Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew 6.2–6.6
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 6
6.2Field 1
Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο ἀνόητον, τὸ μετὰ τοῦτο ἀνοητότερον πολλῷ ὴ οὗ ; πλέον. Ποῖον δὴ τοῦτο. Τὸ μακραν οὕτως αποϑημίαν ελ-- θόντας, καὶ προσκυνήσαντας» καὶ ταράξαντας πάντας, ἀπελ-- θεῖν εὐθέως. Τί δὲ ὅλως καὶ βασιλείας σύμβολον εἶδον, ἰὲ [2 καλυβὴην καὶ ᾧφατνην; και παιδίον ἐν σπαρΎγανοις; καὶ μητερα πτωχὴν εἰδόντες; ἢ Τίνι δὲ καὶ τὰ δῶρα προσέφερον, καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν : ρα νόμος ἣν καὶ ἔθος, τοὺς πανταχοῦ Τικο τομένους βασιλέας οὕτω θεραπεύειν: καὶ πᾶσαν περιήεσαν ἀεὶ τὴν οἰκουμένην, οὖς ἤδεσαν ἐσομένους βασιλέας απὸ Μια κρών καὶ εὐτελῶν, πρὶν επὶ τὸν θρόνον τὸν βασιλικὸν ἄναβῆναι, προσκυνοῦντες ; ᾿Δλλ᾽ οὐκ ἂν ὄχοι τις τοῦτο εἰπεῖν. Τίνος δὲ ἕνεκεν καὶ προσεκύνουν: Εἰ μὲν τῶν παρόντων ἕνεκεν, καὶ τί προσεδόκων παρὰ παιδίου καὶ μητρὸς εὐτελοῦς α λήψεσθαι: εἰ ὦ τῶν μελλόντων ἕνεκεν, καὶ πόθεν ἤδεσαν ὅτι ἀπομνημονεύσει τῶν τότε ᾿γινομένων ὁ παῖς ἐν σπαργάνοις προσκυνηθείς : : Εἰ δὲ ἡ μήτηρ ἔμελλεν ἀναμιμνήσκειν αὐτὸν, οὐδὲ οὕτω τιμῆς, ἀλλὰ κολάσεως ἦσαν ἄξιοι, εἰς προῦπτον ἐμβάλλοντες αὐτὸν κίνδυνον. ᾿Εντεῦθεν γοὺν ὁ Ἡρώδης ταραχθεὶς, καὶ ἐζήτει, καὶ περιειργάζετο, καὶ ἀνελεῖν ἐπεχείρει. Καὶ πανταχοῦ δὲ ὁ τὸν μέλλοντα βασιλεύειν κατάδηλον ποιῶν, ἐκ πρώτης ἡλικίας ἰδιώτην ὅ ὄντα, οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἢ σφαγὴ παραδιί ωσι, καὶ μυρίους ἀνάπτει πολέμιους αὐτῷ. Εἶδες ὅσα τὰ ἄτοπα φαίνεται, εἰ κατὰ ἀνθρωπίνην ἀκολουθίαν καὶ κοινὴν συνήθειαν ταῦτα ἐξετάσαιμεν : Οὐδὲ γὰρ ταῦτα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πλείονα τούτων ἐνῆν εἰπεῖν, ζήτησιν ἔ ἔχοντα πλείω τῶν εἰρημένων. Ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα μὴ συναάττοντες ἀπορίας ἀπορίαις ἰλυγγιᾶν ὑμᾶς ποιώμεν, Φέρε δὴ λοιπὸν ἐπὶ τὴν λύσιν τῶν ζητουμένων ἔλθωμεν, ἀρχὴν τῆς λύσεως ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀστέρος αὐτοῦ ποιούμενοι. Ἂν γὰρ μάθωμεν τίς ὁ ἀστήρ, καὶ ποταπὸς, καὶ εἰ τῶν πολλῶν εἷς, ἢ ξένος παρὰ τοὺς ἄλλους, καὶ εἰ φύσει. ἀστὴρ, ἢ ὄψει μόνον ἀστήρ, εὐκόλως καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα εἰσόμεθα. Πόθεν οὖν ταῦτα ἔσται δῆλα: Ἀπὸ τῶν γεγραμμένων αὐτῶν. Ὅτι γὰρ ὁ τῶν πολλῶν εἷς ὁ ἀστὴρ οὗτος ἦν, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ Μὰ ὡς ἐμοιγε δοκεῖ, αλλὰ δύναμίς τις ἀόρατος εἰς ταύτην μετασχηματισθεῖσα τὴν ὄψιν, πρῶτον ἀπὸ τῆς πορείας αὐτῆς δῆλον. Οὐ γάρ ἐστιν, οὐκ ἔστιν ἀστήρ ἅτις ταύτην βαδίζων τὴν ὁδόν. ἀλλὰ κὰν ἥλιον εἴπης, κἂν σελήνην, κἀν τοὺς ἄλλους ἅπαντας ἀστέρας, εξ ἀνατολῶν ἐπὶ δύσιν ὁρῶμεν χωροῦντας οὗτος δὲ ἀπὸ ἄρκτου πρὸς μεσημβρίαν ἐφέρετο οὕτω γὰρ ἡ Παλαιστίνη πρὸς τὴν Περσίδα κεῖται. Δεύτερον, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ καιροῦ τοῦτό ἐστιν ἰδεῖν. Οὐ γὰρ ἐν νυκτὶ φαίνεται, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μέση, ἡλίου λάμποντος ὅπερ οὐκ ἔστι δυνάμεως ἀστέρος, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ σελήνης ἡ γὰρ τοσοῦτον πάντων ὑπερέχουσα, τῆς ακτῖνος φανείσης τῆς ἡλιακῆς, κρύπτεται εὐθέως καὶ ἀφανίζεται. Οὗτος δὲ τῇ τῆς οἰκείας λαμπρότητος ὑπερβολῇ καὶ τὰς ἀκτῖνας ἐνίκησε τὰς ἡλιακὰς, φανότερος ἐκείνων φανεὶς, καὶ ἐν τοσούτῳ φω τὶ μεῖζον λαάμψας. Τρίτον, ἀπὸ τοῦ φαίνεσθαι καὶ πάλιν κρύπτεσθαι. Τὴν μὲν γὰρ ἕως Παλαιστίνης ὁδὸν ἐφαίνετο χειραγωγῶν' ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐπέβησαν τῶν ᾿Ιεροσολύμων, ἔκρυψεν ἑαυτόν εἶτα πάλιν ὅτε τὸν Ἡρώδην ἀφέντες, διδάξαντες αὐτὸν ὑπὲ ὧν ἦλθον, ἔμελλον ἀπιέναι. δείκνυσιν ἑαντόν ὅπερ οὐκ ἔστιν ἄστρου κινήσεως, ἀλλὰ δυνάμεώς τίνος ΛΑΟΥ͂. κωτάτης. Οὐδὲ γὰ ἰδίαν τινὰ πορείαν εἶχεν, αλλ᾽ ὅτε μὲν ἔδει βαδίσαι αὑτοὺς, ἐβάδιζεν ὅτε δὲ στῆναι, ἵστατο, πρὸς τὸ δέον πάντα οἰκονομῶν καθάπερ ὁ στῦλος τῆς νεφέλης, καὶ καθίζων καὶ ἐγείρων τὸ στρατόπεδον τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων; ἡνίκα ἐχρῆν. Τέταρτον, ἀπὸ τοῦ τρόπου τῆς δείξεως τοῦτο ἄν τις καταμάθοι σαφώς. Οὐ γὰρ ἄνω μένων τὸν τόπον ἐδείκνυ᾽ οὐδὲ γὰρ, δυνατὸν ἢ ἡν αὑτοῖς οὕτω μαθεῖν' ἀλλὰ κάτω καταβὰς τοῦτο ἐποίει. ἶστε γάρ, ὅτι τόπον οὕτω μικρὸν, καὶ ὅσον εἰκὸς καλύβην κατασχεῖν, μᾶλλον δὲ ὅ ὅσον εἰκὸς σῶμα παιδίου μικροῦ ᾿κατέχειν, οὐχ οἷόν τε ἀστέρα γνωρίζειν. ᾿Επειδὴ γὰρ ἄπειρον τὸ ὕψος, οὐκ ἤρκει οὕτω στενὸν τόπον ᾿χαρακτηρίσαι καὶ γνωρίσαι τοῖς βουλομένοις ἰδεῖν. Καὶ τοῦτο ἀπὸ τῆς σελήνης ἴδοι τις ἄν᾽ ἣ τοσοῦτον ὑπερφερὴς οὗσα τῶν ἄστρων, πᾶσι τοῖς κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην οἰκοῦσι, καὶ εἰς τοσοῦτον πλάτος γῆς ἐκκεχυμένοις, ἅπασιν ἐγγὺς εἶναι δοκεῖ. Πώς οὖν ὁ ἀστὴρ, εἰπέ μοι; τόπον οὕτω στενὸν φάτνης καὶ καλύβης ἐδείκνυ, εἰ μὴ τὸ ὑψηλὸν ἐκεῖνο ἀφεὶς κάτω κατέβη, καὶ ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς ἔστη τῆς κεφαλῆς τοῦ παιδίου; Ὅπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ εὐωγγελιστὴς αἰνιττόμενος ἔλαγεν᾽ ἰδοὺ ὁ ἀστὴρ προῆγεν αὐτοὺς, ἕως ἐλθὼν ἔστη᾽ ἐπάνω οὗ ἣν τὸ παιδίον. Ὁρᾷς δ ὅ ὅσων δείκνυται οὐ τῶν πολλῶν εἷς ὧν οὗτος ὁ ἀστήρ, οὐδὲ κατὰ τὴν ἀκολουθίαν τῆς ἔξω γενέσεως δεικνὺς ἑαυτόν:
Ei de touto anoēton, to meta touto anoētoteron pollǭ ē hou ? pleon. Poion dē touto. To makran houtōs apoϑēmian el-- thontas, kai proskynēsantas» kai taraxantas pantas, apel-- thein eutheōs. Ti de holōs kai basileias symbolon eidon, ie [2 kalybēēn kai hǭphatnēn? kai paidion en sparYganois? kai mētera ptōchēn eidontes? ē Tini de kai ta dōra prosepheron, kai tinos heneken : ra nomos hēn kai ethos, tous pantachou Tiko tomenous basileas houtō therapeuein: kai pasan periēesan aei tēn oikoumenēn, ous ēdesan esomenous basileas apo Mia krōn kai eutelōn, prin epi ton thronon ton basilikon anabēnai, proskynountes ? ᾿Dll᾽ ouk an ochoi tis touto eipein. Tinos de heneken kai prosekynoun: Ei men tōn parontōn heneken, kai ti prosedokōn para paidiou kai mētros eutelous a lēpsesthai: ei ō tōn mellontōn heneken, kai pothen ēdesan hoti apomnēmoneusei tōn tote ᾿ginomenōn ho pais en sparganois proskynētheis : : Ei de hē mētēr emellen anamimnēskein auton, oude houtō timēs, alla kolaseōs ēsan axioi, eis proupton emballontes auton kindynon. ᾿Enteuthen goun ho Hērōdēs tarachtheis, kai ezētei, kai perieirgazeto, kai anelein epecheirei. Kai pantachou de ho ton mellonta basileuein katadēlon poiōn, ek prōtēs hēlikias idiōtēn ho onta, ouden heteron ē sphagē paradii ōsi, kai myrious anaptei polemious autǭ. Eides hosa ta atopa phainetai, ei kata anthrōpinēn akolouthian kai koinēn synētheian tauta exetasaimen : Oude gar tauta monon, alla kai pleiona toutōn enēn eipein, zētēsin e echonta pleiō tōn eirēmenōn. All᾽ hina mē synaattontes aporias aporiais ilyngian hymas poiōmen, Phere dē loipon epi tēn lysin tōn zētoumenōn elthōmen, archēn tēs lyseōs apo tou asteros autou poioumenoi. An gar mathōmen tis ho astēr, kai potapos, kai ei tōn pollōn heis, ē xenos para tous allous, kai ei physei. astēr, ē opsei monon astēr, eukolōs kai ta alla panta eisometha. Pothen oun tauta estai dēla: Apo tōn gegrammenōn autōn. Hoti gar ho tōn pollōn heis ho astēr houtos ēn, mallon de oude Ma hōs emoige dokei, alla dynamis tis aoratos eis tautēn metaschēmatistheisa tēn opsin, prōton apo tēs poreias autēs dēlon. Ou gar estin, ouk estin astēr hatis tautēn badizōn tēn hodon. alla kan hēlion eipēs, kan selēnēn, kan tous allous hapantas asteras, ex anatolōn epi dysin horōmen chōrountas houtos de apo arktou pros mesēmbrian ephereto houtō gar hē Palaistinē pros tēn Persida keitai. Deuteron, kai apo tou kairou touto estin idein. Ou gar en nykti phainetai, all᾽ en hēmerą mesē, hēliou lampontos hoper ouk esti dynameōs asteros, all᾽ oude selēnēs hē gar tosouton pantōn hyperechousa, tēs aktinos phaneisēs tēs hēliakēs, kryptetai eutheōs kai aphanizetai. Houtos de tę̄ tēs oikeias lamprotētos hyperbolę̄ kai tas aktinas enikēse tas hēliakas, phanoteros ekeinōn phaneis, kai en tosoutǭ phō ti meizon laampsas. Triton, apo tou phainesthai kai palin kryptesthai. Tēn men gar heōs Palaistinēs hodon ephaineto cheiragōgōn' epeidē de epebēsan tōn ᾿Ierosolymōn, ekrypsen heauton eita palin hote ton Hērōdēn aphentes, didaxantes auton hype hōn ēlthon, emellon apienai. deiknysin heanton hoper ouk estin astrou kinēseōs, alla dynameōs tinos LAOU. kōtatēs. Oude ga idian tina poreian eichen, all᾽ hote men edei badisai hautous, ebadizen hote de stēnai, histato, pros to deon panta oikonomōn kathaper ho stylos tēs nephelēs, kai kathizōn kai egeirōn to stratopedon tōn ᾿Ioudaiōn? hēnika echrēn. Tetarton, apo tou tropou tēs deixeōs touto an tis katamathoi saphōs. Ou gar anō menōn ton topon edeikny᾽ oude gar, dynaton ē hēn hautois houtō mathein' alla katō katabas touto epoiei. iste gar, hoti topon houtō mikron, kai hoson eikos kalybēn kataschein, mallon de ho hoson eikos sōma paidiou mikrou ᾿katechein, ouch hoion te astera gnōrizein. ᾿Epeidē gar apeiron to hypsos, ouk ērkei houtō stenon topon ᾿charaktērisai kai gnōrisai tois boulomenois idein. Kai touto apo tēs selēnēs idoi tis an᾽ hē tosouton hyperpherēs housa tōn astrōn, pasi tois kata tēn oikoumenēn oikousi, kai eis tosouton platos gēs ekkechymenois, hapasin engys einai dokei. Pōs oun ho astēr, eipe moi? topon houtō stenon phatnēs kai kalybēs edeikny, ei mē to hypsēlon ekeino apheis katō katebē, kai hyper autēs estē tēs kephalēs tou paidiou? Hoper oun kai ho euōngelistēs ainittomenos elagen᾽ idou ho astēr proēgen autous, heōs elthōn estē᾽ epanō hou hēn to paidion. Horąs d ho hosōn deiknytai ou tōn pollōn heis hōn houtos ho astēr, oude kata tēn akolouthian tēs exō geneseōs deiknys heauton:
And if this is foolish, what follows is far more foolish. What is that? That having come so long a journey, and having worshiped, and having troubled everyone, they went away at once. And what sign of kingship did they see at all, seeing a hut and a manger, a child in swaddling clothes, and a poor mother? And to whom did they offer the gifts, and why? Was it a law and custom to court in this way kings born anywhere, and did they always go round the whole world worshiping those whom they knew would be kings, from small and mean beginnings, before they ascended the royal throne? No one could say this. And why did they worship? If for present things, what did they expect to receive from a child and a poor mother? If for future things, how did they know that the child worshiped in swaddling clothes would remember what was then done? And if the mother was going to remind him, not even so did they deserve honor, but punishment, for casting him into open danger. At least from this Herod was troubled, and sought, and inquired, and undertook to kill him. And everywhere, one who makes known the one who is to reign, while he is still a private person from his earliest age, does nothing other than hand him over to slaughter and kindle countless enemies against him. Do you see how many absurdities appear if we examine these things by human sequence and common custom? And not only these, but more than these could be mentioned, raising more questions than those stated. But so as not to make you dizzy by joining difficulties to difficulties, come, let us go at last to the solution of the questions, making the beginning of the solution from the star itself.
