Portion of Homily XXIII
8. "Beware of false prophets, for they will come to you in sheep's clothing,
but inwardly they are ravening wolves."37 Behold together with the dogs
and swine another kind of ambush and conspiracy, far more grievous than
that. For those are acknowledged and open, but these shaded over. For which
cause also, while from those He commanded to hold off, these He charged
men to watch with exact care, as though it were not possible to see them
at the first approach. Wherefore He also said, "beware"; making us more
exact to discern them.
Then, lest when they had heard that it was narrow and strait, and that
they must walk on a way opposite to the many, and must keep themselves
from swine and dogs, and together. with these from another more wicked
kind, even this of wolves; lest, I say, they should sink down at this multitude
of vexations, having both to go a way contrary to most men, and therewith
again to have such anxiety about these things: He reminded them of what
took place in the days of their fathers, by using the term, "false prophets,"
for then also no less did such things happen. Be not now, I pray you, troubled
(so He speaks), for nothing new nor strange is to befall you. Since for
all truth the devil is always secretly substituting its appropriate deceit.
And by the figure of "false prophets," here, I think He shadows out
not the heretics, but them that are of a corrupt life, yet wear a mask
of virtue; whom the generality are wont to call by the name of impostors.38
Wherefore He also said further,
"By their fruits ye shall know them."39
For amongst heretics one may often find actual goodness,40 but amongst
those whom I was mentioning, by no means.
"What then," it may be said, "if in these things too they counterfeit?"
"Nay, they will be easily detected; for such is the nature of this way,
in which I commanded men to walk, painful and irksome; but the hypocrite
would not choose to take pains, but to make a show only; wherefore also
he is easily convicted." Thus, inasmuch as He had said, "there be few that
find it," He clears them out again from among those, who find it not, yet
feign so to do, by commanding us not to look to them that wear the masks
only, but to them who in reality pursue it.
"But wherefore," one may say, "did He not make them manifest, but set
us on the search for them?" That we might watch, and be ever prepared for
conflict, guarding against our disguised as well as against our open enemies:
which kind indeed Paul also was intimating, when he said, that "by their
good words they deceive the hearts of the simple."41 Let us not be troubled
therefor, when we see many such even now. Nay, for this too Christ foretold
from the beginning.
And see His gentleness: how He said not, "Punish them," but, "Be not
hurt by them," "Do not fall amongst them unguarded." Then that thou mightest
not say, "it is impossible to distinguish that sort of men," again He states
an argument from a human example, thus saying,
"Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? even so every
good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but the corrupt tree bringeth forth
evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt
tree bring forth good fruit."42
Now what He saith is like this: they have nothing gentle nor sweet;
it is the sheep only so far as the skin; wherefore also it is easy to discern
them. And lest thou shouldest have any the least doubt, He compares it
to certain natural necessities, in matters which admit of no result but
one. In which sense Paul also said, "The carnal mind is death; for it is
not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."43
And if He states the same thing twice, it is not tautology. But, lest
any one should say, "Though the evil tree bear evil fruit, it bears also
good, and makes the distinction difficult, the crop being twofold:" "This
is not so," saith He, "for it bears evil fruit only, and never can bear
good: as indeed in the contrary case also."
"What then? Is there no such thing as a good man becoming wicked? And
the contrary again takes place, and life abounds with many such examples."
But Christ saith not this, that for the wicked there is no way to change,
or that the good cannot fall away, but that so long as he is living in
wickedness, he will not be able to bear good fruit. For he may indeed change
to virtue, being evil; but while continuing in wickedness, he will not
bear good fruit.
What then? did not David, being good, bear evil fruit? Not continuing
good, but being changed; since, undoubtedly, had he remained always what
he was, he would not have brought forth such fruit. For not surely while
abiding in the habit of virtue, did he commit what he committed.
Now by these words He was also stopping the mouths of those who speak
evil at random, and putting a bridle on the lips of all calumniators. I
mean, whereas many suspect the good by reason of the bad, He by this saying
hath deprived them of all excuse. "For thou canst not say, 'I am deceived
and beguiled;' since I have given thee exactly this way of distinguishing
them by their works, having added the injunction to go to their actions,
and not to confound all at random."
9. Then forasmuch as He had not commanded to punish, but only to beware
of them, He, at once both to comfort those whom they vex, and to alarm
and change them, set up as a bulwark against44 them the punishment they
should receive at His hands, saying,
"Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast
into the fire."45
Then, to make the saying less grievous, He added,
"Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."46
That He might not seem to introduce the threatening as His leading topic,
but to be stirring up their mind in the way of admonition and counsel.
