Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew 8.1–8.5
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 8
8.1Field 1
Καὶ εἰσελθόντες εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν, εἶδον τὸ παιδίον μετὰ Μαρίας τῆς μητρὸς αντοῦ. ΠΩΣ οὖν φησιν ὁ Λουκάς, ὅτι ἐπὶ τῆς φάτνης κείμενον ἣν; Ὅτι τεκοῦσα μὲν εὐθέως αὐτὸ κατέκλινεν ἐκεῖ (ἅτε γὰρ πολλῶν συνιόντων διὰ τὴν ἀπογραφὴν, οὐκ ἦν οἰκίαν εὑρεῖν ὅπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ Λουκᾶς ἐπισημαίνεται λέγων, ὅτι διὰ τὸ μὴ εἶναι τόπον; ἀνέκλινεν αὐτόν) μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ὃ ανείλετο, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν γονάτων εἶχεν. Ὁμοῦ τε γὰρ ἐπέβη τῆς Βηθλεέμ, καὶ τὰς ὠδῖνας ἔλυσεν ἵνα μάθης κἀντεῦθεν τὴν οἰκονομίαν ἅπασαν, καὶ ὅτι οὐχ ἀπλῶς οὐδὲ: ὡς ἔτυχε ταῦτα ἐγίνετο, ἀλλὰ κατὰ πρόνοιάν τινα θείαν καὶ προφητείας ἀκολουθίαν ταῦτα παντα ἐπληροῦτο. ᾿Αλλὰ τί τὸ πεῖσαν αὐτοὺς προσκυνῆσαι: : Οὔτε γὰρ ἡ παρθένος ἐπίσημος Ἶν, οὔτε ἢ οἰκία περιφανὴς, οὔτε ἄλλο τι τῶν ὁρωμένων ἱκανὸν ἐκπλῆξαι καὶ ἐπισπάσασθαι. Οἱ δὲ οὐ μόνον προσκυνοῦσιν, αλλὰ καὶ ἀνοίξαντες τοὺς θησαυροὺς αὐτῶν, δῶρα προσάγουσι, καὶ δῶρα, οὐχ ὡς ἀνθρώπῳ, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς θεῷ. Ὁ γὰρ λιβανωτὸς καὶ ἡ σμύρνα τούτου σύμβολον ἦν. Τί οὖν τὸ πεῖσαν αὐτούς: Τὸ παρασκευάσαν οἴκοθεν ἀναστῆναι καὶ τοσαύτην ἐλθεῖν ὁδόν τοῦτο δὲ ἣν ὃ τε ἀστὴρ, καὶ ἡ παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ γενομένη τῇ διανοίᾳ αὐτῶν ὄλλαμψις, κατὰ μικρὸν αὐτοὺς πρὸς τὴν πὰ ὁδηγοῦσα γνῶσιν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἄν, εἰ μὴ τοῦτο ἣν, τῶν φαινομένων εὐτελῶν ὄντων ἁπάντων, τοσαύτην ἐπεδείξαντο τιμήν. Διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲν τῶν αἰσθητῶν μέγα ἐκεῖ, ἀλλὰ φάτνη, καὶ καλυβη, καὶ μήτηρ πτωχή᾽ ἵνα γνανὴν τῶν μάγων ἴδης τὴν φιλοσοφίαν, καὶ μάθῃς ὅ ὅτι οὐχ ὡς ἀνθρώπῳ ψιλῳ, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς θεῷ προσήεσαν καὶ εὐεργέτῃ. Διόπερ οὐδενὶ τῶν ὁρωμένων ἔξωθεν ἐσκανδαλίζοντο, ἀλλὰ καὶ προσεκύνουν καὶ δώρα προσῆγον, τῆς μὲν ᾿Ιουδαϊκῆς ἀπηλλαγμένα παχύτητος οὐδὲ γὰρ πρόβατα καὶ μόσχους ἔθυσαν τῆς δὲ ἐκκλησιαστικῆς ἐγγὺς ὄντα Φιλοσοφίας ἐπίγνωσιν γὰρ καὶ ὑπακοὴν καὶ ἀγάπην αὐτῷ προσῆγον. δὲ κατ᾽ ὄναρ, μὴ ἀνακάμψαι πρὸς Ἡρώδην, ἄλλης ὁδοὺ ἀνεχώρησαν εἰς τὴν χώραν αὐτῶν. Θέα καντεῦθεν τὴν πίστιν αὐτῶν, πως οὐκ ἐσκανδαλίσθησαν, αλλ᾽ εἰσὶν εὐήνιοι καὶ εὐγνώμονες, καὶ οὐ θορυβοῦνται, οὐδὲ διαλογίζονται πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς λέγοντες καὶ μὴν εἰ μέγα τὸ παιδίον εστὶ τοῦτο, ἱ ἔχει τινὰ ἰσχὺν, τίς χρεία φυγῆς καὶ λαθραίας ἀναχω- ρήσειυτ, : καὶ τί ἀν φανερὼς ἐλθόντας ἡμᾶς καὶ μετὰ παῤῥησίας, καὶ πρὸς δῆμον τοσοῦτον καὶ πρὸς βασιλέως μανίαν στάντας, ὡς δραπέτας καὶ ,Φφυγάδας ἐ ἐκπέμπει ὁ ἄγγελος τῆς πόλεως; Ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲν τούτων οὔτε εἶπον, οὔτε ἐνενόησαν. Τοῦτο γὰρ μάλιστα πίστεως, τὸ μὴ ζητεῖν εὐθύνας τῶν προστεταγμένων, αλλὰ πείθεσθαι τοῖς ἐπιταττομένοις μόνον. ΤῸ ᾿Αναχωρησάντων δὲ αὐτῶν, ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος φαίνεται τῷ Ἰωσὴφ κατ᾽ ὄναρ, λέγων ἐγερθεὶς παράλαβε τὸ παιδίον (δ1)καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ, καὶ φεῦγε εἰς Αἴγυπτον. Ἄξιον ἐνταῦθα διαπορῆσαι καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν μαγων, καὶ ὑπὲρ τοῦ παιδίον. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἐκεῖνοι μὴ ἐθορυβήθησαν, ἀλλὰ μετὰ πίστεως πάντα ἐδέξαντο; ἡμᾶς ἄξιον ζητῆσαι, διατί μὴ παρὄντες σώζονται ἐκεῖνοι καὶ τὸ παιδίον, αλλ᾽ οἱ μὲν εἰς Περσίδα, τὸ δὲ εἰς Αἴγυπτον φνγαδεύεται μετὰ τῆς μητρός; Ἀλλὰ τί: ἔδει αὐτὸν ἐμπεσεῖν εἰς τὰς χεῖρας τοῦ Ἡρωδου, καὶ ἐμπεσόντα μὴ κατακόπτεσθαι; Αλλ᾽ οὐκ ἂν ἐνομίσθη σάρκα ἀνειληφέναι οὐκ ἂν ἐπιστεύθη τῆς οἰκονομίας τὸ μέγεθος. Εἰ γὰρ τούτων γινομένων, καὶ πολλῶν ἀνθρωπίνως οἰκονομουμένων, ἐτόλμησαν τινὲς εἰπεῖν ὅτι μῦθος ἢ τῆς σαρκὸς ἀνάληψις, ποῦ οὐκ ἂν ἐξέπεσον ἀσεβείας, εἰ πάντα θεοπρεπῶς καὶ κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ δύναμιν ἔπραττε: Τοὺς δὲ μάγους ἐκπέμπει ταχέως, ὁμοῦ μὲν διδασκάλους ἀποστέλλων τῇ Περσῶν χώρᾳ, ὁμοῦ δὲ ἐκκόπτων τοῦ τυράννου τὴν μανίαν, ἵνα μάθη ὅτι αἀνηνύτοις ἐπιχειρεῖ πράγμασι, καὶ τὸν θυμὸν σβέσῃ, καὶ τῆς ματαιοπονίας ἶ ἑαυτὸν ἀπαγάγῃ ταύτης. Οὐ γὰρ διὴ τὸ μετὰ ὁ παῤῥησίας περιγίνεσθαι τῶν ἐχθρὼν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ μετ᾽ εὐκολίας αὐτοὺς ἀπατᾶν, τῆς αὐτοῦ δυνάμεως ἄξιον. Οὕτω γοῦν καὶ τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους ἐπὶ τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων ἡπάτησε, καὶ δυνάμενος Φφανερώς τὸν ἐκείνων πλοῦτον εἰς τὰς τῶν ᾿Εβραίων μεταστῆσαι χεῖρας, λάθρα καὶ μετὰ ἀπάτης τοῦτο κελεύει ποιεῖν ὅπερ οὐκ ἔλαττον τῶν ἄλλων σημείων φοβερὸν αὐτὸν παρὰ τοῖς ἐναντίοις ἐποίησεν.
