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letters to
olympias.
————————————
to my lady.
The most reverend and divinely favored deaconess
Olympias, I John, Bishop, send greeting in the Lord.
1. Come now let me
relieve the wound of thy despondency, and disperse the thoughts
which gather this cloud of care around thee. For what is it which
upsets thy mind, and why art thou sorrowful and dejected? Is it
because of the fierce black storm which has overtaken the Church,
enveloping all things in darkness as of a night without a moon, and
is growing to a head every day, travailing to bring forth
disastrous shipwrecks, and increasing the ruin of the world? I know
all this as well as you; none shall gainsay it, and if you like I
will form an image of the things now taking place so as to present
the tragedy yet more distinctly to thee. We behold a sea upheaved
from the very lowest depths, some sailors floating dead upon the
waves, others engulfed by them, the planks of the ships breaking
up, the sails torn to tatters, the masts sprung, the oars dashed
out of the sailors’ hands, the pilots seated on the deck,
clasping their knees with their hands instead of grasping the
rudder, bewailing the hopelessness of their situation with sharp
cries and bitter lamentations, neither sky nor sea clearly visible,
but all one deep and impenetrable darkness, so that no one can see
his neighbour, whilst mighty is the roaring of the billows, and
monsters of the sea attack the crews on every side.
But how much further shall I pursue the
unattainable? for whatever image of our present evils I may seek
speech shrinks baffled from the attempt. Nevertheless even when I
look at these calamities I do not abandon the hope of better
things, considering as I do who the pilot is in all this—not one
who gets the better of the storm by his art, but calms the raging
waters by his rod. But if He does not effect this at the outset and
speedily, such is His custom—He does not at the beginning put
down these terrible evils, but when they have increased, and come
to extremities, and most persons are reduced to despair, then He
works wondrously, and beyond all expectation, thus manifesting his
own power, and training the patience of those who undergo these
calamities. Do not therefore be cast down. For there is only one
thing, Olympias, which is really terrible, only one real trial, and
that is sin; and I have never ceased continually harping upon this
theme; but as for all other things, plots, enmities, frauds,
calumnies, insults, accusations, confiscation, exile, the keen
sword of the enemy, the peril of the deep, warfare of the whole
world, or anything else you like to name, they are but idle tales.
For whatever the nature of these things may be they are transitory
and perishable, and operate in a mortal body without doing any
injury to the vigilant soul. Therefore the blessed Paul, desiring
to prove the insignificance both of the pleasures and sorrows
relating to this life, declared the whole truth in one sentence
when he said—“For the things which are seen are temporal.”910
Why then
dost thou fear temporal things which pass away like the stream of a
river. For such is the nature of present things whether they be
pleasant or painful. And another prophet compared all human
prosperity not to grass, but to another material even more flimsy,
describing the whole of it “as the flower of grass.” For he did
not single out any one part of it, as wealth alone, or luxury
alone, or power, or honour; but having comprised all the things
which are esteemed splendid amongst men under the one
designation of
glory he said “all the glory of man is as the flower of
grass.”911
2. Nevertheless, you will say, adversity is a
terrible thing and grievous to be borne. Yet look at it again
compared with another image and then also learn to despise it. For
the railings, and insults, and reproaches, and gibes inflicted by
enemies, and their plots are compared to a worn-out garment, and
moth-eaten wool when God says “Fear ye not the reproach of men,
neither be ye afraid of their revilings, for they shall wax old as
doth a garment, and like moth-eaten wool so shall they be
consumed.”912
Therefore
let none of these things which are happening trouble thee, but
ceasing to invoke the aid of this or that person, and to run after
shadows (for such are human alliances), do thou persistently call
upon Jesus, whom thou servest, merely to bow his head; and in a
moment of time all these evils will be dissolved. But if thou hast
already called upon Him, and yet they have not been dissolved, such
is the manner of God’s dealing (for I will resume my former
argument); He does not put down evils at the outset, but when they
have grown to a head, when scarcely any form of the enemy’s
malice remains ungratified, then He suddenly converts all things to
a state of tranquillity and conducts them to an unexpected
settlement. For He is not only able to turn as many things as we
expect and hope, to good, but many more, yea infinitely more.
Wherefore also Paul saith “now to Him who is able to do exceeding
abundantly above all that we ask or think.”913
Could He not, for example, have
prevented the three children at the outset from falling into trial?
