κατὰ Σάδδατον, τὴν μέλλουσαν ἐν ὑμῖν ἀναγνωσθήσεσθαι τῶν Εὐαγγελίων περικοπὴν. ταύτην πρὸ τούτων τῶν ἡμερῶν μετὰ χεῖρας λαμδάνων ἕχαστος οἴκοι καθἦμενος ἀναγινωσκέτω συνεχῶς, καὶ πολλάκις περισκοπείτω καλῶς ᾿ καὶ τί μὲν σαφὲς, τί δὲ ἄδηλον 6, σημειούσθω· τί δὲ αὐτῶν ἐναντίον εἶναι δοκοῦν, οὐκ ὃν δέ" καὶ πάντα ἁπλῶς διακωδωνίσαντες, οὕτως ἀπαντᾶτε πρὸς τὴν ἀκρόασιν. Οὐ γὰρ μικρὸν ἀπὸ τῆς τοιαύτης σπουδῆς καὶ ὑμῖν καὶ ἡμῖν ἔσται τὸ κέρδος. Ἡ μεῖς μὲν γὰρ οὐ πολλοῦ δεησόμεθα πόνου πρὸς τὸ σαφῆ ποιῇσαι τῶν λεγομένων τὴν δύναμιν, τῆς διανοίας ὑμῖν ἤδη προοιχειωθείσης τῇ τῶν ῥημάτων γνώσει " ὑμεῖς δὲ ὀξύτεροι καὶ διορατιχώτεροι τούτῳ τῷ τρόπῳ γενήσεσθε, οὐ πρὸς τὴν ἀκρόασιν μόνον, οὐδὲ πρὸς τὴν μάθησιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς τὸ διδάξαι ἑτέρους. Ἐπεὶ ὥς γε νῦν οἱ πολλοὶ τῶν ἐνταῦθα παραγινομένων ἀκούουσιν, ὁμοῦ πάντα ἀναγκαζόμενοι μαθεῖν τά τε ῥήματα, τά τε παρ' ἡμῶν εἰς αὐτὰ λεγόμενα, οὐδ᾽ ἂν εἰ ἐνιαυτὸν ὅλον τοῦτο ποιοῦντες διατελοίημεν, μέγα τι χαρπώσονται κέρδος. Πῶς γὰρ, ὅταν ἐκ παρέργου καὶ ἐνταῦθα μόνον κατὰ τὸν βραχὺν τοῦτον τοῖς λεγομένοις σχολάζωσι καιρόν; [“ἱ δέ τινες πράγματα αἰτιῶνται ἢ καὶ φροντίδας, καὶ πολλὴν τὴν τε τῶν πολιτικῶν καὶ τῶν ἰδιωτικῶν ἀσχολίαν : πρῶτον μὲν αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἔγκλημα οὐ μικρὸν, τὸ κυχλοῦσθαι τοσούτων πραγμάτῶν πλήθει, καὶ τοῖς βιωτικοῖς οὕτω προσηλῶσθαι διαπαντὸς, ὡς μηδὲ μικρὰν εἰς τὰ πάντων ἀναγκαιότερα ἄγειν σχολήν, Ἔπειτα ὅτι σκῆψις ταῦτα καὶ πρόφασις, χατηγορήσαιεν ἂν αὐτῶν καὶ φίλων συνουσίαι, καὶ αἱ ἐν τοῖς θεάτροις διατριδαὶ, καὶ τὰ συνέδρια, ἅπερ θέας ἕνεκεν τῆς τῶν ἵππων ἀμίλλης ποιοῦνται, ἐν αἷς πολλάκις ἡμέρας ἀνήλωσαν ὁλοκλήρους [καὶ φίλοις συνεγένεσθε ἐπιπολὺ], καὶ οὐδαμοῦ τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων ἀσχολίαν ἡτιάσατό τις ἐν τούτοις αὐτῶν. Εἶτα ἐν μὲν τοῖς εὐτελέσιν ἀπροφάσιστοι πανταχοῦ, καὶ σχολὴν ἄγειν βαθεῖαν δύνασθε " εἰ δὲ τοῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ δέοι προσέχειν, τοσοῦτον ὑμῖν ταῦτα περιττότερα καὶ ἀτιμότερα πάντων εἶναι δοκεῖ, ὡς μηδὲ μικρὰν « οἵεσθαι δεῖν ἀπονέμειν αὐτοῖς σχολήν. Καὶ πῶς ἄξιον οὕτω διακειμένους ἀναπνεῖν, ἣ τὸν ἥλιον τοῦτον ὁρᾷν; Ἔστι καὶ ἑτέρα πρόφασις τοῖς οὕτω ῥᾳθύμοις ἀλογωτάτη, τὸ μὴ κεκτῇσθαι μηδὲ ἔχειν βιδλία. Καὶ πρὸς μὲν τοὺς πλουτοῦντας, γέλως ὑπὲρ ταύτης ἡμᾶς ἀποτείνεσθαι τῆς προφάσεως ᾿ ἐπειδὴ δὲ τῶν πενεστέρὼν πολλοὺς οἶμαι καταχεχρῆσθαι αὐτῇ συνεχῶς, ἐκεῖνο ἂν ἡδέως ἐροίμην αὐτοὺς, εἰ μὴ πάντα τὰ τῆς τέχνης ὄργανα, ἧς ἕχαστός ἐστι δημιουργὸς, πλήρη καὶ ὁλόκληρα ἔχει, κἂν μυρία χωλύῃ πενία. Πῶς οὖν οὐκ ἄτοπον, ἐκεῖ μὲν μὴ αἰτιᾶσθαι πενίαν, ἀλλὰ πάντα πράττειν πρὸς τὸ μηδὲν γενέσθαι ἐμπόδιον μηδαμόθεν" μέλλοντας δὲ τοσαύτην ὠφέλειαν καρποῦσθαι, ἀσχολίαν ἀποδύρεσθαι καὶ πενίαν; Πλὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ εἴ τινες οὕτω πένητες εἶεν, ἕνεστιν ἐκ τῆς συνεχοῦς ἐνταῦθα γινομένης ἀναγνώσεως μηδὲν ἀγνοεῖν τῶν ἐγκειμένων ἐν ταῖς θείαις γραφαῖς. Εἰ δὲ ἀδύνατον ὑμῖν τοῦτο εἶναι δοκεῖ, εἰκότως τοῦτο δοκεῖ. Οὐδὲ γὰρ μετὰ πολλῆς πολλοὶ παραγίνονται τῆς προθυμίας τῶν λεγομένων ἀχροασόμενοι, ἀλλὰ αὐτὸ τοῦτο μόνον ἀφοσιωσάμενοι πρὸς τὴν ἡμέραν ἀ, εὐθέως ὑποστρέφουσιν οἴκαδε. Εἰ δέ τινες καὶ ἐνδιατρίψαιεν, τῶν ἀναχωρησάντων οὐδὲν ἄμεινον διάκεινται, τῷ σώματι μόνον ἐνταῦθα παρόντες ἡμῖν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἵνα μὴ ἐπιπλέον ταῖς αἰτίαις ὑμᾶς βαρύνωμεν 5, καὶ ἐν ταῖς μέμψεσι τὸν καιρὸν ἀναλώσωμεν ἅπαντα, ἴωμεν ἐπὶ τὰ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίον ῥήματα" ὥρα γὰρ λοιπὸν εἰς τὰ προκείμενα τῶν λεγομένων παρελθεῖν. Καὶ ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο, φησὶ, καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν. Εἰπὼν ὅτι ἐκ Θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν οἱ λαδόντες αὐτὸν, καὶ τέχνα Θεοῦ γεγόνασι, τῆς ἀφάτου ταύτης τιμῆς τίθησι τὴν αἰτίαν καὶ τὴν ὑπόθεσιν. Αὕτη δέ ἐστι, τὸ γενέσθαι σάρκα τὸν Λόγον, καὶ τὴν τοῦ δούλου μορφὴν ἀναλαβεῖν τὸν Δεσπότην. Ἐγένετο γὰρ Υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου, Θεοῦ γνήσιος ὧν Υἱὸς. ἵνα τοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων υἱοὺς τέκνα ποιήσῃ, Θεοῦ, Τὸ γὰρ ὑψηλὸν τῷ ταπεινῷ προῦδ- Ὁμιλοῦν, αὐτὸ μὲν οὐδὲν εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν παραδλάπτετα. δέξαν" ἐκεῖνο ὃὲ ἀπὸ τῆς πολλῆς ἀνίστησι ταπειῖνότητος. Ὅπερ. οὖν καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ γέγονε. Τὴν τε γὰρ ἰδίαν φύσιν οὐδὲν ἀπὸ ταύτης ἠλάττωσε τῆς καταβάσεως, ἐμᾶς τε τοὺς διαπαντὸς ἐν ἀδοξία καθημένου; καὶ σκότῳ, πρὸς δόξαν ἄφατον ἀνήγαγεν. Ὀὕτω ποὺ καὶ βασιλεὺς πτωχῷ καὶ πένητι διαλεγόμενὴς μετὰ σπουδῆς καὶ εὐνοίας, ἑαυτὸν μὲν οὐδὲν ἄσχυνεν, ἐκεῖνον δὲ παρὰ πᾶσι περίβλεπτον ἐποίησεν εἶναι καὶ λαμπρόν. Εἰ δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς ἐπεισάχτου τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀξίας οὐδὲν τὸν ἐντιμότερον ἢ πρὸς τὸν εὐτελέστερον ὁμιλία παρέδλαψε, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐπὶ τῆς ἀκηράτου καὶ μακαρίας ἐκείνης οὐσίας, τῆς ἐπείσακτον μὲν ἐχούσης οὐδὲν., οὐδὲ γινόμενον καὶ ἀπογινόμενον, πάντα δὲ κεκτημένης ὃ ἀκίνητα καὶ πεπηγότα εἰς τέλος τὰ ἀγαθά. Ὥστε ὅταν ἀκούσῃς, ὅτι Ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο, μὴ θορυδηθῇς, μηδὲ καταπέσῃς. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἡ οὐσία μετέπεσεν εἰς σάρκα {τοῦτο γὰρ ὄντως ἀσεδές ἐστι καὶ ἐννοῆσαι “), ἀλλὰ μένουσα ὅπερ ἐστὶν, οὕτω τοῦ δούλου τὴν μορ-
Kai ho Logos sarx egeneto, kai eskēnōsen en hēmin. Mian hymas hapantas aitēsai boulomai charin, prin ē tōn euangelikōn apsasthai rhēmatōn alla mē ananeusēte pros tēn aitēsin. Oute gar bary ti kai epachthes aitō, out᾽ emoi tǭ lamdanonti monon chrēsimon estai to didomenon, alla kai hymin tois parechousi" kai tacha pollǭ pleon hymin. Ti pot᾽ oun estin hoper haitoumai hymas? Kata mian Saddatōn, hē kai kata Saddaton, tēn mellousan en hymin anagnōsthēsesthai tōn Euangeliōn perikopēn. tautēn pro toutōn tōn hēmerōn meta cheiras lamdanōn hechastos oikoi kathēmenos anaginōsketō synechōs, kai pollakis periskopeitō kalōs ᾿ kai ti men saphes, ti de adēlon 6, sēmeiousthō; ti de autōn enantion einai dokoun, ouk hon de" kai panta haplōs diakōdōnisantes, houtōs apantate pros tēn akroasin. Ou gar mikron apo tēs toiautēs spoudēs kai hymin kai hēmin estai to kerdos. Hē meis men gar ou pollou deēsometha ponou pros to saphē poię̄sai tōn legomenōn tēn dynamin, tēs dianoias hymin ēdē prooicheiōtheisēs tę̄ tōn rhēmatōn gnōsei " hymeis de oxyteroi kai dioratichōteroi toutǭ tǭ tropǭ genēsesthe, ou pros tēn akroasin monon, oude pros tēn mathēsin, alla kai pros to didaxai heterous. Epei hōs ge nyn hoi polloi tōn entautha paraginomenōn akouousin, homou panta anankazomenoi mathein ta te rhēmata, ta te par' hēmōn eis auta legomena, oud᾽ an ei eniauton holon touto poiountes diateloiēmen, mega ti charpōsontai kerdos. Pōs gar, hotan ek parergou kai entautha monon kata ton brachyn touton tois legomenois scholazōsi kairon? [“hi de tines pragmata aitiōntai ē kai phrontidas, kai pollēn tēn te tōn politikōn kai tōn idiōtikōn ascholian : prōton men auto touto enklēma ou mikron, to kychlousthai tosoutōn pragmatōn plēthei, kai tois biōtikois houtō prosēlōsthai diapantos, hōs mēde mikran eis ta pantōn anankaiotera agein scholēn, Epeita hoti skēpsis tauta kai prophasis, chatēgorēsaien an autōn kai philōn synousiai, kai hai en tois theatrois diatridai, kai ta synedria, haper theas heneken tēs tōn hippōn amillēs poiountai, en hais pollakis hēmeras anēlōsan holoklērous [kai philois synegenesthe epipoly], kai oudamou tēn tōn pragmatōn ascholian hētiasato tis en toutois autōn. Eita en men tois eutelesin aprophasistoi pantachou, kai scholēn agein batheian dynasthe " ei de tois tou Theou deoi prosechein, tosouton hymin tauta perittotera kai atimotera pantōn einai dokei, hōs mēde mikran « hoiesthai dein aponemein autois scholēn. Kai pōs axion houtō diakeimenous anapnein, hē ton hēlion touton horąn? Esti kai hetera prophasis tois houtō rhąthymois alogōtatē, to mē kektę̄sthai mēde echein bidlia. Kai pros men tous ploutountas, gelōs hyper tautēs