Chrysostom and Scripture

Chrysostom and Scripture

INTRODUCTION

amongst the Fathers with this usage and these attitudes, but they do prove a particular reminder of the distance between his time and our own.

CHRYSOSTOM AND SCRIPTURE

(15) More to the point in a study of Chrysostom as commentator on Sacred Scripture is the scriptural text on which he is commenting. We have seen that he has not the skills to go beyond the Greek version of the Old Testament; the name

Septuagint for this translation has by Chrysostom's time come to cover a whole family of variant forms, and footnotes to the present translation document this diversity. It can therefore not be readily presumed that the Gn text read to Chrysostom's congregation and then commented on by him corresponds to any current English version, the text of our best contemporary Hebrew Bibles (like Kittel's) or Septuagint reconstructions (like Rahlfs'), or in the case of the New Testament to a text like that of Aland, Black et al. Baur explains that Origen's reconstruction of the LXX had been revised in Antioch by the priest Lucian, who had also worked on the NT text, and that it was probably Lucian's text that Chrysostom would have used. Baur adds, however, a further caveat: "The exact determination of the text was made more difficult because of the fact that Chrysostom, as well as other ecclesiastical writers of older and newer times, often quoted Scripture texts freely and diversely, from memory, and occasionally joined similar quotations, so that it is very difficult to say how his actual text read. For this reason there is lack of an absolutely reliable text of the works of Chrysostom himself."·7 My procedure has accordingly been to translate each text of Chrysostom individually, noting where significant the degree of departure from 'received texts'. I have also thought it best to keep to a spelling of proper names suggested by that text.

(16) The point has been made above that "exegetical" can 47. Baur I, 318.

ST.JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

be applied to this and other series of Chrysostom's homilies only 'secundum quid'. Whether through pastoral judgement or by force of his own limitations, the great preacher is satisfied with commenting on the text without submitting it to the rigorous processes of exegesis strictly so-called. We have seen above critics like G. Bardy and Beryl Smalley 48 taking him to task for his shortcomings-though they and other studies of Antiochene exegesis like those by A. Vaccari,49 J. N. D. Kelly,50 and W. Kaiser 51 tend to concentrate on the narrower area of hermeneutics. In that regard Chrysostom evidences the great respect for the literal sense characteristic of his school, as we shall see. As the complete exegete, however, he has many deficiencies of the kind we would probably expect of someone of his background and time. Occasionally he admits diversity in his text tradition. 52 He can also allow different interpretations of a difficult text, like Gn 4.8, and leave his listeners to make a choice.53 But he shows little critical awareness in his treatment of Genesis material. Diversity of sources he knows nothing of: in Homily 12 he passes from one creation narrative to the next almost without reference to the duplication, just remarking that Moses had repeated his "first account" in the interests of that cardinal virtue, akribeia, precision. Likewise, as he begins to treat of the Priestly Sethite genealogy at 5.1, he simply remarks that the repetition is accounted for by the need of moral instruction for the listenerslreaders.54 He takes seriously the "difficulty" he presumes his listeners find in tracing the provenance of a wife for Cain if Scripture thus far has made no mention of girls.55 "The names Adam imposed on 48. Cf. notes 21, 22 above.

49. Cf. note 4 above.

50. Early Christian Doctrines (New York, 19785) 69-78.

5L Kaiser, W. Towards an Exegetical Theology (Grand Rapids, 1981) 57-58.

See also Schaublin, Christoph. Untersuchungen zu Methode und Herkunft der antiochenischen Exegese (Kaln: P. Hanstein, 1974).

52. C. Hay, "Antiochene exegesis and Christology," Australian Biblical Review 12 (1964) 10-23, compares Chrysostom unfavorably with Theodore of Mopsuestia for his literary criticism.

53. Homily 19· 54. Homily 21. Just as Moses is responsible for all the Gn text, so "blessed

David" is for all the Psalms.

55. Homily 20.

INTRODUCTION

the animals remain up to the present time," he says smugly to his audience. 56 He can draw a simplistic conclusion from his text like that of male superiority referred to above in playing up woman's part in the Fall.57 We are not surprised to find that he admits no distinction in character or origins between the parable of the Sower and its allegorical interpretation.58 He is impatient with the LXX's linguistic nicety in preferring Zoe to Eva at 3.20 in Homily 18, and while quoting the former in his text he slips at once into the traditional name without explaining the distinction. None of these niceties, evidently, are relevant to his purpose; to quote Julian of Eclanum again, he proceeded "rather by exhortation than by exposition"-or, perhaps more accurately, his exposition was conducted only to the depth that would serve exhortation.

(17) This moral purpose of his in the commentary on Gn is certainly always to the fore, in addition even to the parenetic conclusion to every homily. Not only do critical exegetical details go without mention, but the dogmatic force of the text can yield to its moral content. For Chrysostom, the Fall is principally an instance, if the grossest, of that recurring rhathumia,

"indifference, carelessness"; its reporting in the text is primarily didactic in his view. Despite the New Testament, Adam is ofless significance than Eve and Cain-both exemplars, the one of that same rhathumia, the other of unprovoked malice.

Likewise, whereas contemporary literary critics like Von Rad highlight the dogmatic significance of the Lamech incident,

Chrysostom in Homily 20 makes much of Lamech as a moral figure (who, through a mistranslation by the LXX, becomes not an agent but an object of vengeance). The genealogy that opens Ch.S of Gn is not for Chrysostom an index of a different narrative strand but clear proof that increasing sinfulness has led the author to switch his focus. 59 To the service of this moral purpose Chrysostom brings also considerable oratorical artistry: the malice and the plight of these key moral figures is brought out by lengthy series of rhetorical questions in 56. Homily 16.

58. Homily 14.

57. Homily 17· 59. Homily 21.

ST.JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

Homilies 19 and 20 that must have made for considerable dramatic effect-all for the moral betterment of the congregation, whether or not this was the primary burden of the text.

(18) The moral thrust in his exposition is evident also in his reference to other books of the Bible. Chrysostom has the Bible at his fingertips, and he expects his congregation to resonate to his wide-ranging scriptural references, which are not always explicit. There would hardly be a homily which does not move beyond the text of Gn to quote, especially in those parenetic conclusions and introductions, the words of Christ from Matthew's Gospel,60 the psalms of "blessed David", and of course Chrysostom's soul-mate, Paul, "the world's teacher" and his own model.6L Though ranging widely over the OT and NT canon of his time in the East, he finds this kind of material grist to his mill to a greater extent than historical details, such as the life of Jesus or the historical books of the OT; a glance at the scriptural quotations in this volume will show these books conspicuous by their absence, as also Mark's Gospel. Still, at other times Chrysostom can implicitly hold up the historical personages of the Bible to his congregation as models-again in the moral order.62

(19) Whatever of his skills and approach as exegete and commentator, Chrysostom is utterly scriptural in his preaching to his congregation. It was obviously a predictable choice for the preacher of Antioch to confine his attention solely to Genesis and those other parts of the Bible; he refers his listeners to no other literature, no other characters or events, contemporary or historical, than those in the sacred books, except for occasional tilting at notorious heretics whose views contradict the true sense of Scripture. Thankfully, these po60. Cf. Beryl Smalley, The Study of the Bible in the Middle Ages (Oxford, 1962)

337: "The book which St. Thomas Aquinas preferred to the whole town of Paris was St John Chrysostom on St. Matthew (translated by Burgundio of twelfth century)."

61. Cf. the intense admiration that glows in his commentary on Paul's tribulations in Homily 11. See also De Laudibus Sancti Pauli (SC 300) ed. and trans. by A. Piedagnel (Paris, 1982).

62. Homily 12;21.

INTRODUCTION

lemical references are not so frequent as to obscure the realization that Chrysostom's esteem for Scripture was not born of the heat of controversy but was the fruit of personal meditation on the Incarnation, a dogma dear to his Antioch school.63

Whether he be a relatively less brilliant luminary of that school, or less critical and no more original than his great Alexandrian predecessor, Origen, whose views he shared on such matters as the authorship and unity of the Scriptures, verbal inspiration and inerrancy,64 it is appropriate that recent pontiffs and Vatican II have associated Chrysostom with the in carnational aspect of the Scriptures and the great regard Christians have for them as the incarnate Word of God. 65

(20) In making this association, these magisterial texts highlight Chrysostom's distinctive notion about the Scriptures, synkatabasis-while their English versions follow the regrettable habit of mistranslating this key term as "condescension." In Chrysostom, however, there is nothing of the patronizing suggested by that word; instead, he has in mind God's gracious acceptance of the limitations (astheneia-another key term, also commonly mistranslated as "weakness") of the human condition-eminently in the Incarnation, and derivatively in that other incarnation of the Word in Scripture.66 As F. H.

Chase said a century ago: "The great principle expressed by the word synkatabasis is of deep and wide application. As in the historical Incarnation the Eternal Word became flesh, so in the Bible the glory of God veils itself in the fleshly garments of human thought and human language." 67 For Chrysostom the Scriptures exemplify God's gracious "considerateness" (not 63. For a complete treatment of Chrysostom's teaching on Scripture, see R.

Hill, St. John Chrysostom's Teaching on Inspiration in his Old Testament Homilies.

64. For Origen's teaching on Scripture, see R. P. C. Hanson, Allegory and Event. A Study of the Sources and Significance of Origen's Interpretation of Scripture

(London, 1959)'

65. Cf. Divino Afflante Spiritu, AAS 35 (1943) 316; Dei Verbum 13; and R. Hill, "St. John Chrysostom and the Incarnation of the Word in Scripture,"

Compass Theology Review 14 (1980) 34-38.

66. See R. Hill, "On looking again at sunkatabasis," Prudentia 13 (1981) 3-1 1.

67. F. H. Chase, Chrysostom. A Study in the History of Biblical Interpretation, (Cambridge, 1887) 42.

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"condescension") because in them God speaks to human beings in language, and primarily in speech. So many times in the en homilies are we reminded that it is Moses speaking- "or, rather, the Holy Spirit speaking by his tongue," or some such phrase demonstrating his conviction of inspired authorship.68 Hence his great respect for his own role as commentator on the text, an inspired activity as is that of his listeners, and respect for the text in all its minute details: how often do we hear him urging his congregation "not to pass heedlessly by" any small detail, and how often does he heed his own advice by wrestling with some little particle (like the "but" in en

2.20).69 "Sacred Scripture says nothing idly or by chance; every single sound and syllable has a treasure contained in it," he repeatedly urges them. 70

(21) Hence, of course, his and the Antiochene school's insistence on the literal sense of Scripture and their unwillingness to part company with it too readily in the direction of allegorical interpretation. Belief in the extent of inspiration leads

Chrysostom to prize the akribeia, "precision", of Scripture (again an oft-mistranslated term, rendered inadequately as "accuracy" -an ironic fate for this champion of precision), prompting in the exegete by way of response to God's considerateness a like precision in exegesis.71 More than a score of times in the en homilies he exclaims in admiration, "Let us admire the precision of Sacred Scripture," or some such phrase. The corollary of this stance is his evident reluctance to admit any other sense than the literal; occasionally in commenting on the Psalms he feels encouraged to recognize a spiritual sense, very rarely an allegorical sense and then only with the support of the New Testament. 72 He is content that 68. For details, see R. Hill, St. John Chrysostom's Teaching on Inspiration in his

Old Testament Homilies 84ff. and R. Hill, "Chrysostom's terminology for the inspired Word," EB 41 (1983) 367-373.

69. Homily 15.

70. Homily 18.

71. Cf. R. Hill, "Akribeia: a principle ofChrysostom's exegesis," Colloquium 14 (Oct. 1981) 32-36.

72. R. Hill, St. John Chrysostom's Teaching on Inspiration in his Old Testament Homilies 144-49.

INTRODUCTION

Scripture, because inspired, teaches the truth, and that the purpose of this truth is the welfare of the readerllistener-it is a saving truth; but he is a disappointment to those moderns whose inadequate notions of inspiration lead them to see inerrancy as its principal effect and cause them to focus on this to the exclusion of the saving effect of the Word 73_a distortion that Chrysostom, who keeps his roots in the Incarnation, could not be guilty of. "Let us learn, if you would, the force of what has been read today from the words of blessed Moses.

Attend carefully, I ask you, to what is said by us; they are not our words we are speaking, but what the love of God provides for the sake of our salvation." 74 What more can be said of the Scriptures, their nature, their origin and purpose? If his oratory has been judged golden, Chrysostom's theology of the Word is surely profound-something the Genesis homilies eminently demonstrate.

73. Chrysostom has suffered in this way at the hands of students less enlightened than himself, like Haidacher (see Quasten III 466-67).

74. Homily 2.

HOMILY 1 Homily on the beginning of the holy season of Lent AM PLEASED (21a) and delighted to see the church of God adorned today with the throng of her own children, and to see you all coming together with great joy. I mean, whenever I look upon your beaming faces, I take it as an infallible sign of the satisfaction you feel at heart. -As the wise man said, "The face betrays the joy of the heart." 1 So naturally I myself arose this morning with more than the usual enthusiasm since I was to share with you this spiritual happiness and I wanted to become a herald for you of the approach of Lent-the medicine, I might say, for your souls.

(21b) Like a loving father, you see, the Lord of us all, in his desire that we be cleansed of the sins we have committed with the passing of time, desired a remedy for us through holy fasting.

(2) So let no one be gloomy, no one look sullen, but exult and be glad, and glorify the guardian of our souls, who shows us the best way, and welcome with great joy his approach. Let the pagans be ashamed and the Jews dismayed to see the love revealed by our welcoming the approach of this season with such excitement, (21C) and let them learn through the experience of these things the extent of the difference between them and us. Let them designate as their feasts and festivals drunkenness and all other kinds of licencious and shameful behavior, which it is typical of them to wallow in, but let the Church of God, unlike them, identify feasts with fasting, neI. Prv 15.13. Chrysostom's Old Testament text, as Introduction 15 explains, is a variant of the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation(s) of the original.

HOMILY 1

glect of the appetite and all the virtues that accompany it.

This, in fact, is a true feast, where there is saving of souls, where there is peace and harmony, where the harsh realities of daily life are missing, (21d) without tumult and din and the antics of good cooks and slaughter of brute beasts. Utter rest and quiet, love and joy, peace and gentleness, and a thousand other good things are the order of the day in place of that other behavior.

(3) So come now, I beg you, let us discuss these things, my dear people;2 let me urge you first of all to receive our words with great enthusiasm so as to gain something worthwhile and so return home. It is not, after all, idly and to no purpose that we have come here, for one person to do the talking and the other simply to applaud what is said, and so for us to go off home. Instead, it is for me to utter something useful and relevant to (22a) your salvation, and for you to profit from what is said and so to leave here for home after gaining much benefit.

The church, you see, is a pharmacy of the spirit, and those who come here ought acquire some appropriate remedies, apply them to their own complaints, and go off the better for it. I mean, blessed Paul confirms this, that mere listening without showing practical response is of no value, when he says:

"It is not, after all, the listeners to the law who are at rights with God, but doers of the law who are set at rights."3 Christ, too, in his preaching said: "Not everyone saying to me, Lord,

Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father in heaven."4 (22b) Accordingly, dearly beloved, since we know that no benefit comes to us from listening unless it is brought to its completion in the good works that follow, let us not be listeners only but doers, so that 2. Chrysostom refers to his congregation here as "your agape", a word that moves in Christian tradition from its meaning of "love" to the love feast of the Eucharist and then the Eucharistic assembly. Chrysostom's usage is at some point along the line of this development, even though his Lenten gatherings seem not to be for the Eucharist.

3. Rom. 2.13. Chrysostom's New Testament text is probably a locally revised text, differing at times (like his OT) from modern reconstructed texts.

(Cf. Introduction 15) 4. Mt 7.21.

ST.JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

the works following the words may be for us grounds for confidence.

(4) Accordingly, open up the recesses of your mind so as to receive the sermon on fasting. To make a comparison with a modest and demure bride: those with the task of introducing her to the bridal chamber adorn it with drapes and cleanse the whole house, giving no entrance to untidy servant girls, and only then do they conduct the bride to her chamber. (22C)

I would like you to follow this model, purifying your thinking and bidding adieu to indulgence and intemperance; then, with the recesses of your mind open to receive them, welcome the mother of every good, mistress of sobriety and every other virtue-I mean fasting-so that you may enjoy greater pleasure and she may provide you with her own special healing.

To put it another way: when doctors intend to prescribe medicine to patients anxious to get rid of putrid, harmful fluids, they direct them to abstain from bodily food (22d) lest it be a hindrance to the power of the medicine instead of its having the effect of demonstrating its true properties. So much the more should we, on the point of receiving that spiritual medicine-the benefit of fasting-purify our thinking and render our mind alert lest it be sodden with drink and find useless and unprofitable what should be of benefit in the exercise.

(5) I know, of course, that what I say today will strike many of you as novel. I beg you, however, not to let ourselves (23a) heedlessly become the slaves of habit, but let us subject these matters affecting ourselves to the process of reason. After all, do you get any benefit from daily gluttony and extreme indulgence? Far from benefit, all you get is harm and intolerable damage. You see, whenever reason becomes sodden through drinking to excess, immediately the benefit gained from fasting is wiped out without trace. I ask you: what could be more distasteful, what more unseemly than people quaffing wine right up till midnight, up to the dawning of the first rays of the rising sun, reeking to high heaven from drinking all that wine, a disagreeable spectacle to people they meet, an object of contempt to their household, the laughing stock of all who have some little idea of correct behavior and in the eyes

HOMILY 1

of everyone (23b) when they draw on themselves the displeasure of God through this extreme intemperance and ill-timed, mindless indulgence. "Drunkards," Scripture says, "will not inherit the kingdom of God."5 So what could be worse than the plight of these people who are driven from the precincts of the kingdom for a fleeting and pernicious satisfaction?

(6) God forbid that anyone of you gathered here should be overcome by that weakness. May you instead celebrate each day as it comes with restraint and sobriety, and be free of the storms and tempests that indulgence is accustomed to cause, and thus reach the harbor of your souls-I mean fasting-so as to be in a position to gain its advantages in abundance. I mean, just as indulgence proves to be cause and promoter of countless evils for the human race, in like manner fasting and neglect of appetite have invariably proved the cause of innumerable benefits to us. (23c) God, you remember, in forming human beings in the beginning, knew that they had particular need of this remedy for the salvation of their souls, and so from the outset he gave the first human creature this command: "'From all the trees in the garden you are to eat your fill, but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil do not eat."'6 That text about eating and not eating refers figuratively to fasting. Although man was obliged to keep that command, he did not do so: overcome by intemperance and guilty of disobedience, he incurred a sentence of death. When the devil, as you remember, evil spirit and enemy of our nature as he is, saw the first human being living in the garden, how his life was carefree and how he lived on earth in bodily form yet like an angel, (23d) he wanted to trip him up and dislodge him with the hope of greater promises, and so he cheated him of the possession of what he had. This is the extent of the evil of not keeping within proper limits but aspiring to greater heights. A wise man has made this clear in the words, "Through the devil's envy death entered the world." 7

Do you see, dearly "beloved, how from the beginning it was 5. 1 Cor 6.10.

7. Wis 2.24· 6. Gn 2.16-17.

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from intemperance that death had its entry? Notice likewise that later, too, Sacred Scripture repeatedly accuses indulgence, in one place saying, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to entertain themselves,,,g in another, "He ate and drank, grew fat and heavy, and for his love returned him scorn." 9 The inhabitants of Sodom, too, brought that implacable anger upon themselves from this sin, not to mention their other faults; (24a) listen again to the words of the prophet, "This was the sin of the Sodomites, indulgence amid plenty." 10 In short, it crops up repeatedly like some fount or source of every evil.

(7) Do you now recognize the harm caused by intemperance? Look in turn at the instances of good behavior due to fasting. The great Moses, after keeping his fast for forty days," was able to get the tables of the Law; and when he came down from the mountain and saw the people's sin, the tablets which he had been successful in obtaining through such intercession he threw down and smashed,12 thinking it was preposterous that an indulgent and sinful people should receive laws of the Lord's own making. Accordingly, that remarkable prophet had again to undergo forty days of fasting so as to be able to receive again tables like the ones he had broken through the people's sin, and bring them down the mountain. 13 (24b) The great Elijah, too, underwent a similar period of fasting, 14 escaping the power of death and going up as it were into heaven with a fiery chariot, and to this day he has not experienced death. Likewise Daniel, passionate man though he was,15 spent many days fasting and received as recompense an awesome vision so that he tamed the fury of the lions and turned them into the mildest of sheep, not by 8. Ex 32.6.

9. Dt 32.15, where Heb. and LXX and Chrysostom's own variant of it all diverge.

10. A precis of Ez 16.49.

II. Cf. Ex 24.18; 21.18.

12. Ex 32.19.

13. Ex 34.28.

14. Cf. I Kgs 19.8.

15. Chrysostom proceeds to construct his own midrash of chs 6 and 10 of Daniel to labor the point of fasting. The phrase he invariably applies to Daniel, "man of passion", comes from Theodotion's version of the book.

HOMILY 1 changing their nature but by diverting their purpose without loss of their ferocity. The Ninevites made use of this remedy, too, and won from the Lord a reprieve, ensuring that animals as well as human beings should apply the remedy and so abstain each of them from evil practices; thus they won the favor of the Lord of al1. 16 (24c) We could list many other examples celebrated in both Old and New Testaments-but why refer to servants when we should come to the case of the common

Lord of us all? Our Lord Jesus Christ, you know, himself underwent fasting for forty days,17 and, thus prepared, he entered his contest with the devil, giving us an example that through fasting we should arm ourselves and by acquiring strength from that exercise we should come to grips with that formidable enemy.

(8) At this point, however, someone who looks critically at things and keeps his faculties alert may perhaps pose the question: why is the Lord seen to fast for the same number of days as his subjects, and why did he not surpass that number?

It was not idly or to no purpose that this happened, but according to the Lord's own wise purposes and his loving kindness. (24d) I mean, in case it would appear that he had simply come on earth without taking flesh and becoming a human being except in appearance, he fasted for the very same number of days to make this point, not adding any days, so as to curb the rivalry of people wanting to act unrestrainedly. 18 You see, if there are still those rash enough to speak this way even when the Lord acted as he did, what would they not have attempted to say if he had not in his providence robbed them of any pretext? So he resisted the temptation to fast for a longer period of days than his subjects; thus he taught us a lesson, that he has taken the human condition on himself and is not living apart from our human situation.

(9) Since it is now clear to you from the example both of the Lord and his subjects that the value of fasting is considerable, l6. Cf.Jonah'l. l7. Mt4.2;Lk4.2. l8. Chrysostom is a great exponent of the school of Antioch in its insistence on the Incarnation and the humanity of Jesus.

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and that great benefit accrues to the soul from it, I beg you, my dear people, now that you know its (25a) benefit not to resist its saving power through indifference [9 nor lose heart at its approach, but rejoice and be glad, as blessed Paul says, "The more our external selves are destroyed, the more the inner person is renewed." 20 Fasting is nourishment for the soul, you see, and just as bodily nourishment fattens the body, so fasting invigorates the soul, provides it with nimble wings, lifts it on high, enables it to contemplate things that are above, and renders it superior to the pleasures and attractions of this present life. And just as the lightest ships cross the seas more rapidly whereas those weighed down with much cargo take on water, in like manner fasting leaves the faculty of reason nimble and enables it to negotiate the problems of life adroitly and fly to heaven and the things of heaven, (25b) despising the things of this life as being no less evanescent than shadows and dreams. Indulgence and intemperance, on the other hand, weigh down our reason, fatten the body, and shackle the spirit, hemming it in on all sides; they deprive the judgement of reason of any dependability, inducing it to follow dangerous courses, and thus work in every way against our salvation.

(10) Let us not be careless, dearly beloved, in dealing with matters concerning our salvation; recognizing instead the troubles that could come from that evil source, let us avoid the harm it produces. After all, we are warned against intemperance not only in the New dispensation by its greater attention to right thinking, its more frequent struggles and greater effort, its many rewards and ineffable consolations. Not even people living under the Old Law were permitted to indulge themselves in that way, (25c) even though they were sitting in the dark, dependent upon tapers, and brought forward gradually into the light, like children being weaned off milk. Lest

19. Indifference, negligence, sloth is for Chrysostom, who is above all a moral commentator, the capital sin, just as enthusiasm, zeal is the cardinal virtue. These virtues and vices will predominate in his commentary of Genesis, determining relative emphasis given to incidents and characters. This says much of Chrysostom himself, whatever of its effect on his commentary.

20. 2 Cor 4.16.

HOMILY 1 you think I am idly finding fault with intemperance in what I say, listen to what the prophet says: "Woe to those who fall on evil days in sleeping on beds of ivory, luxuriating on their couches, living on a diet of goats picked from the flocks and suckling calves from the herds, and drinking strained wines, anointed with precious unguents-like men treating this as a lasting city, and not seeking one to come."21 Do you see the heavy accusation the prophet levels against intemperance in charging the Jews with these faults of stupidity, sensuality and daily gluttony? I mean, note the accuracy of the words: (2Sd) after attacking their gluttony and their drinking to excess, he added, "like men treating this as a lasting city, and not seeking one to come," all but stating that their satisfaction got as far as lips and palate, and they went on to nothing better. Pleasure, however, is brief and fleeting, whereas pain never lets up and has no end. The truth of this comes from experience, the true meaning of lasting realities-"like men treating this as a lasting city"-and fleeting things-"not seeking one to come"that is, not lasting for a moment.

(11) All human and carnal things, after all, are of this kind like pleasures, human glory and power, like wealth and all the prosperity of this present life; these things have nothing firm about them, nothing steady, nothing fixed, but shift more rapidly than the currents of a river, leaving naked and desolate (26a) those swept along in them. Spiritual things, on the other hand, are not like that-quite the opposite, in fact: firm and immovable, not subject to change, lasting forever. What folly, then, would it be to exchange the immovable for the tottering, the permanent for the passing, the enduring for the fleeting, what promises to give joy in eternity for what offers us terrible punishment there?

(12) Considering all this, therefore, dearly beloved, and placing great store on our salvation, let us despise intemperance as mindless and harmful, let us embrace fasting, and right attitudes along with it; let us display a renewed life-style, and address ourselves daily to performance of good deeds. In 21. Am 6.3-6, somewhat re-arranged in Chrysostom's variant text.

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this way, having spent all the holy season of Lent (26b) dealing in spiritual goods and amassing great wealth of virtue, we would thus merit to arrive at the Day of the Lord and approach with confidence that awesome spiritual banquet, and with conscience pure share in those ineffable and immortal goods, being filled therefrom with grace and with the prayers and intercessions of those well-pleasing to Christ our loving

God, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, power and honor, now and forever, for ages of ages. Amen.

HOMILY 2 On the beginning of creation: "In the beginning God created heaven and earth." I ODAY, LOOKING AT your dear faces, I am filled with great happiness. (26c) My happiness is not simply that of doting parents who are pleased to have their children milling around them and bringing them pleasure by some other nice behavior or attention to them. My joy and satisfaction now is keener than that, to see the way you have come together here in a spiritual assembly with such propriety, ardent in your desire to hear the divine sayings, spurning nourishment and longing for spiritual feasting, thus demonstrating in deed that word of the Lord which reads: (26d)

"Human beings will not live on bread alone, but on every word coming from the mouth of God."2

(2) So come now, let us imitate the farmers: when they see the land scarified and cleared of the obstruction of weeds, they sow the seed liberally. It should be the same with ourselves. When by the grace of God the soil which is our spiritual self is cleared of troublesome passions and is relieved of intemperance, there are no storms or tempests at any stage of its reasoning, but only peace and the great tranquillities of a mind ready to fly aloft, you might say, right up to heaven, and contemplate spiritual things in preference to carnal. (27a) So l. Gn l.l. Chrysostom, of course, as Introduction 3 & 15 mentions, is commenting on his LXX text, and is unaware of the recommendation of some modern commentators on the Heb. text to take V.l as a subordinate clause,

V.2 as parenthetical, and only v.3 as the principal assertion, lest God's creative activity be seen to result at once in chaos (cf. Speiser, Genesis, 12-13). Others, like Von Rad, join Chrysostom in maintaining the independence of V.l as an important theological statement.

2. Mt 4.4; cf. Dt 8.3.

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I would like to address a few points, dearly beloved, to you, and today take up some of the finer details after proposing to you the teachings of Sacred Scripture. I mean, if we don't attempt this, now that fasting and neglect of appetite are in force, and there is the serenity that arises from calm reasoning, when will we be able to propose it to you in your goodness? When you are beset by intemperance and gluttony and utter idleness? Hardly. In that case we ourselves would be powerless to do anything worthwhile, and you would be unable to accept anything said to you, being swept along by an unruly flood of thought as though by some billowing fog.

(3) So now is the right time, if ever there was one, for teachings of the kind I have in mind, when the maid no longer resists her mistress, but is docile, responsive and obedient, restraining the impulses of nature (27b) and keeping within proper limits. Fasting, after all, is our peace of soul, the charm of old people, the instructor of the young, the model of the prudent, adorning every age and disposition like a diadem.

Let there be no sign today of uproar or outcry, no chopping of carcasses or antics of cooks; out with all this, and let our city present the appearance of some proper lady, nice and charming. You see, when I take account of the transformation that has occurred overnight from the perturbation I remember from yesterday, I'm amazed and staggered at the efficacy of fasting, how it can take over and alter everyone's attitude, purifying the minds not only of rulers but of ruled, not only freemen but slaves, not only men (27c) but women, not only rich but poor, not only those familiar with the Greek language but also those who do not speak Greek. But why talk of rulers and ruled? The wearer of the crown along with everyone else has his attitude brought under obedience by fasting.

Today there is no difference to be seen between the rich man's table and the poor man's; instead, there is simple living in everyone's case, free of any luxury or show, with people coming with greater relish to the simplicity of the meal today than when they were provided with sumptuous fare and wine unstinted.

(4) Do you see, dearly beloved, from these introductory

HOMILY 2 words the efficacy of fasting? Accordingly, I address myself to you with greater enthusiasm today than before, (27d) in the knowledge that I am casting seed upon rich and fertile soil, capable of yielding to us in rapid time an abundant return of what was sown. So let us learn, if you would, the force of what has been read to you today from the words of blessed Moses.

Attend carefully, I ask you, to what is said by us; they are not our words that we are uttering, after all, but what the love of God provides for the sake of your salvation. What are they?

"In the beginning God made heaven and earth." It is in order to pose the question here: why did this blessed author, born many generations later, put this to us? Not idly or without good reason. You see, when God formed human beings in the beginning, he used to speak to them personally, in a way that was possible for human beings to understand him.3 This was the way, for example, that he came to Adam, the way he (28a) upbraided Cain, the way he conversed with Noah, the way he accepted Abraham's hospitality. And even when all humankind fell into evil ways, the creator of all did not abandon the human race. Instead, when they then proved unworthy of his converse with them, he wanted to renew his love for them; he sent them letters as you do to people far away from you, and this drew all humankind back again to him. It was God who sent them letters, Moses who delivered them. What do the letters say? "In the beginning God made heaven and earth."

(5) Notice this remarkable author, dearly beloved, and the particular gift he had. I mean, while all the other inspired authors told either what would happen after a long time or what was going to take place immediately, this blessed author, being born many generations after the event, (28b) was guided by the deity on high and judged worthy to narrate what had been created by the Lord of all from the very beginning. Accordingly, he began with these words: "In the beginning God created heaven and earth." He well nigh bellows at 3. This is the beautiful theology of the Scriptural Word characteristic of Chrysostom. Cf. Introduction 192 i, St. John Chrysostom's Teaching on Inspiration in his Old Testament Homilies and other works of mine on the subject cited in the Bibliography.

ST.JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

us all and says, "Is it by human beings I am taught in uttering these things? It is the one who brought being from nothing who stirred my tongue in narrating them." Since we therefore listen to these words not as the words of Moses but as the words of the God of all things coming to us through the tongue of Moses, so, I beg you, let us heed what is said and part company with our own reasoning. Scripture, after all, says: "The thoughts of mortals are deceptive, and their thinking unreliable."4 (28c) Let us accept what is said with much gratitude, not overstepping the proper limit nor busying ourselves with matters beyond us; this is the besetting weakness of enemies of the truth, wishing as they do to assign every matter to their own reasoning, and lacking the realization that it is beyond the capacity of human nature to plumb God's creation.

(6) But why mention God's creation? Even human arts germane to them are beyond them. Tell me, for instance, how the substance of gold takes shape through the art of mining? or how the purity of glass comes from sand? You can't tell. So if it's impossible to fathom what lies before your very eyes and the things which human wisdom devises, thanks to God's loving kindness, (28d) why busy yourself, mere mortal, about the things created by God? What sort of excuse would you manage to adduce? and what defense would you invent for contemplating what lies beyond your natural powers? I mean, to say that existing things came to be from underlying matter, and not to admit that the Creator of all produced them from non-existence, would be a mark of utter stupidity. Accordingly, this blessed author, when he was on the point of beginning the book, stopped the mouths of such idiots, by beginning like this: "In the beginning God made heaven and earth." When you hear "He made," concern yourself no further, but with head bowed believe what is said. For God it is who makes and transforms all things, and refashions all things according to his will.

(7) See (2ga) the great extent of the considerateness 5 in this statement; there is no mention of unseen powers, nor does it

4. Wis 9. 14.

5. Chrysostom's notion of the "considerateness" of God evidenced in the

HOMILY 2

say, In the beginning God made the angels, or the archangels.

It was not idly or without purpose 6 that he took this line in his teaching. I mean, since he was talking to Jews, people quite wrapped up in the world about them and incapable of forming any spiritual notion, he led them along for the time being from visible realities to the creator of all things, so that from created things they might come to learn the architect of all and adore their maker, not stopping short at creatures. You see, despite the creation of the world they had not avoided the error of making gods out of creatures, offering worship to the vilest of brutes; so what madness would they not have fallen into if such considerateness had not been shown them?

(8) Don't be surprised, dearly beloved, if Moses followed this procedure (2gb) speaking as he was at the beginning in the early stages to very down-to-earth Jews, when even Paul in the age of grace, when proclamation of the good news had advanced so much, was able, in the speech he was on the point of delivering to the Athenians, to base his teaching to them on visible realities, in these words: "God made the world and everything in it; being Lord and maker of heaven and earth, he does not dwell in man-made temples, nor can human hands pay him due worship." 7 I mean, he could see that kind of approach suited them, so he followed that line; that is to say, he was guided by the Spirit to direct his teaching to the ones who would receive what he had to give them. To learn that his basis for deciding this was the difference in his audience and the materialism of his listeners, listen to his words.

In addressing his letter to the people of Colossae (2gC) he did not keep to that approach, but addressed them differently, in these words: "In him were created all things-those in the heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether

Scriptures is his most characteristic contribution to patristic thinking on the Word. See Introduction 20.

6. This, too, is a characteristic phrase of Chrysostom's stressing the "precision" of Scripture and arising out of that "considerateness"; it occurs 39 times in the Genesis homilies. See R. Hill, "Akribeia: a principle of Chrysostom's exegesis," Colloquium '4 (Oct. 1981) 32-36.

7· Acts '7.24-25.

ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

thrones, dominations, principalities, powers-all were created by him and with him in mind." 8 John, the Son of Thunder, by contrast shouted aloud, "Everything was made through him, and without him no single thing was made."9

(g) Moses, however, did not speak like that, as you'd expect; after all, it wasn't logical that those still requiring to be fed on milk be given solid food instead. To take another example: whereas teachers who have been entrusted by parents with the education of their children give them the fundamentals of learning, those who receive the children from them at the next stage take them through more developed stages of learning. (2gd) This same pattern was followed by blessed Moses, by the teacher of the Gentiles, and the son of thunder. When

Moses, remember, in the beginning took on the instruction of the human race, he taught his listeners the elements, whereas

Paul and John, taking over from Moses, could at that later stage transmit more developed notions.

(10) Hence we discover the reason for the considerateness shown to date, namely, that under the guidance of the Spirit he was speaking in a manner appropriate to his hearers as he outlined everything. At the same time he uprooted all the heresies springing up like weeds in the Church by his words,

"In the beginning God made heaven and earth." Even if Mani accosts you saying matter preexisted, or Marcion, or Valentinus, or pagans, to tell them directly: (30a) "In the beginning

God made heaven and earth." But what if the person does not believe in the Scriptures? Leave him to his own devices, like an utter madman; for what allowance can you make for a person who does not believe the creator of all things, who treats the truth as falsehood? People of that ilk sport false colors: while wearing the appearance of sweet reasonableness, they are in fact wolves in sheep's clothing. Don't you be taken in; on the 8. Col 1.16. g. In 1.3· 10. Chrysostom is very much aware of the pluralism of theological opinion of his day, and frequently takes issue with heterodox views, earning from his great historian, Dom Baur, the label "Die Polemiker." Fortunately, the Genesis homilies arise more from theological meditation and pastoral concern, and are not overly punctuated with polemical asides.

HOMILY 2

contrary, spurn this behavior all the more for the reason that, while they pretend an obsequiousness towards you though simply your peer, towards God the Lord of all they wage open warfare and do not perceive that they are running from salvation. Let us, on the other hand, cling to the unshakeable rock and keep coming back to the beginning, (30b) "In the beginning God made heaven and earth."

(11) Notice how the divine nature shines out of the very manner of creation, how he executes his creation in a way contrary to human procedures, first stretching out the heavens and then laying out the earth beneath, first the roof and then the foundation. Who has ever seen the like? Who has ever heard of it? No matter what human beings produce, this could never have happened-whereas when God decides, everything yields to his will and becomes possible. So don't pry too closely with human reasoning into the works of God; instead, let the works lead you to marvel at their maker. Scripture says, remember, "What the eye cannot see in him has come into view from the creation of the world and are understood through the things he has made." II (30c) If the enemies of truth insist on saying it is impossible for something to be produced from nothing, let us ask them. The first human being-was he made from the earth, or did he come from somewhere else? To a man they'll say from the earth, and make no bones about it. So let them tell us how the substance of flesh came into existence from the earth. I mean, from the earth you get clay, and bricks, and pottery, and potsherds so how would you get the substance of flesh? how would you get bones and nerves and arteries, fat and skin, nails and hair, and all the qualities of different substances from one underlying material? They wouldn't be able to open their mouth in reply. Yet why do I confine my remarks to the body? Let them tell us about the bread we eat daily, how it is changed into blood, gall, bile, and various humors while being one in composition. (30d) Bread often has the color of grain, whereas blood is red or black. So, if they can't tell about these things

11. Rom 1.20.

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that are before our eyes day in and day out, they would hardly tell us about all the other things created by God. If, however, despite such an embarrassment of proofs they want to insist on reinforcing their own obstinacy, let us likewise keep throwing back in their teeth the words, "In the beginning God made heaven and earth." This single sentence, after all, is enough to overthrow all the defenses of our adversaries, and to tear up all their human reasonings, roots and all; and should they ever want eventually to abjure their polemics, it would be possible through this verse for them to be led to the path of truth.

(12) The text proceeds: (31a) "The earth was invisible and lacking all shape." 12 For what reason, tell me, did he create the sky bright and finished, but let the earth appear formless?

This too was not done without purpose; his intention was that you would learn about his craftsmanship from the better part of creation, and so have no further doubts or think that it all happened out of a lack of power. For a quite different purpose he produced the earth in a formless condition. The earth, you know, is our mother and provider; to it we owe our beginning and our growth; this is homeland and grave for us all alike; to the earth we come back in the end, and through it we lay hold of countless benefits. So in case human beings might through the pressure of necessity treat the earth with a respect beyond its due, he shows it to you first formless and imperfect (31b) so that you would not attribute the earth's gifts to it but to the one who brought it into existence from nothing. For this reason the text reads: "The earth was invisible and lacking all shape."

(13) Perhaps our first reaction is to submit our minds immediately to a whole range of intricate questions. So it's better to conclude our sermon at this point, exhorting you in your goodness to remember what has been said and keep it ever in 12. Gn 1.2. Modern translations render this verse, "The earth was a formless waste," or some such. Chrysostom's LXX text, however, seems to turn the strange Heb. phrase into "invisible," aomtos-as if someone has read that word mistakenly for aoristos, "formless." Chrysostom has no difficulty justifying his text, however, as we shall see in Homily 4.

HOMILY 2

your mind; when you go home from here, layout witn your meal a spiritual meal as well. The father of the family might repeat something of what was said here; his wife could then hear it, the children too could learn something, even the domestics might be instructed. In short, the household might become a church,13 so that the devil is driven off and that evil spirit, (31C) the enemy of our salvation, takes to flight; the grace of the Holy Spirit would rest there instead, and all peace and harmony surround the inhabitants. After all, if you keep in mind what has been said previously and more eagerly accept what is said later, we for our part will speak with greater zeal and eloquence what God's grace has given us when we see the harvest already following the sowing. When the farmer sees the seeds sprouting, he tills the fields with greater eagerness and hastens willingly to make further sowings.

(14) So, to make us more enthusiastic, take good heed of what has been said already, and with right teachings give great attention to caring for your life. (31d) Scripture says,

"Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works, and glorify your father in heaven," 14 in order that your life may conform with your teachings, and your teachings reveal your life. After all, "faith without works is dead," 15 and works without faith are dead. For even if we have sound teachings but fail in living, the teachings benefit us nothing; likewise, if we take pains with life but are careless about teaching, that will not be any good to us either. So it is necessary to shore up this spiritual edifice of ours in both directions as Scripture says, "Everyone listening to my words and acting on them will be likened to a wise man." 16 Notice how this person intends not merely to listen but to act, and to demonstrate his listening by his actions; this is the one called

13. When Vatican Council II (LG 11) quotes this notion of the domestic Church from Christian tradition, it might have acknowledged Chrysostom at this and other places. [Ed. Note: But cf. Constitutionis Dogmaticae Lumen

Gentium Synopsis Historica. a cura di Giuseppe Alberigo. Franca Magistretti.

Bologna. 1975.32/305. which cites In Gen. h. 2.4. PG 53.31. and In Gen. s. 6.2.

PG 54.607.]

'4. Mt 5.16.

15.Jas 2.26.

16. Mt 7.24.

ST.JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

wise, the one (32a) giving evidence of deeds in the wake of words, whereas the one who stopped short at words was called a fool. And rightly so; after all, such a person built his house on sand, and so it could not withstand the onset of winds but quickly collapsed. 17 You see, such people are lazy, not standing firm on the spiritual rock; the point of this parable is not a house or building, but people, those being buffeted by the onslaughts of some temptation. Under the name of wind, rain and waters, the text is suggesting to us the onset of temptations. Of course, people who are firm and watchful and restrained are made even stronger by these assaults: the more they are afflicted by adversity, the more their virtue is increased. But with the lazy and fainthearted, if only a gentle breeze of temptation touches them, immediately they shake and collapse, (32b) not from the strength of the temptations but from their own weakness of will.

(IS) So let us be sober and watchful, and prepared for everything, so that we may be well disciplined in prosperity and restrained under the onset of adversity, showing great prudence and constantly rendering thanks to the loving God.

If we manage our lives this way, we shall enjoy much favor from on high and thus be able to pass our life on earth securely and have much confidence regarding the life to come.

May we all reach it, through the love and goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom, with the Father and the Holy

Spirit, be glory, sovereignty and praise, now and forever, for ages of ages. Amen.

17. Cf. Mt 7.26-27.

HOMILY 3 Further comment on the verse, "In the beginning God made heaven and earth," I up to the verse, "Evening came and morning came: one day."2

II EADING (32C) THE HOLY Scriptures is like a treasure. 3

With a treasure, you see, anyone able to find a tiny nugget gains for himself great wealth; likewise in the case of Sacred Scripture, you can get from a small phrase a great wealth of thought and immense riches. The Word of God is not only like a treasure, but is also like a spring gushing with everflowing waters in a mighty flood; this we all perceived from what we did yesterday. We began, remember, at the opening of the book of Genesis on the words, "In the beginning God made heaven and earth," and dealt completely with all its contents, without however being able to grasp it fully. You see, great is the yield of this treasure and the flow of this spiritual fountain. Don't be surprised if we have experienced this: (32d) our forebears drank from these waters to the limit of their capacity, and those who come after us will try to do likewise, without risk of exhausting them; instead the flood will increase and the streams will be multiplied.

I. Gn 1.1.

2. Gn 1.5. Speiser notes: "In Semitic the normal ordinal series is 'one, second, third,' etc., not 'first, second, third,' etc." (Genesis, 6)-something lost on the LXX, evidently, and on Chrysostom.

3. Chrysostom employs a wide range of figures for the saving truth that is Sacred Scripture: a rich table or feast (his favorite), a treasure (especially gold and gems to be mined), food and drink, remedies for ailments, arms for warfare, an overflowing stream-figures that H. De Lubac parallels from the Latin Fathers, so evidently the stock-in-trade of churchmen of the time (cf.

Exegese Medievale I (Paris 1959), 11920, and St. John Chrysostom's Teaching on Inspiration in his Old Testament Homilies 160-69.

ST.JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

(2) Such, after all, is the nature of spiritual streams the more earnestly anyone tries to draw the water, the more they abound and the spiritual grace is increased. Hence Christ said, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. If anyone believes in me, as Scripture says, rivers of living water will flow from his belly'" indicating to us the abundance of the waters. So since this is the nature of spiritual waters, come, let us all constantly bring the vessels of our minds to be filled, and thus return home. For whenever the Spirit (33a) sees an ardent desire and a watchful mind, he freely grants it abundant grace. So step aside from your daily preoccupations and from things that threaten to suffocate your thinking like weeds, and let us give free rein to spiritual desires so that we may gain great advantage from this consideration and receive much benefit; then we can go home.

(3) But in order that the sermon may be clearer to you, let us remind you in your goodness 5 of some details of what was said yesterday so as to fit together, as into one whole, what is to be said today with what was said yesterday. We showed you yesterday, as you will recall, how blessed Moses explained to us the creation of these visible elements in saying (33b) that "in the beginning God made heaven and earth; the land was invisible and lacking all shape." And we taught you why he left the land unshaped and unpeopled, and I think you remember it all precisely, so today we must proceed to what follows in the text. You see, when he says, "The land was invisible and lacking all shape," he teaches us precisely how it came to be invisible and lacking all shape, adding, "Darkness was over the deep, and the Spirit of God moved over the water."6 Notice in this case, I ask you, the economy of the blessed author, how he does not describe all created things individually, but teaches us which items were produced together by mentioning heaven and earth and passing over the rest. (33c) I mean, he had made no mention of the creation of the waters, but then said, "Darkness was over the deep, and the Spirit of God

4· In 7.37-38.

6. Gn 1.2.

5. Cf. Homily l, note 2 above.

HOMILY 3 moved over the water" this, you see, was covering the face of the earth, darkness I mean, and the depths of water. From this we learned that all that could be seen was depths of water, covered in darkness and having need of the wise creator to remove all this shapelessness and bring everything to a condition of order.

(4) "Darkness," the text says, "was over the deep, and the Spirit of God moved over the water." What is meant by that part of the text, "The Spirit of God moved over the water"?

It seems to me to mean this, that some lifegiving force was present in the waters: it wasn't simply water that was stationary and immobile, but moving and possessed of some vital power.

(33d) I mean, what doesn't move is quite useless, whereas what moves is capable of many things. So, to teach us that this water, great and cumbersome as it was, had some vital power, he says, "The Spirit of God moved over the water." It is not without reason 7 that Sacred Scripture makes this early comment. Instead, it intends later to describe to us that creatures in these waters were produced by command of the creator of all things, and so at this point it teaches the listener that water was not idly formed, but was moving, and shifting, and flowing over everything.

(5) So, when the shapeless mass of all that could be seen lay about on all sides, God the mighty artificer issued his command and the shapeless mass took on form, the surpassing beauty of this blinding light appeared and (34a) dissipated the palpable gloom, illuminating everything. "God said," the text reads, "'Let light be created,' and light was created."g He spoke: it was created; he gave his command: darkness was scattered and light produced. See his ineffable power? Yet there are those who ignore the sequence of the text, caught up as they are in their error, and who pay no heed to the words of blessed Moses, "In the beginning God made heaven and earth," and the following verse, "The land was invisible and lacking all shape" on account of its being obscured by the darkness and the waters, the Lord having decided (you see) to 7. Cf. Homily 2, note 6 above.

8. Gn 1.3.

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create It m the beginning like this. These people say that matter was the basis for creation, and that darkness preexisted. What could be worse than this madness? You heard that "in the beginning God made heaven and earth," and that from nothing things were created, and do you say that matter was the basis for creation? Who in their right minds would come up with such idiocy? (34b) Surely the creator is not human, needing some basis for creation so as to reveal his artistry? God it is to whom all things respond as he creates them by word and command. Remember how he merely spoke, and light was created and darkness dissipated.

(6) "God separated light from darkness."9 What is meant by "He separated"? He gave each its own place and defined its appropriate time. And when this had been done, he then gave each its proper name. The text goes on, you see: "God called the light day, and the darkness night." 10 Do you see the excellent distinction and the wonderful craftsmanship, surpassing all comment, happening by a single word and command? Do you see the degree of considerateness II employed by the blessed author, or rather the loving God through the tongue of the author, instructing the race of men to know the plan of created things, (34c) and who was the creator of all, and how each came into being?

(7) I mean, since mankind was yet untutored and could not understand more elaborate matters, the Holy Spirit accordingly explained everything to us by moving the author's tongue in such a way as to take account of the limitations of the listeners. To be convinced that it was on account of the incompleteness of our understanding that he employed such considerateness in his explanation, compare the approach of the Son of Thunder: when humankind had advanced along g. Gn 1.4b. Chrysostom seems to have forgotten the first half of the verse,

"God saw that the light was good;" but he soon returns to labor the point.

10. Gn 1.5. i1. Again (and again and again, as we shall see) Chrysostom invokes his favorite principle of synkatabasis in reference to the Scriptures and their authors divine and human; "considerateness," let it be noted-nothing of the patronizing connotation of "condescension," despite the common mistranslation.

HOMILY 3

the path to perfection, no longer did he have them move by this lower way, but led his listeners to a loftier teaching. "In the beginning was the Word," he said, you remember, "the Word was with God, and the Word was God," [2 and added,

"He was the true Light, which enlightened everyone coming into the world." [3 In other words,just as in our text this visible light, produced by command of the Lord, (34d) removed the darkness from our vision, in like manner the light coming to our minds dissipated the darkness of error, and led those in error to the truth.

(8) So let us receive the teachings of Sacred Scripture with deep gratitude, not resisting the truth nor persisting in darkness, but hastening towards the light and performing actions proper to the light and the day. That is what Paul recommends to us when he says, "Let us walk becomingly as the light of day suggests" [4 and not perform actions proper to the dark.

(9) The text goes on: "God called the light day, and he called the darkness night." Now, a detail that almost escaped us we need to pick up again. I mean, when it said, "'Let light be created,' and light was created," it added, "God saw that the light was good." [5 See there, dearly beloved, (35a) the extent of the considerateness in the language. What is the point of the remark? Is it that before the light Comes into being he does not know it is beautiful, whereas after its appearance the sight of it shows its creator the beauty of what appears? What sort of sense would that make? I mean, if a man works at some piece of craftsmanship, and before he completes the thing he is making and puts final touches to it he sees the use to which he will put the thing he is making, how much more the creator of all, who by his word brings into being everything from non-being, sees that the light is good before he creates it. So why did he use this expression?

(10) This blessed author spoke this way out of considerateness for the way human beings speak. And just as people l3· In 1.9· lS. Gn L4a. l2.JnLL l4· Rom l3.l3.

ST.JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

work on something with great care, and when they bring their efforts to completion (35b) they parade what they have made for scrutiny and commendation, so Sacred Scripture speaks in that way, showing considerateness for the limitations of our hearing when it said, "God saw that the light was good," and added, "God separated light from darkness; he called the light day, and he called the darkness night," allotting to each its own particular area and establishing limits for each right from the beginning so that they could keep to them permanently without interference. Everyone in his right mind can understand this, how from that time till this the light has not surpassed its limits, nor has darkness exceeded its due order, resulting in confusion and disruption. (35c) Really, this fact alone should suffice to oblige people obdurate in their lack of response to come to faith and obedience to the words of Sacred Scripture so as to imitate the order in the elements, respecting as they do their course uninterruptedly, and not overstep their own limitations but rather recognize the extent of their own nature.

(11) Then, when he had assigned to each its own name, he linked the two together in the words, "Evening came, and morning came: one day." He made a point of speaking of the end of the day and the end of the night as one, so as to grasp a certain order and sequence in visible things and avoid any impression of confusion.

(12) Now, we are in a position to learn from the Holy Spirit, through the tongue of this blessed author, (35d) what things were created on the first day and what things on the other days. This itself is a mark of the considerateness of the loving

God. I mean, his all-powerful hand and boundless wisdom were not at a loss even to create everything in one day. Why say 'one day'? even in a brief moment. Yet it was not because of its utility to him that he produced anything that exists, since being self-sufficient he is in need of nothing. It was rather out of his loving kindness and goodness that he created everything; accordingly he created things in sequence and provided us with a clear instruction about created things through the tongue of the blessed author, so that we might learn about

HOMILY 3

them precisely and not fall into the error of those led by purely human reasoning. You see, if there are still those, despite this manner of creation, who say that things get existence from themselves, (36a) what would these people not have been rash enough to invent in their anxiety to say and do everything against their own welfare, had not God employed such considerateness and instruction?

