John Chrysostom, Catechetical Homilies

if you use it, the instrument has become a source of salvation for you; but if you should thrust the blow against yourself, not the nature of the iron, but your own lawlessness becomes the cause of the slaughter. So let us also reason concerning the tongue; it is a sword lying in the middle; therefore sharpen it for the accusation of your own sins; do not thrust the blow against a brother. For this reason God has surrounded it with a double wall, with the barrier of the teeth and the enclosure of the lips, so that it might not easily and thoughtlessly utter unbecoming words. Bridle it within. But it does not endure it? then discipline it by means of the teeth, as if handing over its body to these executioners, and causing it to be bitten; for it is better for it to be bitten by the teeth now while sinning, than at that time to be seeking a drop of water and, while being tormented, not to obtain comfort. Indeed, it is accustomed to sin in many other ways: reviling, blaspheming, uttering shameful words, slandering, swearing, committing perjury.

5. But lest by telling you everything at once today we should overwhelm your mind, for the time being we lay down for you one law concerning the keeping of oaths, foretelling and proclaiming this, that if you do not flee from oaths—I do not mean only perjury, but also those made in a just cause—if you do not flee, we will no longer discourse with you on another subject. For it is absurd that teachers of letters do not give a second lesson to children until they see the first one well fixed in their memory; but for us, not being able to repeat the former lessons with accuracy, to introduce others again; for this is nothing other than to draw water into a perforated jar. Therefore, that you may not silence us, apply great diligence to the matter. For this is a grievous sin, and very grievous; and it is very grievous because it does not seem to be grievous, and for this reason I fear it, because no one fears it; for this reason the disease is incurable, because it does not even seem to be a disease; but just as simply conversing is not a crime, so this too does not seem to be a crime, but this transgression is dared with great boldness; and if someone should make an accusation, laughter and much mockery immediately follow, not for those accused concerning the oaths, but for those wishing to correct the disease. For this reason I extend a long discourse concerning these things; for I wish to pull up a deep root, and to wipe out a long-standing evil; I do not mean only perjuries, but also true oaths themselves. But so-and-so, he says, is a reasonable man, belonging to the priesthood, living with much moderation and piety. Do not speak to me of this reasonable man, the moderate, the pious, the one belonging to the priesthood; but, if