HOMILY 23
HOMILY 23
"Noe, on the contrary, found favor in the sight of the Lord God. Now, these are the generations of Noe. Noe was a just man; he was faultless by comparison with his contemporaries. Noe pleased God."
=4]0 [196] you SEE in what has been said already the | extent of God's loving kindness and the surpassing
| degree of his longsuffering? Do you see the extremity of he wickedness of the human beings of that time? Have you learnt in the midst of this kind of populace how much virtue the good man had, and that he was quite unaffected either by their universal decline into wickedness or the fact that he alone stood out from the crowd of them and traveled in the opposite direction? In other words, he was like a skillful pilot, controlling the rudder of his mind with great vigilance, not allowing the craft to be submerged under the violence of the billows of wickedness, but getting the better of the storm and riding it out at sea as though safely berthed in port; in this fashion [197] by steering the tiller of virtue he kept himself clear of the deluge that was about to engulf everyone in the world. This is the kind of thing virtue is: immortal, unbowed, proof against the vagaries of this present life, soaring above the snares of wickedness as though from some lofty mountain peak and despising all human interests, it is thus unaffected by any of the material realities that prove harmful to other people. Like a person stationed on some high rock mocking the waves as he sees them crashing against the rock and being immediately dissolved into spray, so too the person who practices virtue is placed in a safe position and suffers no unsettling effect from the confusion of worldly
1. Gen 6.89, with the LXX apparently endeavoring to soften the anthropomorphism in the first Hebrew verb.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
affairs, but rather remains firm in serenity of mind, revelling in the tranquility of his own thoughts and aware that the affairs of this life ebb and flow with such rapidity that they differ in no way from the tides in a river. You see, just as you can notice the waves of the sea whipped up at one moment to an incredible height and suddenly brought low again, well in just the same way let us observe people who shun virtue and are mixed up in evil enjoying at one moment lofty notions, adopting a superior pose and being wrapt in the affairs of this life, then suddenly brought low and reduced to utter indigence.
(2) These in fact are the people blessed David, the inspired author, was referring to in the words, "Don't worry when a person becomes wealthy or when the splendor of his house increases, because at his death he will take none of it with him."? He is right in saying, "Don't worry." Don't let yourself be upset, he is saying, by the affluence of the rich and the glamor of appearances. After all, before long you will see them laid low, inert, corpses, thrown out to become the food of worms, stripped naked of all their possessions, quite unable to take anything of theirs with them, and instead leaving it all here. So don't get upset to see the events of the moment, nor commend the good luck of the person who shortly is due to be rid of these things. This, you see, is what present affluence is like, and this the true nature of wealth: it doesn't accompany those who pass on from here—instead, they leave it all here behind them, naked and destitute of everything, clad only in their wickedness and the burden of sins they have amassed. In the case of virtue, on the contrary, things are quite different: even here it puts us beyond the reach of those plotting our downfall, makes us invincible, bestows upon us endless enjoyment, does not allow us to be affected by changing circumstances, and when we pass on from here it becomes
2. Ps 49.16—17a; it is significant that Chrysostom impairs the parallelism by omitting 17b, which employs the verb synkatabainein in the sense of "going down into the grave," which would not correspond with the usual sense of his favorite notion of synkatabasis for the Scriptures, God's loving considerateness (cf. Introduction (20) in FOTC 74).
HOMILY 23
our traveling companion, especially at that moment when we need its assistance, and on that dread day it renders us great help, softening the gaze of the Judge; as in this life it makes us superior to the direst of fates, so too in the future it snatches from those dreadful punishments those who have virtue to show for themselves. Nor is this all: it even proves to be responsible for our enjoying ineffable blessings.
