Sophia Scriptura

Homilies on John 34.1–34.3

John Chrysostom · Homilies on John · ca. 390 · Antioch · 3 passages

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 34

34.1PG 59:195

'Ἀρφῆκεν οὖν τὴν» ὑδρίαν αὐτῆς ἡ γυνὴ, καὶ ἀπῇ.θεν εἰς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ «έγει τοῖς ἀνθρώποις" « Δεῦτε, ἴδετε ἄνθρωπον, ὃς εἶπέ μοι πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησα" μήτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός; ν Πολλῆς ἡμῖν θερμότητος δεῖ καὶ σπουδῆς διεγηγερμένης" ταύτης γὰρ ἄνευ οὐκ ἕνεστι " τυχεῖν τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἡμῖν ἀγαθῶν. Καὶ τοῦτο δεικνὺς ὁ Χριστός φησι, νῦν μέν" ᾽Εὰν μή τις ἄρῃ τὸν σταυρὸν αὖτοῦ καὶ ἀκολουθήσῃ μοι, οὐκ ἔστι μου ἄξιος" νῦν δὲ, Πῦρ ἤ1θον βαλεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ τί ἤθελον εἰ ἤδη ἀνήφθη; δι᾽ ἀμφοτέρων τούτων τὸν διαχαῇ καὶ πεπυρωμένον μαθητὴν καὶ πρὸς πάντα κίνδυνον παρεσχενασμένον ἡμῖν παραστῆσαι βουλόμενος. Τοιαὐτὴ τις ἦν καὶ αὕτη ἡ γυνή. Οὕτω γὰρ ὑπὸ τῶν εἰρημένων ἀνήφθη, ὡς καὶ τὴν ὑδρίαν ἀφεῖναι, καὶ τὴν χρείαν δι᾽ ἣν παρεγένετο, καὶ δραμοῦσαν εἰς τὴν πόλιν, πάντα τὸν δῆμον ἑλκύσαι πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν. Δεῦτε γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ ἴδετε ἄγθρωπον,, ὃς εἶπέ μοι πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησα. Σκόπει σπουδὴν καὶ σύνεσιν" ἯΝλθεν ὑδρεύσασθαι" καὶ ἐπειδὴ τῆς ἀληθινῆς πηγῆς ἐπέτυχε, κατεφρόνησε λοιπὸν τῆς αἰσθητῆς, διδάσκουσα ἡμᾶς, εἰ καὶ διὰ μικροῦ παραδείγματος, ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως ἐν τῇ τῶν πνευματικῶν ἀκροάσει πάντων ὑπερορᾷν τῶν βιωτικῶν, καὶ μηδένα λόγον αὑτῶν ποιεῖσθαι », Κατὰ γὰρ τὴν ἰδίαν δύναμιν, ὅπερ οἱ ἀπόστολοι ἐποίησᾶν, καὶ αὕτη πεποίηκε μειζόνως. Ἐκεῖνοι μὲν γὰρ οἱ κληθέντες ἀφῆκαν τὰ δίκτυα" αὕτη δὲ αὐτομάτως, οὐδενὸς παραγγείλαντος, ἀφίησι τὴν ὑδρίαν καὶ εὐαγγελιστῶν ἔργον ποιεῖ ὑπὸ τῆς χαρᾶς « ἀναπτερωθεῖσα. Καὶ οὐκ ἕνα καλεῖ καὶ δεύτερον, καθάπερ ᾿Ανδρέας καὶ Φίλιππος, ἀλλὰ πόλιν ὁλόχλτρον ἀναστήσασα καὶ δῆμον τοσοῦτον, οὕτω πρὸς αὐτὸν ἤγαγε ἃ. Καὶ σκόπει πῶς συνετῶς λέγει. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπε, Δεῦτε, ἴδετε τὸν Χριστὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὴ μετὰ συγχαταδάσεως, μεθ᾽ ἧς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς αὐτὴν ἐσαγήνευσεν, ἐπισπᾶται τοὺς ἄνδρας. Δεῦτε γὰρ, ἴδετε ἄνθρωπον, φησὶν, ὃς εἶπέ μοι πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησα. Καὶ οὐκ ἡσχύνθη εἰπεῖν, ὅτι Εἶπέ μοι πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησα. Καίτοι γε ἐνῆν εἰγκεῖν ἑτέρωτ᾽ Δεῦτε, ἴδετε προφητεύοντα" ἀλλ᾽ ὅταν πορωθῇ Ψυχὴ τῷ πυρὶ τῷ θείῳ, πρὸς οὐδὲν τῶν ἐν τῇ γῇ λοιπὸν ὁρᾷ, οὐ πρὸς δόξαν, οὐ πρὸς αἱσχύνην, ἀλλ᾽ ἑνός ἔστι μόνου, τῆς κατεχούσης αὐτὴ" φλογός. Μήτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός; Ὅρα πάλιν σοφίαν πολλὴν γυναικός. Οὔτε ἀπεφήνατο σαφῶς, οὔτε ἐσίγησεν. Ἐδούλετο γὰρ οὐκ ἐκ τῆς οἰκείας ἀποφάσεως εἰσάγειν αὐτοὺς, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τῆς ἀκροάσεως τῆς ἐχείνου τῆς ψήφου ταύτης ποιῆσαι κοινωνούς" ὃ μᾶλλον εὐπαράδεκτον ἐποίξ: τὸν λόγον. Καίτοι οὐ πάντα αὑτῆς τὸν βίον ἐξήγγειλεν, ἀλλὰ ἀπὸ τῶν εἰρημένων καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἐπέπειστο. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπε, Δεῦτε, πιστεύσατε, ἀλλὰ, Δεῦτε, ἴδετε. ὃ τούτου κουφότερον 5 ἦν, καὶ μᾶλλον αὑτοὺς ἐφείλχετο. Εἶδες τῆς γυναικὸς τὴν σοφίαν; “Πδει γὰρ, ἤδει σαφῶς, ὅτι γευσάμενοι μόνον τῆς πηγῆς ἐκείνης, τὰ αὐτὰ πείσονται ὅπερ καὶ αὑτὴ. Καίτοι γε εἴ τις τῶν ἄλλων ἣν τῶν παχυτέρων, καὶ συνεσκίασεν ἂν τὸν ἔλεγχον " αὕτη δὲ ἐχπομπεύει τὸν ἑαυτῆς βίον καὶ εἰς μέσον προτίθησιν, ὥστε πάντας ἐπιτπάσασθαι καὶ ἑλεῖν. Ἐν δὲ τῷ μεταξὺ ἠρώτων αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὑτοῦ, «Ἰέγοντες" Ῥαδδὶ, φάγε. Τὸ, ᾿Ηρώτων, ἐνταῦθα Παρεκάλουν ἐστὶ, τῇ ἐγχωρίῳ αὐτῶν φωνῇ. ᾿Ορῶντες γὰρ αὐτὸν κεκμηκότα ὑπὸ τῆς ὁδοιπορία. καὶ τῆς ἐπικειμένης φλογὸς, παρεκάλουν αὐτόν. 0. γὰρ ἣν προπετείας τὸ δεῖσθαι ὑπὲρ σιτίων, ἀλλὰ φι λοστοογίας τῆς περὶ τὸν διδάσκαλον. Τί οὖν ὁ Χριστός Ἐγὼ βρῶσιν ἔχω φαγεῖν, ἣν ὑμεῖς οὐκ οἵδατε Ἔλεγον οὖν πρὸς ἀλλήλους" Μή τις ἤνεγχει αὐτῷ φαγεῖν; Τί τοίνυν θαυμάζεις εἰ ἡ γυνὴ, ὕξωι ἀκούσασα, ἕτι ὕδωρ ἐφαντάζετο, ὅπου γε καὶ οἱ μα θηταὶ ἔτι ταῦτα πάσχονσι, καὶ οὐδὲν οὔπω πνευματ'χὸν νοοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ ἀποροῦσι μὲν, πάλιν δὲ τὴν αἰδὰ τὴν συνήθη καὶ τὴν τιμὴν τῷ διδασκάλῳ νέμουσι πρὸς ἀλλήλους μὲν διαλεγόμενοι, αὐτῷ δὲ πεῦσιν ο τολμῶντες προσαγαγεῖν; Τοῦτο καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ ποιοῦσιν ἐπιθυμοῦντες μὲν ἐρωτῆσαι, οὐκ ἐρωτῶντες δέ, Τ οὖν ὁ Χριστός; ᾿Εμὸν βρῶμά ἐστι, φησὶν, ἵνα ποις τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με, καὶ τελειώσω αὐτοὶ τὸ ἔργον. Τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων σωτηρίαν ἐνταῦθ. βρῶσιν ἐκάλεσε, δεικνὺς ὅσην ἐπιθυμίαν ἔχει τῇ, ἡμετέρας προνοίας. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἡμῖν ποθεινὸν τ ἐσθίειν, οὕτως αὐτῷ τὸ σωθῆναι ἡμᾶς. “Ἄκουε δὲ πῶ πανταχοῦ οὐκ ἐκ τοῦ προχείρου πάντα ἀποχαλύττει ἀλλὰ πρῶτον εἰς ἀπορίαν ἐμδάλλει τὸν ἀκροατὴν, ἵν: ἀρξάμενος ζητεῖν τί τὸ λεγόμενον ἴ, εἶτα ἀπορῶν χα κάμνων, μετὰ πλείονος ὑποδέξηται προθυμίας φανὲ τὸ ζητούμενον, καὶ μᾶλλον διαναστῇ πρὸς τὴν ἀχρύα σιν. Διατί γὰρ μὴ εὐθέως εἶπε, Ἐμὸν βρῶμά ἐστιν ἵγα ποιήσω τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Πατρός μου; καίτο οὐδὲ τοῦτο σαφὲς ἣν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ προτέρου σαφέστερον ἀλλὰ τί; ᾿Εγὼ, φησὶ, βρῶσιν ἔχω φαγεῖν, ἣν ὑμεῖ. οὐκ οἴδατε. Πρότερον γὰρ αὐτοὺς, ὅπερ ἔφην, τ' καὶ ἐθίσαι καὶ διὰ τοιούτων αἰνιγμάτων ἀκούειν -. λεγόμενα. Τί δέ ἔστι τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Πατρός; Λέγε λοιπὸν αὐτὸ καὶ ἑρμηνεύει ᾿ Οὐκ ὑμεῖς Δέγετε ὅι ἔτι τετράμηγόν ἐστι, καὶ ὁ θερισμὸς ἔρχεται ἡδοὺ «λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐπάρατε τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ὑμῶν καὶ θεάσασθε τὰς χώρας, ὅτι «ευκαί εἰσι πρὸ θερισμόν.

