John Chrysostom, On "Do not fear"

they trample upon this. Is this life? Is this wealth? Is this not harder than a convict's sentence? The convict is bound in his body; but this man, in his soul. You see him a prisoner, and you do not pity him? For this reason I hate him, because he is bound, not by necessity, but by choice; because he has drawn the chain upon himself. 4. "Again you are against the rich?" they will say to me. Again you are against the poor. Again you are against those who seize? Again you are against those who are seized from. You are not satisfied with eating and devouring the poor, and I am not satisfied with correcting you. Are you always attached to these things? Are you always attached to the poor man? Stand away from my sheep, stand away from my flock; do not ravage it. But if you ravage my flock, do you accuse me because I pursue you? If I were a shepherd of sheep, you would accuse me because I do not pursue a wolf attacking the flock. I am a shepherd of rational creatures; I do not pursue with a stone, but with reason; or rather, I do not pursue you at all, but I call you; become a sheep, come, become one of my flock. Why do you ravage the flock, you who ought to increase the flock? I do not pursue you, but I pursue a wolf; if you are not a wolf, I do not pursue you. But if you have become a wolf, blame yourself. I am not against the rich, but for the rich. For in saying these things, I speak for you, even if you do not perceive it. How do you speak for me? Because I deliver you from sin, I free you from plunder, I make you a friend to all, desired by all. I always say to you: Have you seized? Have you been greedy? Come, and I will change you, I will change enmity into friendship, danger into safety; these things here, and there I give you again the kingdom of heaven, so that you may not depart into the endless punishments, so that you may receive the good things, Which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, and which have not entered into the heart of man. Are these things, then, of one who pursues, or of one who counsels 55.505? Are they of one who loves, or of one who hates you? But you hate me. But I love you. I have a command from my Master: Love your enemies. I do not cease from healing you. Our Master was crucified, and said: Forgive them, Father; for they know not what they do. For do I pursue you? I drive out your passion. For do I make war on you? On your wickedness. And do you not consider me a benefactor? Do you not consider me a guardian? Do you not consider me a protector above all? Who else will say these things to you? The ruler? Nothing of the sort; but about crimes, about accusation. But your wife? About ornaments, about gold. But your child? About inheritance, about a will, about an estate. But your servant? About