Sophia Scriptura

Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew 11.7–11.8

John Chrysostom · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew · ca. 390 · Antioch · 2 passages

Greek text: Field 1839.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888).

Chapter 11

11.7Field 1

᾿Ταυτ᾽ οὐν εἰδότες, πολλῇ τῇ σπουδῇ χρώμεθα, ἕ ἕως ἂν ὦμεν ἐν τῇ ἅλωνι καὶ γὰρ ἔξεστιν ἐνταῦθα οὖσι καὶ εξ ἀχύρου μεταβαλέσθαι εἰς σῖτον, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἀπὸ σίτου 9) πολλοὶ γεγόνασιν ἄχυρον. Μὴ τοίνυν ἀναπέσωμεν, μηδὲ ἀνέμῳ παντὶ περιφερώμεθα, μηδὲ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἀποσχιζώμεθα τῶν ἡμοτέρων, κἂν μικροὶ δοκῶσιν εἶναι, καὶ εὐτελεῖς ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ σῖτος τοῦ ἀχύρον κατὰ μὲν τὸ μέτρον ἐλάττων, κατὰ δὲ τὴν φύσιν βελτίων. Μὴ δὴ τὰς ἔξωθεν φαντασίας ἴδης τῷ πυρὶ γάρ εἰσι παρεσκευασμέναι ἀλλὰ τὴν κατὰ θεὸν ταπεινότητα, τὴν στεῤῥὰν ταύτην καὶ ἀδιάλντον, καὶ τμηθῆναι μὴ δυναμένην, μηδὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ πυρὸς καιομένην. Διὰ γὰρ τούτους καὶ τῷ ἀχύρῳ μακροθυμεῖ, ἵνα ἀπὸ τῆς πρὸς αὐτοὺς Ἑ ὁμιλίας βελτίους γένωνται. Διὰ τοῦτο οὕπω κρίσις, ἵνα κοινῆ πάντες στεφανωθώμεν, ἵνα ἀπὸ πονηρίας πολλοὶ ἥ' μεταβληθῶσιν εἰς ἀρετήν. Φρίξωμεν τοίνυν; τῆς παραβολῆς ταύτῆς ἀκούοντες. Καὶ γὰρ ἄσβεστόν ἐ ἐστιν ἐκεῖνο τὸ πῦρ. Καὶ πώς, φησὶν, ἄσβεστον: : Οὐχ ὁρᾷς τοντονὶ τὸν ἥλιον καιόμενον ἀεὶ; καὶ μηδέποτε σβεννύμενον : οὐκ εἶδες τὴν βάτον καιομένην, καὶ μὴ κατακαιομένην ; Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ αὐτὸς βούλει διαφυγεῖν τὴν φλόγα, τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην προαπόθου, καὶ οὕτως οὐδὲ πειραν λήψη τοῦ πυρὸς ἐκείνου. Αν μὲν γὰρ Ὡς : , Δι. ἐνταῦθα πιστεύσης τοῖς λεγομένοις, οὐδὲ ὄψει τὴν κάμινον ταύτην, ἀπελθὼν ἐκεῖσε' ἐὰν δὲ ἀπιστήσης αὐτῆ νῦν, ἐκεῖ διὰ τῆ ἴ ὃς, ὅτε οὐδὲ ὃ νεῖν δυνατό ὶ ιά τῆς πείρας εἴσῃ καλὼς, ὅτε ἤουὸδέ διαφυγεῖν δυνατὸν. Και γὰρ ἀπαραίτητος ἡ κόλασις τοῖς οὐκ ὀρθὸν ἐπιδεδειγμένοις ῇ βίον. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀρκεῖ τὸ πιστεῦσαι μόνον, ἐπεὶ καὶ δαίμονες ῳ φρίττουσι τὸν θεὸν, αλλὰ καὶ οὕτω τιμωρηθήσονται. Διὸ πολλῆς ἡμῖν τῆς κατὰ τὸν βίον επιμελείας δεῖ. Διὰ γαρ τοῦτο καὶ ἐνταῦθα ὑμᾶς συνεχῶς συνάγομεν, οὐχ ἵνα εἰσέλθητε μόνον, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα τι καὶ καρπώσησθε τῆς ἐνταῦθα ὀιατριβῆς [Ω , ἄν δὲ παραγίνησθε μὲν αεὶ, μηδὲν δὲ ἐντεῦθεν καρπούμενοι ἀναχωρῆτε, οὐδὲν τῆς ἐνταῦθα εἰσόδον καὶ προσεδρείας εσται ; Ἁ τι πλέον. Εἰ γὰρ παιδία προς διδασκάλους πέμποντες, ἂν ς΄ ἴδωμεν ἐκεῖθεν μηδὲν καρπούμενα, σφοδροὶ κατήγοροι τῶν διδασκάλων γινόμεθα, καὶ πρὸς ἑτέρους αὐτὰ μεθίσταμεν πολλάκις τίνα ἕξομεν ἀπολογίαν, μηδὲ ὅσην ἐν τοῖς γηΐνοις τούτοις, τοσαύτην τῇ ἀρετῇ παρέχοντες τὴν σπουδὴν, ἀλλὰ κενὰς ἀεὶ τὰς δέλτους οἴκαδε φέροντες ; Καίτοι καὶ πλείους καὶ μείζους ἐνταῦθα οἱ διδάσκαλοι. Καὶ γὰρ προφήτας, καὶ ἀποστόλους, καὶ πατριάρχας, καὶ δικαίους ἅπαντας καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ὑμῖν εφιστώμεν εκκλησίαν διδασκάλους. Καὶ οὐδὲ οὕτω ἢ Δ) δύ γίνεταί τι πλεον᾽ αλλα ἂν ὀὐο ψαλμοὺς ἡ τρεις υπηχήσαντες, καὶ τὰς συνήθεις εὐχὰς ἁπλῶς καὶ ὡς ετυχε ποιούμενοι διαλυθῆτε, νομίζετε ἀρκεῖν τοῦτο εἰς σωτηρίαν ὑμῖν. Οὐκ ἠκούσατε σ΄. ὅθ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος, μᾶλλον δὲ τοῦ θεοῦ διὰ τοῦ προφήτου, ὅτι δ ὁ λαὸς οὗτος τοῖς χείλεσί με τιμᾷ, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόῤῥω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ Ἵν οὖν τοῦτο μὴ γένηται καὶ εφ ἡμῶν, ἐξάλειψον τὰ ραμματα, μᾶλλον δὲ τὰ χαράγματα, ἅπερ ὁ διάβολος ἐνετύπωσέ σου τῇ ψυχῆ, καὶ φέρε μοι καρδίαν βιωτικῶν ἀπηλλαγμένην θορύβων, ἵνα μετὰ αδείας Ὁ ἃ βούλομαι ἐγγράψω. Ὥς νῦν γε οὐδὲν ἕτερόν ἐστι γινώἌἉ σκειν, ἢ τὰ ὀκείνου Ὕραμματα, ἁρπαγάς; πλεονεξίας, φθόνον, δὴ δέ τὴ βασκανίαν. Διὰ δῆ τοῦτο, ὅταν τὰς δέλτους λαβω τὰς ὑμετέρας, οὐδὲ ἀναγνῶναι δύναμαι. Οὐ γὰρ εὑρίσκω τὰ γράμματα, ἅπερ ἡμεῖς κατὰ κυριακὴν ἐγγραφυντες ὑμῖν ἀφίεμεν᾽ αλλ᾽ ἕτερα ανθ᾽ ἑτέρων, ἄσημα καὶ λεστραμμένα. Εἶτα, ὅταν ἐξαλείψαντες αὐτὰ, γράψωμεν τὰ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύΕ, ματος, ἀπελθόντες ὑμεῖς, καὶ ταις ἀρβυλιρῖες ἐνεργείαις δόντες τὰς καρδίας ὁ υμῶν, παρέχετε ἐκείνῳ πάλιν τὰ ἑαυτοῦ ἀντεγγράφειν ὑμῖν. Τί οὖν ἔσται τούτων τὸ πέρας, κἂν ἐγὼ μὴ λέξω, τὸ ἑκάστου συνειδὸς οἶδεν. ᾿Εγὼ μὲν γὰρ οὐ παύσομαι τὸ ἐμαυτοῦ ποιῶν, καὶ τὰ ὀρθὰ γράμματα ἐγγράφων. Εἰ δὲ ὑμεῖς λυμαίνεσθε ἡμῶν τὴν σπουδὴν, ἡμῖν μὲν ὁ μισθὸς ἀκίνητος, ὑμῖν δὲ οὐ μικρὸς ὁ κίνδυνος. Ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲν βούλομαι φορτικὸν εἰπεῖν'

