HOMILY 29
HOMILY 29
"Noe, the first tiller of the soil, planted a vineyard. He drank some wine and got drunk."
Y NOW [260] WE HAVE REACHED the final stage of our presentation dealing with the just man. Hence, I = beseech you, summon up your attention and heed my words precisely. From today's reading, you see, it is possible to reap benefits that are not small or accidental: what happened to people of former ages proves to be a subject of the greatest instruction for us, provided we are ready to be alert.
This, I mean, is the reason that a record has been kept of their sins, that we may shun the latter and emulate the former—and not only to this end, but as well Sacred Scripture shows you good people often failing, and sinners giving evidence of radical conversion, so that from both sources we may achieve sufficient assurance, the man who stands firm not being over-confident once he sees the just losing their step, nor the man in sin not despairing thanks to the prospect of many people making amends and managing to ascend to the very summit. So let none of you, I beg you, grow overconfident, even should they be conscious of their many achievements, but rather be anxious, [261] heeding the recommendation of blessed Paul's words, "So let the one who seems to stand firm take care not to fall."? Let the one who has slumped to the very depths of evil not despair of his own salvation, but rather consider God's unspeakable love and 1. Gen g.20-21, where Speiser suggests the Hebrew would be better translated, "Noe, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard." Chrysostom's commentary shows he, too, grasped that sense, despite the LXX text.
1 Cor 10.12.
HOMILY 29
also heed God speaking through the inspired author, "Does whoever falls rise again; does the one who turns away return?"* and again, "I don't wish the sinner's death as much as his turning from evil to live."* Do you see, dearly beloved, how every item written in Sacred Scripture has been recorded for no other purpose than our benefit and the salvation of the human race?
(2) With this in mind, then, let each of us apply the remedies from Scripture appropriate to ourselves. This, you see, is the reason these matters are freely proposed to everyone: people of good will are able to apply the fitting remedy to the ailment that is threatening them and secure a rapid return to health—provided someone doesn't resist the healing processes of the treatment, but rather gives evidence of personal gratitude. There is, after all, no ailment of soul or body besetting the human race which cannot come to healing from this source. Why is that, tell me? A person comes to this source burdened with care and the pressure of affairs, and on that account is overwhelmed with despair on entering— only to hear at once the words of the inspired author, "Why are you grief-stricken, my soul, and why do you disquiet me?
Hope in God, for I shall praise him, my God, the help of my countenance"';® receiving sufficient encouragement from this, he goes away throwing off all that faintheartedness. Likewise another person is oppressed by poverty and at his last gasp, depressed at seeing others flush with money, full of their own importance and putting on airs; this person in turn hears the words of the same inspired author, "Cast your care upon the Lord, and he will sustain you";> and again, "Don't worry when someone becomes rich and the luxury of his house increases, because at his death he will not take any of it with him."? Another person, too, is in dire straits through being subjected to scheming and calumnies, and finds life insupportable, unable to find human help from any quarter; but this person too is instructed by this blessed author in the 3. Jer 8.4.
4. Ezek 18.23 in a LXX variant.
5. Ps 42.5-6.
6.7Ps 55.22% 7. Ps 49.16—-17.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
midst of such terrible difficulties not to take refuge in human resource—listen, after all, to his words, "While I remembered them in prayer, they spoke calumnies against me."* Do you see from what source he looks for assistance? Other people, he is saying, concoct schemes and calumnies and plots, whereas
I take refuge in the unassailable rampart, in the firm anchor, in the haven waves cannot threaten—that is, in prayer, by means of which all difficulties are made light and easy for me.
(3) Still another is despised and scorned by those who formerly cultivated him, and is deserted by his friends, and this worries him and disturbs his peace of mind. This person, too, however, will hear the words of this blessed author, provided he is willing and approaches this source, "My friends and neighbors came and took a position against me, those close to me kept their distance; those bent on taking my life did violence to me, those intending evil against me talked sweet nothings but had their mind on trickery all the day."® Do you see them concocting schemes to the very death and declaring war to the finish? In other words, the phrase, "all the day," means all during life. So what was he doing while they were scheming and plotting these things? "I, however," he says,
"am like a deaf person, I do not hear, and am like [262] a mute not opening his mouth; I became like one who does not hear and has no reproof on his lips."!° Do you see the extraordinary degree of his wisdom, how he survived difficult ways? While his opponents were concocting schemes, he even blocked his ears so as not to hear; while they at no time ceased sharpening their tongue and uttering gossip and lies, he checked their folly with his silence. Why did he cast himself in this role, giving the impression of being a deaf mute with neither ears nor tongue, especially as they were plotting these stratagems? Listen to his explanation for such wisdom:
"Because I had placed my hope in you, Lord."!! Because I depended on my hope in you, he is saying, it was of no inter8. Ps 109.4. g. Ps 38.11-12 LXX.
