John Chrysostom, On the Divinity of Christ

is for those who entrusted the rule to them. For this reason, if someone is of a lower rank, he will never make his defense in this way; but if he is a king and of the same dignity, he will say this with boldness. For as the pre-eminence of rule is one, so also the authority would reasonably be one. So that if someone is seen defending himself in this way, it is altogether necessary that he be of the same dignity as the one whose authority he puts forward on his own behalf. Therefore, since Christ also justified Himself in this way to the Jews, He has indisputably shown us that He is of the same dignity as the Father. And let us apply, if you will, the example to the words of Christ, and the work which He wrought. Let, then, the breaking of the Sabbath with authority be what the purple robe and the diadem and the pardoning of the guilty are. Just as, therefore, those things are permitted to the king alone, and to no other of his subjects, and if anyone is seen doing them, and doing them justly, it is necessary that he too be a king; so indeed here also, since Christ is seen doing these things with authority, and then, when accused, puts forward the Father, saying, “My Father works until now,” it is altogether necessary that He too be equal to the one who acts with authority. For if He were not equal to Him, He would not have used this manner of justification. And that you may learn more clearly what is being said, the disciples once broke the Sabbath by plucking the heads of grain and eating on the Sabbath; He Himself also broke it now; the Jews accused them, and they accused Him. Let us see how He defends them, and how He defends Himself; that from the difference you may learn His pre-eminence and His defense. How then does He defend them? “Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry?” For when He makes a defense for His servants, He has recourse to their fellow-servant David; but when He defends Himself, He brings the argument up to the Father: “My Father works, and I work.” And what work does He mean? Someone might perhaps say: “For in six days God rested from all His works”; the daily providence. For not only did He bring forth creation, but He also sustains it after it has been brought forth; whether you speak of angels, or archangels, or the powers above, or simply all things visible and invisible, it enjoys His providence; and if it were to become destitute of that energy, 48.811 it would depart and dissolve and perish. Christ, therefore, wishing to show that He is of those who provide, and not of those provided for, of those who act, not of those who are acted upon, said, “My Father works, and I work”; wishing to show His equality with the Father. 5. But remember these things, and keep them with all exactness, and interweave the philosophy of your way of life with the correctness of your doctrines; which I have both urged before, and now urge, and will not cease urging; and nothing so produces a way of life and philosophy as spending time here. For just as fallow land, having no one to water it, is full of thorns and thistles, but that which enjoys the hands of husbandmen thrives and flourishes and abounds much in fruit; so indeed also the soul, the one enjoying the irrigation of the divine oracles, thrives and flourishes and abounds much in the fruit of the Spirit; but the one that is in drought and neglect and lack of such irrigation becomes desolate and runs wild and brings forth many thorns, the nature of sin. And where there are thorns, there are serpents and snakes and scorpions and all the power of the devil. And if you disbelieve the word, come, let us compare those who have been left behind and ourselves, and you will see then the great difference; or rather, let us examine ourselves, who we are when enjoying divine teaching, and who we happen to be when deprived for a long time of this benefit. Let us not then betray so great a gain. For spending time here is the foundation of all good things; departing from here, a husband will appear to his wife

