John Chrysostom, On Matthew

considering this also too little, for the proof of His power and His greatness. Which is what also happened here, enough to confound the tyrant. For consider what things Herod was likely to suffer, and how to be choked with rage, having been deceived by the magi and so mocked. For what if he did not become better? It is not the fault of the One who ordained these things, but the excess of that man's madness, since he yielded not even to the things that could have comforted him and made him cease from his wickedness, but went on further, so that he might receive an even harsher punishment for such folly. And for what reason does he say, that the Child is sent into Egypt? First of all, the evangelist has stated the cause; for, he says, “that it might be fulfilled,” “Out of Egypt have I called my Son;” and at the same time, the beginnings of good hopes for the future were being proclaimed beforehand to the world. For since Babylon and Egypt, more than all the earth, had been set on fire by the flame of impiety, showing from the beginning that He would correct both and make them better, and through these things persuading us to expect good things also concerning the whole world, to the one He sent the magi, and to the other He Himself went with His mother. And besides what has been said, we are also taught another thing from this, which contributes not a little to our wisdom. What is that? To expect temptations and plots from the very beginning. See, for example, this happening straight from His swaddling clothes. For when He was born, a tyrant rages, and there is flight and removal to a foreign land, and His mother, having done no wrong, is exiled to the land of the barbarians; so that you, hearing these things, whenever you are deemed worthy to minister in any spiritual matter, and then see yourself suffering incurable evils and enduring countless dangers, may not be troubled, nor say: “What is this? And yet I ought to be crowned and proclaimed, and to be illustrious 57.85 and renowned for fulfilling a master's command;” but having this example, you may bear all things nobly, knowing that this is especially the consequence of spiritual things, to have temptations allotted everywhere. See, for instance, this happening not only in the case of the mother and the Child, but also in the case of those barbarians. For they too depart secretly in the manner of fugitives; and she again, who had never gone beyond her house, is commanded to endure so long a journey of hardship, on account of this wondrous birth and the spiritual birth-pangs. And behold the paradox again. Palestine plots against Him, but Egypt receives and saves the one plotted against. For not only in the case of the patriarch's children did types occur, but also in the case of the Lord Himself. Indeed many things through the things being done by Him then were proclaimed in advance of what was to happen later; as indeed happened also in the case of the ass and of the colt. So the angel, having appeared, speaks not to Mary, but to Joseph; and what does he say? “Arise, and take the young Child and His mother.” Here he no longer says, "your wife," but, "His mother." For since the birth had come to pass, and the suspicion was resolved, and the husband was assured, the angel then speaks with boldness, calling it neither his child, nor his wife; but, “Take the young Child and His mother;” and flee into Egypt; and he states the reason for the flight: “For Herod,” he says, “will seek the young Child's life.” 3. When Joseph heard these things, he was not offended, nor did he say: “The matter is a riddle. Did you not say a little while ago that He will save His people? And now He does not even save Himself, but we need to flee, and travel abroad, and remove ourselves to a faraway place; these events are contrary to the promise.” But he says none of these things; for the man was faithful. Nor does he question the time of his return, and this though the angel had set it indefinitely: “For be there until I tell you.” But nevertheless he was not sluggish at this, but he obeys and is persuaded, enduring all the temptations with joy. For the philanthropic God also mixed pleasant things with these toilsome ones; which He also does for all the saints, neither the dangers, nor the

