HOMILY XI. JOHN i. 14. "And the Word was made Flesh, and dwelt among us." | of God, do these seem to you so utterly superfluous and mean, that you think you need not. assign even a little leisure to them? How do men of such disposition deserve to breathe or to look upon this sun? 3 [1.] I DESIRE to ask one favor of you all, before I touch on the words of the Gospel; do not you refuse my request, for I ask nothing heavy or burdensome, nor, if granted, will it be useful only to me who receive, but also to you who grant it, and perhaps far more so to you. What then is it that I require of you? That each of you take in hand that section of the Gospels which is to be read among you on the first day of the week, or even on the Sabbath, and before the day arrive, that he sit down at home and read it through, and often carefully consider its contents, and examine all its parts well, what is clear, what obscure,2 what seems to make for the adversaries, but does not really so; and when you have tried,* in a word, every point, so go to hear it read. For from zeal like this will be no small gain both to you and to us. We shall not need much labor to render clear the meaning of what is said, because your minds will be already made familiar with the sense of the words, and you will become keener and more clear-sighted not for hearing only, nor for learning, but also for the teaching of others. Since, in the way that now most of those who come hither hear, compelled to take in the meaning of all at once, both the words, and the remarks we make upon them, they will not, though we should go on doing this for a whole year, reap any great gain. How can they, when they have leisure for what is said as a bywork, and only in this place, and for this short time? If any lay the fault on business, and cares, and constant occupation in public and private matters, in the first place, this is no slight charge in itself, that they are surrounded with such a multitude of business, are so continually nailed to the things of this life, that they cannot find even a little leisure for what is more needful than all. Besides, that this is a mere pretext and excuse, their meetings with friends would prove against them, their loitering in the theaters, and the parties they make to see horse races, at which they often spend whole days, yet never in that case does one of them complain of the pressure of business. For trifles then you can without making any excuses, always find abundant leisure; but when you ought to attend to the things 1 al. "let him mark what is clear, &c." 2 al. "very plain." 3 al. "to be contradictory." 4 Siakwowviσavres, "having tried by ringing." 5 ἁπλῶς. 6 ἐκ παρέργου. Η συνέδρια. 8 There is another most foolish excuse of these sluggards; that they have not the books in their possession. Now as to the rich, it is ludicrous that we should take our aim at this excuse; but because I imagine that many of the poorer sort continually use it, I would gladly ask, if every one of them does not have all the instruments of the trade which he works at, full and complete, though infinite poverty stand in his way? Is it not then a strange thing, in that case to throw no blame on poverty, but to use every means that there be no obstacle from any quarter, but, when we might gain such great advantage, to lament our want of leisure and our poverty? 11 Besides, even if any should be so poor, it is in their power, by means of the continual reading of the holy Scriptures which takes place here, to be ignorant of nothing contained in them. Or if this seems to you impossible, it seems so with reason; for many do not come with fervent zeal to hearken to what is said, but having done this one thing 10 for form's sake on our account,12 immediately return home. Or if any should stay, they are no better disposed than those who have retired, since they are only present here with us in body. But that we may not overload you with accusations, and spend all the time in finding fault, let us proceed to the words of the Gospel, for it is time to direct the remainder of our discourse to what is set before us. Rouse yourselves therefore, that nothing of what is said escape you. "And the Word was made Flesh," he saith, "and dwelt among us." Having declared that they who received Him were "born of God," and had become "sons of God," he adds the cause and reason of this unspeakable honor. It is that "the Word became Flesh," that the Master took on Him the form of a servant. For He became Son of man, who was God's own 13 Son, in order that He might make the sons of men to be children of God. For the high when it associates with the low touches not at all its own honor, while it raises (Ps. cii. up the other from its excessive lowness; and up, and they shall be changed; but Thou art the even thus it was with the Lord. He in nothing same, and Thy years shall not fail." diminished His own Nature by this condescen- 27, LXX.) For that Essence is superior to all sion,' but raised us, who had always sat in dis- change. There is nothing better than He, to grace and darkness, to glory unspeakable. Thus which He might advance and reach. Better do it may be, a king, conversing with interest and I say? No, nor equal to, nor the least apkindness with a poor mean man, does not at all proaching Him. It remains, therefore, that if shame himself, yet makes the other observed He