For if we learn what the star was, and of what kind, and whether it was one of the many or strange beside the others, and whether a star by nature or a star in appearance only, we shall easily know all the rest too. Where then will these things become clear? From what is written itself. That this star was not one of the many, or rather not even a star, as it seems to me, but some invisible power transformed into this appearance, is clear first from its course. For there is not, there is not any star that travels this road. But whether you speak of the sun, or the moon, or all the other stars, we see them going from east to west; but this one was carried from north to south, for that is how Palestine lies relative to Persia. Second, one can see this also from the time. For it appears not at night, but in the middle of the day, while the sun is shining; which is not in the power of a star, nor even of the moon; for the moon, which so far surpasses all, hides at once and vanishes when the sun's ray has appeared. But this one, by the excess of its own brightness, overcame even the sun's rays, appearing brighter than they, and shining more in so great a light. Third, from its appearing and hiding again. For on the road as far as Palestine it appeared, leading them by the hand; but when they set foot in Jerusalem, it hid itself; then again, when they had left Herod, having told him why they had come, and were about to depart, it shows itself; which is not the motion of a star, but of some very rational power. For it did not even have its own course, but when they had to travel, it traveled, and when they had to stop, it stopped, arranging everything as needed, like the pillar of cloud, making the camp of the Jews halt and rise up when it was necessary. Fourth, one could learn this clearly from the manner of its pointing out. For it did not point out the place while staying above; for it would not have been possible for them to learn it so; but it did this by coming down below. For you know that a place so small, as much as a hut would occupy, or rather as much as the body of a little child would occupy, cannot be marked out by a star. For since its height is immense, it could not mark out and make known so narrow a place to those wishing to see. One could see this from the moon too, which, though so far above the stars, seems near to all who dwell in the world and are spread over so wide an expanse of earth. How then, tell me, did the star point out so narrow a place as a manger and a hut, unless it left that height, came down below, and stood over the very head of the child? This is what the evangelist hints at when he says, “Behold, the star went before them, until it came and stood over where the child was.” Do you see by how many proofs it is shown that this star was not one of the many, and did not show itself according to the order of outward creation?
Matt 2:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 2:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 2:16 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 13:21 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 9:17 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The magi's behavior is inexplicable on human terms; the star was no ordinary star but an invisible power in the form of a star, as its north-to-south course, daytime brightness, appearing and hiding, and descent over the child show.
- Quotation: Matt 2:9. Allusions: Luke 2:7, 12 (manger, swaddling clothes); Exod 13:21–22; Num 9:17–22 (the pillar of cloud). An apparatus note run into the text by the OCR is removed by a logged correction. 'Order of outward creation' renders κατὰ τὴν ἀκολουθίαν τῆς ἔξω γενέσεως (the ordinary course of the visible world; possibly 'of pagan nativity-casting').
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris (stray marks or marginal letters); running head and apparatus run into the text by the OCR): μητερα Ηομ. ν:. 5 αὐτὸ} Ἑ τοῦτο ΕΔάα. εἴ ςοαά. ρῥγτδοῖον Ε.. » οὐδὲ πτωχὴν → μητερα πτωχὴν; ’ - ᾿ ὴ → ὴ; ᾿ φ μ οὗ → οὗ; ᾽ πλέον. → πλέον.; ͵ὔ Α ’ ᾿Ὶ ’ ἰὲ → ἰὲ; ’ [2 → [2; ε ἐσομένους → ἐσομένους; ' πλείω → πλείω; Β εὐκόλως → εὐκόλως; ΡΜ Μὰ → Μὰ; ᾿ διδάξαντες → διδάξαντες; ᾿ καὶ → καὶ.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Matt. 6.2 (Field 1; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/chrysostom-hom-matthaeum/6-2/#p-6-2). (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.
6.3Field 1
Καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν ἐφάνη: Ὥστα καθικέσθαι τῆς [ουδαίων ἀναισθησίας, καὶ πᾶσαν αὐτοῖς ἀποκλεῖσαι , ἀπολογίας ἀφορμὴν ἀγνωμονοῦσιν. ᾿Επειδὴ γὰρ ὁ παραγενόμενος; τὴν μὲν παλαιὰν ἀναπαύειν ἔμελλε πολιτείαν, τὴν δὲ οἰκουμένην εἰς τὴν αὐτοῦ προσκύνησιν καλεῖν, καὶ ἐν γῆ καὶ ἐν θαλαττῇ προσκυνεῖσθαι πάσῃ, ἐκ προοιμίων εὐθέως τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἀνοίγει τὴν θύραν, διὰ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων τοὺς οἰκείους παιδεῦσαι θέλων. ᾿Επειδὴ γὰρ τῶν προφητῶν συνεχῶς ἀκούοντες λεγόντων περὶ τῆς αὐτοῦ παρουσίας, οὐ σφό ρα προσεῖχον, ἐποίησε καὶ βαρβάρους ελθεῖν ἀπὸ γῆς μακρᾶς, τὸν παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς βασιλέα ἐπιζητοῦντας καὶ παρὰ Περσικῆς πρώτης φωνῆς μανθάνουσιν, ἁ παρὰ τῶν προφητῶν μαθεῖν οὐκ ἠνέσχοντο᾽ ἵνα ἂν μὲν εὐγνωμονῶσι, μεγίστην ἔχωσι τοῦ πείθεσθαι πρόφασιν ἐὰν δὲ φιλονεικώσι, πάσης ὦσιν ἀπεστερημένοε λοιπὸν ἀπολογίας. Τί γὰρ ἂν ἔχοιεν εἰπεῖν, μὴ δεξάμενοι τὸν Χρισπὸν μετὰ τοὺς τοσούτους προφήτας, ὅταν ἴδωσι μάγους ἀπὸ ὄψεως ἑνὸς ἄστρου τοῦτον δεξαμένους, καὶ προσκυνήσαντας τὸν φανέντα: Ὅπερ οὖν ἐπὶ τῶν Νινευϊτῶν ἐποίησε, πέμψας τὸν ᾿Ιωνᾶν, καὶ ὅπερ ἐπὶ τῆς Σαμαρείτιδος καὶ τῆς Χαναναίας, τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν μάγων. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἔλεγεν ἄνδρες Νινευῖται ἀναστήσονται; καὶ κατακρινουσι καὶ, βασίλισσα νότον αναστήσεται, καὶ κατακρινεῖ τὴν γενεὰν ταύτην ὅτι ἐκεῖνοι μὲν τοῖς ἐλάττοσιν ἐπίστευσαν, οὗτοι δὲ οὐδὲ τοῖς μείζοσι. Καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν διὰ τοιαύτης αὐτοὺς εἵλκυσεν ὄψεως: φησίν. ᾿Αλλὰ πῶς ἐχρῆν: Προφήτας πέμψαι: ; Ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἂν οἱ μάγοι προφητῶν ἡνέσχοντο. ᾿Αλλὰ ,Φωνὴν ἄνωθεν αφεῖναι: Ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἄν προσέσχον. Ἀλλ᾽ ἄγγελον ἀποστεῖλαι: ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ τοῦτον ἂν παρέδραμον. Διὰ δὴ τοῦτο πάντα ἐκεῖνα ἀφεὶς ὁ θεὸς, διὰ τῶν συνήθων αὐτοὺς καλεῖ, σφόδρα συγκαταβαίνων, καὶ δείκνυσιν ἃ ἄστρον μέγα καὶ ἐξηλλαγμένον, ὥστε καὶ τῷ μεγέθει καὶ τῷ κάλλει τῆς ὄψεως αὐτοὺς ἐκπλῆξαι, καὶ τῷ τρόπῳ τῆς πορείας. Ταῦτα καὶ οἱ Παῦλος μιμούμενος απὸ βωμοῦ τοῖς Ελλησι διαλέγεται, καὶ ποιητῶν παράγει μαρτυρίας εἰς, μέσον᾽ καὶ μετὰ περιτομῆς τοῖς ᾿Ιουδαίοις δημηγορεῖ, καὶ ἀπὸ θυσιῶν πρὸς τοὺς ἐν νόμῳ ζώντας τὴν ἀρχὴν ποιεῖται τῆς διδασκαλίας. ᾿Επειδὴ γὰρ ἑκάστῳ τὰ συνήθη φίλα, καὶ ὁ θεὸς καὶ οἱ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ πεμφθέντες ἄνθρωποι πρὸς τὴν τῆς οἰκουμένης σωτηρίαν οὕτω τὰ πράγματα Μετάχειρίζουσι. Μὴ τοίνυν ἀνάξιον εἶναι νομίσης αὐτοῦ, τὸ δι ἀστέρος αὐτοὺς καλέσαι ἐπεὶ οὕτω καὶ τὰ ᾿[ουδαϊκὰ πάντα διαβαλεῖς, καὶ τὰς θυσίας, καὶ τοὺς καθαρμοὺς, καὶ τὰς νεομηνίας, καὶ τὴν κιβωτὸν, καὶ τὸν ναὸν δὲ αὐτόν. Καὶ γὰρ εξ Ἑλληνικῆς ταῦτα παχύτητος ἔλαβε τὴν ἀρχήν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὅμως ὁ θεὸς διὰ τὴν τῶν πλανηθέντων σωτηρίαν ἠνέσχετο διὰ τούτων θεραπευθῆναι, δι' ὧν οἱ ἔξωθεν δαίμονας ἐθεράπένον, μικρὸν παραλλάξας αὐτα' ἵνα αὐτοὺς κατὰ μικρὸν τῆς συνηθείας ἀποσπάσας ἐπὶ τὴν ὑψηλὴν ἀγάγῃ φιλοσοφίαν. Ὃ δὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν μάγων ἐποίησε, δι᾿ ὄψεως ἄστρου καλέσαι αὐτοὺς ἀνασχόμενος, ἵνα λοιπὸν ὑψηλοτέρους ἐργάσηται. ᾿Επεὶ οὖν ἤγαγε καὶ ἐχειραγώγησε, καὶ πρὸς τὴν φάτνην ἔστησεν, οὐκέτι δι᾽ ἄστρου, ἀλλὰ δι᾽ αγγέλον λοιπὸν αὑτοῖς διαλέγεται' οὕτω κατὰ μικρὸν βελτίους εγόνοντο. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ᾿Ασκαλωνιτῶν καὶ αζαίων ἐποίησε. Καὶ γὰρ αἱ πέντε πόλεις ἐκεῖναι, ἐπειδὴ τῆς κιβωτοῦ παραγενομένης ἐπλήγησαν καιρίαν πληγὴν, καὶ ἀπαλλαγὴν οὐδεμίαν εὕρισκον τῶν ἐπικειμένων κακῶν, τοὺς μάντεις καλέσαντες, καὶ ἐκκλησίαν συναγαγόντες, ἐζήτουν λύσιν εὑρεῖν τῆς θεηλάτου πληγῆς ἐκείνη. Εἶτα τῶν μᾶντέων εἰπόντων, ὅὅτι δαμάλεις, ἀδαμάστους καὶ πρωτοτοκούσας ὑποζεύξαι τῇ κιβωτῷ χρὴ» καὶ μηδενὸς χειραγωγοῦντος ἵναι βαδίζειν' οὕτω γὰρ ἔσται κατάδηλον, εἴτε θεήλατος ᾿ν ἢ πληγὴν εἴτε ἐκ περιφοράς τινος ἢ νόσος (ἂν μὲν γάρ, φησὶ, τὸν ζυγὸν ὑπὸ τῆς ἀπειρίας συντρίψωσιν, ἥ πρὸς τὰς δαμάλεις μυκωμένας ἐπιστραφῶσι, συντυχία τὸ γεγενημένον ἐστίν ἂν δὲ ὀρθὰ βαδίσωσι, καὶ οὔτε πρὸς τὸν μυκηθμὸν τῶν παιδίων πασχουσαί τι, οὔτε ὑπὸ τῆς ἀγνοίας τῆς κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν, πλανηθῶσιν, εὔδηλον ὅτι ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ χείρ ἐστιν ῇ «ἁψαμένη τῶν πόλεων τούτων) ἐπεὶ οὖν ταῦτα τῶν μάντεων εἰπόντων, ἐπείσθησαν οἱ τὰς πόλεις οἱκοῦντες ἐκείνας, καὶ ἐποίησαν ὡς ἐκελεύσθησαν᾽ καὶ ὁ θεὸς τῇ τῶν μάντεων ἠκολούθησε γνώμῃ; συγκαταβαίνων πάλιν, καὶ οὐκ ἐνόμισεν ἀνάξιον εἶναι αὐτου τῶν μάντεων τὴν πρόῤβησιν εἰς ἔργον ἐξαγαγεῖν, καὶ ποιῆσαι πιστοὺς εἶναι δοκεῖν, ἐν οἷς τότε εἰρήκασι. Καὶ γὰρ μεῖζον τὸ κατορθούμενον ἦν, ᾿τῷ καὶ αὐτοὺς τοὺς ἐναντίους μαρτυρῆσαι τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ δυνάμει, καὶ τὴν περὶ αὐτοῦ ψῆφον τοὺς αὐτῶν διδασκάλου; ἐξενεγκεῖν. Καὶ ἕτερα δὲ πολλὰ τοιαῦτα ἴδοι τις ἄν οἰκονομοῦντα τὸν θεόν. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὸ ἐπὶ τῆς ἐγγαστριμύθου τούτῳ προσέοικε τῆς οἰκονομίας τῷ τρόπῳ, ὃ καὶ ὑμεῖς λοιπὸν ἀπὸ τῶν εἰρημένων ἐπιλῦσαι δυνήσεσθε. Τοῦ μὲν οὖν ἀστέρος ἕνεκεν παρὰ μὲν ἡμῶν ταῦτα εἴς ρηται;, παρὰ δὲ ὑμῶν καὶ πλείονα λεχθῆναι δύναιτ᾽ ἄν' δίδου γάρ, φησὶ, σοφῳ ἀφορμὴν, καὶ σοφώτερος ἔσται δεῖ δὲ λοιπὸν ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν τῶν ἀναγνωσθέντων ελθεῖν. Τίς δὲ ἡ ἀρχή : Ἔ Τοῦ δὲ ᾿[ησοῦ γεννηθέντος ἐν Βηθλεὲμ τῆς ᾿Ιουδαίας, ἐ εν ἡμέραις Ἡρώδου τοῦ βασιλέως, ἰδοὺ μάγοι ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν ἔρχονται εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα. Μάγοι μὲν ἀστέρον κατάρχοντος Ἰκολούθησαν' οὗτοι δὲ οὐδὲ προφητῶν ἐνηχούντων ἐπίστευσαν. Τίνος δὲ ἕνεκεν ἡμῖν καὶ τὸν χρόνον λέγει, καὶ τὸν τόπον, ἐν Βηθλεὲμ εἰπὼν, καὶ ταῖς ἡκέραις Ηρώδου τοῦ βασιλέως : τίνος δὲ ἢ χάριν καὶ τὸ ἀξίωμα προστίθησι: Τὸ ἀξίωμα μὲν, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἕτερος ἦν Ἢ ρώδης, ὁ ὁ τὸν ᾿Ιωάᾶννὴν ἀνελών ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνος τετράρχης ἥν, οὗτος δὲ βασιλεὺς. Τὸν τόπον δὲ καὶ τὸν χρόνον τίθησι, προφητείας ἡμᾶς ἀναμιμνήσκων παλαιάν' ὧν τὴν μὲν ὁ χαίας προεφήτευσε λέγων, ἐπε καὶ σὺ Βηθλεὲμ γῇ ᾿Ιούδα, οὐδαμῶς ἐλαχίστη εἶ ἐν τοῖς ἡγεμόσιν. ᾿Ιοὐδα τὴν δὲ ὁ πατριάρχης Ἰακώβ, ἀκριβῶς ἡμῖν χαρακτηρίζων τὸν χρόνον, καὶ μέγα τὸ παράσημον τῆς αὐτοῦ παρουσίας τιθείς ὑῶν οὐκ ἐκλείψει γὰρ, φησὶν, ἄρχων ἐξ ᾿Ιούδα, οὐδὲ ηγούμενος ἐκ τῶν μηρῶν αὐτοῦ, ἕως ἂν ἔλθη ᾧ ἀπόκειται καὶ αὐτὸς προσδοκία ἐθνῶν. Ἄξιον δὲ κακεῖνο ζητῆσαι, πόθεν εἰς τοιαύτην ἦλθον ἔ ἔννοιαν, καὶ τίς αὐτοὺς εἰς τουτο διήγειρεν. Ου γὰρ δ) τοῦ ἀστέρος ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ τὸ ἔργον εἶναι μόνον, αλλὰ καὶ τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτῶν κινήσαντος ὅπερ καὶ ἐπὶ Κύρου πεποίηκε, παρασκευάζων αὐτὸν ἀφεῖναι τοὺς ᾿Ιουδαίου. Οὐχ οὕτω μέντοι τοῦτο εἰργάσατο; ὥστε τὸ αὐτεξούσιον λυμήνασθαι' ἐπεὶ καὶ Παῦλον καλέσας ἄνωθεν διὰ φωνῆς, καὶ τὴν αὐτοῦ χάριν καὶ τὴν ἐκείνου ὑπακοὴν δήλην ἐποίησε. Καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν μὴ πᾶσι τοῖς μάγοις τοῦτο, φησὶν, ἀπεκάλυψεν: Ὅτι οὐδὲ πάντες πιστεύειν ἐμελλον, Οαλλ᾽ οὗτοι τῶν ἄλλων ἧσαν ἐπιτηδειότεροι ἐπεὶ καὶ μυρία ἐθνη ἀπώλοντο, καὶ Νινευΐταις ὁ προφήτης ἐπέμπετο μόνοις' καὶ δύο ἡ ἤσαν λῃσταὶ ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ» καὶ ὁ εἷς διεσώθη μόνος. Ὅρα γοὺν τούτων τὴν ἀρετὴν, οὐκ ἀφ ὧν ἦλθον, αλλὰ καὶ αφ᾽ ὧν παῤῥησιάζονται. Καὶ γὰρ ἵνα μὴ δόξωσιν ὑποβολιμαῖοί τίνες εἶναι, λέγουσι τὸν ὁδηγήσαντα, καὶ τῆς ὁδοῦ τὸ μῆκος, καὶ τὴν παῤῥησίαν ἐλθόντες ἐνδείκνυνται ἤλθομεν γάρ; φησὶ, προσκυνῆσαι αὐτῷ καὶ οὔτε τοῦ δήμουν τὸν θυμὸν, οὔτε τοῦ βασιλέως τὴν τυραννίδα ἐδεδοίκεισαν. Ὅθεν ἔμοιγε δοκοῦσιν οὗτοι καὶ οἴκοι διδάσκαλοι γενέσθαι εἰπεῖν, πολλῷ μᾶλλον εἰς τὴν αὐτῶν ἐπαῤῥησιάσαντο, ἅτε καὶ τὸν χρησμὸν τὸν παρὰ τοῦ ἀγγέλου λαβόντες, καὶ τὴν παρὰ τοῦ προφήτου μαρτυρίαν. ««᾿Ακούσας δὲ Ἡρώδης, φησὶν. ἐταράχθη, καὶ πάσα Ἱεροσόλυμα μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ.᾽ Ὁ μὲν Ἡρώδης εἰκότως. ἅτε βασιλεὺς ὦ ὦν, καὶ δεδοικὼς ὁ ὑπέρ τε ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τῶν παίδων' τὰ δὲ ᾿ἱεροσόλυμα τίνος ἕνεκεν; Καίτοιγε σωτῆρα, καὶ εὐεργέτην, καὶ ἐλευθερωτὴν ἄνωθεν αὐτὸν οἱ προφῆται προὔλεγον. Τίνος οὗν ἕνεκεν ἐταράχθηΒσαν; Ἀπὸ τῆς αὐτῆς γνώμης, ἀφ᾽ ἧς καὶ ἔμπροσθεν τὸν θεὸν εὐεργετοῦντα ἀπεστρέφοντο, καὶ τῶν Αἰγνπτιακῶν ἐμέμγηντὸ κρεῶν; τοσαύτης ἀπολαύοντες ἐλευθερίας. Σὺ δέ μοι σκόπει τῶν προφητῶν τὴν ἀκρίβειαν. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸ τοῦτο προανεφώνησεν ὁ προφήτης ἄνωθεν λέγων᾽ θελήσουσιν, εἰ ἐγενήθησαν πυρίκαυστοι ὅτι παιδίον ἐγεννήθη ἡμῖν, υἱὸς καὶ ἐδόθη ἡμῖν. Δλλ᾽ ὅμως ταραχθέντες, οὐ ζητοῦσι τὸ συμβὰν ἰδεῖν, οὐδὲ τοῖς μάγοις ἀκολουθοῦσι καὶ περιεργαζονται᾿ οὕτως ὁμοῦ καὶ φιλόνεικοι καὶ ῥᾷθυμοι μάλιστα πάντων ἦσαν. Δέον γὰρ αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐγκαλλωπίζεσθαι, ὅτι παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐτέχθη, καὶ τὴν Περσῶν εἵλκυσε χώραν, καὶ μέλλουσιν ἔχειν ἅπαντας ὑποχειρίους, ἅτε τών πραγμάτων ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον προελθόντων, καὶ ἀπὸ προοιμίου λαμπρᾶς οὕτω τῆς ἀρχῆς γενομένης, οἱ δὲ οὐδὲ ταύτῃ γίνονται ἀμείνους. Καίτοι ἃ ἄρτι πῆς αἰχμαλωσίας ἡ ἤσαν τῆς ἐκεῖθεν ἀπαλλαγέντες καὶ εἰκὸς ἦν αὐτοὺς ἐ ἐννοεῖν, εἰ καὶ μηδὲν τῶν ἀποῤῥήτων καὶ ὑψηλῶν ἤδεσαν, αλλ᾽ ἀπὸ τῶν παρόντων ἐψηφίσαντο μόνον, ὅτι εἰ τεχθέντα οὕτω τρέμουσιν ἡμῶν τὸν βασιλέα, πολλῷ μᾶλλον αὐξηθέντα φοβηθήσονται, καὶ ὑπακούσουσι, καὶ τῶν βαρβαρικῶν ἔσται λαμπρότερα τὰ ἡμέτερα. ἃ Ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲν τούτων αὐτοὺς διανίστησι' τοσαύτη ἦν αὖὐτῶν ἡ νωθεία, μετὰ ο ταύτης δὲ καὶ ἡ βασκανία ἅπερ ἀμφότερα δεῖ μετὰ ἠ μον ἐξορίζειν τῆς ἡμετέρας διανοίας, καὶ πυρὸς εἶναι σφοὸ ρότερον τὸν μέλλοντα ἐπὶ τῆς τοιαύτης παρατάξεως ἵστασθαι. Διὸ καὶ ὁ πε ρίστον ἔλεγε: ἐς πῦρ ἦλθον βαλεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν Ὑν᾽ καὶ ἤθελον εἰ ἤδη ἀνήφθη. Καὶ τὸ πνοῦμα διὰ τοῦτο ἐν πυρὶ φαίνεται.
