Matt. XIII. 34, 35.

“All these things spake Jesus unto the multitudes in parables, and without a parable spake He not¹⁸³⁶

1836[R.V., “nothing,” following a reading accepted by Chrysostom, both here and in the comments. The received text has “not.”—R. ]

1837[R.V., “things hidden.”]

1838Comp. Ps. lxxviii. 2.

But Mark saith, “As they were able to hear it, He spake the word unto them in parables.”¹⁸³⁹

1839Matt. iv. 33.

Then pointing out that He is not making a new thing, He brings in the Prophet also, proclaiming beforehand this His manner of teaching. And to teach us the purpose of Christ, how He discoursed in this manner, not that they might be ignorant, but that He might lead them to inquiry, he added, “And without a parable spake He nothing unto them.” Yet surely He did say many things without a parable; but then nothing. And for all this no man asked Him questions, whereas the Prophets, we know, they were often questioning: as Ezekiel,¹⁸⁴⁰

1840Ezek. xii. 9, xxiv. 19, xxxvii. 18.

Wherefore also He left them and went away. For,

“Then,” saith he, “Jesus sent the multitudes away,¹⁸⁴¹

1841[R.V., “he left the multitudes.” Compare the previous sentence. But Chrysostom, with the rec. text inserts “Jesus.”—R.]

1842Matt. xiii. 36, the house (rec. text).

And not one of the Scribes follows Him; whence it is clear that for no other purpose did they follow, than to take hold of Him.¹⁸⁴³

1843ἐπιλαβσθαι .

“And His disciples come unto Him, asking Him concerning the parable of the tares;”¹⁸⁴⁴

1844[Matt. xiii. 36, freely cited.]

1845Mark ix. 32.

And why may it be that they let pass the parable of the leaven, and of the mustard seed, and inquire concerning this? They let those pass, as being plainer; but about this, as having an affinity to that before spoken, and as setting forth something more than it, they are desirous to learn (since He would not have spoken the same to them a second time); for indeed they saw how severe was the threatening therein uttered.¹⁸⁴⁶

1846This passage is translated according to a conjectural emendation of Mr. Field. [The Greek text seems to be corrupt here. The mss. readings yield no intelligible sense that can be considered correct.—R.]

And, as I am always saying, the parables must not be explained throughout word for word, since many absurdities will follow; this even He Himself is teaching us here in thus interpreting this parable. Thus He saith not at all who the servants are that came to Him, but, implying that He brought them in, for the sake of some order, and to make up the picture, He omits that part, and interprets those that are most urgent and essential, and for the sake of which the parable was spoken; signifying Himself to be Judge and Lord of all.

“And He answered,” so it is said, “and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, the good seed, these are the children of the kingdom, but the tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that soweth them is the devil; and the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of Man shall send His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;¹⁸⁴⁷

1847Or, “produce lawlessness,” το ποιοντα τν νομαν, in which sense it seems more directly applicable to heretics, who may not be vicious in their own lives, but produce a contempt of God’s law by their false doctrines. Transl.

1848Matt. xiii. 37–43. [The long citation presents few textual variations of any kind, none that affect the sense.—R.]

For whereas He Himself is the sower, and that of His own field, and out of His own kingdom He gathers, it is quite clear that the present world also is His.

But mark His unspeakable love to man, and His leaning to bounty, and His disinclination to punishment; in that, when He sows, He sows in His own person, but when He punishes, it is by others, that is, by the angels.

“Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” Not because it will be just so much only, but because this star is surpassed in brightness by none that we know. He uses the comparisons that are known to us.

And yet surely elsewhere He saith, the harvest is already come; as when He saith of the Samaritans, “Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.”¹⁸⁴⁹

1849John iv. 35.

1850Matt. ix. 37; Luke x. 2.

And how having elsewhere said, “One soweth, and another reapeth,”¹⁸⁵¹

1851John iv. 37.

And at times He calls this self-same thing both harvest and sowing, naming it with relation, now to one thing, now to another. Thus when He is speaking of the conviction and obedience of His converts,¹⁸⁵²

1852ὑπακουσντων .

And how saith He elsewhere, that “the righteous are caught up first?”¹⁸⁵³

18531 Thess. iv. 17.

2. But wherefore doth He still go on, when the others have withdrawn, to speak to these also in parables? They had become wiser by His sayings, so as even to understand. At any rate, to them He saith afterwards,

“Have ye understood all these things? They say unto Him, Yea, Lord.”¹⁸⁵⁴

1854Matt. xiii. 51. [R.V., omits “Lord,” so the oldest mss. and the Vulgate.—R.]