change, He must admit a change for the by all and illustrious. Now if in the case of the worse; and this would not be God. But let the adventitious dignity of men, intercourse with the blasphemy return upon the heads of those who humbler person in nothing injures the more utter it. Nay, to show that he uses the expreshonorable, much less can it do so in the case sion, "was made," only that you should not supof that simple and blessed Essence, which has pose a mere appearance, hear from what follows nothing adventitious, or subject to growth or de- how he clears the argument, and overthrows that cay, but has all good things immovable, and wicked suggestion. For what does he add? fixed for ever. So that when you hear that "the" And dwelt among us." All but saying, "ImWord became Flesh," be not disturbed nor cast agine nothing improper from the word 'was down. For that Essence did not change to made'; I spoke not of any change of that unflesh, (it is impiety to imagine this,) but con- changeable Nature, but of Its dwelling and intinuing what it is, It so took upon It the form of habiting. But that which dwells cannot be the same with that in which it dwells, but different; one thing dwells in a different thing, otherwise it would not be dwelling; for nothing can inhabit itself. I mean, different as to essence; for by an Union 10 and Conjoining" God the Word and the Flesh are One, not by any confusion or obliteration of substances, but by a certain union ineffable, and past understanding. Ask not how 13; for It WAS MADE, SO as He knoweth." a servant. 3 12 8 What then was the tabernacle in which He dwelt? Hear the Prophet say; "I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen." (Amos ix. 11.) It was fallen indeed, our nature had fallen an incurable fall, and needed only that mighty Hand. There was no possibility of raising it again, had not He who fashioned it at first [2.] Wherefore then does he use the expression, "was made"? To stop the mouths of the heretics. For since there are some who say that all the circumstances of the Dispensation were an appearance, a piece of acting, an allegory, at once to remove beforehand their blasphemy, he has put "was made"; desiring to show thereby not a change of substance, (away with the thought,) but the assumption of very flesh. For as when (Paul) says, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us," he does not mean that His essence removing from Its proper glory took upon It the being of an accursed thing, (this not even devils could imagine, nor even the very foolish, nor those deprived of their natural understand-stretched forth to it His Hand, and stamped it ing, such impiety as well as madness does it contain,) as (St. Paul) does not say this, but that He, taking upon Himself the curse pronounced against us, leaves us no more under the curse; so also here he (St. John) says that He" was made Flesh," not by changing His Essence to flesh, but by taking flesh to Himself, His Essence remained untouched. anew with His Image, by the regeneration of water and the Spirit. And observe, I pray you, the awful and ineffable nature of the mystery. He inhabits this tabernacle for ever, for He clothed Himself with our flesh, not as again to leave it, but always to have it with Him. Had not this been the case, He would not have deemed it worthy of the royal throne, nor would He while wearing it have been worshiped by all the host of heaven, angels, archangels, thrones, principalities, dominions, powers. What word, what thought can represent such great honor done to our race, so truly marvelous and awful? What angel, what archangel? Not one in any place, whether in heaven, or upon earth. For such are the mighty works 15 of God, so great and marvelous are His benefits, that a right description of them exceeds not only the tongue of men, but even the power of angels. Wherefore we will1 for a while close our dis- lavished upon us, will not even contribute what course, and be silent; only delivering to you we can, and that too when profit comes round this charge, that you repay this our so great to us again by these means, and ten thousand Benefactor by a return which again shall bring blessings are laid before us on these conditions. round to us all profit. The return is, that we For all these things let us return glory to our look with all carefulness to the state of our souls. merciful God, not by words only, but much more For this too is the work of His lovingkindness, by works, that we may obtain the good things that He who stands in no need of anything of hereafter, which may it be that we all attain to, ours, says that He is repaid when we take care through the grace and lovingkindness of our of our own souls. It is therefore an act of ex- Lord Jesus Christ, by whom and with whom, to tremest folly, and one deserving ten thousand the Father and the Holy Ghost, be glory for chastisements, if we, when such honor has been ever and ever. Amen. HOMILY XII. "And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the OnlyBegotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." [1] PERHAPS we seemed to you the other day needlessly hard upon you and burdensome, using too sharp language, and extending too far our reproaches against the sluggishness of the many. Now if we had done this merely from a desire to vex you, each of you would with cause have been angry; but if, looking to your advantage, we neglected in our speech what might gratify you, if ye will not give us credit for our forethought, you should at least pardon us on account of such tender love. For in truth we greatly fear, lest, if we are taking pains, and you are not willing to manifest the same diligence in listening, your future reckoning may be the more severe. Wherefore we are compelled continually to arouse and waken you, that nothing of what is said may escape you. For so you will be enabled to live for the present with much confidence, and to exhibit it at that Day before the judgment-seat of Christ. Since then we have lately sufficiently touched you, let us to-day at the outset enter on the expressions themselves. 