Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew 46.1–46.4

John Chrysostom · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew · ca. 390 · Antioch · 4 passages

Greek text: Field 1839.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888).

Chapter 46

46.1Field 2

᾿Ἄλλην παραβολὴν παρέθηκεν αὐτοῖς, λέγων ὠὡμοιωθὴ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀνθρώπῳ σπείροντι καλὸν σπέρμα ἐν τῷ αγρῷ αὐτοῦ. ᾿Εν δὲ τῷ καθεύδειν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, ἤλθεν αὐτοῦ ὁ ἐχθρὸς, καὶ ἔσπειρε ζιζάνια αναμέσον τοῦ σίτου, καὶ ἀπῆλθεν. Ὅτε δὲ εβλαάστησεν ὁ χόρτος, καὶ καρπὸν ἐποίησε, τότε ἐφάνη τὰ ζιζανια. Προσελθόντες δὲ οἱ δοῦλοι τοῦ οἰκοδεσπότου, εἶπον αὐτῷ κύριε, οὐχὶ καλὸν σπέρμα ἔσπειρας ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ σου; ’ εν Ψ ’ . Ὶ Π ς ϑ ἢ Ψ πόθεν οὖν ἔχει ζιζάνια: ὋὉ δὲ εἐφη αὑτοῖς εἐχθρος ἂνος τοῦτο ἐποίησεν. Οἱ δὲ δοῦλοι εἶπον αὐτῷ θέλεις οὐν ἀπελθόντες συλλέξομεν αὐτά: Ὁ δὲ ἔφη, οὔ μήποτε συλλέγοντες τὰ ζιζάνια, ἐκριζώσητε ἅμα αὐτοῖς τὸν σῖτον. Ἄφετε οὖν συναυξάνεσθαι ἀμφό- Ὁ τερα ἄχρι τοῦ θερισμοῦ. ΤΙ τὸ μέσον ταύτης καὶ τῆς πρὸ ταύτης παραβολῆς ; Εκεῖ τοὺς μηδὲ ὅλως προσεσχήκοτας αὐτῷ φησιν, αλλ ὡ ’ ᾿ ἣ : ᾿Ν ἢ ἀποπηδήσαντας καὶ τὸν σπόρον ὅ προεμένους ἐνταῦθα δὲ, τῶν αἱρετικῶν λέγει τὰ συστήματα. ἵνα γαρ μηδὲ τοῦτο τοὺς -ς ΄σε ’ μαθητὰς ὃ θορυβῆ, καὶ τοῦτο προλέγει, μετὰ τὸ διδάξαι αὐ, ὃ , ν ἡ δ ΝΥ ᾽ ’ ν ἐφ εἐ τοὺς ὁιατὶ εν παραβολαῖς λαλεῖ. κείνη μὲν ᾽ουν ἡ παρα, οἵ μ ᾿ὸ , Ὰ ὃ , Ψ, κ ; ’ βολή ῴησιν, ὅτι οὐκ ε ἐξαντο᾽ αὕτη ὃὲέ, ὅτι ὅ καὶ φθορεας ἐδέξαντο. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο τῆς τοῦ διαβόλου μεθοδείας, τῇ αληθείᾳ αεὶ παρεισαγειν τὴν πλάνην, πολλα επιχρωννύντα αὐτῇ τα ὁμοιώματα, ὥστε εὐκόλως κλέψαι τοὺς ευεξαπατήτους. Διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἄλλο τι σπέρμα, αλλὰ ζιζάνια καλεῖ, ὃ κατὰ τὴν ὅψιν ἔοικέ πως τῷ σίτῳ. Εἶτα λέγει καὶ τὸν τρόπον τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς. ᾿Εν γὰρ τῷ καθεύδειν τοὺς ι ΄- ΝΜ ΤΩΣ ι2 ἀνθρώπους, φησίν. Οὐ μικρὸν τοῖς ἄρχουσιν ἐντεῦθεν επικρεμνᾳ τον κίνδυνον, τοῖς μάλιστα τῆς ἀρούρας τὴν φυλακὴν ᾽ ᾽ δ᾿ ΝΜ - ἐμπεπιστευμένοις᾽ οὐ τοῖς ἄρχουσι δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ’ 7) δὲ ἢ Α ’ ᾿Ὶ Ὶ 1θ ἀρχομένοις. Δείκνυσι ὃὲ καὶ τὴν πλανὴν μετα τὴν αληθειαν φ σε Ψ - οὐσαν᾽ ὅπερ καὶ ἡ τῶν πραγμάτων ἔκβασις μαρτυρεῖ. Καὶ γὰρ μετὰ τοὺς προφήτας, οἱ ψευδοπροφῆται: καὶ μετα τοὺς φ ’ὔ ἣ Γ ἀποστόλους, οἱ ψευδαπόστολοι καὶ μετὰ τὸν Χριστον, ὁ ᾿ , ᾿ Α ΤΣ ὩΣ Ὶ ’ ε ὃ ’ αντίχριστος. ᾿Ἃν γαρ μὴ ἴδη τί μιμήσηται ιάβολος, ἢ τίσιν επιβουλεύση, οὔτε ἐπιχειρεῖ, οὔτε οἷδε. Καὶ νῦν τοίνυν, [ ξ . ᾿ ’ ε ἐπειδὴ εἶδεν, ὅτι ὁ μὲν ἐποίησεν ἑκατὸν, ὁ δὲ ἑξήκοντα, ὁ Β δὲ τριάκοντα, ἄλλην ἔρχεται λοιπὸν ὁδόν. ᾿Επεὶ γὰρ ἀρπάσαι οὐκ ἠδυνήθη τὸ ῥιζωθὲν, οὐδὲ ἀποπνῖξαι, οὐδὲ κατασι ὃ ἡ « ’ ᾽ ’ ἰὴ ’ ’ λ καῦσαι, ὃι τέρας ἀπάτης επιβουλεύει, παρεμβάλλων τὰ ᾳ νε - ὴ ’ ὃ ’ ε ὔ ὃ ᾿ παρ εαντοῦ. Καὶ τί διαφερουσιν οἱ καθεύδοντες, φησι, τῶν παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν μιμουμένων Ὅτι ἐκεῖ εὐθέως ἥρπασεν οὐδὲ γὰρ ῥιζωθῆναι αφῆκεν ἐνταῦθα δὲ πλείονος ἐδεήθη τῆς μηχανῆς. Ταῦτα δὲ λέγει δ Χριστὸς, παιδεύων ἡμᾶς διαπαντὸς ε εΎρηγορέναι. Κάν γαρ ἐκείνας διαφύγῃς τὰς βλάβας, φησὶν, ἔστι καὶ ἑτέρα βλάβη. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖ διὰ τῆς ὁδοῦ καὶ τῆς πέτρας καὶ τῶν ἀκανθῶν, οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα διὰ τοῦ ὕπνου ἡ ἀπώλεια γίνεται ὥστε διηνεκοῦς φυλακῆς δεῖ. Διὸ καὶ ἔλεγεν ἐς ὃ δὲ ὑπομείνας εἰς τέλος, οὗτος σωθήσεται. Τοιοῦτόν τι γέγονε καὶ παρὰ τὴν ἀρχήν. Πολλοὶ γοῦν τῶν προεστώτων πονηροὺς εἰσάγοντες ἄνδρας ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις, αἱρεσιάρχας κρυπτομένους, πολλὴν εὐκολίαν τῇ τοιαύτη παρἔσχον ἐπιβουλῇ. Οὐδὲ γὰρ πόνων δεῖ τῷ διαβόλῳ λοιπὸν, ὅταν ἐκείνους εἰς μέσον φυτεύσῃ. Καὶ πῶς δυνατὸν μὴ καθεύδειν : φησί. Τὸν μὲν οὖν φυσικὸν ὕπνον, οὐ δυνατόν τὸν δὲ τῆς προαιρέσεως, δυνατόν. Διὸ καὶ Παῦλος ἐλεγε᾽ Ἂς γρηὨ γορεῖτε, στήκετε ἐν τή πίστει. Εἶτα δείκνυσι καὶ περιττὸν τὸ πρᾶγμα, οὐχὶ βλαβερὸν μόνον. Μετὰ γὰρ τὸ γεωργηθῆναι τὴν ἄρουραν, καὶ μὴ χρείαν εἶναι μηδενὸς, τότε ἐπισπείρει οὗτος , καθάπερ καὶ οἱ αἱρετικοὶ ποιοῦσιν, ᾿ οἵ δι᾽ οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἢ ἡ διὰ κενοδοξίαν ἐμβάλλουσι τὸν ἑαυτῶν ἰόν. Οὐκ ἐντεῦθεν δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκ τῶν μετὰ ταῦτα μετὰ ἀκριβείας αὐτῶν ὑπογράφει τὴν σκηνὴν ἅπασαν. Ὅτε γὰρ ἐβλάστησε, φησὶν, ὁ χόρτος, καὶ καρπὸν ἐποίησε, τότε ἐφάνη καὶ τὰ ζιζάνια ὅπερ καὶ οὗτοι ποιοῦσι. Παρὰ μὲν γὰρ τὴν ἀρχὴν συσκιάζουσιν ἑαυτούς ἐπειδὰν δὲ πολλὴν λάβωσι τὴν παῤῥησίαν, καὶ λόγου τις αὐτοῖς μεταδῷ, τότε τὸν ἰὸν ἐκχέουσι. Τίνος δὲ ἕνεκεν εἰσάγει τοὺς δούλους λέγοντας τὸ γεγενημένον ; Ἵνα εἴπῃ ὅτι οὐ δεῖ ἀναιρεῖν αὐτούς. ᾽Ε χθρὸν δὲ ἄνθρωπον αὐτὸν καλεῖ, διὰ τὴν εἰς ανθρώπους βλάβην. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἑπήρεια καθ᾽ ἡμῶν' ἡ δὲ ἀρχὴ τῆς ἐπηρείας οὐκ ἀπὸ τῆς εἰς ἡμᾶς, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπὸ Ξς εἰς θεὸν ἔχθρας ἐ ἐγένετο. Ὅθεν δῆλον, ὅ ὅτι μᾶλλον ὁ θεὸς ἡμᾶς φιλει, ἢ ἡμεῖς ἑαυτούς. Ὅρα δὲ καὶ ἑτέρωθεν τοῦ διαβόλον τὴν κακουργίαν. Οὐ γὰρ πρὸ τούτου ἔσπειρεν, ἐπειδὴ μηδὲν εἶχεν ᾿ἀπολέσαι᾽ ἀλλ᾽ ὅτε ἥν ἅπαντα πεπληρωμένα» ἵνα τῇ σπουδὴ λυμήνηται τοῦ γεωργοῦ οὕτω προς εκεῖνον ἐχθρωδῶς ἔχων πάντα εποίει. Σκοπει δὲ καὶ τῶν οἰκετῶν τὴν φιλο, ᾽ ΝΜ ’ . στοργίαν. Καὶ γὰρ ἐπείγονται ἤδη τὰ ζιζάνια ἀνασπάσαι, ὔ -- Ἢ 4 ΜΕΣ εἰ καὶ μὴ διεσκεμμόνως ποιοῦσιν' ὅπερ δείκνυσι τὴν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ᾽ ᾿ σ΄, Δ ’ Ι ι σπόρον μέριμναν αὐτῶν, καὶ πρὸς ἐν μόνον βλέποντας, οὐχ Φῳ ᾽ δῶ δὶ φῳ ’ Ὶ ϑ ὅπως ἐκεῖνος δῷ ὀίκην, αλλ ὥστε τὰ καταβληθέντα μὴ απο’ ιὴ Α ΄ι ’ ᾿ - [2 λέσθαι: οὐ γὰρ δὴ τοῦτό ἔστι τὸ κατεπεῖγον. Διόπερ ὅπως τὸ νόσημα τέως ἐξέλωσι, ἱ σκοποῦσι. Καὶ οὐδὲ τοῦτο Β « ΄- λῚ Φ -ς ᾿ » Ὶ ΄- ἀπλως ζητοῦσιν οὐ γὰρ ἑαντοῖς ἐπιτρέπουσιν, αλλὰ τοῦ δεσπότον τὴν γνώμην ἀναμένουσι λέγοντες θέλεις: Τί οὺὐν ὁ δεσπότης; Κωλύυει λέγων μήποτε ἐκριζώσητε ἅμα αὐτοῖς τὸν σῖτον. Τοῦτο δὲ ἔλεγε, κωλύων πολέμους γγί᾿ ᾿ ν μ . ὃ ᾽ν - : νεσθαι καὶ αἵματα καὶ σφαγας. Ου γάρ δεῖ ἀναιρεῖν αἱρε΄. ᾽ ’ Ν ΜΝ Ά » ’ τικόν᾽ ἐπεὶ πόλεμος ἄσπονδος ἔμελλεν εἰς τὴν οἰκουμένην εἰσάγεσθαι.

