John Chrysostom, On John

For Moses feared this concerning the earth, lest anyone should say it was uncreated; much more ought John to have feared concerning the Son, if indeed He were a creature. For the world, being visible, of itself proclaims its Maker (For the heavens, he says, declare the glory of God); but the Son is invisible, and has exceedingly and infinitely transcended creation. If, therefore, where we had no need of word and teaching to learn that the world is created, the Prophet nevertheless clearly sets this down even before other things; much more ought John to have said this concerning the Son, if indeed He had been created. Yes, he says; but Peter said this clearly and explicitly. Where and when? When, discoursing to the Jews, he said, That God has made him both Lord and Christ. Why then did you not add what follows, that is, This Jesus, whom you crucified? Or are you ignorant that of the things said, some belong to the inviolate nature, and others to the economy? But if it is not so, but you take all things simply as applying to the Godhead, you will also introduce suffering into the Divine; but if not subject to suffering, then not made either. For if the blood flowed from the divine and ineffable nature itself, and if it, instead of the flesh, was pierced and cut by the nails of the cross, your sophism on this point would have some reason. But if not even the devil himself would blaspheme this, for what reason do you yourself feign such an inexcusable ignorance, which not even the demons would have feigned? Besides, Lord and Christ are not terms of substance, but of dignity. For the one refers to authority, the other to being anointed. What then would you say concerning the Son of God? For even if He were a creature according to you, this would have no place; for He was not first made, and then God ordained Him; nor does He have a dominion that can be cast off, but one by nature and substantial. For when asked if He were a king, He says, For this I was born. But Peter speaks as of one ordained. For his whole discourse is about the economy. 4. And why do you wonder, if Peter says this? For Paul, discoursing to the Athenians, calls him only a man, saying thus: By that man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead; and he says nothing about the form of God, nor that He is equal to Him, nor that He is the brightness of His glory; reasonably so. For it was not yet the time for these sayings, but it was desirable for them to accept for the time being that He is a man, and that He was raised. Thus Christ Himself also did; from whom Paul also having learned, so managed things. For He did not immediately reveal His divinity to us, but first He was thought to be a prophet and Christ simply a man; but afterwards He was shown through His works and words to be that which He was. For this reason Peter also at the beginning used this manner; for this was his first public address 59.42 to the Jews. For since they were not yet able to learn anything clear concerning His