hēmas apoteinesthai tēs prophaseōs ᾿ epeidē de tōn penesterōn pollous oimai katachechrēsthai autę̄ synechōs, ekeino an hēdeōs eroimēn autous, ei mē panta ta tēs technēs organa, hēs hechastos esti dēmiourgos, plērē kai holoklēra echei, kan myria chōlyę̄ penia. Pōs oun ouk atopon, ekei men mē aitiasthai penian, alla panta prattein pros to mēden genesthai empodion mēdamothen" mellontas de tosautēn ōpheleian karpousthai, ascholian apodyresthai kai penian? Plēn alla kai ei tines houtō penētes eien, henestin ek tēs synechous entautha ginomenēs anagnōseōs mēden agnoein tōn enkeimenōn en tais theiais graphais. Ei de adynaton hymin touto einai dokei, eikotōs touto dokei. Oude gar meta pollēs polloi paraginontai tēs prothymias tōn legomenōn achroasomenoi, alla auto touto monon aphosiōsamenoi pros tēn hēmeran a, eutheōs hypostrephousin oikade. Ei de tines kai endiatripsaien, tōn anachōrēsantōn ouden ameinon diakeintai, tǭ sōmati monon entautha parontes hēmin. ᾿All᾽ hina mē epipleon tais aitiais hymas barynōmen 5, kai en tais mempsesi ton kairon analōsōmen hapanta, iōmen epi ta tou Euangelion rhēmata" hōra gar loipon eis ta prokeimena tōn legomenōn parelthein. Kai ho Logos sarx egeneto, phēsi, kai eskēnōsen en hēmin. Eipōn hoti ek Theou egennēthēsan hoi ladontes auton, kai techna Theou gegonasi, tēs aphatou tautēs timēs tithēsi tēn aitian kai tēn hypothesin. Hautē de esti, to genesthai sarka ton Logon, kai tēn tou doulou morphēn analabein ton Despotēn. Egeneto gar Huios anthrōpou, Theou gnēsios hōn Huios. hina tous tōn anthrōpōn huious tekna poiēsę̄, Theou, To gar hypsēlon tǭ tapeinǭ proud- Homiloun, auto men ouden eis tēn oikeian paradlapteta. dexan" ekeino hoe apo tēs pollēs anistēsi tapeiinotētos. Hoper. oun kai epi tou Christou gegone. Tēn te gar idian physin ouden apo tautēs ēlattōse tēs katabaseōs, emas te tous diapantos en adoxia kathēmenou? kai skotǭ, pros doxan aphaton anēgagen. Houtō pou kai basileus ptōchǭ kai penēti dialegomenēs meta spoudēs kai eunoias, heauton men ouden aschynen, ekeinon de para pasi periblepton epoiēsen einai kai lampron. Ei de epi tēs epeisachtou tōn anthrōpōn axias ouden ton entimoteron ē pros ton eutelesteron homilia paredlapse, pollǭ mallon epi tēs akēratou kai makarias ekeinēs ousias, tēs epeisakton men echousēs ouden., oude ginomenon kai apoginomenon, panta de kektēmenēs ho akinēta kai pepēgota eis telos ta agatha. Hōste hotan akousę̄s, hoti Ho Logos sarx egeneto, mē thorydēthę̄s, mēde katapesę̄s. Oude gar hē ousia metepesen eis sarka {touto gar ontōs asedes esti kai ennoēsai “), alla menousa hoper estin, houtō tou doulou tēn mor-
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Before touching the words of the Gospel, I wish to ask you all one favor; and do not refuse my request. For I ask nothing heavy or burdensome, nor will what is given be useful only to me who receive it, but also to you who give it, and perhaps far more to you. What is it, then, that I ask of you? That on the first day of the week, or even on the Sabbath, each of you take in hand the passage of the Gospels that is going to be read among you, and before those days sit at home and read it through often, and examine its meaning carefully; that you note what is clear and what is obscure, and what seems to tell against us but does not; and that, having tested everything thoroughly, you come so to the hearing. For no small gain will come both to you and to us from such diligence. We shall not need much labor to make clear the force of what is said, since your minds will already have become familiar with the knowledge of the words; and you will become sharper and more discerning in this way, not only for hearing and learning, but also for teaching others. For as most of those who come here listen now, having to learn both the words and what we say about them all at once, even if we kept on doing this for a whole year, they will reap no great gain. How could they, when they attend to what is said only in passing, and only here, during this short time?