(3) To prove to you that this is the case and that we are not telling you idle tales and spinning yarns, we shall now endeavor to give a demonstration to your good selves from what has already been proposed. I mean, see how this remarkable person—I mean Noe—at the time the whole human race was provoking the loving Lord to anger against them, was able through his own virtue to avoid feeling the effects of this anger and to win great favor from the Lord. Let us at this point, if you don't mind, discuss the situation of this present
[198] life. What I mean is, perhaps some people place no credence in things of the future that cannot be seen with the naked eye. So let us see from the things that happened in this case what befell those that pursued wickedness, on the one hand, and what reward was granted the man who had opted for virtue, on the other. Remember, when owing to the extremity of wickedness the good God condemned the human race to annihilation in the words, "'I will wipe off the face of the earth the human being I have made,'"* showing the extraordinary degree of his anger, he delivered the sentence not only against the human race but also against the cattle, the reptiles and the birds. You see, since human beings, for whom these creatures had been created, were due to perish and to disappear from sight, it was appropriate that they, too, should be affected by the punishment with them.
Since, therefore, the sentence was unqualified and made no distinctions, you should learn that God is no respecter of persons and that nothing entering our hearts escapes his notice; should he find even a slight excuse put up on our behalf, he shows his ineffable love (Scripture says) that we may not think
3. Gen 6.7.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
the destruction of the human race was complete, but may realize that in his characteristic goodness he allows a spark to be saved and a root for the human race, so that once again it should grow up into mighty boughs. "Noe, on the contrary," the text says, "found favor in the sight of God."
(4) Notice the precision of Scripture, how you can't find even a chance syllable contained there to no purpose. After it taught us the excess of human beings' wickedness and the magnitude of the punishment due to be inflicted on its practitioners, it teaches us also about the good man who was able to keep virtue unimpaired amidst such a vast multitude. Virtue, after all, is remarkable even by itself; but when someone proves capable of practicing it in the company of its adversaries, he gives evidence of a much more remarkable degree of virtue. Hence, as though in admiration of the just man,
Sacred Scripture says that, in the midst of so many people due to experience God's anger for their wickedness, "Noe, on the contrary, found favor in the sight of the Lord God."
"Found favor," to be sure, but "in the sight of God." Not simply "found favor," but "in the sight of the Lord God," so as to teach us that he had this single aim, to be commended by that unsleeping eye and to set no store by men's praise nor their scorn or mockery. You see, it was natural that the person who was bent on practicing virtue in opposition to everybody else would have to incur mockery and scorn, since all those who practice evil are ever accustomed to ridicule those who insist on avoiding it and choosing virtue—something that happens now, too.
(5) Let us have an eye to those many listless people who cannot bear mockery and scorn, but prefer the praise of human beings to true and everlasting glory, ensnared as they are and dragged down by the evil of other people. It is, you see, characteristic of a noble spirit that relies on firm resolve to have the ability to withstand those people anxious to disparage it, and to make no concessions to appeasement of such people; instead, it is accustomed to keep its gaze fixed on that 4. Gen 6.8.
HOMILY 23
On unsleeping eye, to be subject to its approval alone and ignore others', and to consider worthless their praise or censure and rather pass it by like so many shadows and dreams. In the present case the vast majority were generally unable to withstand the scorn of ten, or twenty, or even fewer people, and so were tripped up and came to grief. "There is, you see, a sense of shame that brings on sin."> It is, after all, no slight thing to scorn those who mock and ridicule and are bent on making fun of you. Our hero, [199] however, was made of sterner stuff than this: he scorned not only ten, or twenty, or a hundred people but even the whole of the human race, countless numbers of them. Naturally, you see, they all mocked and ridiculed him, treated him like an idiot and abused him in their drunken violence, and perhaps would have even liked to tear him limb from limb, if that were possible. Malice, after all, always goes to wild extremes in its treatment of virtue; not only, however, does it deal it no injury but it even succeeds in making it stronger to resist. Such, you see, is the strength of virtue that in endurance it gets the better of its persecutors and in opposition it proves superior to its opponents.
