Homilies on Luke 10–13

On the text: “Filled with the Holy Spirit, he prophesied,” up to the place where he says, “For you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways.” Chapter 1. Zechariah, filled with the Holy Spirit, utters two prophecies in all, the first about Christ, the second about John. This is plainly proved by his words, in which he speaks of the Saviour as present and already living in the world, and then of John. For “filled with the Holy Spirit he prophesied, saying: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and brought about the redemption of his people.” For as God was visiting and willing to redeem his people, Mary remained with Elizabeth for three months after the angel had spoken to her, so that by a certain ineffable power the present Saviour might instruct not only John, as we said earlier, but also Zechariah, as the Gospel narrative now declares. For little by little he too, over three months, received increase of the Holy Spirit and was being taught without knowing it, and he prophesied of Christ, saying: “who has given redemption to his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David,” in which Christ was born according to the flesh. And truly, because he was the horn of salvation, this prophecy is sung in the house of David. For “a vineyard was made on a horn” (Isa 5:1). On what horn? In Christ Jesus, in him of whom it is now written: “He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets: salvation from our enemies.” Let us not think it is now said of bodily enemies, but of spiritual ones. For the Lord Jesus came, mighty in battle, to destroy all our enemies, to free us from their snares. “From the hand of our enemies and from the hand of those who hate us, to show mercy to our fathers.” I think that at the coming of the Lord Saviour, Abraham and Isaac and Jacob too enjoyed the mercy of God. For it is not credible that those who earlier saw his day and rejoiced should afterwards, at his coming and his birth from the Virgin, have received no benefit. And why do I speak of the patriarchs? Following the authority of the Scriptures I will boldly climb higher: the presence of the Lord Jesus and his dispensation helped not only earthly but also heavenly things. Hence the apostle too says: “making peace through the blood of his cross, whether on earth or in heaven” (Col 1:20). And if the presence of the Lord profited in heaven and on earth, why are you afraid to say that his coming profited our forefathers as well, so that what is said is fulfilled: “to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath which he swore to Abraham our father, to grant us to be delivered without fear from the hand of our enemies”? Often people are delivered from the hand of enemies, but not without fear. For when fear and danger have gone before, and so someone has been rescued from the hand of enemies, he is delivered indeed, but not without fear. But the coming of the Lord Jesus rescued us from the hand of our enemies without fear. For we did not feel our enemies nor see them fighting against us; we do not know how we were suddenly snatched from their jaws and snares, in an instant and a moment, and he transferred us into the inheritance and portion of the righteous. “And we have been delivered from the hand of enemies without fear, that we may serve God in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High.” Seeking within myself the reason why he speaks not as if about John but to John himself, “And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High,” and the rest (for it was superfluous to speak to one who could not hear and to address a little infant at the breast), I think I can find this: just as John was born wonderfully, came into the world at the angel’s announcement, and was brought forth on earth after Mary had stayed three months with Elizabeth, so also everything written about him is recorded as done wonderfully. If you doubt that one just brought forth from his mother’s womb could hear his father’s words and know what was said to him, “And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High,” consider that what went before was much more wonderful: “Behold, as soon as the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the infant leaped for joy in my womb.” For if, while still shut up in his mother’s womb, he hears Jesus and, hearing, leaped and rejoiced, why should you not believe that, once born, he could hear and understand his father’s prophecy, saying to him: “And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Highest, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways”? I think Zechariah hastened to speak to the little one because he knew that he would soon dwell in the desert and that he himself could not have his company. For the child “was in the deserts until the day of his manifestation to Israel.” Moses too dwelt in the deserts; but later, when the years of his youth were already completed, he fled from Egypt and for further years tended flocks; whereas John, as soon as he was born, passed over to the deserts, and he who was greater among those born of women was shown worthy of a greater upbringing. Of him the prophet speaks: “Behold, I send my angel before your face” (Mal 3:1). Rightly he is called an angel who had been sent before the Lord, and who could hear and understand his father’s prophecy as soon as he was born. Therefore let us who believe such great wonders believe likewise in the resurrection; let us believe also the promises that are to come, and the kingdom of heaven which the Spirit daily promises us. May we receive all these things, as they are written, more wonderfully than we can perceive, in Christ Jesus, to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

