John Chrysostom, On the Acts of the Apostles

he will come with greater glory; yet so with a cloud, so with a body; and it is much more wonderful to see him descending from heaven, than ascending from the earth. That He will come, then, they said; but for what purpose, they did not add. This 60.31 confirms the resurrection. For if He was taken up with a body, much more was He raised with a body. Where are those who disbelieve in the resurrection? Who are they? Tell me: Greeks, or Christians? For I do not know; or rather, I know exactly. For they are Greeks, who also disbelieve in the creation of the world. For it is characteristic of the same people not to allow that God creates anything out of nothing, and to say that He does not raise up what is laid down. Then, being ashamed that they do not know the power of God, so that they may not be accused of this, they say: We do not say these things for this reason, but because there is no need of a body. It is truly opportune to say: For the fool will speak foolish things. Are you not ashamed, not granting that God can make anything out of nothing? But if He makes things out of what exists, how does He differ from men? But whence, he says, come evil things? For surely, because you do not know whence, you must not introduce another evil in the search for the knowledge of evils? For two absurdities arise: one, that you dare to say this; for if you do not say that God makes existing things out of non-existing things, much more will you not know whence evil things come; another, that in saying this you introduce uncreated evil. Consider how difficult it is, for one wishing to find the source of evils, both to be ignorant of it, and to add another to it. Seek whence evil things come, and do not blaspheme God. And how do I blaspheme, he says? What are you saying? Do you not blaspheme, when you introduce uncreated evil? when you allow it to have equal power with God? when you introduce a power of evil things of equal strength? when uncreated? For see what Paul says: For His invisible attributes, since the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood through what has been made. The devil, however, said that both are of matter, so that we might from no quarter recognize God. For what is more difficult? tell me: to make what is by nature evil good (if indeed such a thing exists; for I speak according to you; for by nature it is not possible to make an evil thing a co-worker of good), or to make something out of nothing? What is easier (I speak as regards quality), to introduce a quality that does not exist, or to change an existing one into its opposite? what is easier, to make a house that does not exist, or to rework from the foundations one that is desolate? Clearly, the former. Therefore this is impossible. Just as, therefore, this is impossible, so also is that impossible, I mean to work towards the opposite. 