John Chrysostom, On the Pharisee and the Harlot

the matter has changed? Oh, the unexpected change! Oh, the strange transformation. The servants were using such words; but the Pharisee who had invited Jesus, bringing forth blasphemous thoughts in his own soul, was saying: If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner. Simply, he says, and at random, 61.731 this man is called a prophet; I too was deceived along with the others, having brought this man into my house as an examiner of hidden things. For if he were a prophet, he would also clearly know the future. Not knowing her who is obvious and well-known to all, how then does he understand things that are secret to all? How does he endure the hands of a harlot? How does he not drive far away her who has no part of her body idle? How does he not even loathe the loathsome one, who is full of all shamefulness? The Pharisee criticizes the great love for mankind as ignorance, and puts the condescension under the name of ignorance, being himself sick with ignorance of what was happening. And Jesus answered and said to him: I have something to say to you. I know what you say without saying anything, I know what you utter while being silent, I know what you cry out while keeping quiet, I know what she too is discussing with me in her mind, I also know how many reasonings you are forging in your soul against me. I will relate to you the voices of your thoughts, I will declare what is blasphemed by you, I will make public the sentiments of your mind, as one sitting upon the reasonings of your soul. Thus you say, 'If he were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.' These are the words of your mind. How then did I perceive the storm of the thoughts stirred in the depth of your mind, if I were not God, the creator of all things? As you yourself suspect from the answer, know who I am, answering you who speak nothing; I uncover the words of your soul. If I were a prophet, would I know who and what sort of woman she is? And where is the need for prophetic illumination concerning a known face? Do I not know the one who has stood in the marketplace? Do I not know her who is well-known to all? Do I not know this woman, for whom I came to you? I know who and what sort of woman she is; for nothing escapes the eye of the Godhead, not a covetous man, not an evil deed; I know who and what sort of woman she is, and that she is a sinner; and for this reason I rejoice being held by her, that I might piously save her who holds me, in a manner befitting God. For I am not defiled by her hands, but I make her pure. For mire does not dim the sun, mud does not alter a pearl, sin does not touch the sinless one. Did I not lately touch a leper, and the affliction fled? Did I become a leper by approaching a leper? So now also, working my usual wonders, changing her toward holiness, I am not changed toward her quality, enduring the touch of the mediating hand. For I am a physician; but a physician not of wounds and putrefactions and discharges, but one who provides salvation to those who are sick in soul; I am a maker, and I spare my own creation; I am a master, and I cannot bear to lose a servant who loves her master; I am a shepherd, and having found my wandering sheep, I rightly rejoice; I am a harbor, and I receive all who come to anchor. Simon, I have something to say to you. Two debtors were in debt to a certain creditor. For now, you are ranked with her; why do you campaign against her, as if you alone have ascended to the acropolis of virtues? For now, you stand accountable to me; why then do you condemn her, as if you alone are not accountable? You and she are two debtors; and the creditor is I; I have lent to you and to the woman this present life. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. She owes five hundred denarii; for she has sinned much; you owe fifty; for you have stumbled a little; but nevertheless you are subject to an accounting of life. But when they did not have the means to pay, he forgave them both. I have forgiven you the charges against you, and I forgive her the trespasses; you were the first to enjoy my presence, let her also enjoy my forgiveness.

