John Chrysostom, On Matthew

you condemn your neighbor; for this is not thanksgiving. Do you want to learn words of thanksgiving? listen to the three young men saying: We have sinned, we have committed iniquity; you are righteous, O Lord, in all that you have done to us, because in true judgment you have brought all things upon us. For to confess one's own sins, this is to give thanks to God by confessing, which shows that one is liable for countless things, but is not being required to pay the penalty deserved; this person is most of all the one who gives thanks. Let us therefore beware of saying anything about ourselves; for this makes us hateful to men and abominable to God. For this reason, however great our achievements may be, let us say little about ourselves; for thus we shall reap the greatest glory, both from men and from God; or rather not only glory 57.38 from God, but also a great reward and recompense. Therefore, do not demand a reward, that you may receive a reward. Confess that you are saved by grace, so that he may confess himself a debtor to you, not only for your achievements, but also for such gratitude. For when we achieve things, we have him as a debtor for the achievements only; but when we do not even think we have achieved anything, also for being so disposed, and more so than for those things; so that this is a counterweight to the achievements. For if this is not present, not even those things will appear great. For we too, who have servants, accept them most of all at that time when, having ministered all things with good will, they think they have done nothing great. So if you wish to make your achievements great, do not consider them to be great, and then they will be great. Thus also the centurion said: I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof; for this reason he became worthy, and was admired above all the Jews. Thus also Paul says: I am not worthy to be called an apostle; for this reason he also became the first of all. Thus also John: I am not worthy to loose the strap of his sandal; for this reason he was also the friend of the bridegroom, and the hand which he said was unworthy of the sandals, this hand Christ drew to his own head. Thus also Peter said: Depart from me, for I am a sinful man; for this reason he became the foundation of the Church. For nothing is so dear to God as to number oneself with the least. This is the beginning of all philosophy. For the one who is humbled and contrite will not be vainglorious, will not be angry, will not envy his neighbor, will not receive any other passion. For not even a crushed hand, even if we should strive ten thousand times, will we be able to raise on high. If, therefore, we crush the soul in this way, even if ten thousand puffing-up passions assail it, it will not be able to be lifted up even a little. For if one who grieves over worldly matters casts out all the diseases of the soul; much more will the one who does this for sins enjoy philosophy. And who will be able thus to crush his own heart? he says. Listen to David, who for this reason especially shone, and see the contrition of his soul. For after ten thousand achievements, and being about to be cast out from his homeland and his house and from life itself, at the very time of the disaster, seeing a lowly and cast-off soldier taking advantage of his situation and reviling him, not only did he not revile him in return, but he also prevented one of the generals who wanted to kill him, saying: Let him alone, for the Lord has commanded him. And again, when the priests thought it right to carry the ark around with him, he did not accept it; but what does he say? I will sit at the temple, and if God delivers me from the terrible things at hand, I will see its beauty 57.39; but if he says to me, I have not willed you, behold, I am here, let him do to me what is pleasing in his sight. And what happened in the case of Saul, not once nor twice but many times, what excess of philosophy does it not display? For he both surpassed the old law and came near to the apostolic commandments. For this reason he cherished all things from the Master, not judging the things that happened, but being zealous for one thing only, everywhere to obey and to follow the laws laid down by him. And seeing after so many things

