John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of John

“He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus.”

[1.] When God in the beginning made man, He did not suffer him to be alone, but gave him woman for a helpmate, and made them to dwell together, knowing that great advantage would result from this companionship. What though the woman did not rightly employ this benefit? still if any one make himself fully acquainted with the nature of the matter, he will see, that to the wise great advantage arises from this dwelling together; not in the cause of wife or husband only, but if brothers do this, they also shall enjoy the benefit. Wherefore the Prophet hath said, “What is good, what is pleasant, but that brethren should dwell together?” ( Ps. cxxxiii. 1 , LXX.) And Paul exhorted not to neglect the assembling of ourselves together. ( Heb. x. 25.) In this it is that we differ from beasts, for this we have built cities, and markets, and houses, that we may be united one with another, not in the place of our dwelling only, but by the bond of love. For since our nature came imperfect491 ἐ νδεὴς. from Him who made it, and is not self-sufficient,492 αὐτάρκης. God, for our advantage, ordained that the want hence existing should be corrected by the assistance arising from mutual intercourse; so that what was lacking in one should be supplied by another,493 Ben. Morel. and ms. in Bodl. read the passage thus: “For this cause also marriage is arranged, in order that what is wanting,” &c. and the defective nature thus be rendered self-sufficient; as, for instance, that though made mortal,494 καθάπερ οὖν καὶ θνητὴν γενομένην. Ben. and ms. in Bodl. read, ὡ ς αὔτην ἔχειν και θ. γ. it should by succession for a long time maintain immortality. I might have gone into this argument at greater length, to show what advantages arise to those who come together from genuine and pure495 εἰλικρινοῦς. intercourse with each other: but there is another thing which presses now, that on account of which we have made these remarks.

Andrew, after having tarried with Jesus and learned what He did, kept not the treasure to himself, but hastens and runs quickly to his brother, to impart to him of the good things which he had received.496 al. “shared.” But wherefore has not John said on what matters Christ conversed with them? Whence is it clear that it was for this that they “abode with Him”?497 Morel. and ms. in Bodl. “conversed with them, when they straightway followed and abode with Him.” It was proved by us the other day; but we may learn it from what has been read today as well. Observe what Andrew says to his brother; “We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.” You see how, as far as he had learned in a short time, he showed498 Ben. Morel. and ms. in Bodl. “he showed hence, for he both establishes the wisdom,” &c. the wisdom of the teacher who persuaded them, and their own zeal, who cared for these things long ago,499 ἄ νωθεν. and from the beginning. For this word, “we have found,” is the expression of a soul which travails500 ὠ δινούσης. for His presence, and looks for His coming from above, and is made overjoyed when the looked-for thing has happened,501 al. “has appeared.” and hastens to impart to others the good tidings. This is the part of brotherly affection, of natural friendship, of a sincere disposition, to be eager to stretch out the hand to each other in spiritual things. Hear him besides speak with the addition of the article; for he does not say “Messias,” but “the Messias”; thus they were expecting some one Christ,502 Anointed one. having nothing in common with the others. And behold, I beg of you, the mind of Peter obedient and tractable from the very beginning; he ran to Him without any delay; “He brought him,” saith St. John, “to Jesus.” Yet let no one blame his easy temper if he received the word without much questioning, because it is probable that his brother had told him these things more exactly and at length; but the Evangelists from their care for conciseness constantly cut many things short. Besides, it is not said absolutely that “he believed,” but that “he brought him to Jesus,” to give him up for the future to Him, so that from Him he might learn all; for the other disciple also was with him, and contributed to this. And if John the Baptist, when he had said that He was “the Lamb,” and that He “baptized with the Spirit,” gave them over to learn the clearer doctrine concerning this thing from Him, much more would Andrew have done this, not deeming him self sufficient to declare the whole, but drawing him to the very fount of light with so much zeal and joy, that the other503 ἐ κεῖνον. neither deferred nor delayed at all.504 τὸ τυχόν.

Ver. 42. “And when Jesus beheld him,” saith the Evangelist, “He said, Thou art Simon, the son of Jonas; thou shalt be called Cephas, which is, by interpretation, a stone.”

[2.] He begins from this time forth to reveal the things belonging to His Divinity, and to open It out little by little by predictions. So He did in the case of Nathaniel and the Samaritan woman. For prophecies bring men over not less than miracles; and are free from the appearance of boasting. Miracles may possibly be slandered among foolish men, (“He casteth out devils,” said they, “by Beelzebub”— Matt. xii. 24 ), but nothing of the kind has ever been said of prophecy. Now in the case of Nathaniel and Simon He used this method of teaching, but with Andrew and Philip He did not so. Why was this? Because those505 i.e. those mentioned above, v. 40 , who were present when St. John Baptist gave his testimony, one of whom was Andrew. (two) had the testimony of John, no small preparation, and Philip received a credible evidence of faith, when he saw those who had been present.

