John Chrysostom, On Isaiah

of speaking, vision and word and oracle and saying, establishing this through the name of the apostolate. For just as the one who speaks the vision and saying of God, does not utter his own things, so also the one who calls himself an apostle, does not teach from himself, but what the one who sent him commanded. For the dignity of an apostle is to introduce nothing of one's own. Therefore Christ also said: "Call no man teacher on earth; for one is your teacher, the one in the heavens;" showing that the whole origin of our doctrines has taken its root from above from the Lord of the heavens, even if they are men who minister to what is said. Which Isaiah saw. How the prophets see these things which they see, is not for us to say; for it is not possible to explain in words the manner of the vision; but only he who has learned by experience knows clearly. For if often no one can represent in words the works and affections of nature, much more so the manner of the Spirit's operation. But if one must dare to use dim images, not so as to present clarity, but so as to provide an enigma, it seems to me the same thing happens in the case of the prophets, as if the nature of clear waters, having received the sun's rays, should be illuminated, so also the souls of the prophets, being first purified by their own virtue, receive the gift of the Spirit and, being made towards that brightness, thus receive the knowledge of things to come. The son of Amos. For what reason does he mention his father? Either because of homonyms, or so that we might learn that a father's lowliness does not at all overshadow a child's virtue; nor is nobility this, to be born of the great, but to become great themselves. And this man, being of an obscure father, became more brilliant than all, shining by the excess of his own virtue.

1.2 Which he saw against Judea and against Jerusalem. For what reason did he mention each of the places separately? Since the punishments also came separately and at different times, God wisely ordaining this also, not to destroy everyone all at once, but gently and little by little, so that by the punishment of those led away captive the remaining might become more sober-minded. But if they did not use the medicine as they ought, the fault is not the physician's, but the patients'. And He does this always and in every generation, not punishing all together those who sin in the same way; for otherwise our entire race would have long since been carried off; but some He requires to pay the penalty here, both making the punishment there lighter for those themselves and setting aside for their contemporaries a very great occasion for change to the better; but those who are willing to gain nothing either from themselves or from such an economy, He reserves for the inexorable and fearful day of judgment. In the reign of Uzziah and Jotham, and Ahaz and Hezekiah, who reigned over Judea. And he necessarily sets forth the time, referring the diligent hearer to the history of the things that have happened. For thus the prophecy will be both easier to