John Chrysostom, On Fasting

they heard one prophet, and proclaimed fasting as a remedy to prevent the catastrophe. Jonah was contentious, not so that Nineveh might be destroyed, but so that Israel might be convicted by comparison, because the nations readily obey even one prophet, while Israel disobeyed so many. Fasting was offered, so that God's decision might be dissolved. And the fast was not simple, but abstinence from foods, and also abstinence from sins; for he who fasts on account of sin, and wallows in sins, what more is he doing? as if someone having washed himself from mud, again rolls himself in the mud. One must first abstain from sin itself. For what profit is sin brought forth on other days, so that we might contrive it again after the former examples? Does not the soul grow weak from the preceding blows? Do we not, in praying, ask because we have sinned? If we repent of the former things, why do we gather the latter? It is written again, that they abstained from foods, they abstained also from sins. God heard; fasting is sufficient to persuade the Master. Jonah was grieved, because he was about to be called a prophet; but God, having changed the decision, did not hesitate to save. For it was not that God lied, but he who said speaks truly: If at any time I declare concerning a nation and a kingdom, to destroy and to root out, and it repents of its evil, I also will repent of what I declared. God did not lie in revoking the decision; for neither did he send the prophet so that Nineveh might be destroyed; for what need was there to foretell it? but since he did not wish to destroy, he threatened, "I will destroy," so that having repented they might not be destroyed. It was not that Adam ate from the tree, and then God punished him, but He said beforehand, "If you eat, you will die," so that he might not eat. He did not listen to the one who spoke, he ate, he was devoured. Is there no accusation to be made, where there is free will? But did he not know, someone says, that he was going to eat? Perhaps the one saying this is a heretic and one who speaks against the Old [Testament]; to whom it will be said: If, then, the Savior knew that Judas was going to betray him, how did he choose him? But perhaps we will make a defense against the heretic, by contrasting the case of Judas with that of Adam. Is this, then, a solution, or a double bond? Therefore we must make a defense, both why He chose Judas, being such a person, and why, knowing that Adam would sin, He placed him in paradise. But it is necessary to stir up the great questions during times of fasting, when the soul is sober. The Savior knew—for we must begin from here—that Judas would betray him. What then, do