you wish, suppose 49.230 this man to be Peter or Paul, or even an angel come down from heaven; for not even so do I turn to the dignity of persons. For I am reading a law concerning oaths that is not servile, but royal; and when the letters of a king are read, let the entire dignity of the servants be silent. For if you can say that Christ commanded to swear, or that Christ does not punish this when it is done, show it and I am persuaded; but if He forbids it with such earnestness, and takes such forethought for the matter, as to place the one who swears with the Evil One—for what is more than these, than yes and no, he says, is from the devil—why do you bring so-and-so and so-and-so into the midst for me? For God will not render this verdict for you based on the indolence of your fellow servants, but on the command of His own laws. He commanded, he says, one must obey, and not put forward so-and-so, nor meddle in the evils of others. Since the great David sinned a grievous sin, is it therefore without danger for us to sin, tell me? For this reason, then, one must secure this, and emulate only the achievements of the saints; but if there is anywhere indolence and transgression of the law, one must flee with great earnestness. For our accounting is not with our fellow servants, but with the Master, and to him we shall give an account of our lives

χρήσῃ σωτήριόν σοι τὸ ὄργανον γέγονεν· ἂν δὲ κατὰ σαυτοῦ τὴν πληγὴν ὠθήσῃς, οὐχ ἡ σιδήρου φύσις, ἀλλ' ἡ σὴ παρανομία γίνεται τῆς σφαγῆς αἰτία. Οὕτω καὶ περὶ τῆς γλώττης λογισώμεθα· ξίφος ἐστὶν ἐν μέσῳ κείμενον· ἀκόνησον οὖν αὐτὴν κατὰ τῆς τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων τῶν σῶν κατηγορίας· μὴ κατὰ ἀδελφοῦ τὴν πληγὴν ὠθήσῃς. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο διπλῷ τειχίῳ περιέβαλεν αὐτὴν ὁ Θεὸς, τῷ τῶν ὀδόντων διαφράγματι καὶ τῇ τῶν χειλέων περιβολῇ, ἵνα μὴ ῥᾳδίως καὶ ἀπερισκέπτως ἐκφέρῃ τὰ ῥήματα τὰ μὴ προσήκοντα. Χαλίνωσον αὐτὴν ἔνδον. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀνέχεται; καὶ σωφρόνισον αὐτὴν διὰ τῶν ὀδόντων, ὥσπερ δημίοις τούτοις ἐκδοὺς αὐτῆς τὸ σῶμα, καὶ ποιήσας δακεῖν· καὶ γὰρ βέλτιον αὐτὴν δηχθῆναι τοῖς ὀδοῦσι νῦν ἁμαρτάνουσαν, ἢ τότε ζητοῦσαν σταγόνα ὕδατος καὶ τηγανιζομένην μὴ τυχεῖν τῆς παραμυθίας. Πολλὰ μὲν οὖν καὶ ἄλλα ἁμαρτάνειν εἴωθε λοιδοροῦσα, βλασφημοῦσα, αἰσχρὰ προϊεμένη ῥήματα, συκοφαντοῦσα, ὀμνύουσα, ἐπιορκοῦσα.

εʹ. Ἀλλ' ἵνα μὴ πάντα ἀθρόον τήμερον ὑμῖν λέγοντες καταχώσωμεν ὑμῶν τὴν διάνοιαν, ἕνα τέως τίθεμεν ὑμῖν νόμον τὸν περὶ τῆς τῶν ὅρκων φυλακῆς, ἐκεῖνο προλέγοντες καὶ διαγορεύοντες, ὅτι εἰ μὴ φύγητε τοὺς ὅρκους, οὐ λέγω τὰς ἐπιορκίας μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἐπὶ τῷ δικαίῳ γινομένους εἰ μὴ φύγητε, οὐκ ἔτι περὶ ἑτέρας ὑποθέσεως ὑμῖν διαλεξόμεθα. Καὶ γὰρ ἄτοπον τοὺς μὲν τῶν γραμμάτων διδασκάλους μὴ δεύτερον τοῖς παιδίοις διδόναι