10. Ps 38.13-14. iPS 3 8aGs
HOMILY 29
est to me what was done by them: your grace is sufficient to undermine all that, to render their plots and schemes futile, and to allow none of the plans hatched by them to take effect.
(4) Do you see how it is possible to find in Scripture a remedy appropriate to every trouble afflicting the human race and go off healed, to dispel every depression that life causes and not be brought low by any circumstance befalling us? For this reason I beseech you to make your way here frequently, and attend carefully to the reading of the Holy Scriptures, not only while you are present here but also at home by taking the sacred books in your hand and receiving the benefit of their contents with assiduity. Great, you see, is the advantage accruing from this: first, this very fact of the tongue's being brought to reform through reading; then the soul too is given wings and becomes elevated, glowing with the light of the Sun of Justice, freed at that time from the harm of evil thoughts and enjoying great peace and tranquility. What bodily nourishment is for the maintenance of our strength, reading is for the soul. You see, its nourishment is spiritual, and it both invigorates the mind and makes the soul strong, better attuned and wiser, no longer allowing it to fall victim to irrational impulses but even rendering its wings light and transferring it to heaven itself, so to say.
(5) Accordingly, let us not neglect such a great advantage, I beseech you; instead, let us show all zeal in attending to the reading of the holy Scriptures in our home as well, and when we come along here let us not waste our time in gossip and idle talk, but rather respect the purpose for which we have come, by rousing ourselves and heeding what is being read so that we may gain greater advantage and so take our leave from here. If the chances were that in coming here you would further waste your time in idle and unprofitable conversation and wend your way home after receiving no further benefit from the spoken word, what would be the good of that? I mean, how could it be other than illogical if, on the one hand, we went off to a secular festival and were enthusiastic about gaining everything possible from the festival before heading home, and had spent our money on this while, on the other
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
hand, when we come here we show no enthusiasm about gaining any advantage or paying attention to our soul before departing, especially as there is no call to be involved in expense but only to bring an eagerness and attentive attitude? Lest, therefore, we prove worse than people attending secular festivals, let us be zealous to give evidence of careful attention and alertness [263] so as to take away with us as we go from here food for the journey; thus we shall not only manage for ourselves but also be of assistance to others and be in a position to direct our wife, our household, our neighbors, our friends and even our enemies. Spiritual teachings, you see, are like that: matters applicable to everyone are proposed, nor is any distinction made in them except in so far as one person brings an attentive mind to the task and outdoes his neighbor in fervent enthusiasm.
(6) Since, therefore, the benefit accruing from the present teachings also is so considerable, come now, let us put before you the text we have read, reap the benefit arising from it, and thus make our way home. "Noe, first tiller of the soil," the text goes on, "planted a vineyard. He drank some wine and got drunk." Notice how the very beginning of this reading proves to be an occasion of much benefit to us. You see, whenever we hear that this just man, perfect though he was and recipient of testimony from on high, drarik wine and got drunk, how much zeal should we now show, immersed as we are in such terrible sins of all kinds, in shunning the harm that comes from drunkenness? And yet this just man's becoming victim of this vice is not the same thing as our falling into the same habit: there are many factors that suggest this good man deserves forgiveness. I say this not to defend drunkenness but to show that the just man came to grief not through intemperance but rather from ignorance. For proof that it was not out of rashness that he got to know how to drink wine, listen to the very words of Scripture, which also offer an excuse in the expressions used. "Noe, first tiller of the soil," the text says, "planted a vineyard. He drank some wine and got drunk." That very word "first" shows that he made the first discovery of wine drinking, and through ig-
HOMILY 29
norance and inexperience of the proper amount to drink fell into a drunken stupor. This is not the only relevant factor; being also in the grip of deep depression he wanted to derive from this indulgence consolation for himself, as a sage also has said, "Let people in distress have wine and those in pain strong drink,"!? which shows that nothing can prove such a good remedy for depression as recourse to this, aside from the fact that in some cases intemperance undermines the benefit coming from it. Who can deny that this just man was deeply distressed to see himself so isolated, people's bodies strewn about before his eyes and the one tomb serving them as well as cattle and wild animals?
(7) It is, after all, the practice of the prophets and the just to grieve not only for themselves but for the rest of mankind.