learn and clearer, if we should learn how the affairs were situated and how the Jewish wounds were, when these men prepared the remedies. Hear, O heaven, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord has spoken. The introduction is full of much wrath. For if the anger were not somehow vehement and unspeakable, he would not have, leaving men aside, turned his speech to the elements. And he does this, not only to show his anger, but also to put those about to hear to great shame, showing that those honored with reason are in a worse state than the elements which are by nature without sensation. And it is the custom for other prophets to do this. For this very reason, the one sent to Jeroboam, leaving aside the king to whom he was sent, speaks to the altar. And Jeremiah called upon the earth, saying: "Earth, earth, earth, write down this man, a man proclaimed." And another again said: "Hear, O ravines, the foundations of the earth." I have begotten sons. He does not put forth towards them the common benefit for all men, which was to be born, but the exceptional one, which was to

τοῦ λέγειν, ὅρασις καὶ λόγος καὶ λῆμμα καὶ ῥῆμα, τοῦτο διὰ τοῦ τῆς ἀποστολῆς κατασκευάζων ὀνόματος. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ λέγων ὅρασιν καὶ ῥῆμα Θεοῦ, οὐ τὰ οἰκεῖα φθέγγεται, οὕτω καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολον ἑαυτὸν καλῶν, οὐ τὰ παρ' ἑαυτοῦ διδάσκει, ἀλλ' ἅπερ ὁ ἀποστείλας ἐκέλευσεν. Ἀποστόλου γὰρ ἀξίωμα, μηδὲν οἴκοθεν ἐπεισάγειν. ∆ιὸ καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἔλεγε· Μὴ καλέσετε διδάσκαλον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· εἷς γὰρ ὑμῶν ἐστιν ὁ διδάσκαλος ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς· δεικνὺς ὅτι πᾶσα τῶν παρ' ἡμῖν δογμάτων ἡ ἀρχὴ τὴν ῥίζαν ἄνωθεν ἔλαβεν ἐκ τοῦ τῶν οὐρανῶν ∆εσπότου, κἂν ἄνθρωποι ὦσιν οἱ πρὸς τὰ λεγόμενα διακονούμενοι. Ἣν εἶδεν Ἡσαΐας. Τὸ πῶς ὁρῶσιν οἱ προφῆται ταῦτα, ἅπερ ὁρῶσιν, οὐχ ἡμέτερον εἰπεῖν· οὐ γὰρ δυνατὸν ἑρμηνευθῆναι λόγῳ τὸν τρόπον τῆς ὄψεως· ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνος μόνος οἶδε σαφῶς, ὁ τῇ πείρᾳ μαθών. Εἰ γὰρ φύσεως ἔργα καὶ πάθη πολλάκις οὐδεὶς ἂν παραστήσειε λόγῳ, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὸν τρόπον τῆς τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐνεργείας. Εἰ δὲ ἀμυδραῖς εἰκόσιν ἀποχρησάμενον δεῖ κατατολμῆσαι, οὐχ ὥστε τὸ σαφὲς παραστῆσαι, ἀλλ' ὥστε αἰνίγματι παρασχεῖν, ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ ταὐτὸ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν προφητῶν γίνεσθαι, οἷον ἂν εἰ ἡ καθαρῶν ὑδάτων φύσις ἡλιακὰς ἀκτῖνας δεξαμένη καταυγασθείη, οὕτω καὶ τῶν προφητῶν τὰς ψυχάς, καθαιρομένας οἰκείᾳ ἀρετῇ πρῶτον, ὑποδέχεσθαι τὴν τοῦ Πνεύματος δωρεὰν καὶ πρὸς τὴν λαμπηδόνα ποιουμένας ἐκείνην, τῶν μελλόντων οὕτω δέχεσθαι τὴν γνῶσιν. Υἱὸς Ἀμώς. Τίνος ἕνεκεν τοῦ πατρὸς μέμνηται; Ἢ διὰ τὰς ὁμωνυμίας, ἢ ὥστε μαθεῖν ὅτι οὐδὲν εὐτέλεια πατρὸς ἐπισκιάζει παιδὸς ἀρετήν· οὐδὲ εὐγένεια τοῦτο τὸ ἐκ μεγάλων φῦναι, ἀλλὰ τὸ μεγάλους αὐτοὺς γενέσθαι. Οὗτός τε ἀσήμου πατρὸς ὤν, πάντων φαιδρότερος γέγονε, τῇ τῆς οἰκείας ἀρετῆς λάμψας ὑπερβολῇ.

