HOMILY 27
HOMILY 27
"And Noe built an altar to the Lord, made a choice of all the clean cattle and all the clean birds, and offered sacrifices on the altar."
See) ID YOU NOTICE [239] YESTERDAY the loving Lord's goodness, how he brought the good man out of the j] ark, freeing him from life there and releasing him te that strange and distressing prison, and bestowed on him the reward for his endurance in the words, "'Increase and multiply.'"? Today let us learn about Noe's gratitude and his thankful soul, through which once more he invited further and greater favor towards him from God. You see, this is what God is like: whenever he sees gratitude in response to initial gifts, [240] he bestows in abundance further gifts from himself. Accordingly let us in our turn be eager to offer thanks to the Lord to the best of our ability for the good things already bestowed on us by him so that we may be accorded greater ones, and let us never forget the blessings coming to us from God, but rather let us always ponder these in our mind so that we may be constantly stirred by the memory of them and give thanks, even if their number is so great that our thinking could never measure up to the challenge of numbering his kindnesses to us.
(2) After all, how could anyone imagine what has already come our way, the promises, the events of each day—the fact that he brought us from non-being to being, that he has blessed us with body and soul, that he has created us rational, that he has given us this fresh air to breathe, that he has formed all creatures for humankind, that he for his part intended from the beginning that human beings should enjoy
1. Gen 8.20.
2. .Gen 8.17.
HOMILY 27
life in the garden, have a life free from pain, be relieved of any distress, and while happening to be in bodily condition to enjoy a status not inferior to the angels and those incorporeal powers but even be proof against bodily needs? Then, when he fell victim to the devil's deceit applied by means of the serpent, he did not then abandon the sinner nor cease blessing the transgressor; instead, even through the punishments he inflicted on him, as I said yesterday also, he showed the extraordinary degree of his characteristic loving kindness and laid up for him many samples of his kindness of other sorts and beyond counting. Later, as time passed and the human race multiplied and strayed into wickedness, he saw them incurring wounds that could not be cured, and so he destroyed the doers of evil like some noxious leaven, sparing this good man for the mission of being a root and beginning for the human race.
(3) Notice once again how much generosity he displayed in his regard. From this good man and his sons he made plans for the whole human race to grow into such a vast multitude; he gradually selected the good men—I mean the patriarchs— and appointed them instructors of the rest of the human race, being able as they were by their own virtue to lead everyone onwards and having the power like doctors to cure the afflicted. He led them on, at one time into Palestine, at another into Egypt, both exercising the endurance of his servants and at the same time revealing more conspicuously his own power; in this manner he continued constantly caring for human beings' salvation by raising up prophets and causing signs and wonders to be performed through them. Then (to make my point brief ), just as we would never be able to number the waves of the sea, even if we made the effort countless times, so could we neither compass the range of God's benefits which he has given evidence of in regard to our race— finally, however, when he saw the human race despite so much care still needing his great love beyond all telling, and that no great effect had come from the patriarchs, the prophets, those remarkable wonders, the punishments and reminders frequently applied, and those successive captivities, then
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
as though pitying our race, he sent his only-begotten son from his fatherly bosom, so to say, and caused him to take the form of a slave,> be born of a virgin, live in our company and endure our condition [241] in its entirety so that he might be able to bring from earth to heaven our human race which lay here below under the weight of its many sins. This is what astounds the Son of Thunder, realizing as he does the excess of God's love revealed in regard to the human race, and so he shouts aloud in the words, "This, you see, is the extent to which God loved the world."* See how much amazement is expressed by the sentence: "This is the extent," he says, having in mind the magnitude he was about to describe—hence he began in that fashion. So tell us, blessed
John, what was "this extent"? Tell us the measure, tell us the magnitude, teach us this excessive degree. "This, you see, is the extent to which God loved the world, that he has given his only-begotten Son so that everyone believing in him may not perish but have eternal life."
(4) Do you see the reason for the coming of the Son to be the following, that those destined to perish would find a means of salvation through faith in him? How would anyone through unaided reason have arrived at an understanding of that great and amazing liberality surpassing all logic which he lavished on our nature through the gift of baptism, granting us freedom from all our sins? But what am I to say? Neither reason suffices to explain it, nor is the mind capable of enumerating the consequences. You see, however much I say, what remains unsaid is so great that the difference exceeds the words already spoken. So how would anyone imagine the way of repentance he has granted to our race in his ineffable love, and after the gift of baptism those wonderful commands through which, provided we are willing, we can win favor from him? Do you see, dearly beloved, the depths of his kindnesses? Do you see that no matter how many we count we
3. Phil 2.7. This is one of those beautiful passages where Chrysostom develops his thinking on the Incarnation that is the basis also of his theology of the scriptural Word.