(13) After all, what could be more pitiful and more stupid than people coming up with arguments like this, claiming that beings get existence of themselves, and withdrawing all creation from God's providence? How could you have the idea, I ask you, that so many elements and such great arrangement were being guided without anyone to supervise and control it all? Surely no ship ever managed to navigate the waves of the sea without a pilot, or soldier do brave deed with no general in command, or house stand firm with no householder in charge-whereas this immense universe (36b) and the design of all these elements could happen simply by chance without anyone present with the power to guide it all, controlling and maintaining all things in existence from his innate wisdom is this feasible?

(14) Yet why do we take further pains to demonstrate to those people what is obvious even, as the proverb has it, to the blind? StilI, let us not neglect to propose the teaching of Scripture to them, making every effort to deliver them from error and lead them to truth. You see, even if they are caught up in error, the fact is nonetheless that they are people like ourselves, and it is proper for us to show every care for them, never relenting, demonstrating instead with great zeal all we have at our command, and providing them with an appropriate remedy so that at least eventually they may come to a truly healthy condition. (36c) Nothing, remember, is of such concern to God as the saving of souls. Paul makes no secret of it when he says, "He wants everybody to be saved and to come to the knowledge of truth;" 16 and again God himself says, "I 16.1 Tm 2.4.

ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

have no wish for the death of the sinner-only for him to be converted and live." [7 (15) The reason, you see, that he produced all created things and formed us was not that we should perish nor to consign us to punishment, but to save us, to free us from error and reward us with the enjoyment of the kingdom.

This, after all, is what he prepared for us, not at this late stage after our coming into existence, but before the foundation of the world, as he himself says: "Come, you blessed of my Father, take possession of the kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world." [8 (36d) See the loving kindness [9 of the Lord, how even before creation, even before he produced human beings, he had prepared for them countless good things, revealing the extent of his care for our race and his wish for everyone to be saved.

(16) So, then, since we have such a Lord, so loving, so good, so gentle, let us give heed both to our own salvation and to that of our brethren. This, after all, will redound to our own salvation; not simply care for ourselves, but assistance to our neighbors as well, and conducting them to the way of truth.

To learn how good a thing it is to make it possible for another to gain profit from our own welfare, listen to the biblical author speaking in the name of God: "The one who brings something noble out of dishonor will be like my own mouth." 20

What does that mean? Whoever leads his neighbors from error towards truth, (37a) it is saying, or guides them from wickedness to virtue, imitates me as far as human nature can.

God himself, remember, despite his divinity, took to himself our human flesh, and for no other reason than the salvation of the human race became man. Why say, he took our human flesh and endured every other human limitation, when the 17. Ez 18.23 in Chrysostom's somewhat abbreviated text.

18. Mt 25.34.

Ig. Another of Chrysostom's constant themes, the philanthropia of God; it recurs in all the homilies, and the closing doxology invariably acknowledges it. Its frequency says much for Chrysostom's own spirituality, which is never allowed to obtrude directly into these scriptural homilies.

2o.Jer 15·19·

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full truth is he accepted the cross so as to free us in our sinful bondage from the curse? This is what Paul is crying out about when he says, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for our sake."21 If, then, he, being God and enjoying that ineffable nature, out of unspeakable love accepted all that for us and for our salvation, what would we not be justified in demonstrating in the case of our brethren, members with us of the one body, (37b) so as to snatch them from the jaws of the devil and guide them to the way of truth?

You see, as the soul is superior to the body, to the same degree should its needs be ranked above assistance to those in need of material things, and greater reward given when through encouragement and constant instruction people lead the slothful and the recalcitrant along the right path, showing them the ugliness of evil and the beauty of a good life lived for God.

(17) Accordingly, since we are familiar with all these matters, let us converse with our neighbors about saving their soul ahead of all the other concerns of their life, and awaken them to a care for that. I mean, it is highly desirable if by constantly being reminded of this the soul can be rescued from the abyss of wickedness in which our life is passed (37c) and if we can curb the revolt of the passions which ceaselessly war against it. For this reason we need great vigilance, since our struggle is unending and a truce is out of the question.

Hence, in his letter to the Ephesians, Paul says, "Our contest is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."22 Don't think, he is saying, the contest at hand for us is accidental: the struggle is not with our peers, nor are the conditions of battle equally balanced for us. I mean, we with our bodies to hinder us are engaged in combat with disembodied forces.

(18) Still, don't be frightened: you see, if the battle is unequal, great is the power of our arms. (37d) He reminded us

21. Gal 3.13.

22. Eph 6.12 with a slight textual variation in "darkness of this world."

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of this as if to say: Since you know the nature of the foe, do not fail in your resolve, nor lose heart for the contest; on the contrary, "don the armor of God for the purpose of being able to resist the wiles of the devil."23 His wiles, after all, are many, that is to say, the ways by which he endeavours to trip up the unwary; we should take care to recognize them so as to avoid the attempts he makes and to allow him no inroads. Instead, we should keep our tongue in check, our eyes away from danger and our mind pure, and be constantly at the ready for battle, as though some wild beast were pressing upon us and endeavouring to get the better of us.

(19) For this reason, that towering genius, the teacher of the gentiles, the whole world's tongue, who (38a) spared no pains when the salvation of his disciples was in question, has this to say: "Don the armor of God," and adds, in words that are meant for our protection from every quarter and that render us invincible: "Stand firm, then, your loins girt with truth, wearing the breastplate of faith, your feet shod in readiness to proclaim the gospel of peace, above all else taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the burning shafts of the evil one; take also the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, God's word." 24 See how he has armed every part of us? As if we were on the point of going into battle, he has protected firstly our loins so that we can run faster; then he put on the breastplate (38b) to prevent our being hit with spears, protected our feet, and armed us at all points with faith. Faith, he says, note faith will be able to quench the burning shafts of the evil one. What are the devil's shafts? Evil desires, unclean thoughts, deadly passions-lust, envy,jealousy, pride, hatred, avarice, and every other form of laxity. All these, he says, the sword of the Spirit can quell. Why say quell? It can remove the very head of the enemy. Do you see how he encouraged his disciples, how he rendered them tougher than steel after being softer than wax? You see, since our contest is not against flesh and blood but against incor23. Eph 6.11.

24. Eph 6.14-17, again with some textual individuality.

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poreal powers, he has accordingly armed us with weapons not of the flesh (38c) but of the spirit, burnished to such an extent that the evil demon is powerless to resist their splendor.

(20) Armed therefore with these weapons, let us not tremble at the contest, flee the onset of battle, or prove fainthearted.

After all, as long as we are on the alert, that evil demon would never get the better of our weapons' strength, provided we are intent on rendering his stratagems ineffectual. On the other hand, should we relax our vigilance, it will be all to no avail: the enemy of our salvation is ever on the watch and tries everything against our salvation. So let us protect ourselves from every quarter, exercising restraint in speech, refraining from any behavior likely to harm us, and along with abstinence from food (38d) and every other virtue let us give an example of generosity towards the poor in the knowledge of the great reward laid up for us from our care for them. Scripture says, remember, "The person who takes pity on the poor lodges a claim with God."25 Notice how this lending operates in a strange way you would not expect: the one who takes the loan is different from the one who makes himself liable for it.

Not only that, but also the fact that in this case of lending we incur no resentment or any other disadvantage. That is to say, he does not promise to give a hundred per cent on the loan, as is customary with us, but a hundred times the amount lent.

Nor does he stop at that: this reward comes to us in this present life, and life everlasting in the hereafter. In this life, if anyone promised to return to us twice the amount lent, we would willingly make available all our possessions, (39a) despite all the resentment and all the wiles frequently encountered in greedy people.

(21) You know that many people of quite exalted standing renege on repayment of a loan, either resisting with bad grace or being unable to pay because of poverty, as often happens.

But, in the case of the Lord of all, there is no room for thinking this; on the contrary, the loan is proof against loss, he guarantees to return in good time one hundredfold what was

25· Pry 19.17.

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deposited, and he keeps in reserve for us life everlasting hereafter. So what excuse will be left to us in future if we are negligent and fail to gain a hundredfold in place of the little we have, the future in place of the present, the eternal in place of the temporal, heedlessly locking our money away behind doors and barricades, preferring to leave it lying idle instead of making it available to the needy now so as in the future to count on support from them? Scripture says, remember,

(39b) "Make friends with ill-gotten gains so that, when you go down in the world, they may welcome you into their eternal dwellings." 26

(22) I know that many people are not heeding what I am saying; instead, they take it as stuff and nonsense, and give no attention to our words. For my part, I'm sorry about it and regret that nothing can reach people like that-not even life's experience, nor all that God promises, not even fear of what lies ahead, nor the instruction they receive from me each day.

I will not desist from giving this kind of advice until I manage to win them over to a better state of mind, drawing them from their frenzied stupor which avarice brought upon them by dulling their intellect. I am confident, you see, confident that, with the grace of God, the persistence of our preaching (39c), and the careful attention that is a fruit of fasting, can release them even at this late hour from this crippling affliction and return them to perfect health; thus they will be freed from the punishment awaiting such people, and we can rid them of their faintheartedness, returning the glory for everything to the Father and the Son and Holy Spirit; now and forever, for ages of ages. Amen.

26. Lk 16.9.

HOMILY 4 "God said, 'Let a firmament be made in the middle of the water, and let it keep one body of water from the other.' This is what happened." 1

ITNESSING AS I DO, dearly beloved, your daily gathering here with such enthusiasm, I am filled with deep satisfaction, and I do not fail to praise the loving God for your progress. I mean, just as hunger is a sign of bodily health, (39d) so, too, interest in listening to the divine sayings would be taken by anyone as a sure pointer to spiritual wellbeing. Accordingly, our Lord Jesus Christ too, in the Beatitudes pronounced on the Mount, declared, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will have their fill."2 So who could adequately commend you, now that you have already received this blessing from the Lord of all, and are looking forward to so many more good things from him? Our Lord, you see, is like that: when he sees a soul seeking the things of the Spirit with great desire and earnest zeal, he bestows on it his graces in abundance.

(2) Hence, with a view to your greater benefit, I, too, look forward to being the occasion of an instructive sermon that will lead to an increase (4oa) in your love. I mean, for you and your improvement we undergo any effort so that you too may climb more rapidly to the heights of virtue and become teachers about life in God to all those who associate with you, and that we may feel comfortable in more forthright speech seeing that our effort was not in vain or to no purpose. On the conI. Gn 1.6. "Firmament" reflects the Greek and Latin versions' attempts to grapple with a difficult original notion. Chrysostom in commenting later in the homily on v.7 is unwilling to reach precision on its meaning.

2. Mt 5.6.

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trary, this spiritual seed germinates day by day; what happened with the Sower in the Gospel has not happened in our case. You remember that in the parable one lot survived and three perished: the handful of seeds that were scattered along the road did not germinate, those that fell among thorns were strangled, and the others that were sown on stony ground and stayed on the surface were unable to bear any fruit, (4ob) whereas finally through God's love we look forward to a yield from the seed that was sown on good ground-some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.3

(3) This increases our enthusiasm, this enlivens our understanding-to know that it is not idly or in vain that we are delivering our remarks, but that you welcome what we have to say with attentive hearing and alert minds. In saying this I am not flattering you, my dear people; I am simply gauging your enthusiasm from what was said yesterday. I mean, I could see you were all agog at the instruction given and made every effort lest by chance any part of the sermon should pass unheeded; in particular, the flood of applause was eloquent testimony of the favor my words found with you. When someone listens to the spoken word willingly, obviously it is riveted in his memory; he stores it up in the recesses of his mind and makes sure it does not escape him. (4oc) So, too, who could worthily praise you or bless us for preaching to willing ears?

Scripture says, remember, "Blessed is the one who preaches to willing ears." 4 This is one of the fruits of fasting, this is a remedy which works towards the salvation of our souls. And if in the beginning, and from the introduction, this strength is revealed, how much greater do you suppose the benefit will be in the days to come? Just be sure, I beseech you, to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling" 5 and allow the enemy no way of undermining your salvation. Remember that it drives him to distraction to see the spiritual riches you now have, and he prowls around like a roaring lion seeking some3. Cf. Mt 13.3-8.

4. Sir 25.9 in a variant of the LXX.

5. Phil 2.12.

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one to devour.6 But if you are careful, he will, with the grace of God, wreak no harm.

(4) This is the kind of spiritual armor, after all, (40d) with which the grace of the Spirit has clad us, as we taught you, my dear people, yesterday. So if we are constantly protected in all our limbs with this armor, none of the shafts aimed by the enemy will be able to strike us; instead, they will return to him unsuccessful. The grace of God, you see, makes us stronger than steel and quite invincible, if we want it so. So just as anyone who strikes steel does the steel no harm but only impairs his own strength, and anyone kicking out at spurs bloodies his own feet, so too in our case will things turn out badly for the enemy of our salvation, provided we protect ourselves constantly with the armor supplied us from the grace of the Spirit. I mean, such is its efficacy that the enemy could not resist the brightness emanating from it; instead, his eyes would be blinded (4la) by its brilliance. So let us arm ourselves completely, I beg you, with this armor, and in this guise go out in public, mix with our friends, and engage in business. Why say in public? Let us also bear this protection when coming together in church, returning home, sleeping and waking, and never lay it aside throughout our whole life; after all, it travels with us, and proves a great basis for our confidence wherever we go. You see, it doesn't weigh our body down like material armor; on the contrary, it brightens it, makes it nimble and increases its strength-provided we keep it so clean day by day that the shining beams of its radiance blind the eyes of the evil demon (4lb) who stops at nothing to undermine our salvation.

(5) Well, now, since we have armed you sufficiently, let us lay before you the customary meal. Let us propose to you, dear people, what follows the part commented on yesterday, and have as our wonderful host again blessed Moses, great author that he is and spokesman of this beautiful doctrine. So let us see what it is he wants to teach us today and attend closely to his words. After all, it is not by his own power he speaks; in6. Cf. 1 Pt 5.8.

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stead, whatever the grace of the Spirit inspires in him, this he utters with his own tongue for the instruction of humankind. 7

Having thus completed the account of the first day, and having said after the creation of light, "Evening came, and morning came: one day," he says further, (41C) "And God said 'Let a firmament be made in the middle of the water, and let it keep one body of water separate from the other.'" Notice here, dearly beloved, the sequence of the teaching. What I mean is that he first brought to our attention, after the creation of heaven and earth, the fact that "the earth was invisible and lacking all shape," and supplied the explanation for itnamely, it was invisible because it was concealed by darkness and water (you recall that everything consisted of darkness and water, and nothing else).8 Then, at the command of the Lord, light was created and a separation made between light and darkness; one received the name day and the other night.

His intention once again is to teach us that just as by producing the light God could cleave the darkness and assigned to each its appropriate name, so by his command he made a division in the mass of water.

(6) (41d) Take note of such ineffable power, which surpasses all human imagining. I mean, he simply commands, and one element comes into being while another gives way to it. "God said, "'Let a firmament be made in the middle of the water, and let it keep one body of water separate from the other.'" What does that mean, '''Let a firmament be made"'?

As if someone were to say in human language, Let there be some sort of barrier and division to come between them and make a separation. And, so that you may learn the extraordinary obedience of the elements and the exceeding power of the Creator, he adds, "This is what happened." God had only to speak, and the effect followed immediately.

7. Chrysostom is utterly convinced of the inspiration of Scripture and of the role of its human and divine authors. This phrasing occurs over and over again, together with the closing reference to the saving purpose of scriptural inspiration. Cf. St. John Chrysostom's Teaching on Inspiration in his Old Testament

Homilies 84-94.

8. As was remarked on V.2 in Homily 2, Chrysostom is content with this unlikely reading, "invisible," ignorant as he is of the Heb. text.

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(7) The text goes on: "God made the firmament, and God divided the water which was below the firmament from the water which was above the firmament."9 That is to say, once the firmament existed, he ordered some of the water (42a) to go below the firmament, and some to be on top of the firmament. Now, what would you say this means, the firmament?

Water that has congealed, or some air that has been compressed, or some other substance? No sensible person would be rash enough to make a decision on it. Instead, it is better to be quite grateful and ready to accept what is told us and not reach beyond the limits of our own nature by meddling in matters beyond us, but rather to know only the simple fact and keep it within us-namely, that by the Lord's command the firmament was produced, causing division of the waters, keeping some below and being able to carry the rest elevated on top of it.

(8) "The Lord called the firmament heaven." 10 Notice how Sacred Scripture here too employs the same sequence of thought. Just as it said yesterday, "'Let there be light,'" (42b) and after it was created added, "'Let there be separation between light'" and darkness, and thus the light was called day, so too today it said, "Let a firmament be made in the middle of the water." Then, as with the light, so too here it taught us the use of the firmament, saying, "for the purpose of keeping one body of water separate from the other." And when it made its use clear to us, as it had imposed a name on the light, so too it put a label on the firmament: "He called the firmament heaven," as we saw. How is it, you will say, some people want to claim many heavens were created? They don't get this teaching from Sacred Scripture, but base it on their own reasoning. I mean, blessed Moses teaches us nothing more than this; that is, he says, "In the beginning (42C) God made heaven and earth;" then, having taught us the reason why the earth happened to be invisible-that it was concealed by darkness and the waters of the abyss-he employs a kind of order and sequence by saying after the creation of light, "The Lord said,

9· Gn 1.7· 10. Gn 1.8.

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'Let a firmament be made.''' He then taught us in a precise manner the purpose of the firmament in saying, "so as to keep one body of water from the other," and next gave the name heaven to this same firmament which caused division of the waters. So after this kind of teaching who could take any notice of the people who want to speak off the cuff from their own imagining and be so bold as to propose many heavens against the evidence of Sacred Scripture? But, they claim, see how blessed David sang the praises of God in words like these:

"Praise him, heaven of heavens." II Don't worry, dearly beloved, don't think Sacred Scripture ever contradicts itself,

(42d) learn instead the truth of what it says, hold fast what it teaches in truth, and close your ears to those who speak against it.

(9) To grasp the point I'm trying to make, listen very carefully so as not to be easily upset by people prepared to say the first thing that comes into their head. All the sacred books of the Old Testament were originally composed in Hebrew; everybody would agree with us on this. Not many years before the coming of Christ, King Ptolemy, who was very keen on collecting books and had collected many other ones of different kinds, felt obliged to add the Old Testament books to his collection as well. So he summoned some of the Jews living in Jerusalem, and ordered them to translate the books into Greek; this was in fact brought to completion for him.12 The upshot of this work of divine providence was that (43a) the benefit of the Old Testament was now available not only to people who knew Hebrew but also to anyone living anywhere in the world. What makes this remarkable and ironic is that the initiative for this was taken not by people with belief in Judaism but by a man devoted to idols and opposed in his beliefs to true religion. You see, everything turns out like this

II. Ps 148-412. In relaying the legend of the formation of the LXX, Chrysostom shows his uncritical attitude that emerges constantly-as well, perhaps, his judgement that homilies were not the occasion for troubling his simple (?) congregation with scholarly niceties. Cf. Introduction IS.

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under the providence of our Lord: the principles of truth are always vindicated by the people who oppose them.

(lO) It was not without purpose that I told this story to you; rather, it was for you, dearly beloved, to know that the Old

Testament books were not composed in this language-ours, I mean-but in Hebrew. Now, those with a precise knowledge of that language tell us that among the Hebrews the word

'heaven' is used in the plural, (43b) and those who know the language of the Syrians confirm this.13 In that language-that is, the language they use-no one would say 'heaven', but 'the heavens'. So it is logical that the words spoken by the blessed

David, "the heaven of heavens," have that form, not because there are several heavens (the blessed Moses, remember, taught us that) but because it is idiomatic in Hebrew to use the name of a single thing in the plural; if there were several heavens, the Holy Spirit would not have neglected to teach us through the tongue of this blessed author about the creation of the other ones. Keep a close grasp on these matters, I beg you, so as to be able to curb those people wanting to come up with objections against the Church, and be quite sure in your knowledge of the efficacy of what is contained in the Sacred

Scriptures. (43c) That, after all, is the reason why you gather here so regularly, and why we provide you with such abundant instruction, so that you may be well prepared for anyone seeking to indoctrinate you.

(11) But let us move on to what follows, if you don't mind.

"God called the firmament heaven," the text says; "and God saw that it was good." Notice the extent of the considerateness of the language to accommodate human limitations. That is to say, just as at the creation of light the text said, "He saw it was good," so too now in the case of heaven-that is, the firmament-it says, "God saw it was good," teaching us in this way its extraordinary beauty. I mean, who could fail to be utterly amazed that the firmament in all this period has kept its

13. Chrysostom thus admits his ignorance of the original language of the OT -significant for a commentator on Genesis. His own instructor in exegesis, Diodore of Tarsus, was similarly handicapped. Cf. Introduction 3 & 15.

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beauty unimpaired, and that the more time passes, so much the more this beauty increases. (43d) After all, what could be more beautiful than the thing that gains commendation from the Creator? I mean, if we see a human being's work brought to completion and marvel at its design, its position, its beauty, its proportion, its symmetry, and everything else about it, how could anyone adequately praise what God has produced, particularly when it has won the praise of the Lord himself? You see, this is said out of considerateness for us, and you will notice the same words used in the case of each created thing, refuting in anticipation the temerity of those who later will be disposed to sharpen their tongue against God's creation and raise the question, why did this and that come into being? So, to check those people ahead of time in their endeavours to voice that opinion, the text says, "God saw that it was good."

When you hear that God "saw" and God "praised", (44a) take the word in a sense proper to God. That is to say, the Creator knew the beauty of the created thing before he created it, whereas we are human beings and encompassed with such limitations that we cannot understand it in any other way; accordingly, he directed the tongue of the blessed author to make use of the clumsiness of these words for the instruction of the human race. [4 (12) So, whenever you raise your eyes and admire the beauty of heaven, its immensity, its usefulness to us, then move from there to its creator, as a wise man has said: "From the magnitude and beauty of creatures we can by comparison see the creator." [5 See too the Lord's power, how great it is, even from the creation of these elements. I mean, any right-minded person who is prepared to scan visible things each day-but why say created things each day? (44b) if you only consider carefully your own makeup, you will see through these details

God's ineffable power beyond all description. If these visible 14. Chrysostom thus sets out his profound understanding of the Scriptures as exemplifying both divine considerateness (synkatabasis) for human limitations (astheneia-not "weakness") and also divine transcendence. It is a typically Eastern and specifically Antiochene understanding.

15· Wis 13·5·

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things suffice to teach us the magnitude of the Creator's power, and if you attain to the unseen powers, and raise your mind to the hosts of the angels, the archangels, the powers above, the thrones, the dominations, the principalities, the powers, the cherubim, the seraphim-what understanding, what description is of any avail to unfold his greatness? Remember the blessed author David: if in studying the order of visible things he cried out, "How your works are magnified, 0 Lord; you have made everything in wisdom" 16-David, a man endowed so generously with the Spirit and deemed worthy to know the obscure and hidden things of the Lord's wisdom-(44c) what could we say, dust and ashes that we are, obliged constantly to move with head bowed, and to gape at the unspeakable love of the Lord of all? And why do I quote the psalmist? I mean, blessed Paul, that spirit soaring to heaven, clad in a body yet contending with disembodied powers, treading the earth yet scouring the heavens in his enthusiasm, falling in with one part of God's design (I mean that to do with Jews and Gentiles, rejected by the former and taken possession of by the latter)Paul it was who cried out in utter bewilderment and stupor,

"0 the depth of the wealth of God's wisdom and knowledge: how inscrutable his judgements and unsearchable his ways." 17

(13) Now, on this matter, I would address to those rash enough to be inquisitive about the generation of the Son of God (44d) and anxious to undermine the status of the Holy

Spirit the following mild enquiry: whence springs the vehemence of your daring, I ask you? what drunken stupor leads you to rush into such extreme folly? After all, if a man of such ability and stature as Paul says God's judgements-that is, his planning and government-are inscrutable (he did not say incomprehensible, just inscrutable, so that no one could plot them), and God's ways, in his words, are unsearchable, meaning the same thing, referring to his dispositions and com16. Ps 104.24.

17. Rom 11.33. Even in a Genesis commentary, Chrysostom does not conceal his great admiration and fellow-feeling for Paul. He sees him as "the world's teacher" and in prophetic insight extols a man who can suffer for his principles.

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mands as ways, how is it that you are rash enough to be inquisitive about the very being of the Only-begotten and to minimize as far as you can the status of the Holy Spirit? 18 Observe, dearly beloved, how wrong it is not to attend precisely to the contents of Sacred Scripture. I mean, if these people accepted the teachings from Sacred Scripture with the proper dispositions and didn't invent their own from their own reasoning, (45a) they would never have been caught in such folly.

Let us then, on the contrary, use the same persistence in making the teachings of Sacred Scripture ring in their ears, while stopping our own ears to their baleful doctrines.

(14) Now, I have no idea how we came to be drawn from the theme of our sermon into that distraction and lose the thread; so we must pick up the sermon again by retracing our steps.

The text says: "God called the firmament heaven, and God saw that it was good. Evening came and morning came: a second day." After giving the firmament its name and commending what had been created, he brought the second day to a close, and said, "Evening came and morning came, a second day." See how he teaches us with precision, calling the end of the light evening and the end of the night morning, (45b) and naming the whole period day lest we be misled into thinking the evening is the end of the day, instead of having a clear understanding that one day comprises the duration of both parts. Thus it would be correct to say that evening is the end of the light; but daybreak, that is, the end of the night, is the duration of a day. This, after all, is what Scripture wants to indicate by saying, "Evening came and morning came: a second day."

(15) Perhaps we have drawn out the point to great length, no longer in control of the subject but swept along, you might say, by the very sequence of the words as though by a wild tor18. Chrysostom's editors from De Montfaucon note his ready polemic against trinitarian heretics of the day, especially the Anomians (Grk. anomios,

"unlike, unequal"). For a recent survey of contemporary movements, cf. Y.

Congar, I Believe in the Holy Spirit J, English translation (London 1983) 73-84.

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rent. You are responsible for this through your willing attention to what we say. I mean, nothing can so spur the preacher and stimulate him to greater fertility of thought as the enthusiasm of his listeners. (45C) Just as listeners who are recalcitrant and listless reduce even an able speaker to lethargy, so it happens that, by the grace of God and despite our being dumber than stones, you have been enough to rouse our sluggish mind, dissipate our torpor, and drive us on to say something or other useful to you and directed to your edification.

Since, then, you have the good fortune to be taught by God, and according to blessed Paul you are capable also of advising others,19 come now, I beg you, especially at this period of fasting give much attention to good living in God's designs, and don't let our sermons leave you untouched if we preach to you each day on the same topics; after all, to quote the blessed

Paul, repetition is no burden to me, and it is a precaution for you. 20 Our soul, remember, is sluggish and needs constant reminders. (45d) Just as this body of ours requires each day its bodily nourishment so as not to develop extreme weakness and be unable to exert itself, so too our soul needs spiritual nourishment and excellent regimen if it is to develop a certain affinity with good and remain unvanquished in the struggle against the wiles of the evil one.