μάθημα, ἕως ἂν τὸ πρότερον ἴδωσι καλῶς ἐμπαγὲν αὐτῶν τῇ μνήμῃ· ἡμᾶς δὲ τὰ πρότερον μαθήματα μὴ δυναμένους ἀπαγγεῖλαι μετὰ ἀκριβείας, ἕτερα προεμβαλεῖν πάλιν· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἕτερον τοῦτο, ἀλλ' ἢ εἰς πίθον τετρημένον ἀντλεῖν. Ἵνα οὖν ἡμᾶς μὴ ἐπιστομίσητε, πολλὴν τοῦ πράγματος ποιήσασθε τὴν σπουδήν. Καὶ γὰρ χαλεπὸν τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ ἁμάρτημα, καὶ σφόδρα χαλεπόν· σφόδρα δέ ἐστι χαλεπὸν, ὅτι οὐ δοκεῖ χαλεπὸν εἶναι, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο αὐτὸ δέδοικα, ἐπειδὴ οὐδεὶς αὐτὸ δέδοικε· διὰ τοῦτο ἀνίατόν ἐστι τὸ νόσημα, ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲ νόσημα εἶναι δοκεῖ· ἀλλ' ὥσπερ τὸ διαλέγεσθαι ἁπλῶς οὐκ ἔστιν ἔγκλημα, οὕτως οὐδὲ τοῦτο ἔγκλημα εἶναι δοκεῖ, ἀλλὰ μετὰ πολλῆς παῤῥησίας ἡ παρανομία αὕτη τολμᾶται· κἂν ἐγκαλέσῃ τις, εὐθέως γέλως ἕπεται καὶ χλευασία πολλὴ, οὐχὶ τοῖς ἐγκαλουμένοις ὑπὲρ τῶν ὅρκων, ἀλλὰ τοῖς διορθῶσαι τὸ νόσημα βουλομένοις. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο μακρὸν ὑπὲρ τούτων ἀποτείνω τὸν λόγον· βαθεῖαν γὰρ ῥίζαν ἀνασπάσαι βούλομαι, καὶ χρόνιον ἀπαλεῖψαι κακόν· οὐ λέγω τὰς ἐπιορκίας μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς εὐορκίας αὐτάς. Ἀλλ' ὁ δεῖνα, φησὶν, ἄνθρωπος ἐπιεικὴς, εἰς ἱερωσύνην τελῶν, πολλῇ σωφροσύνῃ καὶ εὐλαβείᾳ συζῶν. Μή μοι τὸν ἐπιεικῆ τοῦτον εἴπῃς, τὸν σώφρονα, τὸν εὐλαβῆ, τὸν εἰς ἱερωσύνην τελοῦντα· ἀλλ', εἰ βούλει, θὲς 49.230 Πέτρον εἶναι τοῦτον ἢ Παῦλον, ἢ καὶ ἄγγελον ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καταβάντα· οὐδὲ γὰρ οὕτως ἐπιστρέφομαι πρὸς τὴν ἀξίαν τῶν προσώπων. Νόμον γὰρ οὐχὶ δουλικὸν, ἀλλὰ βασιλικὸν ἀναγινώσκω ἐγὼ τὸν περὶ τῶν ὅρκων· ὅταν δὲ βασιλέως ἀναγινώσκηται γράμματα, ἅπαν τὸ τῶν δούλων ἀξίωμα ἡσυχαζέτω. Ἂν μὲν γὰρ ἔχῃς εἰπεῖν, ὅτι ὁ Χριστὸς ὀμνύναι ἐκέλευσεν, ἢ ὅτι ὁ Χριστὸς οὐ κολάζει τοῦτο γινόμενον, δεῖξον καὶ πείθομαι· εἰ δὲ μετὰ τοσαύτης ἀπείργει σπουδῆς, καὶ τοσαύτην ὑπὲρ τοῦ πράγματος ποιεῖται πρόνοιαν, ὡς μετὰ τοῦ Πονηροῦ στῆσαι τὸν ὀμνύοντα Τὸ γὰρ περισσὸν τούτων, τοῦ ναὶ, καὶ τοῦ οὒ, φησὶν, ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου ἐστὶ, τί μοι τὸν δεῖνα καὶ τὸν δεῖνα προσάγεις εἰς μέσον; Οὐ γὰρ ἀπὸ τῆς ῥᾳθυμίας τῶν συνδούλων οἴσει σοι τὴν ψῆφον ὁ Θεὸς ταύτην, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τῆς ἐπιταγῆς τῶν αὑτοῦ νόμων. Ἐπέταξε, φησὶν, ἔδει πεισθῆναι, καὶ μὴ τὸν δεῖνα προβάλλεσθαι, μηδὲ ἀλλότρια περιεργάζεσθαι κακά. Ἐπεὶ ὁ μέγας ∆αυῒδ ἥμαρτεν ἁμαρτίαν χαλεπήν· ἆρα οὖν ἀκίνδυνον ἡμῖν διὰ τοῦτο τὸ ἁμαρτάνειν, εἰπέ μοι; ∆ιὰ τοῦτο μὲν οὖν τοῦτο ἀσφαλίζεσθαι χρὴ, καὶ τὰ κατορθώματα τῶν ἁγίων μόνον ζηλοῦν· εἰ δέ που ῥᾳθυμία καὶ νόμου παράβασις, μετὰ πολλῆς ἀποφεύγειν χρὴ τῆς σπουδῆς. Οὐ γὰρ πρὸς τοὺς συνδούλους ἡμῖν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸν ∆εσπότην ὁ λόγος ἐστὶ, καὶ τούτῳ τὰς εὐθύνας δώσομεν τῶν βεβιωμένων