And if some plead their affairs and cares and their great occupation with public and private business, first, this in itself is no small charge, to be hemmed in by such a multitude of affairs and nailed to the things of this life so continually as not to have even a little leisure for the most necessary things of all. Next, that this is an excuse and a pretext is proved against them by their gatherings with friends, by the time they spend in the theaters, and by the meetings they hold to watch the horse races, in which they often spend whole days; and in these no one ever blames the pressure of business. So in trivial matters you never lack leisure and can have plenty of it; but if you must attend to the things of God, these seem to you so much more superfluous and less worthy than everything else that you think you need not assign them even a little leisure. How do people so disposed deserve to breathe, or to see this sun? There is another excuse of such slothful people, most unreasonable of all: that they do not own or possess books. To the rich, it is laughable for us even to answer this excuse; but since I think many of the poorer often use it, I would gladly ask them this: does not each of them keep all the tools of the craft he practices complete and entire, even if poverty stands in his way ten thousand times? Is it not absurd, then, not to plead poverty there, but to do everything so that no hindrance may arise from any quarter, while, when we are to reap such great benefit, we lament our business and our poverty? Besides, even if some are so poor, it is possible, through the continual reading that takes place here, to be ignorant of nothing contained in the divine Scriptures. And if this seems impossible to you, it naturally seems so. For many do not come with great eagerness to hear what is said, but having discharged this duty as a mere formality for the day, they go straight back home. And if some stay, they are in no better state than those who left, being present with us here in body only.
But so as not to weigh you down further with charges and spend the whole time in reproaches, let us come to the words of the Gospel; for it is time now to proceed to what is set before us. “And the Word became flesh,” it says, “and dwelt among us.” Having said that those who received him were born of God and became children of God, he sets down the cause and ground of this unspeakable honor. And this is that the Word became flesh and the Master took the form of a servant. For he became Son of Man, though he was the genuine Son of God, so as to make the sons of men children of God. For the lofty, when it associates with the lowly, suffers no harm at all to its own glory, but raises the other out of its great lowliness. This is what happened in Christ’s case. For he did not lessen his own nature at all by this descent, and he raised us, who had always sat in dishonor and darkness, to unspeakable glory. So too a king, if he converses with a poor and needy man with care and goodwill, disgraces himself in no way, but makes the other admired and illustrious before all. And if in the case of men’s acquired dignity, association with the meaner does the more honored one no harm, much less does it in the case of that pure and blessed essence, which has nothing acquired, nothing that comes and goes, but possesses all good things unmoved and fixed forever. So when you hear that “the Word became flesh,” do not be disturbed or cast down. For the essence did not change into flesh (that is impious even to think), but, remaining what it is, so it took the form of the servant.
John 1:14 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:12 (allusion, high confidence) · John 1:13 (allusion, high confidence) · Phil 2:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 1:79 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Chrysostom asks his hearers to read the coming Gospel passage at home beforehand, rejecting excuses of business and poverty, and then explains that the Word became flesh without ceasing to be what he was, so as to make men children of God.
- The Gospel passage was read at the Sunday assembly; Chrysostom asks that it be read at home on the preceding days. Quotation: John 1:14. Born of God and children of God: John 1:12–13. The form of a servant: Phil 2:7. Sitting in darkness: Luke 1:79. A long Latin note interleaved in the OCR has been removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; leaked Latin apparatus removed; word rejoined; leaked Latin apparatus, marginal note or column marks removed): σὰρξ ἐλυρῳ. καὶ ἑσκήγωσεν ἐν ἣν. α. → σὰρξ ἐγένετο, καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν.; περισχοκαῦτα → περισκοπείτω; σημειηούσθω: → σημειούσθω·; διαχωδωνίσαντες → διακωδωνίσαντες; ἀναγχαιό- 4 Ουϊάδπι τί δὲ εὔδηλον. [6 πὶ Μοτοῖ. δὰ σημειούσθω, τερα → ἀναγκαιότερα; σννουσία: → συνουσίαι; ς Μοτγεὶ. δοκεῖ ὅτι οὐδὲ μικραί. ἃ 1υ5 πρὸς ἐμᾶς. 5 Μιιγο]. ταῖς αἷτ. βαρ. δΆν)}. ταῖς αἷττἰοινό ἐμ ἀ}} ἀοοαββογίιη4, πἰ δ} πη ρού οι αιοπιίνυβ 14π| ἰρῃανίϑιη δκ θο γα. υὐ 6 ηαὐϊάδπι μοϑὶ 4. Εἰ Ῥενγθμηι σατο [ἀοίπμι οί, Εἰ ἰναὐϊιυϊι ἧι ποὺ δ. εὐῖς θυ γα δι ν᾽π) δοη! ον ἰαγαιη νου ἷβ ἀχρίδιδπάμ}}, αν ποσοιϑ ργιεἰθινάμη! οἱ 50} οὐ πο5, 51] πη "Ὅπὶ οι ρον ΟἾΓΥ Οϑι ἀποαιῖ5., Ἀπ τηογουταγ πὶ 8165. ἀἤῥι!] δὴ} νοὶ τὸ- Βα Π αἱ ἱπορία. Δ. ἀϊν 5 αι άδιῃ γ] ἀΙο.] πὶ ρἰ οἰ 6 δοἰδοί(αγὶ ν δ] πὴ, μὴ εἰμ ρα] ἀγιῖβ 46 μὲ] πο Ἄφοῦα λὰ οπηπὸβ Γἀιηνόη105 οἰν 65 : αἱ υρυϑηπι σατο [οἰ 651, οἱ παϑιανὶ ἐπ ποϑὶα. ὕολιὃ δ᾽ ἴη {ΠΔ δἀ νοι εἶα πὸ αἱ τη Π6 πὶ 5115 415, ΔΌΒΙ,, 50 εἱ εἰ πιμαὐμμίι, Τὰν αἰπσηι ἰάθη ἰρ86 66, εἰ απεϊ τι πον Ουἱὰ ἀΐδο το! 7 ΝΙΝ οὐ ρϑι 6581, τοὶ (πε! πὶ δὰ 56} Π] Αβρ οιη δ [π΄ ολρυϊ οογαπι, αὶ πος ργοίογυηι, ποαὶ ἱποί μὲ! 6 πὶ ἰηαχ μ} Δ] Θην 6. Ουοιμοιο υίοι ἀἴτ, ὁδοί ει παῖαγα ποϑίγα σεϑι ἱπουγα ἢ}, οἱ μοίοιη] “δί[Ὁ οο] δ! ἢ, δι! ροιτια πγϑ δ πὶ {Πὰν οἱ Πιογγοιίναν Νιΐος υδφυδιη γο} ἴῃ οἷο νοὶ ἰπ τον. αὶ αι δμᾶς → ; Αὔὄγος → Λόγος; ἐς Θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν → ἐκ Θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν; ἀναλα- 6-:ἶν → ἀναλαβεῖν; πέχνα ποιήσῃ → τέκνα ποιήσῃ; ἡλάττωτε τῆς καταθάσεως 4 → ἠλάττωσε τῆς καταβάσεως; περίόλεπτον → περίβλεπτον; Ὃ ἱόγος σὰρξ → Ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ.