'Arphēken oun tēn» hydrian autēs hē gynē, kai apę̄.then eis tēn polin, kai «egei tois anthrōpois" « Deute, idete anthrōpon, hos eipe moi panta hosa epoiēsa" mēti houtos estin ho Christos? n Pollēs hēmin thermotētos dei kai spoudēs diegēgermenēs" tautēs gar aneu ouk henesti " tychein tōn epēngelmenōn hēmin agathōn. Kai touto deiknys ho Christos phēsi, nyn men" ᾽Ean mē tis arę̄ ton stauron autou kai akolouthēsę̄ moi, ouk esti mou axios" nyn de, Pyr ē1thon balein epi tēn gēn, kai ti ēthelon ei ēdē anēphthē? di᾽ amphoterōn toutōn ton diachaę̄ kai pepyrōmenon mathētēn kai pros panta kindynon pareschenasmenon hēmin parastēsai boulomenos. Toiautē tis ēn kai hautē hē gynē. Houtō gar hypo tōn eirēmenōn anēphthē, hōs kai tēn hydrian apheinai, kai tēn chreian di᾽ hēn paregeneto, kai dramousan eis tēn polin, panta ton dēmon helkysai pros ton Iēsoun. Deute gar, phēsi, kai idete agthrōpon,, hos eipe moi panta hosa epoiēsa. Skopei spoudēn kai synesin" HēNlthen hydreusasthai" kai epeidē tēs alēthinēs pēgēs epetyche, katephronēse loipon tēs aisthētēs, didaskousa hēmas, ei kai dia mikrou paradeigmatos, all᾽ homōs en tę̄ tōn pneumatikōn akroasei pantōn hyperorąn tōn biōtikōn, kai mēdena logon hautōn poieisthai », Kata gar tēn idian dynamin, hoper hoi apostoloi epoiēsan, kai hautē pepoiēke meizonōs. Ekeinoi men gar hoi klēthentes aphēkan ta diktya" hautē de automatōs, oudenos parangeilantos, aphiēsi tēn hydrian kai euangelistōn ergon poiei hypo tēs charas « anapterōtheisa. Kai ouk hena kalei kai deuteron, kathaper ᾿Andreas kai Philippos, alla polin holochltron anastēsasa kai dēmon tosouton, houtō pros auton ēgage ha. Kai skopei pōs synetōs legei. Ou gar eipe, Deute, idete ton Christon, alla kai autē meta synchatadaseōs, meth᾽ hēs kai ho Christos autēn esagēneusen, epispatai tous andras. Deute gar, idete anthrōpon, phēsin, hos eipe moi panta hosa epoiēsa. Kai ouk hēschynthē eipein, hoti Eipe moi panta hosa epoiēsa. Kaitoi ge enēn einkein heterōt᾽ Deute, idete prophēteuonta" all᾽ hotan porōthę̄ Psychē tǭ pyri tǭ theiǭ, pros ouden tōn en tę̄ gę̄ loipon horą, ou pros doxan, ou pros haischynēn, all᾽ henos esti monou, tēs katechousēs autē" phlogos. Mēti houtos estin ho Christos? Hora palin sophian pollēn gynaikos. Oute apephēnato saphōs, oute esigēsen. Edouleto gar ouk ek tēs oikeias apophaseōs eisagein autous, all᾽ ek tēs akroaseōs tēs echeinou tēs psēphou tautēs poiēsai koinōnous" ho mallon euparadekton epoix: ton logon. Kaitoi ou panta hautēs ton bion exēngeilen, alla apo tōn eirēmenōn kai peri tōn allōn epepeisto. Kai ouk eipe, Deute, pisteusate, alla, Deute, idete. ho toutou kouphoteron 5 ēn, kai mallon hautous epheilcheto. Eides tēs gynaikos tēn sophian? “Pdei gar, ēdei saphōs, hoti geusamenoi monon tēs pēgēs ekeinēs, ta auta peisontai hoper kai hautē. Kaitoi ge ei tis tōn allōn hēn tōn pachyterōn, kai syneskiasen an ton elenchon " hautē de echpompeuei ton heautēs bion kai eis meson protithēsin, hōste pantas epitpasasthai kai helein. En de tǭ metaxy ērōtōn auton hoi mathētai hautou, «Iegontes" Rhaddi, phage. To, ᾿Ērōtōn, entautha Parekaloun esti, tę̄ enchōriǭ autōn phōnę̄. ᾿Orōntes gar auton kekmēkota hypo tēs hodoiporia. kai tēs epikeimenēs phlogos, parekaloun auton. 0. gar hēn propeteias to deisthai hyper sitiōn, alla phi lostoogias tēs peri ton didaskalon. Ti oun ho Christos Egō brōsin echō phagein, hēn hymeis ouk hoidate Elegon oun pros allēlous" Mē tis ēnenchei autǭ phagein? Ti toinyn thaumazeis ei hē gynē, hyxōi akousasa, heti hydōr ephantazeto, hopou ge kai hoi ma thētai eti tauta paschonsi, kai ouden oupō pneumat'chon noousin, alla aporousi men, palin de tēn aida tēn synēthē kai tēn timēn tǭ didaskalǭ nemousi pros allēlous men dialegomenoi, autǭ de peusin o tolmōntes prosagagein? Touto kai allachou poiousin epithymountes men erōtēsai, ouk erōtōntes de, T oun ho Christos? ᾿Emon brōma esti, phēsin, hina pois to thelēma tou pempsantos me, kai teleiōsō autoi to ergon. Tēn tōn anthrōpōn sōtērian entauth. brōsin ekalese, deiknys hosēn epithymian echei tę̄, hēmeteras pronoias. Hōsper gar hēmin potheinon t esthiein, houtōs autǭ to sōthēnai hēmas. “Akoue de pō pantachou ouk ek tou procheirou panta apochalyttei alla prōton eis aporian emdallei ton akroatēn, hin: arxamenos zētein ti to legomenon i, eita aporōn cha kamnōn, meta pleionos hypodexētai prothymias phane to zētoumenon, kai mallon dianastę̄ pros tēn achrya sin. Diati gar mē eutheōs eipe, Emon brōma estin higa poiēsō to thelēma tou Patros mou? kaito oude touto saphes hēn, alla tou proterou saphesteron alla ti? ᾿Egō, phēsi, brōsin echō phagein, hēn hymei. ouk oidate. Proteron gar autous, hoper ephēn, t' kai ethisai kai dia toioutōn ainigmatōn akouein -. legomena. Ti de esti to thelēma tou Patros? Lege loipon auto kai hermēneuei ᾿ Ouk hymeis Degete hoi eti tetramēgon esti, kai ho therismos erchetai hēdou «legō hymin, eparate tous ophthalmous hymōn kai theasasthe tas chōras, hoti «eukai eisi pro therismon.

“The woman then left her water jar and went away into the city, and says to the people, ‘Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?’” We need great fervor and roused zeal; without it one cannot obtain the good things promised to us. Showing this, Christ says at one time, “If anyone does not take up his cross and follow me, he is not worthy of me,” and at another, “I came to cast fire upon the earth, and what do I wish if it is already kindled?”—by both wishing to set before us a disciple who is ardent and on fire and prepared for every danger. Such was this woman too. She was so kindled by what was said that she left her water jar and the errand for which she had come, and ran to the city and drew the whole people to Jesus. “Come,” she says, “and see a man who told me all that I ever did.” Consider her zeal and understanding. She came to draw water; and when she had found the true spring, she despised the perceptible one thereafter, teaching us, though by a small example, to overlook all the things of this life when we are hearing spiritual things, and to make no account of them. For according to her own capacity she did what the apostles did, and even more. They left their nets when they were called; but she, of her own accord, with no one commanding, leaves her water jar and does the work of evangelists, given wings by joy. And she does not call one or two, as Andrew and Philip did, but rousing a whole city and so large a people, she brought them to him. And see how shrewdly she speaks. She did not say, “Come, see the Christ,” but she too draws the men with the same condescension with which Christ had caught her in his net: “Come,” she says, “see a man who told me all that I ever did.” And she was not ashamed to say, “He told me all that I ever did.” Yet she could have said otherwise, “Come, see one who prophesies”; but when a soul is set on fire by the divine fire, it no longer looks to anything on earth, not to glory, not to shame, but belongs to one thing only, the flame that holds it. “Can this be the Christ?” See again the woman's great wisdom: she neither declared it plainly nor kept silent. For she wished to bring them in not by her own declaration but by making them sharers in this verdict through hearing him, which made her word more acceptable. And yet he had not told her whole life; but from what was said she was persuaded about the rest too. And she did not say, “Come, believe,” but “Come, see,” which was lighter and drew them more. Have you seen the woman's wisdom? She knew, she knew clearly, that if they only tasted that spring they would experience the same as she did. And yet someone of the duller sort would even have concealed the reproof; but she parades her own life and sets it in the open, so as to draw and win everyone.