Kai tinos heneken ephanē: Hōsta kathikesthai tēs [oudaiōn anaisthēsias, kai pasan autois apokleisai , apologias aphormēn agnōmonousin. ᾿Epeidē gar ho paragenomenos? tēn men palaian anapauein emelle politeian, tēn de oikoumenēn eis tēn autou proskynēsin kalein, kai en gē kai en thalattę̄ proskyneisthai pasę̄, ek prooimiōn eutheōs tois ethnesin anoigei tēn thyran, dia tōn allotriōn tous oikeious paideusai thelōn. ᾿Epeidē gar tōn prophētōn synechōs akouontes legontōn peri tēs autou parousias, ou spho ra proseichon, epoiēse kai barbarous elthein apo gēs makras, ton par᾽ autois basilea epizētountas kai para Persikēs prōtēs phōnēs manthanousin, ha para tōn prophētōn mathein ouk ēneschonto᾽ hina an men eugnōmonōsi, megistēn echōsi tou peithesthai prophasin ean de philoneikōsi, pasēs ōsin apesterēmenoe loipon apologias. Ti gar an echoien eipein, mē dexamenoi ton Chrispon meta tous tosoutous prophētas, hotan idōsi magous apo opseōs henos astrou touton dexamenous, kai proskynēsantas ton phanenta: Hoper oun epi tōn Nineuïtōn epoiēse, pempsas ton ᾿Iōnan, kai hoper epi tēs Samareitidos kai tēs Chananaias, touto kai epi tōn magōn. Dia touto kai elegen andres Nineuitai anastēsontai? kai katakrinousi kai, basilissa noton anastēsetai, kai katakrinei tēn genean tautēn hoti ekeinoi men tois elattosin episteusan, houtoi de oude tois meizosi. Kai tinos heneken dia toiautēs autous heilkysen opseōs: phēsin. ᾿Alla pōs echrēn: Prophētas pempsai: ? All᾽ ouk an hoi magoi prophētōn hēneschonto. ᾿Alla ,Phōnēn anōthen apheinai: All᾽ ouk an proseschon. All᾽ angelon aposteilai: ᾿Alla kai touton an paredramon. Dia dē touto panta ekeina apheis ho theos, dia tōn synēthōn autous kalei, sphodra synkatabainōn, kai deiknysin ha astron mega kai exēllagmenon, hōste kai tǭ megethei kai tǭ kallei tēs opseōs autous ekplēxai, kai tǭ tropǭ tēs poreias. Tauta kai hoi Paulos mimoumenos apo bōmou tois Ellēsi dialegetai, kai poiētōn paragei martyrias eis, meson᾽ kai meta peritomēs tois ᾿Ioudaiois dēmēgorei, kai apo thysiōn pros tous en nomǭ zōntas tēn archēn poieitai tēs didaskalias. ᾿Epeidē gar hekastǭ ta synēthē phila, kai ho theos kai hoi par᾽ autou pemphthentes anthrōpoi pros tēn tēs oikoumenēs sōtērian houtō ta pragmata Metacheirizousi. Mē toinyn anaxion einai nomisēs autou, to di asteros autous kalesai epei houtō kai ta ᾿[oudaïka panta diabaleis, kai tas thysias, kai tous katharmous, kai tas neomēnias, kai tēn kibōton, kai ton naon de auton. Kai gar ex Hellēnikēs tauta pachytētos elabe tēn archēn. ᾿All᾽ homōs ho theos dia tēn tōn planēthentōn sōtērian ēnescheto dia toutōn therapeuthēnai, di' hōn hoi exōthen daimonas etherapenon, mikron parallaxas auta' hina autous kata mikron tēs synētheias apospasas epi tēn hypsēlēn agagę̄ philosophian. Ho dē kai epi tōn magōn epoiēse, di᾿ opseōs astrou kalesai autous anaschomenos, hina loipon hypsēloterous ergasētai. ᾿Epei oun ēgage kai echeiragōgēse, kai pros tēn phatnēn estēsen, ouketi di᾽ astrou, alla di᾽ angelon loipon hautois dialegetai' houtō kata mikron beltious egononto. Touto kai epi tōn ᾿Askalōnitōn kai azaiōn epoiēse. Kai gar hai pente poleis ekeinai, epeidē tēs kibōtou paragenomenēs eplēgēsan kairian plēgēn, kai apallagēn oudemian heuriskon tōn epikeimenōn kakōn, tous manteis kalesantes, kai ekklēsian synagagontes, ezētoun lysin heurein tēs theēlatou plēgēs ekeinē. Eita tōn manteōn eipontōn, hooti damaleis, adamastous kai prōtotokousas hypozeuxai tę̄ kibōtǭ chrē» kai mēdenos cheiragōgountos hinai badizein' houtō gar estai katadēlon, eite theēlatos ᾿n ē plēgēn eite ek periphoras tinos ē nosos (an men gar, phēsi, ton zygon hypo tēs apeirias syntripsōsin, hē pros tas damaleis mykōmenas epistraphōsi, syntychia to gegenēmenon estin an de ortha badisōsi, kai oute pros ton mykēthmon tōn paidiōn paschousai ti, oute hypo tēs agnoias tēs kata tēn hodon, planēthōsin, eudēlon hoti hē tou theou cheir estin ę̄ «hapsamenē tōn poleōn toutōn) epei oun tauta tōn manteōn eipontōn, epeisthēsan hoi tas poleis hoikountes ekeinas, kai epoiēsan hōs ekeleusthēsan᾽ kai ho theos tę̄ tōn manteōn ēkolouthēse gnōmę̄? synkatabainōn palin, kai ouk enomisen anaxion einai autou tōn manteōn tēn prorbēsin eis ergon exagagein, kai poiēsai pistous einai dokein, en hois tote eirēkasi. Kai gar meizon to katorthoumenon ēn, ᾿tǭ kai autous tous enantious martyrēsai tę̄ tou theou dynamei, kai tēn peri autou psēphon tous autōn didaskalou? exenenkein. Kai hetera de polla toiauta idoi tis an oikonomounta ton theon. Kai gar kai to epi tēs engastrimythou toutǭ proseoike tēs oikonomias tǭ tropǭ, ho kai hymeis loipon apo tōn eirēmenōn epilysai dynēsesthe. Tou men oun asteros heneken para men hēmōn tauta eis rētai?, para de hymōn kai pleiona lechthēnai dynait᾽ an' didou gar, phēsi, sophǭ aphormēn, kai sophōteros estai dei de loipon epi tēn archēn tōn anagnōsthentōn elthein. Tis de hē archē : E Tou de ᾿[ēsou gennēthentos en Bēthleem tēs ᾿Ioudaias, e en hēmerais Hērōdou tou basileōs, idou magoi apo anatolōn erchontai eis Hierosolyma. Magoi men asteron katarchontos Ikolouthēsan' houtoi de oude prophētōn enēchountōn episteusan. Tinos de heneken hēmin kai ton chronon legei, kai ton topon, en Bēthleem eipōn, kai tais hēkerais Ērōdou tou basileōs : tinos de ē charin kai to axiōma prostithēsi: To axiōma men, epeidē kai heteros ēn Ē rōdēs, ho ho ton ᾿Iōaannēn anelōn all᾽ ekeinos tetrarchēs hēn, houtos de basileus. Ton topon de kai ton chronon tithēsi, prophēteias hēmas anamimnēskōn palaian' hōn tēn men ho chaias proephēteuse legōn, epe kai sy Bēthleem gę̄ ᾿Iouda, oudamōs elachistē ei en tois hēgemosin. ᾿Iouda tēn de ho patriarchēs Iakōb, akribōs hēmin charaktērizōn ton chronon, kai mega to parasēmon tēs autou parousias titheis hyōn ouk ekleipsei gar, phēsin, archōn ex ᾿Iouda, oude ēgoumenos ek tōn mērōn autou, heōs an elthē hǭ apokeitai kai autos prosdokia ethnōn. Axion de kakeino zētēsai, pothen eis toiautēn ēlthon e ennoian, kai tis autous eis touto diēgeiren. Ou gar d) tou asteros emoi dokei to ergon einai monon, alla kai tou theou tou tēn psychēn autōn kinēsantos hoper kai epi Kyrou pepoiēke, paraskeuazōn auton apheinai tous ᾿Ioudaiou. Ouch houtō mentoi touto eirgasato? hōste to autexousion lymēnasthai' epei kai Paulon kalesas anōthen dia phōnēs, kai tēn autou charin kai tēn ekeinou hypakoēn dēlēn epoiēse. Kai tinos heneken mē pasi tois magois touto, phēsin, apekalypsen: Hoti oude pantes pisteuein emellon, Oall᾽ houtoi tōn allōn hēsan epitēdeioteroi epei kai myria ethnē apōlonto, kai Nineuïtais ho prophētēs epempeto monois' kai dyo hē ēsan lę̄stai en tǭ staurǭ» kai ho heis diesōthē monos. Hora goun toutōn tēn aretēn, ouk aph hōn ēlthon, alla kai aph᾽ hōn parrhēsiazontai. Kai gar hina mē doxōsin hypobolimaioi tines einai, legousi ton hodēgēsanta, kai tēs hodou to mēkos, kai tēn parrhēsian elthontes endeiknyntai ēlthomen gar? phēsi, proskynēsai autǭ kai oute tou dēmoun ton thymon, oute tou basileōs tēn tyrannida ededoikeisan. Hothen emoige dokousin houtoi kai oikoi didaskaloi genesthai eipein, pollǭ mallon eis tēn autōn eparrhēsiasanto, hate kai ton chrēsmon ton para tou angelou labontes, kai tēn para tou prophētou martyrian. ««᾿Akousas de Hērōdēs, phēsin. etarachthē, kai pasa Hierosolyma met᾽ autou.᾽ Ho men Hērōdēs eikotōs. hate basileus ō ōn, kai dedoikōs ho hyper te heautou kai tōn paidōn' ta de ᾿hierosolyma tinos heneken? Kaitoige sōtēra, kai euergetēn, kai eleutherōtēn anōthen auton hoi prophētai proulegon. Tinos houn heneken etarachthēBsan? Apo tēs autēs gnōmēs, aph᾽ hēs kai emprosthen ton theon euergetounta apestrephonto, kai tōn Aignptiakōn ememgēnto kreōn? tosautēs apolauontes eleutherias. Sy de moi skopei tōn prophētōn tēn akribeian. Kai gar kai auto touto proanephōnēsen ho prophētēs anōthen legōn᾽ thelēsousin, ei egenēthēsan pyrikaustoi hoti paidion egennēthē hēmin, huios kai edothē hēmin. Dll᾽ homōs tarachthentes, ou zētousi to symban idein, oude tois magois akolouthousi kai periergazontai᾿ houtōs homou kai philoneikoi kai rhąthymoi malista pantōn ēsan. Deon gar autous kai enkallōpizesthai, hoti par᾽ autois ho basileus etechthē, kai tēn Persōn heilkyse chōran, kai mellousin echein hapantas hypocheirious, hate tōn pragmatōn epi to beltion proelthontōn, kai apo prooimiou lampras houtō tēs archēs genomenēs, hoi de oude tautę̄ ginontai ameinous. Kaitoi ha arti pēs aichmalōsias hē ēsan tēs ekeithen apallagentes kai eikos ēn autous e ennoein, ei kai mēden tōn aporrhētōn kai hypsēlōn ēdesan, all᾽ apo tōn parontōn epsēphisanto monon, hoti ei techthenta houtō tremousin hēmōn ton basilea, pollǭ mallon auxēthenta phobēthēsontai, kai hypakousousi, kai tōn barbarikōn estai lamprotera ta hēmetera. ha All᾽ ouden toutōn autous dianistēsi' tosautē ēn auytōn hē nōtheia, meta o tautēs de kai hē baskania haper amphotera dei meta ē mon exorizein tēs hēmeteras dianoias, kai pyros einai sphoo roteron ton mellonta epi tēs toiautēs parataxeōs histasthai. Dio kai ho pe riston elege: es pyr ēlthon balein epi tēn Hyn᾽ kai ēthelon ei ēdē anēphthē. Kai to pnouma dia touto en pyri phainetai.
And why did it appear? To get at the insensibility of the Jews and shut off from them every pretext for defense in their ingratitude. For since the one who was coming was going to bring the old way of life to rest, and to call the world to his worship, and to be worshiped on every land and sea, from the very start he opens the door to the nations, wishing to teach his own through strangers. For since they did not pay much attention, though continually hearing the prophets speak of his coming, he made barbarians too come from a distant land seeking the king among them; and they learn from a Persian voice first what they would not bear to learn from the prophets; so that, if they were well disposed, they might have the greatest reason to be persuaded, but if they were contentious, they might be deprived of every defense thereafter. For what could they say, not having received Christ after so many prophets, when they see magi receiving him from the sight of a single star and worshiping the one who had appeared? What he did with the Ninevites, then, sending Jonah, and what he did with the Samaritan woman and the Canaanite woman, this he did also with the magi. That is why he said: “The men of Nineveh will rise up and condemn,” and, “The queen of the south will rise up and condemn this generation”; because they believed the lesser, but these did not believe even the greater.
“And why,” someone says, “did he draw them by such a sight?” Well, how should he have done it? Send prophets? But the magi would not have accepted prophets. Send forth a voice from above? But they would not have paid attention. Send an angel? But they would have passed him by too. That is why God, leaving all those, calls them through what was familiar to them, condescending greatly, and shows a great and extraordinary star, so as to amaze them by the greatness and beauty of the sight, and by the manner of its course. Imitating this, Paul too speaks to the Greeks from an altar and brings forward testimonies of poets; to the Jews he preaches with circumcision; and with those who live under the law he makes the beginning of his teaching from sacrifices. For since to each person what is familiar is dear, both God and the men sent by him handle matters so for the salvation of the world. Do not, then, think it unworthy of him to call them through a star; for so you will slander all the Jewish things too, the sacrifices, the purifications, the new moons, the ark, and the temple itself. For these took their beginning from Greek grossness. But God, for the salvation of those who had gone astray, consented to be served through the very things by which those outside served demons, changing them slightly, so as to draw them away little by little from their custom and lead them to the lofty philosophy. This he did with the magi too, consenting to call them through the sight of a star, so as to make them loftier thereafter. When, then, he had brought them and led them by the hand and set them at the manger, he no longer speaks to them through a star but through an angel; so little by little they became better.