᾿Taut᾽ oun eidotes, pollę̄ tę̄ spoudę̄ chrōmetha, he heōs an ōmen en tę̄ halōni kai gar exestin entautha ousi kai ex achyrou metabalesthai eis siton, hōsper oun kai apo sitou 9) polloi gegonasin achyron. Mē toinyn anapesōmen, mēde anemǭ panti peripherōmetha, mēde tōn adelphōn aposchizōmetha tōn hēmoterōn, kan mikroi dokōsin einai, kai euteleis epei kai ho sitos tou achyron kata men to metron elattōn, kata de tēn physin beltiōn. Mē dē tas exōthen phantasias idēs tǭ pyri gar eisi pareskeuasmenai alla tēn kata theon tapeinotēta, tēn sterrhan tautēn kai adialnton, kai tmēthēnai mē dynamenēn, mēde hypo tou pyros kaiomenēn. Dia gar toutous kai tǭ achyrǭ makrothymei, hina apo tēs pros autous He homilias beltious genōntai. Dia touto houpō krisis, hina koinē pantes stephanōthōmen, hina apo ponērias polloi hē' metablēthōsin eis aretēn. Phrixōmen toinyn? tēs parabolēs tautēs akouontes. Kai gar asbeston e estin ekeino to pyr. Kai pōs, phēsin, asbeston: : Ouch horąs tontoni ton hēlion kaiomenon aei? kai mēdepote sbennymenon : ouk eides tēn baton kaiomenēn, kai mē katakaiomenēn ? Ei toinyn kai autos boulei diaphygein tēn phloga, tēn eleēmosynēn proapothou, kai houtōs oude peiran lēpsē tou pyros ekeinou. An men gar Hōs : , Di. entautha pisteusēs tois legomenois, oude opsei tēn kaminon tautēn, apelthōn ekeise' ean de apistēsēs autē nyn, ekei dia tē i hos, hote oude ho nein dynato i ia tēs peiras eisę̄ kalōs, hote ēouode diaphygein dynaton. Kai gar aparaitētos hē kolasis tois ouk orthon epidedeigmenois ę̄ bion. Oude gar arkei to pisteusai monon, epei kai daimones ǭ phrittousi ton theon, alla kai houtō timōrēthēsontai. Dio pollēs hēmin tēs kata ton bion epimeleias dei. Dia gar touto kai entautha hymas synechōs synagomen, ouch hina eiselthēte monon, all᾽ hina ti kai karpōsēsthe tēs entautha oiatribēs [Ō , an de paraginēsthe men aei, mēden de enteuthen karpoumenoi anachōrēte, ouden tēs entautha eisodon kai prosedreias estai ? Ha ti pleon. Ei gar paidia pros didaskalous pempontes, an s΄ idōmen ekeithen mēden karpoumena, sphodroi katēgoroi tōn didaskalōn ginometha, kai pros heterous auta methistamen pollakis tina hexomen apologian, mēde hosēn en tois gēïnois toutois, tosautēn tę̄ aretę̄ parechontes tēn spoudēn, alla kenas aei tas deltous oikade pherontes ? Kaitoi kai pleious kai meizous entautha hoi didaskaloi. Kai gar prophētas, kai apostolous, kai patriarchas, kai dikaious hapantas kath᾽ hekastēn hymin ephistōmen ekklēsian didaskalous. Kai oude houtō ē D) dy ginetai ti pleon᾽ alla an ouo psalmous hē treis ypēchēsantes, kai tas synētheis euchas haplōs kai hōs etyche poioumenoi dialythēte, nomizete arkein touto eis sōtērian hymin. Ouk ēkousate s΄. hoth tou prophētou legontos, mallon de tou theou dia tou prophētou, hoti d ho laos houtos tois cheilesi me timą, hē de kardia autōn porrhō apechei ap᾽ emou Hin oun touto mē genētai kai eph hēmōn, exaleipson ta rammata, mallon de ta charagmata, haper ho diabolos enetypōse sou tę̄ psychē, kai phere moi kardian biōtikōn apēllagmenēn thorybōn, hina meta adeias Ho ha boulomai engrapsō. Hōs nyn ge ouden heteron esti ginōAA skein, ē ta okeinou Hyrammata, harpagas? pleonexias, phthonon, dē de tē baskanian. Dia dē touto, hotan tas deltous labō tas hymeteras, oude anagnōnai dynamai. Ou gar heuriskō ta grammata, haper hēmeis kata kyriakēn engraphyntes hymin aphiemen᾽ all᾽ hetera anth᾽ heterōn, asēma kai lestrammena. Eita, hotan exaleipsantes auta, grapsōmen ta apo tou pneuE, matos, apelthontes hymeis, kai tais arbyliries energeiais dontes tas kardias ho ymōn, parechete ekeinǭ palin ta heautou antengraphein hymin. Ti oun estai toutōn to peras, kan egō mē lexō, to hekastou syneidos oiden. ᾿Egō men gar ou pausomai to emautou poiōn, kai ta ortha grammata engraphōn. Ei de hymeis lymainesthe hēmōn tēn spoudēn, hēmin men ho misthos akinētos, hymin de ou mikros ho kindynos. All᾽ ouden boulomai phortikon eipein'