service, about slavery, about freedom. But parasites? About drinking parties, about dinners, about banquets. But those in the theater? About shameful laughter, about unrestrained desire. But the one in the law courts? About wills, about inheritance, about freedom, which he practices. Where can you hear these things, if not from me? All fear you, but I despise you; as long as you are such a person, I despise you, I look down on you, I despise your passion. I cut, you cry out; but I do not fear your voice, but I long for your salvation; for I am a physician. If, having a wound, you had called a physician, and saw that he sharpened the knife, would you not say, "Cut, even if I am in pain," expecting salvation from the incision? but you flee from me who am not cutting, but cleansing your mind with a word. And yet what does the physician do? He often cuts, and makes the wound worse; but I do not make it worse, but better. For there, it is nature that is at a loss, and the weakness of medicines; but here, it is the power of words. A physician does not guarantee your salvation, but I guarantee your salvation; listen to me. For this reason the only-begotten Son of God came down, that He might lead us up, and make us higher than the heavens. One thing only I fear, sin; but let all other things be gone, whether wealth, or poverty, or power, or anything whatever. These things I say, and in saying them I will not cease; for I wish no one to be lost from my flock. What then? Is it possible for a rich man to be saved? Absolutely. Job was rich,

ἐπεμβαίνουσι τούτῳ. Τοῦτο ζωή; τοῦτο πλοῦτος; τοῦτο οὐ χαλεπώτερον καταδίκου; Ὁ κατάδικος δέδεται τὸ σῶμα· οὗτος δὲ τὴν ψυχήν. Ὁρᾷς αὐτὸν δεσμώτην, καὶ οὐκ ἐλεεῖς αὐτόν; ∆ιὰ τοῦτο αὐτὸν μισῶ, ὅτι δέδεται, οὐκ ἀνάγκῃ, ἀλλὰ προαιρέσει· διότι τὴν ἅλυσιν ἐπεσπάσατο. δʹ. Πάλιν σὺ πρὸς τοὺς πλουσίους; ἐροῦσί μοι. Πάλιν ὑμεῖς κατὰ τῶν πενήτων. Πάλιν σὺ κατὰ τῶν ἁρπαζόντων; Πάλιν ὑμεῖς κατὰ τῶν ἁρπαζομένων. Ὑμεῖς οὐ κορέννυσθε ἐσθίοντες καὶ καταδάκνοντες τοὺς πένητας, καὶ ἐγὼ οὐ κορέννυμαι διορθούμενος ὑμᾶς. Ἀεὶ σὺ τούτοις κεκόλλησαι; Ἀεὶ σὺ τῷ πένητι κεκόλλησαι; Ἀπόστηθι σὺ τοῦ προβάτου μου, ἀπόστηθι τῆς ποίμνης μου· μὴ αὐτὴν λυμαίνου. Εἰ δὲ λυμαίνῃ μου τὴν ποίμνην, ἐγκαλεῖς ὅτι διώκω σε; Ποιμὴν εἰ ἤμην προβάτων, ἐνεκάλεις ἄν μοι, ὅτι οὐ διώκω ἐπερχόμενον τῇ ποίμνῃ λύκον. Ποιμήν εἰμι λογικῶν θρεμμάτων· οὐ λίθῳ διώκω, ἀλλὰ λόγῳ· μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ διώκω σε, ἀλλὰ καλῶ σε· γενοῦ πρόβατον, ἐλθὲ, γενοῦ τῆς ἀγέλης μου. Τί λυμαίνῃ τὴν ποίμνην, ὁ ὀφείλων αὐξῆσαι τὴν ἀγέλην; Οὐ διώκω σε, ἀλλὰ λύκον διώκω· εἰ μὴ λύκος εἶ, οὐ διώκω σε. Εἰ δὲ λύκος ἐγένου, σαυτὸν αἰτιῶ. Οὐκ εἰμὶ κατὰ τῶν πλουτούντων, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ τῶν πλουτούντων. Ταῦτα γὰρ λέγων, ὑπὲρ σοῦ λέγω, κἂν μὴ αἰσθάνῃ. Πῶς ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ λέγεις; Ὅτι ἀπαλλάττω σε ἁμαρτίας, ἐλευθερῶ σε ἁρπαγῆς, πᾶσι ποιῶ φίλον, πᾶσι ποθεινόν. Ἀεί σοι λέγω· Ἥρπασας; ἐπλεονέκτησας; ἐλθὲ, καὶ μεταβάλλω σε, μεταβάλλω τὴν ἔχθραν εἰς φιλίαν, τὸν κίνδυνον εἰς ἀσφάλειαν· ταῦτα ἐνταῦθα, καὶ ἐκεῖ δίδωμί σοι πάλιν τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἵνα μὴ εἰς τὰς ἀπεράντους κολάσεις ἀπέλθῃς, ἵνα ἀπολάβῃς τὰ ἀγαθὰ, Ἃ ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ εἶδεν. οὔτε οὖς ἤκουσε, καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἀνέβη. Ταῦτα τοίνυν διώκοντός ἐστιν, ἢ συμβουλεύ 55.505 οντος; φιλοῦντός ἐστιν, ἢ μισοῦντός σε; Ἀλλὰ σὺ μισεῖς με. Ἀλλ' ἐγὼ φιλῶ σε. Ἐπίταγμα ἔχω τοῦ ∆εσπότου μου· Ἀγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑμῶν. Οὐκ ἀφίσταμαί σου ἰατρεύων σε. Ὁ ∆εσπότης ἡμῶν ἐσταυροῦτο, καὶ ἔλεγεν· Ἄφες αὐτοῖς, Πάτερ· οὐ γὰρ οἴδασι τί ποιοῦσι. Μὴ γὰρ σὲ διώκω; Τὸ πάθος σου ἐλαύνω. Μὴ γὰρ σοὶ πολεμῷ; Τῇ κακίᾳ σου. Καὶ οὐχ ἡγῇ με εὐεργέτην; οὐχ ἡγῇ με κηδεμόνα; οὐχ ἡγῇ με προστάτην πάντων μᾶλλον; Τίς σοι περὶ τούτων ἄλλος ἐρεῖ; Ὁ ἄρχων; Οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον· ἀλλὰ περὶ ἐγκλημάτων, περὶ κατηγορίας. Ἀλλ' ἡ γυνή; Περὶ κοσμίων, περὶ χρυσοῦ. Ἀλλ' ὁ παῖς; Περὶ κληρονομίας, περὶ διαθήκης, περὶ κλήρου. Ἀλλ' ὁ οἰκέτης; Περὶ ὑπηρεσίας, περὶ δουλείας, περὶ ἐλευθερίας. Ἀλλὰ παράσιτοι; Περὶ συμποσίων, περὶ δείπνων, περὶ ἀρίστων. Ἀλλ' οἱ ἐν τῷ θεάτρῳ; Περὶ γέλωτος αἰσχροῦ, περὶ ἐπιθυμίας ἀκολάστου. Ἀλλ' ὁ ἐν τοῖς δικαστηρίοις; Περὶ διαθηκῶν, περὶ κληρονομίας, περὶ ἐλευθερίας, ἃ πράσσει. Ποῦ ἔχεις ἀκοῦσαι ταῦτα, εἰ μὴ παρ' ἐμοῦ; Πάντες σε φοβοῦνται, ἐγὼ δέ σου καταφρονῶ· ἕως ἂν ᾖς τοιοῦτος, καταφρονῶ σου, ὑπερορῶ σε, καταφρονῶ σου τοῦ πάθους. Ἐγὼ τέμνω, σὺ κράζεις· ἀλλ' οὐ φοβοῦμαί σου τὴν φωνὴν, ποθῶ δέ σου τὴν σωτηρίαν· ἰατρὸς γάρ εἰμι. Ἆρα εἰ ἕλκος ἔχων ἰατρὸν μετεκάλεις, καὶ εἶδες ὅτι ἠκόνησε τὸ σιδήριον, οὐκ ἔλεγες, Τέμε, εἰ καὶ ὀδυνῶμαι, τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς τομῆς σωτηρίαν ἐκδεχόμενος; ἐμὲ δὲ φεύγεις μὴ τέμνοντα, ἀλλὰ λόγῳ τὴν διάνοιάν σου καθαίροντα. Καίτοι ὁ ἰατρὸς τί ποιεῖ; Τέμνει πολλάκις, καὶ χεῖρον ποιεῖ τὸ ἕλκος· ἐγὼ δὲ οὐ ποιῶ χεῖρον, ἀλλὰ βέλτιον. Ἐκεῖ μὲν γὰρ φύσις ἐστὶν ἡ ἀπορουμένη, καὶ φαρμάκων ἀδυναμία· ἐνταῦθα δὲ λόγων δύναμις. Ἰατρὸς οὐκ ἐγγυᾶταί σου τὴν σωτηρίαν, ἐγὼ δὲ ἐγγυῶμαί σου τὴν σωτηρίαν· ἄκουέ μου. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ὁ μονογενὴς Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ κατῆλθεν, ἵνα ἡμᾶς ἀναγάγῃ, καὶ τῶν οὐρανῶν ὑψηλοτέρους ἐργάσηται. Ἓν φοβοῦμαι μόνον, ἁμαρτίαν· τὰ δὲ ἄλλα ἅπαντα οἰχέσθω, κἂν πλοῦτος, κἂν πενία, κἂν δυναστεία, κἂν ὁτιοῦν. Ταῦτα λέγω, καὶ λέγων οὐ παύσομαι· οὐδένα γὰρ βούλομαι ἀπολέσθαι τῆς ἀγέλης τῆς ἐμῆς. Τί οὖν; δυνατόν ἐστι πλούσιον σωθῆναι; Καὶ πάνυ. Ὁ Ἰὼβ πλούσιος ἦν,