Here He seems to me to be hinting at the Jews also, who were exhibiting
such fruits. Wherefore also He reminded them of the sayings of John, in
the very same terms delineating their punishment. For he too said the very
same, making mention to them of an "axe," and of a "tree cut down," and
of "unquenchable fire."
And though it appear indeed to be some single judgment, the being burnt
up, yet if one examine carefully, these are two punishments. For he that
is burnt is also cast of course out of God's kingdom; and this latter punishment
is more grievous than the other. Now I know indeed that many tremble only
at hell, but I affirm the loss of that glory to be a far greater punishment
than hell. And if it be not possible to exhibit it such in words, this
is nothing marvellous. For neither do we know the blessedness of those
good things, that we should on the other hand clearly perceive the wretchedness
ensuing on being deprived of them; since Paul, as knowing these things
clearly, is aware, that to fall from Christ's glory is more grievous than
all. And this we shall know at that time, when we shall fall into the actual
trial of it.
But may this never be our case, O thou only-begotten Son of God, neither
may we ever have any experience of this irremediable punishment. For how
great an evil it is to fall from those good things, cannot indeed be accurately
told: nevertheless, as I may be able, I will labor and strive by an example
to make it clear to you, though it be but in some small degree.
Let us then imagine a wondrous child, having besides His virtue the
dominion of the whole world, and in all respects so virtuous, as to be
capable of bringing all men to the yearning of a father's affection. What
theft do you think the father of this child would not gladly suffer, not
to be cast out of Him society? And what evil, small or great, would he
not welcome, on condition of seeing and enjoying Him? Now let us reason
just so with respect to that glory also. For no child, be he never so virtuous,
is so desirable and lovely to a father, as the having our portion in those
good things, and "to depart and be with Christ."47
No doubt hell, and that punishment, is a thing not to be borne. Yet
though one suppose ten thousand hells, he will utter nothing like what
it will be to fail of that blessed glory, to be hated of Christ, to hear
"I know you not,"48 to be accused for not feeding Him when we saw Him an
hungered.49 Yea, better surely to endure a thousand thunderbolts, than
to see that face of mildness turning away from us, and that eye of peace
not enduring to look upon us. For if He, while I was an enemy, and hating
Him, and turning from Him, did in such wise follow after me, as not to
spare even Himself, but to give Himself up unto death: when after all this
I do not vouchsafe to Him so much as a loaf in His hunger, with what kind
of eyes shall I ever again behold Him?
But mark even here His gentleness; in that He doth not at all speak
of His benefits, nor say, "Thou hast despised Him that hath done thee so
much good:" neither cloth He say, "Me, who brought thee from that which
is not into being, who breathed into thee a soul, and set thee over all
things on earth, who for thy sake made earth, and heaven, and sea, and
air, and all things that are, who had been dishonored by thee, yea accounted
of less honor than the devil, and did not even so withdraw Himself, but
had innumerable thoughts for thee after it all; who chose to become a slave,
who was beaten with rods and spit upon, who was slain, who died the most
shameful death, who also on high makes intercession for thee, who freely
gives thee His Spirit, who vouchsafes to thee a kingdom, who makes thee
such promises, whose will it is to be unto thee Head, and Bridegroom, and
Garment, and House, and Root, and Meat, and Drink, and Shepherd, and King,
and who hath taken thee to be brother, and heir, and joint-heir with Himself;
who hath brought thee out of darkness into the dominion of light." These
things, I say, and more than these He might speak of, but He mentions none
of these; but what? only the sin itself.
Even here He shows His love, and indicates the yearning which He hath
toward thee: not saying, "Depart into the fire prepared for you," but "prepared
for the devil." And before He tells them what wrongs they had done, and
neither so doth He endure to mention all, but a few. And before these He
calls the other sort, those who have done well, to signify from this too
that He is blaming them justly.
What amount of punishment, then, is so grievous as these words? For
if any one seeing but a man who was his benefactor an hungered, would not
neglect him; or if he should neglect him, being upbraided with it, would
choose rather to sink into the earth than to hear of it in the presence
of two or three friends; what will be our feelings, on hearing these words
in the presence of the whole world; such as He would not say even then,
were He not earnestly accounting for His own doings? For that not to upbraid
did He bring these things forward, but in self-defense, and for the sake
of showing, that not without ground nor at random was He saying, "depart
from me;" this is evident from His unspeakable benefits. For if He had
been minded to upbraid, He would have brought forwards all these, but now
He mentions only what treatment He had received.