(16) Accordingly, let us each day be concerned with the value of this exercise, let us scrutinize our conduct and not lose heart; let us render an account to ourselves both of what comes in and of what goes out-what we utter that is of some use and what words we pronounce to no effect, and again what value there is to our soul in what we receive through hearing and likewise what has the capacity to harm in what we are responsible for. Let us impose some rules and regulations on our tongue so as initially to keep a check (46a) on our speech and only then deliver what we have to say. Let us train our mind not to give vent to harmful thoughts; instead, should something of that kind gain entry from outside, banish it as 19. Cf. Rom 15.14.

20. Phil 3.1.

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unnecessary and likely to cause harm, or if it rises inside us, expel it rapidly with a pious thought, and let us not think that fasting only till evening suffices for our salvation.

(17) After all, if the loving Lord said to the hardhearted Jews through the prophet: "Behold those seventy years: surely it was not for me that you kept that fast? And if you eat and drink, is it not for yourselves that you eat and drink? This is what the Lord, mighty ruler, says: Deliver just judgements, show mercy and pity each of you to your neighbor, do not oppress widow or orphan, sojourner or poor person, (46b) and let none of you plot evil against your brother in your heart." 21

In other words, if those people sitting in darkness and caught up in the shadow of error gained no benefit merely from fasting without performing those other good works or expelling from their heart evil intended against their neighbor, what sort of excuse can we offer of whom more is required-not simply commanded to abstain from that, but even obliged to love our enemies and be kind to them? And why do I say 'be kind'? Also to pray for them, and beseech the Lord and implore his providence in their behalf. After all, this most of all will be a recommendation for us on that fearful day, and our best insurance against our sins, if we are disposed in this way towards our enemies. (46c) I mean, even if the commandment is exceedingly rigorous, provided you keep in mind the prize laid up for those who do right, it will seem nothing at all, even though it is in fact very rigorous. Why is that? Scripture says:

"If you do this, you will be like my father in heaven."22 To make the point clearer to us, it added: "Because he makes his sun rise on the evil and the good"; that is, it is saying, you are imitating God as far as human beings can. I mean, just as he makes the sun rise not only on the just but also on those who do evil, and provides rain and seasonal storms not only to the good but also to the evil, so you too, if you love not only those who love you but also those badly disposed to you, are imitating your Lord as far as you can.

21. Zee 7.5,6,9,10.

22. Cf. Mt 5.45.

HOMILY 4 (18) (46d) Do you see how he has elevated to the highest pinnacle the person capable of achieving this virtue? Don't, however, think only of the difficulty of the matter, dearly beloved, but consider first of all in your heart the great dignity you would stand to gain; and let the opportunity for dignity make light for you of what is heavy and burdensome. Should you not, after all, recognize the grace given you in finding an opportunity through your kindness to your enemy of having opened for you the doors to a confident approach to God and of making atonement for your sins? Do you, perchance, on the contrary, relish the prospect of taking vengeance on your enemy and repaying in kind and even worse the one badly disposed to you? What advantage will that be when you gain no benefit from it and are liable to undergo punishment for it in that dread tribunal for breaking its laws? Tell me: if some

(47a) earthly king made it a law to look after one's enemies under punishment of death, would not everyone for fear of this bodily death hasten to fulfil the law? So what a dreadful accusation does that person deserve who, because of bodily death (which in any event the necessity of nature brings us without exception), is ready to do anything with death in mind-hardly a source of encouragement-but thinks less of the law made by the Lord of all.

(19) While speaking on this subject, however, I have forgotten those who do not even show the same love to those who love them. Who then will eventually snatch us from that punishment when we are not simply far from fulfilling that commandment (47b) but don't do even what the publicans do?

Scripture says: "If you love those who love you, what great deed is that? Do not even the publicans do that?" 23 Since therefore this is not done by us, what prospect of salvation is there for us? So, I beg you, let us not be lacking in compassion, but let us instead subdue our thoughts, and first learn to surpass our neighbor in love and, according to the blessed

Paul, to regard others as more eminent in dignity than our23. Mt 5.46 in Chrysostom's variant text.

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selves; 24 not to resist being diminished but wanting to overcome; not to dominate but to provide a clearer and warmer affection for those who love us. After all, this it is that especially sustains and reinforces our life, and in this we are distinguished from the brutes and beasts, namely, (47c) being able if we wish to maintain the order appropriate to us and to manifest a warm fellow-feeling towards our neighbors; next, to restrain our thinking, and to crush the wild and unruly creature-madness I call it-and remind it of the trial before the dread tribunal and teach it that, should peace be made with our enemies, we will win great reward, whereas if discord still continues, we will undergo a severe judgement. In other words, we should not squander the time idly and to no purpose but, day by day, and hour by hour, keep before our eyes the Lord's judgment, and the thought of what things are calculated to produce great confidence in us and what will only increase our punishment.

(20) Turning these things over (47d) in our mind like this, let us get the better of our feelings, restrain the impulses of the flesh, and mortify, as the blessed Paul puts it, "what is earthly in you, immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire," anger, covetousness, vainglory, slander.25 If we render ourselves dead to these desires, so that they cannot work in us, we shall be able to receive the fruit of the Spirit, which is "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control." 26 Let this be the difference between the Christian and the unbeliever; let these be our talisman, let us not simply bear the name like an ornament, nor boast only of appearances; nay rather, even should we possess those virtues (48a) we have enumerated, let us not then boast, but so much the more humble ourselves. Scripture says, after all,

"When you have done all these things, say, We are unprofitable servants." 27 If it proves true that we have taken such care and given thought to our salvation, we will be able to gain the greatest benefit, rescue ourselves from eventual punishment,

24. Phil 2·3· 26. Gal 5.22-23.

25. Cf. Col 3,5-8.

27. Lk 17.10.

HOMILY 4 and become in the eyes of onlookers teachers of what works for their good. So we will pass this present life with care and be judged worthy of loving kindness in the life to come, which it will hopefully be our lot to experience, and the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father be glory, power and honor for ages of ages. Amen.

HOMILY 5 "God said: 'Let the water under heaven be gathered together into one mass, and let dry land appear.'" 1

OME NOW, DEARLY BELOVED, (48b) today also let us set before you the feast that comes from the words of the blessed Moses, and observe carefully what was created by the Lord on the third day. To begin with an example: men digging in gold-bearing soil, when they spy some seams of gold dust, don't stop until they have broken the seams open, got right to the very bottom of it and taken from the spot great wealth. 2 So much the more should we, who have no intention of searching for gold dust but are expecting to find ineffable treasure, seek it daily so as to gain great wealth from the spiritual plenty to be found here, and so return home. (48c) After all, in the former case material wealth often brought dangers to the people gaining it, and provided only brief enjoyment before it disappeared altogether and the dangers set in, either from attacks by slanderers, or robbers, or burglars, or house guards who turned to theft and absconded.

(2) In the present case, on the contrary, there is no fear of anything like that; 1 mean, this spiritual treasure is proof against theft: when it is stored in the recesses of our mind, it is secure against every stratagem, provided we don't become slothful and give entry to the one anxious to deprive us of it.

Our enemy, remember (I mean the wicked demon), when he sees spiritual wealth accumulated, grinds his teeth, and rages, and displays great vigilance so as to take advantage of the 1. Gn 1.9.

2. Cf. Homily 3, note 3 above for these traditional analogies of Chrysostom's.

HOMILY 5 right moment (48d) to steal something of what we have within us. No such moment will suit his convenience provided we are not guilty of sloth; it behoves us therefore to remain constantly on the alert and to impede his every approach. If, in fact, he sees us awake and displaying great vigilance and he attacks us once or twice only to find his efforts are to no avail, he will eventually be shamed into giving up in the knowledge that there is nothing further he can do in the face of our resistance. Accordingly, as we realize that we cannot avoid being at war all our life here below, so let us arm ourselves, on the understanding that we have the enemy always at our door, and mount guard unremittingly so as not to give him opportunity for assault by relaxing our vigilance a little once or twice.

(3) Have you noticed (4ga) how much provision people with many possessions make for their protection when they expect an enemy attack? Some lock them up behind doors and bars, taking every precaution; others hide them underground so as to escape all detection. We should in fact follow the same procedure in amassing the wealth of virtue: we'should guard it with great care, not expose it to the gaze of all but conceal it in the inmost recesses of our heart, and thus repel all the attacks of the one anxious to despoil us of it; in this way we will keep it intact and be able to leave this life with some resource for the life hereafter. Think of people who happen to be living in a foreign land: when they have in mind to return home, for a long time beforehand they begin to develop an enthusiasm and take pains to collect enough provisions (4gb) to enable them to last the length of the journey so as not to fall victim to hunger. It should be exactly like this in our case: forced to live here below like people in a strange land (and in fact we are all strangers and foreigners in that regard) we should really be on the lookout for the resources that come from spiritual behavior and store them up for the journey, so that whenever the Lord bids us set out for our true homeland, we may be ready and may bring some of those resources with us and have the rest sent on ahead. Such, after all, is the nature of these resources: what we would wish to store up for ourselves

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through the performance of these good deeds arrives there before us and opens the doors of confidence for us with the Lord, smoothing the entrance for us in advance so that we enter with great peace of mind and encounter much goodwill from the judge.

(4) To learn, dearly beloved, (49c) that this is the way these things happen, consider, I ask you, that the person who practises almsgiving in generous measure and lives his life on earth in the strength of a good conscience will find when he passes on from here great kindness at the hands of the judge, and will hear those blessed words among the rest, "Come, you whom my Father has blessed, and inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, because I was hungry and you gave me something to eat." 3 You would find the very same to be true in the case of the other virtues. It will prove to be true with the confession of sins, and with prayers said in earnestness. You see, when in this present life we are able to wipe away our offenses through confession and find pardon from the Lord, we go from there cleansed of our sins, and we find great (49d) confidence given us. By the same token it is impossible for someone not cleansed of his sins in this life to find consolation afterwards in the next. Scripture says, remember, "In the underworld who will confess his faith in yoU?"4 And rightly so; after all, this is the time of contests, struggles and conflicts, whereas that will be the time for rewards, prizes and laurels. So let us strive while we are still engaged in the arena so that, when it comes to the time that we would be due to receive the laurels and the reward of effort, we may be found not amongst the disgraced but amongst those confidently receiving the crown upon their head.

(s) It is not idly or to no purpose that we propose these matters to you in your goodness; instead, our intention is day by day to bring to your mind good deeds so that you may be found perfect and well prepared (soa) and conspicuous for virtue in daily living. Thus you will be above reproach or contamination as blameless children of God, and will "shine as 3· Mt 25·34-35· 4· Ps 6·5·

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lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, as our pride and joy, as you await the day of the Lord," 5 so that merely by your comportment you will benefit those with whom you associate: by sharing in converse with you they will partake also of the spiritual fragrance that accompanies you, and of your excellent way of life. After all, the company of rogues is bound to affect those who mix with them, as the blessed Paul says,

"Evil association corrupts good manners;"6 and in just the same way the company of good people benefits those who frequent them.

(6) Accordingly, the loving Lord has allowed the good to live amongst the wicked so that these latter may gain something from their company, and may not persist forever in their evil-doing but may instead be brought to their senses by the sight of good people and profit somewhat from their company. (sob) So great, you see, is the power of virtue that even those who don't possess it revere it greatly and pay it great tribute. By the same token, in fact, evil in its turn is constantly under attack even by those who exemplify it themselves, so plain and obvious is it to everyone, and you won't find anyone quick to own up to it; instead, the remarkable thing is that the evil things they strive to perpetrate in fact, these they often condemn in word and prefer most people didn't know about.

This is a mark of God's loving kindness, which he has shown in the case of humankind, that he has implanted in each of us a conscience that is above distortion, able to distinguish truly evil actions from those that aren't. This has the effect of robbing us of any plea that we fell into sin through ignorance instead of sloth of spirit and neglect of virtue. 7

(7) Let us hour by hour turn these thoughts over in our mind (Soc) and keep our own salvation [to the] foremost in our thinking, lest with the passage of time we forget ourselves and fall into the greatest disaster.

5. Phil 2.15-16.

6. 1 Cor 15.33, where Paul, of course, is quoting the pagan dramatist Menander.

7. Again rhathumia, "indifference, sloth," is the capital sin for Chrysostom.

Cf. Homily 1, note 18 above.

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(8) But enough of such introductions; let us now listen, if you don't mind, to what it is the grace of the Spirit wants to teach us today as well through Moses' tongue. The text goes on: "God said, 'Let the water under heaven be gathered together into one mass, and let dry land appear.' This is what happened." Notice here, I ask you, dearly beloved, the order and wonderful sequence. I mean, it said in the beginning that "the earth was invisible and lacking all shape" for the reason that it was concealed by the darkness and the waters; then on the second day he ordered the firmament to be made, and caused the separation of the waters, calling the firmament heaven. Now he further teaches us that on the third day he directed that the water under heaven (sod) that is, under the firmament-should come together into one mass, should make room, and the dry land should appear; that is what happened. In other words, since everything was filled with water, he orders the immensity of waters to come together into one mass, so that there would be a way for the dry land to appear.

(9) Note how he sets out for us in detail the orderly arrangement and beauty of it all. "That is what happened," it says. How? In the way the Lord directed. He simply spoke, and the work followed. You see, this is God's way: created things are governed by his will. "The water under heaven was gathered together into its masses, and the dry land appeared."8 Just as in the case of the light, when darkness was everywhere, he ordered the creation of the light, and caused a division between the light and the darkness, so as to assign one to the day and the other to the night, and likewise in the case of the waters he created the firmament, (Sla) and bade one lot take the upper place and the other lot be below the firmament, so too in this case he orders this second lot of water which was under the firmament to run together into one mass so that the dry land may appear and he may then give it its own name, as with the light and the darkness. The text says, remember, "The waters were gathered together into 8. The LXX, in adding this additional explanatory sentence, is departing from most Heb. Mss.

HOMILY S their masses, and the dry land appeared; God called the dry land earth." Do you see, dearly beloved, how the earth, which was previously invisible and lacking all shape through being hidden by the waters as though under covers, he unveils, as it were, and shows its face at long last, giving it its own name.

(10) The text goes on: "The masses of the waters he called seas."9 Notice that the waters also got their own name. To make a comparison: when a first-rate craftsman plans to fashion a vessel from his own skill, he doesn't give it a name until he has brought his creation to completion. (SIb) Just so, the loving Lord does not give names to the elements until he assigns them to their own place through his own arrangement.

So after the earth received its own name and took its own shape, the waters too being now gathered together were in their turn ready to receive their own name. The text says, remember, "The masses of the waters he called seas," and then added, "God saw that it was good." You see, since human nature is limited and is not capable of adequately praising the works of God, Sacred Scripture anticipates by telling us of the praise given by the Creator himself. So, when you learn that created things appeared good to the Creator himself, you have further grounds for wonder without being able any better to apply praise and eulogy. This, after all, is the kind of Lord you have: he does the kinds of things that surpass the bounds of praise by us. (SIC) I mean, how could human nature adequately praise God's works or celebrate them at all?

(11) Recognize further, I ask you, in the evidence assembled here the ineffable wisdom of God the artificer. That is to say, after making visible to us the face of the earth, he further bestows upon it by his own design a pleasing aspect, beautifying its face with a profusion of seeds. "God said," the text goes on,

'''Let the earth put forth a crop of vegetation, plants yielding seed, each according to its kind and likeness, and fruit trees bearing fruit with seed inside, each according to its kind upon the earth.' This is what happened." 10 What does that mean,

9. Gn I. JOb.

10. Gn 1.1 I.

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"Thi& is what happened"? According to the text, the Lord gave directions and at once the earth went into labor and adorned itself with its own crop of seeds. "The earth brought forth," the text goes on, "a crop of vegetation, plants yielding seed, each according to its kind and likeness, (51d) and fruit trees bearing fruit with seed inside, each according to its kind upon the earth." II (12) Consider here, I ask you, dearly beloved, how everything came into being on the earth by the word of the Lord. I mean, it was no man who was the cause, or plough, or help from oxen, or effort towards it from any other sourcesimply that everything heard the command, and at once sprang from the earth into view. From this we learn that at present likewise what provides us with the harvest of fruits is not the effort of the farmers, or their toil, or the other labors put into farming, but before all these it is the word of God, the same as was directed to it from the beginning. For the particular purpose of correcting later human folly, Sacred Scripture gives us a precise description of everything according to the order of creation so as to offset the absurdities of people speaking idly from their own reasoning in an endeavor to assert (52a) that the assistance of the sun is responsible for the germination of the crops.

(13) There are some people who try to ascribe these things to some of the stars. For this reason the Holy Spirit teaches us that before the creation of these elements the earth heard his word and command and brought forth the plants, with no need of anything else by way of assistance. In other words, in place of anything else the earth had need only of that word that was spoken, "Let the earth put forth a crop of vegetation." So, taking our lead from Sacred Scripture, let us never tolerate those who lightly propound contrary views. I mean, even if human beings till the earth, even if they get assistance from brute beasts, and bestow great attention on the earth,

II. In these verses, Gn I.ll-I2, Chrysostom follows closely the (rather inconsistent) wording of the LXX, which is not that of the Heb. Masoretic text.

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even if the weather is kind, and everything goes according to plan, it will be all to no avail unless the Lord wills; (S2b) all the toil and trouble will be fruitless unless the hand from on high takes part and brings to fruition these efforts. Who could fail to be absolutely astonished at the thought of how the word uttered by the Lord, "'Let the earth put forth a crop of vegetation,'" penetrated to the very bowels of the earth and, as though with a veil, adorned the face of the earth with a variety of flowers? In an instant you could see the earth, which just before had been shapeless and unkempt, take on such beauty as almost to defy comparison with heaven. I mean, just as heaven would shortly be adorned with a variety of stars, so too the earth was beautified with a range of flowers to such an extent that even the Creator was moved to commendation: "God saw," the text says, remember, "that it was good."

(14) Does it occur to you how in the case of each of the created realities the text shows (S2C) the Creator rendering praise, with the result that later human beings learn from this and pass from the creatures to the Creator? That is to say, if created things are of such a kind that they overwhelm human beings, and no one could adequately praise them, what could anyone say about the Creator himself? The text says: "God saw that it was good. Evening came, and morning came: a third day." 12 Do you see how by the repetition of the teaching it wants to impress on our understanding the force of the words? "Evening came, and morning came: a third day." You see, there was need to mention: A third day had passed. But see how in the case of each day it speaks this way: "Evening came, and morning came: a third day"-not idly or to no purpose, but to prevent our confusing the order, and thinking that with evening falling the day came to an end, instead of realizing (S2d) that the evening is the end of the light and the beginning of night, whereas the dawn is the end of the night and the completion of the day. This in fact is what the blessed

Moses wants to teach us in saying, "Evening came, and morn12. Gn 1.13.

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ing came: a third day." Don't be surprised, dearly beloved, if Sacred Scripture repeats this over and over again. 13 After all, even despite such insistence the Jews, who were already victims of error and hardened in heart, are bent on disputation by considering that the evening is the beginning of the following day; they deceive themselves and argue illogically, they still sit in darkness despite the clarity of the truth to everybody, they keep close to a lantern despite the fact that the sun spreads its rays of justice everywhere-so who could have resisted the obduracy of such idiots had there not been an exposition of teaching like this in great detail?

(IS) (S3a) But let them reap the reward of their own insanity. We, for our part, who have been fortunate enough to benefit from the rays of the sun, should obey the teaching of Sacred Scripture; let us follow its canon, place its wholesome doctrines within the recesses of our mind, and with protection from it take good care of our own welfare, avoiding whatever impairs the health of our soul and abstaining from all such harmful notions in the same way as we would noxious drugs.

After all, the harm they inflict is much worse-worse, in fact, to the degree that the soul is more important than the body.

You see, the death these drugs cause is for the body only, whereas things that impair the health of the soul bring to us a death that is eternal. What are these things that injure us?

They are many and varied, (S3b) but especially having regard for human esteem and not knowing how to scorn it. I mean, this proves a source of many evils for us: if we have any spiritual riches, this exhausts them and makes us bereft of any benefit from them. So what could be more harmful than this injury? It has the effect of depriving us of whatever we seem to have. Thus the pharisee in the Gospel turned out to be inferior to the publican: instead of keeping control of his

13. Chrysostom is committed, as we have seen above (Homily 2, note 6), to his principle of the precision of Scripture and to the fact that no detail of the text, repetitious though it may seem, is without purpose and value. Though this conviction is rooted in his belief in the inspiration of Scripture, and ultimately in the Incarnation, at times he seems obliged to rationalize in order to maintain his principle.

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tongue, through it as through a door he poured out all his wealth. 14 That's how bad vainglory is.

(16) Tell me, after all, why and for what reason do you have regard for the praise of human beings? Don't you know that their praise evaporates and disappears into thin air just like a shadow or something even less substantial? (53c) Human beings are extraordinarily unreliable and inconstant: they praise you one day and revile you the next-something that would never happen in the case of God's judgement of us. So let us not make fools of ourselves, or deceive ourselves all to no purpose. I mean, if we do something good, but do not strive for it with a view simply to fulfilling the command of our Lord and becoming a familiar of his alone, we go to trouble for nothing and deprive ourselves of the fruit of the action. You see, the person who does some good deed or other with a view to gaining credit from human beings, whether or not he succeeds in enjoying it-motivation of this kind after all, failing to gain its object: whether he succeeds or falls short, he has got in this life all the reward he is going to get, and will receive nothing in the next life (53d) by way of recompense. Why? Because he forfeited the possibility of enjoying the esteem of the judge by preferring the present to the future and the esteem of human beings to the favor of the just judge. If, on the contrary, we perform some spiritual action for the sole purpose of pleasing his unsleeping eye alone before whom everything lies open and bare, the reward will be kept for us unharmed, the contents of our prize will be intact, looking forward to it will do us good and bring us great consolation in advance, the prize will be protected for us in an unassailable treasury, and eventually even the esteem of human beings will come our way. You see, this esteem is something we enjoy in great abundance when we scorn it, when we do not seek it, when we do not chase after it.

(17) Why are you surprised if this happens in the case of those pursuing spiritual philosophy, (54a) when in many cases even men of the world have particular contempt and scorn for 14. Lk 18·9-14·

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thos~ bent on seeking people's good opinion? You will find such people jeered on all sides for their attachment to empty praise. So what could be more wretched than ourselves, with our interest in spiritual things, if we, like them, are inclined to sigh for people's good opinion instead of being content with praise from God? As Paul says, "His praise comes not from people but from God." [5 Aren't you aware, dearly beloved, how at the races the horsemen are not diverted by the crowds present there, or the countless cries of encouragement, nor do they get satisfaction from the popular acclaim? Instead, they have eyes only for one person, the emperor, seated in the center, and, (S4b) in expectation of his favor, they scorn the whole crowd, taking compliments to heart only when the emperor has awarded them the prize. In imitation of them, place no great store by people's regard, and don't let that motivate you to virtue; rather, await the verdict of the just Judge and look for his nod. In this way dispose your whole life so that in this world you may be constantly buoyed up by sound hopes and in the next may enjoy everlasting blessings. May this be the good fortune of us all, through the grace and loving kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, power and honor, now and forever, for all ages of ages. Amen. (S4C) IS. Rom 2.29·

HOMILY 6 "God said: 'Let lights be made in the firmament of heaven for lighting up the earth, to separate day from night; let them act as signs and indicate days, seasons and years. ,,"

WANT TO TAKE up the usual line of teaching, yet I hesitate and hang back: a cloud of despair has settled upon me, and has confused and upset my train of thought-not simply despair but anger as well. I'm not sure what I should do; uncertainty is paralyzing my brain. I mean, when I consider that at the merest suggestion from the devil you have put out of your mind all that unremitting teaching of ours and the daily exhortations, and have all rushed off to that diabolical concourse and been absorbed in horse racing, what sort of zest can I bring to the task of teaching you any more, when my former words have so lightly slipped away?

(54d) What especially aggravates my despair and brings my anger to boiling point is the fact that despite all our exhortation you have put out of your mind the respect due to the holy season of Lent and have thus cast yourself into the devil's net.

How could anyone, even with heart of stone, take that kind of rejection unmoved? I'm ashamed of you, believe me, I'm mortified to see the pointlessness of the trouble I've gone to, sowing seed among stones.

(2) Still, whether you heed my words or reject them, the reward coming to me will be unimpaired. After all, I did every1. Gn 1.14. Chrysostom's pastoral concern for his congregation, leading him generally to adopt a moral style of commentary (cf. Introduction 13,

16,17), causes him in this 'homily' to depart from his text to berate his congregation for their attendance at horse racing-an amusement that was not altogether innocent in the Antioch of those days. See R. Hill, "On giving up the horses for Lent," CleR 68 (March 1983) 105-106.

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thing in my power: I went to some expense, I gave the proper warning; my concern now, which is exercising me somewhat, is that through these efforts I may be the cause of your being held to account more severely. Scripture says: "That servant who knew the will of his master and did not discharge it will be severely punished."2 None of you, in other words, can make a plea of ignorance, with us day by day sounding off about the same things and showing up the devil's snares (ssa) for what they are, as well as the great ease of virtuous living for any of us wanting to stay on the alert. Don't you know that people so unconcerned about their own salvation and vacillating between attention to it and headlong course into the devil's net are compared in Sacred Scripture to dogs? It says, remember, "The person who turns away from his sin and then goes back to it is like a dog returning to its vomit."3 Do you see what it is they resemble who run off to that unlawful spectacle? Haven't you heard Christ's words: "Everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn't act on them can be compared to a fool who built his house on sandy ground: rivers came and winds blew; they struck that house, it collapsed, and its collapse was terrible."

4 Those who have run off to the races (SSb) have turned out worse than that. You see, that fellow's house suffered a collapse only under pressure; that is to say, Scripture made mention of rivers and winds to indicate to us, not the volume of water and the force of wind, but the severe onset of temptations; and its mention of the collapse of the house was not for us to think about a house that you can see. The story is really about the soul, which collapses under the pressure of anxiety it cannot sustain: in your case no gale blew nor rivers surged-simply a gentle breath from the devil came your way and overwhelmed you completely.

(3) What could be worse than this madness? What's the good of fasting, tell me? what's the use of coming along here?

Who could fail to upbraid you and commiserate with us? To 2. Lk 12.47 somewhat abbreviated.

3· Cf. Prv 26.11.

4. Mt 7.26-27.

HOMILY 6

upbraid you, because everything you have amassed (Ssc) you've squandered in one fell swoop, opening the doors of your mind to the wicked demon to let him in and carry off all your spiritual wealth with the greatest of ease. Likewise to commiserate with us, because in this case we have been sounding off to heedless ears and wasting so much effort, sowing the seed day after day without possibility of getting any crop.

After all, surely our purpose in putting effort into our sermons hasn't been simply to charm your ears or because we were interested in winning your praise? Unless you stood to gain something from the things we said, we would have done better in the long run to have said nothing. I mean, I have no wish to be the agent of your greater condemnation.

