Encomium on Maximus, and What Sort of Wives to Marry

Contents

Published in full, but sections 4-5 and 8 lie inside refs 3 and 7 (their numerals were not read in the OCR).

Reading pages: 1–2 · 3–6 · 7–9

1. 1Chrysostom recalls that his previous sermon, which called it adultery to cast out a wife or to marry a woman cast out while her husband lives, moved many to grief, and urges those about to marry to choose with great care, since a wife cannot be sent back without adultery.
2. 2Chrysostom tells those about to marry to learn first that Christ's law lets a husband cast out his wife only for sexual immorality, so that he must bear every other fault, and urges husbands to love and correct their wives as Christ loved and cleansed the church.
3. 3Chrysostom says that even an incorrigible wife must not be cast out, explains Paul's teaching on marriage as a great mystery of Christ and the church, warns against marrying for money, and begins the story of Abraham's servant seeking a wife for Isaac.
4. 6Chrysostom explains that Abraham's servant asked God for a sign of hospitality rather than of wealth or beauty in Isaac's bride, and urges those about to marry to seek a wife through prayer to God rather than through matchmakers.
5. 7Chrysostom praises Rebekah's chastity and eager hospitality at the well, and the servant's prayerful prudence, and tells those choosing a spouse to ask first whether the person is dear to God.
6. 9Chrysostom describes Rebekah's simple wedding journey and Isaac's love for her, and urges parents and bridegrooms to seek virtue and to banish wedding excesses, so that there will never be a bill of divorce or suspicion of adultery.