4. John 3.16.
HOMILY 27
would never be able to tell a fraction of them? After all, how could human tongue manage to cover in words all the things done for us by God? Accordingly, though they are so numerous and so varied, still much greater and beyond all telling are those benefits he has promised in the life to come after change from here to those who tread the path of virtue. To set before us in a few words the extraordinary degree of their magnitude, blessed Paul says, "what eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him."> Do you see the extravagance of gifts? Do you see his kindnesses surpassing every human imagining: "It has not entered the human heart," he says. If then we are ready to imagine them and make our thanksgiving according to our ability, we will be able to win his favor to a further degree and be stimulated to virtue even more. Recollection of his benefits, you see, suffices to impel us towards the struggle of virtue, to fit us to scorn all present realities, to long for the one who has conveyed such benefits, and to betray a desire for him increasing day by day.
(5) This was the reason, remember, that this good man, too, enjoyed favor and regard from on high, that he showed great gratitude for previous blessings. To make the point clearer to you, however, we must propose for the consideration of your good selves the beginning of today's reading.
When he disembarked from the ark, you recall, in accordance with the Lord's direction, along with his sons, his wife and his sons' wives, and with all the wild beasts and the birds, and he received from God together with his [242] release that wonderful blessing that brought him much comfort in the words, "'Increase and multiply," the Sacred Scripture says to teach us the good man's gratitude, "Noe built an altar to the Lord, made a choice of all the clean cattle and all the clean birds, and offered sacrifice on the altar."® Notice precisely, dearly beloved, once more in the present words how the Creator of all implanted in nature itself the precise knowledge
5. 1 Cor 2.9, Chrysostom resisting any temptation to improve on the syntax of Paul's OT quotation.
6. Gen 8.20.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
we have of virtue. I mean, where, tell me, did the good man acquire this attitude? There was no one else whom he might have had before his eyes. But as in the beginning the child of the first formed human being—I mean Abel—was acting under his own impulse in presenting his offering with great exactness, in just the same way in the present case this good man from his own sound thinking and choice offers thanksgiving to the Lord in sacrifices to the extent of human capability, as he was accustomed to do. See him performing everything with great wisdom; he had need 'neither of lavish building nor temple, no marvellous house or anything else.
You see, he knew, he quite clearly knew that the Lord looks only for one's attitude: building an altar from what lay at hand, and making a choice of the clean cattle and the clean birds, he offered sacrifice and as far as he possibly could he demonstrated his gratitude of his own choosing.
(6) The loving God accepted it and rewarded his attitude, and in turn gave evidence of liberality on his part. Scripture says, "The Lord smelt an odor of fragrance."" See how the attitude of the offerer caused the smoke, the odor and any stench arising from it to give off great fragrance. Hence Paul too said in his letter, "Because we are the fragrance of Christ among those being saved and among those being lost; in the one case an odor of death leading to death, in the other case an odor of life leading to life: an odor of fragrance."* Don't be upset at the concreteness of the expression; rather, attribute the considerateness of the words to your own limitations, and understand from it that the good man's offering proved acceptable. You see, so that we may be in a position to know even through these very events the Lord's independence of any need and the fact that he permitted these things to happen for no other purpose than encouraging human beings to gratitude, accordingly he allows them to be consumed by the fire so that the offerers too may learn from what happens
Re Gen 87210 8. 2 Cor 2.15 plus the final phrase from the Gen text, which De Montfaucon notes other editors have expanded to reproduce that entire clause, against the evidence of the MSS.
HOMILY 27
that everything happens for their benefit. But for what reason, tell me, does he allow all this to happen? This likewise is an example of his considerateness for human limitations: when human beings gradually slipped into indifference and were on the point of devising gods for themselves and performing sacrifices to them, he took the precaution of ensuring they would offer them to him so that in this way at any rate he could check the likelihood of their being ensnared in the deadly deceit.