καταδικάσῃς τὸν πλησίον· οὐ γάρ ἐστι τοῦτο εὐχαριστία. Βούλει μαθεῖν εὐχαριστίας λόγους; ἄκουσον τῶν τριῶν παίδων λεγόντων· Ἡμάρτομεν, ἠνομήσαμεν· δίκαιος εἶ, Κύριε, ἐπὶ πᾶσιν οἷς ἐποίησας ἡμῖν, ὅτι ἐν ἀληθινῇ κρίσει πάντα ἐπήγαγες. Τὸ γὰρ τὰ οἰκεῖα ἁμαρτήματα ὁμολογεῖν, τοῦτό ἐστιν εὐχαριστεῖν τῷ Θεῷ ὁμολογοῦντα, ὅπερ δείκνυσι μυρίων μὲν ὄντα αὐτὸν ὑπεύθυνον, οὐκ ἀπαιτούμενον δὲ τὴν ἀξίαν δίκην· οὗτος μάλιστά ἐστιν ὁ εὐχαριστῶν. Φυλαξώμεθα τοίνυν τὸ περὶ ἑαυτῶν τι λέγειν· τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ παρὰ ἀνθρώποις μισητοὺς καὶ παρὰ Θεῷ βδελυροὺς ἐργάζεται. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ὅσῳ ἂν μεγάλα κατορθώσωμεν, τοσούτῳ μικρὰ περὶ ἑαυτῶν λέγωμεν· οὕτω γὰρ μεγίστην καρπωσόμεθα δόξαν, καὶ παρὰ ἀνθρώποις καὶ παρὰ Θεῷ· μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ δόξαν μόνον 57.38 παρὰ Θεῷ, ἀλλὰ καὶ μισθὸν καὶ ἀντίδοσιν μεγάλην. Μὴ τοίνυν ἀπαίτει μισθὸν, ἵνα λάβῃς μισθόν. Χάριτι ὁμολόγει σώζεσθαι, ἵνα σοι αὐτὸς ὀφειλέτην ἑαυτὸν ὁμολογήσῃ, οὐχὶ τῶν κατορθωμάτων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς τοιαύτης εὐγνωμοσύνης. Ὅταν μὲν γὰρ κατορθῶμεν, τῶν κατορθωμάτων ὀφειλέτην ἔχομεν μόνον· ὅταν δὲ μηδὲ ἡγούμεθά τι κατωρθωκέναι, καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὕτω διακεῖσθαι, καὶ μειζόνως ἢ ἐκείνων· ὥστε ἀντίῤῥοπον τῶν κατορθωμάτων τοῦτό ἐστιν. Ἂν γὰρ μὴ τοῦτο παρῇ, οὐδ' ἐκεῖνα φανεῖται μεγάλα. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἡμεῖς οἰκέτας ἔχοντες, τότε αὐτοὺς μάλιστα ἀποδεχόμεθα, ὅταν πάντα μετ' εὐνοίας διακονησάμενοι, μηδὲν ἡγῶνται πεποιηκέναι μέγα. Ὥστε εἰ βούλει μεγάλα σου ποιῆσαι τὰ κατορθώματα, μὴ νόμιζε αὐτὰ εἶναι μεγάλα, καὶ τότε ἔσται μεγάλα. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ ἑκατοντάρχης ἔλεγεν· Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς, ἵνα μου ὑπὸ τὴν στέγην εἰσέλθῃς· διὰ τοῦτο ἄξιος γέγονε, καὶ ὑπὲρ πάντας Ἰουδαίους ἐθαυμάζετο. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Παῦλός φησιν· Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς καλεῖσθαι ἀπόστολος· διὰ τοῦτο καὶ πρῶτος πάντων ἐγένετο. Οὕτω καὶ Ἰωάννης· Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς λῦσαι αὐτοῦ τὸν ἱμάντα τοῦ ὑποδήματος· διὰ τοῦτο καὶ φίλος ἧν τοῦ νυμφίου, καὶ τὴν χεῖρα, ἢν ἀναξίαν ἔφησεν εἶναι τῶν ὑποδημάτων, ταύτην ὁ Χριστὸς ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν εἵλκυσε τὴν ἑαυτοῦ. Οὕτω καὶ Πέτρος ἔλεγεν· Ἔξελθε ἀπ' ἐμοῦ, ὅτι ἀνὴρ ἁμαρτωλός εἰμι· διὰ τοῦτο θεμέλιος τῆς Ἐκκλησίας γέγονεν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτω τῷ Θεῷ φίλον, ὡς τὸ μετὰ τῶν ἐσχάτων ἑαυτὸν ἀριθμεῖν. Τοῦτο φιλοσοφίας πάσης ἀρχή. Ὁ γὰρ τεταπεινωμένος καὶ συντετριμμένος, οὐ κενοδοξήσει, οὐκ ὀργιεῖται, οὐ φθονήσει τὸν πλησίον, οὐκ ἄλλο τι δέξεται πάθος. Οὐδὲ γὰρ χεῖρα συντετριμμένην, κἂν μυριάκις φιλονεικήσωμεν, εἰς ὕψος ἆραι δυνησόμεθα. Ἂν τοίνυν καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν οὕτω συντρίψωμεν, κἂν μυρία αὐτὴν ἐπάρῃ φυσῶντα πάθη, οὐδὲ μικρὸν ἀρθῆναι δυνήσεται. Εἰ γὰρ περὶ βιωτικῶν τις πενθῶν πραγμάτων, πάντα ἐξορίζει τὰ νοσήματα τῆς ψυχῆς· πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁ ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτιῶν τοῦτο ποιῶν ἀπολαύσεται τῆς φιλοσοφίας. Καὶ τίς οὕτω δυνήσεται συντρῖψαι τὴν ἑαυτοῦ καρδίαν· φησίν. Ἄκουσον τοῦ ∆αυῒδ τοῦ διὰ τοῦτο μάλιστα λάμψαντος, καὶ βλέπε αὐτοῦ τὴν συντριβὴν τῆς ψυχῆς. Μετὰ γὰρ μυρία κατορθώματα, καὶ πατρίδος καὶ οἰκίας καὶ αὐτῆς μέλλων ἐκπίπτειν τῆς ζωῆς, παρ' αὐτὸν τὸν καιρὸν τῆς συμφορᾶς, στρατιώτην εὐτελῆ καὶ ἀπεῤῥιμμένον ὁρῶν ἐπεμβαίνοντα αὐτοῦ τῷ καιρῷ καὶ λοιδορούμενον, οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἀντελοιδόρησεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν στρατηγῶν τινα βουλόμενον αὐτὸν ἀνελεῖν διεκώλυσεν, εἰπών· Ἄφετε αὐτὸν, ὅτι Κύριος ἐνετείλατο αὐτῷ. Καὶ πάλιν, τῶν ἱερέων ἀξιούντων μετ' αὐτοῦ τὴν κιβωτὸν συμπεριφέρειν, οὐκ ἐδέξατο· ἀλλὰ τί φησιν; Ἐπὶ τοῦ ναοῦ καθίσω, κἂν ἀπαλλάξῃ με τῶν ἐν χερσὶ δεινῶν ὁ Θεὸς, ὄψομαι τὴν εὐπρέπειαν 57.39 αὐτῆς· ἂν δὲ εἴπῃ μοι, Οὐ τεθέληκά σε, ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ, ποιείτω μοι τὸ ἀρεστὸν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ. Τὸ δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ Σαοὺλ καὶ ἅπαξ καὶ δὶς καὶ πολλάκις γεγενημένον, ποίαν οὐκ ἐνδείκνυται φιλοσοφίας ὑπερβολήν; Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὸν παλαιὸν ὑπερέβη νόμον, καὶ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν ἐγγὺς ἐγένετο προσταγμάτων. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο πάντα ἔστεργε τὰ παρὰ τοῦ ∆εσπότου, οὐ δικάζων τοῖς γινομένοις, ἀλλ' ἓν μόνον σπουδάζων, πανταχοῦ πείθεσθαι καὶ ἕπεσθαι τοῖς παρ' αὐτοῦ κειμένοις νόμοις. Καὶ ὁρῶν μετὰ τοσαῦτα