Knowing these things, then, let us use great zeal while we are on the threshing floor; for it is possible, while we are here, to change from chaff to wheat, just as many have become chaff from wheat. Let us not, then, grow slack, nor be carried about by every wind, nor split off from our brothers, even if they seem small and mean; for the wheat too is less in size than the chaff, but better in nature. Do not look at outward displays, for they are prepared for the fire; but at humility according to God, this firm and indissoluble thing, which cannot be cut and is not burned by the fire. For it is for their sake that he bears with the chaff too, so that from their company they may become better. That is why there is not yet judgment, so that we may all be crowned together, so that many may change from wickedness to virtue. Let us shudder, then, hearing this parable. For that fire is unquenchable. “And how,” someone says, “unquenchable?” Do you not see this sun always burning and never quenched? Did you not see the bush burning and not consumed? If, then, you too wish to escape the flame, lay up almsgiving beforehand, and so you will not even get a taste of that fire. For if you believe what is said here, you will not even see this furnace when you go there; but if you disbelieve it now, you will know it well there by experience, when it is no longer possible to escape. For the punishment is inexorable for those who have not shown an upright life. For it is not enough only to believe, since the demons too shudder at God, and yet they will be punished. That is why we need much care for our life.

For this is why we gather you here continually, not only that you may come in, but that you may also reap something from your time here. But if you always come but go away reaping nothing from it, there will be no gain from your coming here and your attendance. For if, sending children to teachers, we see them gaining nothing from there, we become vehement accusers of the teachers and often move them to others, what defense shall we have, giving to virtue not even as much zeal as to these earthly things, but always carrying our tablets home empty? And yet here the teachers are more and greater. For we set over you as teachers at every assembly prophets, apostles, patriarchs, and all the righteous. And not even so is there any gain; but if you sing two or three psalms and say the usual prayers idly and at random and then are dismissed, you think this enough for your salvation. Have you not heard the prophet saying, or rather God through the prophet, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me”? So that this may not happen with us too, wipe out the letters, or rather the marks, that the devil has stamped on your soul, and bring me a heart freed from worldly turmoil, so that I may write in it freely what I wish. For as it is, there is nothing else to recognize but his letters: robberies, greed, envy, jealousy. That is why, when I take your tablets, I cannot even read them. For I do not find the letters that we write in you and leave each Lord's day, but others in their place, illegible and distorted. Then, when we have wiped them out and written the things of the Spirit, you go away, give your hearts to the workings of the devil, and allow him again to write his own over them. What then the end of these things will be, even if I do not say it, each one's conscience knows. For I shall not cease doing my part and writing the right letters. But if you spoil our zeal, our wage remains unshaken, but your danger is not small. But I do not wish to say anything burdensome;

Eph 4:14 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 13:30 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 3:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Jas 2:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 29:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 15:8 (quotation, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: While on the threshing floor we can still change from chaff to wheat; humility, not display, survives the fire; almsgiving escapes the unquenchable fire, and faith without life will not save; Chrysostom laments that hearers carry home blank tablets, letting the devil overwrite his teaching.

  • Quotations: Isa 29:13 (Matt 15:8); Jas 2:19 (allusion). Allusions: Eph 4:14; Exod 3:2; Matt 13:29–30. Field's marginal heading and apparatus notes (Latin), and a marginal reference, run into the text by the OCR are removed by logged corrections; a passage garbled by the OCR ('when it is no longer possible to escape') is translated by sense.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR debris (stray marks or marginal letters); apparatus notes on the moral section run into the text by the OCR; marginal reference (Isa 29:13) run into the text by the OCR): καὶ Ἰποϊρὶϊ τὸ ἡθικόν. Αττη. ὅν. ἐ ἐνταῦθα καὶ ἐνταῦθα Ἐὰὰ. ποπίθυ8 ΓΠΙΘΓΡΡ. ἀνελεημοσύνην ΟΥ̓Π685 τηϑὶ ουπὶ 6. Υ προ- - ἰὲ Δ ᾿ οὕτως → καὶ οὕτως; τὰ Ἐμπδὶ. χχίχ. 13. γράμματα → τὰ γράμματα; Υ προαπόθου, → προαπόθου,; - , → ,; ν Α ἐνταῦθα → ἐνταῦθα; -Ξ ΄- ῇ → ῇ; Φ βίον. → βίον.; ’ὔ φρίττουσι → φρίττουσι; Β [Ω → [Ω; ᾽ Α ϑ ΄- ἄν → ἄν; Α ’ Ἁ → Ἁ; ζῚ ς΄ → ς΄; - ἴδωμεν → ἴδωμεν; ὔ ’ ᾽ Α διδασκάλων → διδασκάλων; ᾽ ᾿ Δ) → Δ); Α Δ - ε ’ γίνεταί → γίνεταί; ΄- ΄-ο Ά σ΄. → σ΄.; -ς τοῦ → τοῦ; ΄-η ϑ ’ ’ μοι → μοι; ’ ε ’ σκειν, → σκειν,; ’ ᾿ δὴ → δὴ; ᾿ Φ ᾿ δέ → δέ; ᾿ βασκανίαν. → βασκανίαν.; « ᾿Ὶ φ- ’ ᾿ ε ὑμετέρας, → ὑμετέρας,; υ ὑμεῖς → ὑμεῖς.