πρᾶγμα μετέπεσεν; Ὢ τῆς ἀπροσδοκήτου μεταβολῆς; ὢ τῆς ξένης μεταλλαγῆς. Οἱ μὲν οἰκέται τοῖς τοιούτοις λόγοις ἐκέχρηντο· ὁ δὲ καλέσας τὸν Ἰησοῦν Φαρισαῖος, βλασφήμους λογισμοὺς τίκτων ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ ψυχῇ, ἔλεγεν· Οὗτος εἰ ἦν προφήτης, ἐγίνωσκεν ἂν τίς καὶ ποταπὴ ἡ γυνὴ, ἥτις ἅπτεται αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν. Ἁπλῶς, φησὶ, καὶ ὡς ἔτυ 61.731 χεν, οὗτος προφήτης λέγεται· ἠπατήθην κἀγὼ μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων, τοῦτον ὡς τῶν ἀδήλων ἐξεταστὴν εἰσαγαγὼν εἰς τὴν ἐμὴν οἰκίαν. Εἰ γὰρ προφήτης ἦν, καὶ σαφῶς ᾔδει τὰ μέλλοντα. Τὴν φανερὰν πᾶσι καὶ κατάδηλον οὐκ εἰδὼς, πῶς οὖν ἐπίσταται τὰ πᾶσιν ἀπόῤῥητα; πῶς ἀνέχεται χειρῶν πορνικῶν; πῶς οὐκ ἀπελαύνει πόῤῥωθεν τὴν οὐδὲν ἔχουσαν τοῦ σώματος ἄπρακτον; πῶς οὐδὲ βδελύσσεται τὴν βδελυρὰν, καὶ πάσης αἰσχρότητος γέμουσαν; Κακίζει τὴν πολλὴν φιλανθρωπίαν ὁ Φαρισαῖος ὡς ἄγνοιαν, καὶ ὑποβάλλει τὴν συγκατάβασιν τῷ τῆς ἀγνοίας ὀνόματι, νοσῶν αὐτὸς τοῦ γινομένου τὴν ἄγνοιαν. Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν· Ἔχω σοί τι εἰπεῖν. Οἶδα τί λέγεις μὴ λέγων μηδὲν, οἶδα τί φθέγγῃ σιγῶν, οἶδα τί βοᾷς σιωπῶν, οἶδα τί καὶ αὕτη κατὰ διάνοιάν μοι προσδιαλέγεται, οἶδα κἀγὼ πόσους ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ κατ' ἐμοῦ χαλκεύεις λογισμούς. ∆ιηγήσομαί σοι τῶν ἐνθυμημάτων τὰς φωνὰς, ἐξαγορεύσω τὰ παρὰ σοῦ βλασφημούμενα, δημοσιεύσω τὰ φρονήματα τῶν σῶν ἐννοιῶν, ὡς τοῖς λογισμοῖς τῆς σῆς ψυχῆς ἐγκαθήμενος. Οὕτω λέγεις, Εἰ ἦν προφήτης, ἐγίνωσκεν ἂν τίς καὶ ποταπὴ ἡ γυνὴ, ἥτις ἅπτεται αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἁμαρτωλός ἐστι. Ταῦτα τὰ ῥήματα τῆς σῆς διανοίας. Πῶς οὖν κατέγνων τῶν ἐν τῷ βυθῷ τῆς σῆς διανοίας κινηθέντων λογισμῶν τὴν ζάλην, εἰ μὴ Θεὸς ἤμην πάντων δημιουργός; Ὡς ὑποπτεύεις αὐτὸς ἐκ τῆς ἀποκρίσεως, γνῶθι ὅστις εἰμὶ ἀποκρινόμενός σοι μὴ λαλοῦντι μηδέν· ἐκκαλύπτω τὰ ῥήματα τῆς σῆς ψυχῆς. Εἰ ἤμην προφήτης, ἐγίνωσκον τίς καὶ ποταπὴ ἡ γυνή; καὶ ποῦ χρεία