(4) A comparison can in fact be made with a merchant who assembles all his merchandise and fills his vessel with all his wealth, only to have a storm buffet it and through the force of the winds (SSd) the ship sink with all hands, turning him into a piteous spectacle for all to see, appearing suddenly devoid of everything, reduced to utter indigence after all his incredible wealth-that is exactly the treatment the devil has meted out to you. I mean, finding your spiritual ship full of great wealth, and seeing your incredible treasure which you have been able to amass both from fasting and from the constant teaching, he exposed you to that useless and harmful horse race as though to a storm, and by means of that left you empty and bare of all your resources.

(S) I am aware that my rebuke is forthright; I beg your pardon for that-it is an index of the grief in my soul. These words of mine come not from hostility but from concern and heartfelt affection. So I am restraining my vehemence somewhat, having checked the spread of the cancer; (s6a) my wish now, dear people, is to encourage sound hopes, lest you despair and give up the struggle. You see, in the case of the soul things don't happen in the way they do with the goods of the senses; I mean, in the latter instance it is impossible to restore the fortunes overnight of a person reduced to indigence from all that wealth, whereas in our case through God's loving kindness we can quickly return to our former prosperity, provided

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only-we are prepared to condemn what we have done in the past and here and now bridle our sloth. This, after all, is the kind of Lord we have, so liberal and generous; he shouts it out to us through the biblical author when he says, "I have no wish for the death of the sinner-only that he be converted and live." 5

(6) 1 know that, being right-minded people, you recognize your faults. It is no small step on the way back to virtue to know the magnitude of your sins. (S6b) By contrast, let no one insinuate once again that diabolical deceit in words like,

"What's wrong, after all, with watching horses race?" Because, if you are really prepared to honestly study all that goes on there, you will find everything shot through with a satanic inspiration. 1 mean, it's not simply a matter of watching horses race, but listening to shouting and swearing and all sorts of improper speech, and watching whores parading around in the open and young fellows behaving in women's ways. Do these things strike you as having little influence for ensnaring your soul? After all, if even unforeseen circumstances make us lose our step and fall, and cast us into the very depths of disaster when we're not on the lookout, what is likely to happen to people who attend those places of set purpose, feasting their eyes on those forbidden sights and coming away utterly debauched? (S6c) Our loving Lord, remember, who knows the threat to our nature and the devil's cunning and manifold wiles, has protected us from everything besetting us and wants to make us proof against the devil's snares; hence he has imposed this law in the words, "The man who looks on a woman with a view to lusting after her has already committed adultery in his heart," 6 calling the gaze directed with curiosity consummated adultery.

(7) So don't say further to me: "What harm, after all, comes from passing the time there?" Because that single factor of a horse race is sufficient to cause the ruin of your soul. You see, whenever we waste precious time on worthless things, which, far from contributing anything to our soul, even harm it, and 5. Ez 18.23· 6. Mt 5.28.

HOMILY 6 when we squabble and pour out a flood of words good and bad, what excuse do we have? what account can we give? To draw a comparison: here in church if we tend to protract the instruction, (S6d) many people become restive and impatient, and allege bodily distress and weariness, although this wonderful ceiling is sufficient to distract them from that; 7 there are no grounds for complaint in cold, or rain, or force of winds. There, on the contrary, where they are scourged by heavy rain and fierce wind storms, or at other times the sun sheds its burning rays, they are prepared to spend not an hour or two but most of the day; the aged have no respect for their own grey hair, while the young are not ashamed to patronize the haunts of the old; so great, however, is their selfdeception that it is with relish that they embrace that bane of their soul, and no thought is given to the brevity and impermanence of the harmful pleasure, the eternity of the pain, and the accusation of conscience.

(8) Even now I see the countenances of some people, and I am wondering about their state of soul and how far repentance has touched them by now. But in case you lapse into the same fault again, (S7a) and, despite all our exhortation, run back to those satanic gatherings, I must make my formal denunciation. You see, it is not always proper to apply mild remedies: instead, when the cancer responds slowly, one must apply those that are sharp and likely to sting, so that the cure may be faster. Accordingly, let all those open to these accusations learn that if they persist in their lax ways despite this further exhortation of ours, we will not keep patience; instead, we will invoke the laws of the Church and bring great vehemence to our teaching lest they stray in that direction again and give such a contemptuous hearing to the divine sayings.

I'm not saying this in regard to everyone gathered here, but to 7. Certainly Chrysostom's homilies are quite long, and tend to get longer, so that he frequently alludes to the tedium experienced by his listeners and apologizes for their protracted length; he also refers disparagingly to the congregation's distraction-by the ceiling, in this case, and in a more celebrated instance (Sermon 4 on Genesis) by the lamplighter, who becomes an occasion for a beautiful parallel to the scriptural homilist (Introduction 12).

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those guilty of the behavior I've mentioned. While our sermon reaches everybody without exception, if the cap fits wear it, and apply the appropriate remedy. Let guilty persons put away their sloth forthwith and proceed no further, (57b) but rather shake themselves up with utter earnestness and set about the correction of their faults. For their part, let the innocent listeners take more care against deception in case they ever become guilty.8

(9) However, dear people, to convince you that we have been led to say this out of a heartfelt grief arising from affection and concern and through grave fear for your salvationcome now, let us once more nourish ourselves on sound hopes by proposing to you the customary instruction, so as to demonstrate to you the fatherly regard we have for you. For your part, I beg you, attend to what is said with close attention so as to gain further good and thus return home. I feel the need, dear people, to repeat these words we have read before: "God said, 'Let lights be created in the firmament of heaven for lighting up the earth, (57c) so as to separate day from night; let them act as signs and indicate days, seasons and years. Let them provide light in the firmament of heaven, to shine upon the earth.' This is what happened." You see, since the blessed

Moses taught us yesterday how the Creator of all beautified the shapelessness of the earth with vegetation, the variety of flowers and the growth of crops, today he switches his description to the arrangement of heaven. In other words, just as the earth was beautified by the things produced from it, in like manner he caused heaven, which was already visible, to be more conspicuous and bright by lending it the variety that comes from a range of stars and from the creation of the two huge lights, namely, the sun and the moon. "God made," the text goes on, "the two huge lights, the greater light for governing the day, and the lesser light for governing the night and the stars."9

8. Nowhere does Chrysostom become more labored in his admonition than here; so the 'sport of kings', especially in Lent, ranked high in his scale of misdemeanors. g. Gn 1.16.

HOMILY 6 (10) Do you see the wisdom (57d) of the Creator? He merely spoke, and this marvellous body came into being, namely, the sun. You see, it calls this light great and says it was brought into existence for governing the day. In other words, the sun renders the day brighter, shedding its rays like flashing lights and day by day revealing its own beauty in full bloom: as soon as it appears at dawn, it awakes the whole human race to the discharge of their respective duties. This beauty the blessed author reveals when he says: "The sun beams, like a bridegroom emerging from his chamber, like a giant in the running of his course; its span extends from one corner of heaven right to the other corner of heaven." 10 Do you see how he revealed to us both the sun's beauty and its speed of movement? That is, in saying, "Its span extends from one corner of heaven (58a) right to the other corner of heaven," it indicated to us how in one moment of time it traverses the whole world and scatters its rays from end to end, making its great resources available: it not only supplies heat to the earth but also dries it up, and not only dries it up but enkindles it, and supplies us with many different resources, so marvellous a body is it, quite beyond one's power to describe adequately.

(ll) I mention this to you and sing the praises of this heavenly body so that you may not stop short there, dearly beloved, but proceed further and transfer your admiration to the creator of the heavenly body. After all, the greater the sun is shown to be, so much the more marvellous is the revelation of the Creator.

(12) Pagan peoples, however, in their wonder and stupor at this heavenly body were unable to look beyond it to praise its creator; instead, they sang its praises (58b) and treated it as a deity. Hence the reason for the blessed Paul's saying, "They worshipped and served the creature instead of its creator." II What could be more stupid than people failing to recognize the creator from the creature and being caught up in such error as to put creature and artefact on the same level as their creator? So then, foreseeing the inclination of slothful people

10. Ps 19.5-6.

II. Rom 1.25.

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to error, Sacred Scripture teaches us that the creation of this heavenly body took place three days later, after the growth of all the plants from the earth, after the earth's taking its own form, so that afterwards no one could say that without this force these things would not have been brought forth from the earth. Hence it shows you everything completed before the creation of this body lest you attribute the production of the crops to it instead of to the Creator of all things, the one who said from the beginning, (58c) "Let the earth bring forth a crop of vegetation."

(13) But if they were to say that the sun's virtue also contributes to the ripening of the crops, I would not gainsay them.

After all, it's similar to the case of the farmer: in saying he contributes to the processes of the soil, I don't ascribe everything to him: even if thousands of farmers did their best, their efforts would be fruitless unless the One initiating the process through his own design from the beginning willed to put in train the very creation of the crops. In exactly the same way, I say, even if after the farmer's work there is assistance from the work of the sun, and the moon and the mildness of the climate, this would likewise be to no effect unless the hand from above did not play its part; once, however, this mighty hand is ready, the work of the elements makes its most efficacious contribution.

(14) Give close attention to this so as to bridle those still intent on deceiving themselves, and have nothing to do with assigning to creatures the honor due to the Creator. (58d)

Accordingly, Sacred Scripture not only shows us the sun's beauty, and immensity and usefulness in the words, "It beams like a bridegroom, like a giant in running its course," but also its limitations and powerlessness: listen to what it says elsewhere, "What could provide more light than the sun? Yet even it fails." 12 Don't be deceived by appearances, it tells us: unless the Creator willed so to direct, it would disappear as though it had never existed. If pagan peoples had understood this, they

12. Sir 17.31.

HOMILY 6 would not have fallen victim to such deception, but would properly have seen that from contemplation of created things one should move on to the Creator. Accordingly, he created it on the fourth day lest you think it is the cause of the day. In other words, what we said about the plants we will say also about the day, namely, that three days occurred before the creation of the sun. The Lord wanted to make daylight more brilliant by means of this heavenly body also-(sga) something we would say is true in the case of the lesser light as well, by which I mean the moon; after all, three nights occurred before its creation. Still, once created, the moon makes its own contribution, banishing the gloom of the night and accomplishing (you could almost say) the same things the sun does in other respects.

(15) I mean, the sun was designed "for governing the day," the moon "for governing the night." What is meant by "for governing the day" and "for governing the night"? The text implies the sun took control of the day and the moon of the night, so that the sun should render the day brighter with its rays, and the moon should dissipate the gloom and with its light provide the human race with the possibility of discharging their duties. I mean, by this arrangement the traveller travels the path in confidence, the sailor steers the boat and navigates the seas, and everyone conducting personal affairs can without any concern follow the dictates of individual intuition.

(16) Then, after teaching us (5gb) the usefulness of these lights, the text goes on: "And the stars: God placed them in the firmament of heaven to shine on the earth for governing the day and the night and to separate the light from the darkness." 13 Notice how he made clear to us their usefulness also:

"He placed them in the firmament of heaven," it says. What is the meaning of, "He placed"? As though to say "He fixed"?

By no means; after all, we often see them traverse a mighty span in the twinkling of an eye, never standing still in one

13. Gn 1.17-18.

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place but following their own course which they have been directed to run by the Lord. So what does "He placed" mean? It is equivalent to saying he directed them to be in heaven. You can, in fact, see Scripture leading up to this when it says elsewhere, "He placed Adam in paradise," 14 not because he had fixed him in paradise (59C) but because he directed him to be in paradise. By the same token, about the stars we would say that he directed them to be in the firmament of heaven and shed their light on the earth. I mean, dearly beloved, consider this: would it not be more pleasing to see heaven studded with stars at midnight than any number of fields and gardens, the sky adorned with a range of stars as though with flowers, and the stars themselves shedding light on the earth? This, after all, is what they were designed for, shining on the earth and governing the day and the night, which is generally true of the great lights also. Remember, when it taught us the creation of the two lights and the stars, it used these words in common about them all: "For governing the day and the night, and separating the light from the darkness." You see, just as you can't spy the stars moving in the sky during the day (59d)

(the sun, of course, concealing their strength with its great brilliance), so too during the night the sun would never be visible, since the moon is sufficient with its light to dispel the gloom of night; each of the heavenly bodies keeps to its own boundaries and never oversteps its due measure, but rather maintains the Lord's design and fulfils its proper purpose.

(17) Who could tell all the other advantages conferred on the human race through the usefulness of these lights and the stars? The text says, remember, '''Let them act as signs, and indicate days, seasons and years.'" What is meant by 'act as signs, and indicate days, seasons and years'? Sacred Scripture wants to teach us that the movement of these bodies conveys to us the knowledge of times, the changing of solstices, the number of the days, and the course of the year, and from these facts we can fathom (60a) everything. The navigator, for 14. A paraphrase of Gn 2.8.

HOMILY 6 example, with his eyes on the path of these bodies, gazing intently at the sky and studying all these signs carefully, is thus able to hold his course and cross the sea; though the night is often black, he can steer by the sight of the stars, and through his own skill bring safety to his company. The farmer, too, knows how to learn from these signs when he must sow the seed, till the soil, do the ploughing, and when sharpen the sickle and set about harvesting the crops. Not a few aids for our daily living are contributed to us by the knowledge of times, the number of the days, and the cycle of the year; (60b) and you would find many advantages for human existence stemming from these created things, which it would be impossible to enumerate fully in a precise manner. Hence the need to learn from these few details how to estimate the usefulness of the heavenly bodies, to marvel at their creation and adore and praise their Creator, to be aghast at his ineffable love shown to human beings; for humanity alone and for no other reason did he create everything, intending a little later to place them like some king or ruler over other things created by him.

(18) The text goes on: "God saw that it was good." Do you see how each day Sacred Scripture shows him satisfied with his creatures so as to undercut a pretext of people daring to find fault with the things created by him? (60c) I mean, for the reason that Sacred Scripture with this purpose in mind registers the same point in every case, it becomes clear by dint of repetition. After all, it would have been enough following all the acts of creation to say once that everything he had made was very good; but knowing the extent of the limitations of our reasoning, he repeats the process each time, to teach us that everything was created with a certain inventive wisdom and ineffable love. 15

15. Again Chrysostom's theology of the Word leads him to relate the precision of the text (in this case, repetition of detail) to human limitations, taken account of in divine considerateness, itself a mark of love. It is a beautiful synthesis, underlying Chrysostom's whole approach to Scripture. See R. Hill,

"On looking again at synkatabasis," Prudentia 13 (lg81) 3-11.

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(19) "Evening came," the text goes on, "and morning came: a fourth day." 16 In other words, when he had completed the arrangement of heaven, beautifying it with the stars and creating those two great lights, he brought the day to a close: "Evening came, and morning: a fourth day," says Scripture. Notice how it speaks in this way in the case of each day, wanting to rivet the sacred truths in our mind by the repetition in the teaching.

(20) Accordingly, let us carve these truths (60d) across our heart and hold fast to them, let us shake off all sloth, let us cling carefully to these salutary truths and with all forbearance instruct people ensnared in pagan error not to confuse this order by deserting the Creator to worship the creatures that have been created for our welfare and utility. I mean, even if pagans shout and scream a thousand times, I will proclaim it from the housetops that all these things were created for the human race, since the Creator is sufficient of himself and needed none of them; instead, it was to show his love for us that he created them all, demonstrating the great regard he has for the human race, and it was for us to move from these creatures to bring to him a proper adoration.

(21) After all, how great would be the folly of stumbling over the beauty of these creatures and (61a) remaining at their level, instead of raising the eyes of our minds to their

Creator and believing the words of blessed Paul: "From the creation of the world what is invisible to our eyes in God has through created things become perceptible to our understanding." 17 What do you mean, 0 human being? Do you see the sky and marvel at its beauty, at the variety of the stars, at their utter brilliance? Don't stop there, but lead your mind on to their Creator. Again, the sun's light astonishes you, and the sight of the great usefulness it has stirs you to amazement, and when you see its rays shining on your eyes, you marvel at the beauty of this heavenly body. But don't stop there, either: consider instead that if the creature is so wonderful and incredible, surpassing all human understanding, what on earth

16. Cn 1.19.

17. Rom 1.20.

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can he be like who creates this merely by a word of command?

(6lb) Consider the very same in the case of the earth too: when you see the earth adorned with flowers like some multicolored garment, the foliage of plants enveloping it all over, don't think this is due spontaneously to the earth's power, or to the energy of the sun, or the moon; realize instead, as wisdom suggests, that for the creation of these things he simply spoke the word, '''Let the earth put forth a crop of vegetation,'" and forthwith the whole face of the earth was brilliant color.

(22) If we daily turn these thoughts over in our minds, we will both be right-minded ourselves and also refer to the Lord the praise that is (if not adequate) at least all our abilities can manage. Let us praise him not simply for that reason, but also by means of a life lived in the best way possible-by resisting the temptation to relapse into past sins, by bidding (6lC) farewell to those diabolical errors, by learning from the past and showing great zeal, and thus by earnest confession winning favor from above. You see, in his great love for us he finds it sufficient that we desist from evil; if we make this decision, we will readily come to the practice of good deeds. Let me no longer catch sight of any of you attending race courses, I beg you, nor spending the best part of the day in unsavory gatherings; and don't give your time to dice throwing and the shouting generated by it and the ensuing brawls. I mean, what's the good of fasting if, on the one hand, you pass the day without food and, on the other, you abandon yourself to the dice and to brainless nonsense, and often waste the whole day in swearing and blaspheming? Don't, I beg you, let us be so slothful as to neglect our salvation; instead, let our conversation be constantly on spiritual topics; (6ld) a divine book in our hands, let each of us invite our neighbors to join us and refresh our minds and theirs with the divine words,18 so that in this way we

18. We noted above (Homily 2, note 13) the roots in Chrysostom's theology of Vatican II's notion of the domestic Church; that Council's teaching on the extent of inspiration, whereby the reader enjoys the same Spirit as the scriptural composer (Dei Verbum 12), is suggested here in Chrysostom's recommendation of home Bible groups, as elsewhere in the homilies. (Cf. Introduction II)

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may be able to escape the snares of the evil one, reap great bene'fits from our fasting, and enjoy the love of God, the grace and mercy of his only-begotten Son, to whom with the Father and the Spirit be glory, power and honor, now and forever, for ages of ages. Amen.

HOMILY 7 "God said: 'Let the waters produce reptiles with living souls, and on the earth winged creatures flying across the firmament of heaven.'

This is what happened. God made the huge sea monsters, and every single living reptile of various kinds produced by the waters." I Y WE sufficiently upbraided those who deserted us for the horse racing. We showed them how great was the harm they suffered, and how in one fell swoop they had squandered the spiritual riches accruing to them from fasting, and (62a) how from great wealth they had at one stroke cast themselves into utter indigence. Come now, then, today let us make use of a milder remedy, and bind up the wounds of their souls just as if they were our own limbs, because even yesterday when we applied harsher remedies, it was not simply to cause them pain and aggravate their suffering, but rather that we might be able to reach the cancer by drastic measures. After all, this is what is done by doctors and parents: the former initially apply the more potent medications, and when they break open the ulcer, then they call into play remedies more likely to relieve the pain; and when parents see their children kicking over the traces, they first administer rebuke of a severer type, and afterwards admonition and encouragement. We too will follow the same procedure: if yesterday we used our words with severity, (62b) today on the contrary we will phrase our speech in a milder fashion, and show the same care as for our own limbs. You see, your progress encourages in us greater confidence, and this is a source of spiritual riches for us-to see you devoting yourselves to spiritual interests, being distinguished for virtue and I. Gn 1.20-21.

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shunning risk of harm. So by the same token, when we see you stumbling and ensnared in the deceits of the devil, we are filled with disappointment, and a certain shame, so to say, spreads over our soul. The blessed Paul says, remember, "This is what keeps us alive, to see you standing firm in the Lord."2

(2) So as mature people filled with understanding, forget what lies behind and press on to what is ahead; renew the covenant you have made with Christ, (62C) keep it firm for the future, and with sober reasoning shut off every entrance to the devil's wiles. Use every endeavor at this late stage to expunge the stigma of sloth attached to you, affected as you are by this demeaning and harmful habit; ponder the fact that not only is this habit bad enough in bringing great harm to those who attend those places, but they become cause of scandal to many others. I mean, when pagans and Jews see the person who daily frequents the church and is a beneficiary of constant teaching all of a sudden turning up there, how can they fail to conclude that what we do is a fraud, and entertain the same suspicion about everything to do with us? Don't you hear the blessed Paul counselling us in strident tones and urging us, "Give no scandal"3? (62d) Then, lest you think his warning is given only in regard to his own community, he continued, "to either Jews or Gentiles," and then added, "or to the Church of God." You see, nothing so harms and damages our religion as much as scandal given to unbelievers. So when they see amongst us people who are conspicuous for virtue and who display a disregard for things of this life, some of them are enraged by it but others are often overwhelmed with wonder at the fact that, while having the same human nature as theirs, they do not share the same values. Of course, when they see someone affected by a slight degree of indifference, at once they turn their tongue against us all without exception, and from one person's indifference condemn the whole community of Christians alike. Nor do they stop there: at once they direct their words against the head of the community, because of the negligence of the members, (63a) and do

2. I Thes 3.8.

3. I Cor 10.32.

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not refrain from blaspheming against the Lord of them all.

They think the indifference of these Christians masks the very errors to which they themselves are subject.

(3) For proof that this brings greatest risk to those who provide others with an occasion of blasphemy, let us listen to the prophet's cry when he speaks as God's mouthpiece: "Alas for you: it is your fault that my name is blasphemed amongst the Gentiles."4 That's a fearful statement, fraught with terror.

That is to say, "Alas" is like the cry of someone lamenting the fate of people heading for that inescapable punishment. In other words, just as this kind of retribution awaits those who through their own indifference bear the responsibility for blasphemy, likewise, on the other hand, there are grounds for awarding a thousand laurels to those who show a care for virtue. This is the very lesson Christ gave us in saying, "Let your light shine in people's presence so that they may see your good works (63b) and praise your Father in heaven."5 That is, just as people are scandalized by the indifference of some of us and direct the edge of their tongue against our Lord, so [Christ is saying] when you practice virtue and people see you, they do not stop at praise of you; instead, when they see your good deeds shining and lighting up your face, they are moved to praise of your Father in heaven. When this happens in their case, we in our turn are amply rewarded, and over and above their praise the Lord bestows on us countless good things:

"Those giving glory to me I myself will glorify," 6 he says.

(4) Accordingly, dearly beloved, let us do everything for the purpose of giving glory to our Lord, and let us not be an occasion of scandal to anybody. This, after all, is the unfailing lesson given us by the whole world's teacher, blessed Paul,

(63c) as for example when he says, "If food is a source of scandal to my brother, let me never till the end of time touch meat again;" and again, "By sinning against your brothers in this way through bruising your tender conscience, you sin against Christ." 7 A stern admonition that, entailing a heavy condem4· Is 52.5'

5. Mt 5.16.

6. 1 Sm 2·30.

7. 1 Cor 8.12-13, with the order reversed.

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nation. In other words, he is saying, don't think the harm will be inflicted solely on one person: it passes on to Christ himself, who for that person was crucified. So if the Lord was not swayed from being crucified for him, would you not make every effort to avoid giving him any occasion for scandal? You will find Paul giving this advice everywhere to his disciples; it is, after all, the factor that keeps our life together. Hence he uses these words in writing in another letter: "Let each of you consider not your own concerns but the concerns of others;" 8 and again in another place: (63d) "Everything is lawful for me, but not everything edifies others."9 Do you see the apostolic attitude? Even if it is lawful for me to behave in a certain way, he is saying, without fear of repercussion for myself on that account, yet to avoid interfering with my neighbor's spiritual progress I would not presume to behave like that. Do you see the soul full of loving concern-how he has no eye at all for his own interests, but shows us in every way that the greatest virtue consists in taking great care for our neighbor'S spiritual progress.

(5) Recognizing all this, let us be on our guard, I beg you, and steer clear of the things able to undermine the wealth of our virtue, and let us do nothing likely to bring harm to our neighbor. This, after all, adds a further dimension to our sin, and brings upon us severer punishment. Let us not look down on an ordinary person and utter those chilling words, "What concern is it of mine if such a person is scandalized?" What are you saying, tell (64a) me? What concern is it of yours?

Christ charged you to so let your light shine that not only would you excite the wonder of the onlookers, but your Lord would be praised-whereas you regard it of no account to be doing the opposite and being responsible for blasphemy instead of praise directed to him? Where in this attitude is there a trace of a circumspect soul carefully respecting the laws of God?

(6) If, however, there is someone who used to speak in quite the same manner as that under the influence of habit, now, I 8. Phil 2.4.

9. 1 Cor 10.23·

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beg you, let him accept this advice and desist from those improper remarks; let him show such zeal in all his actions as never to fall under the condemnation of that unsleeping eye, nor be reproached by his own conscience, nor provoke the blasphemy of the Lord from those who observe him. (64b)

You see, if we manage our affairs with such caution, we shall enjoy great love on the Lord's part and dispel as well the wiles of the devil. After all, when he sees us living soberly and watchfully, the devil will think he is facing a useless task and will take himself from our sight.

(7) But so much by way of introduction. lo Come now, let us spread a spiritual table before you by laying out before you, dear people, what has been read, and let us see if we can learn what it is today, too, the blessed Moses wants to teach us-or rather the Holy Spirit through his tongue. So what does the text say? "God said, 'Let the waters produce reptiles with living souls, and on the earth winged creatures flying across the firmament of heaven.' This is what happened." See the Lord's loving kindness, how by a certain order and sequence he teaches us about every created thing. (64c) First he taught us how at his command he awakened the earth to produce fruits; then he taught us about the creation of the two lights; he added also the range of stars, through which the beauty of heaven was made more brilliant.

(8) Today finally he switches to the waters and shows us from them living beings coming at his word and command.

The text says, remember, '''Let the waters produce reptiles with living souls, and on the earth winged creatures flying across the firmament of heaven.'" What words, tell us, can do justice to that marvel? What tongue can measure up to the praise of the Creator? He simply said, "'Let the earth put forth,'" and immediately he awakened it to birth pangs; now he says, '''Let the waters produce.''' See how his directions correspond: in one case, the text says, '''Let it put forth,'" in 10. By this stage Chrysostom's congregation would have been wondering if they were going to be given a commentary on the Gn verses read at the outset-such was the length to which Chrysostom's introduction extended. Cf.

Introduction 11.

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this case, '''Let the waters produce reptiles with living souls.'"

(64d) You see, just as in the case of the earth he simply said, '''Let it put forth,'" and there appeared a wide-ranging variety of flowers and plants and seeds, all created by one word, so too in this case he said, "'Let the waters produce reptiles with living souls,''' and there were created on the earth winged creatures flying across the firmament of heaven (and all of a sudden such kinds of reptiles and such variety of birds as to beggar counting.) (9) While it was one word, and a short one, the kinds of living things were many and varied. But don't be astonished, dearly beloved; after all, it was God's word, and his word endowed those creatures with life. Do you see how he brings everything from non-being to being? Did you see the precision of the teaching? Did you see the considerateness of the Lord, and how far he demonstrates it in regard to our human race? I mean, how would we have been able to know these things precisely had not he in his really unspeakable love deemed it proper (6sa) to teach humanity through the tongue of the biblical author, so that we might know the order of created things and the power of the Creator, and how his word took effect, and his utterance endowed creatures with life and the way to existence?