(6) You can see this, of course, in many situations; still, so that we may offer you some examples—Scripture says, remember, "Give wise people an opportunity, and they will become wiser'°—we ought adduce for you examples from both the Old and the New Testaments. I ask you, accordingly, consider Abel: was he not done away with by Cain? Was he not laid low? But don't concentrate on the fact that the killer prevailed and won the day, that he did away with the object of his envy though he had done him no wrong. Instead, think of the sequel, that the victim is on everybody's lips from that day to this, a paradigm for all, his memory undimmed by the passage of all that time, whereas the killer, the victor, even during his lifetime had to endure an existence worse than death, and from that day to this his notoriety has never waned and on the part of everyone he has been the object of condemnation, while his victim day in day out is the recipient
5. Sir 4.21.
6. Prov 9.9.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
of words of praise from everyone. And while this is true of the present life, what words or what thoughts can do justice to their fate in the world to come? I know, of course, that with your brains you will find many other such contrasts contained in the Scriptures. This, after all, was the reason they were composed for our benefit, that we should learn these things and so shun evil and prefer virtue. Would you like to discern the same process occurring in the New Testament as well? Listen to blessed Luke describing exactly the same thing in regard to the apostles, that after being scourged they went out from the council rejoicing that they had been judged worthy of being abused for the name of Christ." Of course, the scourging was no cause of satisfaction, to be sure—rather of pain and distress; but scourging for the sake of God and the grounds on which they were scourged gave rise to satisfaction in them. Their torturers, of course, were utterly at a loss to know what was happening: listen to their consternation after the scourging as they ask, "'What are we to do to these people?'"* What are you saying? You have scourged them, inflicted countless tortures on them, and yet you are still at a loss? Such a powerful and invincible thing is virtue, proving superior even in the course of suffering such torments.
(7) Lest, however, we make the sermon too lengthy, we must come back again to this good man and be amazed at the extraordinary degree of his virtue, how he had the fortitude to ignore this huge multitude's mockery, ridicule, scorn and sarcasm (I keep mentioning this, as you can see, and will never give up mentioning it), and to prove superior to it. How did he manage? I'll tell you: because he had constant regard for the unsleeping eye, he kept his mind's gaze fixed in that direction, and in future paid heed to all other things as though they didn't exist. That is the way things are, you see: when one is smitten with that love, and directs one's whole person to the search for God, one takes no notice of visible realities: instead, one has constantly before one's mind the object of 7. Acts 5.41.
_ 8. Acts 4.16. Is Chrysostom deliberately reversing the order of these two situations in Acts to make a better moral point?
HOMILY 23
es) one's love, by night and by day, going to rest and getting up.
So don't be surprised if this [200] just man, once he gave that direction to his thinking, took no notice of the people endeavoring to bring him down: giving evidence of his own resources and winning favor from on high, he proved superior to them all. "Noe," the text says, remember, "found favor in the sight of the Lord God." Even though he was not the favorite or darling of any of the human race of the time through his refusal to follow the same route as theirs, nevertheless he found favor in the eyes of the one who haunts the heart, and to him his attitude was acceptable. What harm, after all, tell me, ensued in this case from the mockery and ridicule of his peers, considering the fact that the one who shapes our hearts and understands all our actions proclaimed the man's deeds and rewarded him? On the other hand, what benefit would it be to a human being were he the object of the admiration and praise of the whole world while being condemned on that dread day by the Creator of all and the Judge who is proof against all deceit? Understanding this, therefore, dearly beloved, let us set no store by people's commendation nor seek praise from them in every way; instead, with him alone in mind who examines heart and entrails, let us practice the works of virtue and shun evil.
(8) For this reason, you see, Christ also taught us not to sigh after the praises of human beings and, following many other warnings, he finally brought this charge against us as well: "Woe to you when all people speak well of you."® Notice how by the word "woe" he revealed to us the extent of the punishment awaiting such people. This word "woe," after all, is an exclamation of lament, so that it is as if he is lamenting their fate when he says, "Woe to you when all people speak well of you." Notice, too, the precision in the expression: he didn't simply say "people" but "all people." You see, it is not possible for a virtuous person who travels by the straight and narrow path and follows Christ's commands to enjoy the praise and admiration of all people—so strong is the impulse g. Luke 6.26.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
of evil and the resistance to virtue. Consequently, as the Lord knows that it would be impossible for the person who practices virtue assiduously and accepts praise only from him to be commended by all people and to enjoy good repute with them, for this reason he laments the fate of those who neglect virtue for the sake of such people. You see, commendation from them would be the clearest indication of not setting great store by virtue. How, after all, would the virtuous person be commended by everyone if he insisted on rescuing the wronged from their wrongdoers, the oppressed from their oppressors? Again, if he were to correct the wayward and praise the righteous, would it not be likely that while the latter praised him, the former would revile him? Hence Christ says,
"Woe to you when all people speak well of you." How then is it not proper to feel admiration and amazement at this good man for the reason that what Christ taught at his coming this man prior to him was well versed in by the law innate in his make-up and put into practice to an extraordinary degree, and rejecting men's praise he devoted himself to finding favor with God through the virtue of daily life? The text says, remember, "Noe found favor in the sight of the Lord God."
