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| Matthew III. 1, 2.
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Homily X.
Matt. III. 1, 2.
“In those days cometh John the Baptist, preaching
in the wilderness of Judæa, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom
of Heaven is at hand.”
How “in those
days”? For not then, surely, when He was a child, and came to
Nazareth, but thirty years after, John cometh; as Luke also testifies.
How then is it said, “in those days”? The Scripture is
always wont to use this manner of speech, not only when it is
mentioning what occurs in the time immediately after, but also of
things which are to come to pass many years later. Thus also, for
example, when His disciples came unto Him as He sat on the Mount of
Olives, and sought to learn about His coming, and the taking of
Jerusalem:408
and yet ye know how great is the interval between those several
periods. I mean, that having spoken of the subversion of the mother
city,
and completed His discourse
on that subject, and being about to pass to that on the consummation,
he inserted, “Then shall these things also come to
pass;”409
not bringing together the times by the word then, but indicating
that time only in which these things were to happen. And this sort of
thing he doth now also, saying, “In those days.” For this
is not put to signify the days that come immediately after, but those
in which these things were to take place, which he was preparing to
relate.
“But why was it after thirty years,” it may
be said, “that Jesus came unto His baptism”? After this
baptism He was thenceforth to do away with the law: wherefore even
until this age, which admits of all sins, He continues fulfilling it
all; that no one might say, that because He Himself could not fulfill
it, He did it away. For neither do all passions assail us at all times;
but while in the first age of life there is much thoughtlessness and
timidity, in that which comes after it, pleasure is more vehement, and
after this again the desire of wealth. For this cause he awaits the
fullness of His adult age, and throughout it all fulfills the law, and
so comes to His baptism, adding it as something which follows upon the
complete keeping of all the other commandments.
To prove that this was to Him the last good work of
those enjoined by the law, hear His own words: “For thus it
becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.”410
Now what He saith is like this: “We have performed all the duties
of the law, we have not transgressed so much as one commandment. Since
therefore this only remains, this too must be added, and so shall we
“fulfill all righteousness.” For He here calls by the name
of “righteousness” the full performance of all the
commandments.
2. Now that on this account Christ came to His baptism,
is from this evident. But wherefore was this baptism devised for Him?
For that not of himself did the son of Zacharias proceed to this, but
of God who moved him,—this Luke also declares, when he saith,
“The word of the Lord came unto him,”411
that is, His commandment. And he himself too saith, “He that sent
me to baptize with water, the same said to me, upon whom thou shalt see
the Spirit descending like a dove, and remaining on Him, the same is He
which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.”412
Wherefore then was he sent to baptize? The Baptist again makes this
also plain to us, saying, “I knew Him not, but that He should be
made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with
water.”413
And if this was the only cause, how saith Luke, that
“he came into the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of
repentance for the remission of sins?”414
And yet it had not remission, but this gift pertained unto the baptism
that was given afterwards; for in this “we are buried with
Him,”415
and our old man was then crucified with Him, and before the cross there
doth not appear remission anywhere; for everywhere this is imputed to
His blood. And Paul too saith, “But ye are washed, but ye are
sanctified,” not by the baptism of John, but “in the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the Spirit of our God.”416
And elsewhere too he saith, “John verily preached a baptism of
repentance,” (he saith not “of remission,”)
“that they should believe on Him that should come after
him.”417
For when the sacrifice was not yet offered, neither had the spirit yet
come down, nor sin was put away, nor the enmity removed, nor the curse
destroyed; how was remission to take place?
What means then, “for the remission of
sins?”
The Jews were senseless, and had never any feeling of
their own sins, but while they were justly accountable for the worst
evils, they were justifying themselves in every respect; and this more
than anything caused their destruction, and led them away from the
faith. This, for example, Paul himself was laying to their charge, when
he said, that “they being ignorant of God’s righteousness,
and going about418
| 418[ζητοντε,
“seeking,” R.V.] | to establish their own, had not submitted themselves unto the
righteousness of God.”419
And again: “What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which
followed not after righteousness, have attained420
| 420κατλαβε [R.V.,
“attained.”] | to righteousness; but Israel, which followed after the law of
righteousness, hath not attained421
| 421ἔφθασε [R.V., “did not
arrive.”] | unto the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by
faith, but as it were by works.”422
| 422Rom. ix.