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field, the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a merchant man seeking goodly pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”¹⁸⁵⁵

1855Matt. xiii. 44–46. [Here also the Greek text presents few peculiarities; τ is omitted before ἀγρ in verse 44, as in a few mss. of the New Testament.—R.]

Much as in the other place, the mustard seed and the leaven have but some little difference from each other, so here also these two parables, that of the treasure and that of the pearl. This being of course signified by both, that we ought to value the gospel above all things. And the former indeed, of the leaven and of the mustard seed, was spoken with a view to the power of the gospel, and to its surely prevailing over the world; but these declare its value, and great price. For as it extends itself like mustard seed, and prevails like leaven, so it is precious like a pearl, and affords full abundance like a treasure. We are then to learn not this only, that we ought to strip ourselves of everything else, and cling to the gospel, but also that we are to do so with joy; and when a man is dispossessing himself of his goods, he is to know that the transaction is gain, and not loss.

Seest thou how both the gospel is hid in the world, and the good things in the gospel?

Except thou sell all, thou buyest not; except thou have such a soul, anxious and inquiring, thou findest not. Two things therefore are requisite, abstinence from worldly matters, and watchfulness. For He saith “One seeking goodly pearls, who when he had found one of great price, sold all and bought it.” For the truth is one, and not in many divisions.

And much as he that hath the pearl knows indeed himself that he is rich, but others know not, many times, that he is holding it in his hand (for there is no corporeal bulk); just so also with the gospel, they that have hold of it know that they are rich, but the unbelievers, not knowing of this treasure, are in ignorance also of our wealth.

3. After this, that we may not be confident in the gospel merely preached, nor think that faith only suffices us for salvation, He utters also another, an awful parable. Which then is this? That of the net.

“For the kingdom of Heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind; which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.”¹⁸⁵⁶

1856Matt. xiii. 47, 48. [R.V., “which, when it was filled, they drew upon the beach,” etc.]

And wherein doth this differ from the parable of the tares? For there too the one are saved, the other perish; but there, for choosing of wicked doctrines; and those before this again, for not giving heed to His sayings, but these for wickedness of life; who are the most wretched of all, having attained to His knowledge, and being caught, but not even so capable of being saved.

Yet surely He saith elsewhere, that the shepherd Himself separates them, but here He saith the angels do this;¹⁸⁵⁷

1857Matt. xxv. 32.

1858παχτερον.

And this parable He interprets without so much as being asked, but of His own motion He explained it by one part of it, and increased their awe. For lest, on being told, “They cast the bad away,” thou shouldest suppose that ruin to be without danger; by His interpretation He signified the punishment, saying, “They will cast them into the furnace.”¹⁸⁵⁹

1859Matt. xiii. 50.

Seest thou how many are the ways of destruction? By the rock, by the thorns, by the wayside, by the tares, by the net. Not without reason therefore did He say, “Broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go away¹⁸⁶⁰

1860ἀπερχμενοι, rec. text, εσερχμενοι .

1861Matt. vii. 13.

4. Having then uttered all this, and concluded His discourse in a tone to cause fear, and signified that these are the majority of cases (for He dwelt more on them). He saith,

“Have ye understood all these things? They say unto Him, Yea, Lord.”¹⁸⁶²

1862Matt. xiii. 51. [See note 7, p. 293.—R.]

Then because they understood, He again praises them, saying,

“Therefore every Scribe, which is instructed in the Kingdom of Heaven,¹⁸⁶³

1863[R.V., “hath been made a disciple to the Kingdom of Heaven.” Chrysostom reads ἐν, the received text has ε with the accusative.—R.]

1864Matt. xiii. 52.

Wherefore elsewhere also He saith, “I will send you wise men and scribes.”¹⁸⁶⁵

1865Matt. xxiii. 34.

So that as many as are ignorant of the divine Scriptures cannot be “householders;” such as neither have of themselves, nor receive of others, but neglect their own case, perishing with famine. And not these only, but the heretics too,¹⁸⁶⁶

1866i.e., in particular the Manichæans, and other sects which deny the divinity of the Old Testament.

Let us then hear, as many of us as neglect the reading of the Scriptures, to what harm we are subjecting ourselves, to what poverty. For when are we to apply ourselves to the real practice of virtue, who do not so much as know the very laws according to which our practice should be guided? But while the rich, those who are mad about wealth, are constantly shaking out their garments, that they may not become moth-eaten; dost thou, seeing forgetfulness worse than any moth wasting thy soul, neglect conversing with books? dost thou not thrust away from thee the pest, adorn thy soul, look continually upon the image of virtue, and acquaint thyself with her members and her head? For she too hath a head and members more seemly than any graceful and beautiful body.