ἐστὶν εἰς τοὺς ἐγχειρίσαντας αὐτοῖς τὴν ἀρχήν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἂν μὲν ὑποδεέστερος ᾖ τις, οὐδέποτε τοῦτον ἀπολογήσεται τὸν τρόπον· ἐὰν δὲ βασιλεὺς καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς ὢν ἀξίας, μετὰ παῤῥησίας τοῦτο ἐρεῖ. Ὡς γὰρ ἡ τῆς ἀρχῆς μία ὑπεροχὴ, οὕτω καὶ ἡ ἐξουσία μία γένοιτο ἂν εἰκότως. Ὥστε ἂν φανῇ τις οὕτως ἀπολογούμενος, ἀνάγκη πᾶσα τῆς αὐτῆς ἀξίας εἶναι ἐκείνῳ, οὗ τὴν ἐξουσίαν ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ προβάλλεται. Οὐκοῦν ἐπειδὴ καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς οὕτως ἐδικαιολογήσατο πρὸς Ἰουδαίους, ἀναμφισβητήτως ἡμῖν ἀπέδειξεν, ὅτι τῆς αὐτῆς ἀξίας ἐστὶ τῷ Πατρί. Καὶ μεταγάγωμεν, εἰ δοκεῖ, τὸ ὑπόδειγμα ἐπὶ τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ τὸ ἔργον ὅπερ εἰργάσατο. Ἔστω τοίνυν τὸ μετ' ἐξουσίας λῦσαι τὸ σάββατον, ὅπερ ἡ ἁλουργὶς καὶ τὸ διάδημα καὶ τὸ ἀφιέναι τοὺς ὑπευθύνους. Ὥσπερ οὖν ἐκεῖνα τῷ βασιλεῖ μόνῳ ἔξεστιν, οὐδενὶ δὲ ἄλλῳ τῶν ὑποκειμένων, ἐὰν δὲ φανῇ τις ποιῶν αὐτὰ, καὶ δικαίως ποιῶν, ἀνάγκη κἀκεῖνον βασιλέα εἶναι· οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα, ἐπειδὴ φαίνεται μετ' αὐθεντίας ταῦτα ποιῶν ὁ Χριστὸς, εἶτα ἐγκαλούμενος τὸν Πατέρα προβάλλεται λέγων, Ὁ Πατήρ μου ἕως ἄρτι ἐργάζεται, ἀνάγκη πᾶσα καὶ τοῦτον ἴσον εἶναι ἐκείνῳ τῷ μετὰ αὐθεντίας ποιοῦντι. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν, εἰ μὴ ἴσος ἦν αὐτῷ, τούτῳ τῆς δικαιολογίας ἐχρήσατο τῷ τρόπῳ. Καὶ ἵνα σαφέστερον μάθητε τὸ λεγόμενον, ἔλυσαν τὸ σάββατόν ποτε οἱ μαθηταὶ ἐν τῷ τίλλειν τοὺς στάχυας καὶ ἐσθίειν ἐν σαββάτῳ· ἔλυσε καὶ αὐτὸς νῦν· ἐνεκάλεσαν κἀκείνοις οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, ἐνεκάλεσαν καὶ τούτῳ. Ἴδωμεν πῶς μὲν ὑπὲρ ἐκείνων ἀπολογεῖται, πῶς δὲ ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ· ἵνα ἐκ τῆς διαφορᾶς τὴν ὑπεροχὴν καὶ τὴν ἀπολογίαν αὐτοῦ μάθῃς. Πῶς οὖν ὑπὲρ ἐκείνων ἀπολογεῖται; Οὐκ ἀνέγνωτε τί ἐποίησε ∆αυῒδ, ὅτε ἐπείνασεν; Ὅταν μὲν γὰρ ὑπὲρ τῶν δούλων ἀπολογῆται, ἐπὶ τὸν σύνδουλον αὐτῶν καταφεύγει ∆αυΐδ· ὅταν δὲ ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ, ἐπὶ τὸν Πατέρα ἀνάγει τὸν λόγον· Ὁ Πατήρ μου ἐργάζεται, κἀγὼ ἐργάζομαι. Καὶ ποίαν ἐργασίαν λέγει; ἴσως εἴποι τις ἄν· Ἐν γὰρ ἓξ ἡμέραις κατέπαυσεν ὁ Θεὸς ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ· τὴν καθημερινὴν πρόνοιαν. Οὐ γὰρ παρήγαγε μόνον τὴν κτίσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ παραχθεῖσαν αὐτὴν συγκροτεῖ· κἂν ἀγγέλους εἴπῃς, κἂν ἀρχαγγέλους, κἂν τὰς ἄνω δυνάμεις, κἂν πάντα ἁπλῶς τὰ ὁρατὰ καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα, τῆς προνοίας ἀπολαύει τῆς ἐκείνου· κἂν ἔρημα γένηται τῆς ἐνεργείας ἐκείνης, 48.811 οἴχεται καὶ διαῤῥεῖ καὶ ἀπόλλυται. Βουλόμενος τοίνυν δεῖξαι ὁ Χριστὸς, ὅτι τῶν προνοούντων ἐστὶ, καὶ οὐχὶ τῶν προνοουμένων, τῶν ἐνεργούντων, οὐχὶ τῶν ἐνεργουμένων, εἶπεν, Ὁ Πατήρ μου ἐργάζεται, κἀγὼ ἐργάζομαι· τὸ πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα ἰσοστάσιον ἐπιδεῖξαι βουλόμενος. εʹ. Ταῦτα δὲ μέμνησθε, καὶ φυλάττετε μετὰ ἀκριβείας ἁπάσης, καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς πολιτείας φιλοσοφίαν τῇ τῶν δογμάτων ὀρθότητι συνυφαίνετε· ὃ καὶ πρῴην παρεκάλεσα, καὶ νῦν παρακαλῶ, καὶ παρακαλῶν οὐ παύσομαι· πολιτείαν δὲ καὶ φιλοσοφίαν οὐδὲν οὕτως, ὡς ἡ ἐνταῦθα ποιεῖ διατριβή. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἡ χερσουμένη γῆ, μηδένα τὸν ἀρδεύοντα ἔχουσα, γέμει ἀκανθῶν καὶ τριβόλων, ἡ δὲ γεωργικῶν ἀπολαύουσα χειρῶν τέθηλε καὶ κομᾷ καὶ πολὺ βρύει τῷ καρπῷ· οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ, ἡ μὲν τῆς ἀρδείας τῶν θείων ἀπολαύουσα λογίων, τέθηλε καὶ κομᾷ καὶ πολὺ βρύει τῷ καρπῷ τοῦ Πνεύματος· ἡ δὲ ἐν αὐχμῷ καὶ ἀμελείᾳ καὶ σπάνει τῆς τοιαύτης ἀρδείας καθεστῶσα ἐρημοῦται καὶ ὑλομανεῖ καὶ ἀκάνθας ἐκφέρει πολλὰς, τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὴν φύσιν. Ἔνθα δὲ ἄκανθαι, ἐκεῖ δράκοντες καὶ ὄφεις καὶ σκορπίοι καὶ πᾶσα ἡ δύναμις τοῦ διαβόλου. Καὶ εἰ ἀπιστεῖς τῷ λόγῳ, φέρε, τοὺς ἀπολειφθέντας καὶ ἡμᾶς παραβάλωμεν, καὶ ὄψεσθε τότε πολὺ τὸ μέσον· μᾶλλον δὲ ἡμεῖς ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐξετάσωμεν, τίνες μέν ἐσμεν θείας ἀπολαύοντες διδασκαλίας, τίνες δὲ ἐπὶ πλεῖον ταύτης ἀποστερούμενοι τῆς ὠφελείας τυγχάνομεν. Μὴ τοίνυν προδῶμεν κέρδος τοσοῦτον. Ἡ γὰρ ἐνταῦθα διατριβὴ πάντων ὑπόθεσίς ἐστι τῶν ἀγαθῶν· ἐντεῦθεν ἀναχωρῶν καὶ ἀνὴρ γυναικὶ φανεῖται