30–32. [See R.V. The
text of Chrysostom follows one of the readings accepted by the
Revisers, omitting νμου at
the close of the citation; but it inserts δικαιοσνη
(with Rec.) a second time in verse 31.—R.] |
Since therefore this was the cause of their evils, John
cometh, doing nothing else but bringing them to a sense of their own
sins. This, among other things, his very garb declared, being that of
repentance and confession. This was indicated also by what he preached,
for nothing else did he say, but
“bring forth fruits meet for
repentance.”423
Forasmuch then as their not condemning their own sins, as Paul also
hath explained, made them start off from Christ, while their coming to
a sense thereof would set them upon longing to seek after their
Redeemer, and to desire remission; this John came to bring about, and
to persuade them to repent, not in order that they might be punished,
but that having become by repentance more humble, and condemning
themselves, they might hasten to receive remission.
But let us see how exactly he hath expressed it; how,
having said, that he “came preaching the baptism of repentance in
the wilderness of Judæa,” he adds, “for
remission,” as though he said, For this end he exhorted them to
confess and repent of their sins; not that they should be punished, but
that they might more easily receive the subsequent remission. For had
they not condemned themselves, they could not have sought after His
grace; and not seeking, they could not have obtained remission.
Thus that baptism led the way for this; wherefore also
he said, that “they should believe on Him which should come after
him;”424
together with that which hath been mentioned setting forth this other
cause of His baptism. For neither would it have been as much for him to
have gone about to their houses, and to have led Christ around, taking
Him by the hand, and to have said, “Believe in This Man;”
as for that blessed voice to be uttered, and all those other things
performed in the presence and sight of all.
On account of this He cometh to the baptism. Since in
fact both the credit of him that was baptizing, and the purport of the
thing itself,425
was attracting the whole city, and calling it unto Jordan; and it
became a great spectacle.426
Therefore he humbles them also when they are come, and
persuades them to have no high fancies about themselves; showing them
liable to the utmost evils, unless they would repent, and leaving their
forefathers, and all vaunting in them, would receive Him that was
coming.
Because in fact the things concerning Christ had been up
to that time veiled, and many thought He was dead, owing to the
massacre which took place at Bethlehem. For though at twelve years old
He discovered Himself, yet did He also quickly veil Himself again. And
for this cause there was need of that splendid exordium and of a
loftier beginning. Wherefore also then for the first time he with clear
voice proclaims things which the Jews had never heard, neither from
prophets, nor from any besides; making mention of Heaven, and of the
kingdom there, and no longer saying anything touching the earth.
But by the kingdom in this place he means His former and
His last advent.
3. “But what is this to the Jews?” one may
say, “for they know not even what thou sayest.” “Why,
for this cause,” saith he, “do I so speak, in order that
being roused by the obscurity of my words, they may proceed to seek
Him, whom I preach.” In point of fact, he so excited them with
good hopes when they came near, that even many publicans and soldiers
inquired what they should do, and how they should direct their own
life; which was a sign of being thenceforth set free from all worldly
things, and of looking to other greater objects, and of foreboding427
things to come. Yea, for all, both the sights and the words of that
time, led them unto lofty thoughts.
Conceive, for example, how great a thing it was to see a
man after thirty years coming down from the wilderness, being the son
of a chief priest, who had never known the common wants of men, and was
on every account venerable, and had Isaiah with him. For he too was
present proclaiming him, and saying, “This is he who I said
should come crying, and preaching throughout the whole wilderness with
a clear voice.” For so great was the earnestness of the prophets
touching these things, that not their own Lord only, but him also who
was to minister unto Him, they proclaimed a long time beforehand, and
they not only mentioned him, but the place too in which he was to
abide, and the manner of the doctrine which he had to teach when he
came, and the good effect that was produced by him.
See, at least, how both the prophet and the Baptist go
upon the same ideas, although not upon the same words.
Thus the prophet saith that he shall come saying,
“Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths
straight.”428
And he himself when he was come said, “Bring forth fruits meet
for repentance,”429
which corresponds with, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord.”
Seest thou that both by the words of the prophet, and by his own
preaching, this one thing is manifested alone; that he was come, making
a way and preparing beforehand, not bestowing the gift, which was the
remission, but ordering in good time the souls of such as should
receive the God of all?
