Is. v. 4. [Chrysostom varies from the LXX., introducing με δει, to strengthen his argument.—R.]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 12, editorial note cite_note-5 · Original source
Search a Bible verse · Source library · Sources and text rights
Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew — Historical footnotes
Homily 12
Complete historical editorial footnotes. These notes retain the original edition’s wording; individual note authors are unspecified.
English translation and editorial credits: Sir George Prevost, M. B. Riddle.
Read the original source · Text reuse terms
Read the surrounding source paragraph
Speak not therefore thus, “They believed not,” but rather inquire, “Did not all things take place which ought to have made them believe?” For by the prophet also God frames this kind of defense of His own ways in general. That is, the Jews being on the point of ruin, and of being given over to extreme punishment; lest any from their wickedness should calumniate His providence, He saith, “What ought I to have done to this vineyard, that I have not done?” Just so
“The contraries:” for whereas the Spirit came to exalt, and make us partakers of the Divine Nature, the heretics would degrade Him to something like our own.
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 12, editorial note cite_note-13 · Original source
Read the surrounding source paragraph
Do not now, I pray thee, become unthankful towards thy Benefactor nor with the very contrariesrequite Him that hath bestowed
[The sentence in the Greek is not negative but affirmative: “Then assuredly” both these events occurred.—R.]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 12, editorial note cite_note-15 · Original source
Read the surrounding source paragraph
4. On this very account the Jewish baptism ceases, and ours takes its beginning. And what was done with regard to the Passover, the same ensues in the baptism also. For as in that case too, He acting with a view to both, brought the one to an end, but to the other He gave a beginning: so here, having fulfilled the Jewish baptism, He at the same time opens also the doors of that of the Church; as on one table then, so in one river now, He had both sketched out the shadow, and now adds the truth. For this baptism alone hath the grace of the Spirit, but that of John was destitute of this gift. For this very cause in the case of the others that were baptized no such thing came to pass, but only in the instance of Him who was to hand onthis; in order that, besides what we have said, thou mightest learn this also, that not the purity of the baptizer, but the power of the baptized, had this effect. Not until then, assuredly, were either the heavens opened, nor did the Spirit make His approach. Because henceforth He leads us away from the old to the new polity, both opening to us the gates on high, and sending down His Spirit from thence to call us to our country there; and not merely to call us, but also with the greatest mark of dignity. For He hath not made us angels and archangels, but He hath caused us to become “sons of God,” and “beloved,” and so He draws us on towards that portion of ours.
Gen. iv. 12. [The LXX. has γ in both passages. The verbal suggestion of the original may be retained by rendering: “Earth thou art, and unto earth thou shalt return,” and thou “tillest the earth.”—R.]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 12, editorial note cite_note-17 · Original source
Read the surrounding source paragraph
For if he who had paradise for his portion, for one disobedience underwent such dreadful things after his honor; we, who have received Heaven, and are become joint heirs with the Only Begotten, what excuse shall we have, for running to the serpent after the dove? For it will be no longer, “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return,”and thou “tillest the ground,”and those former words, that will be said to us;but what is far more grievous than these, the “outer darkness,”the bonds that may not be burst, the venomous worm, the “gnashing of teeth;” and this with great reason. For he that is not made better even by so great a benefit, would justly suffer the most extreme, and a yet more grievous punishment. Elias once opened and shut Heaven, but
[῞Ελληνε.] “Greeks.” But the ecclesiastical use is correctly given in the translation. In the New Testament, the term was equivalent to “Gentiles,” as opposed to Jews; but was afterwards applied to heathen as opposed to Christians. See Sophocles Greek Lexicon of the Roman and Byzantine periods, sub voce.—R.]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 12, editorial note cite_note-21 · Original source
Read the surrounding source paragraph
How then is it not of the utmost folly, where destruction and waste is the lot of all that is stored, there to heap up all, but where things abide untouched and increase, there not to lay up even the least portion; and this, when we are to live there forever? For this cause the very heathensdisbelieve the things that we say, since our doings, not our sayings, are the demonstration which they are willing to receive from us; and when they see us building ourselves fine houses, and laying out gardens and baths, and buying fields, they are not willing to believe that we are preparing for another sort of residence away from our city.
i.e., the Macedonians, who were censured at Constantinople, A.D. 381.