᾿Allēn parabolēn parethēken autois, legōn hōōmoiōthē hē basileia tōn ouranōn anthrōpǭ speironti kalon sperma en tǭ agrǭ autou. ᾿En de tǭ katheudein tous anthrōpous, ēlthen autou ho echthros, kai espeire zizania anameson tou sitou, kai apēlthen. Hote de eblaastēsen ho chortos, kai karpon epoiēse, tote ephanē ta zizania. Proselthontes de hoi douloi tou oikodespotou, eipon autǭ kyrie, ouchi kalon sperma espeiras en tǭ agrǭ sou? ’ en Ps ’ . I P s ϑ ē Ps pothen oun echei zizania: HoO de eephē hautois eechthros anos touto epoiēsen. Hoi de douloi eipon autǭ theleis oun apelthontes syllexomen auta: Ho de ephē, ou mēpote syllegontes ta zizania, ekrizōsēte hama autois ton siton. Aphete oun synauxanesthai ampho- Ho tera achri tou therismou. TI to meson tautēs kai tēs pro tautēs parabolēs ? Ekei tous mēde holōs proseschēkotas autǭ phēsin, all hō ’ ᾿ hē : ᾿N ē apopēdēsantas kai ton sporon ho proemenous entautha de, tōn hairetikōn legei ta systēmata. hina gar mēde touto tous -s ΄se ’ mathētas ho thorybē, kai touto prolegei, meta to didaxai au, ho , n hē d NY ᾽ ’ n eph ee tous hoiati en parabolais lalei. keinē men ᾽oun hē para, hoi m ᾿o , A ho , Ps, k ? ’ bolē ǭēsin, hoti ouk e exanto᾽ hautē hoee, hoti ho kai phthoreas edexanto. Kai gar kai touto tēs tou diabolou methodeias, tę̄ alētheią aei pareisagein tēn planēn, polla epichrōnnynta autę̄ ta homoiōmata, hōste eukolōs klepsai tous euexapatētous. Dia touto ouk allo ti sperma, alla zizania kalei, ho kata tēn hopsin eoike pōs tǭ sitǭ. Eita legei kai ton tropon tēs epiboulēs. ᾿En gar tǭ katheudein tous i ΄- NM TŌS i2 anthrōpous, phēsin. Ou mikron tois archousin enteuthen epikremną ton kindynon, tois malista tēs arouras tēn phylakēn ᾽ ᾽ d᾿ NM - empepisteumenois᾽ ou tois archousi de monon, alla kai tois ’ 7) de ē A ’ ᾿I I 1th archomenois. Deiknysi hoe kai tēn planēn meta tēn alētheian ph se Ps - ousan᾽ hoper kai hē tōn pragmatōn ekbasis martyrei. Kai gar meta tous prophētas, hoi pseudoprophētai: kai meta tous ph ’y hē G apostolous, hoi pseudapostoloi kai meta ton Christon, ho ᾿ , ᾿ A TS HōS I ’ e ho ’ antichristos. ᾿Han gar mē idē ti mimēsētai iabolos, ē tisin epibouleusē, oute epicheirei, oute hoide. Kai nyn toinyn, [ x . ᾿ ’ e epeidē eiden, hoti ho men epoiēsen hekaton, ho de hexēkonta, ho B de triakonta, allēn erchetai loipon hodon. ᾿Epei gar arpasai ouk ēdynēthē to rhizōthen, oude apopnixai, oude katasi ho hē « ’ ᾽ ’ iē ’ ’ l kausai, hoi teras apatēs epibouleuei, paremballōn ta ą ne - ē ’ ho ’ e y ho ᾿ par eantou. Kai ti diapherousin hoi katheudontes, phēsi, tōn para tēn hodon mimoumenōn Hoti ekei eutheōs hērpasen oude gar rhizōthēnai aphēken entautha de pleionos edeēthē tēs mēchanēs. Tauta de legei d Christos, paideuōn hēmas diapantos e eUrēgorenai. Kan gar ekeinas diaphygę̄s tas blabas, phēsin, esti kai hetera blabē. Hōsper gar ekei dia tēs hodou kai tēs petras kai tōn akanthōn, houtō kai entautha dia tou hypnou hē apōleia ginetai hōste diēnekous phylakēs dei. Dio kai elegen es ho de hypomeinas eis telos, houtos sōthēsetai. Toiouton ti gegone kai para tēn archēn. Polloi goun tōn proestōtōn ponērous eisagontes andras en tais ekklēsiais, hairesiarchas kryptomenous, pollēn eukolian tę̄ toiautē pareschon epiboulę̄. Oude gar ponōn dei tǭ diabolǭ loipon, hotan ekeinous eis meson phyteusę̄. Kai pōs dynaton mē katheudein : phēsi. Ton men oun physikon hypnon, ou dynaton ton de tēs proaireseōs, dynaton. Dio kai Paulos elege᾽ As grēŌ goreite, stēkete en tē pistei. Eita deiknysi kai peritton to pragma, ouchi blaberon monon. Meta gar to geōrgēthēnai tēn arouran, kai mē chreian einai mēdenos, tote epispeirei houtos , kathaper kai hoi hairetikoi poiousin, ᾿ hoi di᾽ ouden heteron ē hē dia kenodoxian emballousi ton heautōn ion. Ouk enteuthen de monon, alla kai ek tōn meta tauta meta akribeias autōn hypographei tēn skēnēn hapasan. Hote gar eblastēse, phēsin, ho chortos, kai karpon epoiēse, tote ephanē kai ta zizania hoper kai houtoi poiousi. Para men gar tēn archēn syskiazousin heautous epeidan de pollēn labōsi tēn parrhēsian, kai logou tis autois metadǭ, tote ton ion ekcheousi. Tinos de heneken eisagei tous doulous legontas to gegenēmenon ? Hina eipę̄ hoti ou dei anairein autous. ᾽E chthron de anthrōpon auton kalei, dia tēn eis anthrōpous blabēn. Hē men gar hepēreia kath᾽ hēmōn' hē de archē tēs epēreias ouk apo tēs eis hēmas, all᾽ apo Xs eis theon echthras e egeneto. Hothen dēlon, ho hoti mallon ho theos hēmas philei, ē hēmeis heautous. Hora de kai heterōthen tou diabolon tēn kakourgian. Ou gar pro toutou espeiren, epeidē mēden eichen ᾿apolesai᾽ all᾽ hote hēn hapanta peplērōmena» hina tę̄ spoudē lymēnētai tou geōrgou houtō pros ekeinon echthrōdōs echōn panta epoiei. Skopei de kai tōn oiketōn tēn philo, ᾽ NM ’ . storgian. Kai gar epeigontai ēdē ta zizania anaspasai, y -- Ē 4 MES ei kai mē dieskemmonōs poiousin' hoper deiknysi tēn hyper tou ᾽ ᾿ s΄, D ’ I i sporon merimnan autōn, kai pros en monon blepontas, ouch Phǭ ᾽ dō di phǭ ’ I ϑ hopōs ekeinos dǭ oikēn, all hōste ta katablēthenta mē apo’ iē A ΄i ’ ᾿ - [2 lesthai: ou gar dē touto esti to katepeigon. Dioper hopōs to nosēma teōs exelōsi, hi skopousi. Kai oude touto B « ΄- lI Ph -s ᾿ » I ΄- aplōs zētousin ou gar heantois epitrepousin, alla tou despoton tēn gnōmēn anamenousi legontes theleis: Ti ouyn ho despotēs? Kōlyyei legōn mēpote ekrizōsēte hama autois ton siton. Touto de elege, kōlyōn polemous ngi᾿ ᾿ n m . ho ᾽n - : nesthai kai haimata kai sphagas. Ou gar dei anairein haire΄. ᾽ ’ N MN A » ’ tikon᾽ epei polemos aspondos emellen eis tēn oikoumenēn eisagesthai.