If you're inclined to check that, you will find them all giving evidence of this compassion—for example, you can listen to Isaiah's words, "Don't put yourself out to comfort me for the destruction of the daughter of my people";'? or Jeremiah, on the other hand, "Who will pour water on my head, and provide a fountain of tears for my eyes?"'* or Ezekiel, "Alas,
Lord, will you destroy what remains of Israel?"!° or Daniel lamenting in these words, "You have made us few in number by comparison with the gentiles";!° or Amos, "Think better of this, Lord";!7 or Habakkuk, "Why do you show me pain and trouble?"!* and again, "You will make people like the fish of the sea."!? You can even listen to the words of this blessed author Moses himself: "If you forgive them their sin, do so; but if not, wipe me out also";"° and again when God promised to entrust him with responsibility [264] for a greater nation in the words, "Let me be: I will destroy this people and make you into a great nation,"2! Moses did not choose this alter12. Prov 31.6.
13. Isa 22.4.
14. Jer 8.23 LXX.
15. Ezek 9.8.
16. Does Chrysostom have in mind Dan 3.37 in the LXX?
17. Amos 7.3 LXX.
Ss dabeieg.
19. Hab 1.14, where the future sense is otiose and not reproduced in modern versions.
20. Exod 32.32.
21. A paraphrase of Exod 32.10.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
native, considering instead command over them preferable.
The world's teacher, blessed Paul, too said, "I would wish myself to be lost to Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen by race."
(8) Do you see how each of the just demonstrated great compassion for his fellows? Now consider in the situation of this just man, too, how much it was likely he was experiencing and how he was overcome with depression to see both the intensity of the awful solitude, and the earth itself, which previously had been bedecked with numerous plants and beautified with flowers, and now suddenly like plucked foliage turned out to be bare and empty. So, since the intensity of his depression was so profound through finding little encouragement for himself in his situation, he gave himself up to cultivation of the soil—hence the text says, "Noe, first tiller of the soil, planted a vineyard."
(g) It is worth enquiring, however, whether he personally invented the growing of crops at this stage, or if this was the result of creation right from the very outset. While it is likely that this was created right from the very outset on the sixth day, when "God saw all that he had made, and lo, it was very good"* ("God," the text says, remember, "rested on the seventh day from all the works he had done'**), yet the usefulness of crop-growing was hardly known. You see, if cropgrowing had been known right from the very outset, or its produce obvious, doubtless Abel would have made a libation of wine as well in making his offerings. But as ignorance still prevailed regarding the use of produce, they did not take advantage of crop-growing. Noe, however, being inventive in regard to farming, and given to great industry, probably tasted even the fruit, pressed some bunches of grapes, made wine and had a draught of it. Since he had neither tasted it before, nor knew anyone else who had partaken of it, he didn't know how much he should take nor the manner in _ 22. Rom 9.3. Chrysostom is finding it difficult to stay with the day's reading, and has indulged in a lengthy introduction and digression, assembling a vast mosaic of biblical texts.
23. Gen 1.31.
24. Gen 2.2.
HOMILY 29
which to take a share and so, through ignorance he was surprised into drunkenness. A further reason, however, was that since a carnivorous diet had been introduced into life, now wine drinking was, too. But notice, dearly beloved, how little by little the organization of the universe is provided for, each person proving to be an inventor of some skill from the beginning under the influence of intelligence from God implanted in nature; in this way he introduced practice of skills into life. The first man, remember, invented cultivation of the soil; after him one invented the tending of flocks, another the raising of cattle, one music, another metalwork; this just man, on the other hand, devised vinedressing from the instruction implanted in his nature. "Noe, first tiller of the soil, planted a vineyard. He drank some wine and got drunk." Notice how the remedy for depression, the restorative for his health, when through ignorance he went to excess, not only did not help him, but even harmed his constitution.
(10) [265] Perhaps, on the other hand, someone might say, Why was vinedressing, source of such terrible wickedness, introduced into life? Don't idly blurt out what comes into your head, o man: vinedressing is not wicked nor is wine evil— rather, it is use of them beyond the norm. You see, dreadful sins arise not from wine but from one's depraved attitude and through undermining the benefit that should naturally come from it because of intemperance. The reason that now after the deluge he shows you the use of wine is that you may learn that before using wine the human race had both come to grief in unbridled licentiousness and given evidence of extremity of sinfulness before wine had even appeared. This was also that, when you see the way wine is used, you would not attribute it all to wine but to the depraved intention bent on evil. Consider especially where wine has proved useful, and tremble, o man: in this consideration the basis of the good things involved in our salvation is worked out. Those who have an insight into spiritual realities understand this saying.