(7) For proof that all this was permitted by him out of considerateness, consider in the ensuing period the fact that he allowed circumcision to be legislated, not because it had any power to contribute to the salvation of the soul, but in order that the children of the Jews might wear it as an index of their gratitude, like some sign or seal, and that it would not be possible for them to be involved in dealings with the Gentiles. [243] Hence blessed Paul also calls it a sign in the words,
"He gave circumcision as a sign, a seal."® You see, for proof that it contributes nothing towards righteousness, behold this good man too, before circumcision had ever been legislated, reaching such a height of virtue. Why mention this? The patriarch Abraham himself before receiving circumcision had been declared righteous on the score of faith alone: before circumcision, the text says, "Abraham believed God, and credit for it brought him to righteousness."!° Why then, O
Jew, do you place great store by circumcision? Learn that before it many people proved themselves good. Abel, for instance, made his offering from faith, as Paul also says:
"Through faith Abel made a greater offering to God than Cain";!! Enoch was taken away, Noe escaped that dreadful flood on the score of great goodness, and Abraham before this was commended for his faith in God. Thus right from the very beginning the human race gained salvation on the basis of faith. The reason, of course, that the loving Lord g. Rom 4.11, "gave" in Chrysostom's text replacing in ours "received," with Abraham as subject. This passage illustrates two kinds of "considerateness," scriptural and historical.
10. Gen 15.6; Rom 4.3.
11. Heb 11:4.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
permitted sacrifices to be offered to him was that, when our nature was still in an imperfect condition, it might be able to express its gratitude and at the same time completely avoid the harmful practice of worshipping idols. You see, if despite such a display of considerateness many people still failed to escape disaster, how could anyone have escaped harm from that unless this had happened?
(8) "The Lord smelt an odor of fragrance." This was not, however, true of the ungrateful Jews. What was the case with them? Listen to the words of the inspired writer: "Incense is an abomination to me"!?—as if to suggest the malice of the offerers' intention. You see, just as in the present case the good man's virtue transformed the smoke and the stench into an odor of fragrance, so in their case the malice of the offerers caused the fragrant incense to smell like an abomination.
Consequently, let us earnestly take every opportunity, I beseech you, to demonstrate a sound attitude. This, after all, proves responsible for all our good things. You see, the good
Lord is accustomed to heed not so much what is done from our own resources as the intention within, on which we depend for our first move in doing these things, and he looks to that in either approving what is done by us or disapproving it. So whether we pray, or fast, or practice almsgiving (these, after all, being our spiritual sacrifices), or perform any other spiritual work, let us begin with a pure intention in performing it so that we may procure a reward worthy of our efforts.
I mean, it would be utterly pointless for us to undergo the effort and yet lose the reward through practicing virtue out of keeping with the laws given by him. It is possible, you see, it is possible through God's ineffable love to win a crown only on the score of our intention, without completing the work.
To be convinced of this, consider, I ask you, this example of almsgiving: when you saw a person in the market place, evicted and suffering extreme hunger, and you felt compassion for him and raised your mind to heaven in thanking the Lord both for your good fortune and for the sufferings of D2 he lsal ters:
HOMILY 27
the starving person, even if you were not in a position to satisfy his hunger, on the basis of your intention you received your reward in full. Hence the Lord, too, remember, said,
"Whoever gives even a cup of cold water on the grounds of discipleship, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward."!3
Is there anything [244] of less value than a cup of cold water?
(g) In any case, however, it is necessary to raise these matters with your good selves so that you may gain a precise knowledge of them and put into practice the security that arises from gratitude. Listen, after all, to what Christ says:
"Whoever gazes at a woman so as to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."'* Do you see in this case also condemnation following from the evil intention and punishment inflicted for the thoughtless gaze as if his adultery had been put into effect? Consequently, with this in mind let us in every circumstance look to our intention so that it may ensure that what is done by us proves acceptable.
You see, if it turned the smoke and the stench into an odor of fragrance, what effect would it not have on this spiritual worship of ours, and how much favor from above would it not ensure we enjoy? "The Lord smelt an odor of fragrance," the text says. Do you see the good man's actions, how as far as the sight of them was concerned they were in fact paltry, yet were shown to be exceeding great on the basis of his pure intention?
(10) Consider now, 1 ask you, the surpassing goodness of the loving Lord: "The Lord God took stock and said, 'I will not proceed further to curse the earth for the deeds of human beings, since the human being's mind is bent on evil from youth. So I will not proceed to smite every living being, as I have done, for the future of the earth.'"!° What a volume of kindness, what magnitude of loving kindness, how ineffable the excess of longsuffering! "The Lord God took stock and said": the expression "took stock" is once again humanly phrased, as if with our nature in mind. "'I.will not proceed
13. Matt 10.42.
14. Matt 5.28.
15. Gen 8.21—22a.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
further to curse the earth for the deeds of human beings.'"