“Thou art Simon, the son of Jonas.” By the present, the future is guaranteed; for it is clear that He who named Peter’s father foreknew the future also. And the prediction is attended with praise; but the object was not to flatter, but to foretell something future. Hear506 al. “consider.” at least in the case of the Samaritan woman, how He utters a prediction with severe reproofs;507 al. “reproving with earnestness.” “Thou hast had,” he saith, “five husbands, and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband.” ( c. iv. 18.) So also His Father makes great account of prophecy, when He sets Himself against the honor paid to idols: “Let them declare to you,” saith He, “what shall come upon you” ( Isa. xlvii. 13 ); and again, “I have declared, and have saved, and there was no foreign God amongst you” ( Isa. xliii. 12 , LXX.); and He brings this forward through all prophecy. Because prophecy is especially the work of God, which devils cannot even imitate, though they strive exceedingly. For in the case of miracles there may be delusion; but exactly to foretell the future belongs to that pure Nature alone. Or if devils ever have done so, it was by deceiving the simpler sort; whence their oracles are always easily detected.

But Peter makes no reply to these words; as yet he knew nothing clearly, but still was learning. And observe, that not even the prediction is fully set forth; for Jesus did not say, “I will change thy name to Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church,” but, “Thou shalt be called Cephas.” The former speech would have expressed too great authority508 αὐθεντίας. and power; for Christ does not immediately nor at first declare all His power, but speaks for a while in a humbler tone; and so, when He had given the proof of His Divinity, He puts it more authoritatively, saying,509 al. “And I say unto thee, ‘Thou art Simon, thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation a stone.’” “Blessed art thou, Simon, because My Father hath revealed it to thee”; and again, “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church.” ( Matt. xvi. 17, 18.) Him therefore He so named, and James and his brother He called “sons of thunder.” ( Mark iii. 17.) Why then doth He this? To show that it was He who gave the old covenant, that it was He who altered names, who called Abram “Abraham,” and Sarai “Sarah,” and Jacob “Israel.” To many he assigned names even from their birth, as to Isaac, and Samson, and to those in Isaiah and Hosea ( Isa. viii. 3; Hos. i. 4, 6, 9 ); but to others He gave them after they had been named by their parents, as to those we have mentioned, and to Joshua the son of Nun. It was also a custom of the Ancients to give names from things, which in fact Leah also has done;510 ὅ περ δήπου καὶ ̔Ηλίας πεποίηκε, and there are no various readings. Savile has in the margin ὅ περ οὖν καὶ ̔Ηλία. We may venture to read “ἡ Λεία,” as he praises her for this, Hom. lvi. on Genesis. “Observe how she gave names to those she bore, not lightly nor at random.” and this takes place not without cause, but in order that men may have the appellation to remind them of the goodness of God, that a perpetual memory of the prophecy conveyed by the names may sound in the ears of those who receive it. Thus too He named John early,511 ἄ νωθεν. because they whose virtue was to shine forth from their early youth, from that time received their names; while to those who were to become great512 ἐ πιδίδοναι. at a later period, the title also was given later.

[3.] But then they received each a different name, we now have all one name, that which is greater than any, being called513 al. “the being called.” “Christians,” and “sons of God,” and (His) “friends,” and (His) “Body.” For the very term itself is able more than all those others to rouse us, and make us more zealous514 al. “more ready.” for the practice of virtue. Let us not then act unworthily of the honor belonging to the title, considering515 al. “consider at least.” the excess of our dignity, we who are called Christ’s; for so Paul hath named us. Let us bear in mind and respect the grandeur of the appellation. ( 1 Cor. iii. 23.) For if one who is said to be descended from some famous general, or one otherwise distinguished, is proud to be called this or that man’s son, and deems the name a great honor, and strives in every way so as not to affix, by remissness of his own, reproach to him after whom he is called; shall not we who are called after the name, not of a general, nor any of the princes upon earth, nor Angel, nor Archangel, nor Seraphim, but of the King of these Himself, shall not we freely give even our very life, so as not to insult Him who has honored us? Know ye not what honor the royal bands of shield-bearers and spearmen that are about the king enjoy? So let us who have been deemed worthy to be near Him, and much closer, and as much nearer than those just named, as the body is closer to the head than they, let us, I say, use every means to be imitators of Christ.