(11) "Noe, first tiller of the soil, planted a vineyard. He drank some wine and got drunk, and lay naked in his dwell-
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
ing." A terrible thing, you see, dearly beloved, a terrible thing is drunkenness, capable of dulling the senses and drowning the mind: man, rational and entrusted with responsibility for all creatures though he is, is thus shackled with unbreakable bonds and brought low like a motionless corpse. Worse in fact than a corpse: a corpse happens to be incapable of either good or evil, while the inebriate is incapable of good but more capable of evil; he lies there, an object of ridicule to all alike—wife, children, even the neighbors. I mean, whereas one's friends consider their own shame and hide their head in embarrassment, one's enemies on the contrary gloat over it and pour out ridicule and curses, as if uttering these words: has that fellow the right to draw breath? Beast! Pig!—and even harsher words than that. Inebriates, you see, are worse off than men returning from war with bloodstained hands and themselves on stretchers: such men are perhaps praised by many people on account of their spoils, their victories, their wounds and their bloody exploits, whereas inebriates are declared wretched, branded as despicable, and made the object of countless insults. After all, what could be more despicable than the person addicted to drink, reeking of it to high heaven day in day out, having lost the judgment of reason?
Hence the warning of some sage, "Human life begins with bread and water, clothing and a dwelling to cover one's ugliness,'?> so that even if one falls a victim to drunkenness, one does not make a public spectacle of oneself but is kept out of sight by one's friends and not left to be an object of mockery and ridicule for everyone.
(12) "Noe, first tller of the soil, planted a vineyard," the text says. "He drank some wine, and got drunk." The word for drunkenness, dearly beloved, is not always used in Sacred
Scripture for that failing only, but also for satiety. So you could say about this just man that, far from falling victim to drunkenness through intemperance, he was brought into that condition through satiety. Listen, after all, to David's words:
"They will become intoxicated from the richness of your 2h aot) 20221
HOMILY 29
house"?°—that is, they will be filled. On the other hand, those who give themselves up to drunkenness never have their fill; the more wine they imbibe, the more they burn with thirst, and indulgence proves to be a constant fuelling of their thirst; by the time all that remains of the pleasure [266] has disappeared, the thirst proves to be unquenchable and leads the victims of drunkenness to the very precipice.
(13) "He planted a vineyard," the text says; "he drank some wine, got drunk and lay naked in his dwelling." See this happening to him, not somewhere out in the open, but in his dwelling. The reason Sacred Scripture indicated to us that it was "in his dwelling" was that you might see from the sequel the gravity of the wickedness of the one who drew attention to his nakedness. "Cham, the father of Canaan," the text goes on, "saw their father's nakedness; he went out and told his two brothers outside about it."?" Perhaps if there had been others present, he would have mentioned his father's predicament to them too—such was the son's depravity. You see, for the reason that you might learn that right from the very beginning he was corrupt in attitude, it was not by chance that Scripture said that Cham saw his father's nakedness. Instead, why? "Cham, the father of Canaan, saw." Why, tell me, does he mention his son's name at this point too? For you to learn that he was intemperate and incontinent, and with the same inclination with which he gave himself to procreation in such a terrible situation, he now vented his insolence on his father.
(14) "He went out," the text says, "and told his two brothers outside." Notice, I ask you, in this case, dearly beloved, how his evil behavior is rooted not in human nature but in his attitude and inclination; they had the same nature, notice, they were brothers and had the same father, were born of the same pangs, fell under the same parental care, and yet did not betray the same inclinations: whereas one plunged headlong into evil, the others abided by their duty of respect for their father. Perhaps, however, in mocking and ridiculing his father's predicament he drew attention to it without heeding
26. Ps 36.8.
27. Gen 9.22.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
the words of some sage, "Don't seek notoriety from your father's dishonor."?® Yet his brothers didn't behave that way; instead, what? On hearing this, "Shem and Japheth took a cloak, put it on both their backs, went in backwards and covered their father's nakedness; with their faces turned away they did not see their father's nakedness." Do you see these sons' right attitude? While one drew attention to it, the others refrained even from looking at it; instead, they moved with gaze averted so that they might do the right thing by covering their father's nakedness. Notice also their restraint as well as their right attitude: they neither railed at him nor upbraided him but, when they heard his words, they made it their one concern to right the situation speedily and give evidence of behavior directed at respecting their father. "With their faces turned away," the text says, "they did not see their father's nakedness." Great was the sons' respect, and this is shown to us not only through their act of covering their father but also through their not bearing to see him.
(15) Accordingly, let us learn from this case also and gain from both instances by imitating the latter two sons and shunning the example of the former. After all, if the man who drew attention to obvious nakedness rendered himself liable to a curse and by forfeiting the respect he shared with his brothers was condemned to serve them (if not himself in person, at least all his offspring), what fate awaits those who draw attention to the sins of their brethren, not merely not concealing them but even making them more conspicuous and by this means blowing the sins up out of all proportion? You see, whenever you publicize a brother's fault, you not only make him more shameless and perhaps more lethargic in his progress towards virtue, but you also render the listeners more indifferent and encourage [267] them in their sloth— and not merely this, but also the fact that you are responsible for God being blasphemed. Still, no one is unaware how heavy the punishment this brings those who are responsible.
So let us, I beg you, avoid Cham's example, and instead imi28. Sir 3.10.