But He did not choose to do this, thereby conferring great pain
upon them. Therefore He suffered them to be delivered into the
hands of barbarians, and the furnace to be heated to an
immeasurable height and the wrath of the king to blaze even more
fiercely than the furnace, and hands and feet to be bound with
great severity and they themselves to be cast into the fire; and
then, when all they who beheld despaired of their rescue, suddenly,
and beyond all hope, the wonder-working power of God, the supreme
artificer, was displayed, and shone forth with exceeding splendour.
For the fire was bound, and the bondmen were released; and the
furnace became a temple of prayer, a place of fountains and dew, of
higher dignity than a royal court, and the very hairs of their head
prevailed over that all devouring element which gets the better
even of iron and stone, and masters every kind of substance. And a
solemn song of universal praise was instituted there by these holy
men inviting every kind of created thing to join in the wondrous
melody; and they uttered hymns of thanksgiving to God for that they
had been bound, and also burnt, as far at least as the malice of
their enemies had power; that they had been exiles from their
country, captives deprived of their liberty, wandering outcasts
from city and home, sojourners in a strange and barbarous land; for
all this was the outpouring of a grateful heart. And when the
malicious devices of their enemies were perfected (for what further
could they attempt after their death?) and the labours of the
heroes were completed, and the garland of victory was woven, and
their rewards were prepared and nothing more was wanting for their
renown; then at last their calamities were brought to an end, and
he who caused the furnace to be kindled, and delivered them over to
that great punishment, became himself the panegyrist of those holy
heroes, and the herald of God’s marvellous deed, and everywhere
throughout the world issued letters full of reverent praise,
recording what had taken place, and becoming the faithful herald of
the miracles wrought by the wonder-working God. For inasmuch as he
had been an enemy and adversary what he wrote was above suspicion
even in the opinion of enemies.
3. Dost thou see the abundance of resource belonging
to God? His wisdom, His extraordinary power, His loving-kindness
and care? Be not therefore dismayed or troubled but continue to
give thanks to God for all things, praising, and invoking Him;
beseeching and supplicating; even if countless tumults and troubles
come upon thee, even if tempests are stirred up before thy eyes let
none of these things disturb thee. For our Master is not baffled by
the difficulty, even if all things are reduced to the extremity of
ruin. For it is possible for Him to raise those who have fallen, to
convert those who are in error, to set straight those who have been
ensnared, to release those who have been laden with countless sins,
and make them righteous, to quicken those who are dead, to restore
lustre to decayed things, and freshness to those which have waxen
old. For if He makes things which are not, come into being, and
bestows existence on things which are nowhere by any means
manifest, how much more will He rectify things which already exist.
But you will say there are many who perish, many who are caught by
snares. Many such things have indeed often taken place, yet
afterwards have all received their appropriate correction, save
some few who have remained in an incurable condition, even after
the change in their circumstances. Why are you troubled and
distracted because such a person is cast out and
such another is put into his place? Christ
was crucified and the release of Barabbas the robber was demanded,
and the depraved populace clamoured for the preservation of the
murderer rather than of the Saviour and benefactor. How many think
you then stumbled at these things? how many were destroyed? But I
must carry my argument yet further back. Did not He who was
crucified become immediately after his birth a wanderer and a
fugitive? was He not from the very cradle removed with the whole
household into a strange land, taking that long journey into a
barbarous region? And this removal gave occasion to torrents of
blood, and cruel murder and slaughter, and all the children of
tender age were cut to pieces just as if they had been soldiers
arrayed in battle, and infants torn from the breast were handed
over to death, and even when the milk was in their throats, the
sword was driven through their necks. What could be more
distressing than this tragedy? And these things were done by him
who sought to destroy Jesus, yet the long-suffering God endured
this tragical cruelty, which caused so much bloodshed, and forbore
to prevent it although He had the power, displaying his
long-suffering for some inscrutably wise purpose. And when Jesus
had returned from the foreign land and was grown up, war was
rekindled against him on every side. First of all the disciples of
John were envious of Him and tried to slander Him, although John
himself behaved reverently to Him, and they said “He who was with
thee beyond Jordan, behold the same baptizeth and all men come to
Him.”914
For these
were the words of men who were already irritated, and agitated by
ill-will, and consumed by that passion. For the same reason also
one of the disciples who said these things disputed with a certain
Jew and raised a contentious argument about purifying, comparing
one kind of baptism with another, the baptism of John with that of
the disciples of Christ. “For there arose” it is said, “a
questioning on the part of John’s disciples with a certain Jew
about purifying.”915
| 915 John ii.
