John Chrysostom, On Matthew

is Mary then His mother? How is He of the seed of David? How did He take the form of a servant? How did the Word become flesh? And how does Paul say to the Romans: Of whom is Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God? That He is then of us, and of our lump, and from the virgin's womb, is clear from these things and from many others; but the how is not yet clear. Do not you then seek it, but receive what has been revealed, and do not be curious about what has been passed over in silence. But Joseph her husband, being a just man, he says, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. Having said that it was of the Holy Spirit, and without cohabitation, he establishes the account from another source. For lest anyone say, How is this clear? who has seen, who has heard such a thing ever having happened? and lest you should suspect the disciple, as if favoring the master, of fabricating these things, he introduces Joseph, through what he experienced, contributing to the belief of what has been said, almost saying through what he reports: If you disbelieve me, and suspect my testimony, believe her husband. For Joseph, he says, her husband, being a just man. By "just" here he means the man virtuous in all things. For justice is both not being greedy, and also universal virtue; and Scripture especially uses the designation of "justice" for this, as when it says: A just man, a true man; and again, And they were both just. 4. Being just, therefore, that is, kind and gentle, 57.44 was minded to put her away secretly. For this reason he mentions what happened before the knowledge, so that you might not disbelieve the things that happened after the knowledge. And yet such a woman was liable not only to be made a public example, but the law also commanded her to be punished. But Joseph forgave not only that greater thing, but also the lesser, the shame. For not only did he not want to punish, but he did not even want to make her a public example. Have you seen a philosophical man, and one freed from the most tyrannical passion? For you know how great a thing jealousy is. For this reason also he who knew these things clearly said: For the wrath of a man is full of jealousy; he will not spare in the day of judgment; and, Jealousy is cruel as the grave. And we too know many who have chosen to give up their life rather than fall under the suspicion of jealousy. But here there was not even a suspicion, since the swelling of the belly proved it. But nevertheless he was so free from passion, as not to wish to grieve the Virgin even in the smallest matters. For since keeping her indoors seemed to be an act of lawlessness, while sending her away and bringing her to court compelled him to give her over to death; he does none of these things, but already conducts himself above the law. For with the coming of grace, there needed to be many signs of the higher way of life. For just