“Meanwhile his disciples were asking him, saying, ‘Rabbi, eat.’” “Were asking” here means “were urging,” in their local speech. For seeing him exhausted by the journey and the burning heat, they urged him; asking him about food was not presumption, but affection for their teacher. What then does Christ say? “I have food to eat that you do not know.” So they said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” Why then do you marvel if the woman, hearing of water, still imagined water, since even the disciples still experience the same and understand nothing spiritual yet, but are perplexed, while again paying their customary respect and honor to the teacher, talking among themselves but not daring to put a question to him? This they do elsewhere too, wishing to ask but not asking. What then does Christ say? “My food,” he says, “is to do the will of him who sent me, and to finish his work.” Here he called the salvation of human beings food, showing how great a desire he has to provide for us. For as eating is desirable to us, so our being saved is to him. And hear how everywhere he does not reveal everything at the outset, but first throws the hearer into perplexity, so that, beginning to seek what is meant, and then being perplexed and toiling, he may receive what he seeks with greater eagerness when it appears, and be more roused to listen. For why did he not say at once, “My food is to do the will of my Father”? Not even this was clear, though clearer than the first. But what did he say? “I have food to eat,” he says, “that you do not know.” For first, as I said, he wished to make them more attentive and to accustom them to hear what is said through such riddles. And what is the will of the Father? He next states and interprets it: “Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and the harvest comes’? Behold, I tell you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are white for harvest.”

John 4:28 (quotation, high confidence) · John 4:29 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 10:38 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 12:49 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 4:20 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 1:41 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 1:45 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 4:31 (quotation, high confidence) · John 4:32 (quotation, high confidence) · John 4:33 (quotation, high confidence) · John 4:34 (quotation, high confidence) · John 4:35 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Samaritan woman, kindled by Christ's words, leaves her water jar and evangelizes her city; Christ calls the salvation of people his food.

  • Quotations: John 4:28–35; Matt 10:38; Luke 12:49; allusions to Matt 4:20; John 1:41, 45. Leaked apparatus removed by a logged correction.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (leaked apparatus): 8 ΜοΟγΕΙ. οὐδέν ἐστι. Ρ ΑἸΙΪ αὐτῶν ἔχειν. Ῥ4υ]0 ροϑί δο- Το]. πεποίηκε μειζόνως. [ἢ ϑ4Υ1}. μειζόνως ἴῃ ᾿ηαγρίπα → .

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Jo. 34.1 (PG 59:195; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-ioannem/34-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-ioannem/34-1

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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.