(10) Yet there are some stupid people who, despite this kind of teaching, are rash enough to withhold belief, and do not admit that these visible things have a creator. Some of them hold they came into existence by themselves, others that they were formed from some underlying matter. See the extent of the devil's wiles, how he exploits the facile thinking of people in the thrall of error. For that reason the blessed Moses, inspired by the divine Spirit, teaches us with great precision, lest we fall victim to the same things as they, instead of being able to know clearly (6Sb) both the sequence of created things and how each thing was created. You see, if God in his care for our salvation II had not directed the tongue of the biblical author

II. This passage is another conspicuous instance of the synthesis of Chrysostom's basic principles on Scripture-inspiration, love, considerateness, precision-and all "for our salvation," as he repeats over and over again.

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in this way, it would have been sufficient to say that God made heaven and earth, the sea and living things, and not add the order of the days, nor what was created first and what later.

But, lest he leave any grounds for excuse to those bent on folly, he explains in this way both the order of created things and the number of the days, and he teaches us everything with great considerateness so that we may learn the whole truth and not turn our minds to the error of those uttering all these ideas from their own reasoning. But we are able to know the ineffable power of our creator.

(11) "This is what happened," the text says. He said: '''Let the waters produce reptiles with living souls, (65c) and on the earth winged creatures flying across the firmament of heaven,'" and the elements obeyed, and carried out what was commanded. "It happened," the text goes on, 'just as the Lord commanded. God made the huge sea monsters and every single living reptile which the waters produced in a range of kinds, and every winged creature according to kind.

God saw that they were good, and God blessed them in these words: 'Increase and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.'" 12 Notice here again, I ask you, the extent of the Spirit's wisdom. I mean, the blessed

Moses, after saying, "This is what happened," teaches us by adding one detail at a time in the words, "God made the huge sea monsters, and every single living reptile which the waters produced in a range of kinds, and every winged creature according to kind. God saw that they were good." (65d) Here once more he takes the ground from under those rash enough to speak always heedlessly. That is, lest anyone be able to say,

Why did he make the sea monsters? What good are they to us? What is the advantage of their creation? Of set purpose he first said, "God made the huge sea monsters, and every singh> living reptile, and the birds," and immediately added, "God saw that they were good." In other words, he is saying, although you stand in ignorance of the reason for the created things, don't presume to find fault with their creation. Having

12. Gn 1.20-22.

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heard the Lord give his approval and declare them good, how can you be so demented as to dare to ask, Why were they made? Are you scorning their creation as pointless? I mean, if you were well disposed you would be able from the creation of these things to get an insight into the power of your Lord and his ineffable love-his power, for the reason that he caused living beings like this to be created from the waters by his word and command, and his love, for the reason that in creating them he gave each of them a particular place, and (66a) assigned them a boundless area of the sea so that they might not hinder one another but dwell in the waters and provide an example to teach us the Creator's extraordinary power and cause no harm to the human race.

(12) Do you think that it is an insignificant mark oflove that a twofold benefit comes to you from these creatures? They do, after all, lead those of us willing to think aright, to the knowledge of God and cause us to be amazed at the greatness of his loving kindness in freeing the human race from the harm brought on itself. You see, it was not simply for our use that everything was created by him, but on account of his great prodigality: while some things were created for our use, others had this purpose-that the power of their Creator might be proclaimed. (66b) So, when you hear that "God saw that it was good," presume no longer to contradict Sacred

Scripture, nor bury your head in idle speculation with questions why this or that was made. "God blessed them," the text says, "and said, 'Increase and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.'" This is the blessing, that they should grow to a great number. You see, since the creatures he made had life in them, he wanted their life to be lasting. Hence the text added: "God blessed them and said, 'Increase and multiply.'" That word, you know, influences them right up to the present, and has spanned such an extent of time (66c) without one of those species being diminished. 13 After all, God's blessing and the form of 13. It is not surprising, all things considered, if Chrysostom strikes us at times in his commentary as uncritical, even fundamentalist. We have, how-

HOMILY 7

words, '''Increase and multiply,'" bestowed on them life and permanence.

(13) "Evening came and morning came: a fifth day." 14 Do you see how Sacred Scripture taught us also the living things created on the fifth day? Well, just wait a while and you will see once again the loving kindness of your Lord. I mean, he not merely quickened the waters to birth of living things, but also directed land creatures in their turn to be produced from the earth. In other words, today it is hardly inappropriate to arrive at the things made on the sixth day as well. The text says: "God said: 'Let the earth bring forth living things in their various kinds, four-footed creatures, reptiles, wild beasts on the earth, (66d) cattle and all the reptiles of the earth in their various kinds.'" 15 And it was so done. See the earth also for a second time producing twofold fruit, and doing the Lord's bidding. On the first occasion, remember, it brought forth a crop of seeds, but on this occasion living beings, fourfooted creatures, reptiles, wild beasts and cattle. Notice that this instance demonstrates what I told you in advance, that it wasn't simply for our use that he produced all these things; instead, it was also for our benefit 16 in the sense that we might see the overflowing abundance of his creatures and be overwhelmed at the Creator's power, and be in a position to know that all these things were produced by a certain wisdom and ineffable love out of regard for the human being that was destined to come into being.

(14) (67a) "God made the wild beasts of the earth in their various kinds," the text says, "cattle in their various kinds, and all the reptiles in their various kinds. God saw that they were good." 17 Where now are those people rash enough to ask, ever, commented above on his tendency to rationalize when in doubt, and like preachers the world over he is not inclined to underplay a point.

14. Gn 1.23.

15. Gn 1.24, Chrysostom's text being lengthier than both LXX and Heb., themselves not in agreement.

16. The distinction being made here between "use" (chreia) and "benefit"

(opheleia) seems delicate yet meaningful-despite editors' attempts to alter the text.

17. Gn 1.25.

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What's the point of wild beasts? of reptiles? Let them listen to the words of Sacred Scripture: "God saw that they were good." Tell me, the Creator himself commends the created things, and do you dare to call them in question? Would this attitude stop short at any madness? Admittedly, in the case of the seeds and the plants the earth has produced not only fruitbearing trees but also those giving no fruit, and brings forth not only crops that are profitless but also some that are strange to us and ones that are in many cases harmful. But no one will presume to find fault with their creation on that account; after all, they have not been produced without rhyme or reason. I mean, they would not have received commendation from the Lord (67b) had they not been created to serve some need. So the comparison is clear: in the case of the trees not all are fruitbearing; many bear no fruit and yet even they provide no less a remarkable service to us and contribute to our well-being; we make our houses from them and gain many other advantages contributing to our well-being. So, by and large, there is nothing which has been created without some reason, even if human nature is incapable of knowing precisely the reason for them all.

(15) In like manner, therefore, as with the trees, so too with the wild beasts: some are useful for our food, others for serving us. The species of wild beasts and reptiles, too, are of no little help to us, and if somebody is prepared to study them in a right mind, he will find even now, when control over them has been wrested from us owing to the disobedience of the first human creature, (67c) that the benefit is great that comes to us from them. I mean, physicians get from them many things which they employ as medications capable of promoting the health of our bodies. Otherwise, what great harm would have come from the creation of the wild beasts at a time when they, like domestic animals, were intended to come under the control of the creature soon to be created. In fact, it is time I spoke about this.

(16) Now, with a view to your learning the surpassing love of the Lord of all displayed in regard to our human race, consider the way he stretched out heaven, unfolded the earth,

HOMILY 7

created the firmament like a dividing wall making a separation in the waters, then directed the joining of the waters to happen, called one part seas and the dry part earth, next he beautified the latter with the proliferation of seeds (67d) and later with crops. Further, he went on to the creation of the two great lights and the variety of stars through which he added to the beauty of heaven. Then he produced from the waters the living beings and on the earth winged creatures flying across the firmament of heaven; and after completing the number of five days, since it was necessary for living beings to be created from the earth, he directed these to be brought forth, some suitable for food, others useful for our service, as well as wild beasts and reptiles. Then finally, after arranging everything in order, by imposing an appropriate order and design on all visible things, preparing a lavish table filled with rich and varied viands, laden with wealth and abundance, and making what might be called kingdoms above (68a) and below, conspicuous from all points and gleaming with varietythen finally he creates the being meant to enjoy all these things, giving this creature power over all these visible things.

And as a demonstration of the degree to which this creature about to be fashioned is more elevated than all the other creatures, he bids everything he has made come under this creature's authority and supervision.

(17) Lest, however, we draw out the sermon to a great length, let us be content with what we have said and postpone to the next occasion what has to do with the fashioning of this wonderful being graced with reason and spirit-I mean, the human being. Now we will address to you the customary exhortation I" so as to preserve the remembrance of the things said, and also, through all the things seen, to stir ourselves to praise of the Lord. The fact that we do not attain this, nor manage to grasp the meaning of created things, (68b) should not become for us grounds for unbelief but rather an occasion of praise. You see, when reasoning fails and the intellect

18. The style of the homily's conclusion is as perfunctory as its introduction-predictably so, quite obviously, for Chrysostom's congregation.

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proves inadequate, call to your mind the greatness of the Lord, especially from the fact that his power is such that we fail to understand precisely the meaning of the things made by him. This is the attitude of sensible minds and sober hearts.

(IS) When the pagans in this regard fell into error by entrusting everything to their own reasoning and refusing to acknowledge the limitations of their own nature, they let their imagination run riot, exceeded the measure of their own capabilities, and lost the sense of the status they could lay claim to. In other words, though they were elevated by the gift of reason and received such a pre-eminence from the Lord, outranking all other visible creatures in esteem, these people were cast into such stupidity as (6Sc) to worship dogs, monkeys, crocodiles and lowlier animals than these. Why mention brute beasts? Many of them fell into such folly and stupidity as to worship even onions and more worthless things than that. Hence the biblical author had these people in mind when he said: "He was likened to the brute beasts and resembled them." 19 The one who was dignified with the gift of reason, it means, and endowed with such great wisdom has become like the brutes, and even worse. That is to say, those beasts, being without the gift of reason, are not liable to punishment, whereas the creature dignified with reason and yet taking on their condition of irrationality will properly incur heavy penalties for being ungrateful for such liberality. Following this extreme they went on to call sticks and stones gods, and divinized all the visible elements; once, you see, they strayed from the right path, (6Sd) they fell headlong and were cast into the very depths of wickedness.

(19) Let us, however, not give up hope of their salvation; on the contrary, let us bring to the fore what we have to offer and converse with them in a spirit of great zeal and long-suffering, showing them also the absurdity of their behavior and the enormity of its harmfulness. Let us never despair of their sal19. Ps 49.20 in the version of the LXX, different from and lengthier than the Heb.

HOMILY 7 vation. In fact, it is likely that with the passage of time they will be convinced, especially if we live in such a way as to offer them no scandal. I mean, when many of them see some of our associates, who bear the name of Christian and lay claim to it, playing the robber like themselves, being guilty of avarice and envy, plotting and scheming, committing all sorts of crimes, victims ofluxury and gluttony, no longer do they heed the advice from our lips: they consider all we have to offer is deception, (6ga) and that everyone is guilty of the same faults. So think carefully, I beg you, of the severity of the punishments such people have become liable to in not only heaping burning coals on their own heads but also being responsible for the fact that others are stuck fast in error and block their ears to instruction in virtue, as well as putting in the devil's way people in quest of virtue, and-what is worse than everything-being responsible for blasphemy against the Lord by these people. Do you see the extent of the harm caused by this evil? Do you see how people render themselves liable not to normal punishment but to extreme severity, especially as they are fated to bear the guilt of all, not only for their own damnation, but for the scandal caused to those in error, the condemnation of people bent on virtue, and the blasphemies directed against God?

(20) So then, let us keep all this in mind and not neglect (6gb) our own salvation; let us give careful attention to living a life of God's wanting, in the knowledge that on the basis of this most of all will we be either condemned or judged worthy ofloving kindness at his hands. Accordingly, let us so perform every action as to pass our lives with a good conscience and lead towards the truth by means of our godly life-style those people still in error. Then all the others associated with us may because of us enjoy a good name, our Lord may be glorified above all and may take closer care of us. You see, when, at the sight of us, people are edified and give praise to God, we enjoy greater favor in his sight. After all, what could be more blessed than the person who lives in such a fashion that all who witness it are amazed and declare, (6gc) "Glory to you, 0

God! what marvellous people Christians are! what wonderful

ST.JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

philosophy they give evidence of! how low their esteem for the things of this world! how insubstantial all things are considered to be by them-like shadows and dreams-and how little attached they are to anything in this visible world, treating everything like people living in exile, longing each day for release from this world!" What great recompense do you think these words bring to people living in this fashion, even here and now from God? Actually, the really remarkable thing is that even those who have this opinion of us will desist from their error and come back to the truth. It is quite clear how much encouragement this provides for the kind of people in that situation.

(21) Accordingly, knowing as we do that we are responsible both for the salvation of our neighbors and their loss, let us so regulate our life as not only to be sufficient for ourselves

(6gd) but also to prove an occasion of instruction to others, so that we may draw down on us here and now favor from God, and may in the future enjoy God's loving kindness in generous measure, thanks to the grace and mercy of his onlybegotten Son, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, power and honor, now and forever, for ages of ages.

Amen.

HOMILY 8 "God said: 'Let us make a human being in our image and likeness.

Let them have control of the fish of the sea and the birds of heaven, the cattle and the wild beasts, all the earth and all the reptiles creeping upon the earth. ">I OME NOW. Yesterday you listened with great enthusiasm to the words we had for you. So today, too, let us propose for your consideration (7oa), my dear people, the text just read, first exhorting you to attend carefully to what is said, and to place within the recesses of your mind what was said before, lest we go to all this trouble idly and to no purpose. This, after all, is the object of our earnest effort, that you would know precisely the power of the Scriptures so as not merely to understand them yourselves but also to become teachers of them to others, and so be in a position, according to blessed Paul, to edify one another. 2 I mean, if you advance in the Lord, and manifest some progress in the teaching of spiritual things, you will also bring great joy to our hearts. For us, you see, this is complete success and the height of festivity. Scripture says, remember: "What is our hope, our joy, the crown of our boasting? Is it not yourselves" 3 and your progress in God's eyes?

(2) Every teacher, on seeing the disciples taking care to rivet in their mind the memory of the earliest lessons and (70b) showing something for it in practice, more readily entrusts them with the knowledge of the following lessons. Just so in our case: the more we see your minds stimulated, your interest on the increase, and your reasoning taking flight, the more

I. Gn 1.26, Chrysostom's text including the wild beasts, not found in other LXX texts.

2. Cf. 1 Thes 5.11.

3. 1 Thes 2.19.

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do we wax enthusiastic for lavishing upon you more generous instruction. That is to say, the more we pour upon you these spiritual streams, the greater the influx upon us for the sake of your edification, for the salvation of your soul. You see, in this case things don't happen the way they do with money. In that case, you know, the man paying money to his neighbor reduces his own wealth: the more he pays, the more his fortune diminishes. It is quite the opposite with spiritual things: here our resources grow greater, the extent of this spiritual wealth is expanded when (70c) we lavishly pour out the flood of our teaching to those anxious to draw from it.

(3) Since, therefore, this exercise proves an occasion of greater wealth and abundance for us, and you are insatiable in regard to this spiritual nourishment, come now, let us see what it is today also blessed Moses is teaching us through the text we've read, or rather what the grace of the Spirit has to say to us all through his tongue. "God said," the text goes on,

'''Let us make a human being in our image and likeness.'" Let us not rush idly by what is said, dearly beloved; instead, let us investigate each expression, get right to the depth of its meaning, and divine the force concealed in these brief phrases. I mean, although the words may be few, immense is the treasure concealed in them; we must remain alert and vigilant and not stop short at the surface. Likewise with people endeavoring to dig up this material treasure: 4 they don't simply

(70d) dig around on the ground or study the surface; instead, they go right to the bottom and penetrate to the bowels of the earth, and thus separate the gold from the soil through their own skill, and despite much toil and sweat manage to find just a few nuggets. In our case it is nothing like that: the effort is small, the yield beyond telling. Such, you see, are all spiritual realities.

(4) Accordingly, let us not be found wanting by comparison with those who get excited about material things; let us in our turn search diligently for this spiritual treasure stored up in 4. One of Chrysostom's most frequently employed figures for the salutary effect of the inspired Word, as was mentioned above (Homily 3, note 3).

HOMILY 8 these words. Let us see first what is the new and surprising element in the words, and why the blessed author employed such a novel turn of phrase-or rather the loving God through the speech of the author. The text says: '''Let us make a human being (7Ia) in our image and likeness.'" A little time before, remember, we heard him saying, after the creation of heaven and earth, '''Let light be made'" and '''Let a firmament be made in the middle of the water;'" and again, "'Let the water be gathered together into one mass, and let the dry land appear,'" and '''Let lights be made,'" and '''Let the waters produce reptiles with living souls.'" Did you see the whole of creation made in those five days merely by word and command? Notice today how great the difference in the words.

That is, no longer does it say, Let a human being be created.

Instead, what? "'Let us make a human being in our image and likeness.'" What is new in this? What is strange? Who on earth is this creature now being made whose making required in the Creator such planning and care? Don't be surprised, dearly beloved. I mean, (7Ib) the human being is the creature more important than all the other visible beings, and for this creature all the others have been produced-sky, earth, sea, sun, moon, stars, the reptiles, the cattle, all the brute beasts.

(5) Why is it, you ask, that if this creature is more important than all these, it is brought forth after them? A good question.

Let me draw a comparison with a king on the point of entering a city on a visit: his bodyguard has to be sent on ahead to have the palace in readiness, and thus the king may enter his palace. Well now, in just the same way in this case the Creator, as though on the point of installing some king and ruler over everything on earth, first erected the whole of this scenery, and then brought forth the one destined to preside over it, showing us through the created things themselves what importance he gave to this creature.

(6) But let us put a question to aJew, and see what he says to that (7IC) verse, '''Let us make a human being in our image.'"

The words, after all, are from Moses, whom they claim to believe, but in fact do not believe. As Christ says, '''If you be-

ST.JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

lieved Moses, you would believe me."'5 While, however, the words remain with them, their true meaning remains with us. 6 So to whom is the phrase addressed, '''Let us make a human being,'" and to whom does the Lord propose this plan?

Not because he has need of plan and consideration-perish the thought; instead, he intends through the pretext of words to indicate the surpassing importance which he demonstrates in regard to the human creature. What then do they say, these people who still have a veil lying over their hearts 7 and refuse to understand what is contained in these words?

(7) 0 what stupidity! what idiocy! What reason do you have for (71d) saying, human being that you are, that an angel is party to the counsels of the Lord, creatures sharing the Creator's thought? Not for angels is it to be party to the counsels of the Lord, but to stand in waiting and fulfil sacred ministry.

To grasp this, listen to Isaiah, most articulate of the prophets, when he says about the angelic powers above that "I saw the Cherubim and the Seraphim standing at God's right hand; they kept covering their faces and feet with their wings." 8

From which it is obvious that they could not bear the radiance beaming from that source, but stood in great fear and trembling. To stand in waiting before the Lord is, after all, proper

5· Jn 5.46.

6. This lengthy commentary on Genesis, as also that on the Psalms, shows Chrysostom's esteem for the Old Testament, even if his commentaries on the New Testament are more numerous. He outlines most fully his thinking on the relationship between the testaments in the two homilies De Obscuritate

Prophetiarum. His concern that the Jews should arrive at a true appreciation of the OT by finding Christ there appears also in his Homily on Ps CIX:

"I say this, not to set up the Old Testament in opposition to the Newperish the thought-but from a wish to put paid to the Jews' obtuseness.

You see, what is contained in either testament is given to us by God and owes its origin to him; I only want to demonstrate the fact that the Jew who disallows the biblical references to Christ distorts the greater part of the inspired writings, nor could he clearly show the nobility of the Old Testament if he refused to admit the New." (PG 55,267)

7. Cf. 2 Cor 3.15.

8. A precis of Is 6.1-2. Chrysostom has a series of six homilies on the opening verses of ch.6 of Isaiah, which he finds such a fertile field for a study of the inspiration of Scripture. See R. Hill, "St. John Chrysostom's teaching on inspiration in 'Six homilies on Isaiah,'" VigC 22 (1968) 19-37.

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to creatures. These people, however, who understand nothing of what is contained in the words, idly say the first thing that comes into their head. Hence it falls to us (72a) to refute their stupidity and teach the children of the Church the truth of the words.

(8) So who is this to whom he says, "'Let us make a human being"'? 9 Who else is it than the Angel of Great Counsel,

Wonderful Counsellor, Figure of Authority, Prince of Peace, Father of the age to come,1O Only-begotten Son of God, like the Father in being, through whom all things were created?

To him is said, "'Let us make a human being in our image and likeness.'" This text also deals a mortal blow to those entertaining the position of Arius. I mean, he did not say by way of command, Make such a creature, as though to a subordinate or to one inferior in being, but "'Let us make'" with great deference to an equal. And what follows shows us further the equality in being; it says, you see, "'Let us make a human being in our image and likeness.'" Here again, however, other heretics arise (72b) assailing the dogmas of the Church; they say, Look: he said, "'In our image"'-and from these words they want to speak of the divine in human terms, which is the ultimate example of error, namely, to cast in human form him who is without shape, without appearance, without change, and to attribute limbs and forms to the one who has no body.

What could match this madness, people not simply refusing to derive any profit from the teaching of the inspired II Scriptures, but even incurring severe harm from them? I mean, they are in a similar predicament to people who are ill and suffering impairment of their bodily vision: just as the latter have a revulsion for the sunlight on account of their weakness of vision and invalids turn away from the healthier foods, so 9. This is still a challenging question for Jewish commentators like Speiser, who translates the Heb. text of 1.26 as "I will make;" see also his note on the verse (Genesis 4-7).

10. Is 9.6.

II. Theopneustos is the adjective Chrysostom employs of the Scriptures here and elsewhere as "inspired"; his commonest verb for the charism is en-echo.

See greater detail in R. Hill, "Chrysostom's terminology for the inspired Word," EB 41 (1983) 367-373.

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too those ailing in spirit and handicapped in their mind's vision (72C) have lost the power to look directly at the light of truth.

(9) So let us do for them what lies in our power and offer them a helping hand, conversing with them in a spirit of great kindness. Blessed Paul, after all, encouraged us to do this when he said, "Instruct your adversaries with gentleness, in the hope that God will grant them a change of heart leading to knowledge of truth, and they may return to a sober mind and escape from the snare of the devil, by whom they were held as captives at his pleasure." 12 Do you see how he declared in the words he chose that they were overcome, as it were, by some drunken stupor? To say, "return to a sober mind," after all, suggested they were in a state of intoxication. Likewise he says, "held captive by the devil," as though to say they are ensnared in traps. What is required of us is much kindness and tolerance so as to be able to rescue them (72d) and lead them out of the devil's snares. So let us say to them, Make your escape slowly but surely, look towards the light of righteousness, study the precision of the words. You see, in saying, '''Let us make a human being in our image and likeness,'" he did not stop there, but through the following verse made clear to us what was the reason for choosing the word "image." What in fact does the text go on to say? "'Let them have control of the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven, and all the reptiles creeping on the earth.'" So "image" refers to the matter of control, not anything else,13 in other words, God created the human being as having control of everything on earth, and nothing on earth is greater than the human being, under whose authority everything falls.

(10) Yet if, despite such great precision in terms, there are 12.2 Tm 2.25-26.

13. A perennial puzzle for Gn commentators, the meaning of "image and likeness," generally approached by them (as by Chrysostom here) through the sequence of ideas in the text. Only in recent years has the discovery of the Ebla tablets deciphered the notion of demuth, "likeness," in ancient Heb. as a deputy deity, with responsibility (in this case) for all creation. No wonder the text is so pregnant for conservationists, and "image" is so rich a term for Paul in his Christology.

HOMILY 8 III still those spoiling for a fight who wO'lld want to say "image" is used in terms (73a) of form, we will say to them: that means he is not only man but also woman, for both have the same form. But this would make no sense. I mean, listen to Paul's words: "It is not proper for a man to cover his head, being image and glory of God, whereas the woman is man's glory." 14

One is in command, the other is subordinate, just as God had also said to woman from the beginning, "your yearning will be for your husband, and he will be your master." 15 You see, since it is on the basis of command that the image was received and not on the basis of form, man commands everything whereas woman is subservient 16-hence Paul's words about man, that he is constituted God's image and glory, whereas woman is man's glory. If, however, he had been speaking about form, he would not have distinguished between them, man and woman being identical in type, after all.

(11) Do you see the full truth of it, (73b) how he left us no grounds for defense on the part of those bent on being brazen? All the same, even if this is the situation, let us not desist from our patience in dealing with these people, "in the hope that God will grant them a change of heart leading to knowledge of truth." So let us not slacken in our efforts to show great kindness, in the expectation of being able to wrest them from the devil's deceit; and let us, if we think fit, propose to them blessed Paul's words addressed to the citizens of Athens:

"We ought not think the deity is like gold, silver, or stone, or carving from man's skill or imagination." 17 Do you notice the wise teacher, with how much precision he disposes of every error of theirs? I mean, he says not only that the deity is to be distinguished from bodily figure but that human imagining could not shape anything of the kind.

14. 1 Cor 11.7.

15. Gn 3.16.

16. Chrysostom's sexism, commented on in Introduction 14, seems particularly perverse here; he seems to be invoking Paul's (cultural) distinction between man (aner, male) and woman (gune) to make a case that Gn 1.26, in speaking of the human being (anthropos), means "man" only in the sense of "male."

17. Acts 17.29.

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(12) Argue (73c) the point with them constantly on these matters and don't desist from bringing them to their attention in the hope that they may yield, in the hope that they may agree to look at the full face of truth. And while not desisting from debate with them in a spirit of great kindness and certainty, hold fast yourselves, I urge you, to the dogmas of the Church with close attention, without confusing the drift of the expression. Instead, argue the point in friendly exchange with Jews, on the one hand, showing them the words have reference not to some one of the ministering powers but to the only-begotten Son of God himself; to those holding Arian views, on the other hand, prove from this text the Son's equality with the Father; and to those imagining the deity has human form bring into play the words of blessed Paul. (73d)

Root out those noxious ailments springing up like weeds among the dogmas of the Church,18 and at the same time see to it that religious teachings are strengthened in them.