(g) While, however, this remarkable author told us under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that Noe found favor in the sight of the Lord God on account of the virtue that distinguished him, we need also study the following words and see the verdict given him by God. "Now, these are the generations of Noe," the text says. "Noe was a righteous man; he was faultless by comparison with his contemporaries. Noe pleased God." An unusual style of genealogy; Sacred Scripture [201], in saying, "Now, these are the generations of Noe," and setting our ears tingling as if on the point of recounting his genealogy—who his father was, whence he took his lineage, how he came to be in this life and all other details that people normally give in tracing genealogies—all such it abandoned, and proving to be superior to custom it says,
"Noe was a just man; he was faultless by comparison with his contemporaries." Do you see a remarkable genealogy? "Noe," it says, "was a man." Notice also the ordinary name given the
HOMILY 23
good man applicable to us all rather than a title of distinction.
You see, since the other people had lost the status of human beings through falling into the pleasures of the flesh, this man (Scripture says) retained the character of a human alone among such a vast multitude. This, after all, is when a man becomes human, when he practices virtue: it is not having the appearance of a human being—eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks and other features—that establishes the human being; these, in fact, are parts of the body. I mean, we would call a human being the man who retains the character of a human being.
But what is the character of a human being? Being rational.
Why so? Someone will say, Weren't those others rational also?
Sull, it is not merely this attribute, but also being virtuous and avoiding evil and getting the better of improper passions, following the Lord's commands—this is what makes a human being.
(10) For proof that Scripture's habit is not to bestow the title of human being on those who practice evil and neglect virtue, listen to the words of God, as we were saying yesterday, "'My spirit is not to remain with these human beings on account of their being carnal;"!° in other words, he is saying,
I regaled these people with a being"! constituted of flesh and spirit; but as though composed of flesh only, they thus neglect virtue in a spiritual manner and have now proved to belong completely to the flesh. Do you see how on account of their wickedness it calls them flesh and not human beings? Again, as you will probably discover, Sacred Scripture proceeds to name them earth on account of their being completely taken up with earthly thoughts: it says, remember, "Now, the earth was corrupt in God's sight," speaking not about the material earth but naming its inhabitants earth. Elsewhere, however, it names them neither flesh nor earth, nor does it consider them to be in this life for the reason that they are devoid of virtue.
I mean, listen to the inspired author as he shouts out aloud in the middle of the metropolis of Jerusalem where there
10. Gen 6.3.
11. The sense seems to require here ousia in the text rather than exousia, and De Montfaucon suggests the emendation.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
were such countless numbers of people, such a vast multitude, "I came and there was no one to be seen. I called and there was no one to heed me"!*—not because they weren't there but because, though being there, they were no better off than not being there at all. Again in another place it says,
"Hurry about and see if there is someone practicing judgement and righteousness, and I will be gracious."!*
(11) Do you see how Holy Scripture knows how to call human only the person practicing virtue and doesn't think the others are human, calling them instead flesh at one time and earth at another? Hence at this place, too, in promising to list the genealogy of the good man it says, "Noe was a human being." You see, he alone was a human being, whereas the others weren't human beings; instead, while having the appearance of human beings they had forfeited the nobility of their kind by the evil of their intention, and instead of being human they reverted to the [202] irrationality of wild animals. Sacred Scripture assigns the names of wild beasts to human beings, rational creatures that they should be, in the event of their lapsing into evil and falling prey to irrational passions; listen for example to its words, "They turned into rutting horses."'* See how it gives them the animal's name on account of their unbridled lust. Elsewhere, on the other hand, it says, "Poison of serpents on their lips;"!> here it highlights their resemblance to the animal's trickery and duplicity.