Kai eiselthontes eis tēn oikian, eidon to paidion meta Marias tēs mētros antou. PŌS oun phēsin ho Loukas, hoti epi tēs phatnēs keimenon hēn? Hoti tekousa men eutheōs auto kateklinen ekei (hate gar pollōn syniontōn dia tēn apographēn, ouk ēn oikian heurein hoper oun kai ho Loukas episēmainetai legōn, hoti dia to mē einai topon? aneklinen auton) meta de tauta ho aneileto, kai epi tōn gonatōn eichen. Homou te gar epebē tēs Bēthleem, kai tas ōdinas elysen hina mathēs kanteuthen tēn oikonomian hapasan, kai hoti ouch aplōs oude: hōs etyche tauta egineto, alla kata pronoian tina theian kai prophēteias akolouthian tauta panta eplērouto. ᾿Alla ti to peisan autous proskynēsai: : Oute gar hē parthenos episēmos In, oute ē oikia periphanēs, oute allo ti tōn horōmenōn hikanon ekplēxai kai epispasasthai. Hoi de ou monon proskynousin, alla kai anoixantes tous thēsaurous autōn, dōra prosagousi, kai dōra, ouch hōs anthrōpǭ, all᾽ hōs theǭ. Ho gar libanōtos kai hē smyrna toutou symbolon ēn. Ti oun to peisan autous: To paraskeuasan oikothen anastēnai kai tosautēn elthein hodon touto de hēn ho te astēr, kai hē para tou theou genomenē tę̄ dianoią autōn ollampsis, kata mikron autous pros tēn pa hodēgousa gnōsin. Oude gar an, ei mē touto hēn, tōn phainomenōn eutelōn ontōn hapantōn, tosautēn epedeixanto timēn. Dia touto ouden tōn aisthētōn mega ekei, alla phatnē, kai kalybē, kai mētēr ptōchē᾽ hina gnanēn tōn magōn idēs tēn philosophian, kai mathę̄s ho hoti ouch hōs anthrōpǭ psilǭ, all᾽ hōs theǭ prosēesan kai euergetę̄. Dioper oudeni tōn horōmenōn exōthen eskandalizonto, alla kai prosekynoun kai dōra prosēgon, tēs men ᾿Ioudaïkēs apēllagmena pachytētos oude gar probata kai moschous ethysan tēs de ekklēsiastikēs engys onta Philosophias epignōsin gar kai hypakoēn kai agapēn autǭ prosēgon. de kat᾽ onar, mē anakampsai pros Hērōdēn, allēs hodou anechōrēsan eis tēn chōran autōn. Thea kanteuthen tēn pistin autōn, pōs ouk eskandalisthēsan, all᾽ eisin euēnioi kai eugnōmones, kai ou thorybountai, oude dialogizontai pros heautous legontes kai mēn ei mega to paidion esti touto, hi echei tina ischyn, tis chreia phygēs kai lathraias anachō- rēseiyt, : kai ti an phanerōs elthontas hēmas kai meta parrhēsias, kai pros dēmon tosouton kai pros basileōs manian stantas, hōs drapetas kai ,Phphygadas e ekpempei ho angelos tēs poleōs? All᾽ ouden toutōn oute eipon, oute enenoēsan. Touto gar malista pisteōs, to mē zētein euthynas tōn prostetagmenōn, alla peithesthai tois epitattomenois monon. TO ᾿Anachōrēsantōn de autōn, idou angelos phainetai tǭ Iōsēph kat᾽ onar, legōn egertheis paralabe to paidion (d1)kai tēn mētera autou, kai pheuge eis Aigypton. Axion entautha diaporēsai kai hyper tōn magōn, kai hyper tou paidion. Ei gar kai ekeinoi mē ethorybēthēsan, alla meta pisteōs panta edexanto? hēmas axion zētēsai, diati mē parontes sōzontai ekeinoi kai to paidion, all᾽ hoi men eis Persida, to de eis Aigypton phngadeuetai meta tēs mētros? Alla ti: edei auton empesein eis tas cheiras tou Hērōdou, kai empesonta mē katakoptesthai? All᾽ ouk an enomisthē sarka aneilēphenai ouk an episteuthē tēs oikonomias to megethos. Ei gar toutōn ginomenōn, kai pollōn anthrōpinōs oikonomoumenōn, etolmēsan tines eipein hoti mythos ē tēs sarkos analēpsis, pou ouk an exepeson asebeias, ei panta theoprepōs kai kata tēn autou dynamin epratte: Tous de magous ekpempei tacheōs, homou men didaskalous apostellōn tę̄ Persōn chōrą, homou de ekkoptōn tou tyrannou tēn manian, hina mathē hoti aanēnytois epicheirei pragmasi, kai ton thymon sbesę̄, kai tēs mataioponias i heauton apagagę̄ tautēs. Ou gar diē to meta ho parrhēsias periginesthai tōn echthrōn monon, alla kai to met᾽ eukolias autous apatan, tēs autou dynameōs axion. Houtō goun kai tous Aigyptious epi tōn ᾿Ioudaiōn hēpatēse, kai dynamenos Phphanerōs ton ekeinōn plouton eis tas tōn ᾿Ebraiōn metastēsai cheiras, lathra kai meta apatēs touto keleuei poiein hoper ouk elatton tōn allōn sēmeiōn phoberon auton para tois enantiois epoiēsen.
“And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother.”
How then does Luke say that he was lying in the manger? Because when she had given birth she at once laid him there (for since many had gathered for the census, it was not possible to find a house, which Luke too indicates when he says that she laid him there “because there was no place”); but afterward she took him up and held him on her knees. For as soon as she arrived at Bethlehem, she was delivered, so that you may learn from this too the whole dispensation, and that these things did not happen idly or at random, but were all fulfilled according to a divine providence and the sequence of prophecy. But what persuaded them to worship? For neither was the virgin distinguished, nor the house conspicuous, nor anything else of what was seen able to amaze and attract them. Yet they not only worship, but “opening their treasures,” they bring gifts, and gifts not as to a man but as to God; for the frankincense and the myrrh were a symbol of this. What then persuaded them? What had prepared them to set out from home and come so long a road; and this was both the star and the illumination given by God to their mind, leading them little by little to more perfect knowledge. For otherwise, since all that appeared was mean, they would not have shown such honor. That is why nothing of the things of sense is great there, but a manger, a hut, and a poor mother, so that you may see clearly the philosophy of the magi and learn that they came to him not as to a mere man but as to God and benefactor. Therefore they were offended by nothing of what was seen outwardly, but both worshiped and brought gifts, free from Jewish grossness (for they did not sacrifice sheep and calves), but close to the philosophy of the church; for they brought him knowledge, obedience, and love.
“And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.” See their faith from this too: how they were not offended, but are tractable and well disposed, and are not troubled nor reason with themselves, saying: “And yet if this child is great and has some power, what need of flight and secret withdrawal? And why, when we came openly and boldly, and stood up to so great a people and to a king's madness, does the angel send us out of the city like runaways and fugitives?” But they neither said nor thought any of this. For this above all belongs to faith, not to demand accounts of what is commanded, but only to obey what is enjoined.
“Now when they had departed, behold, an angel appears to Joseph in a dream, saying: Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee into Egypt.” Here it is worth raising a difficulty both about the magi and about the child. For even if they were not troubled but received everything with faith, it is worth our asking why they and the child are not saved while staying where they are, but the magi flee to Persia and the child to Egypt with his mother. But what? Should he have fallen into Herod's hands, and having fallen into them not have been slain? But then he would not have been thought to have taken flesh; the greatness of the dispensation would not have been believed. For if, while these things were happening and much was being arranged in a human way, some dared to say that the taking of flesh was a fable, how far into ungodliness would they not have fallen if he had done everything in a way befitting God and according to his power? But he sends the magi away quickly, at once sending teachers to the land of the Persians and cutting short the tyrant's madness, so that he might learn that he was attempting impossibilities, and quench his anger, and withdraw himself from this vain labor. For not only to overcome enemies openly, but also to deceive them with ease, is worthy of his power. So, at any rate, he deceived the Egyptians in the case of the Jews too; and though able to transfer their wealth openly into the hands of the Hebrews, he orders this to be done secretly and by deceit; which made him no less fearful to his opponents than the other signs.
Matt 2:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 2:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 2:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 2:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 12:35 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Homily 8 opens with Matt 2:11–14: the magi, moved by the star and inner illumination, worshiped a poor child as God with symbolic gifts; they and Joseph obeyed without questioning; Christ fled rather than show his power, lest his incarnation seem unreal.