On the first formed human being, remember, he had placed a curse in the words, ""Thorns and thistles let it yield,' and likewise on Cain in similar terms. So when in this case also he inflicted such awful destruction, yet for the purpose of encouraging the good man and leading him to take heart and not be likely to think within himself, what good came of benediction and of the words, "Increase and multiply," if we were to run the risk again of perishing once we grew to great numbers? (Previously, remember, he had said to Adam, "Increase and multiply," though still bringing on the deluge)—so to prevent his having these thoughts and being in constant distress through going over this in his mind, notice instead the Lord's loving kindness: "'I will not proceed further to curse the earth for the deeds of men.'" See how he indicated that he had inflicted the curse on the earth because of their depravity. Then lest we think that he had made this promise because they had changed for the better, he said, "'Because the human's mind is bent on evil from youth.'" A strange form of loving kindness: "'Because the human's mind,'" he says, "'is bent on evil from youth,'" consequently "'I will no longer proceed to curse the earth.'" In other words he is saying, While I demonstrated my power once and a second time, yet since I see evil on the increase, I promise never again to curse the earth. Then by way of revealing the magnitude of his love, he added, "'So I will not proceed to smite every living being, as I have done, for the future of the earth.'"
Notice, I ask you, how in everything he lavishes the greatest consolation on the good man—or rather, not just on the just
[245] man but out of his characteristic goodness on the whole nature of humanity ready to come into existence. That clause, you see, "'So I will not proceed to smite every living being,' " and "'as I have done,'" and "'for the future of the earth'" are indicative of the fact that there would no longer be such a flood nor would such a disaster overwhelm the world. Then he indicates also the permanence of the blessing: "'For the 16. Gen 3.18.
HOMILY 27
future,'" he said—that is, for all time I promise never to betray such anger nor cause such chaos either in the confusion of the seasons or the disorder of the elements.
(11) Hence he went on to add: "'Seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter shall not be interrupted day or night."!"? Unchangeable, he is saying, will this arrangement be; the earth will never cease supplying its resources to the race of human beings or granting rewards for the hard work of farming, nor will the seasons be interchanged. Instead, cold and heat, summer and winter will be the sequence of each year. You see, since for the period of the deluge a certain confusion occurred in all this arrangement and this good man lived in the ark all this time as if it were one single night, hence God said, Now neither day nor night shall leave its proper course, but rather their service will be uninterrupted to the end of time.
(12) Do you see the comfort quite sufficient and capable of uplifting the good man's spirit? Do you see how much reward he receives for his gratitude? Listen also to what follows as a further example of God's unspeakable generosity. "God blessed Noe and his sons," the text goes on. "He said to them,
'Increase and multiply, fill the earth and gain dominion over it. All the animals of the earth will be in fear and dread of you, all the birds of heaven, everything moving on the earth and all the fish of the sea; I have put them all under your control. Every living creature is there for your food—I have given you them all as I did the green grass—except you are not to eat flesh with its lifeblood in it.'"'* Here it is proper to marvel at the extraordinary degree of the Lord's goodness; notice, I ask you, once again this good man being accorded the same blessing as Adam, and through his virtue recovering
17. Gen 8.22b, from which Chrysostom detaches those first few words about the earth's future. This time Chrysostom has honored the dogmatic significance of vv. 21-22 in his commentary, so that the modern commentator Von Rad merely paraphrases him: "The contrast between God's punishing anger and his supporting grace, which pervades the whole Bible, is here presented quite untheologically, even almost inappropriately" (Genesis, 123).
18. Gen g.1—4, with a slight assimilation in v. 1 to the similar priestly expression in 1.28, perhaps to reinforce Chrysostom's immediate comment.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
the control previously lost—or rather, on account of the Lord's ineffable love. I mean, as he said in the case of the former man, "'Increase and multiply, fill the earth and gain dominion over it; have control of the fish of the sea, the reptiles, the birds of heaven and the animals of earth,'"'* so now he says, "'All the animals of the earth will be in fear and dread of you, and all the birds of heaven. Every living creature is there for your food—I have given you them all as I did the green grass—except you are not to eat flesh with its lifeblood in it.'" Notice the same rule as that imposed on the first formed man, but differently observed: just as in that case, after entrusting him with control over everything and providing him with enjoyment of things in the garden, he bade him abstain from one tree only, in just the same way in this case, after the blessing and making him an object of fear to the animals and putting the birds under his control, he said, "'Every living creature is there for your food—I have given you them all as I did the green grass.'"