(13) You see, I wish and pray that you would all hold fast to right order as teachers, that you would not simply be listeners to what is said by us but also transmit it to others, casting your net for those still in error so as to bring them to the way of truth-as Paul says, "Edify one another," 19 and, "With fear and trembling work out your own salvation." 20 In this way we will have the satisfaction of seeing the Church grow in numbers, and you will enjoy more abundant favor from above through the great care you show for your members. God, you know, does not wish Christians to be concerned only for themselves but also to edify others, not simply through their teaching but also through their lifestyle and the way they live it; after all, nothing is such an attraction to the way of truth as probity of life-in other words, (74a) people pay less attention to what we say than to what we do. As proof that this is

18. "The dogmas of the Church" is not a frequent phrase in Chrysostom's mouth; his appeal to authority is normally an appeal to the Scriptures. In this case of Trinitarian and Christo logical dogmas, however, we must remember

Chrysostom is living in the wake of the Councils of Nicaea (325) and Constantinople (381).

Ig. I Thes 5.11.

20. Phil 2.12.

HOMILY 8 the case-I mean, even if we debate the issue thousands of times and argue about forgiveness but do nothing to demonstrate it in practice, the good our words do will not match the harm done by our behavior; whereas if we give demonstration of it in practice before our talking and after our talking, we will be shown to be trustworthy in preaching what we practice, since Christ also has declared such people blessed in the words,

"Blessed is the one who does and teaches" 21_as proof, then, consider how he put doing before teaching. You see, provided practice comes first, even if teaching doesn't follow, the actions themselves suffice to teach more conspicuously than words the people observing us.

(14) Let us, therefore, in all cases give attention to teaching in action first and later in words, (74b) lest we too hear from Paul, "You teach others, but don't you teach yourself?" 22 And whenever we intend to advise someone to bring their conduct into line in the important things in life, let us be careful to bring ourselves into line in these matters so as to lend greater conviction to our teaching; let our every care be for the salvation of souls, and for ways of curbing the motions of the flesh and demonstrating a real fast. Abstinence from food, after all, is undertaken for this purpose, to curb the exuberance of the flesh and bring the beast under control. The person fasting ought most of all keep anger in check, learn the lesson of mildness and kindness, have a contrite heart, banish the flood of unworthy passions, (74C) keep before one's eyes that unsleeping eye and that incorruptible tribunal, avoid becoming enthralled by money, be lavish in almsgiving, drive all ill-will to one's neighbor from the soul. This is real fasting, as Isaiah says when speaking as God's mouthpiece: "I did not choose this fast, says the Lord-not to bend your neck like a dog collar, nor to make your bed of dust and ashes, not to call a fast of this kind acceptable, says the Lord." So what kind, pray?

"Loose the bonds of crippling contracts," he says, "share your bread with the hungry, welcome the homeless poor into your home." And if you do these things, he says, "then your Light

21. A precis of Mt 5.19.

22. Rom 2.21.

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will burst forth like the dawn, and your healing (74d) will quickly emerge." 23

(15) Do you see, dearly beloved, what true fasting really is?

Let us perform this kind, and not entertain the facile notion held by many that the essence of fasting lies in going without food till evening. This is not the end in view, but that we should demonstrate, along with abstinence from food, abstinence also from whatever is harmful, and should give close attention to spiritual duties. The person fasting ought be reserved, peaceful, meek, humble, indifferent to the esteem of this world. You see, just as one has neglected the soul, so it is necessary to neglect empty esteem as well, and to have regard only for him who examines our inmost being,24 and with great care to direct prayers and confessions (7Sa) to God, and provide for oneself according to one's ability the help that comes from almsgiving.

(16) This precept, after all, this most of all is able to cancel all our sins and snatch us from the fire of Gehenna, provided we perform it with generosity and don't do it to show off to people. Why do I say not to show off? You see, if we are rightminded, we ought to perform this action solely for the reason that it is the right thing to do and a mark of solidarity with our fellows, not for the rewards promised from the Lord. But when we are unable to conjure up any inspiring motive, let us seek to perform the deed for the right reason, never angling after the good opinion of people, lest we have the bad fortune to lose the reward while at the same time outlaying the expense.

(17) This precaution applies not only to almsgiving; instead, let us in the case of every spiritual good deed take care (7Sb) and do nothing with a view to people's esteem, since nothing will be of any benefit to us, whether we fast or pray, whether we show mercy or do anything else, unless it is done solely for him who knows both what escapes people's attention and what lies hidden in the depths of our heart. If, after all, you have an eye to rewards from him, human being that you are, why wish

24· Cf Ps 7 ·9·

HOMILY 8 to be commended by your fellow human being? Why say commended? frequently such a person, instead of commending you, belittles you. There are plenty of people, you know, who deep down are so miserable as to misrepresent even our finer achievements. So why, tell me, put a premium on their distorted judgment? You see, there is no single thing done by us that escapes the notice of that un sleeping eye, so we should keep that in mind (75c) and manage our life with scrupulous care like people due before long to render an account of our words, our deeds and our very thoughts.

(18) Accordingly, let us not neglect our own salvation. You see, dearly beloved, nothing is as important as virtue; virtue it is, after all, that snatches us from Gehenna in the world to come and bestows on us the enjoyment of the kingdom of heaven, and in this world renders us superior to all those spending their efforts in idle and vain schemes-not simply human beings, but the very demons as well-and makes us stronger than the enemy of our salvation (I mean the devil).

So what could be more important than virtue when it makes those striving for it superior not only to scheming human beings but also the demons? Virtue it is to scorn all human affairs, (75d) to keep the mind on future realities at each hour of the day, to seek no present good but to know that everything human is a shadow and a dream or even worse. Virtue it is to adopt the attitude of a corpse in regard to the affairs of this life and like a corpse take no active interest in what threatens the soul's salvation, but only in regard to spiritual things to be alive and take active interest, as Paul also said. "I am alive, though it is no longer me but Christ alive in me." 25

(19) Accordingly, dearly beloved, let us do everything as people who have put on Christ, and not grieve the Holy Spirit.

So whenever we are disquieted by passion, or untimely desire, or anger, or rage, or envy, let us think of him who dwells within us, let us drive far away every such inclination. Let our regard be (76a) for the pre-eminence of grace showered on us by God and let us curb all the passions of the flesh, so that 25. Gal 2.20.

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after we have striven lawfully in this brief and transient existence we may be rewarded with that marvellous crown in the time to come-a fearful time for sinners but a time to be longed for by those clad in virtue-and that we may be found worthy of those unspeakable goods, thanks to the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, power and honor, now and forever, for ages of ages. Amen.

HOMILY 9 On what follows the verse, '''Let us make a human being in our image,'" and against those who ask, Why were the wild beasts created? and, What good comes from their being made?

And to prove that this most of all shows regard for the human being and God's unspeakable love. o BEGIN (76b) BY AN analogy with hardworking farmers. Whenever they see a rich pasture with great depth of soil, they sow the seed liberally and give it their constant and undivided attention, surveying the scene each day in case somewhere some useless thing capable of damaging the seeds should thwart the efforts they have put into it. Now, in exactly the same way we too have seen your spiritual hunger and your great readiness to listen, and each day we have been exerting ourselves to have the thinking of the Holy Scriptures enter your mind; we have also shown to you what can harm this spiritual seed, lest you be caught out and the sound teaching of the dogmas be undermined by the assaults of people endeavouring to infiltrate the Church's dogmas with notions from their own reasoning. (76c) To you falls the task of scrupulously safeguarding what has been entrusted to you and preserving the memory of it intact so that you can follow with ease the sequel. You see, if the present opportunity is not taken for us to go rather deeply into the meaning, and for you to develop your understanding, now that it is the season of Lent, now that our limbs are more nimble for swimming and our mental vision sharper, without the hindrance of the evil current of luxury, but with our spirit strengthened against drowning, when on earth will it be possible for us to achieve it? When luxury, drunkenness and gluttony are rampant, and the evils they spawn?

ll8

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(2) Don't you see that people wanting to find the gems that come from the sea don't make the discovery just by sitting down at the water's edge and counting the waves, but cast themselves into deep water, descend into the very bosom of the deep, (76d) as you might say, and in this fashion chance upon the things they're looking for? Yet what great benefit would the discovery of these gems bring to your life? Hopefully they would bring no great harm or injury. From this source, after all, spring a multitude of troubles, from the desire for money and the frenzy these things cause. Still, despite the great harm arising from them, people obsessed with these things stop at nothing: they expose themselves to danger and undergo great effort so as to be able to find what they're looking for. In the case of the Holy Scriptures, on the contrary, and these spiritual gems of great value, there is no cause for suspecting danger, the effort is not great whereas the gain is beyond telling, provided we enthusiastically put into it what lies in our power. Grace, you see, is always active, seeking those (77a) that welcome it with readiness. Such, after all, is our Lord: when he sees an alert soul and fervent desire, out of his own prodigality he lavishes upon it riches of his that surpass the request being made.

(3) Accordingly, dearly beloved, knowing this as you do, purify your thinking of the affairs of this life, open wide the horizons of your mind, welcome with great enthusiasm what the Spirit furnishes us with, so that like rich and fruitful soil you may produce a crop in excess of what is sown-in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty fold , in another thirtyfold. You heard on the previous days of the ineffable wisdom of the artificer of all visible realities, and how he produced everything solely by his word and desire. He said, remember,

"'Let it be made,'" and it was made, and immediately all the elements were produced; (77b) his word sufficed for the sustenance of all created things, not simply because it was a word but because it was God's word.

(4) You recall the arguments we brought to bear against those saying that existing things came into being from underlying matter and substituting their own folly for the dogmas

HOMILY 9

of the Church. You learnt why, on the one hand, he produced the sky in finished form, but left the earth shapeless and incomplete. We gave you, remember, at that point two reasons for this: firstly, so that you might learn the power of the Lord from the more complete thing and not waver in your reasoning with the thought that it was created out of lack of power; and secondly, since the earth has been created as mother and nurse for us, and from it we are nourished and enjoy all other things, and to it we return in the end, being as it is for us all both homeland and tomb, (77c) he shows it to us shapeless from the beginning in case the very pressure of necessity, if nothing else, should lead us to conjure up some grandiose ideas about it, instead of learning even through these very things that all the above-mentioned advantages are to be attributed no longer to the nature of the earth but to the power of the Creator. Again, you learnt how he effected the separation of the waters by providing for the creation of this visible firmament; you saw the living beings arising both from the waters and from the earth.

(5) We now feel the need to rehearse these details and repeat them for you, brethren, not idly and to no purpose, but that the listeners may have a stronger basis of belief and the details may be riveted more surely in your mind; thus the instruction may be adequate also for those not present on the first occasion, and they may not suffer any handicap from their absence. The reason is that a loving father keeps the leftovers from the table for his absent children so that when they come (77d) they may find the leftovers kept for them as a consolation for their absence. Accordingly, we too have as much care for everyone of you coming along here as for our own limbs, and we make your progress our own pride and glory, wanting you all to be shown to be perfect and mature for the glory of God, the credit of the Church and our boast.

(6) And at the risk of seeming to be a nuisance, come now, I would like briefly to refresh your memory of what was said to you yesterday. You saw the difference between the shaping of the human being and the creation of the other things; you heard the degree of importance he imparted to that founder

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of our race, and how in the course of that very shaping he manifested by the down-to-earth quality of the words and expressions I the esteem he had for the being about to be created when he said, "'Let us make a human being in (78a) our image and likeness.'" You learnt what is the meaning of "in our image," that it is not in the order of being but a similarity of command, that he spoke not in terms of a formal image but in terms of command-hence the postscript, '''Let them have control of the fish of the sea and the birds of heaven, the wild beasts and the reptiles of the earth.'"

(7) Now, on this matter pagans make a rejoinder to us with the claim that the truth of the sentence is not confirmed in practice; we do not, in fact, control the wild beasts, as was promised, but they control us. But this isn't true, either: whenever a human being comes on the scene, at once the wild animals take to flight. On the other hand, if at some time we are harmed by them when they're under the pressure of starvation or we attack them, this evidently happens not because of their control over us but from some fault of ours. Likewise when brigands attack us and find us not slothful (78b) but armed to the teeth, it's not an example of their power but of our care for our own welfare. Meantime let us listen to the words of the text; it says, "'Let us make a human being in our image and likeness.'" As the word "image" indicated a similitude of command, so too "likeness," with the result that we become like God to the extent of our human power 2-that is to say, we resemble him in our gentleness and mildness and in regard to virtue, as Christ also says, "Be like your Father in heaven."3 You see, just as on this wide and spacious earth

1. This is another favorite term of Chrysostom's, basic to his thinking on Scripture and the "considerateness" it exemplifies: pachutes, the solid, material, down-to-earth, incarnational character of biblical language, employed by divine and human authors in view of our "limitations." It is clearly an Antiochene notion, not likely to receive much attention in Alexandrian speculation.

2. Chrysostom astutely divines the sense of "image," as modern archeological discoveries have confirmed (cf. Homily 8, note 13 above)-and then typically gives a moral twist to his exegesis.

3· Mt 5·45·

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some animals are tamer and others more ferocious, so too in the wide spaces of our soul some of our ideas are more lethargic and resemble brute beasts, others more ferocious and savage. So there is need to control (78c) and tame them and submit them to the rule of reason. How do you get control of the wildness of thought, you ask? What are you saying, human being that you are? We subdue lions and tame their spirit, and do you doubt if you're able to transform the ferocity of your thinking into mildness? Further, ferocity is naturally proper to wild beasts and mildness unnatural, whereas the opposite is true in your case: mildness is natural, ferocity and savagery unnatural. Are you, then, who expel the natural and induce the unnatural in wild animals, unable yourself to maintain what is natural? What great condemnation this brings against you! Something in fact that is more remarkable and surprising still is this: Although in a lion's nature there is the added difficulty that the lion is a wild beast deprived of reason, we still often see lions led meekly through the market place, (78d) and many people often throw money from their shops to the person getting some reward for skill and cunning in taming the wild beast. However, in a person reason is present, and the fear of God, and many other advantages from other sources-so don't adduce excuses and pretexts. It is, after all, quite within your capabilities to be meek and mild and gentle, if you have the good will. The text says, "'Let us make a human being in our image and likeness.'"

(8) But let us return to the question proposed before. It emerges, you know, from what we've said that the human being from the very beginning had complete control of the wild beasts; the text says, remember, "'Let them have control of the fish of the sea and the birds of heaven, the wild beasts and the reptiles of the earth.'" The fact that now we have fear and dread of the wild animals and have lost control of them, I personally don't dispute; but this doesn't (79a) betray a false promise on God's part. From the beginning, you see, things weren't like this; instead, the wild beasts were in fear and trembling, and responded to direction. But when through disobedience human beings forfeited their position of trust,

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their control was also lost. As evidence, after all, that everything was placed under the human being's control, listen to Scripture saying, "He brought the wild animals and all the brute beasts to Adam to see what he would call them."4 And seeing the animals near him, he didn't shrink back, but like a master giving names to slaves in his service, he gave them all names; the text says, "They each bore the name Adam gave them," this being a symbol of his dominion. Hence God was wanting to teach him through this the dignity of his authority, so he entrusted to him the giving of names.

(g) So this instance (7gb) suffices to demonstrate the fact that from the beginning the wild beasts were not an object of terror to the human being; yet there is another instance no less significant and much clearer. Namely? The serpent's conversation with the woman. You see, had the animals been frightening to human beings, the woman at sight of the serpent would not have stood her ground, would not have taken its advice, would not have conversed with it so comfortably; instead, she would have been terrified by its appearance and taken flight. In fact, however, she both converses with it and shows no fear; this fear, after all, is not yet to the fore.

(10) But once sin came on the scene, there was evidently loss both of esteem and of authority. Just as in the case of servants those that enjoy a good name are held in fear by their fellow servants whereas those that have given offence fear the others, so too in the case of the human being: while they enjoyed God's trust (7gc) they were an object of fear even to the animals, but when they fell they eventually had to fear even the least of their fellow slaves. If you don't hold with what we've said, show me that before sin the beasts were an object of fear to the human being. But you couldn't. If, however, fear came on the scene afterwards, this is also an extraordinary token of God's loving kindness. I mean, if after the com4. A paraphrase of Gn 2.19. Chrysostom, of course, is unlikely to draw to his congregation's attention that he is here switching from one creation narrative (Ch.l) to another (ch.2)-if only because he is unaware of it himself. See

Introduction 16 for his relatively uncritical scholarship, which emerges also in his general line of argumentation here and elsewhere.

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mandment had been broken by the human beings the esteem accorded them had remained unimpaired, they would not easily have risen from their fall. You see, when obedient and disobedient people enjoy the same esteem, they are more inclined to evil and don't quickly recover from evil. After all, if under the pressure of fear, retribution and punishment they do not come to their senses, what condition would they be in if they suffered nothing for the terrible mistakes they made?

(79d) So it is out of his providential care for us that he has removed us from our position of control.

(11) Consider now, I ask you, dearly beloved, in this instance God's ineffable love as well, how, on the one hand,

Adam infringed the whole commandment and completely broke the law, while, on the other hand, God in his loving kindness proved his goodness superior to our transgressions and did not cancel all our esteem nor remove the human being from all control. Instead, he withdrew from their control only those beings that did not have the greatest contribution to make to their livelihood, whereas the most necessary and useful creatures which performed great service to our living he allowed to remain in subjection and servitude. He left at any rate herds of cattle to draw the plough, to till the soil, to sow the seed; he left the beasts of burden to assist our efforts in transporting heavy loads; he left the flocks of sheep (80a) so that we might have sufficient supply of garments for clothing; and he left other kinds of animals to supply us with plenty of resources. You see, though in punishing the human being for disobedience he said "'In the sweat of your brow may you eat your bread,'" 5 he took care, lest this sweat and toil be unbearable, to lighten the pressure and burden of work with the multitude of beasts sharing with us the labor and distress. He acted in precisely the way a loving and caring master would in punishing his servant, following the punishing with some healing; in just this way God brings condemnation to the sinner and then wants to render this condemnation lighter in every way, condemning us to ceaseless toil and sweat, on the 5· Gn 3. 19.

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one hand, and providing many kinds of brute beasts to share the labor with us on the other. (Sob) The result is that you have the bestowal of esteem, and its being taken back, the implanting of fear of wild beasts-all done, if you study it precisely and in a spirit of gratitude, with an abundance of wisdom, of care, of love.

(12) Now, let us give thanks to him for all these favors and be grateful to him for doing us all these kindnesses. He is, after all, not looking for anything heavy and burdensome from us-simply acknowledgement of such favors and thanksgiving to him for them. Not that he needs it, being selfsufficient as he is, but for us to learn to win over the supplier of good things, and not to be ungrateful, but to give evidence of virtue that is worthy of these kindnesses and such great care. This is the way, after all, for us to prompt him to even greater care of us. So let us not grow slack, I beseech you; instead, let each of us, as each hour passes and to the extent of our capabilities, (Soc) take stock within himself of the favors done to us, not only those shared with others but also personal ones, not only those acknowledged and obvious to all, but also individual ones that have escaped most people's notice, such being the way to render unceasing thanks to the Lord. This is the highest form of sacrifice, this is a perfect offering, this will prove the basis of confidence for us-just how, I will tell you.

(13) You see, people who constantly rehearse these things in their own mind come to gain a precious knowledge of their own unworthiness, on the one hand, and on the other to realize God's unspeakable and surpassing love, as well as to focus not on what their sins deserve but on his goodness. They then conduct their affairs in the following way: they form a humble opinion of themselves, keep a tight control on their reasoning, suppress any conceit or arrogance, learn to stay within limits, to rise above worldly opinion, to set all visible realities at nought, (Sod) to ponder future goods and the life that has neither limit nor end. The person so disposed in soul offers to God a true and acceptable sacrifice, as the biblical author says:

"A sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit; a contrite and humble

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heart God does not despise." 6 It is not, after all, sanctions and punishments that win over right-minded servants so much as acts of kindness and the knowledge that they have not been punished according to their deserts.

(14) Let us accordingly keep a tight control on our reasoning, I beseech you, and form a humble opinion of ourselves, especially at this time when the season of fasting provides assistance to that end. You see, if we have this disposition, we will be able both to pray with mind unfettered and win grace from above by confessing our sins. To learn that (81a) the Lord is pleased with such souls, listen to his words: '''On whom shall I look with favor if not on the person of meekness and peace and the one who trembles at my words?'" 7 Hence Christ had this to say as well: "Learn from me that I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your soul."8 After all, people of humble disposition could never be swept into a rage or become angry with their neighbor, since their spirit is so much at peace and occupied only with its own concerns. What could be more blessed than a soul disposed like this? Such a person rests continually in the shelter of harbor far from every storm, revelling in the calm of reason. Hence Christ also said: "You will find rest for your soul." Just as therefore the person who has reduced to calm all these passions enjoys much rest, so slothful and diffident people, unable (81 b) to keep in due control the passions rising within them, are exposed to continual storms, have war on their hands at the home front, can be thrown into disarray without anyone needing to be present, and have to endure much buffeting from tempests; hence, with the impact of the billows and the onset of the hurricane of evil blasts, they often go under, as their craft sinks under them from the helmsman's ineptitude.

(15) So, we ought stay alert and clear-headed, and pay constant and unremitting attention to the salvation of our soul.

The Christian, you see, must be ever equipped to deal with the passions of the flesh, keep fresh in mind the laws given us

6. PS 51. 17·

8. Mt 11.29.

7. Is 66.2.

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by the common Lord of all and shelter behind the protection they give, take advantage of his long-suffering in our regard no more than is necessary, and not postpone humbling ourselves till harsh experience comes, lest it be said about us also,

(SIC) "When he brought them to the point of death, then they turned to him."9 Having fasting as our ally, therefore, dearly beloved, let us all hasten to the confession of our sins, refrain from all wickedness, and practice every virtue. This, after all, is what the blessed author David teaches when he says, "Turn from evil and do good." 10 Provided we conduct ourselves in this way, and demonstrate along with abstinence from food likewise abstinence from evil, we will ourselves be able to enjoy greater confidence and be found worthy of a more generous share of loving kindness from God both in this life and on that fearful day yet to come, thanks to the prayers and intercession of those acceptable to him and the (SId) grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, power and honor, now and forever, for ages of ages. Amen.

10. Ps 37.27.

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An exhortation to those ashamed to attend the evening congregation after eating; and from the verse, "'Let us make a human being in our image and likeness,'" up to the verse, "God made the human being; in God's image he made them; male and female he made them." I UR CONGREGATION today is smaller, and the participants in the action less numerous. Why is this, and what is responsible for it? Perhaps some people are ashamed to attend this spiritual banquet after their material repast, and this is responsible for their absence. Let them, however, heed the words of the wise man: "Shame it is that leads to sin, and shame it is that is glory and grace." 2 It is not cause for shame for a person to have partaken of (82a) a material repast and then come to spiritual food. You see, spiritual affairs are not divided into distinct times like human affairs; in other words, discourse on spiritual topics is suited to any time of the day. Why do I say time of the day? Even if night falls, that is no obstacle to spiritual teaching. Hence Paul said in writing to Timothy, "Press on whether the time is ripe or not: argue, censure, cajole."3 Listen further to blessed Luke when he says that "as Paul was due to leave Troas the next day, he began talking to them and prolonged his discourse to midnight." 4 Was time a problem for him, I ask you, or did it interrupt the thread of his teaching? No. The alert listener, (82b) even after dining, would be in a suitable condition for this spiritual gathering, just as by the same token the slothful 5 and I. Gn 1.27.

2. Sir 4.21.

3· 2 Tm 4·2.

4. Acts 20·7· 5. Again it is rhathumia-indifference, sloth, negligence, carelessnessthat Chrysostom sees as the besetting weakness of the Christian.

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dilatory person even on an empty stomach would get no benefit from it.

(2) I'm not making this point to undermine the importance of fasting-God forbid: on the contrary, I'm all in favor of it.

Instead, my intention is to teach you to take an active part in spiritual matters with alert mind, not just follow along out of habit. The shameful thing, you see, is not attendance at this spiritual teaching after partaking of food, but attendance with an attitude of sloth, addiction to passion, and failure to control the movements of the flesh. There is nothing wrong with eating-God forbid; the harmful thing is gluttony, stuffing yourself with food in excess of need, and ruining your stomach-something, after all, that destroys even the pleasure that comes from food. (82C) SO, too, in like manner, there is nothing wrong with drinking in moderation, but rather with surrendering to drunkenness and losing control of your reasoning through excess. If, however, dearly beloved, you are unable to go a whole day without food because of physical weakness, no right-minded person could find fault with you in this. We have, you see, a gentle and loving Lord who demands nothing of us beyond our capabilities. In other words, it is not arbitrarily that he looks for fasting and abstinence from food to be performed by us, nor simply for the sake of our remaining without food, but rather that we may be detached from things of this life and devote all our spare time to spiritual matters. If we conduct our lives with sober mind, use all our spare time in spiritual matters, eat only for nourishment (82d) and spend our whole life in good practices, we would have no need of the help that comes from fasting. But since human nature is lazy and is given rather to indulgence and luxury, the loving Lord accordingly like a kindly father devised for us the healing that comes from fasting so that the effects of luxury might be cut out of us and we might replace worldly concerns with performance of spiritual exercises.

(3) So, if there are some of the congregation here who because of bodily weakness are prevented from going without food and incapable of doing so, I advise them both to come to terms with their bodily weakness, and not to deprive them-

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selves of this spiritual instruction (83a) but rather to show greater zeal for it. There are, after all, better ways than abstinence from food to open for us the doors of a confident approach to God. 6 Accordingly, let the person who partakes of food and is unable to fast give evidence of more generous almsgiving, fervent prayers, and a heightened enthusiasm for listening to the divine sayings; let such a person be reconciled with enemies and eradicate from the soul all vindictiveness. If that is the intention, then such a person has practiced real fasting, and the kind the Lord requires most of all. Since he bids abstinence from food to be practiced (83b) for the sake of checking the movements of the flesh, let us render it amenable to the performance of the commandments. If, on the contrary, we are unlikely on account of bodily weakness to bring on ourselves the help that comes from fasting and yet give evidence of greater sloth, we unconsciously do ourselves the greatest harm. You see, if it is true that despite fasting omission of the aforementioned good deeds brings us no benefit, so much the more will this be true in the case of those who, being unable to take advantage of the remedy of fasting, still give evidence of greater sloth.

(4) Now, then, that you have learnt this from us, I beg you, those of you able to fast, develop in yourselves as far as possible this excellent and commendable enthusiasm. After all,

"To the extent that our external self is diminished, the interior self is renewed." 7 Fasting, in other words, holds the body under restraint, checks its unruly movements, (83c) and, on the other hand, renders the soul transparent, gives it wings, makes it light and raises it on high. But as for those of our brethren unable to fast on account of bodily weakness, urge them not to desist from this spiritual diet; teach them and show them, as they have had communicated to them from us also, that it is not the person who eats and drinks in modera6. His biographers tell us that Chrysostom could speak from personal experience on the dangers of excessive zeal in fasting, having impaired his health while living the life of a solitary early in his career. Cf. Donald Attwater, Stjohn Chrysostom (London 1959) 31.