25. St. Chrysostom
here follows the same reading which is found in the three oldest
extant mss. of the New Testament, the
Sinaitic, Vatican and Alexandrian. The textus receptus
has μετ€ 'Ιουδαίων “with the
Jews” instead of μετ€ 'Ιουδὰίου
“with a Jew.” | And when He began to work miracles
how many calumniators He had! Some called Him a Samaritan and
demoniac saying “Thou art a Samaritan and hast a Devil”916
others “a
deceiver,” saying “This man is not of God but deceiveth the
multitude”917
others “a
sorcerer” saying “He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the
prince of the Devils”918
and they continually said these
things against Him and called Him an adversary of God, and a
gluttonous, and greedy man, and a drunkard, and a friend of the
wicked and depraved. “For” He said, “the Son of man came
eating and drinking and they say behold a gluttonous man and a
wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners.”919
And when he
was conversing with the harlot they called Him a false prophet;
“For had He been a prophet,” one said, “He would have known
who this woman is which speaketh unto Him;”920
in fact every day they sharpened
their teeth against Him. And not only did the Jews thus oppose Him,
but even those who were reputed to be his brethren were not
sincerely attached to Him, but even out of his own family
opposition was kindled against Him. See at least how they also
themselves were perverted, from the evangelist adding the remark
“for neither did His brethren believe on Him.”921
4. But since you call to mind many who were
offended and went astray, how many of the disciples do you suppose
were offended at the time of the crucifixion? One betrayed Him, the
others took to flight, one denied Him, and when all had abandoned
Him He was led away bound without companions. How many then think
you who had lately seen Him working His miracles, raising the dead,
cleansing lepers, casting out devils, multiplying loaves, and doing
all other kinds of wonderful deeds, were offended at that season,
when they beheld Him led away and bound, surrounded by common
soldiers, and followed by Jewish priests making a tumult and
uproar; alone in the midst hemmed in by all his enemies, and the
traitor standing by and exulting in his deed? And what was the
effect think you when He was being scourged? and probably a vast
multitude was present. For it was an illustrious festival which
brought all together, and this drama of iniquity was enacted in the
capital city, and in the very middle of the day. How many think you
who were present then were offended when they saw Him bound,
scourged, streaming with blood, examined before the governor’s
tribunal, and not one of His disciples standing by? What was the
effect again when He was subjected to those manifold kinds of
mockery, successively repeated, when they crowned Him with thorns,
then arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, then put a reed in His hand,
then fell down and worshipped Him, setting in motion every species
of ribaldry and derision? How many think you were offended, how
many bewildered, how many perplexed when they smote Him on the
cheek and said “prophesy unto us thou Christ who is He that smote
thee?”922
and when
they led Him
hither and thither, and spent the whole day in scoffs and abuse,
and ribaldry and derision in the midst of the Jewish assembly? and
when the servant of the High-Priest dealt Him a blow; and when the
soldiers parted His garments amongst them and when He was led up to
the cross, having the marks of the scourge upon His back, and was
fastened to the wood, how many think you were offended? For not
even then were those savage beasts softened, but became more
furious than before, and the tragedy became more intense, and the
ribaldry increased. For some said “Ah! thou that destroyest the
temple, and in three days buildest it up;”923
and some, “He saved others,
Himself He cannot save.”924
And others said “If thou art the Son of God
come down from the cross and we will believe thee.”925
Again when they insulted Him by offering Him
gall and vinegar on the sponge how many think you were offended? or
when the robbers reviled Him? or when as I have already said, they
made that dreadful and monstrous assertion that the robber and
housebreaker, the man laden with the crime of murder deserved to be
released rather than Jesus, and having received permission from the
judge to make their choice preferred Barabbas, desiring not only to
crucify Christ, but also to involve Him in infamy? For they thought
that by these means they should be able to manufacture the belief
that He was worse than the robber, and such a great transgressor
that neither on the plea of mercy, nor of the privilege of the
Festival was it possible to save Him. For they did everything with
a view to slander His fame; which also was the reason why they
crucified the two robbers with Him. Nevertheless the truth was not
obscured, but shone forth all the more clearly. And they accused
Him of usurping kingly power saying “Every one who maketh himself
a king is not a friend of Cæsar”926
| 926 John xix.