Again, it calls them dumb dogs.'® And again, "Like a deaf adder that blocks its ears,"!" referring to their stopping their ears against instruction in virtue. You would find many other names imposed by Sacred Scripture on people seduced by their indifference into bestial passions. You can see this not only in the Old Testament but also in the New;'* listen to John the Baptist addressing the Jews, "Brood of vipers, who has
12. Isa 50.2.
13. Jer 5.1 in a variant reading.
14. Jer 5.8.
15. Ps 140.3.
16. Isa 56.10.
Dyes 0-45 18. For a similar diatribe against the animal tendencies of those who forsake virtue, based on a similar catena of OT and NT texts, see Homily 12— another example of the (at times verbatim) resemblance between different homilies and sermons. See Introduction (2) and (8) in FOTC 74.
HOMILY 23
OF shown you how to flee from the wrath to come?"!? So do you see how here also by naming the animal it implied the duplicity of their intent?
(12) So what could be more wretched than those who practice evil, when they are deprived of the right to be called by the very name of human beings and endure heavier punishment for the reason that despite receiving many promptings from nature they willingly forsook them in their headstrong career into wickedness? Since therefore all the people of that time rendered themselves unworthy of the name and of being called human beings whereas this good man amidst such a dearth of virtue gave evidence of an extraordinary degree of his own virtue, Sacred Scripture begins its account of the man's genealogy with the words, "Now, Noe was a human being." We can find in the case of another good person also this name applied in place of lavish praise, and through this name instead of all other means his meticulous practice of virtue is heralded to the skies. Who is that? Blessed Job, that protagonist of reverence, that world champion, alone capable of tolerating incurable ills, the recipient of countless blows from that evil demon without sustaining injury, like steel able to withstand every blow, not only unbowed by such mighty billows but even emerging superior to the flood, suffering the world's ills in his person yet coming through the experience with even greater lustre. I mean, not only did the rate of the onset of disasters not depress him but it even prompted him to more fervent thanksgiving, and through it all he demonstrated his personal gratitude, dealing the devil a well-deserved blow and showing him that his efforts were in vain and that he was kicking against the goad. Accordingly the loving God praised this holy man for his contests and such difficult struggles, and he sings his praises in addressing the devil, ""'Have you taken heed of my servant Job, that there is no one like him on earth, a person beyond reproach, good, true, reverent, proof against any evildoing?'"?? Do you notice
19. Matt 3.7; Luke 3.7.
20. Job 1.8; in a variant of the LXX.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
that he first sings his praises in terms of the name common to his kind? "'Have you taken heed,' " he says, ""of my servant
Job, that there is no one like him?'"*! Of course, everyone was like him, not on the score of virtue but on the basis of appearance; this, however, is not what makes a human being
—rather, avoidance of evil and practice of virtue.
(13) Do you see which people Sacred Scripture is prepared to call human beings? Hence, when even from the outset the Creator of all saw the creature he had made, he said, "'Let us make a human being in our image [203] and likeness' "— that is to say, to have control both of all visible things and the passions arising within him; to have control, not to be controlled. If, however, they forfeit this control and would rather be controlled than have control, they lose also their human status and change their name to that of wild animals. Hence, of course, in this case too Sacred Scripture is anxious to commend this good man's virtue in the words, "These are the generations of Noe. Noe was a just person." Behold also another remarkable form of commendation, "just": through this term it suggests this complete kind of virtue. It is customary with us to apply the word "just" to people practicing every virtue. Then, for you to learn how he arrived at the very pinnacle of virtue, which was required of our human nature at that time also, it says, "a just man; he was faultless by comparison with his contemporaries." He had fulfilled every obligation, the text says, that should be discharged by a person who had opted for virtue (the sense, after all, of "faultless"), neglecting nothing, falling short in nothing. It was not that he did this right and that wrong; rather, he was faultless in every respect, this after all being required of him. Then, so as to make the good man appear more conspicuous by comparison, it says, "He was faultless by comparison with his contemporaries"; at that period, amidst his perverted generation, bent as they were on such terrible evil, prepared to give evidence of not even a trace of virtue.