Topics: Ethics, Eschatology

Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Matt. 11.7 (Field 1; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/chrysostom-hom-matthaeum/11-7/#p-11-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Field's edition (Cambridge 1839; OCR, slips and apparatus sigla removed as logged corrections; gaps from Migne PG 57–58 where noted) and compared afterwards with NPNF¹ 10.

11.8Field 1

ἀλλὰ δέομαι πάλιν καὶ παρακαλῶ, κἂν τῶν παίδων τῶν μικρῶν μιμήσασθε τὴν περὶ ταῦτα σπουδήν. Καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι πρῶτον μὲν τὸν τύπον μανθάνουσι τών στοιχείων ἔπειτα διεστραμμένα αὐτὰ διὰγινώσκειν μελετώσι καὶ τότε καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀναγνώσεως ὁδῷ βαδίζουσι τῇ εξ εκείνων. Οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς ποιώμεν διελόμενοι τὴν ἀρετὴν, μανθάνωμεν πρότερον τὸ μὴ ὀμνύναι, μηδὲ ἐπιορκεῖν, μηδὲ κακηγορεῖν' εἶτα, ἐπ᾽ ᾿ἄλλον στίχον ἐλθόντες, τὸ μὴ βασκαίνειν, μηδὲ σωμάτων ἐρᾶν, μὴ γαστρίζεσθαι, μὴ μεθύσκεσθαι; μὴ ὠμοὶ, μὴ νωθεῖς ἵνα ἀπὸ τούτων πάλιν εἰς τὰ πνευματικὰ μεταβάντες, μελετῶμεν ἐγκράτειαν γαστρὸς ὑπεροψίαν, σωφροσύνην, δικαιοσύνην, τὸ δόξης εἶναι κρείττους, καὶ ἐπιεικεῖς, καὶ τῇ διανοίᾳ συντετριμμένους, καὶ συνάπτωμεν ταῦτα ἀλλήλοις, καὶ ἐγγράφωμεν ἡμῶν τῇ ψυχῇ. Καὶ ταῦτα ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας, ἐπὶ τῶν φίλων, ἐπὶ τῆς γυναικὸς, ἐπὶ τῶν παίδων γυμνάζωμεν ἅπαντα. Καὶ τέως ἀπὸ τῶν πρώτων ἀρχώμεθα τῶν εὐκολωτέρων οἷον, ἀπὸ τοῦ μὴ ὀμνύναι καὶ τοῦτο συνεχῶς μελετῶμεν τὸ στοιχεῖον ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας. Καὶ γὰρ πολλοὶ οἱ ἐμποδίζοντες οἴκοι τῆ μελέτῃ ταύτῃ καὶ γὰρ οἰκέτης παροξύνει, καὶ γυνὴ λυποῦσα εἰς ὀργὴν ἐμβάλλει, καὶ παιδίον ἀμαθαῖνον καὶ ἀτακτοῦν εἰς ἀπειλὴν καὶ ὅρκον ἐξάγει. Αν τοίνυν ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας συνεχῶς ὑπὸ τούτων παρακνιζόμενος κατορθώσῃς τὸ μὴ παρασύρεσθαι εἰς ὅρκους» εὐκόλως καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀγορᾶς δυνήση μεῖναι ἀνάλωτος. πἰΑλλὰ μὴν καὶ τὸ μὴ ὑβρίζειν κατορθώσεις, μῆτε τὴν γυναῖκα ὑβρίζων. μήτε τὸν οἰκέτην, μήτε τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας ἑτερόν τινα. Καὶ γὰρ γυνὴ πολλάκις ἐπαινοῦσα τὸν δεῖνα, καὶ ταλανίζουσα ἑαυτὴν, ἐξάπτει εἰς, τὸ κακὼς ἐκεῖνον εἰπεῖν. Δλλὰ σὺ μὴ ἀναγκασθῇς κακηγορῆσαι τὸν ἐπαινούμενον; ἀλλὰ φέρε πάντα γενναίως κἂν τοὺς οἰκέτας ἑτέρους ἐπαινοῦντας δεσπότας ἴδῃς, μὴ ταραχθῇς, ἀλλὰ στῆθι γένναίως. Αγὼν ἔστω καὶ παλαίστρα ἀρετῆς ἡ οἰκία, ἵνα ἐκεῖ καλῶς γυμνασάμενος, μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἐπιστήμης τοῖς ἐν ἀγορᾷ προσβάλλῃς. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τῆν κενοδοξίας ποίει. Ἂν γὰρ μελετήσῃς μὴ κενοδοξεῖν ἐ ἐπὶ τῆς γυναικὸς καὶ τῶν οἰκετῶν, ἐπ᾽ οὐδενὸς λοιπὸν ἑτέρου ῥᾳδίως ἁλώσῃ τούτῳ τῷ πάθει. Πανταχοῦ μὲν γὰρ τὸ νόσημα τοῦτο χαλεπὸν καὶ τυραννικὸν, μάλιστα δὲ ὅταν γυνὴ παρῇ. Ἂν τοίνυν ἐκεῖ καταλύσωμεν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἰσχὺν, ῥᾳδίως αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις περιεσόμεθα. Καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων δὲ παθών τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦτο ποιῶμεν, ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας γυμναζόμενοι κατ᾽ αὐτών, καὶ καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ἀλειφόμενοι τὴν ἡμέραν. Καὶ ἵνα εὐκολωτέρα ἡμῖν ἡ γυμνασία γένηται, καὶ ἐπιτίμιον καθ᾽ ἑαυτῶν ἐκφέΡωμεν, ὅταν τι τῶν προκειμένων παραβῶμεν. Ἔστω δὲ καὶ τὸ ἐπιτίμιον πάλιν μὴ ζημίαν, ἀλλὰ μισθὸν ἔ θχον, καὶ κέρδος προξενοῦν μόγιστον᾽ τοῦτο δέ ἐστιν, ἂν νηστείαις ἐπιτεταμέναις βαυτοὺς καταδικάζωμεν, καὶ χαμευνίαις, καὶ ἑτέρᾳ τοιαύτῃ σκληραγωγίᾳ. Οὕτω γὰρ πάντοθεν ἡμῖν πολλὰ ἥξει τὰ κέρδη, καὶ ἐνταῦθα τὸν ἡδὺν τῆς ἀρετῆς βιωσόμεθα βίον, καὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἐπιτευξόμεθα ἀγαθῶν, καὶ τοῦ θεοῦ διηνεκῶς ἐσόμεθα φίλοι. Αλλ᾽ ὅπως ᾿ἂν μὴ τὰ αὐτὰ γένηται πάλιν, καὶ θαυμάσαντες ἐνταῦθα τὰ εἰρημένα, ἀπελθόντες, ἁπλῶς καὶ ὡς ἔτυχε τὴν δέλτον τῆς διανοίας ὑ ὑμῶν ῥίψαντες, παράσχητε τῷ διαβόλῳ ταῦτα ἐξαλεῖψαι, ἀναχωρήσας οἴκαδε ἕκαστος, καλείτω τὴν γυναῖκα τὴν ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ ἀπαγγελλέτω ταῦτα, καὶ λαμβανέτω βοηθὸν, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας εἰς τὴν καλὴν ταύτην εἰσίτω παλαίστραν, ἐλαίῳ τῇ τοῦ πνεύματος χρώμενος χορηγίᾳ. Κὰν ἅπαξ, κἂν δὲς, κἂν πολλάκις καταπέσης γυμναζόμενος, μὴ ἀπογνῷς, ἀλλὰ στῆθι πάλιν καὶ πάλαισον' καὶ μὴ πρότερον αποστῆς; ἕως ἂν λαμπρὸν ἀναδήση κατὰ τοὺ διαβόλου τὸν στέφανον, καὶ ἐν ἀσύλῳ θησαυρῷ λοιπὸν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀποθῇ τὴν κτῆσιν. Ἂν γάρ ἐν συνηθείᾳ τῆς καλῆς ταύτης σαυτὸν καταστήσῃς φιλοσοφίας, οὐδὲ ῥᾳθυμῶν λοιπὸν δυνήσῃ παραβῆναί τι τῶν ἐπιτεταγμένων, τῆς συνηθείας τὴν τῆς φύσεως μιμουμένης στεῤῥότητα. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ καθεύδειν εὔκολον, καὶ ἐσθίειν, καὶ πίνειν, καὶ ἀναπνεῖν, οὕτως ἔσται καὶ τὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἡμῖν ῥᾷδια, καὶ τὴν εἰλικρινῆ καρπωσόμεθα ἡδονὴν, ἐν αἀκυμάντῳ λιμένι καθήμενοι, καὶ γαλήνης διηνεκοῦς ἀπολαύοντες, καὶ μετὰ πολλοῦ τοῦ φόρτου τὸ πλοῖον εἰς ἐκείνην ὁρμίζοντες τὴν πόλιν ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, καὶ τῶν ᾿ἀκηράτων ᾿ἐπιτευξόμεθα στεφάνων ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἢ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ᾿Αμήν.