- Lemma: Matt 2:11. Quotations: Luke 2:7; Matt 2:11–13. Allusions: Exod 3:21–22; 11:2; 12:35–36 (the Egyptians' wealth). 'Some dared to say that the taking of flesh was a fable' refers to docetic teachers. A garbled word in 'leading them little by little to more perfect knowledge' is translated by sense.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris (stray marks or marginal letters)): ΄- ΄σ΄ι Μαρίας → Μαρίας; ε ἐπίσημος → ἐπίσημος; Β τῶν → τῶν; τ τ δὲ → δὲ; Ο ρήσειυτ, → ρήσειυτ,; Β οἰκονομουμένων, → οἰκονομουμένων,.
Topics: Christology, Heresy
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Matt. 8.1 (Field 1; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/chrysostom-hom-matthaeum/8-1/#p-8-1). (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.
8.2Field 1
Οἱ γοῦν ᾿Ασκαλωνῖται καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ πάντες, ἡνίκα τὴν κιβωτὸν ἔλαβον, καὶ πληγέντες λοιπὸν παρήνουν τοῖς οἰκείοις μὴ πολεμεῖν, μηδὲ εξ ἐναντίας ἵστασθαι, μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων θαυμάτων καὶ τοῦτο εἰς μέσον ἦγον λέγοντες ἱνατί βαρύνετε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν, καθὼς ἐβάρυνεν Αἴγυπτος καὶ Φαραώ; : οὐχ ὅτε ἐνέπαιξεν αὐτοῖς, τότε ἐξαπέστειλε τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ὴ ἀπῆλθον 3 Ταῦτα δὲ ἔλεγον, τῶν ἄλλων σημείων τῶν {5 νερώς ᾿γενομένων οὐκ ἔλαττον καὶ τοῦτο νομίζοντες εἶναι, εἰς τὴν τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς μεγαλωσύνης απόδειξιν. Ὃ δὴ καὶ ἐνταυθα γέγονεν, ἱκανὸν ἐκπλῆξαι τὸν τύραννον. ᾿Εννόησον γὰρ οἷα πάσχειν εἰκὸς ἣν τὸν Ἡρώδην, καὶ πῶς ἀποπνίγεσθαι, ἀπατηθέντα παρὰ τῶν μάγων καὶ οὕτω καταγελασθεντα. Τί γὰρ: εἰ μὴ γέγονε βελτίων: Οὐ τοῦ ταῦτα οἰκονομήσαντος. ἔγκληκια, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἐκείνου μανίας ἡ ὑπερβολὴ, μηδὲ τοῖς δυναμένοις αὐτὸν παραμυθήσασθαι καὶ ἀποστῆσαι τῆς πονηρίας εἴκοντος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπεξιόντος περαιτέρω, ἵνα καὶ χαλεπωτέραν δέξηται δίκην τῆν ᾿τοιαύτης ἀνοίας. Καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν, φησὶν, εἰς Αἴγυπτον τὸ παιδίον πέμπεται; Μάλιστα μὲν καὶ ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς τὴν αἰτίαν εἴρηκεν᾽ ἵνα πληρωθῇ γὰρ, φησὶν, ὅτι ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἐκάλεσα τὸν ΤΟ». υἱόν μου ἅμα δὲ καὶ χρηστῶν προοίμια λοιπὸν ἐλπίδων τῇ οἰκουμένη προανεφωνεῖτο. ᾿Επειδὴ γὰρ Βαβυλὼν καὶ Αἵγνπτος μάλιστα τῆς γῆς ἁπάσης τῇ φλογὶ τῆς ἀσεβείας ἦσαν ἐκκεκαυμέναι; ἐκ προοιμίων δεικνὺς ὅτι ἀμφοτέρας διορθώσεται καὶ βελτίουν ποιήσειν καὶ πείθων διὰ τούτων καὶ περὶ τῆς ὅλης οἰκουμένης τὰ χρηστὰ προσδοκᾶν, τῇ μὲν τοὺς μάγους ἀπέστειλε, τῇ δὲ αὐτὸς ἐπέβη μετὰ τῆς μητρός. Πρὸς δὲ τοῖς εἰρημένοις, καὶ ἕτερον. ἐντεῦθεν παιδευόμεθα, οὐ μικρὸν εἰς φιλοσοφίαν ἡμῖν συντεῖνον. Ποῖον δὴ τοῦτο! Τὸ ἐκ προοιμίων πειρασμοὺς προσδοκᾶν καὶ ἐπιβουλάς. Ὅρα γοῦν ἀπὸ τῶν σπαργάνων εὐθέως τοῦτο γινόμενον. Καὶ γὰρ τεχθέντος αὐτοῦ, καὶ τύραννος μαίνεται, καὶ φυγὴ καὶ μετάστασις γίνεται πρὸς τὴν ὑπερορίαν, καὶ οὐδὲν ἀδικήσασα ἡ μήτηρ εἰς τὴν τῶν βαρβάρων φυγαδεύεται χώραν᾽ ἵνα σὺ ταῦτα ἀκούων, ὅταν καταξιωθῆς διακονήσασθαί τινι πνεὺυματικῷ πράγματι, εἶτα ἴδης σαντὸν πάσχοντα Ῥ χὰ ἀνήκεστα καὶ μυρίους ὑπομένοντα κινδύνους, μὴ διαταραχθῆς, μηδὲ εἴπην᾽ τί ποτε τοῦτο ἐστι: καὶ μὴν στεφανοῦσθαί με ἔδει καὶ ᾿ἀνακηρύττεσθαι, καὶ λαμπρὸν εἶναι καὶ περιφανή, πρόσταγμα πληροῦντα δεσποτικόν' ἀλλ᾽ ἔχων τουτο τὸ ὑπόὙκια; φέρῃς πάντα γενναίως, εἰδώς ὅ ὅτι μάλιστα αὕτη τῶν πνευματικῶν ἡ ἀκολουθία ἐστὶ, τὸ πανταχοῦ πειρασμουε συγκεκληρωμένους ἔχειν. Ὅρα γοῦν οὐκ ἐπὶ τῆς μητρὸς καὶ τοῦ παιδίου τοῦτο γινόμενον. μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ επὶ τῶν βαρβάρων εκείνων. Καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι λάθρα ἀναχωροῦσιν ἐν τάξει φνγάδων: καὶ αὕτη παλιν, οὐδέποτε τὴν οἰκίαν ὑπερβᾶσα, μακρὰν οὕτω ταλαιπωρίας ὁδὸν ὑπομένειν κελεύεται; διὰ τὸν θαυμαστὸν τοῦτον τόκον καὶ τὰς πνευματικὰς ὠδῖνας. Καὶ θέα τὸ παράδοξον πάλιν. Παλαιστίνη μὲν επιβουλεύει,͵ Αἴγυπτος δὲ ὑποδέχεται καὶ διασώζει τὸν ἐπιβουλευόμενον. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ μόνον ἐπὶ τῶν παίδων τοὺ πατριάρχου τύποι συνέβαινον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῦ τοῦ δεσπότου. Πολλὰ γοῦν διὰ τῶν ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ γινομένων τότε προανεκηρύττετο τῶν ὕστερον συμβαίνειν μελλόντων ὅπερ οὖν καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ὄνου καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ πώλον γέγονε. Φανεὶς τοίνυν ὁ ἄγγελος, οὐχὶ τῇ Μαρίᾳ, αλλὰ τῷ ΟΙωσὴφ διαλέγεται καὶ τί φησιν: Εγερθεὶς παράλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ. ᾿Ενταῦθα οὐκέτι λέγει τὴν γυναῖκα σον, αλλὰ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ. ᾿Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὃ τόκος ἐξέβη, καὶ ἡ ὑποψία ἐλύθη, καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ ἐπιστώθη, μετὰ παῤῥησίας λοιπὸν διαλέγεται ὁ ἄγγελος, οὔτε παιδίον, οὔτε γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ καλῶν ἀλλὰ τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ φεῦγε εἰς Αἴγυπτον καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν λέγει τῆς φυγῆς μέλλει γὰρ ὁ Ἡρώδης, φησὶ, ζητεῖν τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ παιδίου Ταῦτα ἀκούσας ὁ Ἰωσὴφ οὐκ ἐσκανδαλίσθη. οὐδὲ εἴπεν' αἴνιγμα τὸ πρᾶγμά ἐστιν οὐ πρώην ἔλεγες, ὅτι σώσει τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ; καὶ νῦν οὐδὲ ἐ ἑαυτὸν σώζει, αλλὰ φυγῆς ἡμῖν χρεία, καὶ ἀποδημίας, καὶ μακρᾶς μεταστάσεως ἐναντία τῇ ὑποσχέσει τὰ γινόμενα. Ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲν τούτων λέγει πιστὸς γὰρ ἦν ὁ ἀνήρ' οὐδὲ περιεργάζεται τῆς ἑπανόδου τὸν χρόνον, καὶ ταῦτα τοῦ ἀγγέλου ἀδιορίστως αὐτὸν τεθεικότος ἕως γὰρ ἂν εἴπω σοι, ἴσθι ἐκεῖ. Ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως οὐδὲ πρὸς τοῦτο ἐνάρκησεν, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπακούει καὶ πείθεται, πάν-- τας μετὰ χαρᾶς τοὺς πειρασμοὺς ὑπομένων. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ φιλάνθρωπος θεὸς τοῖς ἐπιπόνοις τούτοις καὶ ἡδέα ἀνέμιξεν ὅπερ καὶ ἐπὶ πάντων τῶν ἁγίων ποιεῖ, οὔτε τοὺς κινδύνους, οὔτε τὰς ἀνέσεις συνεχεῖς τιθεὶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τούτων καὶ δ ἐκείνων ὑφαίνων τὸν τῶν δικαίων βίον. Ὃ δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα πεποίηκε σκόπει γαρ. Εἶδε κύουσαν τὴν παρθένον εἰς ταραχὴν αὐτὸν ἐνέβαλε τοῦτο, καὶ τὸν ἔσχατον θόρυβον᾽ ἐπὶ μοιχείᾳ γὰρ τὴν κόρην ὑπώπτευεν ἀλλ᾽ εὐθέως ἐπέστη ὁ ἄγγελος, τήν τε ὑποψίαν λύων, καὶ τὸν φόβον ἀναιρῶν τοῦτον καὶ τὸ παιδίον τεχθὲν ὁρῶν, χαρὰν ἑκαρπώσατο μεγίστην. Πάλιν τὴν χαρὰν ταύτην κίνδυνος οὐ μικρὸς διαδέχεται, τῆς πόλεως ταραττομένης, καὶ τοῦ βασιλέως μαινομένου, καὶ τὸν τεχθέντα ἐπιζητοῦντος. ᾿Αλλὰ τὸν θόρυβον τοῦτον ἑτέρα πάλιν διεδέξατο χαρα' ὁ ἀστὴρ, καὶ ἡ τῶν μάγων προσκύνησις. Πάλιν μετὰ τὴν ἡδονὴν ταύτην φόβος καὶ κίνδυνος ζητεῖ γὰρ: φησὶν, ρωδης τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ παιδίον καὶ δεῖ φυγεῖν καὶ μεθίστασθαι ἀνθρωπίνως θαυματουργεῖν γὰρ τέως οὐκ ἔδει. Εἰ γὰρ ἐκ πρώτης ἡλικίας θαύματα ἐπεδείξατυ, οὐδ᾽ ἃ ἂν ἐνομίσθη ἄνθρωπος εἶναι. Διά τοι τοῦτο οὐδὲ ἁπλῶς ναὸς πλάττεται, αλλὰ καὶ κύησις γίνεται, καὶ ἐννεαμηνιαῖος Χρόνος, καὶ ὠδὶ νες, καὶ τόκος, καὶ γαλακτοτροφία, καὶ διὰ παντὸς ἡσυχία τοῦ χρόνου, καὶ ἀναμένει τὴν ἀνδράσι πρέπουσαν ἡλικίαν' ἵνα διὰ πάντων εὐπαράδεκτον γένηται τῆς οἰκονομίας τὸ μυστήριον. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν καὶ ταῦτα τὰ σημεῖα ἐγένετο, φησὶν, εξ ἀρχῆς: Διὰ τὴν ,μητέρα, διὰ τὸν ᾿Ιωσὴφ, διὰ τὸν Συμεὼν μέλλοντα ἀπιέναι λοιπὸν, διὰ τοὺς ποιμέόνας, διὰ τοὺς μάγους, διὰ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους. Εἰ γὰρ ἐβούλοντο προσέχειν μετὰ ἀκριβείας τοῖς γινομένοις, οὐ μικρὰ καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ἂν πρὸς τὰ μέλλοντα ἐκαρπώσαντο. Εἰ δὲ μὴ λέγουσιν οἱ προφῆται τὰ περὶ τῶν μάγων, μὴ θορυβηθῇν οὔτε γὰρ πάντα προεῖπον, οὔτε πάντα ἐσιώπησαν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ μηδὲν ἀκούσαντας ἰδεῖν ἢ παραγινόμενα τὰ πράγματα, πολλὴν ἐποίει τὴν ἔκπληξιν καὶ τὸν θόρυβον᾽ οὕτω καὶ τὸ πάντα μαθεῖν καθεύδειν παρεσκεύαζε τὸν ἀκροατὴν, καὶ τοῖς εὐαγγελισταῖς οὐδὲν ἠφίει πλέον. Εἰ δὲ περὶ τῆς προφητείας ἀμφιβάλλοιεν Ιουδαῖοι λέγοντες, τὸ εξ Αἰγύπτου ἐκάλεσα τὸν υἱόν μου' ἐπ᾿ αὐτῶν εἰρῆσθαι εἴποιμεν ἂν πρὸς αὐτοὺς, ὅτι καὶ οὗτος προφητείας νόμος, τὸ πολλὰ πολλάκις λέγεσθαι μὲν ἐπ᾽ ἄλλων, πληροῦσθαι δὲ εφ᾽ ἑτέρων, οἷον τὸ ἐπὶ τοῦ Συμεὼν καὶ Λευὶ εἰρημένον ἐστί διαμεριῶ γὰρ αὐτοὺς, φησὶν, ἐν Ιακωβ, ; διασπερῶ αὐτοὺς ἐν ᾿Ισραήλ' καίτοιγε οὐκ ἐπ᾿ αὐτῶν τοῦτο γέγονεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ τῶν ἐγγόνων' καὶ τὸ ἐπὶ τοῦ Χα-Ο ναὰν δὲ παρὰ τοῦ Νώε λεχθὲν, εἰς τοὺς Γαβαωνίτας τοὺς ἐγγόνους τοῦ Χαναὰν ἐξέβη. Καὶ τὸ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ιακωβ οὕτως ἴδοι τις ἂν συμ ν᾽ αἱ γὰρ εὐλογίαι ἐκεῖναι αἱ λέγούσδεν. χὰ γίνου κύριος τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου, καὶ προσκυνησάτωσᾶν σε ὅ οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ πατρός σου, οὐκ ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῦ τέλος ἔσχον, (πώς γάρ, τοῦ δεδοικότος καὶ τρέμοντος, καὶ μυριάκις αὐτὸν προσκυνοῦντος 3) ἀλλ ἐπὶ τῶν δγγόνων τῶν αὐτοῦ. Ὃ δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα εἴποι τις ἄν. Τίς γὰρ ἀληθέστερος