29. Gen 9.23.
HOMILY 29
tate the sense of shame shown by these respectful sons in regard to their father's nakedness; let us in that fashion keep under cover our brethren's sins, not for the purpose of encouraging them to indifference but that we may thereby in particular provide them with an even better occasion of ridding themselves promptly of that terrible affliction and of returning to the path of virtue. You see, just as such return is rendered easier for a sober person by the fact of having not many witnesses of his private failings, so when a person has passed the point of blushing and sees that the whole world knows him to be guilty of evil, it is not easy for him to reform; instead, like someone falling into the depths, submerged under countless waves, he will have greater difficulty in managing to emerge, but rather then sinks into despair and gives up the effort to return.
(16) Hence, I beseech you, let us not draw attention to our neighbors' faults; should we learn about them from others, far from being anxious to see their nakedness, let us rather, like the rightminded sons, conceal them, cover them up, strive to raise the fallen person by exhortation and advice, instructing him in the magnitude of God's love, the extraordinary degree of his goodness, his boundless compassion, so that like them we may enjoy greater commendation from the God of all, who wants "all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of truth,"*®° who wants not so much "the death of the sinner as his conversion to life."*! "They did not see their father's nakedness," the text says. See how right from the very beginning they fulfilled these obligations from the law innate in their nature and thus anticipated their imposition in the law drafted for the instruction of the human race, as is legislated for in the words, "Honor your father and your mother, that it may be well with you,"*? and, "Whoever reviles father or mother is to be put to death";** this had already been fulfilled in their behavior. Do you see how nature had in anticipation arrived at adequate instruction? go. 1 Tim 2.4.
31. Cf. Ezek 18.23.
32. Exod 20.12.
33. Exod 21.17.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
(17) "Noe, however, came out of his drunken sleep," the text goes on, "and got to know what his youngest son had done to him."*+ "Noe, however, came out of it," it says. Let those who spend their life in their cups heed the gravity of the error, and let them avoid the harm that comes from drunkenness. "Noe, however, came out of it," the text says.
What is meant by "he came out of it"? What we usually say of the possessed when they are in a fit, that so and so came out of the demon and was freed from his tyranny, this too is what Scripture implied in the present instance. I mean, voluntary intoxication is really a demon, clouding the intellect more severely than any demon, and robbing its victim of any sense of values. You see, whereas we frequently have pity on the possessed person when we see him, we react quite differently to the drunk: we show anger and annoyance, and heap curses on him. Why on earth do we do that? Because, whereas the wicked demon's victim [268] involuntarily does what he does, whether it be kicking, or tearing garments, or screaming certain insults, and deserves excuse, the drunk, on the other hand, does not deserve excuse, no matter what he does; instead, he finds in family, friends and neighbors harsh accusers on the score that willingly and of his own accord he adopted evil ways and surrendered himself to the tyranny of drunkenness. | say this, not for the sake of condemning the just man: there were many grounds for conceding him excuse, most of all his never falling into the same faults again, which would be the clearest sign that in his former sin he was a victim not of indifference but of ignorance. After all, had he been a victim of indifference, it would surely have been inevitable for him to be ensnared by that passion again.
(18) I mean, had he fallen victim to the same fault, far from keeping silent, Scripture would have let us know about it. You see, Sacred Scripture has one purpose and goal, to pass over no detail of events but rather to instruct us in them truthfully: it is neither moved by envy to pass over the virtues of good people, nor by charity to cloud over their sins like34. Gen 9.24.
HOMILY 29
Zid wise; instead, it brings everything to our notice so that we may have some record and instruction, and so that, should we in turn fall victim to some fault, we may be careful never to fall into the same fault again. I mean, the fact of sinning is not so harmful as persisting in sin. So don't take notice of the fact that the good man got drunk but that this didn't happen to him again. Pay attention, I ask you, on the contrary to those who waste their days in taverns and die a daily death, I could almost say; when they come to, they don't then avoid the harm coming from that practice but dedicate themselves to it as though to some task or exploit. Furthermore, however, you would keep in mind also the fact, this just man, even if drinking and becoming intoxicated through inexperience and ignorance of the due amount to imbibe, nevertheless was a good person with much virtuous behavior to his credit, and so could have kept under cover the sin that occurred by accident; in our case, on the other hand, beset as we are with countless other passions, what comfort could we gain for ourselves, tell me, when we sink ourselves in drunken stupor along with those other sins? Who would allow us excuse when we have not even come to our senses through experience?