On the text: “And the child grew and became strong in spirit,” up to the place where he says, “This was the first enrolment, made under Quirinius, governor of Syria.” Chapters 1 and 2. In the holy Scriptures something is said to grow in two ways: one bodily, where the human will is of no avail; the other spiritual, where the cause of growth lies in human effort. It is of the second, the spiritual, that the evangelist now speaks: “And the child grew and became strong in spirit.” What he says is this: he grew in spirit, and did not remain in the measure in which he began; the spirit was always growing in him, and as the spirit increased at every hour and moment, his soul too received its increases, and not only his soul but also his understanding and mind followed the increases of the spirit. As for God’s command, “Increase and multiply” (Gen 1:28), I do not know how those who take it simply and according to the letter can explain it. Granted that “multiply” refers to number, and multiplication takes place when people become more than they were before; but what follows, “Increase,” is not in our power. For what human being would not wish to add to his stature (Matt 6:27), to become taller? If, then, something is commanded so that it may be done (for it is foolish to command what the one commanded cannot do), and we are commanded to grow, then on that reading we are commanded to do what we cannot. Do you want to know how “Increase” is understood? Listen to what Isaac did, of whom it is said: “Isaac advanced and became greater, until he became great,” or “exceedingly great” (Gen 26:13). For his will, always stretching toward better things, made its advances; his mind contemplated something more divine; and his memory exercised itself to store up more in its treasury and to retain it more firmly. In this way it came about that one who had cultivated all his virtues in the field of the soul fulfilled the command that says, “Increase.” Therefore John too, while still a little child, grew and multiplied. Yet it is very hard for a little child to grow in spirit, and among mortals … “And the child grew and became strong in spirit.” “Grew” is one thing, “became strong” another. Human nature is weak, and to become stronger it needs divine help. We read, “The flesh is weak.” By what help, then, is it to be strengthened? Surely by the spirit. For “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt 26:41). One who wishes to become stronger ought to be strengthened only in the Spirit. Many are strengthened in the flesh and made robust in body; but the athlete of God must be made strong in spirit, and when he has been strengthened in this way, he will crush the wisdom of the flesh and, having become spiritual, will subject the body to the rule of the mind. Let us not think, then, that the history of John was written simply, as something that has nothing to do with us, when it says, “he grew and became strong in spirit”; it was written for our imitation, so that, multiplied spiritually in the sense we have described, we may receive increase. “And he was in the deserts until the day of his manifestation to Israel.” It was said recently that John’s conception too had something astonishing about it, when the infant leaped in the womb and, not yet born, recognized his Lord; and his birth was no lesser miracle, when the words of Zechariah’s prophecy were turned to him as though he could hear, saying, “And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High.” Fittingly, then, one who had been so conceived and born did not wait to be brought up by his father until the day of his manifestation to Israel, but withdrew, fleeing the tumult of towns, the crowds of people, the neighbourhood of cities, and went off into the deserts, where the air was purer and the sky more open and God closer, so that, since neither the mystery of baptism nor the time of preaching had yet come, he might devote himself to prayer and converse with angels, and call upon the Lord and hear him answering and saying, “Here I am” (Isa 58:9). For as Moses spoke and God answered him, so I think John spoke in the desert and the Lord answered him. I think this because I am moved by a sure reason from the Scriptures. For if among those born of women no one was greater than John the Baptist, and God answered Moses, it follows that he answered John too, who was greater than Moses, who was brought up in the desert, whose birth the same archangel announced who also announced the Lord’s, and whose father, who did not believe he would be born, was struck dumb. John, then, was in the desert and was nourished in a new manner beyond human nature, as Matthew too records: “His food was locusts and wild honey” (Matt 3:4). For since he was the minister of the Saviour’s first coming and spoke only of the dispensation of the Lord’s flesh, and his prophecy heralded him who had been born of the Virgin, he did not have domestic honey, strained by human care, but wild honey; and a winged creature that is not large and does not rise on high, but a small winged creature, scarcely rising from the ground, leaping rather than flying. What more? It is said most plainly that locusts were his food, a small creature and a clean one. Consider, then, dearest brothers, that he who had been born in a new way was nourished in a new way. After this the Scripture adds: “And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. This was the first enrolment, under Quirinius, governor of Syria” (Luke 2:1–2). Someone may exclaim, “What a Gospel story!” But that the first enrolment of the whole world took place under Caesar Augustus, that among all the rest Joseph too, with Mary, betrothed to him and pregnant, gave in his name for the census, and that Jesus was born before the enrolment was completed, seems to one who looks more carefully to signify a certain mystery: that in the registration of the whole world Christ too had to be enrolled, so that, enrolled with all, he might sanctify all, and, registered in the census with the world, he might grant the world communion with himself; so that after this enrolment he might enrol with himself in the book of the living all from the world who believed in him, and whoever believed in him might afterwards be enrolled with his saints in heaven; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

