John Chrysostom, On the Cross and the Thief I

wanting to show his magnanimity. The disciple could not bear the threat of a lowly maiden; but the thief, seeing a whole crowd standing around, shouting, raging, hurling blasphemies and taunts, paid no attention to them, did not consider the apparent lowliness of the one being crucified, but with the eyes of faith passing over all these things, and setting aside the humble hindrances, he recognized the Lord of the heavens, and falling down before him said: Remember me, Lord, when you come into your kingdom. Let us not simply pass by this thief, nor be ashamed to take as a teacher him whom our Lord was not ashamed to be the first to bring into paradise; let us not be ashamed to take as a teacher a man who appeared worthy of the citizenship in the heavens before all of nature, but let us examine each particular thing precisely, so that we may learn the power of the cross.

He did not say to him, as to Peter: Come after me, and I will make you a fisher of men; nor did he say to him, as to the twelve, that you will sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel; rather, he did not deem him worthy of a word at all; he did not show a miracle, he did not behold a dead man being raised, nor demons being driven out; he did not see the sea obeying, he said nothing to him about the kingdom, nor about Gehenna; and he confessed him before all, and this, while the other was reviling; for the other thief was reviling him. For there was also another thief crucified with him, so that that might be fulfilled, which says, He was numbered with the transgressors. For the Jews also wanted to slander his glory, and from all sides they abused what was happening; but from all sides the truth shone forth, and it was increased through their hindrances. Therefore the other thief was reviling him. Do you see a thief and a thief? both on a cross, both from a robber's life, both from wickedness; but not both in the same things, but one inherited the kingdom, and the other was sent to Gehenna. So also yesterday: disciples and a disciple, Judas and the eleven; but they were saying: Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover? but this one was preparing betrayal and said: What do you want to give me, and I will hand him over to you? and they were preparing themselves for service and the divine mystery, but this one was hastening to betray. So also here a thief and a thief; but one reviles, and the other worships; and one blasphemes, but the other praises, and stops the one who is blaspheming, saying: Do you not even fear God? for we are receiving what we deserve for what we have done.

3. Did you see the boldness of a thief? did you see boldness on a cross? did you see philosophy in

punishment, and piety in chastisement? For who would not be astonished that he was in his right mind, that he had his wits, with the nails driven into him? But not only was he in his right mind, but also, setting aside his own affairs, he cared for those of others, becoming a teacher on a cross, and rebuking and saying: Do you not even fear God? Do not pay attention, he says, to the court below; there is another, invisible judge, there is an incorruptible court. Therefore do not see that he was condemned below; for things above are not so; for here in the court below both the just are condemned, and the unjust escape, and the guilty are released, and the innocent are pun 49.403 ished. For both willingly and unwillingly the judges sin often; for either being ignorant of justice and deceived, or knowing it, but having been corrupted by money, they have often betrayed their vote. But above there is nothing of the sort; for God is a just judge, and his judgment will go forth as light, having no darkness nor ignorance.

For so that he might not say that he was sentenced and condemned below, he led him up to the court above; he reminded him of that fearful judgment seat, as it were

τὴν μεγαλοψυχίαν δεῖξαι βουλόμενος. Ὁ μαθητὴς ἀπειλὴν οὐκ ἤνεγκεν εὐτελοῦς κορασίου· ὁ δὲ λῃστὴς ὁρῶν δῆμον ὁλόκληρον περιεστῶτα, βοῶντα, μαινόμενον, βλασφημίας καὶ σκώμματα ἐξακοντίζοντα, οὐ προσέσχεν ἐκείνοις, οὐκ ἐνενόησε τὴν φαινομένην εὐτέλειαν τοῦ σταυρουμένου, ἀλλὰ τοῖς τῆς πίστεως ὀφθαλμοῖς ἅπαντα ταῦτα παραδραμὼν, καὶ τὰ ταπεινὰ κωλύματα ἀφεὶς, ἐπέγνω τὸν τῶν οὐρανῶν ∆εσπότην, καὶ αὐτῷ προσπεσὼν ἔλεγε· Μνήσθητί μου, Κύριε, ὅταν ἔλθῃς ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ σου. Μὴ δὴ παραδράμωμεν ἁπλῶς τὸν λῃστὴν τοῦτον, μηδὲ ἐπαισχυνθῶμεν διδάσκαλον λαβεῖν, ὃν οὐκ ἐπῃσχύνθη ὁ ∆εσπότης ὁ ἡμέτερος πρῶτον εἰσαγαγεῖν εἰς τὸν παράδεισον· μὴ ἐπαισχυνθῶμεν διδάσκαλον λαβεῖν ἄνθρωπον πρὸ τῆς φύσεως ἁπάσης ἄξιον φανέντα τῆς πολιτείας τῆς ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, ἀλλὰ τὸ καθ' ἕκαστον ἀκριβῶς ἐξετάσωμεν, ἵνα μάθωμεν τοῦ σταυροῦ τὴν δύναμιν.