34.2PG 59:195

Ἰδοὺ πάλιν τοῖς συντρόφοις ὀνόμασιν ἀνάγει πρὶ πὴν τῶν μεγίστων θεωρίαν αὐτούς. Καὶ γὰρ, Βρῶμε εἰπὼν, οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἐδήλωσεν, ἣ τὴν τῶν μελλόντω παραγίνεσθαι σωτηρίαν ἀνθρώπων᾽ καὶ ἡ χώρα ἱ καὶ ὁ θερισμὸς τὸ αὐτὸ δηλοῖ, τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ψυχὰ πῶν ἑτοίμων πρὸς τὴν ὑποδοχὴν τοῦ χηρύγματο Ὀφθαλμοὺς δὲ ἐνταῦθα λέγει, καὶ τοὺς τῆς διανοία καὶ τοὺς τοῦ σώματος" καὶ γὰρ ἑώρων λοιπὸν τὸ πλ' θος ἐρχόμενον τῶν Σαμαρειτῶν" τὴν δὲ τῆς προατρ σεως αὐτῶν ἑτοιμότητα, τὰς χώρας τὰς λευκα νομένας φησίν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ ἀστάχνες 8 ἐπειδὶ λευχανθῶσι, πρὸς ἄἅμητόν εἰσιν ἕτοιμοι" οὕτω χ οὗτοι νῦν, φησὶ, πρὸς σωτηρίαν εἰσὶν παρεσχενασμ νοι καὶ εὐτρεπεῖς. Καὶ διατί μὴ εἶπε σαφῶς, ὁ ἔρχονται πιστεῦσαι οἱ ἄνθρωποι, καὶ ἕτοιμοί εἰ πρὸς ὑποδοχὴν τοῦ λόγου, χατηχγηθέντες μὲν “παι τῶν προφητῶν, καὶ τὸν καρπὸν λοιπὸν ἀποδιδόντι ἀλλὰ χώραν καὶ θερισμὸν ἐκάλεσε; τί βούλονται αὖ' αὗται αἱ τροπαί; Οὐ γὰρ ἐνταῦθα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν παντὶ τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦτο ποιεῖ" καὶ οἱ προφῆτϊ δὲ τῷ αὐτῷ κέχρηνται τρόπῳ, μεταφορικῶς ποὰὶ λέγοντες. Τί δήποτ᾽ οὖν τὸ αἴτιον; οὐ γὰρ ἀπὰλ ταῦτα τοῦ Πνεύματος ἣ χάρις ἐνομοθέτησεν" ἀλλὰ τῖνος ἕνεκεν, καὶ διατέ; Δυοῖν ἕνεκεν προφάσεων 4" μιᾶς μὲν, ὥστε ἐμφαντικώτερον γενέσθαι τὸν λόγον, καὶ μᾶλλον ὑπ᾽ ὄψιν ἄγειν. τὰ λεγόμενα. Ἡ γὰρ διάνοια, τῆς συντρόφου τῶν πραγμάτων εἰκόνος ἐπιλαδομένη, διανίσταται μᾶλλον, καὶ ὥσπερ ἐν γραφῇ τὰ πράγματα ὁρῶσα, κχατέχεται μειζόνως. Ἑνὸς μὲν οὖν ἕνεκα τούτου" δευτέρου δὲ, ὥστε καὶ γλυκαίνεσθαι τὴν διήγησιν, καὶ μονιμωτέραν εἶναι τῶν λεγομένων τὴν μνήμην. Οὐ γὰρ οὕτως ἀπόφασις χειροῦται καὶ ἐνάγει τὸν ἀκροατὴν τὸν πολὺν, ὡς ἡ διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων διήγησις, καὶ ἡ ὑπογραφὴ πείρας Ὁ. “Ὃ διὰ τῆς παραδολῆς ἔστι μετὰ πολλῆς γινόμενον ἰδεῖν τῆς σοφίας. Καὶ ὁ θερίζων, μισθὸν λαμθάγει, καὶ συνάγει καρπὸν εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ «οὔ ἀμήτου τούτου καρπὸς, οὐκ εἰς αἰώνιον ζωὴν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὴν πρόσκαιρον ταύτην προχωρεῖ" ὁ δὲ πνευ- ματιχὸς, εἰς τὴν ἀγήρω καὶ ἀθάνατον. Ὁρᾷς πῶς αἰσθητὰ μὲν τὰ ῥήματα, πνευματικὰ δὲ τὰ νοήματα, καὶ δι᾽ αὐτῶν τῶν λέξεων διαιρεῖ τὰ γήϊνα ἀπὸ τῶν οὐρανίων; Ὅπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ τοῦ ὕδατος διαλεγόμενος ἑποίησε, τὸ ἰδιάξον αὐτοῦ θεὶς, ὅτε Ὁ πίνων τὸ ὕδωρ τοῦτο οὐ μὴ διγρήσϑι, τοῦτο καὶ ἐνταῦθα ποιεῖ, τὸ εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον λέγων τὸν καρπὸν συνάγεσθαι τοῦτον" Ἴνα καὶ ὁ σπείρων ὁμοῦ καίρῃ, καὶ ὁ θερίζων. Τίς ἔστιν ὁ σπείρων, καὶ τίς ὁ θερίζων; Οἱ προφῆταί εἰσιν οἱ σπείραντες" ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ αὐτοὶ ἐθέρισαν, ἀλλ᾽ οἱ ἀπόστολοι. Οὐ μὴν διὰ τοῦτο ἀπεστέρηνται τῆς ἡδονῆς καὶ τῆς ἀμοιδῆς τῶν πόνων, ἀλλὰ συνήδονται καὶ καίρουσι σὺν ἡμῖν, εἰ καὶ μὴ σὺν ἡμῖν θερίζουσιν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ὁ ἀμητὸς ἔργον τοῦ σπόρου. "Ἔνθα οὖν ἐλάττων ἐστὶ μὲν ὁ πόνος, μείζων δὲ ἡ ἡδονὴ, ἐνταῦθα ὑμᾶς ἐτήρησα, οὐκ ἐν τῷ σπόρῳ. Πολλὴ γὰρ ἐκεῖ ἡ ταλαιπωρία καὶ ὁ πόνος. Ἐν γὰρ τῷ ἀμητῷ ἡ μὲν πρόσοδος πολλὴ, πόνος δὲ οὐ τοσοῦτος, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλὴ ἡ εὐκολία. Ἑνταῦθα δὲ βούλεται κατασκευάσαι διὰ τούτων, ὅτι Καὶ προφητῶν θέλημα τοῦτό ἐστι, τὸ ἐμοὶ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους προσελθεῖν. Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ νόμος κατεσκεύαζεν. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἔσπειραν, ἵνα τοῦτον ὁ τέχωσι τὸν καρπόν. Δείκνυσι δὲ ὅτι κἀκείνους αὐτὸς ἀπέστειλε, καὶ ὅτι πολλὴ ἡ συγγένεια τῇ Καινῇ πρὸς τὴν Παλαιὰν, καὶ πάντα ὁμοῦ διὰ τῆς παραδολῇς ταύτης κατασκευάζει. Μέπαρὰ πολλῶν. Ἐν γὰρ τούτῳ, φησὶν, ὁ ἐσεὶν ὁ ἀληθὴς, ὅτι ἄλλος ἐστὶν ὁ σπείρων, καὶ ἄλλος ὁ θερίζων.. Ταῦτα᾽ δὲ ἔλεγον οἱ πολλοὶ, εἴποτε ἄλλοι μὲν τοὺς πόνους ὑπέστησαν, ἄλλοι δὲ τοὺς χαοποὺς ἐδρέποντο" καὶ λέγει, ὅτι οὗτος ὁ λόγος ἐνταῦθα μάλιστα τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἔχει. Ἐπόνησαν μὲν γὰρ οἱ προφῆται, ὑμεῖς δὲ τοὺς καρποὺς τοὺς ἐκ τῶν ἐχείγων πόνων ἀμᾶσθε. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπε, τοὺς μισθούς" οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐκείνοις ἄμισθος ὁ πολὺς ἐκεῖνος πόνος " ἀλλὰ, ποὺς καρπούς. Τοῦτο καὶ Δανιὴλ ἐποίησε. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς παροιμίας μέμνηται λεγούσης" ἐξ ἀνόμων πἪλημμέλεια. Καὶ ὁ Δαυῖδ ἐν τῷ θρηνεῖν μέμνηται τοιαύτης παροιμίας. Διὰ τοῦτο προλαδὼν εἶπε, Ἵνα καὶ ὁ σπείρων ὁμοῦ καίρῃ καὶ ὁ θερίζων. Ἐπειξὴ γὰρ ἔμελλε λέγειν ὅτι ἄλλο; ἔσπειρε, καὶ ἄλλος θερίζει, ἵνα μή τις, ὅπερ ἔφην, ἀπεστερῆσθαι τοὺς προφήτας νομίσῃ τοῦ μισθοῦ, ξένον τι λέγει καὶ παράδοξον, καὶ τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς οὐ συμθαϊνον, ἀλλὰ τῶν πνευματικῶν ἐξαίρετον ὄν. Ἐν μὲν γὰρ. τοῖς πράγμασι τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς ἐὰν συμδῇ ἕτερον σπεῖρᾶι καὶ ἕτερον θερίσαι, οὐκ ὁμοῦ καίρουσιν, ἀλλὰ ἀλγοῦσιν οἱ σπείραντες, ἅτε ἑτέροις καμόντες, καίρουσι δὲ οἱ θερίζοντες μόνοι. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ οὐκ οὕτως, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ μὴ θερίζοντες ἅπερ ἔσπειραν, ὁμοίως ποῖς ἀμῶσι καίρουσιν" ὅθεν δῆλον, ὅτι καὶ αὐτοὶ κοινωνοῦσι τῶν μισθῶν. ᾿Εγὼ ἀπέστειλα ὑμᾶς θερίκαὶ ὑμεῖς εἰς τὸν κόπον αὐτῶν εἰσεληλύθατε. Ταύτῃ προτρέεει μᾶλλον αὐτούς. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐδόκει ἐπίπονον εἶναι τὸ πρᾶγμα τὸ τὴν οἰκουμένην περιελθεῖν καὶ κηρῦξαι, δείκνυσιν ὅτι καὶ ῥᾷστόν ἐστι ἃ, Τὸ γὰρ σφόδρα ἐπίπονον ἐκεῖνο ἦν, ὅ πολλοῦ καμάτου ἐδεῖτο, τὸ χαταθαλεῖν τὰ σπέρματα, καὶ ψυχὴν ἀμύητον ἐναγαγεῖν εἰς θεογνωσίαν. Τίνος δὲ ἕνεκεν ταῦτα φθέγγεται; "ἵνα ὅταν αὐτοὺς ἀποστείλῃ εἰς τὸ κηρῦξαι, μὴ θορυδηθῶσιν, ὡς εἰς πρᾶγμα ἐπίπονον πεμπόμενοι. Τὸ γὰρ ἐπιπονώτερον τῶν προφητῶν. ἣν, φησὶ, καὶ μαρτυρεῖ τὸ ἔργον τῷ λόγῳ, ὅτι ὑμεῖς ἐπὶ τὰ εὔκολα ἤλθετε. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ θερισμοῦ μετ᾽ εὐκολίας μὲν ὁ καρπὸς συνάγεται, καὶ ἐν μιᾷ ῥοπῇ ἡ ἅλως πληροῦται τῶν δραγμάτων, οὐκ ἀναμενόντων ὁ τὰς τῶν χαιρῶν τροπὰς, καὶ χειμῶνα καὶ ἔαρ γαὶ ὅμδρον" οὕτω καὶ νῦν γίνεται" καὶ τὰ ἔργα βοᾷ. Μεταξὺ οὖν λέγοντος αὐτοῦ ταῦτα, ἑξήεσαν οἱ Σαμαρεῖται, καὶ συνήγετο ἀθρόον ὁ. καρπός. Διὰ τοῦτο εἴπεν' Ἄρατε τοὺς ὀρθαλμοὺς ὑμῶν, καὶ βλέπετε τὰς χώρας, ὄτι “1ευκαί εἰσικ.. Εἶπε ταῦτα, καὶ τὸ ἔργον ἐφάνη, καὶ τὰ ῥήματα ἐκ τῶν πραγμάτων ἑωρᾶτο. κχ γὰρ τῆς πόλεως ἐκχείγης φησὶν, ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτὸν τῶν Σαμαρειτῶν διὰ τὸν «1όγον τῆς γυναικὸς, μαρτυρούσης, ὅτι Εἶπέ μοι πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησα. Συνεώρων γὰρ ὅτι οὐκ ἂν ἐθαύμασε ἴ πρὸς χάριν ἡ γυνὴ τὸν διελέγξαντα αὐτῆς τὰ πλημμελήματα, οὐδ' ἂν ὑπὲρ τοῦ χαρίσασθαι ἑτέρῳ τὸν ἑαυτῆς ἐξεπόμπευσε βίον.