But Luke expresses somewhat further: not repeating the
exordium, and so passing on, but setting down likewise all the
prophecy. “For every valley,” saith he, “shall be
filled; and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the
crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth; and all
flesh shall see the salvation of God.”430
Dost thou perceive how the prophet hath anticipated all by his words;
the concourse of the people, the change of things for the better, the
easiness of that which was preached, the first cause of all that was
occurring, even if he hath expressed it rather as in figure, it being
in truth a prophecy which he was uttering? Thus, when he saith,
“Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall
be brought low, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;” he is
signifying the exaltation of the lowly, the humiliation of the
self-willed, the hardness of the law changed into easiness of faith.
For it is no longer toils and labors, saith he, but grace, and
forgiveness of sins, affording great facility of salvation. Next he
states the cause of these things, saying, “All flesh shall see
the salvation of God;” no longer Jews and proselytes only, but
also all earth and sea, and the whole race of men. Because by
“the crooked things” he signified our whole corrupt life,
publicans, harlots, robbers, magicians, as many as having been
perverted before afterwards walked in the right way: much as He Himself
likewise said, “publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of God
before you,”431
because they believed. And in other words also again the prophet
declared the self-same thing, thus saying, “Then wolves and lambs
shall feed together.”432
For like as here by the hills and valleys, he meant that incongruities
of character433
are blended into one and the same evenness of self-restraint, so also
there, by the characters of the brute animals indicating the different
dispositions of men, he again spoke of their being linked in one and
the same harmony of godliness. Here also, as before, stating the cause.
That cause is, “There shall be He that riseth to reign over the
Gentiles, in Him shall the Gentiles trust:”434
much the same as here too he said, “All flesh shall see the
salvation of God,” everywhere declaring that the power and
knowledge of these our Gospels would be poured out to the ends of the
world, converting the human race, from a brutish disposition and a
fierce temper to something very gentle and mild.
4. “And the same John had his raiment of
camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins.”435
Observe, how the prophets foretold some things, others
they left to the evangelists. Wherefore also Matthew both sets down the
prophecies, and adds his own part, not accounting even this
superfluous, to speak of the dress of the righteous man.
For indeed it was a marvellous and strange thing to
behold so great austerity in a human frame: which thing also
particularly attracted the Jews, seeing in him the great Elijah, and
guided by what they then beheld, to the memory of that blessed man; or
rather, even to a greater astonishment. For the one indeed was brought
up in cities and in houses, the other dwelt entirely in the wilderness
from his very swaddling clothes. For it became the forerunner of Him
who was to put away all the ancient ills, the labor, for example, the
curse, the sorrow, the sweat; himself also to have certain tokens of
such a gift, and to come at once to be above that condemnation. Thus he
neither ploughed land, nor opened furrow, he ate not his bread by the
sweat of his face, but his table was hastily supplied, and his clothing
more easily furnished than his table, and his lodging yet less
troublesome than his clothing. For he needed neither roof, nor bed, nor
table, nor any other of these things, but a kind of angel’s life
in this our flesh did he exhibit. For this cause his very garment was
of hair, that by his dress he might instruct men to separate themselves
from all things human, and to have nothing in common with the earth,
but to hasten back to their earlier nobleness, wherein Adam was before
he wanted garments or robe. Thus that garb bore tokens of nothing
less than a kingdom, and of repentance.
And do not say to me, “Whence had he a garment of
hair and a girdle, dwelling as he did in the wilderness?” For if
thou art to make a difficulty of this, thou wilt also inquire into more
things besides; how in the winters, and how in the heats of summer, he
continued in the wilderness, and this with a delicate body, and at an
immature age? how the nature of his infant flesh endured such great
inconstancy of weather, and a diet so uncommon, and all the other
hardships arising from the wilderness?
Where now are the philosophers of the Greeks, who at
random and for nought emu
lated the
shamelessness of the Cynics (for what is the profit of being shut up in
a tub, and afterwards running into such wantonness)? they who
encompassed themselves with rings and cups, and men servants and maid
servants, and with much pomp besides, falling into either extreme. But
this man was not so; but he dwelt in the wilderness as in Heaven,
showing forth all strictness of self-restraint. And from thence, like
some angel from Heaven, he went down unto the cities, being a champion
of godliness, and a crowned victor over the world, and a philosopher of
that philosophy which is worthy of the heavens. And these things were,
when sin was not yet put away, when the law had not yet ceased, when
death was not yet bound, when the brazen gates were not yet broken up,
but while the ancient polity still was in force.