What then saith Christ? “The foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head.” ( Luke ix. 58.) Now if I demand this of you, it will seem perhaps to most of you grievous and burdensome; because therefore of your infirmity I speak not of516 ἀ φίημι. such perfection, but desire you not to be nailed to riches; and as I, because of the infirmity of the many, retire somewhat from (demanding) the excess of virtue, I desire that you do so and much more on the side of vice. I blame not those who have houses, and lands, and wealth, and servants, but wish them to possess517 al. “to use.” these things in a safe and becoming way. And what is “a becoming way”? As masters, not as slaves; so that they rule them, be not ruled by them; that they use, not abuse them. This is why they are called, “things to be used,”518 χρήματα. that we may employ them on necessary services, not hoard them up; this is a domestic’s office, that a master’s; it is for the slave to keep them, but for the lord and one who has great authority to expend. Thou didst not receive thy wealth to bury, but to distribute. Had God desired riches to be hoarded, He would not have given them to men, but would have let them remain as they were in the earth; but because He wishes them to be spent, therefore He has permitted us to have them, that we may impart them to each other. And if we keep them to ourselves, we are no longer masters of them. But if you wish to make them greater and therefore keep them shut up, even in this case the best plan of all is to scatter and distribute them in all directions; because there can be no revenue without an outlay, no wealth without expenditure. One may see that it is so even in worldly matters. So it is with the merchant, so with the husbandman, who put forth the one his wealth, the other his seed; the one sails the sea to disperse his wares, the other labors all the year putting in and tending his seed. But here there is no need of any one of these things, neither to equip a vessel, nor to yoke oxen, nor to plough land, nor to be anxious about uncertain weather, nor to dread a fall of hail; here are neither waves nor rocks; this voyage and this sowing needs one thing only, that we cast forth our possessions; all the rest will that Husbandman do, of whom Christ saith, “My Father is the Husbandman.” ( c. xv. 1.) Is it not then absurd to be sluggish and slothful where we may gain all without labor, and where there are many toils and many519 al. “more.” troubles and cares, and after all, an uncertain hope, there to display all eagerness? Let us not, I beseech you, let us not be to such a degree senseless about our own salvation, but let us leave the more troublesome task, and run to that which is most easy and more profitable, that we may obtain also the good things that are to come; through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father and the Holy and quickening Spirit be glory, now and ever, and world without end. Amen.