alla deomai palin kai parakalō, kan tōn paidōn tōn mikrōn mimēsasthe tēn peri tauta spoudēn. Kai gar ekeinoi prōton men ton typon manthanousi tōn stoicheiōn epeita diestrammena auta diaginōskein meletōsi kai tote kai epi tēs anagnōseōs hodǭ badizousi tę̄ ex ekeinōn. Houtō dē kai hēmeis poiōmen dielomenoi tēn aretēn, manthanōmen proteron to mē omnynai, mēde epiorkein, mēde kakēgorein' eita, ep᾽ ᾿allon stichon elthontes, to mē baskainein, mēde sōmatōn eran, mē gastrizesthai, mē methyskesthai? mē ōmoi, mē nōtheis hina apo toutōn palin eis ta pneumatika metabantes, meletōmen enkrateian gastros hyperopsian, sōphrosynēn, dikaiosynēn, to doxēs einai kreittous, kai epieikeis, kai tę̄ dianoią syntetrimmenous, kai synaptōmen tauta allēlois, kai engraphōmen hēmōn tę̄ psychę̄. Kai tauta epi tēs oikias, epi tōn philōn, epi tēs gynaikos, epi tōn paidōn gymnazōmen hapanta. Kai teōs apo tōn prōtōn archōmetha tōn eukolōterōn hoion, apo tou mē omnynai kai touto synechōs meletōmen to stoicheion epi tēs oikias. Kai gar polloi hoi empodizontes oikoi tē meletę̄ tautę̄ kai gar oiketēs paroxynei, kai gynē lypousa eis orgēn emballei, kai paidion amathainon kai ataktoun eis apeilēn kai horkon exagei. An toinyn epi tēs oikias synechōs hypo toutōn paraknizomenos katorthōsę̄s to mē parasyresthai eis horkous» eukolōs kai epi tēs agoras dynēsē meinai analōtos. piAlla mēn kai to mē hybrizein katorthōseis, mēte tēn gynaika hybrizōn. mēte ton oiketēn, mēte tōn epi tēs oikias heteron tina. Kai gar gynē pollakis epainousa ton deina, kai talanizousa heautēn, exaptei eis, to kakōs ekeinon eipein. Dlla sy mē anankasthę̄s kakēgorēsai ton epainoumenon? alla phere panta gennaiōs kan tous oiketas heterous epainountas despotas idę̄s, mē tarachthę̄s, alla stēthi gennaiōs. Agōn estō kai palaistra aretēs hē oikia, hina ekei kalōs gymnasamenos, meta pollēs tēs epistēmēs tois en agorą prosballę̄s. Touto kai epi tēn kenodoxias poiei. An gar meletēsę̄s mē kenodoxein e epi tēs gynaikos kai tōn oiketōn, ep᾽ oudenos loipon heterou rhądiōs halōsę̄ toutǭ tǭ pathei. Pantachou men gar to nosēma touto chalepon kai tyrannikon, malista de hotan gynē parę̄. An toinyn ekei katalysōmen autou tēn ischyn, rhądiōs autou kai en tois allois periesometha. Kai epi tōn allōn de pathōn to auto touto poiōmen, epi tēs oikias gymnazomenoi kat᾽ autōn, kai kath᾽ hekastēn aleiphomenoi tēn hēmeran. Kai hina eukolōtera hēmin hē gymnasia genētai, kai epitimion kath᾽ heautōn ekpheRōmen, hotan ti tōn prokeimenōn parabōmen. Estō de kai to epitimion palin mē zēmian, alla misthon e thchon, kai kerdos proxenoun mogiston᾽ touto de estin, an nēsteiais epitetamenais bautous katadikazōmen, kai chameuniais, kai heterą toiautę̄ sklēragōgią. Houtō gar pantothen hēmin polla hēxei ta kerdē, kai entautha ton hēdyn tēs aretēs biōsometha bion, kai tōn mellontōn epiteuxometha agathōn, kai tou theou diēnekōs esometha philoi. All᾽ hopōs ᾿an mē ta auta genētai palin, kai thaumasantes entautha ta eirēmena, apelthontes, haplōs kai hōs etyche tēn delton tēs dianoias hy hymōn rhipsantes, paraschēte tǭ diabolǭ tauta exaleipsai, anachōrēsas oikade hekastos, kaleitō tēn gynaika tēn heautou, kai apangelletō tauta, kai lambanetō boēthon, kai apo tēs sēmeron hēmeras eis tēn kalēn tautēn eisitō palaistran, elaiǭ tę̄ tou pneumatos chrōmenos chorēgią. Kan hapax, kan des, kan pollakis katapesēs gymnazomenos, mē apognǭs, alla stēthi palin kai palaison' kai mē proteron apostēs? heōs an lampron anadēsē kata tou diabolou ton stephanon, kai en asylǭ thēsaurǭ loipon tēs aretēs apothę̄ tēn ktēsin. An gar en synētheią tēs kalēs tautēs sauton katastēsę̄s philosophias, oude rhąthymōn loipon dynēsę̄ parabēnai ti tōn epitetagmenōn, tēs synētheias tēn tēs physeōs mimoumenēs sterrhotēta. Hōsper gar to katheudein eukolon, kai esthiein, kai pinein, kai anapnein, houtōs estai kai ta tēs aretēs hēmin rhądia, kai tēn eilikrinē karpōsometha hēdonēn, en aakymantǭ limeni kathēmenoi, kai galēnēs diēnekous apolauontes, kai meta pollou tou phortou to ploion eis ekeinēn hormizontes tēn polin en ekeinę̄ tę̄ hēmerą, kai tōn ᾿akēratōn ᾿epiteuxometha stephanōn hōn genoito pantas hēmas epitychein, chariti kai philanthrōpią tou kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou, hǭ ē doxa kai to kratos, nyn kai aei kai eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn. ᾿Amēn.