Idou palin tois syntrophois onomasin anagei pri pēn tōn megistōn theōrian autous. Kai gar, Brōme eipōn, ouden heteron edēlōsen, hē tēn tōn mellontō paraginesthai sōtērian anthrōpōn᾽ kai hē chōra hi kai ho therismos to auto dēloi, to plēthos tōn psycha pōn hetoimōn pros tēn hypodochēn tou chērygmato Ophthalmous de entautha legei, kai tous tēs dianoia kai tous tou sōmatos" kai gar heōrōn loipon to pl' thos erchomenon tōn Samareitōn" tēn de tēs proatr seōs autōn hetoimotēta, tas chōras tas leuka nomenas phēsin. Hōsper gar hoi astachnes 8 epeidi leuchanthōsi, pros haamēton eisin hetoimoi" houtō ch houtoi nyn, phēsi, pros sōtērian eisin pareschenasm noi kai eutrepeis. Kai diati mē eipe saphōs, ho erchontai pisteusai hoi anthrōpoi, kai hetoimoi ei pros hypodochēn tou logou, chatēchgēthentes men “pai tōn prophētōn, kai ton karpon loipon apodidonti alla chōran kai therismon ekalese? ti boulontai au' hautai hai tropai? Ou gar entautha monon, alla kai en panti tǭ Euangeliǭ touto poiei" kai hoi prophētï de tǭ autǭ kechrēntai tropǭ, metaphorikōs poai legontes. Ti dēpot᾽ oun to aition? ou gar apal tauta tou Pneumatos hē charis enomothetēsen" alla tinos heneken, kai diate? Dyoin heneken prophaseōn 4" mias men, hōste emphantikōteron genesthai ton logon, kai mallon hyp᾽ opsin agein. ta legomena. Hē gar dianoia, tēs syntrophou tōn pragmatōn eikonos epiladomenē, dianistatai mallon, kai hōsper en graphę̄ ta pragmata horōsa, kchatechetai meizonōs. Henos men oun heneka toutou" deuterou de, hōste kai glykainesthai tēn diēgēsin, kai monimōteran einai tōn legomenōn tēn mnēmēn. Ou gar houtōs apophasis cheiroutai kai enagei ton akroatēn ton polyn, hōs hē dia tōn pragmatōn diēgēsis, kai hē hypographē peiras Ho. “Ho dia tēs paradolēs esti meta pollēs ginomenon idein tēs sophias. Kai ho therizōn, misthon lamthagei, kai synagei karpon eis zōēn aiōnion. Ho men gar «ou amētou toutou karpos, ouk eis aiōnion zōēn, all᾽ eis tēn proskairon tautēn prochōrei" ho de pneu- matichos, eis tēn agērō kai athanaton. Horąs pōs aisthēta men ta rhēmata, pneumatika de ta noēmata, kai di᾽ autōn tōn lexeōn diairei ta gēïna apo tōn ouraniōn? Hoper gar epi tou hydatos dialegomenos hepoiēse, to idiaxon autou theis, hote Ho pinōn to hydōr touto ou mē digrēsϑi, touto kai entautha poiei, to eis zōēn aiōnion legōn ton karpon synagesthai touton" Ina kai ho speirōn homou kairę̄, kai ho therizōn. Tis estin ho speirōn, kai tis ho therizōn? Hoi prophētai eisin hoi speirantes" all᾽ ouk autoi etherisan, all᾽ hoi apostoloi. Ou mēn dia touto apesterēntai tēs hēdonēs kai tēs amoidēs tōn ponōn, alla synēdontai kai kairousi syn hēmin, ei kai mē syn hēmin therizousin. Oude gar ho amētos ergon tou sporou. "Entha oun elattōn esti men ho ponos, meizōn de hē hēdonē, entautha hymas etērēsa, ouk en tǭ sporǭ. Pollē gar ekei hē talaipōria kai ho ponos. En gar tǭ amētǭ hē men prosodos pollē, ponos de ou tosoutos, alla kai pollē hē eukolia. Hentautha de bouletai kataskeuasai dia toutōn, hoti Kai prophētōn thelēma touto esti, to emoi tous anthrōpous proselthein. Touto kai ho nomos kateskeuazen. Dia touto kai espeiran, hina touton ho techōsi ton karpon. Deiknysi de hoti kakeinous autos apesteile, kai hoti pollē hē syngeneia tę̄ Kainę̄ pros tēn Palaian, kai panta homou dia tēs paradolę̄s tautēs kataskeuazei. Mepara pollōn. En gar toutǭ, phēsin, ho esein ho alēthēs, hoti allos estin ho speirōn, kai allos ho therizōn.. Tauta᾽ de elegon hoi polloi, eipote alloi men tous ponous hypestēsan, alloi de tous chaopous edreponto" kai legei, hoti houtos ho logos entautha malista tēn alētheian echei. Eponēsan men gar hoi prophētai, hymeis de tous karpous tous ek tōn echeigōn ponōn amasthe. Kai ouk eipe, tous misthous" oude gar ekeinois amisthos ho polys ekeinos ponos " alla, pous karpous. Touto kai Daniēl epoiēse. Kai gar kai autos paroimias memnētai legousēs" ex anomōn pĒlēmmeleia. Kai ho Dauid en tǭ thrēnein memnētai toiautēs paroimias. Dia touto proladōn eipe, Hina kai ho speirōn homou kairę̄ kai ho therizōn. Epeixē gar emelle legein hoti allo? espeire, kai allos therizei, hina mē tis, hoper ephēn, apesterēsthai tous prophētas nomisę̄ tou misthou, xenon ti legei kai paradoxon, kai tois aisthētois ou symthaïnon, alla tōn pneumatikōn exaireton on. En men gar. tois pragmasi tois aisthētois ean symdę̄ heteron speirai kai heteron therisai, ouk homou kairousin, alla algousin hoi speirantes, hate heterois kamontes, kairousi de hoi therizontes monoi. Entautha de ouk houtōs, alla kai hoi mē therizontes haper espeiran, homoiōs pois amōsi kairousin" hothen dēlon, hoti kai autoi koinōnousi tōn misthōn. ᾿Egō apesteila hymas therikai hymeis eis ton kopon autōn eiselēlythate. Tautę̄ protreeei mallon autous. Epeidē gar edokei epiponon einai to pragma to tēn oikoumenēn perielthein kai kēryxai, deiknysin hoti kai rhąston esti ha, To gar sphodra epiponon ekeino ēn, ho pollou kamatou edeito, to chatathalein ta spermata, kai psychēn amyēton enagagein eis theognōsian. Tinos de heneken tauta phthengetai? "hina hotan autous aposteilę̄ eis to kēryxai, mē thorydēthōsin, hōs eis pragma epiponon pempomenoi. To gar epiponōteron tōn prophētōn. hēn, phēsi, kai martyrei to ergon tǭ logǭ, hoti hymeis epi ta eukola ēlthete. Hōsper gar epi therismou met᾽ eukolias men ho karpos synagetai, kai en mią rhopę̄ hē halōs plēroutai tōn dragmatōn, ouk anamenontōn ho tas tōn chairōn tropas, kai cheimōna kai ear gai homdron" houtō kai nyn ginetai" kai ta erga boą. Metaxy oun legontos autou tauta, hexēesan hoi Samareitai, kai synēgeto athroon ho. karpos. Dia touto eipen' Arate tous orthalmous hymōn, kai blepete tas chōras, oti “1eukai eisik.. Eipe tauta, kai to ergon ephanē, kai ta rhēmata ek tōn pragmatōn heōrato. kch gar tēs poleōs ekcheigēs phēsin, episteusan eis auton tōn Samareitōn dia ton «1ogon tēs gynaikos, martyrousēs, hoti Eipe moi panta hosa epoiēsa. Syneōrōn gar hoti ouk an ethaumase i pros charin hē gynē ton dielenxanta autēs ta plēmmelēmata, oud' an hyper tou charisasthai heterǭ ton heautēs exepompeuse bion.

See, again he leads them up to the contemplation of the greatest things by familiar names. For by saying “food” he meant nothing other than the salvation of the people who were about to come; and the field and the harvest mean the same: the multitude of souls ready to receive the preaching. By “eyes” here he means both those of the mind and those of the body; for they now saw the multitude of Samaritans coming; and the readiness of their will he calls the fields whitening. For as ears of grain, once they have whitened, are ready for reaping, so these too now, he says, are prepared and ready for salvation. And why did he not say plainly, “The people are coming to believe and are ready to receive the word, having been instructed by the prophets, and are now yielding the fruit,” but called it field and harvest? What do these figures mean? For he does this not only here but in the whole Gospel; and the prophets too use the same manner, saying many things in metaphors. What then is the reason? For the grace of the Spirit did not ordain this idly. But for what reason, and why? For two reasons: first, that the word might be more vivid and bring what is said more before the eyes. For the mind, taking hold of a familiar image of the things, is more roused, and seeing the things as in a picture, is held more strongly. That is one reason; the second, that the account may be made sweet and the memory of what is said more lasting. For a bare statement does not master and lead on the ordinary hearer so much as narration through things and the sketch of experience—which can be seen being done with great wisdom in the parable. “And the reaper receives wages and gathers fruit for eternal life.” For the fruit of this harvest goes on not into eternal life but into this temporary one; but the spiritual fruit into the ageless and immortal life. Do you see how the words are of the senses but the meanings spiritual, and how by the very terms he divides earthly things from heavenly? For what he did when speaking about the water, stating its peculiar character, “Whoever drinks this water will never thirst,” he does here too, saying that this fruit is gathered for eternal life, “so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together.” Who is the sower and who the reaper? The prophets are the ones who sowed; but they did not reap—the apostles did. Yet not for this are they deprived of the pleasure and the reward of their labors; they share the pleasure and rejoice with us, even if they do not reap with us. For reaping is not the work of sowing. Where, then, the toil is less and the pleasure greater, there I have kept you, not in the sowing; for there the hardship and toil are great. In the harvest the return is great and the toil not so great; there is even much ease. Here he wishes to establish by these words that this is the will of the prophets too, that people should come to me; this the law too was preparing. That is why they sowed: so that they might produce this fruit. And he shows that he himself sent them too, and that the kinship of the New with the Old is great; and he establishes all this together by this parable. [He also mentions a proverb current] among many: “For in this,” he says, “the saying is true, that one is the sower and another the reaper.” Most people said this whenever some had undergone the toils and others reaped the fruits; and he says that this saying holds true here above all. For the prophets toiled, and you reap the fruits of their toils. And he did not say “the wages”—for that great toil was not without wages for them either—but “the fruits.” Daniel too did this; for he too mentions a proverb that says, “From the lawless will come offense.” And David in his lament mentions such a proverb. That is why he said beforehand, “so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together.” For since he was going to say that one sowed and another reaps, so that no one, as I said, might think the prophets deprived of their wages, he says something new and strange, something that does not happen with things of sense but is peculiar to spiritual ones. For in things of sense, if it happens that one sows and another reaps, they do not rejoice together; those who sowed grieve, since they toiled for others, and only the reapers rejoice. But here it is not so; even those who do not reap what they sowed rejoice equally with the reapers, from which it is clear that they too share in the wages. “I sent you to reap [that for which you have not labored; others have labored,] and you have entered into their labor.” By this he urges them on the more. For since the task of going around the world and preaching seemed laborious, he shows that it is even very easy. For the really laborious thing, needing much toil, was laying down the seeds and bringing an uninitiated soul into the knowledge of God. And why does he say this? So that when he sends them out to preach, they may not be troubled as though sent to a laborious task. For the more laborious part, he says, was the prophets', and the event bears witness to the word, that you have come to the easy part. For as at harvest the fruit is gathered with ease, and in a single moment the threshing floor is filled with sheaves, without waiting for the changes of seasons, winter and spring and rain, so it is happening now; and the facts proclaim it. For while he was saying this, the Samaritans were coming out, and the fruit was being gathered all at once. That is why he said, “Lift up your eyes and see the fields, that they are white.” He said this, and the deed appeared, and the words were seen in the facts. “For from that city,” it says, “many of the Samaritans believed in him because of the word of the woman, who testified, ‘He told me all that I ever did.’” For they perceived that the woman would not have admired, to curry favor, the one who had exposed her faults, nor have paraded her own life to gratify another.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

John 4:35 (quotation, high confidence) · John 4:36 (quotation, high confidence) · John 4:14 (quotation, high confidence) · John 4:37 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Sam 24:13 (1 Kgdms 24:14 LXX) (quotation, medium confidence) · John 4:38 (quotation, high confidence) · John 4:39 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Christ uses the images of food, fields and harvest to show that the prophets sowed and the apostles reap, both rejoicing together, as the Samaritans come out to believe.