Hoi goun ᾿Askalōnitai kai hoi loipoi pantes, hēnika tēn kibōton elabon, kai plēgentes loipon parēnoun tois oikeiois mē polemein, mēde ex enantias histasthai, meta tōn allōn thaumatōn kai touto eis meson ēgon legontes hinati barynete tas kardias hymōn, kathōs ebarynen Aigyptos kai Pharaō? : ouch hote enepaixen autois, tote exapesteile ton laon autou kai ē apēlthon 3 Tauta de elegon, tōn allōn sēmeiōn tōn {5 nerōs ᾿genomenōn ouk elatton kai touto nomizontes einai, eis tēn tēs dynameōs autou kai tēs megalōsynēs apodeixin. Ho dē kai entautha gegonen, hikanon ekplēxai ton tyrannon. ᾿Ennoēson gar hoia paschein eikos hēn ton Hērōdēn, kai pōs apopnigesthai, apatēthenta para tōn magōn kai houtō katagelasthenta. Ti gar: ei mē gegone beltiōn: Ou tou tauta oikonomēsantos. enklēkia, alla tēs ekeinou manias hē hyperbolē, mēde tois dynamenois auton paramythēsasthai kai apostēsai tēs ponērias eikontos, all᾽ epexiontos peraiterō, hina kai chalepōteran dexētai dikēn tēn ᾿toiautēs anoias. Kai tinos heneken, phēsin, eis Aigypton to paidion pempetai? Malista men kai ho euangelistēs tēn aitian eirēken᾽ hina plērōthę̄ gar, phēsin, hoti ex Aigyptou ekalesa ton TO». huion mou hama de kai chrēstōn prooimia loipon elpidōn tę̄ oikoumenē proanephōneito. ᾿Epeidē gar Babylōn kai Haignptos malista tēs gēs hapasēs tę̄ phlogi tēs asebeias ēsan ekkekaumenai? ek prooimiōn deiknys hoti amphoteras diorthōsetai kai beltioun poiēsein kai peithōn dia toutōn kai peri tēs holēs oikoumenēs ta chrēsta prosdokan, tę̄ men tous magous apesteile, tę̄ de autos epebē meta tēs mētros. Pros de tois eirēmenois, kai heteron. enteuthen paideuometha, ou mikron eis philosophian hēmin synteinon. Poion dē touto! To ek prooimiōn peirasmous prosdokan kai epiboulas. Hora goun apo tōn sparganōn eutheōs touto ginomenon. Kai gar techthentos autou, kai tyrannos mainetai, kai phygē kai metastasis ginetai pros tēn hyperorian, kai ouden adikēsasa hē mētēr eis tēn tōn barbarōn phygadeuetai chōran᾽ hina sy tauta akouōn, hotan kataxiōthēs diakonēsasthai tini pneuymatikǭ pragmati, eita idēs santon paschonta Rh cha anēkesta kai myrious hypomenonta kindynous, mē diatarachthēs, mēde eipēn᾽ ti pote touto esti: kai mēn stephanousthai me edei kai ᾿anakēryttesthai, kai lampron einai kai periphanē, prostagma plērounta despotikon' all᾽ echōn touto to hypoUkia? pherę̄s panta gennaiōs, eidōs ho hoti malista hautē tōn pneumatikōn hē akolouthia esti, to pantachou peirasmoue synkeklērōmenous echein. Hora goun ouk epi tēs mētros kai tou paidiou touto ginomenon. monon, alla kai epi tōn barbarōn ekeinōn. Kai gar ekeinoi lathra anachōrousin en taxei phngadōn: kai hautē palin, oudepote tēn oikian hyperbasa, makran houtō talaipōrias hodon hypomenein keleuetai? dia ton thaumaston touton tokon kai tas pneumatikas ōdinas. Kai thea to paradoxon palin. Palaistinē men epibouleuei,͵ Aigyptos de hypodechetai kai diasōzei ton epibouleuomenon. Ou gar dē monon epi tōn paidōn tou patriarchou typoi synebainon, alla kai ep᾽ autou tou despotou. Polla goun dia tōn hyp᾽ autou ginomenōn tote proanekērytteto tōn hysteron symbainein mellontōn hoper oun kai epi tēs onou kai epi tou pōlon gegone. Phaneis toinyn ho angelos, ouchi tę̄ Marią, alla tǭ OIōsēph dialegetai kai ti phēsin: Egertheis paralabe to paidion kai tēn mētera autou. ᾿Entautha ouketi legei tēn gynaika son, alla tēn mētera autou. ᾿Epeidē gar ho tokos exebē, kai hē hypopsia elythē, kai ho anēr epistōthē, meta parrhēsias loipon dialegetai ho angelos, oute paidion, oute gynaika autou kalōn alla to paidion kai tēn mētera autou kai pheuge eis Aigypton kai tēn aitian legei tēs phygēs mellei gar ho Hērōdēs, phēsi, zētein tēn psychēn tou paidiou Tauta akousas ho Iōsēph ouk eskandalisthē. oude eipen' ainigma to pragma estin ou prōēn eleges, hoti sōsei ton laon autou? kai nyn oude e heauton sōzei, alla phygēs hēmin chreia, kai apodēmias, kai makras metastaseōs enantia tę̄ hyposchesei ta ginomena. All᾽ ouden toutōn legei pistos gar ēn ho anēr' oude periergazetai tēs hepanodou ton chronon, kai tauta tou angelou adioristōs auton tetheikotos heōs gar an eipō soi, isthi ekei. All᾽ homōs oude pros touto enarkēsen, all᾽ hypakouei kai peithetai, pan-- tas meta charas tous peirasmous hypomenōn. Kai gar ho philanthrōpos theos tois epiponois toutois kai hēdea anemixen hoper kai epi pantōn tōn hagiōn poiei, oute tous kindynous, oute tas aneseis synecheis titheis, alla kai dia toutōn kai d ekeinōn hyphainōn ton tōn dikaiōn bion. Ho dē kai entautha pepoiēke skopei gar. Eide kyousan tēn parthenon eis tarachēn auton enebale touto, kai ton eschaton thorybon᾽ epi moicheią gar tēn korēn hypōpteuen all᾽ eutheōs epestē ho angelos, tēn te hypopsian lyōn, kai ton phobon anairōn touton kai to paidion techthen horōn, charan hekarpōsato megistēn. Palin tēn charan tautēn kindynos ou mikros diadechetai, tēs poleōs tarattomenēs, kai tou basileōs mainomenou, kai ton techthenta epizētountos. ᾿Alla ton thorybon touton hetera palin diedexato chara' ho astēr, kai hē tōn magōn proskynēsis. Palin meta tēn hēdonēn tautēn phobos kai kindynos zētei gar: phēsin, rōdēs tēn psychēn tou paidion kai dei phygein kai methistasthai anthrōpinōs thaumatourgein gar teōs ouk edei. Ei gar ek prōtēs hēlikias thaumata epedeixaty, oud᾽ ha an enomisthē anthrōpos einai. Dia toi touto oude haplōs naos plattetai, alla kai kyēsis ginetai, kai enneamēniaios Chronos, kai ōdi nes, kai tokos, kai galaktotrophia, kai dia pantos hēsychia tou chronou, kai anamenei tēn andrasi prepousan hēlikian' hina dia pantōn euparadekton genētai tēs oikonomias to mystērion. Tinos oun heneken kai tauta ta sēmeia egeneto, phēsin, ex archēs: Dia tēn ,mētera, dia ton ᾿Iōsēph, dia ton Symeōn mellonta apienai loipon, dia tous poimeonas, dia tous magous, dia tous Ioudaious. Ei gar eboulonto prosechein meta akribeias tois ginomenois, ou mikra kai enteuthen an pros ta mellonta ekarpōsanto. Ei de mē legousin hoi prophētai ta peri tōn magōn, mē thorybēthę̄n oute gar panta proeipon, oute panta esiōpēsan. Hōsper gar to mēden akousantas idein ē paraginomena ta pragmata, pollēn epoiei tēn ekplēxin kai ton thorybon᾽ houtō kai to panta mathein katheudein pareskeuaze ton akroatēn, kai tois euangelistais ouden ēphiei pleon. Ei de peri tēs prophēteias amphiballoien Ioudaioi legontes, to ex Aigyptou ekalesa ton huion mou' ep᾿ autōn eirēsthai eipoimen an pros autous, hoti kai houtos prophēteias nomos, to polla pollakis legesthai men ep᾽ allōn, plērousthai de eph᾽ heterōn, hoion to epi tou Symeōn kai Leui eirēmenon esti diameriō gar autous, phēsin, en Iakōb, ? diasperō autous en ᾿Israēl' kaitoige ouk ep᾿ autōn touto gegonen, all᾽ epi tōn engonōn' kai to epi tou Cha-O naan de para tou Nōe lechthen, eis tous Gabaōnitas tous engonous tou Chanaan exebē. Kai to epi tou Iakōb houtōs idoi tis an sym n᾽ hai gar eulogiai ekeinai hai legousden. cha ginou kyrios tou adelphou sou, kai proskynēsatōsan se ho hoi huioi tou patros sou, ouk ep᾽ autou telos eschon, (pōs gar, tou dedoikotos kai tremontos, kai myriakis auton proskynountos 3) all epi tōn dngonōn tōn autou. Ho dē kai entautha eipoi tis an. Tis gar alēthesteros
The people of Ascalon, at any rate, and all the rest, when they had taken the ark and been struck, and then were advising their own people not to make war nor to stand against him, brought forward this too among the other wonders, saying: “Why do you harden your hearts, as Egypt and Pharaoh hardened theirs? Was it not when he had mocked them that he sent his people away, and they departed?” They said this, thinking this no less than the other signs that had happened openly a proof of his power and greatness. Which happened here too, enough to amaze the tyrant. For consider what Herod was likely to feel, and how he must have choked, deceived by the magi and so laughed at. What then, if he did not become better? It is not the fault of the one who arranged these things, but the excess of his madness, who did not yield even to what could have consoled him and turned him from wickedness, but went further, so as to receive a heavier penalty for such folly.