(13) From this the eating of meat takes its beginning, not for the purpose of prompting them to gluttony, [246] but since some of the people were about to offer sacrifices and make thanksgiving to the Lord, he grants them authority over food and obviates any anxiety lest they seem to be abstaining from food on the score of its being consecrated. "'I have given you them all,'" he says, "'as I did the green grass.'" Then, as in the case of Adam he instructed him to abstain from the one tree while enjoying the others, so in this case too, after permitting the consumption of them all without hesitation, he says, "'except you are not to eat flesh with its lifeblood in it.'" So what does this statement mean? It means "strangled," for an animal's blood is its soul. So since they were about to offer sacrifices in the form of animals, he is more or less teaching them in these words that as long as the blood has been set aside for me, the flesh is for you. By doing this, however, he checks ahead of time any impulse of theirs for homicide.
1g. Gen 1.28, with variations from Chrysostom's previous text in Homily 10.
HOMILY 27
(14) To prove this, and also that he does these things out of a wish to make them thereby more cautious, listen to what follows. "'For your own lifeblood, you see, (he is saying) I will require an account of all the animals, and of a man I will require an account for his brother's life.'"2° What does that mean? Is blood in fact the soul of the human being? It does not say so—perish the thought; instead, it is employing a human form of expression, as if you were to say to someone, I hold your blood in my hands—that is, I have the power of life and death over you. For proof that blood is not the soul of the human being, listen to Christ's words: " 'Don't be afraid of those who kill the body but are incapable of killing the soul.'"?! See the extent of the contrast he made.
(15) "'Whoever sheds someone's blood, his own will be shed in payment for that person's blood, because I have made the human being in God's image.' "?? Consider, I ask you, how much fear he struck in them with that remark. Even if kinship proves no obstacle, he is saying, nor fellowship of nature restrains you from evil endeavor and, on the contrary, you thrust aside brotherly feeling and become completely committed to this bloody deed, consider the fact that the person has been created in God's image, the degree of honor accorded him by God, and the fact that he has received authority over all creation—and then give up your murderous intent. So what does he mean? If someone has committed countless murders and shed so much blood, how can he give adequate satisfaction simply by the shedding of his own blood? Don't have these thoughts, human being that you are; instead, consider that before long he will receive an immortal body of the kind that will have the capacity to undergo constant and everlasting punishment.
(16) Notice, however, this point as well, how the command was given with precision: whereas in the case of the human being he said, Don't shed blood, in the case of the brute beasts he did not say, Don't shed it, but, ""Except you are not 20. Gen 9.5.
21. Matt 10.28.
22. Gen g.6.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
to eat flesh with the lifeblood in it.'" In one case, Don't shed it, in this case, Don't eat it. Do you see how little burden is imposed by his laws? how light and easy his directions? how he looks for nothing burdensome and demanding from our nature? Some people, of course, say animals' blood is heavy, earthy and nauseating; we on the contrary ought show our observance to arise not from that reason of greater logic but from the Law of the Lord.
(17) Then, so that we might learn precisely the reason why he displayed such precision in this direction, and the fact that in restraining human beings' murderous intent he said, ""You, however, increase and multiply, [247] fill the earth and gain dominion over it,'"?* he did not idly say, "'You, however,'" but as if to say, Few though you be and few in number, fill the whole earth and gain dominion over it—that is to say, have control, authority and enjoyment. Notice God's loving kindness, how first he bestows great benefits and only then gives as well law and instruction. Just as in the case of Adam, after placing him in the garden and granting him so much enjoyment, he then imposed on him abstinence from the tree, so also in this case too, after promising never again to inflict such disaster or display such anger but rather to allow all the elements to continue unmoved until the end of time, each keeping to its peculiar course and its particular arrangement, and after bestowing blessings on human beings, favoring them with the pristine authority over all the animals, and guaranteeing them security in their carnivorous diet, he then said, "'Except you are not to eat flesh with the lifeblood in it.'" Do you see how he first blesses and displays his ineffable love and then gives commands? And yet in the case of human beings this would never happen. People, you see, first want to give effect to what they have commanded, and they manifest great regard for those who accept their commands and see to their discharge, and only then reward those showing complete obedience. With the common Lord of all, however,
23. Gen 9.7, Chrysostom's text again differing from the Hebrew as at v.
1, though Speiser commends the avoidance of obvious dittography in Hebrew "multiply" (Genesis, 57).