6 66 12 11 we could not have beheld, had it not been shown 14 11 Morel, "make the intolerable (brightness) of his countenance bearable to them." 14 παρανοίξαντες. 15 al."all but saying." 12 ἐσκήνωσεν. 13 [were glorified.] be, but of the Master Himself, the King Himself, the true Only-Begotten Son Himself, of the Very Lord' of all, did we "behold the glory." city; Gabriel to Mary and Elisabeth; Anna and Simeon to those who came to the Temple. Nor were men and women only lifted up with For the expression "as," does not in this pleasure, but the very infant who had not yet place belong to similarity or comparison, but to come forth to light, I mean the citizen of the confirmation and unquestionable definition; as wilderness, the namesake of this Evangelist, though he said, "We beheld glory, such as it leaped while yet in his mother's womb, and all was becoming, and likely that He should pos- were soaring with hopes for the future. This sess, who is the Only-Begotten and true Son of too immediately after the Birth. But when He God, the King of all." The habit (of so speaking) | had manifested Himself still farther, other wonis general, for I shall not refuse to strengthen my ders, yet greater than the first, were seen. For argument even from common custom, since it is it was no more star, or sky, no more angels, or not now my object to speak with any reference archangels, not Gabriel, or Michael, but the to beauty of words, or elegance of composition, Father Himself from heaven above, who probut only for your advantage; and therefore claimed Him, and with the Father the Comthere is nothing to prevent my establishing my forter, flying down at the uttering of the Voice argument by the instance of a common practice. and resting on Him. Truly therefore did he What then is the habit of most persons? Often say, "We beheld His glory, the glory as of the when any have seen a king richly decked, and Only-Begotten of the Father." glittering on all sides with precious stones, and are afterwards describing to others the beauty, the ornaments, the splendor, they enumerate as much as they can, the glowing tint of the purple robe, the size of the jewels, the whiteness of the mules, the gold about the yoke, the soft and shining couch. But when after enumerating these things, and other things besides these, they cannot, say what they will, give a full idea of the splendor, they immediately bring in: "But why say much about it; once for all, he was like a king; not desiring by the expression "like," to show that he, of whom they say this, resembles a king, but that he is a real king. Just so now the Evangelist has put the word As, desiring to represent the transcendent nature and incomparable excellence of His glory. For indeed all others, both angels and archangels and prophets, did everything as under command; but He, with the authority which becomes a King and Master; at which even the multitudes wondered, that He taught as "one having authority." (Matt. vii. 29.) Even angels, as I said, have appeared with great glory upon the earth; as in the case of Daniel, of David, of Moses, but they did all as servants who have a Master. But He as Lord and Ruler of all, and this when He appeared in poor and humble form; but even so creation recognized her Lord. Now the star from heaven which called the wise men to worship Him, the vast throng pouring everywhere of angels attending the Lord,3 and hymning His praise, and besides them, many other heralds sprang up on a sudden, and all, as they met, declared to one another the glad tidings of this ineffable mystery; the angels to the shepherds; the shepherds to those of the 9 8 [2.] Yet he says it not only on account of these things, but also on account of what followed them; for no longer do shepherds only, and widow women, and aged men, declare to us the good tidings, but the very voice' of the things themselves, sounding clearer than any trumpet, and so loudly, that the sound was straightway heard even in this land. "For," says one, "his fame went into all Syria" (Matt. iv. 24); and He revealed Himself to all, and all things everywhere exclaimed, that the King of Heaven was come. Evil spirits everywhere fled and started away from Him, Satan covered his face and retired, death 10 at that time retreated before Him, and afterwards disappeared altogether; every kind of infirmity was loosed, the graves let free the dead, the devils those whom they had maddened," and diseases the sick. And one might see things strange and wonderful, such as with good cause the prophets desired to see, and saw not. might see eyes fashioned (John ix. 6, 7), (might see) Him showing to all in short space and on the more noble portion of the body, that admirable thing which all would have desired to see, how God formed Adam from the earth; palsied and distorted limbs fastened and adapted to each other, dead hands moving, palsied feet leaping amain, ears that were stopped re-opened, and the tongue sounding aloud which before was tied by speechlessness. For having taken in hand the common nature of men, as some excellent workman might take a house decayed by time, He filled up what was broken off, banded together its crevices and shaken portions, and raised up again what was entirely fallen down. And what should one say of the fashioning of One 9 ἐγκαλυψάμενος. 