This he did also with the people of Ascalon and Gaza. For those five cities, when they were struck a mortal blow at the coming of the ark and found no release from the evils pressing on them, called their diviners, gathered an assembly, and sought to find a release from that God-sent blow. Then the diviners said that untamed heifers that had borne their first calves must be yoked to the ark and let go with no one leading them; for so it would be made plain whether the blow was sent by God or the disease came by some chance. “For if,” they say, “they break the yoke through inexperience, or turn back toward their lowing calves, what happened is chance; but if they go straight, and are neither affected by the lowing of the young, nor lose their way through ignorance of the road, it is clear that it is the hand of God that has touched these cities.” Since, then, when the diviners had said this, the inhabitants of those cities were persuaded and did as they were bidden, God too followed the diviners' judgment, condescending again, and did not think it unworthy of himself to bring the diviners' prediction to effect and make them seem trustworthy in what they then said. For the achievement was greater, in that the very opponents bore witness to God's power and their own teachers pronounced the verdict about him. And one could see God arranging many other such things. For the case of the woman with a familiar spirit too resembles this manner of dispensation, which you will now be able to solve yourselves from what has been said. About the star, then, this is what we have said; but more could be said by you; for “give occasion to a wise man,” it says, “and he will be wiser.”
But now we must go to the beginning of what was read. What is the beginning? “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east come to Jerusalem.” Magi followed when a star led; these did not believe even when prophets sounded in their ears. And why does he tell us both the time and the place, saying “in Bethlehem” and “in the days of Herod the king”? And why does he add the rank? The rank, since there was another Herod too, the one who killed John; but that one was a tetrarch, this one a king. And he puts the place and the time to remind us of ancient prophecies: one of them Micah prophesied, saying, “And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah”; the other the patriarch Jacob, marking the time for us exactly and setting a great sign of his coming: “A ruler shall not fail from Judah,” he says, “nor a leader from his loins, until he comes for whom it is laid up, and he is the expectation of the nations.” It is worth asking also from where they came to such a thought, and who roused them to it. For it seems to me that it was not the work of the star alone, but also of God, who moved their soul; as he did with Cyrus, preparing him to let the Jews go. Yet he did not do this so as to ruin their free will; for when he called Paul too from above by a voice, he made plain both his own grace and Paul's obedience. “And why,” someone says, “did he not reveal this to all the magi?” Because not all were going to believe, but these were more fit than the others; for countless nations too perished, and the prophet was sent to the Ninevites alone; and there were two robbers on the cross, and only one was saved. See, then, the virtue of these men, not only from their coming, but also from their boldness. For lest they seem to be impostors, they tell who guided them and the length of the road, and having come they show their boldness: “For we have come,” they say, “to worship him”; and they feared neither the anger of the people nor the tyranny of the king. That is why it seems to me that these men became teachers at home too; for if they spoke boldly here, much more did they speak boldly in their own country, having received the oracle from the angel and the testimony from the prophet.
“And when Herod heard,” it says, “he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.” Herod, with reason, since he was king and feared for himself and his children; but Jerusalem, why? And yet the prophets had foretold him long before as Savior, benefactor, and liberator. Why then were they troubled? From the same disposition from which earlier too they turned away from God when he did them good, and remembered the meat of Egypt while enjoying so great a freedom. But consider the exactness of the prophets. For the prophet foretold this very thing long before, saying: “They will wish that they had been burned with fire; for to us a child is born, and a son is given to us.” Yet though troubled, they do not seek to see what happened, nor follow the magi and inquire; so contentious and careless together were they, above all. For they ought to have prided themselves that the king was born among them and had drawn the land of the Persians, and that they would have all under their hand, since affairs had advanced for the better and the rule had begun from so bright an opening; but they did not become better even so. And yet they had just been freed from the captivity there; and it was likely that they would think, even if they knew nothing of the secret and lofty things, but only reasoned from present facts: If they so tremble at our king when he is born, much more will they fear and obey him when he is grown, and our affairs will be more splendid than the barbarians'. But nothing of this rouses them; so great was their sluggishness, and with it their envy. Both of these we must banish from our mind with all care, and one who is to stand in such a battle must be hotter than fire. That is why he said, “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled.” And for this reason the Spirit appears in fire.
Matt 12:41 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 12:42 (quotation, high confidence) · Jonah 3:4 (allusion, high confidence) · John 4:39 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 15:22 (allusion, medium confidence) · Acts 17:23 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 17:28 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 16:3 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Sam 6:7 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Sam 6:9 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Sam 28:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Prov 9:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 2:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Mic 5:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 2:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 49:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Ezra 1:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 9:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 23:40 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 2:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Num 11:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 9:6 (9:5 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 12:49 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 2:3 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The star was given to leave the Jews without excuse and to call the Gentiles by what was familiar to the magi, as God condescended to the Philistine diviners; God moved the magi without forcing their will; Jerusalem's alarm showed sluggishness and envy.
- Quotations: Matt 12:41–42; Prov 9:9; Matt 2:1, 3; Mic 5:2 (as quoted in Matt 2:6); Gen 49:10 (LXX); Isa 9:5–6 (LXX form, 'They will wish that they had been burned with fire'); Luke 12:49. Allusions: Jonah 3; John 4; Matt 15:21–28; Acts 17:23, 28; Acts 16:3; 1 Sam 6:1–12 (the Philistine diviners); 1 Sam 28 (the woman of Endor); Ezra 1:1; Acts 9:3–6; Luke 23:39–43; Num 11:4–5; Acts 2:3. The view that the Jewish sacrifices and festivals 'took their beginning from Greek grossness' and were adapted by God is Chrysostom's own and is translated as written; so is his polemic against the Jews.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris; OCR debris (stray marks or marginal letters)): ἀπόκειται καὶ αὐτὸς Β -᾿-----ῸὀππΛπ--- τω προσδοκία → ἀπόκειται καὶ αὐτὸς προσδοκία; Β ἐποίησε → ἐποίησε; Ξε βασίλισσα → βασίλισσα; 9Ὶ φάτνην → φάτνην; Γ αζαίων → αζαίων; ᾿ ἵναι → ἵναι; Β καὶ → καὶ; σ «« δίδου → δίδου; «ἐν ταῖς → ταῖς; ς Τὸ → Τὸ; Μ-- χαίας → χαίας; αὐτῷ ᾽ καὶ → αὐτῷ καὶ; ᾿ οὕτως → οὕτως; σ τών → τών; ᾿ ἀπὸ → ἀπὸ; ᾿ οἱ → οἱ; ' αλλ᾽ → αλλ᾽.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Matt. 6.3 (Field 1; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/chrysostom-hom-matthaeum/6-2/#p-6-3). (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.
6.5Field 1
Αλλ᾽ ἡμεῖς τέφρας ψνυχρότεροι γθγόναμεν, καὶ τῶν τεθνηκότων νεκρότεροι' καὶ ταντα Παῦλον ὁρῶντες ὑπὲρ τὸν οὐρανὸν ἱπτάμενον, καὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ φλογὸς ἁπάσης σφοδρότερον ἅ ἅπαντα νικῶντα καὶ ὑπερβαίνοντα, τὰ κάτω, τα ἄνω, τὰ παρόντα, τὰ μέλλοντα, τὰ ὄντα, τὰ οὐκ ὄντα. Εἰ δὲ μεῖζόν σου ἐκεῖνο τὸ ὑπόδειγμα, μάλιστα μὲν οὖν καὶ οὗτος νωθείας ὁ λόγο. τί γάρ σον πλέον εἶχεν ὁ Παῦλος, ὅτι ἀδύνατον τὸν πρὸς ἐκεῖνόν σοι φὴς ΔΩ αι ζῆλον; πλὴν ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα μὴ φιλονεικῶμεν, τὸν Παῦλον ἀφέντες, τοὺς πρώτους πιστεύσαντας ἐννοήσωμεν, οἷ καὶ χρήματα, καὶ κτήματα, καὶ φρ οντίδα καὶ σχολὴν ἅπασαν σα βιωτικὴν ἐξέβαλον, καὶ ὅλους ἑαυτοὺς ἀνέθηκαν τῷ θεῷ, καθ᾽ ἑκάστην νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν τῇ τοῦ λόγου διδασκαλίᾳ προσεδρεύοντες. Τοιοῦτον γὰρ τὸ πὺρ τὸ πνευματικόν οὐδεμίαν ἐπιθυμίαν ἀφίησιν ἔχειν τῶν ἐνταῦθα, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς ἕτερον ἡμᾶς μεθίστησιν ἕ ἔρωτα. Διὰ τοῦτο ὁ τοιούτων ἐρῶν πραγμάτων, κἂν τὰ ὄντα προέσθαι δέη, κἀν τρυφῆς, κἂν δόξης καταγελάσαι, κἂν αὐτὴν ἐκδοῦναι τὴν ψυχὴν, μετὰ πάσης εὐκολίας ταῦτα πάντα ποιεῖ. ἫἩ γὰρ τοῦ πυρὸς 9ὅ ἐκείνου θερμότης εἰς τὴν ψυχὴν εἰσιοῦσα, πᾶσαν ἐκβάλλει νωθείαν, καὶ πτεροῦ ποιεῖ κουφότερον τὸν ἁλόντα καὶ πάντων τῶν ὁρωμένων ἢ ὑπερορῶν λοιπὸν, ὁ τοιοῦτος ἐν κατανύξει μένει διηνεκεῖ, πηγὰς συνεχεῖς αφιεὶς δακρύων, καὶ πολλὴν ἐντεῦθεν καρπούμενος τὴν ἡδονήν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτως σνγκολλᾷ καὶ ἐνοῖ τῷ θεῷ, ὡς τὰ τοιαῦτα δάκρυα. Ὁ τοιοῦτος κἂν ἐν μέσαις πόλεσιν ἡ κατοικῶν, ὡς ἐν ἐρημίᾳ διατρίβει καὶ , ὄρεσι καὶ ᾿νάπαις, οὐδένα τῶν παρόντων ὁρῶν, οὐδὲ κόρον τῶν τοιούτων λαμβάνων θρήνων, ἄν τε ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ, ἂν τε ὑπὲρ τῶν ἑτέροις πεπλημμελημένων δακρύη. Διὰ τοῦτο πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων τούτους ἐμακάριζεν ὃ θεὸς, 15: μακάριοι οἱ πενθοῦντες, λέγων. Καὶ πῶς ὁ Παῦλός φησι ἢ Χαίρετε ἐν κυρίῳ πάντοτε ἣΝ Τὴν ἐκ τῶν δακρύων τούτων λέγων ἡδονήν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἡ διὰ κόσμον χαρὰ λύπὴν ἔχει συγκεκληρωμένην, οὕτω τὰ κατὰ θεὸν δάκρυα χαρὰν βλαστανει διηνεκῆ καὶ ἀμάραντον. Οὕτω καὶ ἡ πόρνη παρθένων ἐγένετο σεμνοτέρα, τούτῳ κατασχεθεῖσα τῷ πυρί. ᾿Επειδὴ γὰρ διεθερμάνθη τῇ μετανοίᾳ; ἐξεβακχεύθη λοιπὸν τῷ περὶ τὸν Χριστὸν πόθῳ, τὰς τρίχας λύουσα, καὶ τοὺς ἁγίους βρέχουσα πόδας τοῖς δάκρυσι, καὶ ταῖς ἰδίαις αὐτοὺς ἀπομάσσουσα κόμαις, καὶ τὸ μύρον κενοῦσα. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἅπαντα ἔξωθεν ἐγίνετο τὰ δὲ ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ. τελούμενα πολλῷ τούτων θερμότερα ἤν; ἃς μόνος αὑτὸς ἔβλεπεν ὁ θεός. Διὰ δὴ τοῦτο ἕκαστος ἄκονυων, , συγχαίρει τε αὐτῆ, καὶ εὐφραίνεται τοῖς ἐκείνης κατορθώμασι, καὶ πάντων ἀπαλλάττει των ἐγκλημάτων αὐτήν. Εἰ δὲ ἡμεῖς οἱ πονηροὶ ταύτην φέρομεν τὴν ψῆφον, ἐννόησον τίνος ἀπέλαυσε παρὰ τοῦ φιλανθρώπου θεοῦ, καὶ πόσα, καὶ αἰ τῶν τοῦ θεοῦ δωρεῶν, απὸ τῆς μετανοίας ἐκαρπώσατο ἀγαθα. Καθάπερ γὰρ ὑετοῦ καταῤῥαγέντος σφοδροῦ αἰθρία γίνεται καθαρά, οὕτω καὶ δακρύων καταφερομένων γαλήνη γίνεται καὶ εὐδία, καὶ τὸ ἐκ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἀφανίζεται σκότος. Καὶ ὥσπερ εξ ὕδατος καὶ πνεύματος, οὕτως ἀπὸ δακρύων καὶ ἐξομολογήσεως καθαιρόμεθα πάλιν, ἀν μὴ πρὸς ἐπίδειξιν τοῦτο ποιώμεν καὶ πρὸς φιλοτιμίαν. Τὴν γὰρ οὕτω δακρύουσαν τῆς καλλωπιζομένης καὶ ὑπογραφαῖς καὶ ἐπιτρίμμασι μᾶλλον κατηγορεῖσθαι φαίην ἄν εἶναι δίκαιον. ᾿Εγὼ γὰρ ἐκεῖνα ζγτῶ τὰ δάκρυα τὰ μὴ πρὸς ἐπίδειξιν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς κατάνυξιν γινόμενα᾽ τὰ λάθρα καὶ ἐν τοῖς ταμιείοις, καὶ μηδενὸς ὁρῶντος, ἀλλ᾽ ἠρέμα καὶ ἀψοφητὶ στάζοντα' τὰ ἀπὸ βάθους διανοίας, τὰ ἐν τῷ θλίβεσθαι καὶ ὀδυνᾶσθαι, τὰ διὰ τὸν θεὸν μόνον γινόμενα, οἷα τὰ τῆς Ἄννης ἥν τὰ γὰρ χείλη αὑτῆς, φησὶν, ἐκινεῖτο, καὶ ἡ φωνὴ αὐτῆς οὐκ ἠκούετο αλλὰ τὰ δάκρυα μόνα σάλπιγγος λαμπροτέραν ἠφίει φωνήν. Διὰ δὴ τοῦτο καὶ τὴν μήτραν ἀνέῳξεν ὁ θεὸς, καὶ τὴν σκληρὰν πέτραν ἀπαλὴν ἄρουραν εἰργάσατο.
All᾽ hēmeis tephras psnychroteroi gthgonamen, kai tōn tethnēkotōn nekroteroi' kai tanta Paulon horōntes hyper ton ouranon hiptamenon, kai ton ouranon tou ouranou, kai phlogos hapasēs sphodroteron ha hapanta nikōnta kai hyperbainonta, ta katō, ta anō, ta paronta, ta mellonta, ta onta, ta ouk onta. Ei de meizon sou ekeino to hypodeigma, malista men oun kai houtos nōtheias ho logo. ti gar son pleon eichen ho Paulos, hoti adynaton ton pros ekeinon soi phēs DŌ ai zēlon? plēn all᾽ hina mē philoneikōmen, ton Paulon aphentes, tous prōtous pisteusantas ennoēsōmen, hoi kai chrēmata, kai ktēmata, kai phr ontida kai scholēn hapasan sa biōtikēn exebalon, kai holous heautous anethēkan tǭ theǭ, kath᾽ hekastēn nykta kai hēmeran tę̄ tou logou didaskalią prosedreuontes. Toiouton gar to pyr to pneumatikon oudemian epithymian aphiēsin echein tōn entautha, all᾽ eis heteron hēmas methistēsin he erōta. Dia touto ho toioutōn erōn pragmatōn, kan ta onta proesthai deē, kan tryphēs, kan doxēs katagelasai, kan autēn ekdounai tēn psychēn, meta pasēs eukolias tauta panta poiei. HēĒ gar tou pyros 9ho ekeinou thermotēs eis tēn psychēn eisiousa, pasan ekballei nōtheian, kai pterou poiei kouphoteron ton halonta kai pantōn tōn horōmenōn ē hyperorōn loipon, ho toioutos en katanyxei menei diēnekei, pēgas synecheis aphieis dakryōn, kai pollēn enteuthen karpoumenos tēn hēdonēn. Ouden gar houtōs snnkollą kai enoi tǭ theǭ, hōs ta toiauta dakrya. Ho toioutos kan en mesais polesin hē katoikōn, hōs en erēmią diatribei kai , oresi kai ᾿napais, oudena tōn parontōn horōn, oude koron tōn toioutōn lambanōn thrēnōn, an te hyper heautou, an te hyper tōn heterois peplēmmelēmenōn dakryē. Dia touto pro tōn allōn toutous emakarizen ho theos, 15: makarioi hoi penthountes, legōn. Kai pōs ho Paulos phēsi ē Chairete en kyriǭ pantote hēN Tēn ek tōn dakryōn toutōn legōn hēdonēn. Hōsper gar hē dia kosmon chara lypēn echei synkeklērōmenēn, houtō ta kata theon dakrya charan blastanei diēnekē kai amaranton. Houtō kai hē pornē parthenōn egeneto semnotera, toutǭ kataschetheisa tǭ pyri. ᾿Epeidē gar diethermanthē tę̄ metanoią? exebakcheuthē loipon tǭ peri ton Christon pothǭ, tas trichas lyousa, kai tous hagious brechousa podas tois dakrysi, kai tais idiais autous apomassousa komais, kai to myron kenousa. Kai tauta men hapanta exōthen egineto ta de en tę̄ dianoią. teloumena pollǭ toutōn thermotera ēn? has monos hautos eblepen ho theos. Dia dē touto hekastos akonyōn, , synchairei te autē, kai euphrainetai tois ekeinēs katorthōmasi, kai pantōn apallattei tōn enklēmatōn autēn. Ei de hēmeis hoi ponēroi tautēn pheromen tēn psēphon, ennoēson tinos apelause para tou philanthrōpou theou, kai posa, kai ai tōn tou theou dōreōn, apo tēs metanoias ekarpōsato agatha. Kathaper gar hyetou katarrhagentos sphodrou aithria ginetai kathara, houtō kai dakryōn katapheromenōn galēnē ginetai kai eudia, kai to ek tōn hamartēmatōn aphanizetai skotos. Kai hōsper ex hydatos kai pneumatos, houtōs apo dakryōn kai exomologēseōs kathairometha palin, an mē pros epideixin touto poiōmen kai pros philotimian. Tēn gar houtō dakryousan tēs kallōpizomenēs kai hypographais kai epitrimmasi mallon katēgoreisthai phaiēn an einai dikaion. ᾿Egō gar ekeina zgtō ta dakrya ta mē pros epideixin, alla pros katanyxin ginomena᾽ ta lathra kai en tois tamieiois, kai mēdenos horōntos, all᾽ ērema kai apsophēti stazonta' ta apo bathous dianoias, ta en tǭ thlibesthai kai odynasthai, ta dia ton theon monon ginomena, hoia ta tēs Annēs hēn ta gar cheilē hautēs, phēsin, ekineito, kai hē phōnē autēs ouk ēkoueto alla ta dakrya mona salpingos lamproteran ēphiei phōnēn. Dia dē touto kai tēn mētran aneǭxen ho theos, kai tēn sklēran petran apalēn arouran eirgasato.
But we have become colder than ashes and deader than the dead; and that while we see Paul soaring above heaven, and the heaven of heaven, and, more vehement than any flame, conquering and surpassing all things, things below, things above, things present, things to come, things that are, things that are not. And if that example is too great for you, this very saying is above all a sign of sluggishness. For what did Paul have more than you, that you say it is impossible for you to attain zeal like his? But so as not to be contentious, let us leave Paul and consider the first believers, who cast away money and possessions and all worldly care and occupation, and dedicated themselves wholly to God, attending night and day to the teaching of the word. For such is the spiritual fire: it lets us have no desire for things here, but transfers us to another love. That is why one who loves such things, even if he must give up what he has, even if he must laugh at luxury and glory, even if he must surrender life itself, does all these things with all ease. For the heat of that fire, entering the soul, casts out all sluggishness and makes the one it has seized lighter than a feather; and looking down on all visible things thereafter, such a man remains in continual compunction, pouring out continual springs of tears, and reaping great pleasure from them. For nothing so cements us and unites us to God as such tears. Such a man, even if he lives in the midst of cities, spends his time as in a desert, in mountains and glens, seeing none of those present, and never having his fill of such lamentations, whether he weeps for himself or for the offenses committed by others. That is why God called these blessed before the others, saying, “Blessed are those who mourn.” And how does Paul say, “Rejoice in the Lord always”? Meaning the pleasure that comes from these tears. For as the joy of the world has grief allotted to it, so tears according to God make joy spring up, continual and unfading. So the harlot too became more honorable than virgins, seized by this fire. For when she had been warmed through by repentance, she was thereafter carried away with longing for Christ, loosing her hair, wetting his holy feet with her tears, wiping them with her own locks, and emptying out the ointment. And all these things were done outwardly; but what was being accomplished in her mind was far warmer than these, which God alone saw. That is why everyone who hears rejoices with her, delights in her good deeds, and acquits her of all charges. And if we, who are wicked, pass this verdict, consider what she enjoyed from the God who loves mankind, and how many good things, even before God's gifts, she reaped from repentance. For as after a violent downpour of rain the sky becomes clear, so too when tears pour down there is calm and fair weather, and the darkness from sins is wiped away. And as by water and the Spirit, so by tears and confession we are cleansed again, provided we do not do this for display and ostentation. For a woman who weeps so I would say deserves to be accused more than one who adorns herself with eye paint and rouge. For I seek those tears that are shed not for display but for compunction: those shed secretly, in inner rooms, with no one seeing, falling gently and noiselessly; those from the depth of the mind, in affliction and pain, shed for God alone, such as Hannah's were: “For her lips moved,” it says, “and her voice was not heard”; but her tears alone sent forth a voice clearer than a trumpet. That is why God opened her womb and made the hard rock a soft field.
2 Cor 12:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 8:38 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 2:44 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 5:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 4:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 7:38 (allusion, high confidence) · John 3:5 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Sam 1:13 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Sam 1:20 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Moral section of Homily 6: Christians are cold where Paul and the first believers burned; the spiritual fire produces compunction and tears that unite us to God, as with the sinful woman and Hannah, provided they are not for display.
- Allusions and quotations: 2 Cor 12:2; Rom 8:38–39; Acts 2:44–46; Matt 5:4; Phil 4:4; Luke 7:37–38; John 3:5; 1 Sam 1:13 (quoted). Field's marginal heading for the moral section ('That mourning according to God brings great joy and benefit') and apparatus readings run into the text by the OCR are removed by logged corrections. Migne's section 4 falls inside 6.3 (its numeral was lost in the OCR).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris (stray marks or marginal letters); apparatus note (Latin) run into the text by the OCR; apparatus readings and Field's marginal heading run into the text by the OCR): ἀκομνμβο, γοῦν ψηφίσασθαι Α.ἕ Β.Ὁ. ἮΘΙΚΟΝ. Ὅτι τὸ κατὰ θεὸν πενῦος καὶ χαραν ποιεῖ μεγάλην καὶ ὠφέλειαν καὶ ὅτι μέγα εἶναι ζῆλον; → ζῆλον;; τὰ δὲ ἐν ορῶντα ὌΪσο ὑπερορᾶν, εἴ Ῥοβῖ ἢ. ν. Ρίεπε ἱπίθυρυμσίτυτ. τῇ διανοίᾳ. → τὰ δὲ ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ.; Β οὐρανὸν → οὐρανὸν; ᾿ καὶ → καὶ; Β ἀψοφητὶ → ἀψοφητὶ.
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Matt. 6.5 (Field 1; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/chrysostom-hom-matthaeum/6-2/#p-6-5). (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.