1.2 Ἣν εἶδε κατὰ τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ κατὰ Ἱερουσαλήμ. Τίνος ἕνεκεν διῃρημένως ἑκατέρων ἐμνημόνευσε τῶν χωρίων; Ἐπειδὴ καὶ αἱ τιμωρίαι διῃρημένως γεγόνασι καὶ ἐν διαφόροις καιροῖς, τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τοῦτο σοφῶς οἰκονομήσαντος, τὸ μὴ πάντας ἀθρόον ἀπολέσαι, ἀλλ' ἠρέμα καὶ κατὰ μικρόν, ὥστε τῇ τῶν ἀπαχθέντων τιμωρίᾳ τοὺς λειπομένους γενέσθαι σωφρονεστέρους. Εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἐχρήσαντο εἰς δέον τῷ φαρμάκῳ, οὐχὶ τοῦ ἰατροῦ, ἀλλὰ τῶν καμνόντων τὸ ἔγκλημα. Ποιεῖ δὲ αὐτὸ διὰ παντὸς καὶ καθ' ἑκάστην γενεάν, οὐ πάντας ὁμοῦ τοὺς τὰ αὐτὰ ἁμαρτάνοντας ὁμοῦ καὶ κολάζων· ἢ γὰρ ἂν ἅπαν ἡμῶν πάλαι προανηρπάσθη τὸ γένος· ἀλλὰ τοὺς μὲν ἐνταῦθα ἀπαιτεῖ δίκην, αὐτοῖς τε ἐκείνοις κουφοτέραν τὴν ἐκεῖ κατασκευάζων κόλασιν καὶ τοῖς συνακμάζουσιν αὐτοῖς μεγίστην τὴν τῆς ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον μεταβολῆς προαποτιθέμενος ὑπόθεσιν· τοὺς δὲ μήτε οἴκοθεν, μήτε ἐκ τῆς τοιαύτης οἰκονομίας βουλομένους τι κερδαίνειν, τῇ ἀπαραιτήτῳ καὶ φοβερᾷ τῆς κρίσεως ταμιευόμενος ἡμέρᾳ. Ἐν βασιλείᾳ Ὀζίου καὶ Ἰωάθαν, καὶ Ἄχαζ καιἘζεκίου, οἳ ἐβασίλευσαν τῆς Ἰουδαίας. Καὶ τὸν καιρὸν ἀναγκαίως προτίθησι, τὸν φιλόπονον ἀκροατὴν παραπέμπων εἰς τὴν ἱστορίαν τῶν γεγενημένων. Οὕτω γὰρ εὐμαθεστέρα τε ἔσται καὶ σαφεστέρα ἡ προφητεία, εἰ μάθοιμεν, πῶς τῶν πραγμάτων διακειμένων καὶ πῶς τῶν τραυμάτων ἐχόντων τῶν Ἰουδαϊκῶν, οὗτοι τὰ φάρμακα κατεσκεύασαν. Ἄκουε, οὐρανέ, καὶ ἐνωτίζου, γῆ, ὅτι Κύριος ἐλάλησεν. Πολλοῦ γέμει τοῦ θυμοῦ τὸ προοίμιον. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ σφοδρά τις ἦν καὶ ἄφατος ἡ ὀργή, οὐκ ἂν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἀφείς, πρὸς τὰ στοιχεῖα τὸν λόγον ἔτρεψεν. Ποιεῖ δὲ αὐτό, οὐχ ὥστε τὴν ὀργὴν ἐνδείξασθαι μόνον, ἀλλ' ὥστε καὶ αὐτοὺς τοὺς ἀκούειν μέλλοντας μετὰ πολλῆς ἐντρέψαι τῆς ὑπερβολῆς, δεικνὺς ὅτι τῶν ἀναισθήτων φύσει στοιχείων χεῖρον οἱ λόγῳ τετιμημένοι διάκεινται. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἑτέροις ἔθος προφήταις ποιεῖν. ∆ιά τοι τοῦτο καὶ ὁ πρὸς τὸν Ἱεροβοὰμ ἀποσταλείς, ἀφεὶς τὸν βασιλέα πρὸς ὃν ἀπεστέλλετο, τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ διαλέγεται. Καὶ Ἱερεμίας τὴν γῆν ἐκάλει λέγων· Γῆ, γῆ, γῆ γράψον τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦτον, ἄνδρα ἐκκήρυκτον. Καὶ ἕτερος πάλιν ἔλεγεν· Ἀκούσατε, φάραγγες, θεμέλια τῆς γῆς. Υἱοὺς ἐγέννησα. Οὐ τὴν κοινὴν πρὸς πάντας ἀνθρώπους τίθησιν εἰς αὐτοὺς εὐεργεσίαν, ὅπερ ἦν τὸ γενέσθαι, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐξαίρετον, ὅπερ ἦν τὸ