“Another parable he put before them, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. And when the blade sprang up and bore fruit, then the tares appeared too. And the servants of the householder came and said to him, “Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? From where then does it have tares?” And he said to them, “An enemy has done this.” And the servants said to him, “Do you wish then that we go and gather them up?” But he said, “No, lest while gathering up the tares you root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest.”’” What is the difference between this parable and the one before it? There he speaks of those who did not attend to him at all, but leaped away and threw away the seed; but here he speaks of the companies of the heretics. For so that this too might not trouble the disciples, he foretells this too, after teaching them why he speaks in parables. That parable, then, says that they did not receive; but this one, that they even received corrupters. For this too is part of the devil’s craft, always to bring in error beside the truth, painting it over with many likenesses, so as easily to steal away those who are easily deceived. For this reason he calls it not some other seed, but tares, which in appearance somehow resemble wheat. Then he states the manner of the plot too: “For while men slept,” he says. From this he hangs no small danger over the rulers, to whom especially the guarding of the field has been entrusted; and not over the rulers only, but over those who are ruled as well. And he shows that error comes after the truth; which the outcome of events too bears witness to. For after the prophets came the false prophets; and after the apostles, the false apostles; and after Christ, the Antichrist. For unless the devil sees something to imitate, or someone to plot against, he neither attempts nor knows how. And now then, since he saw that one produced a hundredfold, another sixty, another thirty, he goes another way at last. For since he could not snatch away what had taken root, nor choke it, nor scorch it, he plots by another deceit, throwing in his own things. “And what difference is there,” someone says, “between those who sleep and those who resemble the seed by the road?” That there he snatched it at once; for he did not allow it even to take root; but here he needed more contrivance. And Christ says these things teaching us to be watchful always. “For even if you escape those harms,” he says, “there is another harm too. For as there destruction comes through the road and the rock and the thorns, so here through sleep; so there is need of continual watchfulness.” Therefore he also said, “But he who endures to the end will be saved.” Something of this kind happened at the beginning too. Many at least of those who preside, bringing wicked men into the churches, heresiarchs in disguise, gave great facility to such a plot. For the devil needs no more labor, when he has planted those in the midst. “And how is it possible not to sleep?” someone says. Natural sleep is not possible to avoid; but the sleep of the will is possible. Therefore Paul too said, “Watch, stand firm in the faith.” Then he shows that the thing is superfluous too, not only harmful. For after the field had been cultivated and there was no need of anything, then this man sows over it, as the heretics too do, who for no other reason than vainglory cast in their venom. And not from this only, but also from what follows he sketches their whole stage play with exactness. “For when the blade sprang up,” he says, “and bore fruit, then the tares appeared too”; which these men too do. For at the beginning they keep themselves in the shade; but when they gain much freedom of speech and someone gives them a share in teaching, then they pour out their venom. And for what reason does he bring in the servants telling what had happened? So that he may say that one must not kill them. And he calls him an enemy “man” because of the harm done to men. For the spite is against us; but the beginning of the spite came not from his enmity toward us, but from his enmity toward God. From which it is clear that God loves us more than we love ourselves. And see the devil’s malice from another side too. For he did not sow before this, since he had nothing to destroy; but when all things had been filled, so that he might ruin the labor of the husbandman; so hostile to him was he in all that he did. And consider the servants’ affection too. For they hasten at once to pull up the tares, even if they do not act with deliberation; which shows their care for the seed, and that they look to one thing only, not that the enemy may pay the penalty, but that what was sown may not perish; for that is not the urgent thing. Therefore they consider how they may take away the disease for the present. And not even this do they seek simply; for they do not trust themselves, but wait for the master’s opinion, saying, “Do you wish?” What then does the master say? He forbids them, saying, “Lest you root up the wheat with them.” And he said this forbidding wars and bloodshed and slaughter to take place. For one must not kill a heretic; since an implacable war would have been brought into the world.

Matt 13:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 13:25 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 13:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 13:27 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 13:28 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 13:29 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 13:30 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 13:23 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 24:13 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 16:13 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 11:13 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 John 2:18 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The parable of the tares concerns heretics, whom the devil sows beside the truth while the guardians sleep; the master forbids the servants to pull them up, for heretics must not be killed.

The homily expounds Matt 13:24–33. Quotations and allusions: Matt 13:24–30; Matt 13:23 (hundred, sixty, thirty); Matt 24:13 / 10:22; 1 Cor 16:13; 2 Cor 11:13 (false apostles); 2 Pet 2:1 (false prophets); 1 John 2:18 (the Antichrist). Chrysostom’s statement that “one must not kill a heretic,” and his interpretation of the tares as heretics, are translated as written; he goes on in 46.2 to permit restraining them. A block of Field’s apparatus inside the master’s answer (“No, lest …”) and another inside the question about the seed by the road are removed by logged corrections.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (apparatus siglum, running head, margin letter or other non-text left in the digital text (OCR of Field 1839)): ᾿ΟΔΡ. χιτι. ν. 24-30. δὴν ἐν τοῖς βιωτικοῖς ἐπιδεικνύμεθα. [ἐπιδεικννώμεθα 84ν. Νοδίγαπι οὔ → οὔ; νυν. 394, Βαρεηΐ Μοσ. εὐτὰ Μοβα. Γ πρὸ ταύτης προτέρας σεται οἷ ἐπιβουλεύσει Ἡ. Ῥ οἷδενα. Μοχ λοιπὸν οτι. α. → .

Topics: Heresy, Church office

Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Matt. 46.1 (Field 2; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/chrysostom-hom-matthaeum/46-1/#p-46-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Field's edition (Cambridge 1839; OCR, slips and apparatus sigla removed as logged corrections; gaps from Migne PG 57–58 where noted) and compared afterwards with NPNF¹ 10.

46.2Field 2

Δύο τοίνυν τούτοις αὐτοὺς κατέχει τοῖς λοΦὉΣ, ὦ « .Ὶ ζω ΄-- - Ε ε ᾽ ΄ι γισμοῖς ἑνὶ μέν, τῷ μὴ τὸν σῖτον βλαβῆναι ἑτέρῳ δὲ, τῷ ’ ᾿Ὶ ’ ΄: καταλήψεσθαι τὴν κόλασιν πάντως αὐτοὺς ἀνιάτως νοσοῦντας. ὥστε εἰ βούλει καὶ κολασθῆναι αὐτοὺς, καὶ χωρὶς τῆς τοῦ σίτου βλάβης, ἀνάμεινον τὸν προσήκοντα καιρόν. ἥἧ Τί δέ ἐστι, μὴ ἐκριζώσητε ἅμα αὐτοῖς τὸν σῖτον: ἊἪ τοῦτό φησιν, Ψ - ο ’ ᾿ ὅτι εἰ μέλλοιτε κινεῖν ὅπλα καὶ κατασφαττειν τοὺς αἱρετικοὺς, ἀνάγκη πολλοὺς καὶ τῶν ἁγίων συγκαταβαάλλεσθαι ἢ ΨΦ ν ν Φ - ΄- ᾽ λ ’ ὅτι απ αὐτῶν τῶν ζιζανίων πολλοὺς εἰκὸς μεταβαλέσθαι καὶ γενεσθαι σῖτον. Ἂν τοίνυν προλαβόντες αὐτοὺς ἐκριζώσητε, λυμαίνεσθε τῷ μέλλοντι γίνεσθαι σίτῳ, οὺς ἐγχωρεῖ ’ Α ’ ἣ χ σι ᾽ μεταβαλέσθαι καὶ γενέσθαι βελτίους ἀναιροῦντες. Οὐ ’ ε Α ᾽ ’ τοίνυν ἡ κατέχειν αἱρετικοὺς, καὶ ἐπιστομίζειν, καὶ ἐκκόπτειν ΄ει ᾿Ὶ »Ὁῳ .Ὶ αὐτῶν τὴν παρῥησίαν, καὶ τὰς συνόδους καὶ τὰς σπονδὰς διαλύειν κωλύει, αλλ αναιρεῖν καὶ κατασφαττειν. Σὺ δὲ Ὁ αυτοῦ σκύπει τὴν ἡμερότητα, πῶς οὐκ αποφαίνεται μόνον, ὑδὲ Σ ’ με , ᾿ ’ ’ φΦ Ά ἠ οὐὸε ἦ κωλύει, αλλα λογισμοὺς τίθησι. Τί οὐν, ἂν μέχρι τέλους μένῃ τὰ ζιζάνια: τε Τότε ἐρῶ τοῖς θερισταῖς συλλέξατε πρῶτον τὰ ζιζάνια, καὶ δήσατε αὐτὰ δεσμὰς πρὸς τὸ κατακαῦσαι αὐτα.Ἶ Παλιν ἀ ἀναμιμνήσκει. αὐτοὺς τῶν ᾿Ιωαννου ῥημάτων, τῶν κριτὴν αὐτὸν εἰσαγόντων, καί φησιν, ὅτι ἕως μὲν ἑστήκασιν ἐγγὺς τοῦ σίτου, φείδεσθαι χρῆ᾽ Ἑ, ΕὝ ὡρεῖ γὰρ αὐτοὺς καὶ σῖτον γενέσθαι ὅταν δὲ μηδὲν κερδάναντες ἀπέλθωσι, τότε αὐτοὺς ἀναγκαίως ἡ ἀπαραίτητος διαδέξεται δίκη. ᾿Ερῶ γὰρ τοῖς θερισταῖς, φησὶ, συλλέξατε πρῶτον τὰ ζιζανια. Διατί πρῶτον: Ἵνα μὴ φοβηθῶσιν οὗτοι, ὡς συναπαγομένου ἅμα αὐτοῖς τοῦ σίτου. Καὶ δήσατε αὐτὰ δεσμὰς, ὥστε κατακαῦσαι αὐτά τὸν δὲ σῖτον συναγάγετε εἰς τὴν ἀποθήκην. ὃ Άλλην παραβολὴν παρέθηκεν αὐτοῖς λέγων' ὁμοία ἐστὶν ῇ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν κόκκῳ σινάπεως. ᾿Επειδὴ γάρ εἶπεν, ὅ ὅτι ἀπὸ τοῦ σπόρου τρία μέρη ἀπόλλυται, καὶ σώζεται ἕν, καὶ ἐ ἐν αὐτῷ πάλιν τῷ σωζομένῳ τοσαύτη γίνεται βλάβη, ἵνα μὴ λέγωσι, καὶ τίνες καὶ πόσοι ἔσονται οἱ πιστοί: : καὶ τοῦτον ἐξαιρεῖ τὸν φόβον, διὰ τῆς παραβολῆς τοῦ σινάπεως ἐνάγων εἰς πίστιν αὐτοὺς, καὶ δεικνὺς ὅτι πάντως ἐκταθήσεται τὸ κήρυγμα. Διὰ τοῦτο τοῦ λαχάνου τὴν εἰκόνα εἰς μέσον ἤγαγε σφύόδ ρα ἐοικυῖαν τῇ ὑποθέσει 4εςς ὃ μικρότερον μὲν» φησὶν, ἐστὶ πάντων τῶν σπερμάτων' ὅταν δὲ αὐξηθῇ, μεῖζον τῶν λαχάνων ἐστὶ, καὶ ίνεται δένδρον, ὥστε ἐλθεῖν τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ κατασκηνοῦν ἐν τοῖς κλάδοις αὐτοῦ. Τοῦ γὰρ μεγέθους τὸ Τεκμήριον ἐνδείξασθαι ἠβουλήθη. Οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ κηρύγματος ἔσται, φησί. Καὶ γὰρ ἁπάντων ἀσθενέστεροι ἦσαν οἱ μαθηταὶ, καὶ πάντων ἐλάττους ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως, ἐπειδὴ μϑγάλη ἣν ἡ ἐν αὐτοῖς δύναμις, ἐξηπλώθη πανταχοῦ τῆς οἰκουμένης. Εἶτα καὶ τὴν ζύμην ταύτῃ προστίθησι τῇ εἰκόνι, λόγων ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ζύμῃ, ἣν λαβοῦσα γυνὴ ἔκρυψεν εἰς ἀλεύρου σάτα τρία, ἕως οὗ εζυμώθη ὅλον. Καθάπερ γὰρ αὕτη τὸ πολὺ ἄλευρον μεθίστησιν εἰς τὴν ἑαυτῆς ἰσχὺν, οὕτω καὶ ὑμεῖς τὸν πάντα κόσμον μεταστήσετε. Καὶ ὅρα τὴν σύνεσιν. Τὰ γὰρ τῆς φύσεως παράγει, δεικνὺς ὅ ὅτι ὥσπερ ἐκεῖνα ἀνεγχώρητον μὴ γενέσθαι, οὕτω καὶ ταῦτα. Μὴ γάρ μοι τοῦτο λέγε' τί δυνησόμεθα δωδεκα ἄνθρωποι εἰς πλῆθος ἐμπεσόντες τοσοῦτον; Καὶ γὰρ τοῦτο αὐτὸ μάλιστα ὑμῶν ποιεῖ τὴν ἰσχὺν ἐκλάμψαι, τὸ ἀναμεγῆναι τῷ πλήθει καὶ μὴ φυγεῖν. Ὥσπερ οὗν καὶ ἡ ζύμη τότε τὸ φύραμα ζυμοῖ, ὅταν ἐγγὺς γένηται. τοῦ ἀλεύρου, καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς εγγὺς, ἀλλ᾽ οὕτως ὦστε καὶ μιγῆναι (οὐ γάρ εἶπεν, ἔθηκεν, ἁπλῶς, αλλ᾽, ἔκρυψεν) οὕτω καὶ ὑμεῖς, ὅταν κολληθῆτε καὶ ἐνωθῆτε τοῖς Ὁ πολεμοῦσιν ὑμῖν, τότε αὐτῶν περιέσεσθε. Καὶ καθάπερ ἐκείνη καταχώννυται μὲν, οὐκ ἀφανίζεται ὃ δὲ, ἀλλὰ κατὰ μικρὸν πρὸς τὴν ἑαυτῆς ἕξιν ἅπαντα μεταποιεῖ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ κηρύγματος τοῦτο συμβήσεται. Μὴ τοίνυν, ἐπειδὴ πολλὰς εἶπον ἢ εἶναι τὰς ἐπηρείας, φοβηθητε καὶ γὰρ καὶ οὕτως ἐκλάμψετε, καὶ ἁπάντων περιέσεσθε. Τρία δὲ σάτα ἐνταῦθα τὰ πολλὰ εἴρηκεν οἷδε γὰρ τὸν ἀριθμὸν τοῦτον ἐπὶ πλήηθους λαμβάνειν. Μὴ θαυμάσης δὲ, εἰ περὶ βασιλείας διαλεγόμενος κόκκου καὶ ζύμης ἐμνήσθη; ἀνθρώποις γὰρ διελέγετο ἀπείροις καὶ ἰδιώταις, καὶ δεομένοις ἀπὸ τούτων ᾿ἐνάγεσθαι. Οὕτω γὰρ ἦσαν ἀφελεῖς, ὡς καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα πάντα δεηθῆναι Ε, ἑρμηνείας πολλῆς. Ποῦ τοίνυν Ἑλλήνων παῖδές εἰσι: Μανθανέτωσαν τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὴν δύναμιν, ὁρῶντες τῶν πραγμάτῶν τὴν αλήθειαν' καὶ ἑκατέρωθεν αὐτὸν προσκυνείτωσαν, ὅτι καὶ προεῖπε πρᾶγμα τοσοῦτον, καὶ ἐπλήρωσε. Καὶ γὰρ αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ τὴν δύναμιν ἐνθεὶς τῇ ζύμῃ. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἀνέμιξε τῷ πλήθει τοὺς αὐτῷ πιστεύοντας, ἵνα μεταδῶμεν τοῖς ἄλλοις τῆς ἡμετέρας συνέσεως. Μηδεὶς τοίνυν ὀλεγότητα αἰτιάσθω. Πολλὴ γὰρ τοῦ κηρύγματος ἡ δύναμις καὶ τὸ ζυμωθὲν ἅπαξ, ζύμη γίνεται τῷ λοιπῷ πάλιν. Καὶ καθάπερ ὁ σπινθὴρ ὅταν ἐπιλάβηται ξύλων, τὰ ἤδη κατακανθέντα ποιήσας τῆς φλογὸς προσθήκην, οὕτω τοῖς ἄλλοις ἔπεισιν οὕτω δὴ καὶ τὸ κήρυγμα. ᾿Αλλ οὐκ εἶπε πῦρ, αλλὰ ζύμην τί δήποτε: Ὅτι οὐ τοῦ πυρός ἐστιν ἐκεῖ τὸ ὅλον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἀναπτομένων ξύλων ἐνταῦθα δὲ τὸ ὅλον ἡ ζύμη ἐργάζεται δι ἑαυτῆς. 'Εἰ δὲ ἄνθρωποι δώδεκα τὴν οἰκουμένην ἅπασαν ἐζύμωσαν, ἐννόησον ὅση ἡμῶν ἡ κακία, ὅταν τοσοῦτοι ὄντες τοὺς ὑπολειπομένους μὴ δυνηθῶμεν διορθοῦν, οὗς μυρίοις κόσμοις ἀρκεῖν ἐχρῆν καὶ γενέσθαι ζύμην.