(19) "Noe, however, came out of his drunken sleep," the text says, "and got to know of what his youngest son had done to him." What is meant by "what he had done"? It refers to something grave and intolerable. After all, keep in mind that having espied within the house his father's predicament, he ought to have kept it quiet, but instead he went out and bruited it abroad, making a laughing stock of his father as far as he could in his shameful intent. Whereas he should have called them inside the house if he was bent on reporting his father's nakedness and have blurted it out that way, instead he went outside and blurted it out, with the result that, had there been a crowd of other people there, he would have made them as well witnesses of his father's predicament. That is why the text says, "what he had done"—namely, he demonstrated that disrespect towards his father, was unmindful of the respect due from children for their parents, drew at-
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
tention to sins, wanted to suborn his brothers and make them join him in his disrespect. "What his youngest son had done to him," the text says. Actually, he wasn't the youngest: he was the second, ahead of Japheth; still, even if he was ahead of him [26g] in age, yet he was more juvenile in his attitude, rashness demoting him in order. That is to say, since he wasn't prepared to respect the limits of his position, he lost the precedence conferred on him by nature: just as through the depravity of his inclination he surrendered what he possessed by nature, Japheth through his sound attitude acquired what he did not possess by nature.
(20) Do you see how you can find nothing in Sacred Scripture that is contained accidentally or by chance? "What his youngest son had done to him," the text says. "He said,
'Cursed be Canaan: he shall be a menial slave to his brothers.'"°> Lo, we have come to the question mooted on all sides: you can hear lots of people asking, Why is it that, though the father was at fault in publicizing his parent's nakedness, it is the son who bears the curse? I beseech you, then, listen carefully and heed the solution of the problem: we will tell you whatever divine grace provides with your salvation in mind.
"He said, 'Cursed be Canaan: he shall be a menial slave to his brothers.'" It was not idly or to no purpose that he made mention of the son but for some hidden reason: it was his intention both to curse him for the sin of disrespect he had committed against him and at the same time not to undermine the blessing already bestowed by God, the text reading, remember, "God blessed Noe when he disembarked from the ark and his sons as well."°° So, in case it should seem he had cursed the man who had once fallen under God's blessing, for the time being he omitted mention of the disrespectful one while applying the curse to his son.>'
(21) To be sure, someone will say, while this shows that the 35. Gen 9.25.
36. Cf. Gen 9.1.
_ 37. Chrysostom seems to be shifting the basis of his explanation of this difficulty compared with Homily 28; n. 12 there contrasts his other, moral explanation with the dogmatic and literary explanations of modern commentators.
HOMILY 29
reason he did not curse Cham was that he had enjoyed blessing from God, nevertheless why is it that, though he was the sinner, the other man had to pay the penalty? This doesn't happen idly, either: Cham did not endure less punishment than his son, he too felt its effects. You know well, of course, how in many cases fathers have begged to endure punishment in place of their children, and how seeing their children bearing punishment proves a more grievous form of chastisement than being subject to it themselves. Accordingly, this incident occurred so that Cham should endure greater anguish on account of his natural affection, so that God's blessing should continue without impairment, and so that his son in being the object of the curse should atone for his own sins.
You see, even if in the present instance he bears the curse on account of his father's sin, nevertheless it was likely that he was atoning for his own failings. In other words, it was not only for his father's sin that he bore the curse but perhaps also for the purpose of his suffering a heavier penalty on his own account. After all, for proof that parents are not punished for their children, nor children for their parents, each being liable for the sins he has committed, you can find frequent statement among the inspired authors—as, for instance, when they say, "The teeth of the one eating sour grapes shall be set on edge,"** and, "The soul that shall die is the soul that sins,"*° and again, "Parents shall not die for their children, nor children for their parents."*°
(22) Accordingly, let none of you, I beseech you, be ignorant of Sacred Scripture's point and be rash enough to find fault with what is written; instead, accept its words with a grateful mind, marvel at the precision of Sacred Scripture, and consider the grave evil sin is. | mean, behold the man sharing the same birth pangs as his brothers, born of the same womb, [270] yet made their slave by the onset of sin, robbed of his freedom and brought into subjection—hence
38. Jer 31.30, which is found at 38.30 in the LXX.
39. Ezek 18.20.
40. Deut 24.16. Again a series of scriptural testimonies support Chrysostom's moral point.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
the origin of his subsequent condition of servitude. Before this, you see, there was no such indulgence, people being pampered in this way and needing others to minister to their needs; rather, each one looked to his own needs, there being great equality of esteem and complete absence of discrimination. When sin entered the scene, on the contrary, it impaired freedom, destroyed the worth inherent in nature and introduced servitude so as to provide constant instruction and reminder to the human race to shun the servitude of sin while returning to the freedom of virtue. You see, for the fact that servant and master both stand to gain benefit arising from this incident, provided they are willing, let them give due thought—the servant, on the one hand, to the fact that he entered servitude for the reason that Cham rushed headlong into such impertinence, while the master in turn should consider that servitude and command arose from no other source than Cham's display of a depraved intention and his fall from the equal esteem he enjoyed with his brothers.