as the sun, though not yet showing its rays, from afar illuminates most of the world with its light; so also Christ, about to rise from that womb, and before He came forth, shone upon the whole world. Therefore also before the birth pangs prophets leaped, and women foretold the things to come, and John, not yet having come forth from the womb, leaped from her belly. Hence this man too showed great philosophy; for he neither accused nor reproached her, but only attempted to put her away. While things were in this state, then, and all were at a loss, the angel comes, resolving all the difficulties. But it is worth examining why the angel did not speak before this, before the man thought of this, but arrives when he had considered it; For when he had thought on these things, he says, the angel comes; and yet he announces the good news to her even before she conceived, which itself again has another difficulty. For if the angel did not speak, for what reason did the Virgin remain silent, having heard from the angel, and seeing her betrothed troubled, did she not resolve his perplexity? For what reason then did the angel not speak before he was troubled? for it is necessary to solve the first question first. For what reason then did he not speak? So that he might not disbelieve, and suffer the same thing as Zacharias. For when the thing is seen, belief is easy then; but when it has not yet begun, not so

δὲ μήτηρ ἡ Μαριάμ; πῶς ἐκ σπέρματος ∆αυΐδ; πῶς μορφὴν δούλου ἔλαβε; πῶς Ὁ Λόγος ἐγένετο σάρξ; πῶς δὲ Ῥωμαίοις φησὶν ὁ Παῦλος· Ἐξ ὧν ὁ Χριστὸς τὸ κατὰ σάρκα, ὁ ὢν ἐπὶ πάντων Θεός; Ὅτι μὲν οὖν ἐξ ἡμῶν καὶ τοῦ φυράματος τοῦ ἡμετέρου, καὶ τῆς μήτρας τῆς παρθενικῆς, δῆλον ἐκ τούτων καὶ ἐξ ἑτέρων πλειόνων· τὸ δὲ πῶς, οὐκέτι δῆλον. Μὴ τοίνυν μηδὲ σὺ ζήτει, ἀλλὰ δέχου τὸ ἀποκαλυφθὲν, καὶ μὴ περιεργάζου τὸ σιγηθέν. Ἰωσὴφ δὲ ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς, δίκαιος ὢν, φησὶ, καὶ μὴ θέλων αὐτὴν παραδειγματίσαι, ἠβουλήθη λάθρα ἀπολῦσαι αὐτήν. Εἰπὼν ὅτι ἐκ Πνεύματος ἁγίου, καὶ συνουσίας χωρὶς, καὶ ἑτέρωθεν κατασκευάζει τὸν λόγον. Ἵνα γὰρ μή τις λέγῃ, Πόθεν τοῦτο δῆλον; τίς εἶδε, τίς ἤκουσε τοιοῦτόν τί ποτε συμβεβηκός; μηδὲ ὑποπτεύσῃς τὸν μαθητὴν, ὡς χαριζόμενον τῷ διδασκάλῳ, ταῦτα πλάττοντα, εἰσάγει τὸν Ἰωσὴφ, δι' ὧν ἔπαθε, πρὸς τὴν τῶν εἰρημένων συντελοῦντα πίστιν, μονονουχὶ λέγων δι' ὧν ἀπαγγέλλει· Εἰ ἀπιστεῖς ἐμοὶ, καὶ ὑποπτεύεις μου τὴν μαρτυρίαν, πίστευσον τῷ ἀνδρί. Ἰωσὴφ γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς, δίκαιος ὤν. ∆ίκαιον ἐνταῦθα τὸν ἐνάρετον ἐν ἅπασι λέγει. Ἔστι μὲν γὰρ δικαιοσύνη καὶ τὸ μὴ πλεονεκτεῖν· ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἡ καθόλου ἀρετή· καὶ μάλιστα ἐπὶ τούτου τῇ τῆς δικαιοσύνης προσηγορίᾳ κέχρηται ἡ Γραφὴ, ὡς ὅταν λέγῃ· Ἄνθρωπος δίκαιος, ἀληθινός· καὶ πάλιν, Ἦσαν δὲ δίκαιοι ἀμφότεροι. δʹ. ∆ίκαιος οὖν ὢν, τουτέστι, χρηστὸς καὶ ἐπιεικὴς, 57.44 ἠβουλήθη λάθρα ἀπολῦσαι αὐτήν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο λέγει