21. This time Chrysostom adopts a different reading of the text, attested to in our MSS of the LXX.
HOMILY 23
oo (14) So amidst that generation, in those times, this just man not only gave evidence of virtue but also proved faultless and perfect in every respect in arriving at the highest pinnacle of virtue. You see, as I said before, it always shows a high calibre of virtue to do the right thing in face of opposition and to give evidence of assiduity amidst discouragement. On this basis, of course, this good person is judged worthy of greater plaudits. Nor does Sacred Scripture cease its commendation at this point: it proceeds to show us the surpassing degree of his virtue and the fact that he received the verdict of heaven when it says, "He was faultless by comparison with his peers," and adds, "Noe pleased God." Such was the calibre of his virtue as to win approval from God.-"Noe pleased God," it says, meaning that he proved acceptable to God and was pleasing to that unsleeping eye on account of his good deeds; the conduct of his life attracted divine favor and not only delivered him from the wrath due to fall on everyone but also made him a suppliant for the others. "Noe pleased God," the text says, remember. Who could have a happier lot than
Noe's, being in a position to demonstrate such virtue as to have the Lord of all as your eulogist?
(15) Since, therefore, he behaved in this way, his lot was in the view of any thinking person preferable to all riches, any kind of fame, influence or any other human distinction; to the person having sincere love for God this would be more desirable than a kingdom. You see, true kingship is this, being in a position to win the Lord's benevolence and clemency through the excellence of one's lifestyle. After all, the reason we ought to be in fear and dread of hell is not the undying fire, the terrible punishments, the unremitting retribution, but rather offending such a good Lord and finding ourselves outside his benevolence. So likewise we ought to show enthusiasm [204] for that kind of kingship for this reason, out of love for him and to enjoy his favor. You see, as it is worth more than a kingdom to have our loving Lord kindly disposed to us, so it would be a worse fate than hell's fire to fall from his favor.
(16) Do you see how much benefit the good man's mere
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
name proved to be an occasion of, and how great a treasure of inspiration this remarkable man's genealogy gave rise to?
Accordingly, let us imitate the norms of Sacred Scripture, and if we wish to list people's genealogies, let us not cite parents, grandparents and great-grandparents but expose instead the virtue of the person with the genealogy. This, you see, is the best style of genealogy; what good is it to have famous forebears distinguished by virtue if the person himself is bereft of excellence of life? or, on the other hand, what disadvantage could it be to spring from lowly and undistinguished parents and ancestors if the person himself is adorned with great virtue? This good person too, who was of such high calibre and had won God's favor, did not come from parents of such notoriety: Sacred Scripture doesn't record their virtue. Nevertheless, he prevailed over such stern obstacles, hindered though he was so severely, and managed to reach the very pinnacle of virtue, so that you might learn that for the person prepared to stay alert and on guard and to take good care of his own salvation, nothing is an obstacle. You see, just as people who slip into indifference are harmed even by chance events, so if we were prepared to be on the alert, even if there were innumerable people enticing us to evil, they could in no way harm us by their efforts, just as this good man too could not be made lukewarm about virtue despite the number of those trying."?
(17) Accordingly, let no one blame somebody else and impute the guilt to others, but attribute it all to his own negligence. Why do I say to others? Let no one think the devil himself is sufficient to bar the way leading to virtue: he deceives and undoes the negligent, but he really can't impede or coerce. Experience itself makes clear that, provided we are prepared to be on the alert, we can display such resolution that despite numerous efforts to impel us down the way of 22. As mentioned in Introduction (13) and (17) and frequently in footnotes in FOTC 74, the capital sin in Chrysostom's eyes is rhathumia, "indifference," "sloth," "neglect," "laxity." From Eve onwards all the Genesis villains are monuments of indifference, all the heroes exemplars of prothumia,
"enthusiasm," as Noe here.