  • Quotations: John 4:36–39; John 4:13–14; the proverb “from the lawless will come offense”, which Chrysostom attributes to Daniel, is found in 1 Sam 24:13 (LXX 24:14); the proverb David mentions in his lament is unidentified (perhaps 2 Sam 1). A line lost in the scan before “among many” and the middle of the quotation of John 4:38 are supplied in brackets. Leaked apparatus and Migne's Latin removed by logged corrections.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (leaked apparatus; leaked apparatus and Latin column): ἀλ { 84}. ζητεῖν τὸ λεγόμενον. δ ΘΝ}. στάχυες. {Ὁ διὰ, πα ο ρταοἰρίθι!ο, γα! υ}! πγαγίαπι οἱ ὀναηροτοῖν ἦν ἀυδ τα οηδπὶ ΟΠ οἷαί, ει ροβίαυ δι Οιυοά ἴῃ ραγαῦοὶα βαρ θη 58 πι|6 ἰγδοίδίθπι Υἱ δ γα 68. ςοἸ ξὶ ἰῃ υἱέατι ίθρπᾶπὶ : οἱ οἱ αὐ δοιηΐηαὶ οἱ αυὶ τη} τὶ βυθοῖς οὶ, δαπηΐηᾶ ῥβοογα, δὲ δηΐπιδιη Ῥεῖ, ὀχίθγυηϊ ϑαῃ)γίίδηὶ, οἱ σοι ον ΟΟἸ] σία 5. οεὶ → ἀλλὰ ; 8. Μογε!. δυοῖν θάτερον προφΡ. Ῥ ΝοΓο]. ὑπογραφὴ πεῖρα. → .

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Jo. 34.2 (PG 59:195; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-ioannem/34-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-ioannem/34-2

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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.

34.3PG 59:199

Μιμησώμεθα δὴ τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ ἡμεῖς, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς οἰκείοις ἁμαρτήμασι μὴ αἰσχυνώμεθα ἀνθρώπους, ἀλλὰ φοδώμεθα ὡς χρὴ Θεὸν τὸν καὶ νῦν ὁρῶντὰ τὸ γινόμενον, καὶ τότε χολάζοντα τοὺς μὴ μετανοήσαντας νῦν" ὡς νῦν γε τοὐναντίαν ποιοῦμεν. Τὸν μὲν γὰρ μέλλοντα κρίνειν, οὐ δεδοίκαμεν᾽ τοὺς δὲ οὐ δὲν ἡμᾶς παραδλάπτοντας, τούτους φρίττομεν, καὶ τὴν παρ᾽ αὐτῶν αἰσχύνην τρέμομεν. Διὰ τοῦτο ἐν ᾧ δεδοίκαμεν, ἐν τούτῳ τὴν τιμωρίαν δίδομεν. Ὁ γὰρ αἰσχύνην ἀνθρώπων ὑφορώμενος νῦν μόνον, Θεοῦ δὲ ὁρῶντος μὴ αἰσχυνόμενος πρᾶξαί τι ἄτοπον, μὴ θέλων μετανοῆσαι καὶ μεταδαλέσθαι, ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ οὐκ ἐνώπιον ἑνὸς καὶ δευτέρου, ἀλλὰ τῆς οἷγὰρ καὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν πράξεων, καὶ τῶν οὐ τοιούτων μέγα θέατρον ἐκεῖ κάθηται, ἡ τῶν προδάτων καὶ τῶν. ἐρίφων παραδολὴ παιδενέτω σε, καὶ ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος, λέγων" Δεζγὰρ ἡμᾶς, φησὶ, παραστῆγαι θεν τοῦ βήματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἵνα κομίσηται ἕχαστος τὰ διὰ τοῦ σώματος ὅσα ἔπραξεν, εἴτε ἀγαθὸν, εἴτε κακόν" καὶ πάλιν, Ὃς φανερώσει τὰ κρυπτὰ τοῦ σκότους. ΓἜπραξάς τι πονηρὸν, ἣ ἐνἐνόησας, καὶ χρύπτεις ἄνθρωπον; ᾿Αλλὰ τὸν θεὸν οὐ κρύπτεις. ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐδὲν τούτων σοι μέλει" οἱ δὲ ὀφθαλμοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, τοῦτό σοι φόδος. Οὐκοῦν ἐννόησον ὅτι οὐδὲ ἀνθρώπους λαθεῖν δυνήσῃ κατὰ τὴν ἡμέραν ἐχείνην. Πάντα γὰρ ὡς ἐν εἰκόνι τότε στήσεται κατ᾽ ὀφθαλμοὺς ἡμῶν, ὡς αὐτοχατάχριτον ἕκαστον γενέσθαι. Καὶ τοῦτο δῆλον καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πλουσίου. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὸν ὑπεροφθέντα πένητα, τὸν Λάζαρον λέγω, πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν εἶδεν ἑστῶτα ὁ πλούσιος, καὶ ὃν πολλάκις ἐδδελύξατο δάκτυλον, τοῦτον παρακαλεῖ παραμυθίαν αὐτῷ γενέσθαι τότε. Παρακαλῶ τοίνυν, κἂν μηδεὶς ἴδῃ τὰ ἡμέτερα, ἕχαστον ἡμῶν εἰς τὸ ἑαυτοῦ συνειδὸς εἰσελθεῖν, καὶ καθίσαι ἑαυτῷ δικαστὴν τὸν λογισμὸν, καὶ εἰς μέσον ἄγειν τὰ πεπλημμελημένα" καὶ εἰ μὴ βούλοιτο ἐχπομπευθῆναι ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ φοδερᾷ, ἐπιτιθέτω τὰ φάρμακα τῆς μετανοίας, καὶ ἰασάσθω τὰ τραύματα 6. ΓἝξεστι γὰρ, ἔξεστι μυρίων γέμοντα τραυμάτων, ἀπελθεῖν ὑγιαίνοντα. ᾿Εὰν γὰρ ἀφῆτε, φησὶν, ἀξέωνται ὑμῶν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι" ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀφῆτε, οὐκ ἀφέωγται. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι χαταχωννύμενα τὰ ἁμαρτήματα οὗχ ἔτι φαίνεται" οὕτω καὶ ταῦτα ἀφανισθήσεται, ἐὰν θελήσωμεν μετανοῆσαι. "Ἔστι δὲ μετάνοια τὸ μηκέτι τὰ αὐτὰ ποιεῖν Ῥν. Ὁ γὰρ τοῖς αὑτοῖς ἐπιχειρῶν», ἔοικε τῷ κυνὶ τῷ πρὸς τὸν Ἰδιον ἔμετον ἐπανιόντι, καὶ τῷ κατὰ τὴν παροιμίαν εἰς πῦρ ξαίνοντι καὶ εἰς τετρημένον πίθον. Δεῖζ τοίνυν ἀφίστασθαι καὶ τῇ πράξει καὶ τῇ γνώμῃ τῶν τολμηθέντων, καὶ ἀποστάντας φάρμαγα ἐπιθεῖναι τοῖς τραύμασι τὰ ἐναντία τῶν ἀμαρτημάτων. Οἷόν τι λέγω" Ἥρπασας καὶ ἐπλεονέχτησας; Ἃ πόστηθι τῆς ἁρπαγῆς, καὶ ἐπίθες ἐλεημοσύνην τῷ καὶ ἐπίθες ἀγνείαν τῷ ἕλκει. Κακῶς εἶπες τὸν ἀδελφὸν καὶ ἔδλαψας; Παῦσαι χαχηγορῶν ς, καὶ ἐπίθες φιληφροσύνην. Καὶ καθ᾽ ἕχαστον οὕτω ποιῶμεν τῶν πεπλημμελημένων ἡμῖν, καὶ μὴ ἁπλῶς παρατρέχωμὲν τὰ ἁμαρτήματα" ἐφέστηκε γὰρ λοιπὸν, ἐφέστηκεν ὁ τῶν εὐθυνῶν καιρός, Διὸ καὶ ὁ [Ιαῦλος ἔλεγεν" Ὁ Κύριος ἐγγὺς, μηδὲν μεριμνᾶτε. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἡμῖν τάχα τοὐναντίον ἔστιν ἐπιλέγειν: Ὃ Κύριος ἐγγὺς, μεριμνᾶτε, Ἑκεῖνοι μὲν γὰρ καλῶς ἤκουον, Μηδὲν μεριμνᾶτε, ἐν θλίψει καὶ πόνοις καὶ ἀγῶσιν ὄντες" οἱ δὲ ἐν ἁρπαγαῖς ζῶντες καὶ ἐν τρυφῇ, οἱ χαλεπὰς εὐθύνας μέλλοντες διδόναι, οὐ τοῦτο, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνο ἂν ἀκούσαιεν εἰκότως" Ὁ Κύριος ἐγγὺς, μεριμνᾶτε. Οὐδὲ γὰρ πολὺς λεέπεται τῆς συντελείας ὁ χρόνος, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ τέλος λοιπὸν ὁ κόσμος ἐπείγεται. Τοῦτο οἱ πόλεμοι δηλοῦσι, τοῦτο αἱ θλίψεις, τοῦτο οἱ σεισμοὶ, τοῦτο ἡ ἀγάπη ψυγεῖσα. Καθάπερ γὰρ σῶμα Ψυχοῤῥαγοῦν, καὶ ἐγγὺς ὃν τῆς τελευτῆς, μυρίας ἐπισπᾶται χαχώσεις “ καὶ οἰκίας μελλούσης γαταπίπτειν, πολλὰ προπίπτειν εἴωθε καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ὀροφῆς καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν τοίχων" οὕτω καὶ τῆς οἰκουμένης ἐγγὺς καὶ ἐπὶ θύραις ἔστηκεν ἡ συντέλεια, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τὰ μυρία διέσπαρται πανταχοῦ κακά. Εἰ γὰρ τότε ὁ Κύριος ἐγχὺς, πολλῷ μᾶλλον νῦν ἐγγύς. Εἰ πρὸ τετρακοσίων 4 ἐτῶν ὅτε ταῦτα ἐλέγετο, καὶ πλήρωμα τῶν χρόνων τὸν καιρὸν ἐκεῖνον ὁ Παῦλος ἐκάλει, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὸν παρόντα. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἴσως δι᾽ αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἀπιστοῦσί τινες. Καὶ μὴν διὰ τοῦτο πιστεύειν χρὴ μᾶλλον. Πόθεν γὰρ οἶδας, ἄνθρωπε, ὅτε οὖκ ἐγγὺς τὸ τέλος, καὶ μετὰ βραχὺν χρόνον ἀπαντήσεται τὰ εἰρημένα; Ὥτπερ γὰρ ποῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ τέλος, οὐ τὴν ἐσχάτην ἡμέραν λέγομεν εἶναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν ἔσχατον μῆνα, καίτοι: γε τριάκοντα ἡμέρας ἔχοντα " οὕτω καὶ τῶν τοσούτων ἐτῶν κἂν τετρακόσια ἔτη τέλος εἴπω, οὐκ ἁμαρτήσομαι, Ὥστε ἔκτοτε προανεφώνει τὸ τέλος. Συστείλωμεν οὖν ἑαυτοὺς, ἐντρυφήσωμεν τῷ φόδῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ, Καὶ γὰρ ἐν ἀδείᾳ διατριδόντων ἡ μῶν, οὐ σφόδρα μεριμνώντων οὐδὲ προσδοκώντων, ἐπιστήσεται ἀθρόον ἡ παρουσία, Καὶ τοῦτο δηλῶν ὁ Χριστὸς ἔλεγεν" “Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τοῦ Νῶε, καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τοῦ Λὼς, οὕτως ἔσται καὶ ἐν τῇ συντελείᾳ τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου. Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Παῦλος δηλῶν ἔλεγεν " Ὅταν δὲ “λέγωσιν, εἰρήνη καὶ ἀσφάλεια, τότε αἱφνίδιος αὑτοῖς ἐφίσταται ὅλεθρος, καὶ ὥσπερ ἡ ὠδὶν τῇ ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσῃ. Τί ἐστιν, Ἡ ὡδὶν τῇ ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσῃ; Πολλάκις αἱ κύουσαι γυναῖκες παίζουσαι ἣ ἀριστοποιοῦσαι, ἣ ἐν βαλανείῳ, ἣ ἐν ἀγορᾷ διάγουσαι, οὐδὲν τῶν μελλόντων προορώμεναι, ὑπὸ τῆς ὀδύνης χατεσχέθησαν ἀθρόον. Ἔπεὶ οὖν τοιαῦτα καὶ τὰ ἡμέτερα, ὦμεν ἀεὶ παρεσκευασμένοι. Οὐ γὰρ ἀεὶ ταῦτα ἀκουσόμεθα " οὐκ ἀεὶ τούτων ἐξουσίαν ἕξομεν. ᾿Εν γὰρ τῷ ἄδῃ, φησὶ, τίς ἐξομοιλογήσεταί σοι; Οὐκοῦν ἐνταῦθα μετανοήσωμεν, ἵνα οὕτως Ἄλεω τὸν Θεὸν ἔχωμεν κατὰ τὴν μέλλουσαν ἡ μέραν, καὶ πολλῆς ἀπολαῦσαι δυνηθῶμεν συγγνώμης " ἧς γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ᾿Αμήν.