divinity, for this reason he dwells on words concerning the economy, so that their hearing, being trained by these, might prepare the way for the remaining teaching. And if anyone should wish to go through the whole address from the beginning, he will find what I say shining very brightly. For he himself also calls Him a man, and dwells on words concerning His passion, and resurrection, and birth according to the flesh. And Paul, when he says: Who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, teaches us nothing else, but that the word, “He made,” is taken with reference to the economy, which we also confess. But the son of thunder is now discoursing to us concerning the ineffable and pre-eternal existence. For this reason, leaving aside "He made," he put "Was." But if He were a creature, it was especially necessary to define this. For if Paul feared lest any of the foolish should suspect that He would be greater than the Father, and would have Him who begat Him in subjection; for this reason, writing to the Corinthians, he said: But when he saith, that all things are put under him, it is manifest that it is with the exception of him who did put all things under him; and yet who would ever suppose that the Father would at any time be subjected to the Son along with all things? but nevertheless if he fears even these unreasonable suspicions, and says, with the exception of

γὰρ περὶ τῆς γῆς τοῦτο ἔδεισεν ὁ Μωϋσῆς, μή τις αὐτὴν ἀγένητον εἴπῃ· πολλῷ μᾶλλον περὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ φοβηθῆναι ἐχρῆν τὸν Ἰωάννην, εἴ γε κτιστὸς ἦν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ κόσμος, ὁρατὸς ὢν, αὐτόθεν κηρύττει τὸν Ποιητήν (Οἱ οὐρανοὶ γὰρ, φησὶ, διηγοῦνται δόξαν τοῦ Θεοῦ)· ὁ δὲ Υἱὸς ἀόρατός ἐστι, καὶ τὴν κτίσιν σφόδρα καὶ ἀπείρως ὑπεραναβέβηκεν. Εἰ τοίνυν ἔνθα μηδὲ λόγου καὶ διδασκαλίας ἡμῖν ἔδει πρὸς τὸ μαθεῖν, ὅτι γενητὸς ὁ κόσμος ἐστὶν, ὅμως σαφῶς αὐτὸ καὶ πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων τίθησιν ὁ Προφήτης· πολλῷ μᾶλλον περὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦτο τὸν Ἰωάννην ἐχρῆν εἰπεῖν, εἴ γε κτισθεὶς ἦν. Ναὶ, φησίν· ἀλλ' ὁ Πέτρος τοῦτο εἶπε σαφῶς καὶ διαῤῥήδην. Ποῦ καὶ πότε; Ὅτε Ἰουδαίοις διαλεγόμενος ἔλεγεν, Ὅτι Κύριοναὐτὸν καὶ Χριστὸν ὁ Θεὸς ἐποίησε. Τί οὖν καὶ τὸ ἑξῆς οὐ προσέθηκας, ὅτι Τοῦτον τὸν Ἰησοῦν ὃν ὑμεῖς ἐσταυρώσατε; Ἢ ἀγνοεῖς ὅτι τῶν λεγομένων τὰ μὲν τῆς ἀκηράτου φύσεως, τὰ δὲ τῆς οἰκονομίας ἐστίν; Εἰ δὲ μή ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ πάντα ἁπλῶς ἐπὶ τῆς θεότητος ἐκδέξῃ, καὶ παθητὸν εἰσάξεις τὸ Θεῖον· εἰ δὲ μὴ παθητὸν, οὐδὲ ποιητόν. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἐκ τῆς θείας αὐτῆς καὶ ἀῤῥήτου φύσεως τὸ αἷμα ἔῤῥευσε, καὶ ἀντὶ τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτὴ τοῖς κατὰ τὸν σταυρὸν ἥλοις διῃρεῖτο καὶ ἐτέμνετο, λόγον ἂν εἶχέ σου κατὰ τοῦτο τὸ σόφισμα. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο οὐδ' ἂν αὐτὸς ὁ διάβολος βλασφημήσειε, τίνος ἕνεκεν αὐτὸς ἀγνοεῖν προσποιῇ ἀσύγγνωστον οὕτως ἄγνοιαν, καὶ ἣν οὐδ' ἂν οἱ δαίμονες ὑπεκρίναντο; Ἄλλως τε τὸ Κύριος καὶ τὸ Χριστὸς, οὐκ ἔστιν οὐσίας, ἀλλ' ἀξιώματος. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ τῆς ἐξουσίας ἐστὶ, τὸ δὲ τοῦ χρισθῆναι. Τί οὖν ἂν εἴποις περὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ; Εἰ γὰρ καὶ κτιστὸς ἦν καθ' ὑμᾶς, τοῦτο οὐκ ἂν ἔχοι χώραν· οὐ γὰρ δὴ πρότερον ἐγένετο, καὶ τότε αὐτὸν ἐχειροτόνησεν ὁ Θεός· οὐδὲ ἀπόβλητον ἔχει τὴν ἀρχὴν, ἀλλὰ φύσει καὶ οὐσιωμένην. Ἐρωτηθεὶς γὰρ εἰ βασιλεὺς εἴη, Ἐγὼ εἰς τοῦτο γεγέννημαι, φησίν. Ὁ δὲ Πέτρος, ὡς περί τινος χειροτονηθέντος, οὕτω διαλέγεται. Περὶ γὰρ τῆς οἰκονομίας ὁ λόγος αὐτῷ πάσης. δʹ. Καὶ τί θαυμάζεις, εἰ τοῦτο ὁ Πέτρος φησίν; Ἀθηναίοις γὰρ διαλεγόμενος ὁ Παῦλος, ἄνδρα αὐτὸν καλεῖ μόνον, οὕτω λέγων· Ἐν ἀνδρὶ ᾧ ὥρισε πίστιν παρασχὼν πᾶσιν, ἀναστήσας αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν· καὶ οὐδὲν περὶ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ λέγει μορφῆς, οὐδὲ ὅτι ἴσος αὐτῷ, οὐδὲ ὅτι ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ· εἰκότως. Οὔπω γὰρ τούτων καιρὸς τῶν ῥημάτων ἦν, ἀλλ' ἀγαπητὸν ἦν αὐτοὺς παραδέξασθαι τέως ὅτι ἄνθρωπός ἐστι, καὶ ὅτι ἀνέστη. Οὕτω καὶ αὐτὸς ἐποίησε Χριστός· παρ' οὗ καὶ Παῦλος μαθὼν, οὕτω τὰ πράγματα ᾠκονόμει. Οὐ γὰρ εὐθέως ἡμῖν ἑαυτοῦ τὴν θεότητα ἐξεκάλυψεν, ἀλλὰ πρῶτον μὲν ἐνομίζετο εἶναι προφήτης καὶ Χριστὸς ἁπλῶς ἄνθρωπος· ὕστερον δὲ ἐφάνη διὰ τῶν ἔργων καὶ τῶν ῥημάτων τοῦτο ὅπερ ἦν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Πέτρος ἐν ἀρχῇ τούτῳ κέχρηται τῷ τρόπῳ· καὶ γὰρ ταύτην πρώτην πρὸς Ἰουδαίους ἐδημηγόρει δημηγο 59.42 ρίαν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐδὲν περὶ τῆς θεότητος αὐτοῦ τέως σαφὲς μαθεῖν ἴσχυον, διὰ τοῦτο τοῖς περὶ τῆς οἰκονομίας ἐνδιατρίβει λόγοις, ἵνα τούτοις ἡ ἀκοὴ γυμνασθεῖσα, τῇ λοιπῇ προοδοποιήσῃ διδασκαλίᾳ. Καὶ εἰ βούλοιτό τις τὴν δημηγορίαν πᾶσαν ἄνωθεν διελθεῖν, εὑρήσει τοῦτο ὃ λέγω σφόδρα διαλάμπον. Καὶ γὰρ ἄνδρα αὐτὸν καλεῖ καὶ αὐτὸς, καὶ τοῖς τοῦ πάθους, καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως, καὶ τῆς κατὰ σάρκα γεννήσεως ἐνδιατρίβει λόγοις. Καὶ Παῦλος δὲ, ὅταν λέγῃ· Τοῦ γενομένου ἐκ σπέρματος ∆αυῒδ κατὰ σάρκα, οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἡμᾶς παιδεύει, ἀλλ' ὅτι τὸ, Ἐποίησεν, ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκονομίας παρείληπται, ὃ καὶ ἡμεῖς ὁμολογοῦμεν. Ἀλλ' ὁ τῆς βροντῆς υἱὸς περὶ τῆς ἀῤῥήτου καὶ προαιωνίου ἡμῖν ὑπάρξεως διαλέγεται νῦν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο τὸ, Ἐποίησεν, ἀφεὶς, τὸ, Ἦν, ἔθηκεν. Ἐχρῆν δὲ εἰ κτιστὸς ἦν, τοῦτο μάλιστα διορίσασθαι. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ Παῦλος ἔδεισε μή τις ὑποπτεύσῃ τῶν ἀνοήτων, ὅτι τοῦ Πατρὸς ἔσται μείζων, καὶ ὑποτεταγμένον ἕξει τὸν γεννήσαντα· διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο Κορινθίοις ἐπιστέλλων ἔλεγεν· Ὅταν δὲ εἴπῃ, ὅτι Ὑποτέτακται, δῆλον ὅτι ἐκτὸς τοῦ ὑποτάξαντος αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα· καίτοι τίς ἂν ὑπονοήσειεν, ὅτι ὁ Πατὴρ ὑποταγήσεταί ποτε τῷ Υἱῷ καὶ μετὰ τῶν πάντων; ἀλλ' ὅμως εἰ καὶ τὰς ἀλόγους ταύτας ὑπονοίας δέδοικε, καί φησιν, ἐκτὸς