Topics: Scripture and canon, Christology
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Jo. 11.1 (PG 59:25; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-ioannem/11-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-ioannem/11-1
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca 59 (archive.org OCR; homily starts checked against Gaume 1834; corrections logged); compared afterwards with NPNF¹ 14.
11.2PG 59:25
Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν τῷ ᾿Εγένετο κέχρηται ῥήματι; Τὰ τῶν αἱρετικῶν ἐμφράττων στόματα. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἰσὶν οἱ λέγοντες, ὅτι φαντασία τις ἣν καὶ ὑπόκρισις καὶ ὑπόνοια τὰ τῆς οἰκονομίας ἅπαντα, ἄνωθεν αὑτῶν να ρῶν τὴν βλασφημίαν, τὸ Ἐγένετο τέθεικεν" οὐ μεταβολὴν οὐσίας, ἄπαγε, ἀλλὰ σαρκὸς ἀληθινῆς ἀνάληψιν παραστῆσαι βουλόμενος. "Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὅταν λέγῃ, Χριστὸς ἡμᾶς ἐξηγόρασεν ἐκ τῆς κατάρας τοῦ νόμου, γενόμενος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν κατάρα, οὐ τοῦτό φῇῆσιν, ὅτι ἡ οὐσία αὐτοῦ, τῆς οἰκεία; ἀποστᾶσα δόξης, εἰς κατάραν μετεποιήθη " τοῦτο γὰρ οὐδ᾽ ἂν δαίμονες ἐννοήσαιεν, οὔτε οἱ σφόδρα ἀνόν τοι καὶ τῶν κατὰ φύσιν ἀπεστερημένος φρενῶν" τοσαύτην ἔχει ἃ μετὰ τῆς ἀσεθείας καὶ τὴν παράν" τα)" οὗ δὴ τοῦτο οὖν λέγει, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι τὴν καθ᾽ ἡμῶν κατάραν δεξάμενος, οὐκ ἀφίησιν ἡμᾶς ἐπαράτους εἶναι λοιπόν " οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα σάρκα, φησὶν, αὐτὸν γενέσθαι, οὐ ῥξταθαλόντα εἰς δύνατα!, ὥστε καὶ εἰς σάοχα μεταπεσεῖν ἐδύνατο" ἐκεῖνο ττρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐροῦμεν, ὅτι πάντα δύνατας, ἕως ἂν μένῃ Θεὸς ὧν " εἰ ὃὲ μεταβολὴν ἐδέξατο, καὶ μεταδολὴν ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον, πῶ; ἂν εἴη Θεός; Τὸ γὰρ μετα- Θάλλεοθαι, πόῤῥω τῆς ἀκηράτου φύσεως ἐκείνης. Διὸ καὶ ὁ Προφήτης :λεγε" Πάντες ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιωθήσονται, καὶ ὡσεὶ περιδόλαιον ἑλίξεις αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἀλλαγήσονται. Σὺ δὲ δαὐτὸς εἶ, καὶ τὰ ἔτη σου οὐκ ἐκλείψουσι. Πάσης γὰρ ἀνωτέρα ὁ μεταθολῆς ἡ οὐτία αὔτη. Οὔτε γὰρ κρεῖττόν τί ἐστιν αὐτοῦ, ὥστε προχόψαντα αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τοῦτο ἐλθεῖν, Τί λέγω κρεῖττον; Οὐδὲν ἴσον. οὐδὲ μεκρὺν ἐγγύς. Οὐκοῦν ἵ λεΐπεται τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον αὐτὸν δέξασθαι μεταβολὴν, εἴ γε μεταβάλλοιτο. Τοῦτο δὲ οὐκ ἂν εἴῃ Θεός. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἡ βλασφημία τραπείη εἰς τὴν τῶν ταῦτα λεγόντων χεφαλέ υ. Ὅτι γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο μόνον εἴρηται τὸ, Ἐ) ἔνμδτο, ἵνα μὴ φαντασίαν ὑπολάδῃς, σκόπει διὰ τῶν ξξῆς, πῶς ἐκχαθαίρει τὸν λόγου, καὶ τὴν ὑπόνοιαν ἀνατρέπει τὴν πονηράν. Ἐπήγαγε γάρ' Καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ὅδ ἐν ἡμῖν" μονονουχὶ λέγων, μηδὲν ἄτοπον ὑποπτεύσῃς ἀπὸ τοῦ. Ἐγένετο. Οὗ γὰρ τροπὴν εἶπον τῆς ἀτρέπτου φύσεως ἐκείνης, ἀλλὰ σκήνωσιν καὶ κατοίκησιν. Τὸ δὲ σχτνοῦν, οὐ ταὐτὸν ἂν εἴη τῇ σκηνῇ, ἀλλ᾽ ἕτερον. Ἕτερον γὰρ ἐν ἑτέρῳ σχηνοῖ " ἐπεὶ οὐδ᾽ ἂν εἴῃ σχήνωσις" οὐδὲν γὰρ ἕν ἑαυτῷ κατοικεῖ, Ἕτερον δὲ εἶπον κατὰ τὴν οὐσίαν. Τῇ γὰρ ἑνώσει καὶ τῇ συναφείᾳ ἕν ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς Λόγος καὶ ἡ σὰρξ, οὐ συγχύσεως γενομένης, οὐξὲ σμοῦ τῶν οὐσιῶν ἀλλ᾽ ἑνώσεως ἀῤῥήτου τινὸς; καὶ ἀφράστου. Τὸ δὲ ὃ ὅπως, μὴ ἢ ζήτει" ἐγένετο γὰρ ὡς οἷδεν αὐτός. Τίς οὖν ἐστιν ἣ σκηνὴ ἣν κατ ἐσκήνωσεν; Ἄκουσον τοῦ Προφήτ του λέγοντος " ᾿Αγαστήσω τὴν σκηνὴν χει πτῶμα ἀνίατον ἢ φύσις ἡ ἡμετέρα, καὶ τῆς κραταιᾶς ἐκείνης ἐδεῖτο μόνης χειρός. Οὐδὲ γὰρῇ ἣν ἑτέρως ἀναστηναταὐτὴην, μὴ τοῦ τὴν ἀρχὴν δια πλάταντος αὐτῇ χεῖρα ὀρέξαντος, ταὶ διάξυτὠσαντῶς ἄνωθεν τῇ δι ὕδατος ἀναγεννήσει καὶ Πνεύματο;. Καὶ θέα μοι τὸ φρικτὸν καὶ ἀπ᾿ τόῤῥητον τοῦ μυστηρίου " Διαπαντὸς χατοιχκεῖ τὴν σκηνήν ὁ. τὴν γὰρ σάρκα τὴν ἡμετέραν περιεθάλετο, οὐκ ὡς; πάλιν αὐτὴν ἀφέσων, ἀλλ' ὡς διαπαντὸς ἔξων μεθ᾽ ἑχυτοῦ. Οὐ γὰρ ἄν, εἰ μὴ τοῦτο ἦν, καὶ τοῦ θρόνου κατηξίωσεν αὐτὴν τοῦ βασιλικοῦ, καὶ φορῶν αὐτὴν προσεκυνεῖτο ὑπὸ πάσῃ; τῖςς ἄνω των, ὀρκῶν, ἐξουσιῶν. Ποῖος λόγος, ποία διάνοια τὴν τοσαύτην τιμὴν τὴν εἰς τὸ γένος γεγενημένην τὸ ἡμέτερον, τὴν ὄντως ὑπερφυῆ καὶ φριχτὴν παραστῆσαι δυνήσεται; τίς ἄγγελος; τίς ἀρχάγγελος; Οὐδεὶς οὐδαμοῦ, οὐ τῶν ἐν οὐρανῷ, οὐ τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς. Τοιαῦτα γὰρ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὰ κατορθώματα, καὶ οὕτω μεγάλα: καὶ ὑπερφυεῖς αἱ εὐεργεσίαι αὐτοῦ, ὡς μὴ μόνον ἀνθρωπίνην γλῶτταν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀγγελικὴν δύναμιν ὑπερβαίνειν αὐτῶν τὴν ἀχριδῇ διήγησιν. Διὸ καὶ ἡμεῖς εἰς σιγὴν τέως; τὸν λόγον χαταχλείσομεν, τοσοῦτον ὑμῖν παρεγγυήσαντες, ἀμείψασθαι τὸν τηλικοῦτον ἡμῶν εὐεργέτην ἀμοιδαῖς, αἵ πάλιν εἰς ἡμᾶ; τὸ κέρδο; περιστήσουσιν ἱ ἅπαν. Αὗται δέ εἰσι, τὸ τῆς Ψυχῆς ἡμᾶς μετὰ ἀχριδείας ἐπιμελεῖσθαι τῆς ἡμετέρας. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο τῆς αὐτοῦ φιλανθρωπίας ἔργον, τὸ μηδενὸς ἐν χρείᾳ τῶν ἡμετέρων καθεστηκότα αὐτὸν λέγειν κομίζεσθαι τὰς ἀμοιδὰς, ὅταν ἡμεῖς τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπιμελώμεθα τῆς ἑαυτῶν. Διὸ καὶ ἐσχάτης ἀνοίας καὶ μυρίων κολάσεων ἄξιον, τὸ τοσαύτης ἀπολελαυχότας τιμῆς. μηδὲ τὰ κατὰ δύναμιν εἰσενεγκεῖν καὶ ταῦτα, τῆς ἐκ τούτοιν ὠφελείας εἰς ἡμᾶς περιερχομένης πάλιν, καὶ μυρίων ἐπὶ τούτοις κειμένων ἡμῖν ἀγαθῶν. Ὑπὲρ δὴ τούτων ἁπάντων δόξαν ἀναπέμψωμεν τῷ φιλανθρώπῳ Θεῷ, μὴ διὰ τῶν ῥημάτων μόνον, ἀλλὰ πολλῷ μᾶλλον διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων, ἴ ἵνα καὶ τῶν μετὰ ταῦτα τύχωμεν ἀγαθῶν ὧν γένοιτο ὙΠ ἐμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. δι᾽ οὗ καὶ μεθ᾽ οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἣ ᾿ξόξα, ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, εἰς τοὺς αἱό;νας τῶν αἰώνων. 'Αμήν.