5. Tell me, what is more difficult? to prepare ointment, or to compel filth to do the work of ointment? What is easier, tell me, of these things (since we subject God to our reasonings—but not we; God forbid; but you), to form eyes, or to make a blind man see while remaining blind, and sharper-sighted than one who sees, and to use blindness for sight, and deafness for hearing? The former seems so to me. Do you then grant to God the more difficult thing, tell me, and not the easier? Why do I say this? But they also say that souls are from His substance. But see how many are the impious and foolish things. First, wishing to show that evil things are from God, they introduce another thing more impious than this; for they say God is contemporary with them, and not older than any of them, 60.32 daring to give them this great privilege as well. Second, they also say that evil is indestructible; for what is unbegotten is not destroyed. Do you see the blasphemy? So that it is necessary, either that nothing is of God; or, if not these things, that God does not even exist. Third, as I said, in this way they also make war on themselves, and provoke God to be more indignant. Fourth, they grant that unstable matter has so great a fitness. Fifth, they say that wickedness has become the cause of God's goodness, and that without it the Good One would not have been good. Sixth, they close to us the ways of the knowledge of God. Seventh, they bring God down into men, and plants, and trees. For if our soul is of the substance of God, and transmigration extends even to cucumbers and melons and onions; then the substance of God will be in cucumbers. And if we should say that He is Spirit

πλείονος ἥξει δόξης· πλὴν οὕτω μετὰ νεφέλης, οὕτω μετὰ σώματος· καὶ πολλῷ θαυμασιώτερον ἰδεῖν αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβαίνοντα, ἢ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἀναβαίνοντα. Ὅτι μὲν οὖν ἥξει, εἶπον· ἐπὶ τίνι δὲ, οὐκέτι προσέθηκαν. Τοῦτο 60.31 τὴν ἀνάστασιν βεβαιοῖ. Εἰ γὰρ μετὰ σώματος ἀνελήφθη, πολλῷ μᾶλλον μετὰ σώματος ἀνέστη. Ποῦ εἰσιν οἱ διαπιστοῦντες τῇ ἀναστάσει; τίνες εἰσίν; εἰπέ μοι· Ἕλληνες, ἢ Χριστιανοί; ἀγνοῶ γάρ· μᾶλλον δὲ οἶδα ἀκριβῶς. Ἕλληνες γάρ εἰσιν, οἱ καὶ τῇ δημιουργίᾳ τῆς κτίσεως διαπιστοῦντες. Τῶν γὰρ αὐτῶν ἐστι μὴ συγχωρεῖν ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων ποιεῖν τι τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ τὰ κείμενα μὴ λέγειν αὐτὸν ἀνιστᾷν. Εἶτα αἰσχυνόμενοι, ὅτι οὐκ ἴσασι τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἵνα μὴ τοῦτο ἐγκαλῶνται, φασίν· Οὐ διὰ τοῦτο ταῦτα λέγομεν, ἀλλ' ὅτι οὐ χρεία σώματος. Εὔκαιρον ἀληθῶς εἰπεῖν· Ὁ γὰρ μωρὸς μωρὰ λαλήσει. Οὐκ αἰσχύνεσθε ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων οὐδὲν διδόντες ποιεῖν τὸν Θεόν; Εἰ δὲ ἐξ ὄντων ποιεῖ, τί διαφέρει τῶν ἀνθρώπων; Ἀλλὰ πόθεν, φησὶ, τὰ κακά; Μὴ γὰρ, ἐπειδὴ οὐκ οἶδας πόθεν, ἕτερον ὀφείλεις ἐπεισάγειν κακὸν ἐν τῇ γνώσει τῶν κακῶν; ∆ύο γὰρ γίνεται ἄτοπα· ἓν μὲν οὖν, ὅτι τοῦτο λέγειν τολμᾷς· εἰ γὰρ μὴ λέγεις ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων τὰ ὄντα ποιεῖν τὸν Θεὸν, πολλῷ μᾶλλον