10 al "and death itself." 11 τοὺς μεμήνοτας. the soul, so much more admirable than that of the body? The health of our bodies is a great thing, but that of our souls is as much greater as the soul is better than the body. And not on this account only, but because our bodily nature follows whithersoever the Creator will lead it, and there is nothing to resist, but the soul being its own mistress, and possessing power over its acts, does not in all things obey God, unless it will to do so. For God will not make it beautiful and excellent, if it be reluctant and in a manner constrained by force, for this is not virtue at all; but He must persuade it to become so of its own will and choice. And so this cure is more difficult than the other; yet even this succeeded, and every kind of wickedness was banished. And as He re-ordered the bodies which He cured, not to health only, but to the highest vigor, so did He not merely deliver the souls from extremest wickedness, but brought them to the very summit of excellence. A publican became an Apostle, and a persecutor, blasphemer, and injurious, appeared as herald to the world, and the Magi became teachers of the Jews, and a thief was declared a citizen of Paradise, and a harlot shone forth by the greatness of her faith, and of the two women, of Canaan and Samaria, the latter who was another harlot, undertook to preach the Gospel to her countrymen, and having enclosed a whole city in her net,1 so brought them to Christ; while the former by faith and perseverance, procured the expulsion of an evil spirit from her daughter's soul; and many others much worse than these were straightway numbered in the rank of disciples, and at once all the infirmities of their bodies and diseases of their souls were transformed, and they were fashioned anew to health and exactest virtue. And of these, not two or three men, not five, or ten, or twenty, or an hundred only, but entire cities and nations, were very easily remodeled. Why should one speak of the wisdom of the commands, the excellency of the heavenly laws, the good ordering of the angelic polity? For such a life hath He proposed to us, such laws appointed for us, such a polity established, that those who put these things into practice, immediately become angels and like to God, as far as is in our power, even though they may have been worse than all men. 4 6 exalted docrine, saying, “We beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only-Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." For we admire Him. not only on account of the miracles, but also by reason of the sufferings; as that He was nailed upon the Cross, that He was scourged, that He was buffeted, that He was spit upon, that He received blows on the cheek from those to whom He had done good. For even of those very things which seem to be shameful, it is proper to repeat the same expression, since He Himself called that action "glory." For what then took place was (proof) not only of kindness and love, but also of unspeakable power. At that time death was abolished, the curse was loosed, devils were shamed and led in triumph and made a show of, and the handwriting of our sins was nailed to the Cross. And then, since these wonders were doing invisibly, others took place visibly, showing that He was of a truth the OnlyBegotten Son of God, the Lord of all creation. For while yet that blessed Body hung upon the tree, the sun turned away his rays, the whole earth was troubled and became dark, the graves were opened, the ground quaked, and an innumerable multitude of dead leaped forth, and went into the city. And while the stones of His tomb were fastened upon the vault, and the seals yet upon them, the Dead arose, the Crucified, the nail-pierced One, and having filled His eleven disciples with His mighty power, He sent them to men throughout all the world, to be the common healers of all their kind, to correct their way of living, to spread through every part of the earth the knowledge of their heavenly doctrines, to break down the tyranny of devils, to teach those great and ineffable blessings, to bring to us the glad tidings of the soul's immortality, and the eternal life of the body, and rewards which are beyond conception, and shall never have an end. These things then, and yet. more than these, the blessed Evangelist having in mind, things which though he knew, he was not able to write, because the world could not have contained them (for if all things "should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written"-c. xxi. 25), reflecting therefore on all these, he cries out, "We beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only-Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." 8 |