What then, saith one, is the head of virtue? Humility. Wherefore Christ also begins with it, saying, “Blessed are the poor.”¹⁸⁶⁷

1867Matt v. 3; Luke vi. 20.

1868Is. lxvi. 2.

1869Ps. ci. 6; comp. Ps. lxxvi. 9.

1870Ps. xxxiv. 18.

1871βμο, θυσιαστριον. These two words are commonly used, the former in a bad, the other in a good sense, of Heathen, and Christian, or Jewish, altars respectively. This seems to be an invariable rule, as to the word βμο, in the Greek Bible except that it is used of the Jewish altar in the following places of the Apocrypha: Ecclus. l. 12, 14; 2 Macc. ii. 19, xiii. 8, which may suffice to show that it was occasionally employed, as by St. Chrysostom here, with no unholy association.

1872Ps. li. 17.

Hast thou seen a head such as thou hadst never seen? Wilt thou see the face too, or rather mark it? Mark then for the present its color, how ruddy, and blooming, and very engaging; and observe what are its ingredients. “Well, and what are they?” Shame-facedness and blushing. Wherefore also some one saith, “Before a shamefaced man shall go favor.”¹⁸⁷³

1873Ecclus. xxxii. 10.

And if thou wilt see the eyes also, behold them exactly delineated with decency and temperance. Wherefore they become also so beautiful and sharpsighted, as to behold even the Lord Himself. For, “Blessed,” saith He, “are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”¹⁸⁷⁴

1874Matt. v. 8.

And her mouth is wisdom and understanding, and the knowledge of spiritual hymns. And her heart, acquaintance with Scripture, and maintenance of sound doctrines, and benevolence, and kindness. And as without this last there is no living, so without that other is never any salvation. Yea, for from that all her excellencies have birth. She hath also for feet and hands the manifestations of her good works. She hath a soul too, godliness. She hath likewise a bosom of gold, and firmer than adamant, even fortitude; and all may be taken captive more easily than that bosom may be riven asunder. And the spirit that is in the brain and heart, is charity.¹⁸⁷⁵

1875[ἀγπ ]

5. Wilt thou that in her actual deeds also I show thee her image? Consider, I pray thee, this very evangelist: although we have not his whole life in writing, nevertheless even from a few facts one may see his image shine forth.

First, as to his having been lowly and contrite, hear him, after his gospel, calling himself a publican; for his being also merciful, see him stripping himself of all and following Jesus; and as to his piety, it is evident from his doctrines. And his wisdom again it is easy to see from the gospel which he composed, and his charity¹⁸⁷⁶

1876[ἀγπην.]

1877Luke xxii. 30.

1878Acts v. 41.

Let us imitate then this virtue, and most of all his humility and almsgiving, without which one cannot be saved. And this is shown by the five virgins, and together with them by the Pharisee. For without virginity indeed it is possible to see the kingdom, but without almsgiving it cannot be. For this is among the things that are essential, and hold all together. Not unnaturally then have we called it the heart of virtue. But this heart, unless it supply breath to all, is soon extinguished. In the same way then as the fountain also, if it confine its streams to itself, grows putrid; so it is with the rich also, when they keep their possessions to themselves. Wherefore even in our common conversation we say, “great is the consumption¹⁸⁷⁹

1879σψι, q.d. “the wear and tear.”

And if thou be willing to produce in the midst a miser’s soul; like a garment eaten by innumerable worms, and not having any sound part, even so wilt thou find it, perforated on all sides by cares; rotted, cankered by sins.

But not such the poor man’s soul, the soul of him, I mean, that is voluntarily poor; but it is resplendent as gold, it shines like a pearl, and it blooms like a rose. For no moth is there, no thief is there, no worldly care, but as angels converse, so do they.

Wouldest thou see the beauty of this soul? Wouldest thou acquaint thyself with the riches of poverty? He commands not men, but he commands evil spirits. He stands not at a king’s side, but he hath taken his stand near to God. He is the comrade, not of men, but of angels. He hath not chests, two, or three, or twenty, but such an abundance as to account the whole world as nothing. He hath not a treasure, but heaven. He needs not slaves, or rather hath his passions for slaves, hath for slaves the motives¹⁸⁸⁰

1880λογισμος.

1881[The translator has omitted a clause: “and dares not face him,” κα ντιβλψαι ο τολμ.]

What then can be superior to this poor man? He hath at least heaven for his pavement; but if the pavement be like this, imagine the roof! But hath he not horses and chariots? Why, what need hath he of these, who is to be borne upon the clouds, and to be with Christ?

Having these things then impressed on our minds, let us, both men and women, seek after that wealth, and the plenty that cannot be rifled; that we may attain also unto the kingdom of heaven, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might forever and ever. Amen.

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