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΘʹ. Εὑρίσκει οὕτω πρῶτος τὸν ἀδελφὸν τὸν ἴδιον Σίμωνα, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ: «Εὑρήκαμεν τὸν Μεσσίαν,» ὅ ἐστι μεθερμηνευόμενον Χριστός: καὶ ἤγαγεν αὐτὸν πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν. αʹ. Ὁ Θεὸς παρὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν ποιήσας τὸν ἄνθρωπον, οὐκ ἀφῆκεν εἶναι μόνον, ἀλλ' ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ βοηθὸν τὴν γυναῖκα, καὶ συνοικεῖν ἐποίησεν, εἰδὼς ἀπὸ τῆς συσκηνίας ταύτης πολὺ τὸ κέρδος ἐσόμενον. Τί γὰρ εἰ μὴ πρὸς τὸ δέον ἐχρήσατο τῇ εὐεργεσίᾳ ταύτῃ ἡ γυνή; Ἀλλ' ὅμως εἰ τοῦ πράγματος αὐτοῦ τὴν φύσιν τις καταμάθοι, πολλὴν ἀπὸ τῆς συνοικήσεως ταύτης ὄψεται τὴν ὠφέλειαν ἐπὶ τῶν νοῦν ἐχόντων γινομένην. Οὐκ ἐπὶ γυναικὸς δὲ μόνον καὶ ἀνδρὸς, ἀλλὰ κἂν ἀδελφοὶ τοῦτο ποιῶσι, καὶ αὐτοὶ τῆς εὐεργεσίας ἀπολαύσονται. Διὸ καὶ ὁ Προφήτης ἔλεγε: Τί καλὸν ἢ τί τερπνὸν, ἀλλ' ἢ τὸ κατοικεῖν ἀδελφοὺς ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό; Καὶ ὁ Παῦλος παρῄνει μὴ ἐγκαταλιπεῖν τὴν ἐπισυναγωγὴν τὴν ἑαυτῶν. Καὶ γὰρ τοῦτό ἐστιν ᾧ τῶν θηρίων διεστήκαμεν. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ πόλεις ἐδειμάμεθα, καὶ ἀγορὰς καὶ οἰκίας, ἵνα ὁμοῦ καὶ μετ' ἀλλήλων ὦμεν, οὐ κατὰ τὴν οἴκησιν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἀγάπης σύνδεσμον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐνδεὴς ἡμῖν ἡ φύσις παρὰ τοῦ πεποιηκότος ἐγένετο, καὶ οὐκ αὐτάρκης ἐστὶν ἑαυτῇ, συμφερόντως ᾠκονόμησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἔνδειαν λοιπὸν ἐκ τῆς κατὰ τὴν σύνοδον παρ' ἀλλήλων γινομένης ὠφελείας διορθωθῆναι. Διὰ τοῦτο γάμος οἰκονομεῖται, ὥστε τὸ λεῖπον ἑτέρῳ παρ' ἑτέρου πληροῦσθαι, καὶ τὴν ἐνδεῆ γενέσθαι οὕτως αὐτάρκη, ὡς αὐτὴν ἔχειν καὶ θνητὴν γενομένην, τῇ διαδοχῇ μέχρι πολλοῦ τὴν ἀθανασίαν διατηρεῖν. Καὶ ἦν μὲν μακρότερον ἐπεξελθεῖν τούτῳ τῷ λόγῳ, δεικνύντα ὅσα ἀπὸ τῆς πρὸς ἀλλήλους συνόδου τῆς γνησίας καὶ εἰλικρινοῦς τὰ κέρδη τοῖς συνερχομένοις γίνεται: ἀλλ' ἕτερόν ἐστι τὸ κατεπεῖγον νῦν, οὗ δὴ καὶ ἕνεκεν ἡμῖν ταῦτα εἴρηται. Ὁ γὰρ Ἀνδρέας μείνας παρὰ τῷ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ μαθὼν ἅπερ ἔμαθεν, οὐ κατέσχε παρ' ἑαυτῷ τὸν θησαυρὸν, ἀλλ' ἐπείγεται καὶ τρέχει ταχέως παρὰ τὸν ἀδελφὸν, μεταδώσων αὐτῷ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ὧν εἰλήφει. Τίνος δὲ ἕνεκεν οὐκ εἶπεν ὁ Ἰωάννης, τίνα ἐστὶν ἃ διελέχθη πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὁ Χριστός; πόθεν δὲ καὶ δῆλόν ἐστιν ὅτι διὰ τοῦτο ἔμειναν παρ' αὐτῷ; Ἀπεδείχθη μὲν