(23) If, however, we are on the alert, these evils that came into life as a result of the sins of our forebears will in no way be able to harm us, going no further than the level of terminology, as they do. While it was the first formed human being who through the Fall brought on the punishment of death and was responsible for spending his life in pain and distress, and it was he who was the cause of servitude, Christ the Lord on the contrary came and permitted all these evils to occur only at the level of terminology, provided we are of the right mind. You see, death is now not death but only carries the name of death—or, rather, even the very name has been abolished. I mean, we no longer call it death, but sleeping and dreaming. Hence Christ himself said, "'Our friend Lazarus is asleep,'"*! and Paul, writing to the Thessalonians said,
"About those who are asleep, brethren, I don't want you to be ignorant."* Servitude in turn is likewise only a name: the one who commits sin is a slave. For proof that Christ came to remove it and left it existing only at the level of terminology,
41. John 11.11.
42. 1 Thes 4.13.
HOMILY 29
ae or rather even cancelled its very name, listen to Paul's words:
"But those who have believers for master should not show them less respect because they are brethren."*? Do you see how the advent of virtue caused those previously subject to the brand of slavery to be brought into the kinship of brotherhood?
(24) The text reads, "'Canaan shall be a menial slave to his brothers.'" You did not exercise your position properly, he is saying, nor have you gained any advantage from your parity of esteem; hence I intend you to come to your senses through subjection. This had happened also in the beginning in the case of the woman: though of equal status with her husband, she did not exercise well the position given her, and consequently she had her authority removed and heard the words,
"Your yearning will be for your husband, and he will be your master.'"** Since you do not know how to exercise control well, learn to be controlled well rather than controlling badly.
This, of course, was the reason the character in the present incident also receives the punishment with a view to his coming to his senses and he personally suffers the penalty through his son, so that you may learn that, even if he was then elderly, nevertheless the penalty would be passed on to his son—something that made his life bitter and painful as he pondered the fact that after his own death his son was due to pay the penalty for his doings. [271] I mean, for proof that the son's life was inherently depraved and all his successors proved to be abominable in their decline into evil, listen to Scripture's words in the form of a curse: "Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite;"*° likewise someone else's taunt, "You offspring of Canaan and not of Juda."
(25) You see, it is now worth hearing, on the other hand, following the punishment inflicted on the one who drew attention to his father's nakedness, what rewards were bestowed on those who accorded their father such respect and defer43. 1 Tim 6.2.
44. Gen 3.16.
45. Ezek 16.3, Chrysostom strangely omitting the pointed opening of the jibe, "Your origins are from the land of Canaan."
46. Dan 13.56.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
ence. "Noe said," the text goes on, " 'Blessed be the Lord the God of Shem, whose slave Canaan shall be.'"*" This, someone may perhaps say, is not a blessing of Shem. His being blessed is in fact deliberate: whenever God is thanked and blessed through human beings, then it is usual that more ample blessing falls on those through whom God is blessed. Accordingly, in blessing God he made Shem beneficiary of greater blessing and became the cause of richer reward for him than if he had bestowed the blessing on himself.** In other words, just as he grants us generous favors from himself when he is blessed through us, so likewise when through us other people blaspheme against him our condemnation proves to be greater on that account for providing the occasion. Accordingly, let us be anxious, I beseech you, to live in such a manner and give evidence of such intensity of virtue that all who see us will raise hymns of blessing to the Lord God. You see, good and loving as he is, he wants to be praised through our instrumentality, not because he personally expends any effort with a view to his own glory, being protected against need as he is; instead, his purpose is that we may provide him with occasions for granting us greater favor from himself. ""Blessed be the Lord the God of Shem, whose slave Canaan shall be.'"
Do you see how the paternal chastisement is shown to be more a reprimand than chastisement? Noe was a father, after all, and a loving father at that, and he had no wish to inflict the due penalty but rather to stop the evil from going further.
For this reason, he says, I sentence you to servitude so that you may have a constant and ineluctable reminder.
(26) Then he says, "'May God enlarge Japheth's territory, may he dwell in the tents of Shem, and let Canaan be their slave.'"*° Once again a wonderful eulogy this, containing perhaps some treasure below the surface. I mean, if it was not idly or to no purpose that his father imposed his name on 47. Gen 9.26.
48. If Chrysostom's argumentation seems convoluted, he is doing no worse than modern commentators like Von Rad and Speiser, who at least, like Chrysostom, resist the temptation to alter the difficult text.