HOMILY 23
wickedness we will resist their evil design, prove stronger than any steel and block our ears against the inducements of those counseling knavery. Whenever, on the contrary, we become negligent, no matter if there is no one to counsel or undo us, we would be impelled by our own impulse to lay at anchor in wickedness. You see, if responsibility did not rest in our choice and in our control over our attitudes, and if the loving
God had not made our nature independent, it would have been inevitable for everyone sharing our nature and affected by the same passions to be all evil or all virtuous. When, however, we see Our peers, even those handicapped by the same passions, not afflicted with the same weaknesses as ourselves but ordering nature with steady judgement, surviving wild impulses, reining in desire, suppressing rage, shunning envy, uprooting jealousy, spurning the pangs of greed, thinking little of reputation, mocking all the favor of this world, and setting their heart on true glory and prizing God's approval above all visible goods, [205] is it not patent that in the wake of heavenly grace they are able to achieve these noble feats by their own efforts while we fall victim to our own negligence, betray our salvation and leave ourselves bereft of favor from above?
(18) Hence, I beg you, let us consider these matters, constantly meditate on them, and never blame the devil but rather our own negligent attitude. I say this, not out of a desire to discharge him of any condemnation—perish the thought: he goes about like a lion to seize his prey, roaring and stalking a victim to devour.?? Rather, my intention is to put us more on the alert lest we think ourselves above reproach, advance readily in this way towards wickedness and utter those frivolous words, Why did God let such a wicked creature loose to ensnare and overthrow us? These words, after all, would be a mark of deepest ingratitude. Instead, take this thought to heart, that the particular reason that he turned him loose was that under the pressure of fear and on the lookout for the enemy's assault we might display great
23. Cf. 1 Pet 5.8.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
alertness and constant watchfulness, and in the hope of reward and as guarantee of those ineffable eternal blessings we might make light of the difficulties of virtue. Why are you amazed if that was the reason he let the devil loose, caring as he does for our salvation, anxious to stir us from our indifference, and providing us with some title to reward? His purpose in preparing hell itself was that the fear of punishment and the unbearable character of its torments might impel us towards the kingdom. Do you see the Lord's inventive love? how he does everything and adopts stratagems not only to save those created by him but also to regale them with ineffable blessings? For this reason, too, he endowed us with free will, and implanted in our nature and our conscience the knowledge of evil and of virtue, gave the devil free rein and threatened us with hell so that we might not have experience of hell but have the good fortune to reach the kingdom.
(19) Why are you surprised if to this end he has devised all those stratagems and countless others? He who by nature was in the bosom of the Father deigned to take the form of a servant,*! to submit himself to all other bodily conditions, to have a woman for mother, to be born of a virgin, to be carried in the womb for nine months, to be wrapped in swaddling clothes, to be thought the son of Joseph, Mary's husband, to grow up gradually, to be circumcised, to offer sacrifice, to suffer hunger and thirst and weariness, finally to meet his death, and not simply death but that death thought most shameful—I mean crucifixion. All of this was accepted for us and our salvation by the Creator of everything, the one who never changes, who brings everything from non-being to being, who looks down upon the earth and makes it tremble," the splendor of whose glory not even the Cherubim, those incorporeal powers, cannot see but cover their eyes with their wings as they reveal the marvel to us;2° he whose praise angels, archangels and countless hosts forever sing—he it is who for us and for our salvation deigned to become man,
24. Cf Phil'a.7:
25. Ps 104.32.
26. Cf. Isa 6.2-3.
HOMILY 23
plotted for us the way of exemplary living and bequeathed to us adequate instruction by the example he personally gave in assuming the same nature as ours.?"
(20) Accordingly, what excuse remains for us, [206] now that this example has been set us for our salvation, if we were going to render it all to no avail by forfeiting our salvation through indifference in these matters? Hence I beseech you to be on the alert and not simply follow the pattern set by others, but give careful attention to your own life each day and be clear about what sins you commit and what good deeds you do. Let us in this way proceed to the correction of our sins so that we may win favor from on high, prove acceptable to God like this good man, and have the good fortune to reach the kingdom of heaven, thanks to the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, honor and power, now and forever, for ages of ages. Amen.
27. This is one of the passages where Chrysostom's traditional appreciation of the Incarnation emerges most conspicuously (cf. Homilies 27 and 58), providing the basis for his theology of Scripture as the incarnate Word of God. As such it is always balanced, as here, with Chrysostom's other basic conviction, of divine transcendence. On these two verities stood firm Antioch's approach to Scripture. See my article, "Incarnation."