On the text that an angel came from heaven and announced the Lord’s birth to shepherds. Chapter 2. My Lord Jesus is born, and an angel comes down from heaven announcing his birth. Let us see, then, whom he sought out to announce his coming to. He did not come to Jerusalem, he did not seek out the scribes and Pharisees, he did not enter the synagogue of the Jews; he found shepherds keeping the night watches over their flocks and says to them: “Today a Saviour is born, who is Christ the Lord.” Do you think that the divine word of the Scriptures means nothing more than this, that an angel came to shepherds and spoke to them? Hear, shepherds of the churches, shepherds of God, that his angel is always coming down from heaven and announcing to you that “today a Saviour is born to you, who is Christ the Lord.” For unless that Shepherd comes, the shepherds of the churches will not be able to keep the flock well by themselves; their guarding is weak unless Christ pastures and guards it with them. We read a little while ago in the apostle, “We are God’s fellow workers” (1 Cor 3:9). The good shepherd who imitates the Good Shepherd (John 10:11) is a fellow worker of God and of Christ. And he is a good shepherd precisely because he has the best Shepherd with him, pasturing alongside him. For God has set in the church apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers, all for the perfecting of the saints (Eph 4:11–12). These things have been said rather simply. But if we must rise to a more sacred understanding, I would say that certain angels were shepherds who governed human affairs. Each of them kept his own charge and, watching day and night, could no longer bear the labour, though he worked diligently to govern the nations entrusted to him; and when the Lord was born, an angel came and announced to the shepherds that the true Shepherd had arisen. For instance, to come to an example, there was a certain shepherd of Macedonia, and he needed the help of the Lord; therefore a man of Macedonia appeared to Paul in a dream, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us” (Acts 16:9). But why do I speak of Paul, when he said these things not to Paul but to Jesus, who was in Paul? The shepherds, then, need the presence of Christ. That is why the angel comes down from heaven and says: “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you news of great joy.” Truly great joy for those to whom the care of human beings and of provinces had been entrusted, that Christ had come into the world. The angel who administered the affairs of Egypt gained much benefit after the Lord came down from heaven, so that the Egyptians became Christians. It profited also all who held the various provinces: for instance, the governor of Macedonia, the governor of Achaia, and those of the other regions. For it is not right to believe that evil angels preside over their provinces and that good angels have not been entrusted with the same provinces. What he says of individual provinces I think we should believe also of all human beings in general. Two angels attend each person, one of righteousness, the other of iniquity. If good thoughts are in our heart and righteousness springs up in our soul, there is no doubt that the angel of the Lord is speaking to us. But if evil things are turning over in our heart, the angel of the devil is speaking to us. Just as there are two angels for each human being, so, I think, in the several provinces too there are different angels, some good and some evil. For instance, at Ephesus, because of those in that city who were sinners, most evil angels presided; again, because many in it were believers, there was also the angel of the church of the Ephesians, surely a good one. What we have said of Ephesus is to be understood of all provinces. Before the coming of the Lord Saviour these angels could bring little benefit to those entrusted to them, and their efforts could not achieve their effect. There is a sign of how little they could help those subject to them. Listen to what we say: when the angel of the Egyptians was helping the Egyptians, scarcely one proselyte believed in God, and that happened through the angel’s administration of the Egyptians. Indeed, because a good many proselytes from the Egyptians and Idumaeans received the faith of Christ, the Scripture says: “You shall not abhor the Egyptian, because you were strangers in the land of Egypt, nor the Idumaean, because he is your brother. If sons are born to them, in the third generation they shall enter the assembly of God” (Deut 23:7–8). And so it happened that some from all nations became proselytes, and this too with the help of the angels who had the nations subject to them. But now whole peoples of believers come to faith in Jesus, and the angels to whom the churches have been entrusted, strengthened by the presence of the Saviour, bring many proselytes, so that assemblies of Christians are gathered throughout the whole world. Therefore let us rise and praise the Lord, and become, instead of a fleshly Israel, a spiritual Israel. Let us bless almighty God in deed, thought, and word, in Christ Jesus, to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