Dyo toinyn toutois autous katechei tois loPhOS, ō « .I zō ΄-- - E e ᾽ ΄i gismois heni men, tǭ mē ton siton blabēnai heterǭ de, tǭ ’ ᾿I ’ ΄: katalēpsesthai tēn kolasin pantōs autous aniatōs nosountas. hōste ei boulei kai kolasthēnai autous, kai chōris tēs tou sitou blabēs, anameinon ton prosēkonta kairon. hēē Ti de esti, mē ekrizōsēte hama autois ton siton: AĒ touto phēsin, Ps - o ’ ᾿ hoti ei melloite kinein hopla kai katasphattein tous hairetikous, anankē pollous kai tōn hagiōn synkatabaallesthai ē PsPh n n Ph - ΄- ᾽ l ’ hoti ap autōn tōn zizaniōn pollous eikos metabalesthai kai genesthai siton. An toinyn prolabontes autous ekrizōsēte, lymainesthe tǭ mellonti ginesthai sitǭ, ous enchōrei ’ A ’ hē ch si ᾽ metabalesthai kai genesthai beltious anairountes. Ou ’ e A ᾽ ’ toinyn hē katechein hairetikous, kai epistomizein, kai ekkoptein ΄ei ᾿I »Hoǭ .I autōn tēn parrhēsian, kai tas synodous kai tas spondas dialyein kōlyei, all anairein kai katasphattein. Sy de Ho autou skypei tēn hēmerotēta, pōs ouk apophainetai monon, hyde S ’ me , ᾿ ’ ’ phPh A ē ouoe ē kōlyei, alla logismous tithēsi. Ti oun, an mechri telous menę̄ ta zizania: te Tote erō tois theristais syllexate prōton ta zizania, kai dēsate auta desmas pros to katakausai auta.I Palin a anamimnēskei. autous tōn ᾿Iōannou rhēmatōn, tōn kritēn auton eisagontōn, kai phēsin, hoti heōs men hestēkasin engys tou sitou, pheidesthai chrē᾽ He, HeU hōrei gar autous kai siton genesthai hotan de mēden kerdanantes apelthōsi, tote autous anankaiōs hē aparaitētos diadexetai dikē. ᾿Erō gar tois theristais, phēsi, syllexate prōton ta zizania. Diati prōton: Hina mē phobēthōsin houtoi, hōs synapagomenou hama autois tou sitou. Kai dēsate auta desmas, hōste katakausai auta ton de siton synagagete eis tēn apothēkēn. ho Allēn parabolēn parethēken autois legōn' homoia estin ę̄ basileia tōn ouranōn kokkǭ sinapeōs. ᾿Epeidē gar eipen, ho hoti apo tou sporou tria merē apollytai, kai sōzetai hen, kai e en autǭ palin tǭ sōzomenǭ tosautē ginetai blabē, hina mē legōsi, kai tines kai posoi esontai hoi pistoi: : kai touton exairei ton phobon, dia tēs parabolēs tou sinapeōs enagōn eis pistin autous, kai deiknys hoti pantōs ektathēsetai to kērygma. Dia touto tou lachanou tēn eikona eis meson ēgage sphyod ra eoikuian tę̄ hypothesei 4ess ho mikroteron men» phēsin, esti pantōn tōn spermatōn' hotan de auxēthę̄, meizon tōn lachanōn esti, kai inetai dendron, hōste elthein ta peteina tou ouranou, kai kataskēnoun en tois kladois autou. Tou gar megethous to Tekmērion endeixasthai ēboulēthē. Houtō dē kai epi tou kērygmatos estai, phēsi. Kai gar hapantōn asthenesteroi ēsan hoi mathētai, kai pantōn elattous all᾽ homōs, epeidē mϑgalē hēn hē en autois dynamis, exēplōthē pantachou tēs oikoumenēs. Eita kai tēn zymēn tautę̄ prostithēsi tę̄ eikoni, logōn homoia estin hē basileia tōn ouranōn zymę̄, hēn labousa gynē ekrypsen eis aleurou sata tria, heōs hou ezymōthē holon. Kathaper gar hautē to poly aleuron methistēsin eis tēn heautēs ischyn, houtō kai hymeis ton panta kosmon metastēsete. Kai hora tēn synesin. Ta gar tēs physeōs paragei, deiknys ho hoti hōsper ekeina anenchōrēton mē genesthai, houtō kai tauta. Mē gar moi touto lege' ti dynēsometha dōdeka anthrōpoi eis plēthos empesontes tosouton? Kai gar touto auto malista hymōn poiei tēn ischyn eklampsai, to anamegēnai tǭ plēthei kai mē phygein. Hōsper houn kai hē zymē tote to phyrama zymoi, hotan engys genētai. tou aleurou, kai ouch haplōs engys, all᾽ houtōs ōste kai migēnai (ou gar eipen, ethēken, haplōs, all᾽, ekrypsen) houtō kai hymeis, hotan kollēthēte kai enōthēte tois Ho polemousin hymin, tote autōn periesesthe. Kai kathaper ekeinē katachōnnytai men, ouk aphanizetai ho de, alla kata mikron pros tēn heautēs hexin hapanta metapoiei ton auton tropon kai epi tou kērygmatos touto symbēsetai. Mē toinyn, epeidē pollas eipon ē einai tas epēreias, phobēthēte kai gar kai houtōs eklampsete, kai hapantōn periesesthe. Tria de sata entautha ta polla eirēken hoide gar ton arithmon touton epi plēēthous lambanein. Mē thaumasēs de, ei peri basileias dialegomenos kokkou kai zymēs emnēsthē? anthrōpois gar dielegeto apeirois kai idiōtais, kai deomenois apo toutōn ᾿enagesthai. Houtō gar ēsan apheleis, hōs kai meta tauta panta deēthēnai E, hermēneias pollēs. Pou toinyn Hellēnōn paides eisi: Manthanetōsan tou Christou tēn dynamin, horōntes tōn pragmatōn tēn alētheian' kai hekaterōthen auton proskyneitōsan, hoti kai proeipe pragma tosouton, kai eplērōse. Kai gar autos estin ho tēn dynamin entheis tę̄ zymę̄. Dia touto kai anemixe tǭ plēthei tous autǭ pisteuontas, hina metadōmen tois allois tēs hēmeteras syneseōs. Mēdeis toinyn olegotēta aitiasthō. Pollē gar tou kērygmatos hē dynamis kai to zymōthen hapax, zymē ginetai tǭ loipǭ palin. Kai kathaper ho spinthēr hotan epilabētai xylōn, ta ēdē katakanthenta poiēsas tēs phlogos prosthēkēn, houtō tois allois epeisin houtō dē kai to kērygma. ᾿All ouk eipe pyr, alla zymēn ti dēpote: Hoti ou tou pyros estin ekei to holon, alla kai tōn anaptomenōn xylōn entautha de to holon hē zymē ergazetai di heautēs. 'Ei de anthrōpoi dōdeka tēn oikoumenēn hapasan ezymōsan, ennoēson hosē hēmōn hē kakia, hotan tosoutoi ontes tous hypoleipomenous mē dynēthōmen diorthoun, hous myriois kosmois arkein echrēn kai genesthai zymēn.