Such is the nature of a noble and thoroughly vigilant
soul, for it is everywhere springing forward, and passing beyond the
limits set to it; as Paul436
| 436As in refusing to be supported (in several cases) by
those to whom he preached the gospel. See his account of his views in
so doing, 1 Cor. ix., especially towards the end of
the chapter. | also did with respect to the new polity.
But why, it may be asked, did he use a girdle with his
raiment? This was customary with them of old time, before men passed
into this soft and loose kind of dress. Thus, for instance, both
Peter437
appears to have been “girded,” and Paul; for it saith,
“the man that owneth this girdle.”438
And Elijah439
too was thus arrayed, and every one of the saints, because they were at
work continually, laboring, and busying themselves either in
journeyings, or about some other necessary matter; and not for this
cause only, but also with a view of trampling under foot all ornaments,
and practising all austerity. This very kind of thing accordingly
Christ declares to be the greatest praise of virtue, thus saying,
“What went ye out for to see? a man clothed in soft raiment?
behold, they that wear soft clothing are in king’s
houses.”440
But if he, who was so pure, and more glorious than the
heaven, and above all prophets, than whom none greater was born, and
who had such great boldness of speech, thus exercised himself in
austerity, scorning so exceedingly all dissolute delicacy, and training
himself to this hard life; what excuse shall we have, who after so
great a benefit, and the unnumbered burdens of our sins, do not show
forth so much as the least part of his penance,441
but are drinking and surfeiting, and smelling of perfumes, and in no
better trim than the harlot women on the stage, and are by all means
softening ourselves, and making ourselves an easy prey to the devil?442
| 442[τ
διαβλ. The Oxford edition has
“the devils,” but this is misleading, since it suggests a
reference to “demons.” Probably the plural is a
misprint.—R.] |
5. “Then went out to him all Judea, and Jerusalem,
and all the region round about Jordan, and were baptized of him,
confessing their sins.”443
Seest thou how great power was in the coming of the
prophet? how he stirred up all the people; how he led them to a
consideration of their own sins? For it was indeed worthy of wonder to
behold him in human form showing forth such things and using so great
freedom of speech, and rising up in condemnation of all as children,
and having his great grace beaming out from his countenance. And,
moreover, the appearance of a prophet after the great interval of time
contributed to their amazement, because the gift had failed them, and
returned to them after a long time. And the nature of his preaching too
was strange and unusual. For they heard of none of those things to
which they were accustomed; such as wars and battles and victories
below, and famine and pestilence, and Babylonians and Persians, and the
taking of the city, and the other things with which they were familiar,
but of Heaven and of the kingdom there, and of the punishment in hell.
And it was for this cause, let me add, that although they that
committed revolt in the wilderness, those in the company of Judas, and
of Theudas,444
had been all of them slain no great while before, yet they were not the
more backward to go out thither. For neither was it for the same
objects that he summoned them, as for dominion, or revolt, or
revolution; but in order to lead them by the hand to the kingdom on
high. Wherefore neither did he keep them in the wilderness to take them
about with him, but baptizing them, and teaching them the rules
concerning self-denial, he dismissed them; by all means instructing
them to scorn whatever things are on earth, and to raise themselves up
to the things to come, and press on every day.
6. This man then let us also emulate, and forsaking
luxury and drunkenness let us go over unto the life of restraint. For
this surely is the time of confession both for the uninitiated and for
the baptized; for the one, that upon their repentance they may partake
of the sacred mysteries; for the others, that having washed away their
stain after baptism, they may approach the table with a clean
conscience. Let us then forsake this
soft and effeminate way of living. For it is not, it is not possible at
once both to do penance445
and to live in luxury. And this let John teach you by his raiment, by
his food, by his abode. What then? dost thou require us, you may say,
to practise such self-restraint as this? I do not require it, but I
advise and recommend it. But if this be not possible to you, let us at
least, though in cities, show forth repentance, for the judgment is
surely at our doors. But even if it were further off, we ought not even
so to be emboldened, for the term of each man’s life is the end
of the world virtually to him that is summoned. But that it is even at
the doors, hear Paul saying, “The night is far spent, the day is
at hand;”446
and again, “He that cometh will come, and will not tarry.”447
For the signs too are now complete, which announce that
day. For “this Gospel of the Kingdoms,” saith He,
“shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all
nations; and then shall the end come.”448
Attend with care to what is said. He said not, “when it hath been
believed by all men,” but “when it hath been preached to449
| 449[παρ
πντων
νθρπων…παρ
πασ, is the explanation of Chrysostom,
paraphrasing the New Testament passage.—R.] | all.” For this cause he also said, “for a witness to the
nations,” to show, that He doth not wait for all men to believe,
and then for Him to come. Since the phrase, “for a
witness,” hath this meaning, “for accusation,”
“for reproof,” “for condemnation of them that have
not believed.”