“And why,” someone says, “is the child sent to Egypt?” The evangelist above all has given the reason: “that it might be fulfilled,” he says, “Out of Egypt I called my Son.” At the same time the beginnings of good hopes were proclaimed beforehand to the world. For since Babylon and Egypt, above all the earth, were burning with the flame of ungodliness, showing from the start that he would correct both and make them better, and persuading us by this to expect good things for the whole world too, to the one he sent the magi, and the other he himself visited with his mother. Besides what has been said, we are taught something else from this, contributing not a little to our philosophy. What is this? To expect temptations and plots from the start. See, at any rate, this happening right from the swaddling clothes. For when he is born, the tyrant rages, and there is flight and removal abroad, and his mother, who had done no wrong, flees into the land of the barbarians; so that you, hearing these things, when you are counted worthy to serve some spiritual matter, and then see yourself suffering incurable things and enduring countless dangers, may not be thrown into confusion nor say: “What is this? I ought to have been crowned and proclaimed, and to be splendid and renowned, fulfilling the Master's command”; but having this example, may bear everything nobly, knowing that this above all is the order of spiritual things, to have temptations allotted to them everywhere. See, at any rate, this happening not only with the mother and the child, but with those barbarians too. For they too withdraw secretly in the rank of fugitives; and she again, who had never gone beyond her house, is ordered to endure so long and toilsome a journey because of this wonderful childbirth and the spiritual birth pangs. And see the marvel again. Palestine plots against him, and Egypt receives and saves the one plotted against. For types happened not only in the case of the patriarch's sons, but also in the case of the Master himself. Many of the things that happened later were proclaimed beforehand through what he did then, as happened with the ass and the colt.
The angel, then, appearing, speaks not to Mary but to Joseph; and what does he say? “Rise, take the child and his mother.” Here he no longer says “your wife,” but “his mother.” For since the birth had taken place, the suspicion had been resolved, and the husband had been assured, the angel now speaks with boldness, calling neither the child nor the wife his, but “the child and his mother, and flee into Egypt”; and he states the reason for the flight: “For Herod,” he says, “is about to seek the child's life.” Hearing this, Joseph was not offended, nor did he say: “The thing is a riddle. Did you not say the other day that he would save his people? And now he does not even save himself, but we need flight and a journey abroad and a long removal; what happens is contrary to the promise.” But he says none of this, for the man was faithful; nor does he pry into the time of the return, although the angel had set it indefinitely: “For remain there until I tell you.” Yet not even at this did he grow sluggish, but he obeys and is persuaded, enduring all the temptations with joy. For God, who loves mankind, mixed pleasant things with these toils too; which he does with all the saints, making neither the dangers nor the respites continuous, but weaving the life of the righteous from both. This he did here too; for consider. He saw the virgin pregnant; this threw him into confusion and the utmost distress, for he suspected the maiden of adultery; but at once the angel came, both resolving the suspicion and removing this fear; and seeing the child born, he reaped the greatest joy. Again, no small danger succeeds this joy, as the city is troubled, and the king rages and seeks the newborn. But this distress was succeeded again by another joy, the star and the worship of the magi. Again, after this pleasure, fear and danger: “For Herod,” he says, “seeks the child's life,” and he must flee and remove in a human way; for it was not yet time to work miracles. For if he had displayed miracles from his earliest age, he would not even have been thought to be a man. That is why the temple is not simply fashioned, but there is a conception, a time of nine months, birth pangs, childbirth, nursing at the breast, quiet through the whole period, and he waits for the age fitting for men; so that through all things the mystery of the dispensation might be readily accepted. “Why then,” someone says, “did these signs happen at the beginning?” For his mother, for Joseph, for Simeon who was soon to depart, for the shepherds, for the magi, for the Jews. For if they had been willing to attend carefully to what was happening, they would have reaped no small benefit from this too for what was to come. And if the prophets do not speak of the magi, do not be troubled; for they neither foretold everything nor kept silent about everything. For as seeing events come about without having heard anything would have caused great amazement and disturbance, so learning everything would have made the hearer sleep and left the evangelists nothing more to do.
And if the Jews dispute about the prophecy, saying that “Out of Egypt I called my Son” was said of them, we would say to them that this too is a law of prophecy, that many things are often said of some but fulfilled in others; as for instance what was said of Simeon and Levi: “I will divide them in Jacob,” he says, “and scatter them in Israel”; and yet this did not happen with them, but with their descendants. And what was said by Noah about Canaan came to pass in the Gibeonites, Canaan's descendants. And one could see the same with Jacob; for those blessings that say, “Be lord of your brother, and let your father's sons bow down to you,” were not fulfilled in him (how could they be, when he feared and trembled and bowed down to his brother countless times?), but in his descendants. So one might say here too. For who would more truly be called son of God:
1 Sam 6:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 2:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Hos 11:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 2:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 1:21 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 21:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 49:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 9:25 (allusion, high confidence) · Josh 9:23 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 27:29 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 33:3 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: God's deceiving of Herod, like his despoiling of Egypt, displays his power; the flight to Egypt fulfills Hos 11:1, signals the conversion of Egypt and Babylon, and teaches that spiritual service brings trials; God alternates joys and dangers; prophecy often finds fulfillment in later persons.
- Quotations: 1 Sam 6:6 (LXX); Matt 2:15 / Hos 11:1; Matt 2:13; Gen 49:7; Gen 27:29. Allusions: Matt 21:2–7 (ass and colt); Gen 9:25–27 with Josh 9:23 (Gibeonites); Gen 33:3 (Jacob bows to Esau); Luke 2:25–35. The argument about Hos 11:1 is directed at Jewish interpreters and is translated as written. Apparatus readings run into a word 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 a word by the OCR): θαυΑτηι. δεῖ οπχ. . καὶ φεύγει καὶ μετανίσταται Ε. καὶ πάλιν ὁ ἄγγελος ματουργεῖν → θαυματουργεῖν; ε ἐναντίας → ἐναντίας; ' τῇ → τῇ; ε εκείνων. → εκείνων.; Β φνγάδων: → φνγάδων:; - Εγερθεὶς → Εγερθεὶς; Εἰ ι γὰρ → Εἰ γὰρ; ͵ προφῆται → προφῆται; Β θόρυβον᾽ → θόρυβον᾽; ᾽ ἐπ᾿ → ἐπ᾿; ᾿ γίνου → γίνου.
Topics: Christology, Scripture and canon
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Matt. 8.2 (Field 1; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/chrysostom-hom-matthaeum/8-1/#p-8-2). (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.
8.4Field 1
υἱὸς θεοῦ λεχθείη ; ὁ μόσχον προσκυνῶν, καὶ τῷ Βεελφεγωρ τελούμενος; καὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς θύων τοῖς δαιμονίοις ; ἢ ἢ ὁ φύσει υἱὸς, καὶ τὸν γεγεννηκότα τιμῶν. Ὥστε εἰ μὴ παρεγένετο οὗτος, οὐκ ἂν προφητεία τέλος ἔλαβε τὸ προσῆκον. Ὅρα γοῦν πῶς αὐτὸ καὶ ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς αἰνίττεται λέγων, ἵνα πληρωθῇ, δεικνὺς ὅ ὅτι οὐκ ἂν ἐπληρωθη, εἰ μὴ παραγέγονεν. Οὐχ ὡς ἔτυχε δὲ καὶ τὴν παρθένον λαμπρὰν τοῦτο ποιεῖ καὶ περιφανῆ. Ὅπερ γὰρ εἶχεν. ὁ δῆμος ἅπας ἐν ἐγκωμίου τάξει, τοῦτο καὶ αὐτὴ λοιπὸν ἔχειν ἠδύνατο. ᾿Επειδὴ γὰρ μέγα ἐφρόνουν ἑ ἐπὶ τῷ ανελθεῖν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, καὶ ἐκόμπαζον' (ὅπερ ἢ ουν καὶ προφήτης αἰνιττόμενος ἔλεγεν Ἧς οὐχὶ τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους ἀνήγαγον. ἐκ Ναππαδοκίας, καὶ τοὺς ,ΛΑσσυρίους. ἐκ βόθρου ..)) ποιεῖ καὶ τῆς παρθένου τὸ προτέρημα τοῦτο. Μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ὁ λαὸς καὶ ὁ πατριάρχης ᾿καταβάντες ἐκεῖ καὶ ἀναβάντες ἐκεῖθεν, τὸν τῆς ἀνόδου ταύτης τύπον ἑπλήρουν. Καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι θάνατον φεύγοντες τὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ λιμοῦ, κατηεσαν᾽ καὶ οὗτος θάνατον τὸν ἐξ ἐπιβουλῆς. ᾿Αλλ ἐκεῖνοι μὲν κατελθόντες, τοῦ λιμοῦ τότε ἀπηλλάγησαν' οὗτος δὲ καταβὰς, τὴν χώραν πᾶσαν διὰ τῆς ἐπιβάσεως ἡγίασε. Σκόπει γοῦν πῶς μεταξὺ τῶν ταπεινῶν καὶ τὰ τῆς θεότητος ἐκκαλύπτεται. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ ἄγγελος εἰπὼν, φεῦγε εἰς Αἰγύπτου, οὐκ ἐπηγγείλατο αὐτοῖς συνοδοιπορεῖν, οὔτε κατιοῦσιν; οὔτε ἀνιοῦσιν, αἰνιττόμενος ὅτι μέγαν ἔχουσι συνοδοιπόρον, τὸ τεχθὲν παιδίον᾽ ὃς καὶ τὰ πράγματα πάντα μετέβαλεν ὁ ομοῦ φανεὶς, καὶ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς παρεσκεύασε πολλὰ πρὸς τὴν οἰκονομίαν διακονήσασθαι ταύτην. Καὶ γὰρ μάγοι καὶ βάρβαροι τὴν πατρῴαν δεισιδαιμονίαν ἀφέντες, ἔρχονται προσκυνήσοντες καὶ ὁ Αὔγουστος ὑπηρετεῖται τῷ ἐν |δηθλεὲμ τόκῳ, διὰ τοῦ προστάγματος τῆς ἀπογραφῆς ῆ Αἴγυπτος διασώζει δεξαμένη φεύγοντα καὶ ἐπιβουλευόμενον, καὶ λαμβάνει τινὰ τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν οἰκειώσεως αφορμήν᾽ ἵν ὅταν μέλλῃ κηρυτπόμενον αὐτὸν ἀκούειν παρὰ τῶν ἀποστόλων, καὶ ἐπὶ τούτῳ καλλωπίζηται, ἅ ἅτε αὐτὸν δεξαμένη πρώτη. Καὶ μὴν τῆς Παλαιστίνης ἤν τὸ προτέρημα τοῦτο μόνης αλλ᾽ αὕτη θερμοτέρα ἐκείνης γέγονε. Καὶ νὺν ἐλθὼν εἰς τὴν ἔρημον τῆς Αἰγύπτου, παραδείσου παντὸς βελτίω τὴν ἔρημον Ταύτην ὄψει γεγενημένην, καὶ χοροὺς ἀγγέλων μυρίους ἐν [ἀνθρωπίνοις σχήμασι, καὶ δήμους μαρτύρων, καὶ συλλόγους παρθένων᾽ καὶ πᾶσαν μὲν τοῦ διαβόλου τὴν τυραννίδα καταλελυμένην, τὴν δὲ τοῦ Χριστοῦ βασιλείαν ὁ διαλάμπουσαν. Καὶ τὴν ποιητῶν καὶ ᾿σόφων καὶ μάγων μητέρα, καὶ τὴν πᾶν εἶδος μαγγανείας εὑροῦσαν καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις διαδοῦσαν, ταύτην ὄψει νῦν ἐπὶ τοις ἁλιεῦσι ᾿καλλωπιζομένην, καὶ ἐκείνων μὲν καταφρονοῦσαν ἁπάντων, τὸν δὲ τελώνην καὶ σκηνοποιὸν πανταχοῦ περιφέβουσαν, καὶ τὸν σταυρὸν προβαλλομένην. Καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι μόνον τὰ ἀἄγαθα, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἐρήμοις μᾶλλον ἡ ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι. Βαὶ γάρ ἐστιν ἰδεῖν πανταχοὺ τῆς χώρας ἐκείνης τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὸ στρατόπεδον, καὶ τὴν βασιλικὴν ἀγέλην, καὶ τὴν τῶν ἄνω δυνάμεων πολιτείαν καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ ᾿ἐπ' ἀνδράσι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν γυναικείᾳ ὕσει κρατοῦντα εὕροι τις ἄν. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐκεῖναι οὐχ ἥττον ἀνδρῶν φιλοσοφοῦσιν, οὐκ ἀσπίδα λαμβάνουσαι καὶ ἀναβαίνουσαι ἵππον, καθάπερ οἱ σεμνοὺ τῶν Ελλήνων κελεύουσι νομοθέται καὶ φιλόσοφοι, ἀλλ᾽ ἑτέραν πολὺ χαλεπωτέραν ᾿ἀναδεχόμεναι μάχην. Κοινὸς γὰρ αὐταῖς καὶ ἀνδράσιν ὁ πόλεμος πρὸς τὸν διάβολον καὶ τὰς ἐξουσίας καὶ οὐδαμοῦ τὸ τῆς φύσεως ἁπαλὸν ἐμπόδιον γίνεται ταῖς τοιαύταις συμβολαῖς οὐ γὰρ σωμάτων φύσει, ἀλλὰ ψυχῆς προαιρέσει ταῦτα κρίνεται τὰ παλαίσματα. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ γυναῖκες ἀνδρῶν μάλλον ἡγωνίσαντο πολλάκις, καὶ φαιδρότερα τρόπαια ἔστησαν. Οὐχ οὕτως ἐστὶ λαμπρὸς ὁ οὐρανὸς τῳ ποικίλῳ τῶν ἄστρων χο ῷ, ὡς ἡ ἔρημος Αἰγύπτου, τὰς σκηνὰς πανταχόθεν ἡμῖν δεικνύουσα τῶν μοναχῶν.