7.2 Cor 4.16, somewhat embellished to support Chrysostom's point.

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tion that is unworthy of this audience but the lax and dissolute. Address to them also the apostolic dictum, that "the one who eats eats in the Lord, and the one who abstains abstains in the Lord, and gives thanks to God." 8 So the person fasting gives thanks to God for having the power to be able to withstand the rigors of fasting; and likewise the person who eats gives thanks to God that no harm can come from this for the soul's salvation, if that is God's will. (83d) The loving God, you see, has marked out for us such ways as it is impossible to mention, through which we can, if we wish, share in the utmost confidence.

(5) May our words therefore be sufficient on that subject for those who have been discouraged from attending; may we have removed the grounds for their shame by showing that they have no need to be ashamed on that account, as it is after all not eating that promotes shame but doing something evil.

Sin is a great shame: if we commit it, not only ought we be ashamed of it but also conceal it and beat our breasts like people who have fallen-or rather, instead of allowing ourselves to give up in despair, we should hasten to confession and change of heart. Such is the Lord we have, you see, that he looks for nothing more from us (84a) after our committing sin, if perchance we are ensnared through sloth, than the confession of our faults and stopping short, not falling back into the same errors. If, on the other hand, we partake of nourishment in moderation, let us not at all be ashamed; it is the Lord, after all, who has fitted us with a body of such a kind that could not otherwise be sustained without partaking of that food, provided there is no going to excess. In fact, this moderate consumption contributes most of all to good health and condition. Don't you daily observe thousands of disorders stemming from laden tables and immoderate eating? What is the cause of gout? of migraine? of the flood of noxious humors? of countless other ailments? Do they not spring from intemperance and from pouring ourselves more wine than we should? I mean, just as a ship that becomes waterlogged

8. Rom 14.6.

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quickly sinks (84b) and slips below the water level, so, too, a person who is given over to gluttony and drunkenness goes head over heels, brings reason down to a low level, and lies for all intents and purposes like a corpse, quite capable, on the one hand, of frequently doing evil, but, on the other hand, in a condition no better than corpses for doing anything good.

(6) Hence I urge you, in the words of blessed Paul, "don't direct care for your body in the direction of desire" 9 but towards subsistence and the ability to give evidence of much zeal in the performance of spiritual things with great enthusiasm. So, then, put all these considerations to these brethren of ours, and encourage them never to withdraw themselves from this spiritual fare; instead, even if they have eaten, let them come with great enthusiasm so as to receive instruction here and be able to withstand valiantly the devil's wiles. As for you yourselves, come now, let us at this stage lay before you the customary table, (84c) and reward you, dear people, for your zealous attention in listening and discharge the debt we owe you.

(7) You are quite well aware, of course, and recall to mind that we began to talk about the shaping of the human being, but were pressed for time and could not complete the whole lecture; instead we finished the instruction to do with the account of the wild beasts, showing that at first the human being had control over them and then lost it through the sin of disobedience. Hence today we want to complete the balance for you, and thus send you off. For the purpose of making the story clear to you, however, you need to recall where it was we broke off our teaching, so that we can begin from that point and thus complete the rest. So where did we interrupt our sermon? We were speaking on the verse, "'Let us make a human being in our image and likeness, and let them have control over the fish of the sea (84d) and the birds of heaven;'" the sermon developed into great length and a vast sea of thoughts arose before us, so that it was possible for us to proceed no further, but we stopped short at that point and g. Rom 13.14.

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reached onto none of what follows. Sacred Scripture, in any case, directly added the following: "God made the human being; in God's image he made them; male and female he made them. God blessed them with the words, 'Increase and multiply, fill the earth and gain dominion over it; have control of the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven and all the cattle, the whole earth and all the reptiles creeping on the earth.'" 10 The words are brief, but the treasure concealed (8sa) in the brief words is great. You see, speaking through the Spirit this blessed author wants at this point to teach us something kept from human hearing. When he said, remember, '''Let us make a human being,'" the Creator of all applied his will, as it were, and his thought in demonstrating through this shape the importance given to the creature in process of formation, something he began to teach us before the process began. He also demonstrated the greatness of the control he was entrusting to the being in process of creation; hence, to his words, '''Let us make a human being in our image and likeness,'" he added, "'Let them have control of the fish of the sea.'" See how he reveals to us from the beginning the treasure hidden there. I mean, the biblical author, speaking through the divine Spirit, sees as subsisting and brought into being things not yet subsisting. So why, tell me, after his words, (8Sb) '''Let us make a human being,'" does he now say, '''Let them have control"'? Evidently he is already revealing to us at this point some mystery lying hidden. Who are to have control? Quite clearly he has spoken this way to hint at the formation of woman. Do you see how there is nothing in Sacred Scripture which is contained there idly or to no purpose? 11 Instead, even the chance word has treasure stored up in it.

(8) Don't be surprised, dearly beloved, at what I've said.

Such, after all, is the way with all the biblical authors, to speak of things not yet created as though already created. You see,

10. Gn 1.27-28, where the Heb. makes no reference to the cattle.

11. Over and over again Chrysostom poses this reminder to his congregation of the "precision" of Sacred Scripture, providing him with the recipe for his exegesis/commentary, in which no detail of the text can be passed over.

See Introduction 11,21.

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since they perceive with the eyes of the spirit things due to happen after a great number of years, and accordingly view things as though already laid out in front of their very eyes, they describe everything in this way. To gain a clear understanding of this, listen to the words of blessed David prophesying in loud tones the events of Christ's crucifixion so many generations before the event: (8sc) "They pierced my hands and my feet," and again, "They divided up my garments among themselves." 12 Do you see how ahead of time he announces, as though already happened, things due to take place much later? In this way, too, our blessed author gives us a hint about the formation of woman when he says cryptically,

'''Let them have control of the fish of the sea.'" Then, going on, he says further in a clearer way, "God made the human being; in God's image he made them; male and female he made them." Notice how much precision he employs, saying the same thing once and again so that the words could be riveted in the minds of the listeners. You see, if this had not been an object of concern for him, it would have been enough to say, "God made the human being;" but he adds as well, "In God's image he made them." In other words, after teaching us through the previous verses what was the meaning of (8Sd)

"in God's image," accordingly again at this point he repeats the very same notion by saying, "In God's image he made them." Lest he should leave some brazen pretext of controversy to those intent on contesting the Church's dogmas, he presses on a little further and teaches the same things again, that God employed the word "image" in the sense of controlling and having all creatures under subjection. Finally let us see what he is saying in this verse, " God made the human being; in God's image he made them; male and female he made them." What he hinted at above when saying, "'Let them have control,'" here he says more clearly, though he still teaches us this cryptically, since after all he has not yet taught us about the manner of formation or told us where woman comes from. He says, "Male and female he made them." (86a)

12. Ps 22.16,18.

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Do you see how he describes what is not yet created as though already created? That's the way, you see, with the eyes of the spirit; I mean, these bodily eyes cannot see visible things in the same way that the eyes of the spirit can see things that are not visible and things that have no subsistence.

(9) So, after saying, "Male and female he made them" as though to bestow a blessing on each of them, he goes on,

"God blessed them in the words, 'Increase and multiply, fill the earth and gain dominion over it, and have control of the fish of the sea.'" Behold the remarkable character of the blessing! I mean, those words, '''Increase and multiply and fill the earth,'" anyone could see are said of the brute beasts and the reptiles alike, whereas '''Gain dominion and have control'" are directed to the man and woman. See the Lord's loving kindness: even before creating her he makes her sharer in this control and bestows on her the blessing. '''Have control,'" the text says, "'of the fish of the (86b) sea, the birds of heaven and all the cattle, the whole earth and all the reptiles creeping on the earth.''' Did you notice the ineffable authority? Did you notice all created things placed under this being's control? No longer entertain casual impressions of this rational being, but rather realize the extent of the esteem and the Lord's benignity towards it, and be amazed at his love beyond all telling.

(10) "God said: 'Lo, I have given you every crop upon all the earth bearing seed fit for sowing, and every tree containing fruit with seed fit for sowing; they are for your food. And for all the beasts of the earth, all the birds of heaven and every reptile creeping on the earth-whatever has a spirit of life in it-I have given every green crop for food.' This is what happened." 13 See, I ask you, dearly beloved, the precision of the words and the Lord's ineffable love, (86c) and do not pass heedlessly by anything of what is said. "God said," the text reads, "'Lo, I have given you every crop for sowing,'" as though the remark-even this one-is addressed to two people, despite the fact the woman is not yet produced. Then, in order that you may learn his surpassing goodness, see how the signs i3· Gn 1.29-30.

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of his love do not stop short at the man and the woman still to be produced but reach to the very beasts: after saying to the human beings, '''They are for your food,'" he added, '''And for all the beasts of the earth.'"

(11) See again further depths of his loving kindness: he showed concern not only for the tame beasts that meet our needs for food and service but also for the wild beasts. Who could adequately arrive at the extent of this boundless goodness? '''They are for your food,'" the text says. '''And for all the beasts of the earth, (86d) all the birds of heaven and every reptile creeping on the earth-whatever has a spirit of life in it-I have given every green crop for food.'" The Lord's care for the human being created by him emerges in all its fulness.

I mean, after producing him and entrusting him with complete control of creation, the good Lord took steps to prevent his being distressed at once from the outset by the sight of the vast number of beasts through a feeling of being powerless to provide adequately for the nourishment of so many animals: before any such thought came to him about this, the Lord comforted him, so to say, by showing him that he along with all the brute beasts had plenty to eat, as the earth provided for their nourishment thanks to the Lord's direction. So, after saying, '''They are for your food,'" he immediately added,

"'And for all the beasts of the earth, all the birds of heaven and every reptile creeping on the earth-whatever has a spirit of life in it (87a) I have given every green crop for food.' This is what happened."

(12) Whatever the Lord commanded, the text says, took effect, and he established everything in proper order-hence he immediately added, "God saw everything he had made, and behold, It was very good." 14 Who could adequately extol the precision of Sacred Scripture? I mean, behold here, too, how by speaking one phrase, "God saw everything he had made," it curbed the tongue of all those endeavoring, despite all this evidence, to gainsay it. "God saw everything he had made," the text says, "and behold, it was very good." You see,

ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

after saying in the case of each of the created things, "God saw that it was good," at this point when everything was completed, and the works of the sixth day had reached finality, and the being destined (87b) to enjoy all the created things had been brought forth in their midst, the text says: "God saw everything he had made, and behold, it was very good." Notice how by gathering all the created things together under this one word, "everything," it confers commendation on each of them. I mean, it didn't just say "everything" and stop there, but added "that he had made;" nor did it conclude at that point, but said, "And behold it was good," even "very good"that is to say, "completely good." So when the Lord, the one bringing things from non-being to being, declares creatures to be good and completely good, who would dare, even if bursting with arrogant folly, to open his mouth and gainsay the words uttered by God? After all, amongst the visible creatures it was not only light that was created but also darkness in opposition to light, and not only day but also night (87c) in opposition to day. Amongst the growth springing up from the earth it was not only plants that are useful but also those that are harmful, and not only trees that bear fruit but also those that bear none; and not only tame animals but also wild and unruly ones. Amongst the creatures emerging from the waters it was not only fish but also sea monsters and other fierce creatures. It was not only inhabited land but also the unpeopled; not only level plains but also mountains and woods.

Amongst birds it was not only tame ones and those suitable for our food but also wild and unclean ones, hawks and vultures and many others of that kind. Amongst the creatures produced from the earth it was not only tame animals but also snakes, vipers, serpents, lions and leopards. In the sky it was not only showers and kindly breezes but also hail and snow.

And (87d) if anyone had a mind to examine the list in detail, you would find in each case not only things considered not useful to us but even harmful, so that no one would be free after this to survey created things and find fault with their origins, saying, What's the purpose of this one? What's the use of this one? This one's well made, but this other one not so.

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Hence, Sacred Scripture checks those people endeavoring to show ingratitude, you might say, by adding after the creation of everything on the sixth day, "God saw everything he had made, and behold, it was very good."

(13) What could match this for reliable comment, when the Creator of all gives the verdict in person and says that everything created is good, and even very good? So, whenever you see someone moved by his own reasoning (88a) and intent on gainsaying Sacred Scripture, shun him like a lunatic; or better, don't shun him, but out of pity for his ignorance quote the words from Sacred Scripture and say that "God saw everything he had made" and said '''behold, it is very good,''' and perhaps you will be able to check his unruly tongue. (After all, take the case of human affairs. When we see people of good reputation giving their opinion of things that happen, we don't contradict them, but rather fall in with their opinion and often prefer their opinion to our own. So much the more in the case of the God of all things, the Creator of everything we can see, should we do likewise: we should learn his judgement on things, subdue our own reasonings, and instead of presuming further we should be content with the knowledge that everything has been produced by a word coming from him and by his loving kindness, (88b) and that nothing has been created idly or to no purpose. Even if, through the limitations of our own reasoning, we should be in ignorance of created things, he himself in his own wisdom and thoughtful love produced all things.

(14) "Evening came," the text goes on, "and morning came: a sixth day." At the close of the sixth day he also brought to a close all his creating-hence the addition of the words,

"Heaven and earth and all their array were completed." 15 Notice the character of Sacred Scripture, no~hing superfluous, nothing idle. Having mentioned the elements that were brought forth together, it goes into no further detail in mentioning the rest but simply says, "Heaven and earth and all

15. Gn 2.1. Chrysostom, like the LXX translators before him, is not distracted from the unity of the account by the medieval division of the material into chapters.

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their array were completed," referring by this means to everything on earth and in heaven.

(15) The earth's array, you see, is what is produced from it, the growth of plants, (88c) the harvest of fruits, the fruits of the trees, and all other things with which the Creator arrayed it; likewise the heaven's array is sun, moon, the variety of the stars, and everything else created in its midst. Hence, Sacred

Scripture in mentioning heaven and earth included the whole of creation under those elements. "God completed on the sixth day," the text says, "the works he had done." 16 Notice how it says the same thing twice over so that we might learn all the works of creation were done up to the sixth day. The text says, remember, "He completed on the sixth day the works he had done, and on the seventh day he rested from all the works he had done."

(16) What is the meaning of that verse, "On the seventh day he rested from all the works he had done"? Notice how Sacred

Scripture narrates everything in human fashion even out of considerateness to us. (88d) I mean, it would not have been possible for us in any other way to understand anything of what was said had not such considerateness been thought fitting. The text says, remember, "On the seventh day God rested from all the works he had done." It says he stopped creating and bringing from non-being into being; he had produced everything he had to, after all, and had created the being destined to enjoy it. "God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it for the reason that on that day he rested from all the works God had begun to do." 17 You see, when he stopped creating, he had out of his own loving kindness brought forth at his own command everything he had intended, and had brought creation to a close on the sixth day; there was nothing else he intended to produce on the seventh day for the reason that everything he intended had been fulfilled.

(17) Hence, in order that this day too might have some dis16. Gn 2.2. The Heb., in fact, strangely reads "seventh" here; but later versions, including the LXX, regarded it as an error.

17· Gn 2·3·

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tinction and not seem to bear some inferiority (Sga) through the fact that nothing was created then, he conferred a bless~ ing on it. "God blessed the seventh day," the text says, "and sanctified it." So what does that mean-the rest were not blessed? Of course they were, the text says, but for them it was enough, instead of any blessing, to have created things brought forth each time; hence, whereas in their case it did not say, "He blessed them," in the case of the seventh alone it did say so and added, "and sanctified it." What is the meaning of "He sanctified it"? He set it apart. Then, to teach us the reason for saying "He sanctified it," Sacred Scripture added,

"for the reason that on that day he rested from all the works God had begun to do." Already at this point from the outset

God provides us with instruction in a cryptic manner, teaching us that he set aside (Sgb) the whole of one day in the cycle of the week and marked it off for the performance of spiritual works.

(IS) In other words, this is the reason why the Lord, after completing all the works of creation in six days, bestowed blessing on the seventh and consecrated it-for the reason of his resting on that day from his works which he had begun to do. But once again at this stage I detect a mighty swell of ideas overwhelming you, and I have no wish to pass them by thoughtlessly. Instead, I want to make you too sharers in these spiritual riches. What, then, is the question that arises for us at this point? While Sacred Scripture in this passage says that God rested from his works, in the Gospels Christ says, "My father is at work up until now and I am at work." 18 Does there not seem from the sequence of the expressions to be some contradiction in what is said? Perish the thought: there is nothing contradictory (Sgc) in the contents of Sacred Scripture. You see, in saying at this point that God rested from his works, Scripture teaches us that he ceased creating and bringing from non-being into being on the seventh day, whereas

Christ, in saying that "my father is at work up until now and I am at work," reveals his unceasing care for us: he calls "work"

18.Jn 5.17.

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the maintenance of created things, bestowal of permanence on them, and governance of them through all time. If this wasn't so, after all, how would everything have subsisted, without the guiding hand above directing all visible things and the human race as well? If anyone in a spirit of great gratitude has a mind to survey everything, detail by detail, done for our benefit each day by the Creator of all things, you would find an abyss of loving kindness. (8gd) I mean, what reasoning or what imagination would arrive at the unspeakable goodness which he displays for the race of human beings, making the sun rise on the evil and the good, sending rain upon just and unjust,19 and bestowing every other kind of good?

(1g) Perhaps we have prolonged the sermon more than is necessary; this has not been done idly or to no purpose but (so that) those absent may learn through you how much loss they have incurred by depriving themselves of spiritual teaching on account of bodily nourishment. Lest, however, their despondency be aggravated, demonstrate your fraternal benevolence in their regard by conveying to them what has been said by us; this will, after all, be a sign of your genuine love. I mean, if people who do this in the case of material food (goa) by keeping tidbits from the table for their friends thus display a great sign of love, how much more does this behavior in the case of spiritual things win us great commendation, resulting as it does, after all, in our benefit as well. You see, the man who shows concern for teaching his neighbor does not so much do him a favor as reap a reward for himself; he gains a double benefit, enjoying a greater reward at God's hands and also, through the teaching he endeavors to give his brother, being reminded of it himself and renewing in his own mind the memory of what was said in the sermon. Accordingly, with an eye to your own profit, don't begrudge your brethren; instead, in this case let them learn from you what has been told you by us. But in case they come to rely on your charity in future to be taught these things, lead them to us and persuade them that partaking of bodily nourishment is no obstacle to 19· Cf. Mt 5.45.

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spiritual teaching; (gob) on the contrary, any time must be considered suitable for discourse on spiritual topics.

(20) If we have a precise realization of this, we will be able while relaxing at home, both before eating and after eating, to take the Scriptures in our hands and gain benefit from them and provide spiritual nourishment for our souuo You see, as the body has need of material nourishment, likewise, too, the soul needs daily reminders and spiritual nourishment so that it may be strengthened and thus able to resist the rebellion of the flesh and the constant battle waged within us to reduce our soul to servitude if we are disposed to drop our guard even for a short space of time. Hence the inspired author David called that person blessed who gave time to the law of the Lord day and night,21 and blessed Moses (goc) in his instruction of the Jewish people taught them in these words:

"When you have eaten and drunk, and taken your fill, give your mind to the Lord your God." 22 Do you see how it is especially appropriate after the enjoyment of food to set a spiritual meal for yourselflest the soul, after satiety of bodily food, should lose its zest and fall into some disaster and make way for the wiles of the devil, who is always looking for an opportunity and anxious to deliver us a blow at the critical moment?

Again, in another place this same author said: "Whether sleeping or rising be mindful of the Lord your God." 23 Do you see how it never becomes us to drive this awareness from our soul, but rather to have it engraven on our conscience; we should be constantly on the alert and never allow ourselves respite, but rather remain sober and watchful in the knowledge of the fury of the one bearing hostility against us; we should repel his attacks (god) and never neglect our spiritual nourishment. This, after all, is the secret of our salvation, our spiritual riches, our security. If we defend ourselves in this way day

20. Whatever the level of sophistication of Chrysostom's congregation, he has high expectations of their religious spirit and the temper of the "domestic

Church," as we have noted above at Homily 6, note 18 in reference to Bible study groups. See also Introduction 11.

21. Ps 1.2.

22. A paraphrase of Dt 8.10-14.

23. Cf. Dt 6·7·

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by day, through reading, through listening, through spiritual discourse,24 we will be able to keep ourselves unharmed and render the devil's wiles ineffectual, and thus have the good fortune to reach the kingdom of heaven, thanks to the grace and loving kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, power and honor, now and forever, for ages of ages. Amen.

24. This, in a nutshell, is Chrysostom's formulation of the ways in which the Spirit touches the Christian-"through reading, through listening, through spiritual discourse."

HOMILY 11

On the theme that it is necessary to place great store by virtue and to imitate the saints, who while being of the same nature as ourselves live up to its precise obligations; and that sloth on our part will have no excuse.

AM AWARE THAT in these past days I have challenged your thinking with some quite profound notions,

(gla) hence today I intend to put to you a simpler instruction. You see, just as the body wasted by fasting needs a slight respite so that once more to the same degree it may gird itself for the rigors of fasting at the prompting of a renewed enthusiasm, so too the soul needs to stop and rest. After all, you can't always be straining or always resting; instead, you must do one at this time, the other at that time, and in this fashion regulate the condition of the soul and the impulses of the body. I mean, just as unremitting tension leads to wearing out through effort and to collapse, so, too, constant resting brings on sloth. You could see this happening in the case both of the soul and of the body. Accordingly, moderation in all things is excellent. I (2) This very thing the God of all teaches us, even through the very creatures he produced for our sustenance. (glb) To help you grasp this, let us take the example of the day and the night-I mean light and darkness. You see, when he determined the day for the labor of the human race, on the one hand, and, on the other, the dark of night for their rest and pause from toil, he set measures and limits to each, with the result that we all enjoy the benefit from this arrangement. As 1. A lesson learnt by bitter experience in Chrysostom's case, as we have seen (cf. Homily 10, note 6).

ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

proof that the light is, after all, the appropriate time for the day's labor, listen to David's words: "People will go off to their work and their labor until evening."2 He well said "until evening," since with the onset of evening light disappears: darkness falls to put the human race to sleep, gives rest to the weary body and repose to all its senses, and, just like an excellent nurse, refreshes all the faculties (gIC) from labor and effort by the care it provides. But when the period of night is completed, the arrival of the sun takes effect and awakens us: it provides our refreshed senses with an encounter with the sun's rays and leads us to embrace our customary employment with fresh and vital enthusiasm.

(3) You can see this happening also in the seasons of the year: spring takes over from winter, and in the same way autumn succeeds the passing of summer, so that our bodies may find relief with the alternation of the mingling of the air, without, on the one hand, perishing through being frozen with ice beyond the normal, or, on the other hand, melting with excessive heat under the ferocity of summer. Accordingly, he ensures that we are adjusted to winter by the coming of autumn, and to summer by spring.

(4) And if you had a mind to survey everything else with a right mind, you would find (gld) in all created things a certain order and reason, nothing being done idly or to no purpose.

Likewise in the case of the plants springing from the earth you would notice it: the earth doesn't produce them all at once, nor is the one time suited to tending the plants growing from it; instead, the farmer knows the appropriate time, having learnt it from God's evident design, and he realizes when he must sow the seed, when plant the trees and the vine in the earth's bosom, when sharpen the sickle for harvesting, when pick the fruit of the vine and cut the bunches of grapes, and at what time pick the fruit of the olive trees. (g2a) And if you wanted to study everything in detail, you would find great wisdom also in people tilling the soil. And this can be seen not only on land but also at sea, where it is in fact possible to ob-

HOMILY 11

serve in turn a remarkable wisdom of another kind: the pilot knows when he must launch the ship, sail it out of harbor, and cross the sea. Most of all in these men of the sea you can observe the great understanding which the wisdom of God conferred on the human race: people travelling the highways have no such precise knowledge of directions as these sailors who make their way safely on the waters. Hence Scripture too is amazed at God's surpassing wisdom and says of him, "The one who provides a path in the sea and a way through the raging billows."3 What human reasoning is able to achieve this level of perception? (g2b) Likewise in the matter of consumption of human food you would find things arranged on the same pattern: the Lord regales us with different food according to each time and each season of the year; and like a perfect nurse the earth presents us with these things from herself, in obedience to the Creator's command.

(5) Lest, however, I prolong this point further, you can summarize all the rest for yourself in your good sense. Scripture says, remember, "Give wise people but an opportunity, and they will become wiser."4 I mean, this point can be seen not only in the matter of our food but also in regard to that of the brute beasts. And you could, if you wanted, from a study of many other things learn the unspeakable wisdom of God the master craftsman, and his surpassing goodness, and how by a definite design he produced each thing created. (g2C) Accordingly, at this holy season of Lent, too, you will find the very same design now made for us. I mean, just as on the highways there are stopping places and lodgings, enabling travellers to rest from their weariness, recover from their distress and thus resume their journey, at sea, too, there are coasts and shores and harbors, enabling there also the seafarers to find a little respite after running before great billows and taking the brunt of the gales and thus resume their voyage. Now too in just the same way, at the holy season of Lent, those who have undertaken the course of fasting are granted by the Lord a short rest of these two days in the week, like

3· Wis 14·3· 4· Pry 9·9·

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resting places and lodgings, or coasts and shores and harbors, so that we should rest the body a little from the rigors of fasting and comfort the soul, (g2d) and once more after the passage of these two days resume the same way with enthusiasm, making a journey that is pleasant and advantageous.s

(6) So come now, since today is a day of rest, let us too encourage you, dearly beloved, to protect carefully the gains you have made from fasting, so that after resting a little you may add further to your earlier gains and thus little by little store up for yourselves great resources; in this way you will present yourselves at the day of the Lord and bring safely to the harbor of the holy festival your rich spiritual cargo. You see, just as everything created by the Lord has been created by a certain design (as the Word reveals and the proof of experience teaches us) and fulfils a necessary purpose, so too it is proper that what is done by us not be done idly or to no purpose but for the benefit and (93a) advantage of our salvation.

(7) After all, if people engaged in secular affairs never risk beginning an enterprise without first giving careful thought to the gain likely to accrue from it, much more is it proper for us to follow that procedure, not passing heedlessly by the days of fasting, but examining our conscience, scrutinizing our thinking, and considering what we have done right on this day and what on that day, what interest we have acquired for the future, and how much improvement we have achieved ,in our passions. You see, if we were unlikely to manage our affairs in this way and take this kind of care of our soul, there would be no advantage to us from the fasting and abstinence we undergo, especially if we suffer by comparison with people showing so much zeal for making money. (93b) I mean, each of them you would find letting no single day pass without adding something to what they already possess and never reaching satiety; instead, the more their possessions grow, so much the more is their zeal and enthusiasm heightened. So, if 5. Evidently in the church of Antioch (as generally in the ancient East,

Chrysostom's editors note) the Lenten fast was relaxed on two days of the week, Perhaps the fact that this sermon was delivered on one such day accounts for its complete departure from the Gn text,

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