τὸ συμβὰν πρὸ τῆς γνώσεως, ἵνα μὴ ἀπιστήσῃς τοῖς μετὰ τὴν γνῶσιν γεγενημένοις. Καίτοιγε οὐ παραδειγματισμοῦ μόνον ὑπεύθυνος ἦν ἡ τοιαύτη, ἀλλὰ καὶ κολάζεσθαι αὐτὴν ὁ νόμος ἐκέλευεν. Ἀλλ' ὁ Ἰωσὴφ οὐ μόνον τὸ μεῖζον ἐκεῖνο, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ἔλαττον συνεχώρησε, τὴν αἰσχύνην. Οὐ γὰρ μόνον οὐ κολάσαι, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ παραδειγματίσαι ἐβούλετο. Εἶδες φιλόσοφον ἄνδρα καὶ πάθους ἀπηλλαγμένον τοῦ τυραννικωτάτου; Ἴστε γὰρ ἡλίκον ζηλοτυπία. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ ταῦτα σαφῶς εἰδὼς ἔλεγε· Μεστὸς γὰρ ζήλου θυμὸς ἀνδρός· οὐ φείσεται ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως· καὶ, Σκληρὸς ὡς ᾅδης ζῆλος. Καὶ ἡμεῖς δὲ πολλοὺς ἴσμεν τὴν ψυχὴν ἑλομένους προέσθαι μᾶλλον, ἢ εἰς ζηλοτυπίας ὑποψίαν ἐμπεσεῖν. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ οὐδὲ ὑποψία ἦν, τοῦ τῆς γαστρὸς ὄγκου διελέγχοντος. Ἀλλ' ὅμως οὕτως ἦν πάθους καθαρὸς, ὡς μὴ θελῆσαι μηδὲ ἐν τοῖς μικροτάτοις λυπῆσαι τὴν Παρθένον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὸ μὲν κατέχειν ἔνδον παρανομίας εἶναι ἐδόκει, τὸ δὲ ἐκπομπεύειν καὶ εἰς δικαστήριον ἄγειν, θανάτῳ παραδοῦναι ἠνάγκαζεν· οὐδὲν τούτων ποιεῖ, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ νόμον ἤδη πολιτεύεται. Ἔδει γὰρ τῆς χάριτος παραγενομένης πολλὰ λοιπὸν εἶναι τὰ σημεῖα τῆς ὑψηλῆς πολιτείας. Καθάπερ γὰρ ὁ ἥλιος καὶ μηδέπω τὰς ἀκτῖνας δείξας, πόῤῥωθεν τῷ φωτὶ καταυγάζει τῆς οἰκουμένης τὸ πλέον· οὕτω καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς μέλλων ἀνίσχειν ἀπὸ τῆς μήτρας ἐκείνης, καὶ πρὶν ἢ ἐξελθεῖν, τὴν οἰκουμένην κατέλαμψεν ἅπασαν. ∆ιὸ καὶ πρὸ τῶν ὠδίνων προφῆται ἐσκίρτων, καὶ γυναῖκες τὰ μέλλοντα προὔλεγον, καὶ Ἰωάννης οὔπω τῆς νηδύος προελθὼν, ἀπὸ τῆς μήτρας αὐτῆς ἐπήδα. Ἐντεῦθεν καὶ οὗτος πολλὴν ἐπεδείκνυτο φιλοσοφίαν· οὔτε γὰρ ἐνεκάλεσεν, οὔτε ὠνείδισεν, ἀλλ' ἐκβαλεῖν ἐπεχείρησε μόνον. Ἐν τούτῳ τοίνυν τῶν πραγμάτων ὄντων, καὶ πάντων ἐν ἀμηχανίᾳ καθεστώτων, παραγίνεται ὁ ἄγγελος πάντα λύων τὰ ἄπορα. Ἄξιον δὲ ἐξετάσαι, διὰ τί μὴ πρὸ τούτου εἶπεν ὁ ἄγγελος, πρὸ τοῦ διανοηθῆναι τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦτο, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ἐνεθυμήθη, τότε ἀφικνεῖται· Ταῦτα γὰρ αὐτοῦ, φησὶν, ἐνθυμηθέντος, ὁ ἄγγελος ἔρχεται· καίτοιγε αὐτὴν καὶ πρὸ τοῦ συλλαβεῖν εὐαγγελίζεται, ὃ καὶ αὐτὸ πάλιν ἑτέραν ἀπορίαν ἔχει. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ὁ ἄγγελος οὐκ εἶπε, τίνος ἕνεκεν ἡ Παρθένος ἐσίγησεν, ἀκούσασα παρὰ τοῦ ἀγγέλου, καὶ τὸν μνηστῆρα ὁρῶσα θορυβούμενον, οὐκ ἔλυσεν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀπορίαν; Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν πρὸ τοῦ θορυβηθῆναι αὐτὸν ὁ ἄγγελος οὐκ εἶπεν; καὶ γὰρ ἀναγκαῖον τὸ πρότερον λῦσαι πρῶτον. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν οὐκ εἶπεν; Ἵνα μὴ ἀπιστήσῃ, καὶ πάθῃ τὸ αὐτὸ τῷ Ζαχαρίᾳ. Ὁρωμένου μὲν γὰρ τοῦ πράγματος, εὔκολος ἡ πίστις λοιπόν· μηδέπω δὲ ἀρχὴν λαβόντος, οὐχ ὁμοίως