HOMILY 27
it is just the opposite: first he bestows blessing and draws our nature to himself with the plenitude of his blessings, and then gives commands that are light and easy, his purpose being to arouse us with his previous blessings and the ease of the commands, and thus cajole us into carrying out the latter.
(18) Accordingly, let us not be indifferent, dearly beloved, nor prove quite reluctant in heeding his commands, when we consider his previous benefits, the ease of his commands and the magnitude of the promised rewards stored up for us after their fulfilment; rather, let us be on the alert and show enthusiasm for the performance of the directions given us by God. Let us not forsake the ways he has given our nature for achieving the salvation of our soul; instead, let us employ as we should the time remaining in our life, and gain for ourselves in advance great confidence, especially at present when there is still part of the holy season of Lent remaining. You see, the number of days remaining is not really small if we are determined to make some improvement in our frame of mind. I said this, however, not because the correction of our faults requires so much time, but because we have such a kind and loving Lord, who has no need of a long time provided we approach him with much warmth and vigilance, warding off from ourselves all worldly cares and relying on grace from above. The Ninevites also, remember, weighed down though they were with such a mass of sins, when they applied themselves to a keen and intense repentance did not need more than three days to arouse God's goodness and to render void the sentence passed against them. Why mention the Ninevites? The thief on the cross did not need even one day. Why mention one day? Not even a brief hour. Such is God's loving kindness in our regard: when he sees the course of our intention, [248] he does not hesitate or delay; instead, he rapidly brings his liberality to the fore and says, "While you are still speaking, I will say, 'See, here I amy 7'**
(19) Accordingly, he will so treat us if we are prepared to give evidence of a degree of zeal in these few days, capitalize
24. Isa 58.9.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
as we ought on the assistance coming from fasting, and make atonement for our indifference by directing fervent prayers to the Lord, shedding warm tears, constantly confessing our sins, submitting our wounds and showing our ulcers as if to a physician and looking for healing from him, as well as bringing to bear other resources of our own—a contrite heart, an exact compunction, generous almsgiving—checking the other passions that disturb our thinking, and ridding our soul of them, not being beset by lust for material gain, bearing neither a grudge against our neighbor, nor hostility against our peers. Nothing, after all, does God so detest and abhor as the person who bears a grudge and constantly maintains hostility in his soul against his neighbor. The harm of this sin is such that it even revokes God's loving kindness! For proof of this, I want to remind you of the parable contained in the gospel, where the man who had received the loan of ten thousand talents from his master fell at his feet and begged and implored him. The text says, remember, "The master took pity on him, discharged him from his obligation and released him from his debt."?° Do you see the master's compassion? The servant had fallen on his knees and begged a longer time be granted him for repayment. " 'Have patience with me,'" the text says, remember, "'and I will pay it all back to you.'"'° The good master, however, being caring and loving, yielded to the suppliant's prayers and granted not only as much as he asked but more than he had ever imagined.
This, you see, is his manner, always to surpass and anticipate our requests. Consequently, when that servant begged for indulgence to be shown and promised to make payment in full, the Lord, who in his goodness overlooks our faults, was then moved with pity, discharged him from his obligation and released him from his debt. Do you see, on the one hand, what the servant requested and, on the other, how much the Lord granted him?
(20) Notice likewise this very man's unreasonableness: whereas he ought to have conducted himself with fellow-feeling to25. Matt 18.27.
26.. Matt 18.26.
HOMILY 27
wards his peers in accordance with the marvellous love shown to him, instead he demonstrated the opposite. The text says,
"He went out," this very man who had received a remission of a debt of ten thousand talents. Listen carefully, I beseech you: what happened to this man is sufficient to touch our heart and persuade us to rid our thinking of this baleful disease. "This man went out," then, "and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii." Notice how great the difference: in one case the fellow servant owing him a hundred denarii, in the other the master was the creditor, and the sum in question was ten thousand talents, yet on seeing him begging on his knees he yielded. This servant, on the contrary, "took hold of him by the throat and said, 'Pay me whatever you owe.'"?' What then? The text goes on, "His fellow servant fell to his knees." See how constantly the evangelist repeats this word, "his fellow servant," not idly but for us to learn that there was no difference between them. Yet this man had [249] made the same plea to him that he had made to his master, in the words, "'Have patience with me, and I will pay it all back to you.' But he ignored his plea and threw him into prison until he paid all that was owing to him."28 O what an excess of ingratitude! Despite having fresh in his memory the exercise of so much generosity, he still failed to entertain any compassionate thoughts; instead, he first seized his fellow by the throat, then he cast him into prison.