Οὐκ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν, καθάπερ πρὸς τὸν Πέτρον· ∆εῦρο ὀπίσω μου, καὶ ποιήσω σε ἁλιέα ἀνθρώπων· οὐδὲ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν, καθάπερ πρὸς τοὺς δώδεκα, ὅτι Καθίσεσθε ἐπὶ δώδεκα θρόνους κρίνοντες τὰς δώδεκα φυλὰς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ· μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ ῥήματος αὐτὸν ὅλως ἠξίωσεν· οὐ θαῦμα ἔδειξεν, οὐ νεκρὸν ἀνιστάμενον ἐθεάσατο, οὐ δαίμονας ἀπελαυνομένους· οὐ θάλατταν εἶδεν ὑπακούσασαν, οὐ περὶ βασιλείας αὐτῷ τι εἶπεν, οὐ περὶ γεέννης· καὶ πρὸ πάντων αὐτὸν ὡμολόγησε, καὶ ταῦτα, τοῦ ἑτέρου λοιδοροῦντος· ἐλοιδόρει γὰρ αὐτὸν ὁ ἄλλος λῃστής. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἄλλος λῃστὴς ἦν ἐσταυρωμένος μετ' αὐτοῦ, ἵνα πληρωθῇ ἐκεῖνο, ὅτι Ἐν τοῖς ἀνόμοις ἐλογίσθη. Ἐβούλοντο γὰρ καὶ τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ διαβαλεῖν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, καὶ πανταχόθεν ἐπηρέαζον τοῖς γινομένοις· ἀλλὰ πανταχόθεν διέλαμπεν ἡ ἀλήθεια, καὶ ηὔξετο διὰ τῶν κωλυμάτων αὐτῶν. Ἐλοιδόρει τοίνυν αὐτὸν ὁ ἄλλος λῃστής. Εἶδες λῃστὴν καὶ λῃστήν; ἀμφότεροι ἐν σταυρῷ, ἀμφότεροι ἀπὸ βίου λῃστρικοῦ, ἀμφότεροι ἀπὸ πονηρίας· ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀμφότεροι ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῖς, ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν βασιλείαν ἐκληρονόμησεν, ὁ δὲ εἰς γέενναν ἐπέμπετο. Οὕτω καὶ χθές· μαθηταὶ καὶ μαθητὴς, Ἰούδας καὶ οἱ ἕνδεκα· ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνοι μὲν ἔλεγον· Ποῦ θέλεις ἑτοιμάσωμέν σοι φαγεῖν τὸ Πάσχα; οὗτος δὲ προδοσίαν παρεσκευάζετο καὶ ἔλεγε· Τί θέλετέ μοι δοῦναι, κἀγὼ ὑμῖν παραδώσω αὐτόν; κἀκεῖνοι μὲν πρὸς διακονίαν ηὐτρεπίζοντο καὶ τὴν θείαν μυσταγωγίαν, οὗτος δὲ πρὸς τὸ προδοῦναι ἔσπευδεν. Οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα λῃστὴς καὶ λῃστής· ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν λοιδορεῖ, ὁ δὲ προσκυνεῖ· καὶ ὁ μὲν βλασφημεῖ, ὁ δὲ εὐφημεῖ, καὶ τὸν βλασφημοῦντα ἐπιστομίζει λέγων· Οὐδὲ φοβῇ σὺ τὸν Θεόν; ἄξια γὰρ ὧν ἐπράξαμεν ἀπολαμβάνομεν.

γʹ. Εἶδες παῤῥησίαν λῃστοῦ; εἶδες παῤῥησίαν ἐν σταυρῷ; εἶδες φιλοσοφίαν ἐν

τιμωρίᾳ, καὶ εὐλάβειαν ἐν κολάσει; Ὅτι γὰρ ἐν ἑαυτῷ ἦν, ὅτι φρένας εἶχε, τῶν ἥλων αὐτῷ ἐμπεπαρμένων, τίς οὐκ ἂν ἐκπλαγείη, Ὁ δὲ οὐ μόνον ἐν ἑαυτῷ ἦν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ καθ' ἑαυτὸν ἀφεὶς, τὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἐφρόντιζε, διδάσκαλος ἐν σταυρῷ γινόμενος, καὶ ἐπιτιμῶν καὶ λέγων· Οὐδὲ φοβῇ σὺ τὸν Θεόν; Μὴ πρόσεχε, φησὶ, τῷ κάτω δικαστηρίῳ· ἔστιν ἕτερος κριτὴς ἀόρατος, ἔστιν ἀδέκαστον δικαστήριον. Μὴ τοίνυν ἴδῃς, ὅτι κατεκρίθη κάτω· τὰ γὰρ ἄνω οὐ τοιαῦτα· ἐνταῦθα μὲν γὰρ ἐν τῷ κάτω δικαστηρίῳ καὶ δίκαιοι κατακρίνονται, καὶ ἄδικοι διαφεύγουσι, καὶ ὑπεύθυνοι ἀφίενται, καὶ ἀνεύθυνοι κολά 49.403 ζονται. Καὶ γὰρ ἑκόντες καὶ ἄκοντες πολλὰ ἁμαρτάνουσιν οἱ δικάζοντες· ἢ γὰρ ἀγνοοῦντες τὸ δίκαιον καὶ ἀπατώμενοι, ἢ εἰδότες μὲν, ὑπὸ χρημάτων δὲ διαφθαρέντες, προέδωκαν πολλάκις τὴν ψῆφον. Ἄνω δὲ οὐδὲν τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· ὁ γὰρ Θεὸς κριτὴς δίκαιος, καὶ τὸ κρῖμα αὐτοῦ ὡς φῶς ἐξελεύσεται οὐκ ἔχον σκότος οὐδὲ ἄγνοιαν.

Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ λέγῃ, ὅτι κατεδικάσθη κάτω καὶ κατεκρίθη, ἀνήγαγεν αὐτὸν πρὸς τὸ ἄνω δικαστήριον· ἀνέμνησεν ἐκείνου τοῦ φοβεροῦ βήματος, μονονουχὶ