Tinos oun heneken tǭ ᾿Egeneto kechrētai rhēmati? Ta tōn hairetikōn emphrattōn stomata. Epeidē gar eisin hoi legontes, hoti phantasia tis hēn kai hypokrisis kai hyponoia ta tēs oikonomias hapanta, anōthen hautōn na rōn tēn blasphēmian, to Egeneto tetheiken" ou metabolēn ousias, apage, alla sarkos alēthinēs analēpsin parastēsai boulomenos. "Hōsper gar hotan legę̄, Christos hēmas exēgorasen ek tēs kataras tou nomou, genomenos hyper hēmōn katara, ou touto phę̄ēsin, hoti hē ousia autou, tēs oikeia? apostasa doxēs, eis kataran metepoiēthē " touto gar oud᾽ an daimones ennoēsaien, oute hoi sphodra anon toi kai tōn kata physin apesterēmenos phrenōn" tosautēn echei ha meta tēs asetheias kai tēn paran" ta)" hou dē touto oun legei, all᾽ hoti tēn kath᾽ hēmōn kataran dexamenos, ouk aphiēsin hēmas eparatous einai loipon " houtō dē kai entautha sarka, phēsin, auton genesthai, ou rhxtathalonta eis dynata!, hōste kai eis saocha metapesein edynato" ekeino ttros autous eroumen, hoti panta dynatas, heōs an menę̄ Theos hōn " ei hoe metabolēn edexato, kai metadolēn epi to cheiron, pō? an eiē Theos? To gar meta- Thalleothai, porrhō tēs akēratou physeōs ekeinēs. Dio kai ho Prophētēs :lege" Pantes hōs himation palaiōthēsontai, kai hōsei peridolaion helixeis autous, kai allagēsontai. Sy de dautos ei, kai ta etē sou ouk ekleipsousi. Pasēs gar anōtera ho metatholēs hē outia autē. Oute gar kreitton ti estin autou, hōste prochopsanta auton epi touto elthein, Ti legō kreitton? Ouden ison. oude mekryn engys. Oukoun hi leïpetai tēn epi to cheiron auton dexasthai metabolēn, ei ge metaballoito. Touto de ouk an eię̄ Theos. ᾿All᾽ hē blasphēmia trapeiē eis tēn tōn tauta legontōn chephale y. Hoti gar dia touto monon eirētai to, E) enmdto, hina mē phantasian hypoladę̄s, skopei dia tōn xxēs, pōs ekchathairei ton logou, kai tēn hyponoian anatrepei tēn ponēran. Epēgage gar' Kai eskēnōsen hod en hēmin" mononouchi legōn, mēden atopon hypopteusę̄s apo tou. Egeneto. Hou gar tropēn eipon tēs atreptou physeōs ekeinēs, alla skēnōsin kai katoikēsin. To de schtnoun, ou tauton an eiē tę̄ skēnę̄, all᾽ heteron. Heteron gar en heterǭ schēnoi " epei oud᾽ an eię̄ schēnōsis" ouden gar hen heautǭ katoikei, Heteron de eipon kata tēn ousian. Tę̄ gar henōsei kai tę̄ synapheią hen estin ho Theos Logos kai hē sarx, ou synchyseōs genomenēs, ouxe smou tōn ousiōn all᾽ henōseōs arrhētou tinos? kai aphrastou. To de ho hopōs, mē ē zētei" egeneto gar hōs hoiden autos. Tis oun estin hē skēnē hēn kat eskēnōsen? Akouson tou Prophēt tou legontos " ᾿Agastēsō tēn skēnēn chei ptōma aniaton ē physis hē hēmetera, kai tēs krataias ekeinēs edeito monēs cheiros. Oude garę̄ hēn heterōs anastēnatautēēn, mē tou tēn archēn dia platantos autę̄ cheira orexantos, tai diaxytōsantōs anōthen tę̄ di hydatos anagennēsei kai Pneumato?. Kai thea moi to phrikton kai ap᾿ torrhēton tou mystēriou " Diapantos chatoichkei tēn skēnēn ho. tēn gar sarka tēn hēmeteran periethaleto, ouk hōs? palin autēn aphesōn, all' hōs diapantos exōn meth᾽ hechytou. Ou gar an, ei mē touto ēn, kai tou thronou katēxiōsen autēn tou basilikou, kai phorōn autēn prosekyneito hypo pasę̄? tiss anō tōn, orkōn, exousiōn. Poios logos, poia dianoia tēn tosautēn timēn tēn eis to genos gegenēmenēn to hēmeteron, tēn ontōs hyperphyē kai phrichtēn parastēsai dynēsetai? tis angelos? tis archangelos? Oudeis oudamou, ou tōn en ouranǭ, ou tōn epi gēs. Toiauta gar tou Theou ta katorthōmata, kai houtō megala: kai hyperphyeis hai euergesiai autou, hōs mē monon anthrōpinēn glōttan, alla kai angelikēn dynamin hyperbainein autōn tēn achridę̄ diēgēsin. Dio kai hēmeis eis sigēn teōs? ton logon chatachleisomen, tosouton hymin parengyēsantes, ameipsasthai ton tēlikouton hēmōn euergetēn amoidais, hai palin eis hēma? to kerdo? peristēsousin hi hapan. Hautai de eisi, to tēs Psychēs hēmas meta achrideias epimeleisthai tēs hēmeteras. Kai gar kai touto tēs autou philanthrōpias ergon, to mēdenos en chreią tōn hēmeterōn kathestēkota auton legein komizesthai tas amoidas, hotan hēmeis tēs psychēs epimelōmetha tēs heautōn. Dio kai eschatēs anoias kai myriōn kolaseōn axion, to tosautēs apolelauchotas timēs. mēde ta kata dynamin eisenenkein kai tauta, tēs ek toutoin ōpheleias eis hēmas perierchomenēs palin, kai myriōn epi toutois keimenōn hēmin agathōn. Hyper dē toutōn hapantōn doxan anapempsōmen tǭ philanthrōpǭ Theǭ, mē dia tōn rhēmatōn monon, alla pollǭ mallon dia tōn pragmatōn, i hina kai tōn meta tauta tychōmen agathōn hōn genoito HyP emas epitychein, chariti kai philanthrōpią tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou. di᾽ hou kai meth᾽ hou tǭ Patri hē ᾿xoxa, hama tǭ hagiǭ Pneumati, eis tous haio?nas tōn aiōnōn. 'Amēn.
Why, then, does he use the word “became”? To stop the mouths of the heretics. For since there are some who say that the whole economy was an appearance, a pretense, a mere supposition, he put “became” to cut off their blasphemy beforehand, wishing to show not a change of essence (far from it!), but the taking up of real flesh. For when Paul says, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us,” he does not mean that his essence departed from its own glory and was turned into a curse (not even demons would think this, nor those utterly foolish and deprived of their natural senses; such folly does it contain along with its impiety); he does not mean this, but that by taking on himself the curse against us he no longer lets us be accursed. So here too he says that he became flesh, not [by changing his essence into flesh, but by taking up flesh, his essence remaining unimpaired. And if they say that, being God, he can do all things,] so that he could also have been changed into flesh, we shall say this to them: he can do all things as long as he remains God; but if he underwent change, and change for the worse, how could he be God? For change is far from that pure nature. That is why the prophet said, “They will all grow old like a garment, and like a cloak you will roll them up, and they will be changed; but you are the same, and your years will not fail.” For that essence is above all change. For there is nothing better than he, that he should advance and come to it. Why do I say better? There is nothing equal to him, nor even a little near. It remains, then, that if he changed he would undergo change for the worse; and such a one would not be God. But may the blasphemy recoil on the heads of those who utter it.