you say? He was showing an excess of love for humanity, as if to say, "as far as it depends on me, you are both an apostle, and I count you among the disciples; but if you show yourself to be unworthy, my excess of love for humanity is shown, and your excess of wickedness." For he also entrusted the money box of their modest means to him, not being ignorant that he was stealing, but wishing, by giving him authority, to stop the passion. Therefore he knew beforehand and foretold; and not only did he know beforehand, but he also said many times, "One of you will betray me." What charge, then, will you bring? So that the evil one by his evil might fulfill the good economy; and He who chose him did not compel him. For even if Jesus had compelled, he did not compel him to become a traitor, but an apostle; but neither does he compel an apostle. For that which happens by compulsion, is said to be the very thing that does not happen; for one who is temperate by compulsion is not temperate, because it came by compulsion. For virtues do not come by bonds, but conduct by free will. Why then did he also leave Adam in paradise? The one who formed him was good, he made him free, as for a free being he set the commandment itself. But he knew that he was going to eat. But he did not prevent him by compulsion, nor did he force his free will; Adam sinned. But because of the tree the place was precious, in which was that which was precious. For it was not created evil, but he who commanded was evilly disobeyed. But if the tasting also destroyed the commandment, fasting with a commandment

ἤκουσαν ἑνὸς προφήτου, καὶ ἀνεκήρυξαν φάρμακον κωλυτικὸν τὴν νηστείαν τῆς καταστροφῆς. Ὁ Ἰωνᾶς ἐφιλονείκει, οὐχ ἵνα καταστραφῇ ἡ Νινευῒ, ἀλλ' ἵνα ἐλεγχθῇ ἐκ παραθέσεως Ἰσραὴλ, ὅτι τὰ ἔθνη ἑτοίμως ὑπακούει καὶ ἑνὶ προφήτῃ, Ἰσραὴλ δὲ τοσούτων παρήκουσε. Προσηνέχθη νηστεία, ἵνα ἀναλυθῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ ἀπόφασις. Ἦν δὲ ἡ νηστεία οὐχ ἁπλῆ, ἀλλ' ἀποχὴ μὲν βρωμάτων, ἀποχὴ δὲ καὶ ἁμαρτημάτων· ὁ γὰρ δι' ἁμαρτίας νηστεύων, καὶ ἐν ἁμαρτίαις κυλιόμενος, τί ἔτι ποιεῖ; ὡς εἴ τις ἀπὸ βορβόρου λουσάμενος, πάλιν τῷ βορβόρῳ ἐγκυλίεται. Αὐτῆς τῆς ἁμαρτίας δεῖ πρῶτον ἀποσχέσθαι. Τί γὰρ ὠφέλησεν ἐν ἄλλαις ἡμέραις ἁμαρτία προσαχθεῖσα, ἵνα πάλιν αὐτὴν ἐπινοήσωμεν μετὰ τὰ δείγματα τὰ πρότερα; οὐκ ἀσθενεῖ ἡ ψυχὴ ἐπὶ ταῖς προλαβούσαις πληγαῖς; οὐχὶ εὐχόμενοι αἰτούμεθα, ὅτι ἡμαρτήκαμεν; Εἰ ἐπὶ τὰ πρότερα μετανοοῦμεν, τὰ δεύτερα ἵνα τί συνάγομεν; Γέγραπται πάλιν, ὅτι ἀπέσχοντο βρωμάτων, ἀπέσχοντο καὶ ἁμαρτημάτων. Ἐπήκουσεν ὁ Θεός· ἱκανὴ ἡ νηστεία προτρέψασθαι τὸν ∆εσπότην. Ὁ Ἰωνᾶς ἠχθέσθη, ὅτι προφήτης ἤμελλεν ἀκούειν· ὁ δὲ Θεὸς ἐναλλάξας τὴν ἀπόφασιν, οὐ κατώκνησε σῶσαι. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἦν ψεύσασθαι Θεὸν, ἀλλ' ἀληθεύει ὁ εἰπών· Ἐὰν ἐξαίφνης εἴπω κατ' ἔθνος καὶ βασιλείας καταστρέψαι καὶ ἐκριζοῦν, καὶ μετανοήσει τῆς κακίας, μετανοήσω κἀγὼ ὧν ἀπεφηνάμην. Οὐκ ἐψεύσατο ὁ Θεὸς ἀνακαλεσάμενος τὴν ἀπόφασιν· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἔπεμψε τὸν προφήτην, ἵνα καταστραφῇ Νινευΐ· τί γὰρ ἀναγκαῖον προειπεῖν; ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἤθελε καταστρέψαι, ἠπείλησεν ὅτι Καταστρέφω, ἵνα μετανοήσαντες μὴ καταστραφῶσιν. Οὐκ ἔφαγεν Ἀδὰμ ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου, καὶ τότε αὐτὸν ἐτιμωρήσατο ὁ Θεὸς, ἀλλὰ προείρηκεν ὅτι Ἐὰν φάγῃς, ἀποθανῇ, ἵνα μὴ φάγῃ. Οὐκ ἤκουσε τοῦ εἰπόντος, ἔφαγεν, ἐβρώθη. Οὐκ ἔστιν ἐγκαλέσαι, ὅπου ἐστὶ προαίρεσις; Ἀλλ' οὐκ ᾔδει, φησί τις, ὅτι ἔμελλεν ἐσθίειν; Τάχα αἱρετικὸς ὁ λέγων καὶ κατατρέχων τῆς Παλαιᾶς· πρὸς ὃν ῥηθήσεται· Εἰ ᾔδει οὖν ὁ Σωτὴρ, ὅτι Ἰούδας ἔμελλε προδιδόναι, πῶς τοῦτον ἐξελέξατο; Ἀλλὰ τάχα πρὸς τὸν αἱρετικὸν ἀπολογησόμεθα, ἀντιθέντες τὰ τοῦ Ἰούδα τοῖς κατὰ τὸν Ἀδάμ. Ἆρ' οὖν αὕτη λύσις ἐστὶν, ἢ διπλοῦς δεσμός; ∆εῖ οὖν ἡμᾶς ἀπολογήσασθαι, καὶ διὰ τί τὸν Ἰούδαν τοιοῦτον ὄντα ἐξελέξατο, καὶ διὰ τί, εἰδὼς ὅτι ἁμαρτάνει ὁ Ἀδὰμ, ἐν παραδείσῳ τοῦτον τέθεικε. ∆εῖ δὲ τὰ μεγάλα ζητήματα κινεῖν ἐν νηστείαις, ὅτε νήφει ἡ ψυχή. Ἤδει ὁ Σωτὴρ ἐντεῦθεν γὰρ ἀρκτέον, ὅτι Ἰούδας προδίδωσι. Τί οὖν, λέγετε; Ὑπερβολὴν φιλανθρωπίας παριστῶν, ὅτι ὅσον μὲν εἰς ἐμὲ, καὶ ἀπόστολος εἶ, καὶ μετὰ μαθητῶν σε ἀριθμῶ· εἰ δὲ ἀνάξιον σαυτὸν ἀποφαίνεις, ἐμοῦ μὲν φαίνεται ἡ ὑπερβολὴ τῆς φιλανθρωπίας, σοῦ δὲ ἡ ὑπερβολὴ τῆς κακίας. Καὶ γὰρ γλωσσόκομον αὐτῷ ἐπίστευσε τῶν μετρίων, οὐκ ἀγνοῶν ὅτι κλέπτει, ἀλλὰ βουλόμενος διὰ τοῦ δοῦναι αὐτῷ ἐξουσίαν παῦσαι τὸ πάθος. Προῄδει οὖν καὶ προλέγει· οὐ μόνον δὲ προῄδει, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλάκις προείρηκεν, Εἷς ὑμῶν παραδώσει με. Τί οὖν ἐγκαλέσετε; Ἵνα ὁ πονηρὸς τῇ πονηρίᾳ πληρώσῃ τὴν ἀγαθὴν οἰκονομίαν· καὶ οὐκ ἠνάγκασεν αὐτὸν ὁ ἐκλεξάμενος. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἠνάγκασεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, οὐχὶ ἠνάγκασεν αὐτὸν προδότην γενέσθαι, ἀλλὰ ἀπόστολον· ἀλλ' οὔτε ἀπόστολον ἀναγκάζει. Τὸ γὰρ μετὰ ἀνάγκης γενόμενον, αὐτὸ λέγεται, ὃ οὐ γίνεται· σώφρων γὰρ μετὰ ἀνάγκης οὐ σώφρων, ὅτι ἀνάγκη ἐγένετο. Οὐδὲ γὰρ δεσμοῖς αἱ ἀρεταὶ γίνονται, ἀλλὰ προαιρέσει ἡ πολιτεία. ∆ιὰ τί οὖν καὶ τὸν Ἀδὰμ ἀφῆκεν ἐν παραδείσῳ; Ἀγαθὸς ἦν ὁ πλάσας, ἐλεύθερον ἐποίησεν, ὡς ἐλευθέρῳ τέθεικεν αὐτὴν τὴν ἐντολήν. Ἀλλ' ᾔδει, ὅτι μέλλει ἐσθίειν. Ἀλλ' ἀνάγκῃ οὐκ ἐκώλυσεν, οὔτε προαίρεσιν κατηνάγκασεν· Ἀδὰμ ἥμαρτε. ∆ιὰ δὲ τὸ ξύλον τίμιος ὁ τόπος, ἐν ᾧ ἦν τὸ τίμιον. Οὐ γὰρ κακὸς ἐκτίσθη, ἀλλὰ κακῶς παρηκούσθη ὁ παραγγείλας. Εἰ δὲ ἡ γεῦσις καὶ τὴν ἐντολὴν ἀπώλεσεν, ἡ νηστεία μετὰ ἐντολῆς