(21) But see what happens. "On seeing this, however," the text says, "his fellow servants were upset; they went and brought to the notice of their master all that had happened.""? It was not that other servant who grieved (how could he, after all, lying in prison as he was), but his fellow servants, those who, while not being wronged, behaved as though they had been wronged; they were distressed in that way, and went and brought everything out into the open. But now notice the master's anger: "Then summoning him," the 27. Matt 18.28.
28. Matt 18.30.
29. Matt 18.31.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
text goes on, "he said, 'Wicked servant.'"
You can get a true picture here of the extent of the damage wrought by the malicious behavior: the master did not call him evil when he was dishonest about the ten thousand talents, but only at this point, when he proved harsh to his fellow servant. " "Wicked servant," he said, "'I forgave you all your debt when you begged me.'"*° See how he shows the extremity of the man's wickedness! Surely you could have exerted yourself further?
Did you not speak only paltry words to me, and yet I accepted your supplication and discharged all that huge debt beyond all telling? "'Should you also not have had mercy on your fellow servant as I had mercy on you?'"'! What excuse could you claim if, while I the master discharged such a heavy weight of debts on account of those paltry words, you on the contrary had no mercy on that fellow servant of equal standing with yourself, nor did you yield to his entreaties, nor did you recall to mind the favors done you by me and display some compassion towards him; instead, you proved unmerciful and inhumane, and refused to have pity on your fellow servant. Hence in this case you are to learn from experience the extent of the troubles to which you have made yourself liable. "Falling into a rage the master handed him over to the torturers." Notice also the master now enraged on account of his inhumanity to his fellow servant, and his handing him over to the torturers; what didn't happen previously when the servant was Owing so many debts he now orders to happen.
"He handed him over to the torturers until he paid his debt in full"**—until (the text says) he should repay all those ten thousand talents which he had previously been forgiven.
(22) Great is God's loving kindness and beyond all telling: when the servant practiced his wiles in playing the suppliant, he released him from his obligation; but when he saw him proving harsh and inhumane, then he revoked his characteristic generosity for the future to show him through the events themselves that he had wronged him more than he had his
30. Matt 18.32.
31. Matt 18.33.
32. Matt 18.34.
HOMILY 27
fellow servant. Just as he had thrown his fellow servant into prison until he paid what was owing, so likewise the master handed him over to the torturers until he should repay his debt in full. These words, however, about talents and denarii he did not speak idly; instead, his words are about sin and the immensity of our failings, so that we may learn that, though we are due to pay a debt to the Lord for our countless faults, we receive from him a remission of them on account of his ineffable love. If, however, we prove harsh and inhumane towards our fellow servants and our peers and those who share our nature with us, and do not cancel the faults they commit against us, but rather act badly on the grounds of those peccadillos (after all, whatever the difference between a hundred denarii and ten thousand [250] talents, so much the greater the difference between our sins against the Lord and those done us by our peers), then we will call down on our own heads the Lord's anger, and for the debts of which we have received remission we will force him to require strict accounting under torture.
(23) You see, for us to learn precisely that the Lord constructed this parable for the benefit of our souls, listen to the epilogue: ""This is what your Father in heaven will do to you if each of you does not forgive his brother his failings from his heart.'"*? Great is the gain from this parable, if only we are prepared to heed it; how could we extend as much forgiveness as is extended to us by the Lord? Whereas we extend forgiveness to our fellow servants—and then only if we are in the mood—it is from the Lord that we in our turn receive remission. Notice also the precision of the expression: he did not simply say, If you do not forgive people their sins, but what? "'If each of you does not forgive his brother his failings from his heart.'" Notice how he wants even our hearts to have the good fortune to enjoy peace and quiet, our thinking to be undisturbed and rid of every passion, and ourselves to demonstrate great loving kindness towards our neighbor.
Elsewhere too you can hear him saying this: "'If you forgive 33. Matt 18.35.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
people their failings, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.'"*4 So let us not think when we do this that it is to someone else we are doing a good turn or bestowing a great favor on them. It is we ourselves, after all, who reap the benefit of our good dead, and accord great gain to ourselves from the action, just as, if we fail to do it, we likewise do not manage to wrong them but lay up for ourselves the unspeakable torment of hell fire.