By two considerations, then, he holds them back: one, that the wheat may not be harmed; the other, that punishment will certainly overtake them, since they are incurably sick. So if you wish them to be punished, and that without harm to the wheat, wait for the fitting time. And what is “lest you root up the wheat with them”? Either he means this, that if you were to take up arms and slaughter the heretics, many of the saints too must needs be struck down with them; or that from among the tares themselves it is likely that many will change and become wheat. If then you uproot them beforehand, you ruin the wheat that is going to come to be, destroying those who are able to change and become better. He does not then forbid restraining heretics, and stopping their mouths, and cutting off their freedom of speech, and breaking up their assemblies and covenants, but killing and slaughtering them. And see his gentleness, how he not only declares and forbids, but also sets down reasons. What then if the tares remain to the end? “Then I will say to the reapers, ‘Gather first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them.’” Again he reminds them of the words of John, which brought him in as judge; and he says that as long as they stand near the wheat, they must be spared, for it is possible for them even to become wheat; but when they depart having gained nothing, then the inexorable penalty will of necessity take them. “For I will say to the reapers,” he says, “Gather first the tares.” Why first? So that these may not fear, as though the wheat were being carried off together with them. “And bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into the barn.” “Another parable he put before them, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed.’” For since he had said that of the seed three parts perish and one is saved, and that even in the part that is saved so much harm happens, so that they might not say, “And who and how many will the believers be?”, he takes away this fear too, leading them to faith by the parable of the mustard seed, and showing that the preaching will certainly spread. For this reason he brought forward the image of this herb, which very much resembles the subject: “which is the smallest,” he says, “of all seeds; but when it has grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches.” For he wished to show the proof of its greatness. “So it will be with the preaching too,” he says. For the disciples were weaker than all and less than all; but nevertheless, since the power in them was great, it spread out everywhere in the world. Then he adds the leaven to this image, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, until the whole was leavened.” “For as this changes the great quantity of meal into its own strength, so you too will change the whole world.” And see his wisdom. For he brings forward the things of nature, showing that as it is impossible for those not to happen, so for these too. “For do not tell me, ‘What shall we be able to do, twelve men falling among so great a multitude?’ For this very thing above all makes your strength shine out, to be mixed with the multitude and not to flee. As then the leaven too leavens the lump when it comes near the meal, and not simply near, but so as to be mixed with it (for he did not say simply, ‘she put,’ but ‘she hid’), so you too, when you are joined and united to those who war against you, then you will overcome them. And as it is buried but not destroyed, but little by little changes everything into its own state, in the same way this will happen with the preaching too. Do not then fear because I said that the spiteful attacks would be many; for even so you will shine out and overcome all.” And by three measures he here means many; for Scripture knows how to take this number for a multitude. And do not wonder if, speaking about the kingdom, he mentioned a grain and leaven; for he was speaking to men inexperienced and unlearned, who needed to be led on by these things. For they were so simple that even after all these things they needed much interpretation. Where then are the children of the Greeks? Let them learn Christ’s power, seeing the truth of the facts; and let them worship him on both counts, because he both foretold so great a thing and fulfilled it. For it is he who put the power into the leaven. For this reason too he mixed those who believe in him with the multitude, so that we might share our understanding with the others. Let no one then blame our fewness. For great is the power of the preaching; and what has once been leavened becomes leaven in turn for the rest. And as a spark, when it takes hold of wood, makes what is already burned an addition to the flame, and so comes upon the rest, so too does the preaching. But he did not say fire, but leaven. Why? Because there the whole is not the fire’s, but also that of the wood that is kindled; but here the leaven does the whole by itself. And if twelve men leavened the whole world, consider how great is our wickedness, when, being so many, we are not able to correct those who remain, we who ought to have been enough for countless worlds and to become leaven.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Matt 13:29 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 13:30 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 3:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 13:31 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 13:32 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 13:33 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The tares are not to be uprooted, so that saints may not be killed with them and so that some may still become wheat, though heretics may be restrained; the mustard seed and the leaven show that the small band of disciples will transform the world.

Quotations: Matt 13:28–33; Matt 3:12 (John’s words about the judge burning the chaff). Chrysostom permits restraining heretics, silencing them and breaking up their assemblies, while forbidding their killing; translated as written. A block of Field’s apparatus (Latin notes and variant readings, including σπουδάς for σπονδάς) after “What then if the tares remain …” and other apparatus are removed by logged corrections.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (apparatus siglum, running head, margin letter or other non-text left in the digital text (OCR of Field 1839)): μέχρι Τί δὲ ἄλλο διὰ τοῦ, μὴ . - - ΚΟ. οἵ εἰς Εαά. τοΐπογο ἀἰθεϊποίίοπα ροβῖ σχεῖν ΜΟΥ. κατάρχειν ὑπι8᾽ ἀρυὰἀ Μοηῖεξ, πὶ βουῖθογα νοοῖ κατάγχειν, αυ86 Ἰεοῖΐο εβὲ Βερ. 088.(. Μοχ ῥζὸ σπονδᾶς, σπουδὰς κελεῦνυει. → μέχρι; ὅρα μείνῃ 6. μείνωσι ζιζάνια Ε ΕΡ. Ὁ τὸν κρ. αὐτῶν Κι εἴρτ. αὐ. τῶν σύνεσιν → ὅρα τὴν σύνεσιν; ἑαυτῆς. Μυϊχαΐυτη ἀλλήλοις ἰδέτε σ. → ἑαυτῆς.; μεταδῶμεν 484. Χ → μεταδῶμεν.

Topics: Heresy, Eschatology

Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Matt. 46.2 (Field 2; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/chrysostom-hom-matthaeum/46-1/#p-46-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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46.3Field 2

Ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνοι; φησὶν, απόστολοι ἤσαν. Καὶ τί τοῦτο: Οὐχὲ τῶν αὐτῶν σοι μετέσχον: οὐκ ἐν πόλεσιν ἐτράφησαν: οὐ τῶν αὐτῶν ἀπέλαυσαν; οὐχὶ τέχνας μετεχειρίσαντο: μὴ γὰρ ἄγγελοι ἦσαν; μὴ γὰρ ἐξ οὐρανοὺ κατέβησαν ; ᾿Αλλὰ τὰ σημεῖα, φησὶν, εἶχον. Οὐ τὰ σημεῖα θαυμαστοὺς αὐτοὺς ἐποίησε. Μέχρι πότε προκαλύμμασι κεχρήμεθα τῆς ἡμετέρας ῥᾳθυμίας τοῖς θαύμασιν ἐκείνοις: [Ἴδε τὸν χορὸν τῶν αὙίων οὐ τοῖς θαύμασιν ἐκείνοις λάμψαντα. Πολλοὶ γὰρ καὶ δαίμονας ἐκβαλόντες, ἐπειδὴ τὴν ἀνομίαν εἰργάσαντο, οὐκ ἐγένοντο θαυμαστοὶ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκολάσθησαν. Καὶ τί ποτ᾽ οὖν ἐστι, φησὶν, ὃ μεγάλους αὐὖτοὺς ἔδειξε: ; Τὸ χρημάτων καταφρονεῖν, τὸ δόξης ὑπερορᾶν, τὸ πραγμάτων ἀπήλλαχθαι βιωτικῶν. Ὡς εἴγε μὴ ταῦτα εἶχον, ἀλλὰ δοῦλοι ἡ τῶν. παθῶν ἤσαν, εἰ καὶ μυρίους νεκροὺς ἤγειραν, οὐ μόνον οὐδὲν ἂν ὠφέλησαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπατεώνες ἂν ἐνομίσθησαν εἶναι. Οὕτως ὁ βίος ἐστὶν ὁ πανταχοῦ λαμπων, ὁ καὶ τοῦ πνεύματος τὴν χάριν ἐπισπώμενος. Ποῖον σημεῖον ᾿Ιωάννης ἐποίησεν, ὅτι πόλεις τοσαύτας ἀνηρτήσατο: Ὀ Ὅτι γὰρ οὐδὲν Σαίοον τρις ἐδ ιν ἄκουσον τοῦ εὐαγγελιστοῦ λέγοντος 5 ὅ ι ᾿Ιωάννης μὲν ἐποίησε σημεῖον οὐδέν. Πόθεν δὲ θαυμαστὸς Ἠλία; ἐγένετο: Οὐκ ἀπὸ τῆς παῤῥησίας τῆς πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα: οὐκ ἀπὸ τοῦ ζήλου τοῦ πρὸς τὸν θεόν: οὐκ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀκτημοσύνης : οὐκ ἀπὸ τῆς μηλωτῆς καὶ τοῦ σπηλαίου καὶ τῶν ὁρῶν; Τὰ γὰρ σημεῖα μετὰ ταῦτα ἅπαντα ἐποίησε. Τὸν δὲ ᾿Ιωβ ποῖον σημεῖον ὁρῶν ποιοῦντα ἐξεπλάγη ὁ διάβολος : Σημεῖον μὲν οὐδὲν, βίον δὲ λάμποντα καὶ ὑπομονὴν ἀδάμαντος στεῤῥοτέραν ἐπιδεικνύμενον. Ποῖον σημεῖον ὁ Δαυϊδ ἐποίησεν, ἔτι νέος ὧν, ὡς εἰπεῖν τὸν θεόν εὗρον Ἑ Δαυϊδ τὸν τοῦ ᾿[εσσαὶ ἄνδρα κατὰ τὴν καρδίαν μου: Ὁ δὲ Αβραὰμ καὶ ᾿Ισαὰκ καὶ ᾿Ιακὼβ ποῖον νεκρὸν ἤγειραν: ποῖον δὲ λεπρὸν ἐκάθηραν; Οὐκ οἶσθα ὅτι τὰ σημεῖα, ἐὰν μὴ νήφωμεν, καὶ βλάπτει πολλάκις: Οὕτω πολλοὶ τῶν Κορινθίων ἀπεσχίσθησαν ἀπ᾿ αλληλων᾽ οὕτω πολλοὶ τῶν Ῥωμαίων ἀπενοήθησαν᾽ οὕτω Σίμων ἐξεβλήθη οὕτως ὃ τῷ Χριστῷ τότε ἐπιθυμήσας ἀκολουθῆσαι ἀπεδοκιμάζετο, ἀκούσας ὅτι αἱ ἀλώπεκες φωλεοὺς ἔχουσι, ᾿καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοὺ οὐρανοῦ κατασκηνώσεις. Τούτων. γὰρ ἕκαστος, ὁ μὲν χρημάτων, ὁ δὲ δόξης ἐφιέμενος τῆς ἀπὸ τών σημείων, ἐξέπιπον καὶ ἀπώλλυντο. Βίον δὲ ἐπιμέλεια καὶ ἀρετῆς ἔρως οὐ μόνον οὐ τίκτει τοιαύτην ἐπιθυμίαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ οὗσαν ἀναιρεῖ. Καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ ὅτε ἐνομοθέτει τοῖς ἑαντοῦ μαθηταῖς, τί ἔλεγε: ποιήσατε σημεῖα, ἵνα ἴδωσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι: : Οὐδαμῶς ἀλλὰ τί: Λαμψάτω τὸ ὡς ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὅ ὅπως ἴδωσιν ὑμῶν τὰ καλα ἔ ἐργα, καὶ δοξάσωσι τὸν πατέρα ὑμῶν τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Καὶ ἣν Πέτρῳ δὲ οὐκ εἶπεν, ᾿ᾧ εἰ φι- Β λεῖς με, ποίει σημεῖα ἀλλὰ, ποίμαινε τὰ π ρόβατά μου. ται πανταχοῦ δὲ αὐτὸν προτιμῶν τῶν ἄλλων μετὰ ᾿Ιακώβου ὶ ᾿Ιωάννον, πόθεν, εἰπέ μοι, προετίμα; απὸ τῶν σημείων: Καὶ μὴν πάντες ὁμοίως ἐκάθαιρον τοὺς λεπροὺς». καὶ τοὺς νεκροὺς ἤγειρον καὶ πᾶσιν ὁμοίως τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἔδωκε. Πόθεν οὗν εἶχον τὸ πλέον οὗτοι: Απὸ τῆς κατὰ ψυχὴν ἀρετῆς. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι πανταχοῦ βίον χρεία καὶ τῆς διὰ τῶν ἔργων ἐπιδείξεως ; 5 Ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν γὰρ αὐτῶν, φησὶν, ἐπιγνώσεσθε αὐτούς.

All᾽ ekeinoi? phēsin, apostoloi ēsan. Kai ti touto: Ouche tōn autōn soi meteschon: ouk en polesin etraphēsan: ou tōn autōn apelausan? ouchi technas metecheirisanto: mē gar angeloi ēsan? mē gar ex ouranou katebēsan ? ᾿Alla ta sēmeia, phēsin, eichon. Ou ta sēmeia thaumastous autous epoiēse. Mechri pote prokalymmasi kechrēmetha tēs hēmeteras rhąthymias tois thaumasin ekeinois: [Ide ton choron tōn haUiōn ou tois thaumasin ekeinois lampsanta. Polloi gar kai daimonas ekbalontes, epeidē tēn anomian eirgasanto, ouk egenonto thaumastoi, alla kai ekolasthēsan. Kai ti pot᾽ oun esti, phēsin, ho megalous auytous edeixe: ? To chrēmatōn kataphronein, to doxēs hyperoran, to pragmatōn apēllachthai biōtikōn. Hōs eige mē tauta eichon, alla douloi hē tōn. pathōn ēsan, ei kai myrious nekrous ēgeiran, ou monon ouden an ōphelēsan, alla kai apateōnes an enomisthēsan einai. Houtōs ho bios estin ho pantachou lampōn, ho kai tou pneumatos tēn charin epispōmenos. Poion sēmeion ᾿Iōannēs epoiēsen, hoti poleis tosautas anērtēsato: O Hoti gar ouden Saioon tris ed in akouson tou euangelistou legontos 5 ho i ᾿Iōannēs men epoiēse sēmeion ouden. Pothen de thaumastos Ēlia? egeneto: Ouk apo tēs parrhēsias tēs pros ton basilea: ouk apo tou zēlou tou pros ton theon: ouk apo tēs aktēmosynēs : ouk apo tēs mēlōtēs kai tou spēlaiou kai tōn horōn? Ta gar sēmeia meta tauta hapanta epoiēse. Ton de ᾿Iōb poion sēmeion horōn poiounta exeplagē ho diabolos : Sēmeion men ouden, bion de lamponta kai hypomonēn adamantos sterrhoteran epideiknymenon. Poion sēmeion ho Dauïd epoiēsen, eti neos hōn, hōs eipein ton theon heuron He Dauïd ton tou ᾿[essai andra kata tēn kardian mou: Ho de Abraam kai ᾿Isaak kai ᾿Iakōb poion nekron ēgeiran: poion de lepron ekathēran? Ouk oistha hoti ta sēmeia, ean mē nēphōmen, kai blaptei pollakis: Houtō polloi tōn Korinthiōn apeschisthēsan ap᾿ allēlōn᾽ houtō polloi tōn Rhōmaiōn apenoēthēsan᾽ houtō Simōn exeblēthē houtōs ho tǭ Christǭ tote epithymēsas akolouthēsai apedokimazeto, akousas hoti hai alōpekes phōleous echousi, ᾿kai ta peteina tou ouranou kataskēnōseis. Toutōn. gar hekastos, ho men chrēmatōn, ho de doxēs ephiemenos tēs apo tōn sēmeiōn, exepipon kai apōllynto. Bion de epimeleia kai aretēs erōs ou monon ou tiktei toiautēn epithymian, alla kai housan anairei. Kai autos de hote enomothetei tois heantou mathētais, ti elege: poiēsate sēmeia, hina idōsin hoi anthrōpoi: : Oudamōs alla ti: Lampsatō to hōs hymōn emprosthen tōn anthrōpōn, ho hopōs idōsin hymōn ta kala e erga, kai doxasōsi ton patera hymōn ton en tois ouranois. Kai hēn Petrǭ de ouk eipen, ᾿hǭ ei phi- B leis me, poiei sēmeia alla, poimaine ta p robata mou. tai pantachou de auton protimōn tōn allōn meta ᾿Iakōbou i ᾿Iōannon, pothen, eipe moi, proetima? apo tōn sēmeiōn: Kai mēn pantes homoiōs ekathairon tous leprous». kai tous nekrous ēgeiron kai pasin homoiōs tēn exousian edōke. Pothen houn eichon to pleon houtoi: Apo tēs kata psychēn aretēs. Horąs hoti pantachou bion chreia kai tēs dia tōn ergōn epideixeōs ? 5 Apo tōn karpōn gar autōn, phēsin, epignōsesthe autous.

“But those men,” someone says, “were apostles.” And what of this? Did they not share the same things as you? Were they not reared in cities? Did they not enjoy the same things? Did they not practise crafts? Were they angels? Did they come down from heaven? “But they had the signs,” someone says. It was not the signs that made them wonderful. How long shall we use those wonders as cloaks for our own carelessness? See the choir of the saints, who did not shine by those wonders. For many, even after casting out demons, since they worked lawlessness, did not become wonderful, but were even punished. “And what then was it,” someone says, “that showed them great?” Despising money, disdaining glory, being freed from worldly affairs. Since if they had not had these things, but had been slaves of the passions, even if they had raised countless dead, not only would they have profited nothing, but they would even have been thought to be deceivers. So it is the life that shines everywhere, that draws to itself the grace of the Spirit too. What sign did John do, that he made so many cities hang upon him? For that he did no sign, hear the evangelist saying, “John did no sign.” And from where did Elijah become wonderful? Was it not from his boldness toward the king? Was it not from his zeal for God? Was it not from his having nothing? Was it not from his sheepskin and the cave and the mountains? For he did the signs after all these things. And what sign did the devil see Job doing, that he was astonished? No sign, but a shining life, and a patience firmer than adamant. What sign did David do, while still young, that God said, “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart”? And what dead man did Abraham and Isaac and Jacob raise? What leper did they cleanse? Do you not know that signs, unless we are sober, often even harm? So many of the Corinthians were split from one another; so many of the Romans were puffed up; so Simon was cast out; so the man who then desired to follow Christ was rejected, hearing, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests.” For each of these, one desiring money, another the glory that comes from signs, fell away and perished. But care for one’s life and the love of virtue not only do not give birth to such a desire, but even take it away when it is there. And he himself, when giving laws to his disciples, what did he say? “Do signs, so that men may see”? By no means; but what? “Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” And to Peter he did not say, “If you love me, do signs,” but, “Feed my sheep.” And everywhere preferring him above the others, together with James and John, from what, tell me, did he prefer them? From the signs? Yet all alike cleansed lepers and raised the dead, and he gave the authority to all alike. From where then did these have more? From the virtue of the soul. Do you see that everywhere there is need of life and of the display that comes through works? “For by their fruits,” he says, “you will know them.”

Matt 7:22 (allusion, high confidence) · John 10:41 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 18:18 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Kgs 19:9 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Kgs 1:8 (allusion, low confidence) · Job 1:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 13:22 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 1:12 (allusion, medium confidence) · Rom 11:20 (allusion, low confidence) · Acts 8:18 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 8:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:16 (quotation, high confidence) · John 21:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 7:20 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The apostles were great not because of their signs but because of their contempt for money, glory and worldly affairs; John, Elijah, Job, David and the patriarchs shone by their life, and signs without virtue harm.