6.6Field 1
Ἂν οὕτω καὶ αὐτὸς δακρύῃς, μιμητὴς τοῦ δεσπότου σου γέγονας. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐδάκρυσε, καὶ ἐπὶ Λαζάρου καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς πόλεως, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ ᾿Ιούδα διεταράχθη. Καὶ τοῦτο μὲν πολλάκις ἐστὶν ἰδεῖν αὐτὸν ποιοῦντα, γελῶντα δὲς οὐδαμοῦ αλλ᾽ οὐδὲ μειδιῶντα ἠρέμα οὐκοῦν τῶν εὐαγγελιστών οὐδεὶς εἴρηκε. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ Παῦλος, ὅτι μὲν ἐδάκρυσε, καὶ τριετίαν νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν τοῦτο ἐποίει, καὶ αὐτὸς περὶ ἑαντοῦ, καὶ ἕτεροι περὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦτο λέγουσιν' ὅτι δὲ ἐγέλασεν, οὐδαμοῦ οὔτε αὐτὸς εἴρηκεν, ἣ οὔτε ἄλλος οὐδὲ εἷς αὙίων, οὔτε περὶ ἑαυτοῦ, οὔτε περὶ ἑτέρου τινὸς τοιούτου ἀλλὰ περὶ Σάρῤῥας μόνης τοῦτο εἴρηται, ἡνίκα ἐπετιμήθη. καὶ περὶ τοῦ νυἱοῦ Νώε, ὅτε ἀντ᾽ ἐλευθέρου δοῦλος ὙεΎονε. Καὶ ταῦτα λέγω, οὐ τὸν γέλωτα ἐκκόπτων, ἀλλὰ τὴν διάχυσιν ἀναιρῶν. Τίνος γὰρ ἕνεκεν, εἰπέ μοι, θρύπτη καὶ διαῤῥέεις, τοσαύταις εὐθύναις ἔ ἔνοχος ὧν ἔτι, καὶ φοβερῷ μέλλων ἣ παραστήσεσθαι δικαστηρίῳ, καὶ πάντων παρέχειν λόγον μετὰ ἀκριβείας τῶν ἐνταῦθα γεγενημένων; Καὶ γὰρ ὧν ἑκόντες καὶ ὧν ἄκοντες ἡμάρτομεν, δώσομεν λόγον ἐς ὃς γὰρ ἂν ἀρνήσηταί με, φησὶν, ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, καγὼ ἀρνήσομαι αὐτὸν ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ πατρός μου καίτοίγε ἀκούσιος ἡ τοιαύτη ἄρνησις, ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως οὐ διαφεύγει τὴν κόλασιν, αλλὰ καὶ ταύτης διδόαμεν εὐθύνας: καὶ ὧν ἴσμεν, καὶ ἐ ὧν οὐκ ἴσμεν ἐς οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐμαυτῷ σύνοιδα, φησὶν, ἀλλ οὐκ ἐν τούτῳ δεδικαίωμαι᾽ καὶ ὧν κατὰ ἄγνοιαν, καὶ ἣ ὧν κατὰ γνῶσιν ὑττες μαρτυρῶ γὰρ αὐτοῖς, φησὶν, ὅτε ζῆλον θεοῦ ἔ ἔχουσιν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ κατ᾽ ἐπίγνωσιν αλλ᾽ ὅμως οὐκ ἀρκεῖ τοῦτο εἰς ἀπολογίαν αὐτοῖς. Καὶ Κορινθίοις δὲ ἐπιστέλλων ἔλεγε ἰῶδ φοβοῦμαι μήπως ὡς ὁ ὄφις ἐξηπάτησεν Εὔαν ἐν τῆ πανουργίᾳ αὑτοῦ, οὕτω φθαρῇ τὰ νοήματα ὑμῶν ἀπὸ τῆς ἁπλότητος τῆς εἰς τὸν Χριστόν. Τοσούτων τοίνυν μέλλων διδόναι εὐθύνας, κάθη γελῶν, καὶ ἀστεῖα λέγων, καὶ τρυφῇ προσέχων: Ἂν γὰρ μὴ ταῦτα ποιήσω, φησὶν, αλλὰ πενθήσω, τί τὸ ὄφελος: Μέγιστον μὲν οὗν, καὶ τοσοῦτον ὅσον οὐδὲ τῷ λόγῳ παραστῆσαι δυνατόν. ᾿Επὶ μὲν γὰρ τῶν ἔξωθεν δικαστηρίων, ὅσα ἂν δακρύσης, οὐκ ἐκφεύξη τὴν κόλασιν μετὰ τὴν ἀπόφασιν' ἐνταῦθα δὲ, ἂν στυγνάσης μόνον, ἔλυσας τὴν ψῆφον, καὶ συγγνώμης ἀπέλανσας. Διὰ τοῦτο πολλὰ περὶ πένθους ἡμῖν ὁ Χριστὸς διαλέγεται, καὶ μακαρίζει τοὺς πενθοῦντας, καὶ ταλανίζει τοὺς γελώντας. Οὐ γάρ ἐστι τὸ θέατρον τοῦτο γέλωτος, οὐδὲ διὰ τοῦτο συνήλθομεν, ἵνα ἀνακαγχάζωμεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα ᾿στενάζωμεν, καὶ βασιλείαν ἐκ του στεναγμοῦ τούτου κληρονομήσωμεν. Σὺ δὲ βασιλεῖ μὲν παρεστὼς, οὐδὲ ἁπλῶς μειδιᾶσαι ἀνέχῃ᾽ τὸν δὲ τῶν ἀγγέλων δεσπότην ἔ , ἔχων ἔνοικον οὐχ ἕστηκας ἡ μετὰ τρόμου καὶ σωφροσύνης τῆς προσηκούσης, ἀλλὰ γελᾷς, αὐτοῦ πολλάκις ὀργιζομένου ; καὶ οὐκ ἐννοεῖς ὅτι τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ταύτη μειζόνως παροξύνεις αὐτόν: :ς Οὐ γὰρ οὕτω τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας, ὡς τοὺς μετὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν μὴ ᾿συστελλομένους ἀποστρέφεσθαι εἴωθεν ὁ θεός. Ἀλλ’ ὅμως οὕτως εἰσὶν ἀναισθήτως τινὲς διακείμενοι, ὡς καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα τὰ ῥήματα λέγειν ἐμοὶ δὲ μὴ γένοιτο δακρῦσαί ποτε, αλλὰ δῴη μοι ,Ὑελᾶν καὶ παίζειν ὁ θεὸς πά ντα τὸν Χρόνον. Καὶ τί ταύτης τῆς διανοίας παιδικώτερον γένοιτ' ἄν; οὐ γὰρ ὁ θεὸς δίδωσι παίζειν, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ διάβολος. Ἄκουσον γοῦν, οἱ παίζοντες τί ἔπαθον' ἐς ἐκάθισε, φησὶν; ὃ λαὸς φαγεῖν καὶ πιεῖν, καὶ ἀνέστησαν παίζειν. Τοιοῦτοι ἦσαν οἱ ἐν Σοδόμοις, τοιοῦτοι οἱ ἐπὶ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ. Καὶ γάρ καὶ περὶ ἐκείνων φησὶν, ὅτι Ὁ ὑπερηφανίᾳ, καὶ ἐν εὐθηνίαις, καὶ ἐν πλησμονῇ ἄρτων ἐσπατάλων. Καὶ οἷ κατὰ τὸν Νῶε ὄντες τὴν κιβωτὸν ἐπὶ τοσούτοις ὁρῶντες κατασκεναζομένην ἔ ἔτεσιν; ἀναλιγήτως εὐφραίνοντο, μηδὲν τῶν μελλόντων προορώμενοι. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ πάντας αὐτοὺς ἐπελθὼν παρέσυρεν ὁ κατακλυσμὸς, καὶ τὸ κοινὸν τῆς οἰκουμένης νανάγιον τότε εἰργάσατο. Μὴ τοίνυν αἴτει παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ταῦτα, ἃ παρὰ τοῦ διαβόλου λαμβάνεις. Τοῦ γὰρ θεοῦ, δοῦναι καρδίαν συντετριμμένην καὶ τεταπεινωμένην, νήφουσαν, σωφρονοῦσαν καὶ κατεσταλμένην, μετανοοῦσαν καὶ κατανενυγμένην. Ταῦτα ἐκείνον τὰ δῶρα, ἐπειδὴ καὶ τούτων Ἰμῖν χρεία μάλιστα. Καὶ γὰρ ἀγὼν ἐφέστηκε χαλεπὸς, καὶ ὃ πρὸς τὰς ἀοράτους ἡμῖν δυνάμεις ή πάλη, πρὸς τὰ πνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας ἤ μάχη, πρὸς τὰς ἀρχὰς, πρὸς τὰς ἐξουσίας ὁ ο πόλεμον καὶ ἀγαπητὸν σπουδάζοντας ἡμᾶς νήφοντας καὶ διογηγερμένους, δυνηθῆναι τὴν αὙρίαν ἐκείνην φαλαγγα ἐνεγκεῖν. Ἂν δὲ ᾿γελῶμεν καὶ παίζωμεν, καὶ διαπαντὸς ῥᾳθυμῶμεν, καὶ πρὸ τῆς συμβολῆς ὑπὸ τῆς οἰκείας καταπεσούμεθα ῥᾳθυμίας. Οὐ τοίνυν ἡμέτερον τὸ γελᾶν διηνεκῶς καὶ θρύπτεσθαι καὶ τρυφᾶν, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἐπὶ σκηνῆς, τῶν πορνενομένων Ὑνναικῶν, ἢ τών εἰς τοῦτο ἐξυρημένων ἀνδρῶν, τών παρασίτων, τῶν κολάκων' οὐ τῶν ἐπὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν κεκλημένων, οὐ τῶν εἰς τὴν ἄνω πόλιν ἐγγεγραμμένων, οὐ τῶν ὅπλα βασταζόντων πνευματικὰ, ἀλλὰ τῶν τῷ διαβόλῳ τελουμένων. ᾿Εκεῖνος γάρ ἐστιν, ἐκεῖνος ὁ καὶ τέχνην τὸ πρᾶγμα ποιήσας, ἵνα τοὺς στρατιώτας εκλύση τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ μαλακώτερα αὐτῶν ποιήσῃ τῆς προθυμίας τὰ νεῦρα. Διά τοῦτο καὶ θέατρα ὠκοδόμησεν ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι, καὶ τοὺς γελωτοποιοὺς ἐκείνους ἀσκήσας, διὰ τῆς ἐκείνων λύμης κατὰ τῆς πόλεως ἁπάσης τὸν τοιοῦτον ἢ ἐνσκήπτει λοιμόν ἃ φεύγειν ὁ Παῦλος ἐκέλευσε, τὴν μωρολογίαν καὶ τὴν εὐτραπελίαν, ταῦτα διώκειν ἀναπείθων. Καὶ τὸ δὴ χαλεπώτερον τούτων ἡ τοῦ γέλωτος ἐστιν ὑπόθεσις. Ὅταν μὲν γὰρ βλάσφημόν τι εἴπωσιν ἢ αἰσχρὸν οἱ μῖμοι τῶν γελοίων ἐκείνων, τότε πολλοὶ τῶν ἀνοητοτέρων γελώσι καὶ τέρπονται, ὑπὲρ ὧν αὐτοὺς λιθαζειν. ἐχρῆν, ὑπὲρ τούτων κροτοῦντες, καὶ τὴν κάμινον τοῦ πυρὸς διὰ τῆς ἡδονῆς ταύτης κατὰ τῆς ἑαυτῶν ἕλκοντες κεφαλης. Οἱ γὰρ ἐπαινοῦντες τοὺς ταῦτα λέγοντας, οὗτοι μάλιστά εἰσιν οἱ λέγειν ἀναπείθοντες διὸ καὶ τῆς κολάσεως τῆς ἐπὶ τούτοις κειμένης, δικαιότερον ὦ ἂν εἷεν ὑπεύθυνοι. Εἰ γὰρ μηδεὶς ἣν ὁ τὰ τοιαῦτα θεώμενος; οὐδ ἃ ἂν δ , ἀγωνιζόμενος ἦν ὅταν δὲ ἴδωσιν ὑμᾶς καὶ ἐργαστήρια καὶ τέχνας καὶ τὴν ἐκ τούτων πρόσοδον, καὶ πάντα ἁπλῶς ὑπὲρ τῆς ἐκεῖ διατριβῆς ἀφέντας, μείζονα δέχονται τὴν προθυμίαν, καὶ πλείονα περὶ ταῦτα ποιοῦνται σπουδήν. Καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ ἐκείνους ἀπαλλάττων ἐγκλημάτων λέγω; ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα ὑμεῖς μάθητε, ὅτι τὴν ἀρχὴν καὶ τὴν ῥίζαν τῆς τοιαύτης παρανομίας ὑμεῖς μάλιστά ἐστε οἱ παρέχοντες, οἱ τὴν ἡμέραν ἅπασαν εἰς ταῦτα ᾿καταναλίσκοντες, καὶ τὰ σεμνὰ τοῦ γάμου ἄγματα ἐκπομπεύοντες, καὶ τὸ μυστήριον τὸ μέγα παρα εὐγματίζοντες., Οὐδὲ γὰρ οὕτως ἐκεῖνος ὁ ταῦτα ὑποκρινόμενός Βέεστιν ὁ πλημμελῶν, ὡς πρὸ ἐκείνον σὺ, ὁ ταῦτα κελεύων ποιεῖν μᾶλλον δὲ οὐ κελεύων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ σπουδάζων, καὶ εὐφραινόμενος, καὶ γεελών, καὶ ἐπαινῶν τὰ γινόμενα, καὶ παντὶ τρόπῳ συγκροτῶν τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐργαστήρια τῶν δαιἢ μονων. Ποίοις οὖν ὀφθαλμοῖς, εἰπέ μοι, λοιπὸν τὴν γυναῖκα ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας ὄψει, ἰδὼν αὐτὴν ὑ βριζομένην ἐκεῖ; ὃ πὼς δὲ οὐκ ἐρυθριᾷς ἀναμιμνησκόμενος τῆς συνοίκου, ἡνίκα ἂν τὴν φύσιν αὐτὴν παραδευγματιζομένην ἴδης :
An houtō kai autos dakryę̄s, mimētēs tou despotou sou gegonas. Kai gar kai autos edakryse, kai epi Lazarou kai epi tēs poleōs, kai epi tou ᾿Iouda dietarachthē. Kai touto men pollakis estin idein auton poiounta, gelōnta des oudamou all᾽ oude meidiōnta ērema oukoun tōn euangelistōn oudeis eirēke. Dia touto kai Paulos, hoti men edakryse, kai trietian nykta kai hēmeran touto epoiei, kai autos peri heantou, kai heteroi peri autou touto legousin' hoti de egelasen, oudamou oute autos eirēken, hē oute allos oude heis haUiōn, oute peri heautou, oute peri heterou tinos toioutou alla peri Sarrrhas monēs touto eirētai, hēnika epetimēthē. kai peri tou nuiou Nōe, hote ant᾽ eleutherou doulos HyeUone. Kai tauta legō, ou ton gelōta ekkoptōn, alla tēn diachysin anairōn. Tinos gar heneken, eipe moi, thryptē kai diarrheeis, tosautais euthynais e enochos hōn eti, kai phoberǭ mellōn hē parastēsesthai dikastēriǭ, kai pantōn parechein logon meta akribeias tōn entautha gegenēmenōn? Kai gar hōn hekontes kai hōn akontes hēmartomen, dōsomen logon es hos gar an arnēsētai me, phēsin, emprosthen tōn anthrōpōn, kagō arnēsomai auton emprosthen tou patros mou kaitoige akousios hē toiautē arnēsis, all᾽ homōs ou diapheugei tēn kolasin, alla kai tautēs didoamen euthynas: kai hōn ismen, kai e hōn ouk ismen es ouden gar emautǭ synoida, phēsin, all ouk en toutǭ dedikaiōmai᾽ kai hōn kata agnoian, kai hē hōn kata gnōsin hyttes martyrō gar autois, phēsin, hote zēlon theou e echousin, all᾽ ou kat᾽ epignōsin all᾽ homōs ouk arkei touto eis apologian autois. Kai Korinthiois de epistellōn elege iōd phoboumai mēpōs hōs ho ophis exēpatēsen Euan en tē panourgią hautou, houtō phtharę̄ ta noēmata hymōn apo tēs haplotētos tēs eis ton Christon. Tosoutōn toinyn mellōn didonai euthynas, kathē gelōn, kai asteia legōn, kai tryphę̄ prosechōn: An gar mē tauta poiēsō, phēsin, alla penthēsō, ti to ophelos: Megiston men houn, kai tosouton hoson oude tǭ logǭ parastēsai dynaton. ᾿Epi men gar tōn exōthen dikastēriōn, hosa an dakrysēs, ouk ekpheuxē tēn kolasin meta tēn apophasin' entautha de, an stygnasēs monon, elysas tēn psēphon, kai syngnōmēs apelansas. Dia touto polla peri penthous hēmin ho Christos dialegetai, kai makarizei tous penthountas, kai talanizei tous gelōntas. Ou gar esti to theatron touto gelōtos, oude dia touto synēlthomen, hina anakanchazōmen, all᾽ hina ᾿stenazōmen, kai basileian ek tou stenagmou toutou klēronomēsōmen. Sy de basilei men parestōs, oude haplōs meidiasai anechę̄᾽ ton de tōn angelōn despotēn e , echōn enoikon ouch hestēkas hē meta tromou kai sōphrosynēs tēs prosēkousēs, alla geląs, autou pollakis orgizomenou ? kai ouk ennoeis hoti tōn hamartēmatōn tautē meizonōs paroxyneis auton: :s Ou gar houtō tous hamartanontas, hōs tous meta tēn hamartian mē ᾿systellomenous apostrephesthai eiōthen ho theos. All’ homōs houtōs eisin anaisthētōs tines diakeimenoi, hōs kai meta tauta ta rhēmata legein emoi de mē genoito dakrysai pote, alla dǭē moi ,Hyelan kai paizein ho theos pa nta ton Chronon. Kai ti tautēs tēs dianoias paidikōteron genoit' an? ou gar ho theos didōsi paizein, all᾽ ho diabolos. Akouson goun, hoi paizontes ti epathon' es ekathise, phēsin? ho laos phagein kai piein, kai anestēsan paizein. Toioutoi ēsan hoi en Sodomois, toioutoi hoi epi tou kataklysmou. Kai gar kai peri ekeinōn phēsin, hoti Ho hyperēphanią, kai en euthēniais, kai en plēsmonę̄ artōn espatalōn. Kai hoi kata ton Nōe ontes tēn kibōton epi tosoutois horōntes kataskenazomenēn e etesin? analigētōs euphrainonto, mēden tōn mellontōn proorōmenoi. Dia touto kai pantas autous epelthōn paresyren ho kataklysmos, kai to koinon tēs oikoumenēs nanagion tote eirgasato. Mē toinyn aitei para tou theou tauta, ha para tou diabolou lambaneis. Tou gar theou, dounai kardian syntetrimmenēn kai tetapeinōmenēn, nēphousan, sōphronousan kai katestalmenēn, metanoousan kai katanenygmenēn. Tauta ekeinon ta dōra, epeidē kai toutōn Imin chreia malista. Kai gar agōn ephestēke chalepos, kai ho pros tas aoratous hēmin dynameis ē palē, pros ta pneumatika tēs ponērias ē machē, pros tas archas, pros