ἡμῖν τοῦτο καὶ πρώην: ἔξεστι δὲ καὶ ἐκ τῶν τήμερον ἀναγνωσθέντων μαθεῖν. Ὅρα γὰρ τί φησιν οὗτος πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφόν: Εὑρήκαμεν τὸν Μεσσίαν, ὃς ἑρμηνεύεται Χριστός. Εἶδες πῶς ὅσα ἐν βραχεῖ ἔμαθεν, ἔδειξεν ἐντεῦθεν; Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὴν τοῦ διδασκάλου ἰσχὺν παρίστησι πείσαντος αὐτοὺς, καὶ τὴν αὐτῶν προθυμίαν ἄνωθεν καὶ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ταῦτα μεριμνώντων. Τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ ῥῆμα ψυχῆς ἐστιν ὠδινούσης τὴν παρουσίαν αὐτοῦ, καὶ προσδοκώσης τὴν ἄφιξιν ἄνωθεν, καὶ περιχαροῦς γεγενημένης μετὰ τὸ φανῆναι τὸ προσδοκώμενον, καὶ ἐπειγομένης ἑτέροις μεταδοῦναι τῶν εὐαγγελίων. Τοῦτο ἀδελφικῆς εὐνοίας, τοῦτο φιλίας συγγενικῆς, τοῦτο εἰλικρινοῦς διαθέσεως, ἐν τοῖς πνευματικοῖς σπουδάζειν χεῖρα ὀρέγειν ἀλλήλοις. Ἄκουσον δὲ καὶ τούτου μετὰ τῆς τοῦ ἄρθρου προσθήκης λέγοντος. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπε, Μεσσίαν, ἀλλὰ, τὸν Μεσσίαν: οὕτως ἕνα τινὰ Χριστὸν προσεδόκων, οὐδὲν κοινὸν πρὸς τοὺς ἄλλους ἔχοντα. Θέα δέ μοι καὶ ἐξ αὐτῆς τῆς ἀρχῆς τὴν εὐπειθῆ καὶ εὐήνιον τοῦ Πέτρου διάνοιαν. Εὐθέως γὰρ ἐπέδραμε μηδὲν μελλήσας. Ἤγαγε γὰρ αὐτὸν, φησὶ, πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν. Ἀλλὰ μηδεὶς εὐκολίαν αὐτοῦ καταγινωσκέτω, εἰ μὴ πολλὰ ζητήσας οὕτω τὸν λόγον ἐδέξατο. Εἰκὸς γὰρ καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἀκριβέστερον εἰρηκέναι αὐτῷ ταῦτα, καὶ διὰ μακρῶν: ἀλλ' οἱ εὐαγγελισταὶ πανταχοῦ πολλὰ ἐπιτέμνουσι βραχυλογίας ἐπιμελούμενοι. Ἄλλως δὲ, οὐδὲ εἴρηται ὅτι ἐπίστευσεν ἁπλῶς, ἀλλ' ὅτι Ἤγαγεν αὐτὸν πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν, ἐκείνῳ λοιπὸν παραδώσων, ὥστε τὸ πᾶν παρ' ἐκείνου μαθεῖν: καὶ γὰρ καὶ ὁ ἕτερος μαθητὴς συνῆν καὶ συνεβάλετο πρὸς ταῦτα. Εἰ δὲ ὁ Βαπτιστὴς Ἰωάννης εἰπὼν, ὅτι Ἀμνός ἐστι, καὶ ὅτι ἐν Πνεύματι βαπτίζει, τὴν σαφεστέραν περὶ τούτου διδασκαλίαν ἐπέτρεψε παρ' ἐκείνου μαθεῖν: πολλῷ μᾶλλον Ἀνδρέας ἂν τοῦτο ἐποίησεν, αὐτὸς μὲν οὐχ ἡγούμενος πρὸς τὴν ἐξήγησιν πᾶσαν ἐξαρκεῖν, εἰς δὲ αὐτὴν τοῦ φωτὸς ἕλκων τὴν πηγὴν μετὰ τοσαύτης σπουδῆς καὶ χαρᾶς, ὡς μηδὲ τὸ τυχὸν ἀναβαλέσθαι καὶ μελλῆσαι ἐκεῖνον. Καὶ ἐμβλέψας αὐτῷ, φησὶν, ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγει: Σὺ εἶ Σίμων ὁ υἱὸς Ἰωνᾶ: σὺ κληθήσῃ Κηφᾶς, ὃ ἑρμηνεύεται Πέτρος. Ἄρχεται λοιπὸν ἐνταῦθα ἀποκαλύπτειν τὰ τῆς θεότητος, καὶ κατὰ μικρὸν αὐτὴν παρανοίγειν ἀπὸ τῶν προῤῥήσεων. Οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ναθαναὴλ ἐποίησε, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γυναικὸς τῆς Σαμαρείτιδος. βʹ. Τῶν γὰρ σημείων οὐχ ἧττον αἱ προφητεΐαι προσάγονται, καὶ τὸ ἀκόμπαστον ἔχουσι. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ θαύματα κἂν διαβληθείη παρὰ τοῖς ἀνοήτοις (Ἐν Βεελζεβοὺλ γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐκβάλλει τὰ δαιμόνια), περὶ δὲ τῆς προφητείας οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον ἐλέχθη ποτέ. Ἐπὶ μὲν οὖν τοῦ Σίμωνος καὶ τοῦ Ναθαναὴλ τούτῳ τῆς διδασκαλίας τῷ τρόπῳ κέχρηται. ἐπὶ δὲ Ἀνδρέου καὶ Φιλίππου τοῦτο οὐκ ἐποίησε. Τί δήποτε; Ὅτι ἐκεῖνοι μὲν εἶχον τὴν μαρτυρίαν Ἰωάννου, οὐ μικρὰν παρασκευήν: ὁ δὲ Φίλιππος τοὺς παρόντας ὁρῶν, ἀξιόπιστον τεκμήριον ἐλάμβανε πίστεως. Σὺ εἶ Σίμων ὁ υἱὸς Ἰωνᾶ, σὺ κληθήσῃ Κηφᾶς, ὃ ἑρμηνεύεται Πέτρος. Ἀπὸ τοῦ παρόντος καὶ τὸ μέλλον πιστοῦται. Ὁ γὰρ τὸν Πατέρα εἰπὼν, δῆλον ὅτι καὶ τὸ μέλλον προῄδει: καὶ μετ' ἐγκωμίου ἡ πρόῤῥησις. Τοῦτο δὲ οὐ κολακεύοντος ἦν, ἀλλὰ τὸ μέλλον προλέγοντος: καὶ δῆλον ἐκεῖθεν. Σκόπει γοῦν ἐπὶ τῆς Σαμαρείτιδος, πῶς μετὰ σφοδρῶν ἐλέγχων ποιεῖται τὴν πρόῤῥησιν. Πέντε γὰρ, φησὶν, ἄνδρας ἔσχες: καὶ νῦν ὃν ἔχεις, οὐκ ἔστι σου ἀνήρ. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ αὐτοῦ πολὺν περὶ προφητείας ποιεῖται λόγον, πρὸς τὴν τῶν εἰδώλων δόξαν ἱστάμενος. Ἀπαγγειλάτωσαν γὰρ ὑμῖν τί μέλλει ἐφ' ὑμᾶς ἔρχεσθαι: καὶ πάλιν: Ἀπήγγειλα καὶ ἔσωσα, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἐν ὑμῖν ἀλλότριος: καὶ δι' ὅλης τοῦτο τῆς προφητείας εἰς μέσον ἄγει. Τοῦτο γὰρ μάλιστα ἔργον Θεοῦ, ὅπερ οὐδὲ μιμήσασθαι δύναιντ' ἂν οἱ δαίμονες, κἂν σφόδρα φιλονεικῶσιν. Ἐπὶ μὲν γὰρ τῶν θαυμάτων καὶ φαντασία γένοιτο ἄν: τὸ δὲ τὰ μέλλοντα προειπεῖν μετὰ ἀκριβείας, τῆς ἀκηράτου φύσεως ἐκείνης μόνης ἐστίν. Εἰ δέ που καὶ δαίμονες τοῦτο πεποιήκασιν, ἀλλ' ἀπατῶντες τοὺς ἀνοητοτέρους: ὅθεν καὶ εὐφώρατα αὐτῶν πανταχοῦ τὰ μαντεῖα. Ὁ δὲ Πέτρος οὐδὲν πρὸς ταῦτα ἀποκρίνεται: οὐδέπω γὰρ οὐδὲν ᾔδει σαφῶς, ἀλλὰ τέως ἐμάνθανεν. Ὅρα δὲ οὐδὲ ὁλόκληρον τὴν πρόῤῥησιν κειμένην. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν, Ἐγώ σε μετονομάσω Πέτρον, καὶ οἰκοδομήσω μου τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν ἐπὶ τῇ πέτρᾳ ταύτῃ, ἀλλὰ, Σὺ κληθήσῃ Κηφᾶς. Ἐκεῖνο γὰρ αὐθεντίας ἦν καὶ ἐξουσίας μείζονος. Ὁ δὲ Χριστὸς οὐκ εὐθέως οὐδὲ ἐξ ἀρχῆς τὰ τῆς ἐξουσίας ἐπιδείκνυται πάντα, ἀλλὰ τέως ταπεινότερον φθέγγεται. Ὅτε γοῦν ἔδωκε τῆς αὐτοῦ θεότητος ἀπόδειξιν, λοιπὸν αὐθεντικώτερον αὐτὸ τίθησι, λέγων: Μακάριος εἶ, Σίμων, ὅτι ὁ Πατήρ μου ἀπεκάλυψέ σοι: καὶ πάλιν: Κἀγώ σοι λέγω: σὺ εἶ Πέτρος, καὶ ἐπὶ τῇ πέτρᾳ ταύτῃ οἰκοδομήσω μου τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν. Τοῦτον μὲν οὖν οὕτως ὠνόμασε: τοὺς δὲ περὶ Ἰάκωβον, υἱοὺς βροντῆς. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν τοῦτο ποιεῖ; Δεικνὺς ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ καὶ τὴν Παλαιὰν δεδωκὼς, καὶ τὰ ὀνόματα μεταῤῥυθμίζων, ὁ τὸν Ἄβραμ, Ἀβραὰμ καλέσας, καὶ τὴν Σάραν Σάῤῥαν: καὶ τὸν Ἰακὼβ Ἰσραήλ. Πολλοῖς μὲν καὶ ἐκ γενετῆς τὰ ὀνόματα ἔθηκεν, ὡς τῷ Ἰσαὰκ, ὡς τῷ Σαμψὼν, ὡς τοῖς ἐν τῷ Ἡσαΐᾳ καὶ Ὠσηέ: τοῖς δὲ μετὰ τὴν παρὰ τῶν γονέων προσηγορίαν, ὡς τοῖς τε εἰρημένοις, καὶ τῷ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Ναυή. Ἔθος δὲ καὶ τοῦτο τοῖς παλαιοῖς ἦν, ἀπὸ τῶν πραγμάτων τὰ ὀνόματα τίθεσθαι, ὅπερ δήπου καὶ Ἠλίας πεποίηκε, Τοῦτο δὲ οὐχ ἁπλῶς γίνεται, ἀλλ' ἵνα τὴν προσηγορίαν ἔχωσιν ὑπόμνημα τῆς εὐεργεσίας τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἵνα μνήμη διηνεκὴς τῆς διὰ τῶν ὀνομάτων προφητείας ἐνηχῆται τοῖς ἀκούουσιν. Οὕτω καὶ τὸν Ἰωάννην ἄνωθεν ἐκάλεσεν. Οἷς μὲν γὰρ ἔμελλεν ἐκ πρώτης ἡλικίας ἡ ἀρετὴ διαλάμπειν, ἐκεῖθεν τὰ ὀνόματα ἐλάμβανον: τοῖς δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα μέλλουσιν ἐπιδιδόναι, μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἡ προσηγορία ἐτίθετο. γʹ. Ἀλλὰ τότε μὲν διάφορα ἕκαστος ἐλάμβανεν ὀνόματα: νῦν δὲ ἓν πάντες ἔχομεν, τὸ πάντων μεῖζον ἐκεῖνο, τὸ Χριστιανοὶ προσαγορεύεσθαι, καὶ υἱοὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ φίλοι καὶ σῶμα. Ἱκανὴ γὰρ αὕτη ἡ προσηγορία πασῶν μᾶλλον ἐκείνων ἡμᾶς διαναστῆσαι, καὶ ποιῆσαι προθυμοτέρους πρὸς τὴν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐργασίαν. Μὴ τοίνυν ἀνάξια πράττωμεν τῆς κατὰ τὴν προσηγορίαν τιμῆς, ἐννοήσαντες τὴν ὑπερβολὴν τῆς ἀξίας οἳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ καλούμεθα. Οὕτω γὰρ ἡμᾶς Παῦλος ὠνόμασεν. Ἐννοήσωμεν καὶ αἰδεσθῶμεν τῆς προσηγορίας τὸ μέγεθος. Εἰ γὰρ στρατηγοῦ τινος ἐπισήμου, ἢ καὶ ἄλλως λαμπροῦ τινος εἶναι λεγόμενός τις, μέγα φρονεῖ τοῦ δεῖνος ἀκούων ἢ τοῦ δεῖνος, καὶ ἀξίωμα τὸ ὄνομα νομίζει μέγα, καὶ πάντα ποιεῖ ὥστε μὴ διὰ τῆς οἰκείας ῥᾳθυμίας βλασφημίαν τῷ ᾧ ἐστιν ἐπώνυμος προστρίψασθαι: ἡμεῖς οὐ στρατηγοῦ, οὐδὲ ἄρχοντός τινος τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς, οὐκ ἀγγέλου, οὐδὲ ἀρχαγγέλου, οὐδὲ τῶν Σεραφὶμ, ἀλλ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ τούτων βασιλέως καλούμενοι ἀπὸ τῆς προσηγορίας, οὐχὶ καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτὴν προησόμεθα, ὥστε μὴ ὑβρίσαι τὸν τιμήσαντα. Οὐκ ἴστε τὰ τάγματα τὰ βασιλικὰ τῶν ἀσπιδηφόρων καὶ λογχοφόρων τὰ περὶ τὸν βασιλέα, πόσης ἀπολαύει τιμῆς; Οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐγγὺς αὐτοῦ γενέσθαι καταξιωθέντες καὶ πολλῷ πλησιαίτερον, καὶ τοσούτῳ ἐγγύτερον τῶν εἰρημένων, ὅσῳ τὸ σῶμα τῇ κεφαλῇ μᾶλλον τούτων πλησίον ἐστὶ, πάντα πράττωμεν δι' ὧν τὸν Χριστὸν μιμησόμεθα. Τί οὖν φησιν ὁ Χριστός; Αἱ ἀλώπεκες φωλεοὺς ἔχουσι, καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατασκηνώσεις: ὁ δὲ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἔχει ποῦ τὴν κεφαλὴν κλίνῃ. Τοῦτο μὲν οὖν ἂν ἀπαιτήσωμεν παρ' ὑμῶν, φορτικὸν ἴσως καὶ ἐπαχθὲς εἶναι δόξει τοῖς πολλοῖς: διὸ τὴν μὲν ἀκρίβειαν ταύτην ἀφίημι, διὰ τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀσθένειαν, ἀξιῶ δὲ μὴ προσηλῶσθαι