10. Let us therefore, beloved, fear the hearing these words. Life is
not a plaything: or rather our present life is a plaything, but the things
to come are not such; or perchance our life is not a plaything only, but
even worse than this. For it ends not in laughter, but rather brings exceeding
damage on them who are not minded to order their own ways strictly. For
what, I pray thee, is the difference between children who are playing at
building houses, and us when we are building our fine houses? what again
between them making out their dinners, and us in our delicate fare? None,
hut just that we do it at the risk of being punished. And if we do not
yet quite perceive the poverty of what is going on, no wonder, for we are
not yet become men; but when we are become so, we shall know that all these
things are childish.
For so those other things too, as we grow to manhood, we laugh to scorn;
but when we are children we account them to be worth anxiety; and while
we are gathering together potsherds and mire we think no less of ourselves
than they who are erecting their great circuits of walls Nevertheless they
straightway perish and fall down, and not even when standing can they be
of any use to us, as indeed neither can those fine houses. For the citizen
of Heaven they cannot receive, neither can he bear to abide in them, who
hath his country above; but as we throw down these with our feet, so he
too those by his high spirit. And as we laugh at the children, weeping
at that overthrow, even so these also, when we are bewailing it all, do
not laugh only, but weep also: because both their bowels are compassionate,
and great is the mischief thence arising.
Let us therefore become men. How long are we to crawl on the earth,
priding ourselves on stones and stocks? How long are we to play? And would
we played only! But now we even betray our own salvation; and as children
when they neglect their learning, and practise themselves in these things
at their leisure, suffer very severe blows; even so we too, spending all
our diligence herein, and having then our spiritual lessons required of
us in our works, and not being able to produce them, shall have to pay
the utmost penalty. And there is none to deliver us; though he be father,
brother, what you will. But while these things shall all pass away, the
torment ensuing upon them remains immortal and unceasing; which sort of
thing indeed takes place with respect to the children as well, their father
destroying their childish toys altogether for their idleness, and causing
them to weep incessantly.
11. And to convince thee that these things are such, let us bring before
us wealth, that which more than anything seems to be worthy of our pains,
and let us set against it a virtue of the soul (which soever thou wilt),
and then shalt thou see most clearly the vileness thereof. Let us, I say,
suppose there are two men (and I do not now speak of injuriousness,50 but
as yet of honest wealth); and of these two, let the one get together money,
and sail on the sea, and till the land, and find many other ways of merchandise
(although I know not quite, whether, so doing, he can make honest gains);
nevertheless let it be so, and let it be granted that his gains are gotten
with honesty; that he buys fields, and slaves, and all such things, and
suppose no injustice connected therewith. But let the other one, possessing
as much, sell fields, sell houses, and vessels of gold and silver, and
give to the poor; let him supply the necessitous, heal the sick, free such
as are in straits, some let him deliver from bonds, others let him release
that are in mines, these let him bring back from the noose, those, who
are captives, let him rescue from their punishment. Of whose side then
would you be? And we have not as yet spoken of the future, but as yet of
what is here. Of whose part then would ye be? his that is gathering gold,
or his that is doing away with calamities? with him that is purchasing
fields, or him who is making himself a harbor of refuge for the human race?
him that is clothed with much gold, or him that is crowned with innumerable
blessings? Is not the one like some angel come down from Heaven for the
amendment of the rest of mankind; but the other not so much as like a man,
but like some little child that is gathering all together vainly and at
random?
But if to get money honestly be thus absurd, and of extreme madness;
when not even the honesty is there, how can such a man choose but be more
wretched than any? I say, if the absurdity be so great; when hell is added
thereto, and the loss of the kingdom, how great wailings are due to him,
both living and dead?
12. Or wilt thou that we take in hand some other part also of virtue?
Let us then introduce again another man, who is in power, commanding all,
invested with great dignity, having a gorgeous herald, and girdle, and
lictors, and a large company of attendants. both not this seem great, and
meet to be called happy? Well then, against this man again let us set another,
him that is patient of injuries, and meek, and lowly, and long suffering;
and let this last be despitefully used, be beaten, and let him bear it
quietly, and bless them that are doing such things.