προφητικῆς ἐλλάμψεως ἐπὶ τῆς γνωριζομένης ὄψεως; οὐκ οἶδα τὴν προεστηκυῖαν ἐπὶ τῆς ἀγορᾶς; οὐκ οἶδα τὴν πᾶσι κατάδηλον; οὐκ ἐπίσταμαι ταύτην, δι' ἣν ἦλθον πρὸς σέ; Γινώσκω τίς καὶ ποταπὴ ἡ γυνή· οὐδὲν γὰρ λανθάνει τὸν τῆς θεότητος ὀφθαλμὸν, οὐ πλεονέκτης, οὐ πονήρευμα· γινώσκω τίς καὶ ποταπὴ ἡ γυνὴ, καὶ ὅτι ἁμαρτωλός ἐστι· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο χαίρω κατεχόμενος παρ' αὐτῆς, ἵνα τὴν κρατοῦσαν εὐλαβῶς περισώσω θεοπρεπῶς. Οὐ γὰρ μολύνομαι παρὰ τῶν ταύτης χειρῶν, ἀλλ' ἐγὼ ταύτην καθαρὰν ἀπεργάζομαι. Ἥλιον γὰρ βόρβορος οὐκ ἀμαυροῖ, μαργαρίτην πηλὸς οὐκ ἀλλάσσει, τοῦ ἀναμαρτήτου ἁμαρτία οὐχ ἅπτεται. Οὐχ ἡψάμην πρῴην λεπροῦ, καὶ τὸ πάθος ἀπέφυγε; μὴ λεπρὸς ἐγενόμην, πλησιάσας λεπρῷ; Οὕτω καὶ νῦν τὰ συνήθη θαυματουργῶν μεταβάλλων ταύτην πρὸς ἁγιότητα, οὐ μεταβάλλομαι πρὸς τὴν αὐτῆς ποιότητα ἀνεχόμενος τῆς ἁφῆς τῆς μεσούσης χειρός. Ἰατρὸς γάρ εἰμι· ἰατρὸς δὲ οὐ τραυμάτων καὶ σηπεδόνων καὶ ἰχώρων, ἀλλὰ τὴν σωτηρίαν τοῖς νοσοῦσι κατὰ ψυχὴν πραγματευόμενος· ποιητής εἰμι, καὶ φείδομαι τοῦ ἐμοῦ πλάσματος· δεσπότης εἰμὶ, καὶ οὐκ ἀνέχομαι ζημιωθῆναι φιλοδέσποτον δούλην· ποιμήν εἰμι, καὶ πρόβατον ἐμὸν πλανώμενον εὑρὼν εἰκότως εὐφραίνομαι· λιμήν εἰμι, καὶ πάντας τοὺς προσορμίζοντας προσδέχομαι. Σίμων, ἔχω σοί τι εἰπεῖν. ∆ύο χρεωφειλέται ἦσαν δανειστῇ τινι. Τέως μετὰ ταύτης τέταξαι· τί στρατεύεις κατ' αὐτῆς, ὡς μόνος ἀνελθὼν εἰς τὴν ἀκρόπολιν τῶν ἀρετῶν; τέως ὑπεύθυνός μοι καθέστηκας· τί οὖν κατακρίνεις ταύτην, ὡς μόνος ἀνεύθυνος; δύο χρεωφειλέται, σὺ καὶ αὐτὴ τυγχάνετε· ὁ δὲ δανειστὴς ἐγώ εἰμι· ἐδάνεισά σοι καὶ τῷ γυναίῳ τὴν παροῦσαν ζωήν. Ὁ εἷς ὤφειλε δηνάρια πεντακόσια, ὁ δὲ ἕτερος πεντήκοντα. Αὕτη χρεωστεῖ πεντακόσια δηνάρια· πολλὰ γὰρ ἐξήμαρτε· σὺ χρεωστεῖς πεντήκοντα· ὀλίγον γὰρ ἔπταισας· ἀλλ' ὅμως ὑπόκεισαι λογοθεσίῳ ζωῆς. Μὴ ἐχόντων δὲ αὐτῶν ἀποδοῦναι, ἀμφοτέροις ἐχαρίσατο. Ἐχαρισάμην σοι τὰ ἐγκλήματα, χαρίζομαι καὶ ταύτῃ τὰ πλημμελήματα· ἀπήλαυσας πρῶτος τῆς ἐμῆς παρουσίας, ἀπολαυσάτω καὶ αὐτὴ τῆς ἐμῆς ἀμνησικακίας.