(24) Consequently, I beseech you, let us keep this in mind and no longer bear to hold a grudge against those who have done us an injury or otherwise wronged us in some way, nor be badly disposed towards them; instead, let us consider of how much kindness and confidence for us with the Lord they prove to be instruments, and before all else the fact that reconciliation with those who injure us turns out to be a discharge of our sins. Thus let us show all enthusiasm and effort, and out of consideration of the gain accruing from this let us display as much care of those who injure us as if they were really our benefactors. In other words, if we look at things in the cold light of reason, those kindly disposed towards us and those anxious to serve our every need will not succeed in benefiting us as service of those others, which will render us deserving of favor from above and will lighten the load of our sins. Consider, dearly beloved, how important is this virtuous behavior to judge from the rewards promised by the God of all things to those who practice it. He said, remember, "'Love your enemies, bless those who persecute you, pray for those who abuse you,'"*® since these directions were very demanding and aspiring to the very summit of perfection, he added, "'so that you may be like your Father in heaven, because he makes his sun rise on good and evil, and sends rain on just and unjust.'"%° Do you see whom that person resembles—as far as is humanly possible—who not only takes no vengeance on those who harm him, but even shows
34. Matt 6.14.
35Chrysostom here seems to achieve a conflation of Matt 5.44 and Luke 6.27
36. Cf. Matt 5.45.
HOMILY 27
zeal in praying for them? Accordingly, let us not deprive ourselves through indifference of such gifts and rewards surpassing [251] all description, but rather evince enthusiasm for this kind of virtue by every means and, by disciplining our thinking, respond to God's command.
(25) After all, the reason that I delivered this exhortation in the present case and brought the parable to the fore, and the reason for demonstrating the importance of virtuous behavior and the extent of the gain accruing to us from it, was that while there is still time each of us should exert ourselves, in the event of there being someone at enmity with him, to reconcile him by means of assiduous attention. Let no one tell me that he has made overtures once and a second time but his enemy has not come round: if we approach this with unmixed motives, we will not give up before we prevail through intense supplication, and thus win him over and turn him from his hostility to us. I mean, surely it is not he who is the recipient of gifts from us? It is to us that benefits come: we win favor from God, we secure remission of sins for ourselves, and gain from this great confidence with the Lord. If we behave this way, we will be able with a clear conscience to approach this sacred, awe-inspiring table and pronounce with confidence those words associated with the prayer. The initiated know what is to be said. Hence I leave it to the conscience of each one to know how by discharging this command we can with confidence utter these words at that fearful time. If, however, we fall into indifference, what terrible condemnation would we bring on ourselves by doing the opposite of our words, daring to pronounce the words of the prayer idly and without thought, fuelling a more intense fire for ourselves, and calling down on us the Lord's anger?
(26) I rejoice and am gratified to see you hearing the words with pleasure and showing through your applause that you are anxious to be ready and to put into practice this exhortation of the Lord. This, after all, is physic for your soul, this is balm for your wounds, this the best way to win the satisfaction of God, this the surest sign of a soul that loves God—to accept everything on account of the Law of the Lord and not
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
to be overcome by the limitations of reasoning, but instead to prove superior to passions by recollecting the kindnesses daily done us by God. No matter how much effort we expend, we will be unable to express the least part of the benefits already accorded us, nor those happening to us daily, nor the good things laid up for us on condition of our putting into practice the commands given us from him. Accordingly, let each of us in leaving here perform this good work, show enthusiasm for it as if for the most wonderful treasure and not delay in the slightest. Even if we have to labor, even if we have to search, even if we have to go on a long journey, even if there are certain difficulties, let us dispose of all these problems. Let us make it our concern how we may put into practice the command of the Lord, and thus gain the reward of obedience. After all, surely I am not ignorant that it seems a difficult and burdensome duty to make approaches to the person who nourished grievances and enmity against you, and to stand and converse with him? If, however, you consider the dignity of the promise and the greatness of the reward and the fact that the effect of kindly behavior reaches not only the beneficiary but also you yourself, everything will seem to you light and easy.
(27) Accordingly, let us turn this over in our mind, and so get the better of habit and with pious thinking fulfil Christ's commands so that we may also be judged worthy of rewards from him, thanks to the grace and love of his goodness, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, power and honor, now and forever, for ages of ages. Amen.