Now which is the one to be admired, I pray thee? He that is puffed up,
and inflamed, or he that is self-subdued? Is not the one again like the
powers above, that are so free from passion, but the other like a blown
bladder, or a man who hath the dropsy, and great inflammation? The one
like a spiritual physician, the other, a ridiculous child that is puffing
out his cheeks?
For why dost thou pride thyself, O man? Because thou art borne on high
in a chariot? Because a yoke of mules is drawing thee? And what is this?
Why, this one may see befalling mere logs of wood and stones. Is it that
thou art clothed with beautiful garments? But look at him that is clad
with virtue for garments, and thou wilt see thyself to be like withering
hay, but him like a tree that bears marvellous fruit, and affords much
delight to the beholders. For thou art bearing about food for worms and
moths, who, if they should set upon thee, will quickly strip thee bare
of this adorning (for truly garments and gold and silver, are the one,
the spinning of worms; the other earth and dust, and again become earth
and nothing more): but he that is clothed with virtue hath such raiment,
as not only worms cannot hurt, but not even death itself. And very naturally;
for these virtues of the soul have not their origin from the earth, but
are a fruit of the Spirit; wherefore neither are they subject to the mouths
of worms. Nay, for these garments are woven in Heaven, where is neither
moth, nor worm, nor any other such thing.
Which then is better, tell me? To be rich, or to be poor? To be in power,
or in dishonor? In luxury, or in hunger? It is quite clear; to be in honor,
and enjoyment, and wealth. Therefore, if thou wouldest have the things
and not the names, leave the earth and what is here, and find thee a place
to anchor in Heaven: for what is here is a shadow, but all things there
are immovable, stedfast, and beyond any assault.
Let us therefore choose them with all diligent care, that we may be
delivered from the turmoil of the things here, and having sailed into that
calm harbor, may be found with our lading abundant, and with that unspeakable
wealth of almsgiving; unto which God grant we may all attain, by the grace
and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and
the might, world without end. Amen.
37 Matt. xix. 25, and 10.
38 Matt. vii. 9. [The citation is not exact. Here, as
below, Chrysostom gives the form "For which is there of you," omitting
"man." The Oxford translator follows the A. V. here but not below. "Of
whom" (in R. V.) is better English (see below); the Greek is the same in
both passages.-R.]
39 e0petei/xise.
40 [ou0k aitei=n crh/ mo/nou, a0lla\ kai\ a! xhn\ a0itei\n,
"not only is it fitting to ask," but to ask what "is fitting".-R.]
41 1 Kings iii. 10-14; 2 Chron. i. 11, 12.
42 1 Tim. ii. 8, perhaps "disputing" rather than "doubting."[R.
V. text "disputing," in the margin "doubting." Comp. XIX. 11 p. 138.-R.]
43 Matt. vii. 11. ("Heavenly" is substituted for "which
is in Heaven."-R.]
44 ponhri/an.
45 Or "life:" see Matt. vi. 25.
46 Rom. viii. 32.
47 Matt. vii. 12. [ou#twj is omitted so the Vulgate.-R.]
48 [politei/aj.]
49 Confined, teqlimme/nh.
50 Matt. vi. 13, 14. [R. V., "by the narrow gate "; "enter
in thereby;" "For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way," &c.
Chrysostom introduces verse 14 with kai/ ; and in some Mss. of the Homilies
ti/ is added. Comp. R.V. margin.. "How narrow," etc.-R.]
Portion of Homily XXIV.
Matthew Chapter 7, Verse 21
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the
kingdom of Heaven,but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven."
Wherefore said He not, "but he that doeth my will?" Because for the
time it was a great gain1 for them to receive even this first; yea it was
very great, considering their weakness. And moreover He intimated the one
also by the other. And withal this may be mentioned, that in fact there
is no other will of the Son besides that of the Father.
And here He seems to me to be censuring the Jews chiefly, laying as
they did the whole stress upon the doctrines, and taking no care of practice.
For which Paul also blames them, saying, "Behold thou art called a Jew,
and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, and knowest His will:"2
but thou art nothing advantaged thereby, so long as the manifestation by
life and by works is not there.
1 [a0gaphto/n; probably the sense is rather: "it must
suffice them," etc.-R.]
2 Rom. ii. 17, 18. [R. V., "But if thou bearest the name
of a Jew," etc.,following the reading ei0 de/,which is abundantly attested.
Chrysostom has i!de, as in the received text.-R.]