but again I beg and urge you, at least imitate the zeal of little children in these things. For they first learn the shapes of the letters; then they practice recognizing them when mixed up; and then they walk on the road of reading by means of them. So let us too do: dividing virtue up, let us first learn not to swear, nor to perjure ourselves, nor to speak evil; then, coming to another line, not to envy, nor to love bodies, not to be gluttons, not to be drunk, not to be cruel, not to be sluggish; so that from these we may pass again to spiritual things and practice self-control, contempt of the belly, chastity, righteousness, being above glory, gentle, broken in mind; and let us join these to one another and write them on our soul. And let us exercise all these things at home, with our friends, with our wife, with our children. And for the present let us begin from the first and easier things, for instance from not swearing; and let us continually practice this letter at home. For there are many at home who hinder this practice: a servant provokes, a wife throws one into anger by grieving one, a child that is slow to learn and disorderly drives one to threats and oaths. If, then, continually irritated by these at home, you succeed in not being swept into oaths, you will easily be able to remain uncaptured in the marketplace too. And indeed you will succeed also in not insulting, neither insulting your wife, nor your servant, nor any other in the house. For often a wife, praising so-and-so and calling herself wretched, kindles one to speak ill of him. But do not you be driven to speak evil of the one praised, but bear everything nobly; and if you see the servants praising other masters, do not be troubled, but stand nobly. Let the house be a contest and wrestling school of virtue, so that, well exercised there, you may engage those in the marketplace with great skill. Do this with vainglory too. For if you practice not being vainglorious before your wife and servants, you will not easily be captured by this passion before anyone else. For everywhere this disease is cruel and tyrannical, but above all when a wife is present. If, then, we undo its strength there, we shall easily overcome it in other things too. Let us do the same thing with the other passions too, exercising against them at home and anointing ourselves every day. And so that the exercise may be easier for us, let us also pronounce a penalty against ourselves whenever we transgress any of what lies before us. And let the penalty again be not a loss, but one that has a reward and procures the greatest gain; that is, condemning ourselves to intensified fasts, sleeping on the ground, and other such hardship. For so many gains will come to us from every side, and we shall live here the sweet life of virtue, obtain the good things to come, and be friends of God continually.