tas exousias ho o polemon kai agapēton spoudazontas hēmas nēphontas kai diogēgermenous, dynēthēnai tēn haUrian ekeinēn phalanga enenkein. An de ᾿gelōmen kai paizōmen, kai diapantos rhąthymōmen, kai pro tēs symbolēs hypo tēs oikeias katapesoumetha rhąthymias. Ou toinyn hēmeteron to gelan diēnekōs kai thryptesthai kai tryphan, alla tōn epi skēnēs, tōn pornenomenōn Hynnaikōn, ē tōn eis touto exyrēmenōn andrōn, tōn parasitōn, tōn kolakōn' ou tōn epi ton ouranon keklēmenōn, ou tōn eis tēn anō polin engegrammenōn, ou tōn hopla bastazontōn pneumatika, alla tōn tǭ diabolǭ teloumenōn. ᾿Ekeinos gar estin, ekeinos ho kai technēn to pragma poiēsas, hina tous stratiōtas eklysē tou Christou, kai malakōtera autōn poiēsę̄ tēs prothymias ta neura. Dia touto kai theatra ōkodomēsen en tais polesi, kai tous gelōtopoious ekeinous askēsas, dia tēs ekeinōn lymēs kata tēs poleōs hapasēs ton toiouton ē enskēptei loimon ha pheugein ho Paulos ekeleuse, tēn mōrologian kai tēn eutrapelian, tauta diōkein anapeithōn. Kai to dē chalepōteron toutōn hē tou gelōtos estin hypothesis. Hotan men gar blasphēmon ti eipōsin ē aischron hoi mimoi tōn geloiōn ekeinōn, tote polloi tōn anoētoterōn gelōsi kai terpontai, hyper hōn autous lithazein. echrēn, hyper toutōn krotountes, kai tēn kaminon tou pyros dia tēs hēdonēs tautēs kata tēs heautōn helkontes kephalēs. Hoi gar epainountes tous tauta legontas, houtoi malista eisin hoi legein anapeithontes dio kai tēs kolaseōs tēs epi toutois keimenēs, dikaioteron ō an heien hypeuthynoi. Ei gar mēdeis hēn ho ta toiauta theōmenos? oud ha an d , agōnizomenos ēn hotan de idōsin hymas kai ergastēria kai technas kai tēn ek toutōn prosodon, kai panta haplōs hyper tēs ekei diatribēs aphentas, meizona dechontai tēn prothymian, kai pleiona peri tauta poiountai spoudēn. Kai tauta ouk ekeinous apallattōn enklēmatōn legō? all᾽ hina hymeis mathēte, hoti tēn archēn kai tēn rhizan tēs toiautēs paranomias hymeis malista este hoi parechontes, hoi tēn hēmeran hapasan eis tauta ᾿katanaliskontes, kai ta semna tou gamou agmata ekpompeuontes, kai to mystērion to mega para eugmatizontes., Oude gar houtōs ekeinos ho tauta hypokrinomenos Beestin ho plēmmelōn, hōs pro ekeinon sy, ho tauta keleuōn poiein mallon de ou keleuōn monon, alla kai spoudazōn, kai euphrainomenos, kai geelōn, kai epainōn ta ginomena, kai panti tropǭ synkrotōn ta toiauta ergastēria tōn daiē monōn. Poiois oun ophthalmois, eipe moi, loipon tēn gynaika epi tēs oikias opsei, idōn autēn hy brizomenēn ekei? ho pōs de ouk erythriąs anamimnēskomenos tēs synoikou, hēnika an tēn physin autēn paradeugmatizomenēn idēs :
If you too weep so, you have become an imitator of your Master. For he too wept, both over Lazarus and over the city, and he was troubled over Judas. And this one can see him doing often, but laughing nowhere, nor even smiling gently; at least none of the evangelists has said so. That is why with Paul too, that he wept, and did this night and day for three years, both he himself says of himself and others say of him; but that he laughed, neither he himself has said anywhere, nor any other of the saints, either of himself or of anyone else of the kind; but it is said only of Sarah, when she was rebuked, and of the son of Noah, when he became a slave instead of free. And I say this not to cut off laughter, but to take away dissipation. For why, tell me, do you live softly and run to looseness, when you are still liable to so many accounts and are about to stand before a fearful tribunal and give an exact account of everything done here? For we shall give account both of what we sinned willingly and of what we sinned unwillingly: “For whoever denies me,” he says, “before men, I also will deny him before my Father”; and yet such denial is unwilling, but nevertheless it does not escape punishment, but we pay the penalty for this too; and both of what we know and of what we do not know: “For I am not aware of anything against myself,” he says, “but I am not thereby justified”; and of what is done in ignorance and of what is done with knowledge: “For I bear them witness,” he says, “that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge”; yet this does not suffice for their defense. And writing to the Corinthians he said, “I fear lest, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds be corrupted from the simplicity that is toward Christ.” Being about to give so many accounts, then, do you sit laughing and joking and giving yourself to luxury? “But if I do not do these things,” someone says, “but mourn, what is the profit?” The very greatest, and so great that it cannot even be set forth in words. For in the courts outside, however much you weep, you will not escape punishment after the sentence; but here, if you only look downcast, you have annulled the verdict and obtained pardon. That is why Christ speaks to us much about mourning, and calls the mourners blessed and the laughers wretched. For this is not a theater for laughter, nor have we come together for this, to guffaw, but to groan, and by this groaning to inherit a kingdom. But you, standing before a king, cannot bear even to smile at all; and having the Master of the angels dwelling in you, you do not stand with trembling and fitting self-control, but laugh, though he is often angry? And you do not consider that by this you provoke him more than by your sins? For God is not accustomed to turn away from sinners so much as from those who are not humbled after the sin.
Yet some are so insensibly disposed that even after these words they say: “But may I never weep; may God grant me to laugh and play all my life.” And what could be more childish than this thought? For it is not God who grants play, but the devil. Hear, at any rate, what those who played suffered: “The people sat down,” it says, “to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” Such were those in Sodom, such were those at the flood. For of those too it says that “in pride, and in plenty, and in fullness of bread they lived in luxury.” And those in Noah's time, seeing the ark being built for so many years, made merry without feeling, foreseeing nothing of what was to come. That is why the flood came and swept them all away, and wrought at that time the common shipwreck of the world. Do not, then, ask from God what you receive from the devil. For it is God's part to give a heart broken and humbled, sober, chaste, and composed, repentant and pierced with compunction. These are his gifts, since we need these above all. For a hard contest stands before us, and our wrestling is against the invisible powers, our battle against the spiritual hosts of wickedness, our war against the principalities, against the authorities; and we must be content if, striving, sober, and awake, we can withstand that savage battle line. But if we laugh and play and are always careless, we shall fall through our own carelessness even before the engagement. It is not ours, then, to laugh continually and live softly and in luxury, but belongs to those on the stage, to the harlot women, to the men shaven for this, to parasites and flatterers; not to those called to heaven, not to those enrolled in the city above, not to those who bear spiritual arms, but to those who are initiated to the devil.
For it is he, it is he who made the thing an art, to unnerve the soldiers of Christ and slacken the sinews of their zeal. That is why he built theaters in the cities, and having trained those buffoons, through their ruin he hurls such a pestilence upon the whole city, persuading men to pursue what Paul ordered them to flee, foolish talk and coarse jesting. And what is worse than these is the subject of the laughter. For when the mimes of those buffoons say something blasphemous or shameful, then many of the more foolish laugh and delight, applauding for the very things for which they ought to stone them, and drawing down upon their own head by this pleasure the furnace of fire. For those who praise those who say such things are the very ones who above all persuade them to say them; that is why they would more justly be liable to the punishment laid down for these things. For if there were no one to watch such things, neither would there be one to perform them; but when they see you leaving workshops and crafts and the revenue from them, and simply everything, for the time spent there, they receive greater eagerness and give more zeal to these things. And I say this not to free them from the charges, but that you may learn that it is you above all who provide the beginning and root of such lawlessness, you who spend the whole day on these things and parade the solemn things of marriage and make a public show of the great mystery. For the one who acts these things is not so much the offender as you before him, who order them to be done, or rather not only order them but are eager, and delight, and laugh, and praise what is done, and in every way support such workshops of demons. With what eyes, then, tell me, will you look at your wife at home after this, having seen her insulted there? How do you not blush, remembering your partner, when you see her very nature made a public example?
John 11:35 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 19:41 (allusion, high confidence) · John 13:21 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 20:31 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 18:13 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 9:25 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 10:33 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 4:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 10:2 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 11:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 6:25 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 32:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Ezek 16:49 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 24:38 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 51:17 (50:19 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence) · Eph 6:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 5:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 5:32 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ wept but never laughed; we will give account for every sin, so dissipation is folly; frivolity comes from the devil, who built the theaters; spectators who applaud blasphemous and lewd mimes are more guilty than the actors and dishonor marriage.
- Quotations: Matt 10:33; 1 Cor 4:4; Rom 10:2; 2 Cor 11:3; Exod 32:6; Ezek 16:49. Allusions: John 11:35; Luke 19:41; John 13:21; Acts 20:31; Gen 18:12–15; Gen 9:22–25; Luke 6:21, 25; Matt 24:38; Eph 6:12; Eph 5:4, 32 (the great mystery of marriage). Chrysostom's polemic against the theater and mimes is translated as written. A few apparatus fragments run into the text by the OCR are removed by a logged correction.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris (stray marks or marginal letters); apparatus readings run into the text by the OCR): θρύπτεσθαι καὶ ; ἐπὶ τοσούτοις .ο.ε ἔτεσιν ἐ ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον ..ὁ6 χρόνον ἀὰ. ω ἐκείνων Ἐλα. τρυφᾶν → θρύπτεσθαι καὶ τρυφᾶν; ᾿ οὐδεὶς → οὐδεὶς; ᾿ Διὰ → Διὰ; τ αὙίων, → αὙίων,; ΄ μου → μου; ᾽ αλλ᾽ → αλλ᾽; Β Ἀλλ’ → Ἀλλ’; «ἐἐν ὑπερηφανίᾳ, → ὑπερηφανίᾳ,; ' ἐπὶ → ἐπὶ; ' πρὸς → πρὸς; 'Καὶ νήφοντας → νήφοντας; ᾽ εἷεν → εἷεν; τ ἄγματα → ἄγματα.
Topics: Ethics, Marriage, Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Matt. 6.6 (Field 1; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/chrysostom-hom-matthaeum/6-2/#p-6-6). (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.