huios theou lechtheiē ? ho moschon proskynōn, kai tǭ Beelphegōr teloumenos? kai tous huious thyōn tois daimoniois ? ē ē ho physei huios, kai ton gegennēkota timōn. Hōste ei mē paregeneto houtos, ouk an prophēteia telos elabe to prosēkon. Hora goun pōs auto kai ho euangelistēs ainittetai legōn, hina plērōthę̄, deiknys ho hoti ouk an eplērōthē, ei mē paragegonen. Ouch hōs etyche de kai tēn parthenon lampran touto poiei kai periphanē. Hoper gar eichen. ho dēmos hapas en enkōmiou taxei, touto kai autē loipon echein ēdynato. ᾿Epeidē gar mega ephronoun he epi tǭ anelthein ex Aigyptou, kai ekompazon' (hoper ē oun kai prophētēs ainittomenos elegen Hēs ouchi tous allophylous anēgagon. ek Nappadokias, kai tous ,LAssyrious. ek bothrou ..)) poiei kai tēs parthenou to proterēma touto. Mallon de kai ho laos kai ho patriarchēs ᾿katabantes ekei kai anabantes ekeithen, ton tēs anodou tautēs typon heplēroun. Kai gar ekeinoi thanaton pheugontes ton apo tou limou, katēesan᾽ kai houtos thanaton ton ex epiboulēs. ᾿All ekeinoi men katelthontes, tou limou tote apēllagēsan' houtos de katabas, tēn chōran pasan dia tēs epibaseōs hēgiase. Skopei goun pōs metaxy tōn tapeinōn kai ta tēs theotētos ekkalyptetai. Kai gar ho angelos eipōn, pheuge eis Aigyptou, ouk epēngeilato autois synodoiporein, oute katiousin? oute aniousin, ainittomenos hoti megan echousi synodoiporon, to techthen paidion᾽ hos kai ta pragmata panta metebalen ho omou phaneis, kai tous echthrous pareskeuase polla pros tēn oikonomian diakonēsasthai tautēn. Kai gar magoi kai barbaroi tēn patrǭan deisidaimonian aphentes, erchontai proskynēsontes kai ho Augoustos hypēreteitai tǭ en |dēthleem tokǭ, dia tou prostagmatos tēs apographēs ē Aigyptos diasōzei dexamenē pheugonta kai epibouleuomenon, kai lambanei tina tēs pros auton oikeiōseōs aphormēn᾽ hin hotan mellę̄ kērytpomenon auton akouein para tōn apostolōn, kai epi toutǭ kallōpizētai, ha hate auton dexamenē prōtē. Kai mēn tēs Palaistinēs ēn to proterēma touto monēs all᾽ hautē thermotera ekeinēs gegone. Kai nyn elthōn eis tēn erēmon tēs Aigyptou, paradeisou pantos beltiō tēn erēmon Tautēn opsei gegenēmenēn, kai chorous angelōn myrious en [anthrōpinois schēmasi, kai dēmous martyrōn, kai syllogous parthenōn᾽ kai pasan men tou diabolou tēn tyrannida katalelymenēn, tēn de tou Christou basileian ho dialampousan. Kai tēn poiētōn kai ᾿sophōn kai magōn mētera, kai tēn pan eidos manganeias heurousan kai tois allois diadousan, tautēn opsei nyn epi tois halieusi ᾿kallōpizomenēn, kai ekeinōn men kataphronousan hapantōn, ton de telōnēn kai skēnopoion pantachou periphebousan, kai ton stauron proballomenēn. Kai tauta ouk en tais polesi monon ta aagatha, alla kai en tais erēmois mallon hē en tais polesi. Bai gar estin idein pantachou tēs chōras ekeinēs tou Christou to stratopedon, kai tēn basilikēn agelēn, kai tēn tōn anō dynameōn politeian kai tauta ouk ᾿ep' andrasi monon, alla kai en gynaikeią hysei kratounta heuroi tis an. Kai gar kai ekeinai ouch hētton andrōn philosophousin, ouk aspida lambanousai kai anabainousai hippon, kathaper hoi semnou tōn Ellēnōn keleuousi nomothetai kai philosophoi, all᾽ heteran poly chalepōteran ᾿anadechomenai machēn. Koinos gar autais kai andrasin ho polemos pros ton diabolon kai tas exousias kai oudamou to tēs physeōs hapalon empodion ginetai tais toiautais symbolais ou gar sōmatōn physei, alla psychēs proairesei tauta krinetai ta palaismata. Dia touto kai gynaikes andrōn mallon hēgōnisanto pollakis, kai phaidrotera tropaia estēsan. Ouch houtōs esti lampros ho ouranos tǭ poikilǭ tōn astrōn cho ǭ, hōs hē erēmos Aigyptou, tas skēnas pantachothen hēmin deiknyousa tōn monachōn.
the one who worshiped a calf, was initiated to Baal of Peor, and sacrificed his sons to demons, or the one who is Son by nature and honors the one who begot him? So if he had not come, the prophecy would not have received its fitting fulfillment. See, at any rate, how the evangelist hints at this, saying “that it might be fulfilled,” showing that it would not have been fulfilled had he not come. And this also makes the virgin splendid and renowned, not by chance. For what the whole people held as a ground of praise, this she too could now have. For since they were proud of coming up out of Egypt and boasted of it (which the prophet also hinted at, saying, “Did I not bring up the foreigners from Cappadocia, and the Assyrians from the pit?”), he makes this the virgin's prerogative too. Or rather, the people and the patriarch, going down there and coming up from there, were fulfilling the type of this return. For they went down fleeing death by famine, and he death by plotting. But they, going down, were then freed from the famine; while he, going down, sanctified the whole land by his visit.
See, at any rate, how amid the lowly things the things of the Godhead too are revealed. For the angel, saying, “Flee into Egypt,” did not promise to travel with them, either going down or coming up, hinting that they had a great fellow traveler, the newborn child, who changed all things as soon as he appeared and made his enemies render much service to this dispensation. For magi and barbarians, leaving their ancestral superstition, come to worship; and Augustus serves the birth in Bethlehem through the decree of the census; Egypt receives and saves him as he flees and is plotted against, and receives a ground of kinship with him, so that when it is about to hear him proclaimed by the apostles, it may pride itself on this too, as having received him first. And yet this was the prerogative of Palestine alone; but Egypt became warmer than Palestine. And now, if you go to the desert of Egypt, you will see this desert become better than any paradise, and countless choirs of angels in human forms, and peoples of martyrs, and companies of virgins; and the whole tyranny of the devil undone, and the kingdom of Christ shining forth. And the mother of poets and sages and magicians, she who invented every kind of sorcery and handed it on to others, you will see now priding herself on the fishermen, despising all those, and carrying everywhere the tax collector and the tentmaker, and holding up the cross before her. And these good things are not only in the cities, but in the deserts even more than in the cities. For one can see everywhere in that land the army of Christ, the royal flock, and the way of life of the powers above; and one would find these prevailing not only among men but also in the nature of women. For they too practice philosophy no less than men, not taking up the shield and mounting the horse, as the venerable lawgivers and philosophers of the Greeks order, but undertaking another, far harder battle. For the war against the devil and the powers is common to them and to men, and nowhere does the softness of their nature become a hindrance in such encounters; for these contests are judged not by the nature of bodies but by the choice of the soul. That is why women have often contended more than men and set up more splendid trophies. Heaven with its varied choir of stars is not so bright as the desert of Egypt, showing us on every side the cells of the monks.
Exod 32:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 25:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 106:37 (105:37 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 2:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Amos 9:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 46:6 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 2:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 2:1 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Hos 11:1 is truly fulfilled in Christ, the natural Son, not in idolatrous Israel; Christ's stay in Egypt sanctified it, and now the Egyptian desert, once the home of sorcery, shines with monks and virgins, women contending as bravely as men.
- Allusions: Exod 32:4; Num 25:3; Ps 106:37 (105:37 LXX); Gen 42–46; Exod 12; Luke 2:1 (Augustus's census). Quotation: Amos 9:7 (LXX, 'Cappadocia' for Caphtor; 'from the pit' for Kir). The reference to Greek lawgivers who would arm women is to Plato's Republic and Laws. Migne's section 3 falls inside 8.2 (its numeral was lost in the OCR).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris (stray marks or marginal letters)): Ὶ προφητεία → προφητεία; Ο προφήτης → προφήτης; Β τοῦ → τοῦ; σ βασιλικὴν → βασιλικὴν; ᾿ ἐξουσίας → ἐξουσίας.
Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Resp. 5 (Plato (works); allusion)
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Matt. 8.4 (Field 1; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/chrysostom-hom-matthaeum/8-1/#p-8-4). (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.
8.5Field 1
Εἴ τις τὴν παλαιὰν Αἴγυπτον ἐκείνην, τήν θεομάχον καὶ μαινομάνην; τὴν τῶν αἰλούρων δούλην, τὴν κρόμμνα δεδοικυῖαν καὶ τρέμουσαν οἷδεν, οὗτος εἴσεται καλῶς τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὴν ἰσχυν. Μᾶλλον δὲ οὐ χρεία ἡμῖν παλαιῶν διηγημάτων ἔτι γὰρ καὶ νὺν τῆς ἀνοήτου ἐκείνης λείψανα μένει πρὸς ἀπόδειξιν τῆς προτέρας μανίας. Αλλ᾽ ὅμως οὗτοι οἱ τὸ παλαιὸν πάντες πρὸς τοσαύτην ἀποῤῥαγέντες μανίαν, περὶ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῶν ὑπὲρ οὐρανὸν φιλοσοφοῦσι πραγμάτων, καὶ καταγελῶσι τῶν πατρῴων ἐθῶν, καὶ τοὺς προγόνους Ταλανίζουσι, καὶ τῶν φιλοσόφων οὐδένα ποιοῦνται λόγον. Ἔμαθον γὰρ διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων αὐτῶν; ὅτι τὰ μὲν ἐκείνων γραϊδίων. μεθυόντων ἐστὶν εὑρέματα, ἡ δὲ ὄντως φιλοσοφία καὶ τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀξία αὕτη εστὶν διὰ τῶν ἁλιέων αὐτοῖς καταγγελθεῖσα. Διὰ δη τοῦτο μετὰ τῆς τοσαύτης ἀκριβείας τῶν δογμάτων, καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ βίου πολλὴν ἐνδείκνυνται σπουδήν. Τὰ γὰρ ὄντα ἀποδυσάμενοι πάντα, καὶ τῷ κόσμῳ σταυρωθέντες παντὶ, καὶ περαιτέρω πάλιν ἐλαύνουσι, τῆ τοῦ σώματος ἐργασίᾳ πρὸς τὴν τῶν δεομένων ἀποχρώμενοι τροφήν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐπειδὴ νηστεύουσι καὶ ,ἀγρυπνοῦσιν, ἀργεῖν μεθ᾽ ἡ ἡμέραν ἀξιοῦσιν ἀλλὰ τὰς μὲν νύκτας τοῖς ἱεροῖς ὕμνοις καὶ ταῖς παννυχίσι, τὰς δὲ ἡμέρας εἰς εὐχάς τε ὁμοῦ καὶ τὴν απὸ τῶν χειρῶν ἐργασίαν καταναλίσκουσι, τὸν ἀποστολικὸν μιμούμενοι ζῆλον. Ει γὰρ ἐκθῖίνος, τῆς οἰκουμένης πρὸς αὐτὸν βλεπούσης, ἵἴ ἵνα τοὺς δεομένους διατρέφηῃ, καὶ ἐργαστήριον κατέλαβε, καὶ τέχνην μετεχείρισε, καὶ οὐδὲ τὰς νύκτας ἐκάθευδε τοῦτο ποιῶν᾽ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡμᾶς, φησὶ, τοὺς ἔρημον κατειληφότας, καὶ οὐ δὲν: κοινὸν πρὸς τοὺς ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι θορύβους ἔ ἔχοντας, τῇ τῆς ἡσυχίας σχολῇ εἰς ἐργασίαν πνευματικὴν καταχρήσασθαι δίκαιον. Αἰσχυνώμεθα τοίνυν ἅπαντες, καὶ οἱ πλουτοῦντες καὶ οἱ πενόμενοι, ὅταν ἐκεῖνοι μὲν μηδὲν ὅλως ἔχοντες, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ σῶμα μόνον καὶ χεῖρας, βιάζωνται καὶ φιλονεικῶσι πρόσοδον τοῖς δεομένοις ἐντεῦθεν εὑρεῖν ἡμεῖς δὲ, μυρίων ἔνδον ἀποκειμένων, μηδὲ τῶν περιττῶν εἰς ταῦτα ἀἁπτώμεθα. Ποίαν οὖν ἕξομεν ἀπολογίαν, εἰπέ μοι τίνα δὲ συγγνώμην: Καίτουγε ἐννόησον, πῶς τὸ παλαιὸν ἦσαν οὗτοι καὶ φιλοχρήματοι, καὶ γαστρίμαργοι, μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων κακῶν. ᾽Εκεῖ γὰρ ἦσαν οἱ λέβητες τών κρεῶν, ὧν οἱ ᾿Ιουδαῖοι μέμνηνται ἐκεῖ ἡ πολλὴ τῆς γαστρὸς τυραννίς. Ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως ἐπειδὴ ἐβουλήθησαν, μετεβάλοντο, καὶ τὸ πῦρ τοῦ Χριστοῦ δεξάμενοι, πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀθρόον μεθωρμίσαντο καὶ θερμύτεροι τῶν ἄλλων ὄντες, καὶ πρὸς ὀργὴν καὶ πρὸς ἡδονὴν σωμάτων προπετέστεροι, τὰς ἀσωμάτους δυνάμεις τῇ ἐπιεικείᾳ καὶ τῇ λοιπῇ τῆς φιλοσοφίας ἀπαθείᾳ μιμοῦνται. Καὶ εἴ τις ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ γέγονεν, οἶδεν ἅ ἁ λέγω. Εἰ δέ τις οὐδέποτε ἐπέ η τῶν σκηνῶν ἐκείνων, ἐννοείτω τὸν μέχρι νῦν ἐν τοῖς ἁπάντων στόμασιν ὄντα, ὃν μετὰ τοὺς ἀποστόλους ἡ Αἴγυπ-α τος ἤνεγκε; τὸν μακάριον καὶ μέγαν Ἀντώνιον, καὶ λογιζέσθω ὅτι καὶ οὗτος ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ χώρᾳ γέγονεν, ἐν ἡ καὶ Φαραώ: αλλ᾽ ὅμως οὐδὲν παρεβλάβη, ἀλλὰ καὶ θείας ὄψεως κατηξιώθη, καὶ τοιοῦτον ἐπεδείξατο βίον, οἷον οἱ τοῦ Χριστοῦ νόμοι ζητοῦσι. Καὶ τοῦτο εἴσεταί τις μετὰ ἀκριβείας, ἐντυχὼν τῷ βιβλίῳ τῷ τὴν ἱστορίαν ἔχοντι τῆς ἐκείνου ζωῆς, ἐν ᾧ καὶ πολλὴν ὄψεται τὴν προφητείαν. Καὶ γὰρ περὶ τῶν τὰ Ἀρείου νοσούντων προανεφωνησέ τε καὶ εἶπε τὴν ἐξ ἐκείνων μέλλουσαν γίνεσθαι βλάβην, τοῦ θεοῦ δείξαντος αὐτῷ τότε, καὶ πρὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν τὰ μέλλοντα ὑπογράψαντος ἅπαντα ὃ δὴ μάλιστα μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων τῆς αληθείας ἐστὶν ἀπόδειξις, τὸ μηδένα τῶν ἔξωθεν αἱρέσεων ἄνδρα τοιοῦτον ἔχειν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἵνα μὴ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν ταῦτα ἥἧ ἀκούσητε, τοῖς γράμμασιν ἐγκύψαντες τοῖς τοῦ βιβλίου, πάντα μαθήσεσθε μετὰ ἀκριβείας, καὶ πολλὴν παιδενθήσεσθε τὴν φιλοσοφίαν ἐκεῖθεν. Τοῦτο δὲ παρακαλώ, οὐχ ἵνα ἐπέλθωμεν τὰ γεγραμμένα μόνον, αλλ᾽ ἵνα καὶ ζηλώσωμεν, καὶ μήτε χώραν, μήτε ἀνατροφὴν, μήτε προγόνων πονηρίαν προβαλλώμεθα. Ἂν γὰρ θέλωμεν ἐαντοῖς προσέχειν, οὐδὲν τούτων ἡμῖν ἔσται κώλυμα. ᾿Επεὶ αἱ ᾿Αβραὰμ ἀσεβῆ πατέρα ἔσχεν; ἀλλ᾽ οὐ διεδέξατο τὴν ταβανο, ἰνς καὶ ὁ ᾿Εζεχίας τὸν Ἅ Αχαζ, ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως οὗτος φίλος τῷ θεῷ ἐγένετο᾽ καὶ ὁ ᾿Ιωσὴφ δὲ ἐν μέση τότε Αἰγύπτῳ τοὺς τῆς σωφροσύνης ἀνεδήσατο στεφάνου καὶ οἱ παῖδες δὲ οἱ τρεῖς ἐν Βαβυλῶνι μέσῃ, καὶ ἐν οἰκίᾳ μέση; Συβαριτικῆς παρακειμένης τραπέζης, τὴν ἄκραν ἐπεδείξαντο φιλοσοφίαν καὶ Μωὺῦσῆς δὲ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ἐν τῇ οἰκουμένῃ καὶ οὐδὲν οὐδενὶ τούτων ἐγένετο κώλυμα πρὸς τὸν τῆς ἀρετῆς δρόμον. Ταῦτ᾽ οὖν καὶ ἡμεῖς πάντα ἐννοοῦντες, τὰς μὲν περιττὰς Ταύτας σκήψεις καὶ προφάσεις ἐκ μέσου ποιησώμεθα, τῶν δὲ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἱδρώτων ἁψώμεθα. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ τὸν ( θεὸν ἐπὶ μείζονα ἐπισπασόμεθα εὔνοιαν, καὶ πείσομεν ᾿συνεῷαὐ τασυαι τῶν ἀγώνων ἡμῖν, καὶ τῶν αἰωνίων ἀπολαύσομεν ἀγαθῶν ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων.