But lest the same things happen again, and having admired what was said here, you go away and throw down the tablet of your mind idly and at random, and allow the devil to wipe it out, let each one, going home, call his wife and tell her these things and take her as a helper, and from this very day enter this fine wrestling school, using the supply of the Spirit as oil. And if you fall once, or twice, or many times while exercising, do not despair, but stand again and wrestle, and do not leave off until you have bound on a splendid crown against the devil and stored up the possession of virtue in an inviolable treasury. For if you set yourself in the habit of this fine philosophy, you will no longer be able, even when careless, to transgress any of the commandments, since habit imitates the firmness of nature. For as it is easy to sleep, eat, drink, and breathe, so the things of virtue too will be easy for us, and we shall reap pure pleasure, sitting in a harbor without waves and enjoying continual calm, and bringing our ship with much cargo into that city on that day, and we shall obtain the incorruptible crowns; which may we all obtain, by the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might, now and always and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Matt 5:34 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 6:20 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Closing exhortation of Homily 11: learn virtue like children learning letters, one at a time, beginning at home with not swearing and not insulting, practicing with one's wife and household and imposing penances on oneself, until virtue becomes second nature.

  • Allusions: Matt 5:34 (not swearing); Matt 6:20 (treasury). The 'oil' of the wrestling school is the supply of the Spirit. A repeated phrase and apparatus run into the text by the OCR are removed by a logged correction.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR debris (stray marks or marginal letters); a repeated phrase and apparatus run into the text by the OCR): σήμερον ἡμέρας - Ωγ ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ τὸ μὴ ὑβρίζειν κατορθώσεις, εἴ τῶοχ τῶν ἐπὶ εἰς τὴν καλὴν → σήμερον ἡμέρας εἰς τὴν καλὴν; Ε διὰγινώσκειν → διὰγινώσκειν; ε εκείνων. → εκείνων.; ξ ἔστω → ἔστω; Ε ἄλλοις → ἄλλοις.

Topics: Ethics, Fasting, Marriage

Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Matt. 11.8 (Field 1; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/chrysostom-hom-matthaeum/11-7/#p-11-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Field's edition (Cambridge 1839; OCR, slips and apparatus sigla removed as logged corrections; gaps from Migne PG 57–58 where noted) and compared afterwards with NPNF¹ 10.