Quotations and allusions: Matt 7:22–23; John 10:41; 1 Kgs 18 and 2 Kgs 1:8 (Elijah’s boldness, his sheepskin, the cave of 1 Kgs 19:9); Job 1–2; Acts 13:22 (Ps 89:20 [LXX 88:21]; 1 Sam 13:14); 1 Cor 1:11–12 and 12–14 (the Corinthians divided over gifts); Rom 11:20 / 12:3 (the Romans warned against pride); Acts 8:18–21 (Simon); Matt 8:19–20; Matt 5:16; John 21:17; Matt 7:20. A heading inserted by the edition (“Moral: about the apostles and all the saints, and that they shone more from life and virtue than from gifts …”) and stray marks are removed by logged corrections.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (apparatus siglum, running head, margin letter or other non-text left in the digital text (OCR of Field 1839)): Δαυϊδ8}Ἃ)ΧεαΘὀδΣν τοῦ → Δαυϊδ τὸν τοῦ; μου: Ὁ : ΗΘΙΚΟΝ. Περὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ πάντων τῶν ἁγίων' καὶ ὅτι ἀπὸ βίον καὶ ἀρετής μᾶλλον ἔλαμψαν, καὶ οὐκ ἀπὸ αρισμάτων τὸ γὰρ μέγιστον ἀγαπη καὶ ἐλεημοσύνη, ἣ καὶ παρθενίαν νπερηκόντισε. Ο. δὲ → μου: Ὁ δὲ.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Matt. 46.3 (Field 2; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/chrysostom-hom-matthaeum/46-1/#p-46-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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46.4Field 2

Τί δὲ τὴν ζωὴν συνίστησι τὴν ἡμετέραν: : Ἄρα σημείων ἐπίδειξις, ἢ πολιτείας ἀρίστης ἀκρίβεια : Εὔ-ς δηλον ὅτι τὸ δεύτερον τὰ δὲ σημεῖα καὶ τὰς ἀφορμὰς ἐντεῦθεν ἕἔ ἔχει, καὶ εἰς τοῦτο καταλήγει. Ὅ τε γὰρ βίον ἄριστον ἐπιδεικνύμενος, ἐπισπᾶται ταύτην τὴν χάριν᾽ ὅ τε λαμβάνων τὴν χάριν, διὰ τοῦτο λαμβάνει, ἵνα τὸν ἑτέρων διορθώσηται βίον. ᾿Επεὶ καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς διὰ τοῦτο τὰ θαύματα ἐκεῖνα ἐποίησεν, ἵνα ἀξιόπιστος φανεὶς ἐντεῦθεν, καὶ πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἑλκύσας, ἀρετὴν εἰς τὸν βίον εἰσαγάγῃ. Διὸ καὶ τὴν πλείονα ὑπὲρ τούτου ποιεῖται σπουδήν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τοῖς σημείοις ἀρκεῖται μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ γέενναν ἀπειλεῖ, καὶ βασιλείαν ἐπαγγέλλεται, καὶ τοὺς παραδόξους ἐκείνους τίὮ θησι νόμους, καὶ πάντα ὑπὲρ τούτου πραγματεύεται, ἵνα ἰσαγγέλους ἐργάσηται. Καὶ τί λέγω, ὅτι ὁ Χριστὸς πάντα τούτον ἕνεκεν ποιεῖ : Σοὶ γὰρ εἴ τις ἔδωκεν, εἰπέ μοι, αἵρεσιν; ᾿ νεκροὺς ἀναστῆσαι ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ, ἣ διὰ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἀποθανεῖν, τί ἀν ᾿ἐδέξω μᾶλλον: Οὐκ εὕδηλον ὅ ὅτι τὸ δεύτερον: Καὶ μὴν τὸ μὲν σημεῖόν ἐστι, τὸ δὲ ἔ ργον. Τί δὲ, εἴ τίς σοι προὔθηκε ποιῆσαι χόρτον χρυσὸν, ἢ δυνηθῆναι πάντων τῶν χρημάτων ὡς χόρτου καταφρονῆσαι, οὐκ κὰν τοῦτο ἐδέξω μᾶλλον : Καὶ μάλα εἰκότως. Καὶ γὰρ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοῦτο ἂν μάλιστα ἐπεσπάσατο. ΒΞ Εἰ μὲν γὰρ εἶδον τὸν χόρτον χρυσὸν γινόμενον, κὰν ἐπεθύμησαν καὶ αὐτοὶ λαβεῖν τὴν δύναμιν, ὥσπερ ὁ Σίμων, καὶ ηὐξήθη ἂν αὐτοῖς ὁ τῶν χρημάτων ἔρως εἰ δὲ εἶδον ὡς χόρτον τοῦ χρυσοῦ πάντας καταφρονοῦντας καὶ ὑπερορῶντας, πάλαι ἂν τῆς νόσου ταύτης ἀπηλλάγησαν. Ὁρᾷς ὅ ὅτι ὁ βίος μᾶλλον ὠφελεῖν δύναται : Βίον δὲ λέγω νῦν, οὐχὶ ἄν νηστεύσῃς, οὐδὲ ἂν σάκκον καὶ σποδὸν ὁ ὑποστρώσης ἀλλ᾽ ἐὰν χρημάτων ὑπερίδῃς, ὡς ὑπεριδεῖν χρή). ἐὧν ὁ Φιλοστοργήσῃς, ἐὰν δῷς πεινῶντι τὸν ἄρτον σου, ἐὰν θυμοῦ Οὕτω καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπαίδευε' 1 ὁ μαθετε γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ, ὅτι πρᾶός εἰμι καὶ ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ. ϑνεςς Οὐκ εἶπεν, ὅτι ἐνήστευσα καίτοιγε εἶχεν ἐστον τὰς ,Τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ λέγει τοῦτο ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι πρᾶός εἰμι καὶ ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ. Καὶ πάλιν πέμπων αὐτοὺς, οὐκ εἶπεν, ὅτι νηστεύἜ ετε᾿ ἀλλὰ ἦν πᾶν τὸ παρατιθέμενον ὑμῖν ἐσθίετε. Χρημάτων μέντοι ἕνεκεν πολλήν ἀκρίβειαν ἀπήτησε λέγων' ἐς μἡ κτήσησθε χρυσὸν ἢ ἄργυρον, μηδὲ χαλκὸν εἰς τὰς ζώνας ὑμῶν. Ταῦτα δὲ λέγω, οὐχὶ νηστείαν κακίζων μὴ γένοιτο ἀλλὰ καὶ σφόδρα ἐπαινῶν ἀλγῶ δὲ, ὅταν τῶν ἄλλων͵ ἡμελημένων ταύτην νομίζητε ἀρκεῖν εἰς σωτηρίαν ὑμῖν, τὸ ἔσχατον τοῦ χοροῦ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἔχουσαν μέρος. 'ΤΤὸ γὰρ μέγιστον, ἀγάπη καὶ ἐπιείκεια καὶ ἐλεημοσύνη, ἣ καὶ παρθενίαν ὑπερηκόντισεν. Ὥστε εἰ βούλει ἀποστόλων γενέσθαι ἴ ἴσος, οὐδὲν Ο τὸ κωλύον. Ἄρκεϊ γὰρ ταύτην τὴν ἀρετὴν [ἐπελθόντα μόνον μηδὲν ἔλαττον ἐκείνων ἔχειν. Μηδεὶς τοίνυν εἰς σημεῖα ἀναβαλλέσθω. Αλγεῖ μὲν γὰρ ὅταν ἐξελαθῆ σώματος δαίμων πολλῷ δὲ μᾶλλον, ὅ ὅταν ἁμαρτίας ἀπαλλαττομένην ἴδη ψυχήν. Καὶ γὰρ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ δύναμις ε ἐκείνου ἢ μογάλη. Διὰ ταύτην ἀπέθανεν ὃ Χριστὸς, ἵνα ταύτην καταλύσῃ. Καὶ γὰρ αὕτη τὸν θάνατον εἰσήγαγε διὰ ταύτην τὰ ἄνω κάτω γέγοόνεν. Ἂν τοίνυν ταύτην ἀνέλῃς, ἐξέκοψας τοῦ διαβόλου τὰ νεῦρα, συνέτριψας αὐτοῦ τὴν κεφαλὴν, κατέλυσας αὐτοῦ τὴν ἰσχὺν ἅπασαν, διέσπασας τὸ στρατόπεδον, ἁπάντων σημείων ἐπεδείξω σημεῖον μεῖζον. Οὐκ ἐμὸς οὗτος ὁ λόγος, ἀλλὰ τοῦ μακαρίου Παύλου. Εἰπὼν γὰρ, ζηλοῦτε, τὰ χαρίσματα τὰ κρείττονα, καὶ ἔτι καθ᾽ ὑπερβολὴν ὁδὸν υ ὑμῖν δείκνυμι, οὐκ ὁπήγαγε σημεῖον, ἀλλὰ ἀγάπην τὴν πάντων ῥίζαν τῶν ἀγαθῶν. ᾿Ἂν τοίνυν ταύτην ἀσκῶμεν, καὶ τὴν ἐκ ταύτης φιλοσοφίαν ἅ ἅπασαν, οὐδὲν δεηθησόμεθα σημείων ὥσπερ οὖν ἐὰν «μὴ ἀσκῶμεν, οὐδὲν κερδανοῦμεν ἀπὸ δ γῶν σημείων. Ταῦτ᾽ οὖν ἅπαντα ἐννοοῦντες, αφ᾽ ὧν ἐγένοντο οἱ ἀπόστολοι μεγάλοι, ταῦτα ζηλώσωμεν. Πόθεν οὖν ἐγένοντο ἐκεῖνοι μεγάλοι: Ἄκουσον λέγοντος Πέτρου ἰδ ἐς ἰδοὺ ἡμεῖς «φήκαμεν πάντα, καὶ ἠκολουθήσαμέν σοι τί ἄρα ἄσται ἡμῖν. Ἄκουσον καὶ τοῦ Χριστοὺ λέγοντος αὐτοῖς, ὅτι ἐπὶ δώδεκα θρόνους καθίσεσθε καὶ ὅτι πᾶς ὅστις ἀφῆκεν οἰκίας, ἢ ἀδελφοὺς, ἢ ἥ πατέρα, ἤ μητέρα, ἑκατονταπλασίονα λήψεται ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ, καὶ ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσει. Ἁπαντων τοίνυν ἑαυτοὺς ἀποστήσαντες τῶν βιωτικῶν, ἀναθώμεθα ἑαυτοὺς τῷ Χριστῳ, ἵνα καὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων γενώμεθα ἴσοι κατὰ τὴν ἀπόφασιν τὴν αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς ἀπολαύσωμεν' ἧς γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ᾿Δμῆήν.