But we, while hearing these things and seeing them,
slumber, and see dreams, sunk in a lethargy, as in some very deepest
night.450
For the things present are nothing better than dreams, whether they be
prosperous, or whether they be painful. Wherefore I entreat you now at
length to be awakened, and to look another way, unto the Sun of
Righteousness. For no man while sleeping can see the sun, nor delight
his eyes with the beauty of its beams; but whatever he may see, he
beholds all as in a dream. For this cause we need much penance, and
many tears; both as being in a state of insensibility while we err, and
because our sins are great, and beyond excuse. And that I lie not, the
more part of them that hear me are witnesses. Nevertheless, although
they be beyond excuse, let us repent, and we shall receive crowns.
7. But by repentance I mean, not only to forsake our
former evil deeds, but also to show forth good deeds greater than
those. For, “bring forth,” saith he, “fruits meet for
repentance.”451
| 451Matt. iii.
8. [R.V., more literally,
“worthy of repentance,” with margin, “Or, your
repentance,” the Greek being τ
μετανοα; so in the text of
Chrysostom.—R.] | But how shall we bring them forth? If we do the opposite things: as for
instance, hast thou seized by violence the goods of others? henceforth
give away even thine own. Hast thou been guilty of fornication for a
long time? abstain even from thy wife for certain appointed days;
exercise continence. Hast thou insulted and stricken such as were
passing by? Henceforth bless them that insult thee, and do good to them
that smite thee. For it sufficeth not for our health to have plucked
out the dart only, but we must also apply remedies to the wound. Hast
thou lived in self-indulgence, and been drunken in time past? Fast, and
take care to drink water, in order to destroy the mischief that hath so
grown up within thee. Hast thou beheld with unchaste eyes beauty that
belonged to another? Henceforth do not so much as look upon a woman at
all, that thou mayest stand in more safety. For it is said,
“Depart from evil, and do good;”452
and again, “Make thy tongue to cease from evil, and thy lips that
they speak no guile.”453
“But tell me the good too.” “Seek peace, and pursue
it:” I mean not peace with man only, but also peace with God. And
he hath well said, “pursue” her: for she is driven away,
and cast out; she hath left the earth, and is gone to sojourn in
Heaven. Yet shall we be able to bring her back again, if we will put
away pride and boasting, and whatsoever things stand in her way, and
will follow this temperate and frugal life.454
| 454[“If we desire (θλωμεν), by putting away,
etc.…to pursue this temperate and frugal
life.”—R.] | For nothing is more grievous than wrath and fierce anger. This renders
men both puffed up and servile, by the former making them ridiculous,
by the other hateful; and bringing in opposite vices, pride and
flattery, at the same time. But if we will cut off the greediness of
this passion, we shall be both lowly with exactness, and exalted with
safety. For in our bodies too all distempers arise from excess; and
when the elements thereof leave their proper limits, and go on beyond
moderation, then all these countless diseases are generated, and
grievous kinds of death. Somewhat of the same kind one may see take
place with respect to the soul likewise.
8. Let us therefore cut away excess, and drinking the
salutary medicine of moderation,
let us abide in our proper temperament, and give careful
heed to our prayers. Though we receive not, let us persevere that we
may receive; and if we do receive, then because we have received. For
it is not at all His wish to defer giving, but by such delay He is
contriving for us to persevere. With this intent He doth also lengthen
out455
| 455ὑπερτθεται,
used as in the word ὑπρθεσιχριν εδτε πρ
πντων τ
εδτι.] | what is good for us better than we do, and loves us more ardently than
those who gave us birth. And let both these considerations be a charm
for us to chant to ourselves in every terror that occurs, that so we
may quell our despondency, and in all things glorify Him, who on our
behalf doeth and ordereth all, even God.
For so we shall both easily repulse all hostile devices,
and attain unto the incorruptible crowns: by the grace and love towards
man of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be unto the Father glory,
might, and honor, together with the Holy Ghost, now, and always, even
for ever and ever. Amen. E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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