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 12, editorial note cite_note-12 · Original source
Read the surrounding source paragraph
Reflect now on the greatness of the gift, and do not account His dignity the less for His appearing in such a likeness. For I actually hear some saying,that “such as is the difference between a man and a dove, so great is that between Christ and the Spirit: since the one appeared in our nature, the other in the likeness of a dove.” What must we say then to these things? That the Son of God did indeed take upon Him the nature of man, but the Spirit took not on Him the nature of a dove. Therefore the evangelist also said not, “in the nature of a dove,” but “in the form of a dove.” Accordingly, never after did He so much as appear in this fashion, but at that moment only. And if on this account thou affirmest His dignity to be less, the cherubim too will be made out by this reasoning much His superior, even as much so as an eagle is to a dove: because they too were figured into that visible shape. And the angels too superior again, for they no less have many times appeared in the fashion of men. But these things are not so, indeed they are not. For the truth of an economy is one thing, and the condescension of a temporary vision another.
[παραδιδναι; “hand down” would express the sense more clearly.—R.]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 12, editorial note cite_note-14 · Original source
Read the surrounding source paragraph
4. On this very account the Jewish baptism ceases, and ours takes its beginning. And what was done with regard to the Passover, the same ensues in the baptism also. For as in that case too, He acting with a view to both, brought the one to an end, but to the other He gave a beginning: so here, having fulfilled the Jewish baptism, He at the same time opens also the doors of that of the Church; as on one table then, so in one river now, He had both sketched out the shadow, and now adds the truth. For this baptism alone hath the grace of the Spirit, but that of John was destitute of this gift. For this very cause in the case of the others that were baptized no such thing came to pass, but only in the instance of Him who was to hand onthis; in order that, besides what we have said, thou mightest learn this also, that not the purity of the baptizer, but the power of the baptized, had this effect. Not until then, assuredly, were either the heavens opened, nor did the Spirit make His approach. Because henceforth He leads us away from the old to the new polity, both opening to us the gates on high, and sending down His Spirit from thence to call us to our country there; and not merely to call us, but also with the greatest mark of dignity. For He hath not made us angels and archangels, but He hath caused us to become “sons of God,” and “beloved,” and so He draws us on towards that portion of ours.
[Literally, “that we shall hear.”—R.]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 12, editorial note cite_note-18 · Original source
Read the surrounding source paragraph
For if he who had paradise for his portion, for one disobedience underwent such dreadful things after his honor; we, who have received Heaven, and are become joint heirs with the Only Begotten, what excuse shall we have, for running to the serpent after the dove? For it will be no longer, “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return,”and thou “tillest the ground,”and those former words, that will be said to us;but what is far more grievous than these, the “outer darkness,”the bonds that may not be burst, the venomous worm, the “gnashing of teeth;” and this with great reason. For he that is not made better even by so great a benefit, would justly suffer the most extreme, and a yet more grievous punishment. Elias once opened and shut Heaven, but
[ἐπισφγγωμεν, The verb means “to bind tight,” and is variously applied.—R.]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 12, editorial note cite_note-22 · Original source
Read the surrounding source paragraph
Therefore I say we shall suffer the utmost punishment, departing thither naked and poor; or rather it will not be for our own poverty that we shall undergo these irremediable calamities, but also for our making others to be such as ourselves. For when heathens see them that have partaken of so great mysteries earnest about these matters, much more will they cling themselves to the things heaping much fire upon our head. For when we, who ought to teach them to despise all things that appear, do ourselves most of all urge them to the lust of these things; when shall it be possible for us to be saved, having to give account for the perdition of others? Hearest thou not Christ say, that He left us to be for salt and for lights in this world, in order that we may both brace upthose that are melting in luxury, and enlighten them that are darkened by the care of wealth? When therefore we even cast them into more thorough darkness, and make them more dissolute, what hope shall we have of salvation? There is none at all; but wailing and gnashing our teeth, and bound hand and foot, we shall depart into the fire of hell, after being full well worn down by the cares of riches.