Mimēsōmetha dē tēn gynaika kai hēmeis, kai epi tois oikeiois hamartēmasi mē aischynōmetha anthrōpous, alla phodōmetha hōs chrē Theon ton kai nyn horōnta to ginomenon, kai tote cholazonta tous mē metanoēsantas nyn" hōs nyn ge tounantian poioumen. Ton men gar mellonta krinein, ou dedoikamen᾽ tous de ou den hēmas paradlaptontas, toutous phrittomen, kai tēn par᾽ autōn aischynēn tremomen. Dia touto en hǭ dedoikamen, en toutǭ tēn timōrian didomen. Ho gar aischynēn anthrōpōn hyphorōmenos nyn monon, Theou de horōntos mē aischynomenos praxai ti atopon, mē thelōn metanoēsai kai metadalesthai, en ekeinę̄ tę̄ hēmerą ouk enōpion henos kai deuterou, alla tēs hoigar kai tōn agathōn praxeōn, kai tōn ou toioutōn mega theatron ekei kathētai, hē tōn prodatōn kai tōn. eriphōn paradolē paidenetō se, kai ho makarios Paulos, legōn" Dezgar hēmas, phēsi, parastēgai then tou bēmatos tou Christou, hina komisētai hechastos ta dia tou sōmatos hosa epraxen, eite agathon, eite kakon" kai palin, Hos phanerōsei ta krypta tou skotous. GEpraxas ti ponēron, hē enenoēsas, kai chrypteis anthrōpon? ᾿Alla ton theon ou krypteis. ᾿All᾽ ouden toutōn soi melei" hoi de ophthalmoi tōn anthrōpōn, touto soi phodos. Oukoun ennoēson hoti oude anthrōpous lathein dynēsę̄ kata tēn hēmeran echeinēn. Panta gar hōs en eikoni tote stēsetai kat᾽ ophthalmous hēmōn, hōs autochatachriton hekaston genesthai. Kai touto dēlon kai apo tou plousiou. Kai gar kai ton hyperophthenta penēta, ton Lazaron legō, pro ophthalmōn eiden hestōta ho plousios, kai hon pollakis eddelyxato daktylon, touton parakalei paramythian autǭ genesthai tote. Parakalō toinyn, kan mēdeis idę̄ ta hēmetera, hechaston hēmōn eis to heautou syneidos eiselthein, kai kathisai heautǭ dikastēn ton logismon, kai eis meson agein ta peplēmmelēmena" kai ei mē bouloito echpompeuthēnai en tę̄ hēmerą tę̄ phoderą, epitithetō ta pharmaka tēs metanoias, kai iasasthō ta traumata 6. GExesti gar, exesti myriōn gemonta traumatōn, apelthein hygiainonta. ᾿Ean gar aphēte, phēsin, axeōntai hymōn hai hamartiai" ean de mē aphēte, ouk apheōgtai. Hōsper gar en tǭ baptismati chatachōnnymena ta hamartēmata houch eti phainetai" houtō kai tauta aphanisthēsetai, ean thelēsōmen metanoēsai. "Esti de metanoia to mēketi ta auta poiein Rhn. Ho gar tois hautois epicheirōn», eoike tǭ kyni tǭ pros ton Idion emeton epanionti, kai tǭ kata tēn paroimian eis pyr xainonti kai eis tetrēmenon pithon. Deiz toinyn aphistasthai kai tę̄ praxei kai tę̄ gnōmę̄ tōn tolmēthentōn, kai apostantas pharmaga epitheinai tois traumasi ta enantia tōn amartēmatōn. Hoion ti legō" Hērpasas kai epleonechtēsas? Ha postēthi tēs harpagēs, kai epithes eleēmosynēn tǭ kai epithes agneian tǭ helkei. Kakōs eipes ton adelphon kai edlapsas? Pausai chachēgorōn s, kai epithes philēphrosynēn. Kai kath᾽ hechaston houtō poiōmen tōn peplēmmelēmenōn hēmin, kai mē haplōs paratrechōmen ta hamartēmata" ephestēke gar loipon, ephestēken ho tōn euthynōn kairos, Dio kai ho [Iaulos elegen" Ho Kyrios engys, mēden merimnate. ᾿All᾽ hēmin tacha tounantion estin epilegein: Ho Kyrios engys, merimnate, Hekeinoi men gar kalōs ēkouon, Mēden merimnate, en thlipsei kai ponois kai agōsin ontes" hoi de en harpagais zōntes kai en tryphę̄, hoi chalepas euthynas mellontes didonai, ou touto, all᾽ ekeino an akousaien eikotōs" Ho Kyrios engys, merimnate. Oude gar polys leepetai tēs synteleias ho chronos, alla pros to telos loipon ho kosmos epeigetai. Touto hoi polemoi dēlousi, touto hai thlipseis, touto hoi seismoi, touto hē agapē psygeisa. Kathaper gar sōma Psychorrhagoun, kai engys hon tēs teleutēs, myrias epispatai chachōseis “ kai oikias mellousēs gatapiptein, polla propiptein eiōthe kai apo tēs orophēs kai apo tōn toichōn" houtō kai tēs oikoumenēs engys kai epi thyrais estēken hē synteleia, kai dia touto ta myria diespartai pantachou kaka. Ei gar tote ho Kyrios enchys, pollǭ mallon nyn engys. Ei pro tetrakosiōn 4 etōn hote tauta elegeto, kai plērōma tōn chronōn ton kairon ekeinon ho Paulos ekalei, pollǭ mallon ton paronta. ᾿All᾽ isōs di᾽ auto touto apistousi tines. Kai mēn dia touto pisteuein chrē mallon. Pothen gar oidas, anthrōpe, hote ouk engys to telos, kai meta brachyn chronon apantēsetai ta eirēmena? Hōtper gar pou eniautou telos, ou tēn eschatēn hēmeran legomen einai, alla kai ton eschaton mēna, kaitoi: ge triakonta hēmeras echonta " houtō kai tōn tosoutōn etōn kan tetrakosia etē telos eipō, ouk hamartēsomai, Hōste ektote proanephōnei to telos. Systeilōmen oun heautous, entryphēsōmen tǭ phodǭ tou Theou, Kai gar en adeią diatridontōn hē mōn, ou sphodra merimnōntōn oude prosdokōntōn, epistēsetai athroon hē parousia, Kai touto dēlōn ho Christos elegen" “Hōsper gar en tais hēmerais tou Nōe, kai en tais hēmerais tou Lōs, houtōs estai kai en tę̄ synteleią tou aiōnos toutou. Touto kai ho Paulos dēlōn elegen " Hotan de “legōsin, eirēnē kai asphaleia, tote haiphnidios hautois ephistatai holethros, kai hōsper hē ōdin tę̄ en gastri echousę̄. Ti estin, Hē hōdin tę̄ en gastri echousę̄? Pollakis hai kyousai gynaikes paizousai hē aristopoiousai, hē en balaneiǭ, hē en agorą diagousai, ouden tōn mellontōn proorōmenai, hypo tēs odynēs chateschethēsan athroon. Epei oun toiauta kai ta hēmetera, ōmen aei pareskeuasmenoi. Ou gar aei tauta akousometha " ouk aei toutōn exousian hexomen. ᾿En gar tǭ adę̄, phēsi, tis exomoilogēsetai soi? Oukoun entautha metanoēsōmen, hina houtōs Aleō ton Theon echōmen kata tēn mellousan hē meran, kai pollēs apolausai dynēthōmen syngnōmēs " hēs genoito pantas hēmas epitychein, chariti kai philanthrōpią tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou, hǭ hē doxa kai to kratos eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn. ᾿Amēn.