49. Gen 9.27.
HOMILY 29
wre Noe but rather to foretell by means of the name the deluge due to occur, far less was it idly or by chance that this good man bestowed his blessings. In other words, through these blessings, Shem's and Japheth's, I am inclined to think he is suggesting the calling of the two peoples—through Shem the Jews, on the one hand, the patriarch Abraham coming from him, after all, whence the Jewish race developed, whereas through Japheth, on the other hand, came the calling of the gentiles. Notice, after all, that this blessing foretells as much.
""May God enlarge Japheth's territory," the text says, remember, ""May he dwell in the tents of Shem.'" We see this fulfilled in the case of the gentiles; while, on the one hand, he refers to all the gentiles in the phrase, "'May he enlarge the territory, " on the other hand, through the words, " 'May he dwell in the tents of Shem," he means that the gentiles were in possession of things prepared for the Jews and provided for them. "'Let Canaan be their slave.'"
(27) Do you see how great were the rewards the former received for their rightmindedness, [272] and the extent of the disrespect the latter flaunted about by means of his indiscretion? Let us constantly have this graven on our minds so that we may, on the one hand, succeed in becoming careful imitators of the former while, on the other hand, we may avoid the latter's depravity of attitude and extraordinary indiscretion.
(28) The text continues, "Noe lived three hundred and fifty years after the deluge. Noe died after a lifespan of nine hundred and fifty years."°° Don't think, however, that Sacred
Scripture indicated this to no purpose; rather, notice in this instance as well the good man's continence in the fact that, through enjoying security and prosperity, and attaining such a long life after disembarking from the ark, he still refrained from procreation. Scripture, you observe, did not make mention of his having further children than these three. Take note likewise in this text of Cham's extreme intemperance in the fact that he did not even come to his senses by seeing his
50. Gen g.28—29.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
father's remarkable display of continence, but even did the exact opposite in everything to his father. Consequently and quite properly the whole race springing from him was sentenced to servitude so as to receive some check to this depraved attitude.
(29) Then Sacred Scripture goes on from this point to tell of the children born to the sons, in these words: "Now, Cham became the father of Chous"; and further, "Now, Chous became the father of Nebrod, who was the first on earth to be a mighty hero; he was a mighty hunter in the Lord's sight."°!
While some people say the phrase, "in the Lord's sight," means being in opposition to God, I on the contrary do not think Sacred Scripture is implying this—rather that the person was strong and brave. But the phrase, "in the presence of the Lord God," means created by him, receiving from him
God's blessing, or the fact that God was on the point of arousing our wonder through him by creating such a remarkable creature and displaying him before us on the earth. He too, however, in his turn in imitation of his forebear did not take due advantage of his natural preeminence but hit upon another form of servitude in endeavoring to become ruler and king. You see, there wouldn't ever be a king unless there were people being ruled; but in that case freedom is seen for what it really is, whereas slavery is most galling in conditions of freedom, the more power is exercised over free people. See what ambition is guilty of: observe bodily strength not keeping to its limits but constantly lusting after more and clutching for glory. You see, the orders he gave were not those of a leader; rather, he even builds cities with a view to ruling over the enemy.
51. Gen 10.6, 8—g. Despite his protestation elsewhere about the relevance of genealogies from the viewpoint of his beloved akribeia (Hom. 2-in Oziam;
PG 56, 110), Chrysostom now, as if suddenly aware of the amount of attention he has lavished on Noe and his family (nine homilies), rushes ahead and even truncates his habitual moral conclusion, all unaware of the importance given to this Table of Nations by modern commentators like Von Rad, who sees it as "a document of amazing theoretical power. ... For Biblical theology the inclusion of the table of nations means a radical break with myth" (Genesis, pp. 143, 145).
HOMILY 29
(30) "From that land came Assur," the text goes on, remember, "and he built Nineveh."®? Notice further in this text, I ask you, how the wickedness of forebears does not leave its mark on our nature: these Ninevites, who won God's mercy through their repentance and cancelled the Lord's sentence, had as ancestor that parricide Cham, then that tyrannical and arrogant person Nebrod as kin, from whom came Assur. On the other hand, it is said there were perhaps others among them who were soft and pampered, leading a decadent and corrupt life, abandoning themselves to intoxication, ribaldry, revelry and jesting—yet since they were determined to give evidence of an exact repentance, the wickedness of their forebears [273] left no mark on them. Instead, they won such great favor from on high that up to this day the practice of their repentance is celebrated.
(31) Accordingly, let us too imitate them and learn that our forebears' wickedness does not leave its mark on us, provided we are ready to be on the alert, nor can our forebears' virtue be of any use to us if we are guilty of indifference. So let us show great zeal in embracing virtue and give evidence of a grateful attitude, so that we may enjoy the same blessing as Shem and Japheth and remain free from the curse and the servitude that Canaan incurred and not become slaves of sin.
Instead, may we take advantage of the true freedom and come by those ineffable blessings, 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.
2) Gens LO de