On the text: “And there was a multitude of the heavenly host,” up to the place where he says, “They found Mary and Jesus lying in the manger.” Chapter 2. Our Lord and Saviour is in Bethlehem, and a multitude of the heavenly host praises God and says: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will.” The multitude of the heavenly host says this because it had already failed in giving help to human beings and saw that it could not fulfil the work entrusted to it without him who could truly save and could help the guardians themselves too, so that human beings might be saved. It is written in the Gospel that some men, cleaving the sea with oars against contrary winds, were already exhausted, and, toiling for twenty-five or thirty stadia, could not reach harbour; and afterwards the Lord came upon them, calmed the swelling waves, and freed from imminent danger the ship whose sides were being battered from every side (John 6:19). So understand that the angels too wanted to give help to human beings and to grant them health from their sicknesses, for they are all ministering spirits sent to serve for the sake of those who have obtained salvation (Heb 1:14); and as far as lay in their power they helped human beings. But they saw that their medicine was far weaker than those people’s care required. To understand what we mean from an example, picture a city where very many are sick, and the hands of many physicians are applied; let there be various wounds, let a creeping putrefaction penetrate daily into the dead flesh; and yet let the physicians called in to cure be unable to find any further remedies or to overcome the greatness of the evil by the science of their art. When things have come to such a pass, let a chief physician arrive who has the highest knowledge of the art; and let those who could not heal before, seeing the putrefaction of the wounds cease at the master’s hand, not envy him nor be tormented with jealousy, but break out into praise of the chief physician and glorify God who has sent a man of such great knowledge both to them and to the sick. In this likeness the multitude of the host of angels was heard saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men of good will.” For after the Lord came to earth, he made peace by the blood of his cross, both for the things on earth and for those in heaven (Col 1:20). For the angels, wishing that human beings should remember their Creator, when they had done everything in their power for them to be healed, and those people had been unwilling to look to health, see him who was able to heal and, glorifying him, say: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace.” Let the careful reader of Scripture ask how the Saviour says, “I did not come to bring peace upon earth, but a sword” (Matt 10:34), and yet now the angels sing at his birth, “on earth peace.” Indeed, in another place it is said in his person: “My peace I give to you, my peace I leave with you; not as this world gives peace do I give peace” (John 14:27). Let him see, then, whether what we put forward can solve the question. If it were written “on earth peace” and the sentence ended there, the question would rightly arise. But as it is, what is added after “peace,” “among men of good will,” solves the question. For the peace which the Lord does not give upon earth is not the peace of good will. He did not say simply, “I did not come to bring peace,” but with the addition “upon earth”; nor, on the other hand, did he say, “I did not come to bring peace upon earth to men of good will.” The angels said these things to the shepherds; and they did not speak only at that time: even to this day, unless they speak to the shepherds and join their own work to theirs, it is said to the shepherds: “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain; unless the Lord guards the city, he who guards it will labour in vain” (Ps 127:1). If it is permissible to speak boldly while following the meaning of the Scriptures, in each church there are two bishops, one visible, the other invisible: the one evident to the sight of the flesh, the other to the understanding. And just as a man who has managed well the stewardship entrusted to him is praised by the Lord, and if badly, is subject to blame and fault, so also the angel. For it is written in the Apocalypse of John: “But you have there a few names who have defiled” this or that; and again, “You have there those who teach the doctrine of the Nicolaitans”; and then, you have those who commit this or that sin; and the angels to whom the churches have been entrusted are accused. If the angels have concern for how the churches are governed, what need is there to say how much fear human beings should have, that they may attain salvation labouring together with the labouring angels? I think that an angel and a man can be found together as good bishops of a church, sharing in a sense in one work. Since this is so, let us ask almighty God that angels and men, the bishops of the churches, may be a help to us, and let us know that both are judged by the Lord on our account. And if they are judged, and the fault and sin is found not in their carelessness but in our negligence, we shall be convicted and punished. For while they do everything and strive for our salvation, we nonetheless shall be idle as regards our sins. But it often happens that while we labour, they do not fulfil their office and are at fault. “And it came to pass,” it says, “when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another: Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this word that has come to pass, which the Lord has shown us. They came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child.” Because they came with haste, and not slowly or with weary step, they found Joseph, the steward of the Lord’s birth, and Mary, who brought forth Jesus in childbirth, and the Saviour himself lying in the manger. This was what the prophet foretold, saying: “The ox knows its owner, and the ass its lord’s manger.” The ox is a clean animal, the ass an unclean one. “The ass knows its lord’s manger”: it was not the people of Israel that knew its Lord’s manger, but an unclean animal from the Gentiles. “But Israel has not known me, and my people has not understood me” (Isa 1:3). Understanding this manger, let us strive to know the Lord and to become worthy of the knowledge of him, and to take to ourselves his birth and the resurrection of his flesh, and also the glorious second coming of his majesty, to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.