Ei tis tēn palaian Aigypton ekeinēn, tēn theomachon kai mainomanēn? tēn tōn ailourōn doulēn, tēn krommna dedoikuian kai tremousan hoiden, houtos eisetai kalōs tou Christou tēn ischyn. Mallon de ou chreia hēmin palaiōn diēgēmatōn eti gar kai nyn tēs anoētou ekeinēs leipsana menei pros apodeixin tēs proteras manias. All᾽ homōs houtoi hoi to palaion pantes pros tosautēn aporrhagentes manian, peri ouranou kai tōn hyper ouranon philosophousi pragmatōn, kai katagelōsi tōn patrǭōn ethōn, kai tous progonous Talanizousi, kai tōn philosophōn oudena poiountai logon. Emathon gar dia tōn pragmatōn autōn? hoti ta men ekeinōn graïdiōn. methyontōn estin heuremata, hē de ontōs philosophia kai tōn ouranōn axia hautē estin dia tōn halieōn autois katangeltheisa. Dia dē touto meta tēs tosautēs akribeias tōn dogmatōn, kai tēn apo tou biou pollēn endeiknyntai spoudēn. Ta gar onta apodysamenoi panta, kai tǭ kosmǭ staurōthentes panti, kai peraiterō palin elaunousi, tē tou sōmatos ergasią pros tēn tōn deomenōn apochrōmenoi trophēn. Oude gar epeidē nēsteuousi kai ,agrypnousin, argein meth᾽ hē hēmeran axiousin alla tas men nyktas tois hierois hymnois kai tais pannychisi, tas de hēmeras eis euchas te homou kai tēn apo tōn cheirōn ergasian katanaliskousi, ton apostolikon mimoumenoi zēlon. Ei gar ekthiinos, tēs oikoumenēs pros auton blepousēs, hii hina tous deomenous diatrephēę̄, kai ergastērion katelabe, kai technēn metecheirise, kai oude tas nyktas ekatheude touto poiōn᾽ pollǭ mallon hēmas, phēsi, tous erēmon kateilēphotas, kai ou den: koinon pros tous en tais polesi thorybous e echontas, tę̄ tēs hēsychias scholę̄ eis ergasian pneumatikēn katachrēsasthai dikaion. Aischynōmetha toinyn hapantes, kai hoi ploutountes kai hoi penomenoi, hotan ekeinoi men mēden holōs echontes, all᾽ ē sōma monon kai cheiras, biazōntai kai philoneikōsi prosodon tois deomenois enteuthen heurein hēmeis de, myriōn endon apokeimenōn, mēde tōn perittōn eis tauta haaptōmetha. Poian oun hexomen apologian, eipe moi tina de syngnōmēn: Kaitouge ennoēson, pōs to palaion ēsan houtoi kai philochrēmatoi, kai gastrimargoi, meta tōn allōn kakōn. ᾽Ekei gar ēsan hoi lebētes tōn kreōn, hōn hoi ᾿Ioudaioi memnēntai ekei hē pollē tēs gastros tyrannis. All᾽ homōs epeidē eboulēthēsan, metebalonto, kai to pyr tou Christou dexamenoi, pros ton ouranon athroon methōrmisanto kai thermyteroi tōn allōn ontes, kai pros orgēn kai pros hēdonēn sōmatōn propetesteroi, tas asōmatous dynameis tę̄ epieikeią kai tę̄ loipę̄ tēs philosophias apatheią mimountai. Kai ei tis en tę̄ chōrą gegonen, oiden ha ha legō. Ei de tis oudepote epe ē tōn skēnōn ekeinōn, ennoeitō ton mechri nyn en tois hapantōn stomasin onta, hon meta tous apostolous hē Aigyp-a tos ēnenke? ton makarion kai megan Antōnion, kai logizesthō hoti kai houtos en ekeinę̄ tę̄ chōrą gegonen, en hē kai Pharaō: all᾽ homōs ouden pareblabē, alla kai theias opseōs katēxiōthē, kai toiouton epedeixato bion, hoion hoi tou Christou nomoi zētousi. Kai touto eisetai tis meta akribeias, entychōn tǭ bibliǭ tǭ tēn historian echonti tēs ekeinou zōēs, en hǭ kai pollēn opsetai tēn prophēteian. Kai gar peri tōn ta Areiou nosountōn proanephōnēse te kai eipe tēn ex ekeinōn mellousan ginesthai blabēn, tou theou deixantos autǭ tote, kai pro tōn ophthalmōn ta mellonta hypograpsantos hapanta ho dē malista meta tōn allōn tēs alētheias estin apodeixis, to mēdena tōn exōthen haireseōn andra toiouton echein. ᾿All᾽ hina mē par᾽ hēmōn tauta hēē akousēte, tois grammasin enkypsantes tois tou bibliou, panta mathēsesthe meta akribeias, kai pollēn paidenthēsesthe tēn philosophian ekeithen. Touto de parakalō, ouch hina epelthōmen ta gegrammena monon, all᾽ hina kai zēlōsōmen, kai mēte chōran, mēte anatrophēn, mēte progonōn ponērian proballōmetha. An gar thelōmen eantois prosechein, ouden toutōn hēmin estai kōlyma. ᾿Epei hai ᾿Abraam asebē patera eschen? all᾽ ou diedexato tēn tabano, ins kai ho ᾿Ezechias ton Ha Achaz, all᾽ homōs houtos philos tǭ theǭ egeneto᾽ kai ho ᾿Iōsēph de en mesē tote Aigyptǭ tous tēs sōphrosynēs anedēsato stephanou kai hoi paides de hoi treis en Babylōni mesę̄, kai en oikią mesē? Sybaritikēs parakeimenēs trapezēs, tēn akran epedeixanto philosophian kai Mōyysēs de en Aigyptǭ, kai ho Paulos en tę̄ oikoumenę̄ kai ouden oudeni toutōn egeneto kōlyma pros ton tēs aretēs dromon. Taut᾽ oun kai hēmeis panta ennoountes, tas men perittas Tautas skēpseis kai prophaseis ek mesou poiēsōmetha, tōn de hyper tēs aretēs hidrōtōn hapsōmetha. Houtō gar kai ton ( theon epi meizona epispasometha eunoian, kai peisomen ᾿syneǭau tasyai tōn agōnōn hēmin, kai tōn aiōniōn apolausomen agathōn hōn genoito pantas hēmas epitychein, chariti kai philanthrōpią tou kyriou hēmōn ᾿Iēsou Christou, hǭ hē doxa kai to kratos eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn.
If anyone knows that old Egypt, the God-fighting and raving, the slave of cats, which feared and trembled at onions, he will know well the strength of Christ. Or rather, we have no further need of old stories; for even now remnants of that folly remain as proof of the former madness. Yet these men, who of old had all broken away into such madness, now practice philosophy about heaven and the things above heaven, laugh at their ancestral customs, count their forefathers wretched, and make no account of the philosophers. For they have learned from the facts themselves that the philosophers' teachings are the inventions of drunken old women, but that the true philosophy, worthy of heaven, is this one proclaimed to them by the fishermen. That is why, with such exactness of doctrines, they show also great zeal in their life. For having stripped off all they had, and been crucified to the whole world, they drive further still, using the labor of the body to feed those in need. For they do not think that, because they fast and keep vigil, they may be idle by day; but they spend the nights in sacred hymns and vigils, and the days in prayers together with the work of their hands, imitating the apostolic zeal. For if he, when the whole world was looking to him, took to a workshop and handled a trade so as to feed those in need, and did not even sleep at night while doing so, much more, they say, is it right for us, who have taken to the desert and have nothing in common with the turmoil of the cities, to use the leisure of our quiet for spiritual work.
Let us all be ashamed, then, both rich and poor, when they, having nothing at all but a body and hands, strive and compete to find from them revenue for those in need, while we, with countless things stored within, do not touch even our superfluities for this. What defense, then, shall we have, tell me? What pardon? And yet consider how of old these men were lovers of money and gluttons, besides their other evils. For there were the fleshpots that the Jews remember; there the great tyranny of the belly. Yet when they willed, they changed, and receiving the fire of Christ, they sailed over all at once to heaven; and though hotter than others and more headlong toward anger and bodily pleasure, they imitate the bodiless powers in gentleness and in the rest of philosophy's freedom from passion. And anyone who has been in that country knows what I am saying. But if anyone has never set foot in those cells, let him consider the man who until now is on everyone's lips, whom Egypt bore after the apostles, the blessed and great Antony, and let him reckon that he too was born in that land in which Pharaoh was; yet he took no harm, but was even counted worthy of a divine vision, and displayed such a life as the laws of Christ require. And one will know this exactly by reading the book that contains the story of his life, in which he will see much prophecy too. For he foretold concerning those sick with the disease of Arius, and spoke of the harm that would come from them, God showing it to him then and sketching all that was to come before his eyes; which above all, along with the rest, is a proof of the truth, that none of the heresies outside has such a man. But so that you may not hear these things from us, bend over the writings of the book and you will learn everything exactly, and be trained in much philosophy from it.
And I urge this, not that we may merely go through what is written, but that we may also emulate it, and not plead country, or upbringing, or the wickedness of ancestors. For if we are willing to attend to ourselves, none of these will be a hindrance to us. For Abraham too had an ungodly father, but did not inherit his wickedness; and Hezekiah had Ahaz, yet he became a friend of God; and Joseph, in the midst of Egypt then, wore the crowns of chastity; and the three children, in the midst of Babylon and in the midst of a house where a Sybaritic table was set before them, showed the highest philosophy; and Moses in Egypt, and Paul in the world; and nothing became a hindrance to any of them in the race of virtue. Considering all these things, then, let us put out of the way these superfluous excuses and pretexts, and take up the sweat of virtue. For so we shall draw God to greater goodwill, and persuade him to contend with us in our contests, and shall enjoy the eternal good things; which may we all obtain, by the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might to the ages of ages.
Gal 6:14 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 20:34 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Thess 2:9 (allusion, medium confidence) · Exod 16:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Josh 24:2 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 18:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 39:9 (allusion, high confidence) · Dan 1:8 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Closing exhortation of Homily 8: Egypt, once worshiping cats and onions, now has monks who work with their hands to feed the poor and shame wealthy Christians; Antony's Life proves the truth of the faith; no birthplace or ancestry excuses us from virtue.
- Allusions: Gal 6:14; Acts 20:34 and 1 Thess 2:9 (Paul's handwork); Num 11:5 / Exod 16:3 (fleshpots); Josh 24:2 (Terah); 2 Kgs 16; 18:3; Gen 39; Dan 1:8; Acts 7:22. The book on Antony is Athanasius's Life of Antony (its prophecy about the Arians: Vit. Ant. 82). Field's marginal heading for the moral section ('On the life of the monks') and a running head run into the text by the OCR are removed by logged corrections; some garbled words at the end are translated by sense.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Field's marginal heading and an apparatus reading run into the text by the OCR; OCR debris (stray marks or marginal letters); OCR debris at the end of the section; running head (IN MATTHAEUM HOM. VIII) run into a word by the OCR): ἔτι ἩΘΙΚΟΝ. Περὶ βίον μοναχών. Α. ᾿ ἀνθρωπίνῳ σχήματι γὰρ καὶ νὺν → ἔτι γὰρ καὶ νὺν; καὶ θερΙΝ ΜΑΊΤΗΛΔΕΝΜΝ ΠΟΜ. ν1Π11. μύτεροι → καὶ θερμύτεροι; ᾿ οἷδεν, → οἷδεν,; Η διὰ → διὰ; ' τὸ → τὸ; Β αἱ → αἱ; Υ ἀγαθῶν → ἀγαθῶν; αἰώνων. ΕΣ → αἰώνων..
Extrabiblical texts: Athanasius, V. Ant. 82 (Life of Antony; allusion)
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Hom. Matt. 8.5 (Field 1; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/chrysostom-hom-matthaeum/8-1/#p-8-5). (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.