οὐκ εἴσῃ πόθεν τὰ κακά· ἕτερον δὲ, ὅτι ἀγένητον τὴν κακίαν τοῦτο λέγων εἰσάγεις. Ἐννόησον, ὅσον ἐστὶ χαλεπὸν, βουλόμενον εὑρεῖν τὴν πηγὴν τῶν κακῶν, ταύτην τε ἀγνοῆσαι, καὶ ἑτέραν προσθεῖναι αὐτῇ. Ζήτει πόθεν τὰ κακὰ, καὶ μὴ βλασφήμει τὸν Θεόν. Καὶ πῶς βλασφημῶ, φησί; Τί λέγεις; οὐ βλασφημεῖς, ὅταν ἀγένητον εἰσάγῃς τὸ κακόν; ὅταν ἴσον δύνασθαι τῷ Θεῷ συγχωρῇς; ὅταν ἰσοσθενῆ δύναμιν εἰσάγῃς τῶν κακῶν; ὅταν ἀγένητον; Ὅρα γὰρ, τί φησιν ὁ Παῦλος· Τὰ γὰρ ἀόρατα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ κτίσεως κόσμου τοῖς ποιήμασι νοούμενα καθορᾶται. Ὁ μέντοι διάβολος ἀμφότερα ἔφησεν εἶναι τῆς ὕλης, ἵνα μηδαμόθεν λοιπὸν τὸν Θεὸν ἐπιγνῶμεν. Τί γὰρ δυσκολώτερον; εἰπέ μοι· τὸ φύσει κακὸν καλὸν ποιῆσαι (εἴ γέ τί ἐστι· καθ' ὑμᾶς γὰρ λέγω· φύσει γὰρ οὐδὲν ἔστι ποιῆσαι κακὸν καλοῦ συνεργὸν), ἢ τὸ ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων; Τί εὐκολώτερον (ὡς ἐπὶ ποιότητος λέγω), τὴν οὐκ οὖσαν ποιότητα εἰσαγαγεῖν, ἢ τὴν οὖσαν μεταβαλεῖν εἰς τὸ ἐναντίον; τί εὐκολώτερον, τὴν οὐκ οὖσαν οἰκίαν ποιῆσαι, ἢ τὴν ἔρημον οὖσαν ἄνωθεν ἐργάσασθαι; Εὔδηλον, ὅτι ἐκεῖνο. Οὐκοῦν τοῦτο ἀδύνατον. Ὥσπερ οὖν τοῦτο ἀμήχανον, οὕτω καὶ ἐκεῖνο ἀδύνατον, εἰς τὸ ἐναντίον λέγω τὸ ἐνεργεῖν. εʹ. Εἰπέ μοι, τί δυσκολώτερον; μύρον κατασκευάσαι, ἢ τὸν βόρβορον βιάσασθαι τὰ τοῦ μύρου ἐργάσασθαι; Τί εὐκολώτερον, εἰπέ μοι, τούτων (ἐπειδὴ τοῖς ἡμετέροις λογισμοῖς τὸν Θεὸν ὑποβάλλομεν, ἀλλ' οὐχ ἡμεῖς· μὴ γένοιτο· ἀλλ' ὑμεῖς), ὀφθαλμοὺς πλάσαι, ἢ τυφλὸν ποιῆσαι βλέπειν μένοντα τυφλὸν, καὶ ὀξυωπέστερον τοῦ βλέποντος, καὶ τῇ τυφλότητι ἀποχρήσασθαι εἰς βλέψιν, καὶ τῇ κωφότητι εἰς ἀκοήν; Ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ ἐκεῖνο. Τὸ δυσκολώτερον οὖν δίδως τῷ Θεῷ, εἰπέ μοι, καὶ τὸ εὐκολώτερον οὐχί; Τί λέγω τοῦτο; Ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας αὐτοῦ εἶναί φασιν. Ἀλλ' ὅρα, πόσα τὰ ἀσεβῆ καὶ ἀνόητα. Πρῶτον, βουλόμενοι δεῖξαι, ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὰ κακὰ, ἕτερον τούτου ἀσεβέστερον ἐπεισάγουσιν· ὁμόχρονα γὰρ αὐτῷ, καὶ οὐδενὸς αὐτῶν πρεσβύτερον τὸν Θεὸν λέ 60.32 γουσι, τὸ γέρας τὸ μέγα καὶ αὐτοῖς διδόναι τολμῶντες. ∆εύτερον, καὶ ἀνώλεθρον τὴν κακίαν φασίν· οὐ γὰρ τὸ ἀγέννητον ἀναιρεῖται. Ὁρᾶτε τὴν βλασφημίαν; Ὥστε ἀνάγκη, ἢ μηδὲν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἶναι· ἢ, εἰ μὴ ταῦτα, καὶ Θεὸν μὴ εἶναι. Τρίτον ὅπερ ἔφην, ταύτῃτοι πολεμοῦσι καὶ αὐτοὶ ἑαυτοῖς, καὶ προσαγανακτεῖν τὸν Θεὸν μᾶλλον παρασκευάζουσιν. Τέταρτον, τὴν ἄστατον ὕλην τοσαύτην ἐπιτηδειότητα ἔχειν διδόασι. Πέμπτον, τῆς ἀγαθότητος τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν πονηρίαν αἰτίαν φασὶ γεγενῆσθαι, καὶ ὅτι χωρὶς ταύτης ὁ ἀγαθὸς οὐκ ἦν ἀγαθός. Ἕκτον, τὰς ὁδοὺς ἡμῖν ἀποκλείουσι τῆς θεογνωσίας. Ἕβδομον, τὸν Θεὸν εἰς ἀνθρώπους κατάγουσι, καὶ φυτὰ, καὶ ξύλα. Εἰ γὰρ ἡ μὲν ἡμετέρα ψυχὴ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐσίας ἐστὶν, ἡ δὲ μετενσωμάτωσις καὶ εἰς σικυοὺς καὶ πέπονας ἐκβαίνει καὶ κρόμμυα· ἄρα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ οὐσία εἰς σικυοὺς ἔσται. Κἂν μὲν εἴπωμεν, ὅτι Πνεῦμα