Let us too, then, imitate the woman, and not be ashamed before men over our own sins, but fear God as we ought, who sees what is done even now and will then punish those who do not repent now. As it is, we do the opposite. We do not fear the one who is going to judge, but we shudder at those who do us no harm, and tremble at the shame they can bring. That is why in the very thing we fear, in this we pay the penalty. For one who now dreads only shame before men, and is not ashamed to do something wrong while God sees, unwilling to repent and change, will on that day be paraded not before one or two, but before the whole world. [For that] a great theater sits there for good deeds and for those that are not, let the parable of the sheep and the goats teach you, and blessed Paul, who says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive what he has done through the body, whether good or bad”; and again, “who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness.” Have you done or thought something evil and hide it from man? But you do not hide it from God. Yet none of this concerns you; the eyes of men—this is what you fear. Consider, then, that you will not be able to escape the notice even of men on that day. For everything will then stand before our eyes as in a picture, so that each will become self-condemned. This is clear also from the rich man. For the poor man he had overlooked—Lazarus, I mean—the rich man saw standing before his eyes, and the finger he had often loathed he now begs to become a comfort to him. I urge you, then, even if no one sees our affairs, let each of us enter into his own conscience, set his reason as judge over himself, and bring his offenses into the open; and if he does not wish to be paraded on that fearful day, let him apply the remedies of repentance and heal his wounds. For it is possible, it is possible, for one full of countless wounds to depart healthy. “For if you forgive,” he says, “your sins will be forgiven you; but if you do not forgive, they are not forgiven.” For as in baptism the sins are buried and no longer appear, so these too will be blotted out if we are willing to repent. Repentance is no longer doing the same things. For one who attempts the same things is like the dog returning to its own vomit, and like the man in the proverb who cards wool into the fire, or pours into a pierced jar. We must, then, withdraw both in act and in intention from what we have dared, and having withdrawn, apply to the wounds the remedies opposite to the sins. For example: have you robbed and been greedy? Withdraw from robbery and apply almsgiving to the [wound. Have you committed sexual immorality? Withdraw from it,] and apply chastity to the sore. Have you spoken ill of your brother and harmed him? Stop speaking evil and apply kindness. And let us do so in the case of each of our offenses, and not simply pass our sins by; for the time of the reckoning is now at hand, it is at hand. That is why Paul too said, “The Lord is near; do not be anxious about anything.” But to us perhaps the opposite should be said: “The Lord is near; be anxious.” For they rightly heard “Do not be anxious about anything,” being in affliction, toils and struggles; but those who live in robbery and luxury, who are going to give a hard account, would rightly hear not that but this: “The Lord is near; be anxious.” For not much time is left before the consummation; the world is now hastening to its end. This the wars show, this the afflictions, this the earthquakes, this the love that has grown cold. For as a body in its death agony and near its end draws to itself countless ills, and as when a house is about to fall many pieces are wont to fall first from the roof and the walls, so too the consummation of the world is near and stands at the doors, and for this reason countless evils are scattered everywhere. For if the Lord was near then, much more is he near now. If four hundred years ago, when these things were said, Paul called that time the fullness of the times, much more the present. But perhaps for this very reason some disbelieve. Yet for this reason one ought to believe the more. For how do you know, O man, that the end is not near, and that what has been said will not come to pass after a short time? For as we say the end of the year is not only the last day but also the last month, though it has thirty days, so too if I call four hundred years the end of so many years, I shall not be wrong. So from that time he was announcing the end beforehand. Let us then restrain ourselves; let us take our delight in the fear of God. For while we are living carelessly, not very anxious nor expecting it, the coming will suddenly be upon us. Christ too showed this when he said, “For as in the days of Noah and in the days of Lot, so it will be also at the consummation of this age.” Paul too showed this when he said, “When they say, ‘Peace and safety,’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a woman with child.” What does “as labor pains upon a woman with child” mean? Often pregnant women, while playing or eating a meal, or spending time in the bath or the marketplace, foreseeing nothing of what is coming, have been seized suddenly by the pain. Since, then, our situation is like this, let us be always prepared. For we shall not always hear these things; we shall not always have power over them. “For in Hades,” it says, “who will confess to you?” Let us then repent here, so that we may have God gracious on the day to come and be able to enjoy great pardon; which may we all obtain, by the grace and love for humankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power to the ages of ages. Amen.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Matt 25:32 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 5:10 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 4:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 16:24 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 6:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:15 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Pet 2:22 (allusion, high confidence) · Prov 26:11 (allusion, medium confidence) · Phil 4:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 4:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 24:7 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 24:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Gal 4:4 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 24:37 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 17:28 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Thess 5:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 6:5 (6:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Like the Samaritan woman we should not hide our sins from men but repent before God, applying remedies opposite to our sins, because the judgment and the end are near.

  • Quotations: 2 Cor 5:10; 1 Cor 4:5; Matt 6:14–15; 2 Pet 2:22 (Prov 26:11); Phil 4:5–6; Matt 24:37 (with Luke 17:28); 1 Thess 5:3; Ps 6:5 (LXX 6:6); allusions to Matt 25:31–46; Luke 16:19–31; Matt 24:7, 12; Gal 4:4. Words lost in the scan (the opening of the clause on the great theater, and “Have you committed sexual immorality? Withdraw from it”) are supplied in brackets. “Four hundred years”: Morel and Savile read “three hundred”. Leaked apparatus removed by logged corrections.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (leaked apparatus): ἃ ΑΙ ῥᾷόν ἐστι. Ἔς Ουϊάδπι οὐκ ἀναμενόντων, εἰ 85 ϑδνῇ. ῃ → ; 8 ΒΑΥ]}. οἱ εοὐ. 105, Ἴ06 : Βούλοιτο τότε ἐχπ. ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἣμ. τ΄ φ., ἰασάσθω ἤδη τὰ τρ., ἐπιτιθέτω τὰ φ. τ. μ, τόντι " δεῖ τοίνυν ἀφίστασθαι, οἱ. αυΐθδπα πι|55. Αἰ ΐ → ; ἁ δὶς Μογοὶ., ϑανὶ!. τριακοσίων, οἱ 535 ἄυο πιαπιιογίρί!, → .

Topics: Eschatology, Ethics, Baptism

Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Jo. 34.3 (PG 59:199; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-ioannem/34-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-ioannem/34-3

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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.