12. The latter part of
the sentence, which is not correctly quoted, was probably suggested
by the words immediately preceding, “if thou let this man go,
thou art not Cæsar’s friend.” | bringing this charge of usurpation
against one who had not where to lay his head. Moreover they
brought a calumnious accusation of blasphemy against Him. For the
High Priest rent his clothes saying “He hath spoken blasphemy;
what further need have we of witnesses?”927
And what was the nature of his
death? was it not a violent one? was it not the death of capital
offenders? of execrable criminals? was it not of the vilest kind?
was it not the death of those who have perpetrated the worst
offences, and are not worthy to draw even their last breath upon
the earth? And then as to the manner of his burial, was it not
accomplished as a matter of favour? For a certain one came and
begged for his body. Thus not even he who buried Him belonged to
his own friends, to those whom He had benefited, to his disciples,
to those who had enjoyed such free and salutary intercourse with
Him, for all had taken to flight, all had hurried away from Him.
And that base suspicion which his enemies contrived in consequence
of the resurrection when they said “His disciples came and stole
Him”928
how many
think you were offended, how many for a time upset by that? For the
story prevailed at that time, although it was a fabrication, and
was bought for money; nevertheless it held its ground amongst some
people, after the seals (of the sepulchre were broken)929
| 929 These words in brackets are not in the original,
but must be understood, to make sense of the passage. | after the
manifest appearance of the truth. For the multitude did not know
the prediction of the resurrection (and no wonder), inasmuch as
even his disciples did not understand it; for we read “they did
not know that He must rise again from the dead.”930
How many
therefore think you were offended in those days? And yet the
long-suffering God patiently endured, ordering all things according
to His own inscrutable wisdom.
5. Then again after those days the disciples
continued to live in hiding and secrecy, being fugitives full of
fear and trembling, continually shifting from place to place, and
even when they began to appear after fifty days, and to work
miracles, they did not enjoy perfect security; but even after those
events there were innumerable stumbling-blocks to offend the weaker
brethren, when they were scourged, when the Church was distressed,
when they themselves were driven away, and their enemies had the
upper hand in many places, and raised tumults. For when they had
acquired much confidence by means of the miracles which they
wrought, then the death of Stephen again caused a severe
persecution, and dispersed them all, and involved the Church in
confusion; and the disciples were again alarmed, fugitive, and
distressed. And yet the Church continually grew, when it flourished
by means of the signs which were wrought and became illustrious
from the manner of its introduction. One disciple for example was
let down through a window, and so escaped the hands of the ruler;
others were brought out of prison by an angel and so released from
their fetters; others were received into the houses of common
people and artisans when they were driven out by those in
authority; they were courteously treated in every way, by female
sellers of purple, by tentmakers, and
tanners dwelling in the outskirts of the
cities, and by the sea shore. Frequently moreover they did not dare
to appear in the middle of the towns; and if they did venture there
themselves their entertainers did not. And thus amidst alternate
trials, and respites from trial, the fabric of the Church was
wrought, and they who once stumbled were afterwards set upright,
and they who wandered away were brought back, and the ruined places
were built up more firmly than before. For this cause when Paul
prayed that the preaching of the word might proceed by a smooth
course only, God rich in wisdom and resource did not yield to His
disciple; nay even when many times invoked he would not consent but
said “my grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made
perfect in weakness.”931
If then even now you will reckon up
the good things with the painful, you will see that many events
have occurred which if not positive signs and wonders do yet
resemble signs, and are unspeakable proofs of the great providence
and succour of God. But that you may not hear everything from me
without any trouble, I leave this as thy task, that you may reckon
up everything accurately and compare them with the misfortunes, and
by occupying yourself with this good employment may divert your
mind from despondency; for you will derive much consolation from
this work.
Pray say many kind words from me to all your blessed
household. May you continue in good health and good spirits, most
reverend and divinely favoured lady.
If you wish me to write long letters inform me of
this, and pray do not deceive me by saying that you have thrown off
all despondency, and are enjoying a season of rest. For letters are
a remedy of the proper kind to produce great cheerfulness in thee,
and you will continually see letters from me. And when you write to
me again do not say “I have much comfort from your letters,”
for this I know of myself, but tell me that you have as much as I
wish you to have, that you are not confounded with sorrow, that you
do not pass your time in weeping, but in serenity and
cheerfulness. E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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