τοῖς χρήμασιν, ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ἐγὼ τῆς ὑπερβολῆς ἀφίσταμαι τῆς κατὰ τὴν ἀρετὴν διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν τὴν τῶν πολλῶν, οὕτω καὶ ὑμᾶς τῆς κατὰ τὴν κακίαν ἀποστῆναι, καὶ πολλῷ πλέον. Οὐκ ἐγκαλῶ τοῖς οἰκίας ἔχουσι, καὶ ἀγροὺς, καὶ χρήματα, καὶ ἀνδράποδα: ἀλλὰ μετὰ ἀσφαλείας ταῦτα κεκτῆσθαι βούλομαι καὶ μετὰ τοῦ πρέποντος. Τί δέ ἐστι, μετὰ τοῦ πρέποντος; Ἐν τάξει δεσποτῶν, καὶ μὴ δούλων, ὥστε κρατεῖν αὐτῶν, καὶ μὴ κρατεῖσθαι ὑπ' αὐτῶν, ὥστε κεχρῆσθαι αὐτοῖς, καὶ μὴ παρακεχρῆσθαι. Χρήματα διὰ τοῦτο εἴρηται, ἵνα αὐτοῖς εἰς τὰς ἀναγκαίας χρώμεθα διακονίας, οὐχ ἵνα φυλάττωμεν: τοῦτο γὰρ οἰκέτου, δεσπότου δὲ ἐκεῖνο: δούλου, τὸ τηρεῖν, τὸ δὲ ἀναλίσκειν, κυρίου καὶ πολλὴν ἔχοντος τὴν ἐξουσίαν. Οὐ διὰ τοῦτο ἔλαβες, ἵνα αὐτὰ καταχώσῃς, ἀλλ' ἵνα αὐτὰ διανείμῃς. Εἰ δὲ ἐβούλετο αὐτὰ ὁ Θεὸς φυλάττεσθαι, οὐκ ἂν αὐτὰ ἀνθρώποις ἔδωκεν, ἀλλ' εἴασεν ἂν ἐν τῇ γῇ κείμενα μένειν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ βούλεται αὐτὰ δαπανᾶσθαι, διὰ τοῦτο αὐτὰ ἡμᾶς εἴασεν ἔχειν, ἵνα ἀλλήλοις μεταδῶμεν. Ἂν δὲ παρ' ἑαυτοῖς κατέχωμεν, οὐκ ἔτι δεσπόται τούτων ἐσμέν. Εἰ δὲ βούλει αὐτὰ πλείω ποιῆσαι, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο κατέχεις, καὶ ἐνταῦθα αὕτη πασῶν ἀρίστη μέθοδος, τὸ σκορπίσαι καὶ πανταχοῦ διανεῖμαι. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἔνι γενέσθαι πρόσοδον δαπάνης χωρὶς, οὐδὲ πλοῦτον ἄνευ ἀναλωμάτων. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐν τοῖς βιωτικοῖς γινόμενον ἴδοι τις ἄν. Οὕτως ὁ ἔμπορος, οὕτως ὁ γεωργὸς, ὁ μὲν τὰ σπέρματα, ὁ δὲ τὰ χρήματα ἐκβάλλοντες: καὶ γὰρ θάλασσαν ὁ μὲν πλεῖ τοῦ σκορπίσαι τὰ ἑαυτοῦ, ὁ δὲ ἐνιαυτὸν ὁλόκληρον μοχθεῖ, τὰ σπέρματα καταβάλλων καὶ θεραπεύων. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ οὐδενὸς δεῖ τούτων, οὐ κατασκευάσαι πλοῖον, οὐ ζεῦξαι βοῦς καὶ ἀρόσαι γῆν, οὐκ ἀνωμαλίαν ἀέρων μεριμνᾷν, οὐ χαλάζης καταβολὴν φοβηθῆναι: οὐκ ἔνι κύματα ἐνταῦθα, οὐδὲ σκόπελος: οὗτος ὁ πλοῦς καὶ οὗτος ὁ σπόρος ἑνὸς δεῖται μόνου, τοῦ ῥῖψαι τὰ ὄντα: τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ ἅπαντα ὁ γεωργὸς ἐκεῖνος ποιήσει, περὶ οὗ φησιν ὁ Χριστός: Ὁ Πατήρ μου ὁ γεωργός ἐστι. Πῶς οὖν οὐκ ἄτοπον, ἔνθα μὲν ἔστιν ἀπονητὶ πάντα λαβεῖν, ὕπτιον εἶναι καὶ ῥᾴθυμον: ἔνθα δὲ πολλοὶ μὲν ἱδρῶτες, πολλοὶ δὲ μόχθοι καὶ φροντίδες, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα τὸ τῶν ἐλπίδων ἄδηλον, πᾶσαν ἐπιδείκνυσθαι προθυμίαν; Μὴ, παρακαλῶ, μὴ μέχρι τοσούτου ἀνοηταίνωμεν πρὸς τὴν οἰκείαν σωτηρίαν, ἀλλὰ τὰ φορτικώτερα ἀφέντες, πρὸς τὰ ῥᾷστα καὶ κερδαλεώτερα τρέχωμεν, ἵνα καὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἐπιτύχωμεν ἀγαθῶν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἡ δόξα, ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.