Ti de tēn zōēn synistēsi tēn hēmeteran: : Ara sēmeiōn epideixis, ē politeias aristēs akribeia : Eu-s dēlon hoti to deuteron ta de sēmeia kai tas aphormas enteuthen hee echei, kai eis touto katalēgei. Ho te gar bion ariston epideiknymenos, epispatai tautēn tēn charin᾽ ho te lambanōn tēn charin, dia touto lambanei, hina ton heterōn diorthōsētai bion. ᾿Epei kai ho Christos dia touto ta thaumata ekeina epoiēsen, hina axiopistos phaneis enteuthen, kai pros heauton helkysas, aretēn eis ton bion eisagagę̄. Dio kai tēn pleiona hyper toutou poieitai spoudēn. Oude gar tois sēmeiois arkeitai monon, alla kai geennan apeilei, kai basileian epangelletai, kai tous paradoxous ekeinous tiŌ thēsi nomous, kai panta hyper toutou pragmateuetai, hina isangelous ergasētai. Kai ti legō, hoti ho Christos panta touton heneken poiei : Soi gar ei tis edōken, eipe moi, hairesin? ᾿ nekrous anastēsai en tǭ onomati autou, hē dia to onoma autou apothanein, ti an ᾿edexō mallon: Ouk heudēlon ho hoti to deuteron: Kai mēn to men sēmeion esti, to de e rgon. Ti de, ei tis soi prouthēke poiēsai chorton chryson, ē dynēthēnai pantōn tōn chrēmatōn hōs chortou kataphronēsai, ouk kan touto edexō mallon : Kai mala eikotōs. Kai gar tous anthrōpous touto an malista epespasato. BX Ei men gar eidon ton chorton chryson ginomenon, kan epethymēsan kai autoi labein tēn dynamin, hōsper ho Simōn, kai ēuxēthē an autois ho tōn chrēmatōn erōs ei de eidon hōs chorton tou chrysou pantas kataphronountas kai hyperorōntas, palai an tēs nosou tautēs apēllagēsan. Horąs ho hoti ho bios mallon ōphelein dynatai : Bion de legō nyn, ouchi an nēsteusę̄s, oude an sakkon kai spodon ho hypostrōsēs all᾽ ean chrēmatōn hyperidę̄s, hōs hyperidein chrē). heōn ho Philostorgēsę̄s, ean dǭs peinōnti ton arton sou, ean thymou Houtō kai autos epaideue' 1 ho mathete gar, phēsin, ap᾽ emou, hoti praos eimi kai tapeinos tę̄ kardią. ϑness Ouk eipen, hoti enēsteusa kaitoige eichen eston tas ,Tessarakonta hēmeras, all᾽ ou legei touto all᾽ hoti praos eimi kai tapeinos tę̄ kardią. Kai palin pempōn autous, ouk eipen, hoti nēsteuE ete᾿ alla ēn pan to paratithemenon hymin esthiete. Chrēmatōn mentoi heneken pollēn akribeian apētēse legōn' es mē ktēsēsthe chryson ē argyron, mēde chalkon eis tas zōnas hymōn. Tauta de legō, ouchi nēsteian kakizōn mē genoito alla kai sphodra epainōn algō de, hotan tōn allōn͵ hēmelēmenōn tautēn nomizēte arkein eis sōtērian hymin, to eschaton tou chorou tēs aretēs echousan meros. 'TTo gar megiston, agapē kai epieikeia kai eleēmosynē, hē kai parthenian hyperēkontisen. Hōste ei boulei apostolōn genesthai i isos, ouden O to kōlyon. Arkeï gar tautēn tēn aretēn [epelthonta monon mēden elatton ekeinōn echein. Mēdeis toinyn eis sēmeia anaballesthō. Algei men gar hotan exelathē sōmatos daimōn pollǭ de mallon, ho hotan hamartias apallattomenēn idē psychēn. Kai gar hautē estin hē dynamis e ekeinou ē mogalē. Dia tautēn apethanen ho Christos, hina tautēn katalysę̄. Kai gar hautē ton thanaton eisēgage dia tautēn ta anō katō gegoonen. An toinyn tautēn anelę̄s, exekopsas tou diabolou ta neura, synetripsas autou tēn kephalēn, katelysas autou tēn ischyn hapasan, diespasas to stratopedon, hapantōn sēmeiōn epedeixō sēmeion meizon. Ouk emos houtos ho logos, alla tou makariou Paulou. Eipōn gar, zēloute, ta charismata ta kreittona, kai eti kath᾽ hyperbolēn hodon y hymin deiknymi, ouk hopēgage sēmeion, alla agapēn tēn pantōn rhizan tōn agathōn. ᾿An toinyn tautēn askōmen, kai tēn ek tautēs philosophian ha hapasan, ouden deēthēsometha sēmeiōn hōsper oun ean «mē askōmen, ouden kerdanoumen apo d gōn sēmeiōn. Taut᾽ oun hapanta ennoountes, aph᾽ hōn egenonto hoi apostoloi megaloi, tauta zēlōsōmen. Pothen oun egenonto ekeinoi megaloi: Akouson legontos Petrou id es idou hēmeis «phēkamen panta, kai ēkolouthēsamen soi ti ara astai hēmin. Akouson kai tou Christou legontos autois, hoti epi dōdeka thronous kathisesthe kai hoti pas hostis aphēken oikias, ē adelphous, ē hē patera, ē mētera, hekatontaplasiona lēpsetai en tǭ aiōni toutǭ, kai zōēn aiōnion klēronomēsei. Hapantōn toinyn heautous apostēsantes tōn biōtikōn, anathōmetha heautous tǭ Christǭ, hina kai tōn apostolōn genōmetha isoi kata tēn apophasin tēn autou, kai tēs aiōniou zōēs apolausōmen' hēs genoito pantas hēmas epitychein, chariti kai philanthrōpią tou kyriou hēmōn ᾿Iēsou Christou, hǭ hē doxa kai to kratos eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn. ᾿Dmēēn.

And what establishes our life? A display of signs, or the exactness of an excellent way of life? Clearly the second; and signs too have their starting points from here and end in this. For he who displays an excellent life draws this grace to himself; and he who receives the grace receives it for this, that he may correct the life of others. For Christ too did those wonders for this reason, that, having appeared trustworthy by them and having drawn men to himself, he might bring virtue into life. Therefore he also makes the greater effort on behalf of this. For he is not content with signs only, but also threatens Gehenna, and promises the kingdom, and sets down those strange laws, and does everything for this, so as to make men equal to the angels. And why do I say that Christ does everything for this? For if someone gave you, tell me, the choice either to raise the dead in his name or to die for his name, which would you rather accept? Is it not clear that the second? And yet the one is a sign, the other a work. And what if someone set before you either to make grass gold, or to be able to despise all money as grass, would you not accept this rather? And with good reason. For this would above all draw men. For if they saw grass becoming gold, they would have desired to receive the power themselves too, like Simon, and the love of money would have increased in them; but if they saw all despising and disdaining gold as grass, they would long ago have been freed from this disease. Do you see that the life is more able to benefit? And by life I do not now mean if you fast, nor if you spread sackcloth and ashes beneath you, but if you disdain money as one should disdain it, if you are affectionate, if you give your bread to the hungry, if you (…) anger. So he himself taught: “For learn from me,” he says, “for I am meek and lowly in heart.” He did not say, “For I fasted,” though he had the forty days to speak of; but he does not say this, but, “For I am meek and lowly in heart.” And again, sending them out, he did not say, “Fast,” but, “Eat everything that is set before you.” But concerning money he required great exactness, saying, “Do not get gold or silver or copper for your belts.” And I say these things not finding fault with fasting (God forbid!), but even praising it greatly; but I grieve when, neglecting the other things, you think this is enough for your salvation, though it holds the last place in the choir of virtue. For the greatest thing is love and gentleness and almsgiving, which has surpassed even virginity. So if you wish to become equal to the apostles, nothing hinders you. For it is enough to have pursued only this virtue to have nothing less than they. Let no one then wait for signs. For the demon is grieved when he is driven from a body, but much more when he sees a soul being freed from sin. For this is his great power. For this Christ died, to destroy it. For this brought in death; through this all things were turned upside down. If then you take this away, you have cut out the devil’s sinews, crushed his head, destroyed all his strength, scattered his army, displayed a sign greater than all signs. This word is not mine, but blessed Paul’s. For having said, “Be zealous for the better gifts; and yet I show you a more excellent way,” he did not bring in a sign, but love, the root of all good things. If then we practise this, and all the philosophy that comes from it, we shall need no signs; just as, if we do not practise it, we shall gain nothing from signs. Considering all these things, then, let us emulate the things from which the apostles became great. From where then did they become great? Hear Peter saying, “Behold, we have left everything and followed you; what then shall we have?” Hear Christ too saying to them, “You will sit on twelve thrones,” and that “everyone who has left houses or brothers or father or mother will receive a hundredfold in this age, and will inherit eternal life.” Withdrawing ourselves, then, from all worldly things, let us dedicate ourselves to Christ, so that we may become equal to the apostles according to his own sentence, and enjoy eternal life; which may we all attain, by the grace and love for humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the might to the ages of ages. Amen.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Acts 8:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 58:5 (allusion, medium confidence) · Isa 58:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 11:29 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 4:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 10:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 10:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 3:15 (echo, low confidence) · 1 Cor 12:31 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 19:27 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 19:28 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 19:29 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Signs exist for the sake of a good life, which is the greater thing; fasting is good but last in the choir of virtues, while love and almsgiving surpass even virginity and make one equal to the apostles.

Quotations and allusions: Acts 8:18–19 (Simon); Isa 58:5, 7; Matt 11:29; Matt 4:2; Luke 10:8; Matt 10:9; Gen 3:15 (crushing his head); 1 Cor 12:31; Matt 19:27–29. Chrysostom’s statements that fasting “holds the last place in the choir of virtue” and that love and almsgiving surpass even virginity are translated as written. Words are lost in the scan after “if you give your bread to the hungry, if you” (marked “…”; the sense is “master your anger”). Blocks of Field’s apparatus are removed by logged corrections.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (apparatus siglum, running head, margin letter or other non-text left in the digital text (OCR of Field 1839)): θαύΠΟΏ δρποϑουλῖ Καὶ, Αστη. ἀπώλοντο Ε. Μοχ ἁ ἀρετῶν ΒΔα. ἐ εἰ ματα → θαύματα; ζώνας αὐτὸ Μον. Βροηῃ. Μοχ ὲ ἐπεσπᾶτο Ἑ΄αα. » τὸν χόρτον) ΟΡτΟΥ τον « Καὶ οὐκ Ἐάά. ὑμῶν → ζώνας ὑμῶν; χάριτι καὶ ορίπον, Εδρ. 688. Ὁ ἐξέλης ἘΠ44. » τῶν σπι.. Καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ → χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ.

Topics: Ethics, Fasting

Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Matt. 46.4 (Field 2; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/chrysostom-hom-matthaeum/46-1/#p-46-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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