For to see that “became” was said only so that you may not suppose it to be an appearance, consider from what follows how he purifies the expression and overturns the wicked suspicion. For he added, “And dwelt among us,” all but saying, “Suspect nothing absurd from ‘became.’ For I spoke not of a change of that unchangeable nature, but of a dwelling and habitation.” And what dwells would not be the same as the tent, but something other; for one thing dwells in another, otherwise it would not be dwelling, since nothing dwells in itself. And I said “other” in essence. For by union and conjunction God the Word and the flesh are one, without any confusion or obliteration of the essences, but by an ineffable and inexpressible union. Do not ask how; it came about as he knows. What, then, is the tent in which he dwelt? Hear the prophet saying, “I will raise up the tent [of David that has fallen.” For truly our nature had fallen,] a fall past healing, and it needed that mighty hand alone. For it was impossible to raise it in any other way, unless he who formed it in the beginning stretched out his hand to it and refashioned it from above by the new birth of water and the Spirit. And see the awesome and ineffable character of the mystery: he dwells in the tent forever. For he put on our flesh not as one who would lay it aside again, but as one who would have it with him forever. Otherwise he would not have counted it worthy of the royal throne, nor would he, wearing it, be worshiped by the whole host above, angels, archangels, thrones, principalities, powers. What word, what mind could present the honor done to our race, truly supernatural and awesome? What angel? What archangel? No one anywhere, neither in heaven nor on earth. For such are God’s achievements, and so great and supernatural his benefits, that their exact narration surpasses not only the human tongue but even angelic power.
So we too will close our discourse for now in silence, charging you only this much: to repay so great a benefactor with returns that will bring all the gain back to us again. And these are: to take exact care of our own souls. For this too is the work of his loving-kindness, that he, who needs nothing of ours, says that he receives a return when we care for our own souls. That is why it deserves the charge of extreme folly and ten thousand punishments, that having enjoyed so great an honor we do not contribute even what lies in our power, especially when the benefit from it comes round again to us, and ten thousand good things besides lie in store for us. For all these things, then, let us send up glory to the God who loves mankind, not by words only, but much more by deeds, so that we may obtain the good things to come as well. May we all attain them, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom be glory to the Father together with the Holy Spirit, to the ages of ages. Amen.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
John 1:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 3:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 102:26 (101:27 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 102:27 (101:28 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Amos 9:11 (quotation, high confidence) · John 3:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 1:21 (allusion, medium confidence) · Heb 1:6 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: “Became flesh” refutes those who called the incarnation an appearance, yet implies no change in the unchangeable Word, for “dwelt” shows that God the Word and the flesh are one by an ineffable union without confusion, and he keeps our nature forever.
- Those who said the incarnation was only an appearance are the Docetists (and, in Chrysostom’s time, groups such as the Manichaeans). Quotations: Gal 3:13; Ps 102:26–27 (LXX 101:27–28); John 1:14; Amos 9:11. New birth of water and the Spirit: John 3:5. The worship of the heavenly powers: Heb 1:6; Eph 1:21. Several lines are lost in the scan in this ref, notably after “he became flesh, not” and after the quotation of Amos 9:11; the bracketed words supply the sense, and Latin notes interleaved in the OCR have been removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; leaked Latin apparatus, marginal note or column marks removed): αἱρ:τικῶν → αἱρετικῶν; τὸ ᾿Εγέγεεο τέθεικεν → τὸ Ἐγένετο τέθεικεν; μεταθολὴν οὐσίας → μεταβολὴν οὐσίας; ἐξηγόέρασεν → ἐξηγόρασεν; τοῦ γόμου → τοῦ νόμου; ἀποστᾶπα δόξης, εἰς κατάραν οὐπιώθη → ἀποστᾶσα δόξης, εἰς κατάραν μετεποιήθη; ἀφίηοιν ἡμᾶ: → ἀφίησιν ἡμᾶς; πύῤῥω τῇ; ἀκτράϊου → πόῤῥω τῆς ἀκηράτου; ἐμάτιο» παλαιωθήσονται → ἱμάτιον παλαιωθήσονται; ἑ.1ἰξεις αὑτοὺς, «αὶ ἀλαγήσοντα: → ἑλίξεις αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἀλλαγήσονται; ἐκιἰείψουσι. Πάτης → ἐκλείψουσι. Πάσης; τυῦ, 106 ἔχει. ΞΑΝΠ. ἔχον. 5 ἀνωτέρω μένοι Γ “οἵ σον. οἰϊῖ. χρεΐίττον; ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ ἴσον, οὐδὲ μικρὸν ἐγγύς. ενὐχοῦν. Μοτοῖ, κρεῖττον; οὐδὲν ἴσον, οὐδὲ μικρῶν γοῦν αὐτῷ" οὐκοῦν. → ; μεταθάλίλ)οιτο → μεταβάλλοιτο; σχόπε: → σκόπει; Βονονουχὶ → μονονουχὶ; σκήνωσιν καὶκ κατοίκησιν → σκήνωσιν καὶ κατοίκησιν; Λόγος καλὴ σὰρξ → Λόγος καὶ ἡ σὰρξ; τὴν σχηγὴν → τὴν σκηνὴν; χρακαιᾶς → κραταιᾶς; ἀναγεννέσε: → ἀναγεννήσει; τὴν ποσαύτην τιμὴν → τὴν τοσαύτην τιμὴν; ὑπερξαίνειν → ὑπερβαίνειν; πυρεγγυήσαντες → παρεγγυήσαντες; Λὗται δέ → Αὗται δέ; φιλανηρωπέχ → φιλανθρωπίᾳ; 5118 “Δίοτοι. 5.}}}. εἱ οὐδά. οἰ". τί γὰρ ἐπάγει; καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν. ΒΑ}} ὅπως ἐγένετο ἀκριδῶς μή. → .
Topics: Christology, Heresy, Baptism
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Jo. 11.2 (PG 59:25; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-ioannem/11-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-ioannem/11-2
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca 59 (archive.org OCR; homily starts checked against Gaume 1834; corrections logged); compared afterwards with NPNF¹ 14.