ἔλαττον καὶ τοῦτο νομίζοντες εἶναι, εἰς τὴν τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς μεγαλωσύνης ἀπόδειξιν. Ὃ δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα γέγονεν, ἱκανὸν ἐκπλῆξαι τὸν τύραννον. Ἐννόησον γὰρ οἷα πάσχειν εἰκὸς ἦν τὸν Ἡρώδην, καὶ πῶς ἀποπνίγεσθαι, ἀπατηθέντα παρὰ τῶν μάγων καὶ οὕτω καταγελασθέντα. Τί γὰρ, εἰ μὴ γέγονε βελτίων; Οὐ τοῦ ταῦτα οἰκονομήσαντος ἔγκλημα, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἐκείνου μανίας ἡ ὑπερβολὴ, μηδὲ τοῖς δυναμένοις αὐτὸν παραμυθήσασθαι καὶ ἀποστῆσαι τῆς πονηρίας εἴκοντος, ἀλλ' ἐπεξιόντος περαιτέρω, ἵνα καὶ χαλεπωτέραν δέξηται δίκην τῆς τοιαύτης ἀνοίας. Καὶ τίνος ἕνεκέν φησιν, Εἰς Αἴγυπτον τὸ παιδίον πέμπεται; Μάλιστα μὲν καὶ ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς τὴν αἰτίαν εἴρηκεν· Ἵνα πληρωθῇ γὰρ, φησὶν, Ὅτι ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἐκάλεσα τὸν υἱόν μου· ἅμα δὲ καὶ χρηστῶν προοίμια λοιπὸν ἐλπίδων τῇ οἰκουμένῃ προανεφωνεῖτο. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ Βαβυλὼν καὶ Αἴγυπτος μάλιστα τῆς γῆς ἁπάσης τῇ φλογὶ τῆς ἀσεβείας ἦσαν ἐκκεκαυμέναι, ἐκ προοιμίων δεικνὺς ὅτι ἀμφοτέρας διορθώσεται καὶ βελτίους ποιήσει, καὶ πείθων διὰ τούτων καὶ περὶ τῆς ὅλης οἰκουμένης τὰ χρηστὰ προσδοκᾷν, τῇ μὲν τοὺς μάγους ἀπέστειλε, τῇ δὲ αὐτὸς ἐπέβη μετὰ τῆς μητρός. Πρὸς δὲ τοῖς εἰρημένοις καὶ ἕτερον ἐντεῦθεν παιδευόμεθα, οὐ μικρὸν εἰς φιλοσοφίαν ἡμῖν συντεῖνον. Ποῖον δὴ τοῦτο; Τὸ ἐκ προοιμίων πειρασμοὺς προσδοκᾷν καὶ ἐπιβουλάς. Ὅρα γοῦν ἀπὸ τῶν σπαργάνων εὐθέως τοῦτο γινόμενον. Καὶ γὰρ τεχθέντος αὐτοῦ, καὶ τύραννος μαίνεται, καὶ φυγὴ καὶ μετάστασις γίνεται πρὸς τὴν ὑπερορίαν, καὶ οὐδὲν ἀδικήσασα ἡ μήτηρ εἰς τὴν τῶν βαρβάρων φυγαδεύεται χώραν· ἵνα σὺ ταῦτα ἀκούων, ὅταν καταξιωθῇς διακονήσασθαί τινι πνευματικῷ πράγματι, εἶτα ἴδῃς σαυτὸν πάσχοντα τὰ ἀνήκεστα καὶ μυρίους ὑπομένοντα κινδύνους, μὴ διαταραχθῇς, μηδὲ εἴπῃς· Τί ποτε τοῦτό ἐστι; καὶ μὴν στεφανοῦσθαί με ἔδει καὶ ἀνακηρύττεσθαι, καὶ λαμπρὸν εἶναι 57.85 καὶ περιφανῆ, πρόσταγμα πληροῦντα δεσποτικόν· ἀλλ' ἔχων τοῦτο τὸ ὑπόδειγμα, φέρῃς πάντα γενναίως, εἰδὼς ὅτι μάλιστα αὕτη τῶν πνευματικῶν ἡ ἀκολουθία ἐστὶ, τὸ πανταχοῦ πειρασμοὺς συγκεκληρωμένους ἔχειν. Ὅρα γοῦν οὐκ ἐπὶ τῆς μητρὸς καὶ τοῦ παιδίου τοῦτο γινόμενον μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν βαρβάρων ἐκείνων. Καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι λάθρα ἀναχωροῦσιν ἐν τάξει φυγάδων· καὶ αὕτη πάλιν, οὐδέποτε τὴν οἰκίαν ὑπερβᾶσα, μακρὰν οὕτω ταλαιπωρίας ὁδὸν ὑπομένειν κελεύεται, διὰ τὸν θαυμαστὸν τοῦτον τόκον καὶ τὰς πνευματικὰς ὠδῖνας. Καὶ θέα τὸ παράδοξον πάλιν. Παλαιστίνη μὲν ἐπιβουλεύει, Αἴγυπτος δὲ ὑποδέχεται καὶ διασώζει τὸν ἐπιβουλευόμενον. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ μόνον ἐπὶ τῶν παίδων τοῦ πατριάρχου τύποι συνέβαινον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ ∆εσπότου. Πολλὰ γοῦν διὰ τῶν ὑπ' αὐτοῦ γινομένων τότε προανεκηρύττετο τῶν ὕστερον συμβαίνειν μελλόντων· ὅπερ οὖν καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ὄνου καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ πώλου γέγονε. Φανεὶς τοίνυν ὁ ἄγγελος, οὐχὶ τῇ Μαρίᾳ, ἀλλὰ τῷ Ἰωσὴφ διαλέγεται· καὶ τί φησιν; Ἐγερθεὶς παράλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ. Ἐνταῦθα οὐκέτι λέγει, Τὴν γυναῖκά σου, ἀλλὰ, Τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ τόκος ἐξέβη, καὶ ἡ ὑποψία ἐλύθη, καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ ἐπιστώθη, μετὰ παῤῥησίας λοιπὸν διαλέγεται ὁ ἄγγελος, οὔτε παιδίον, οὔτε γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ καλῶν· ἀλλὰ, Παράλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ· καὶ φεῦγε εἰς Αἴγυπτον· καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν λέγει τῆς φυγῆς· Μέλλει γὰρ ὁ Ἡρώδης, φησὶ, ζητεῖν τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ παιδίου. γʹ. Ταῦτα ἀκούσας ὁ Ἰωσὴφ οὐκ ἐσκανδαλίσθη, οὐδὲ εἶπεν· Αἴνιγμα τὸ πρᾶγμά ἐστιν· οὐ πρώην ἔλεγες, ὅτι σώσει τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ; καὶ νῦν οὐδὲ ἑαυτὸν σώζει, ἀλλὰ φυγῆς ἡμῖν χρεία, καὶ ἀποδημίας, καὶ μακρᾶς μεταστάσεως· ἐναντία τῇ ὑποσχέσει τὰ γινόμενα. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲν τούτων λέγει· πιστὸς γὰρ ἦν ὁ ἀνήρ· οὐδὲ περιεργάζεται τῆς ἐπανόδου τὸν χρόνον, καὶ ταῦτα τοῦ ἀγγέλου ἀδιορίστως αὐτὸν τεθεικότος· Ἕως γὰρ ἂν εἴπω σοι, ἴσθι ἐκεῖ. Ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐδὲ πρὸς τοῦτο ἐνάρκησεν, ἀλλ' ὑπακούει καὶ πείθεται, πάντας μετὰ χαρᾶς τοὺς πειρασμοὺς ὑπομένων. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ φιλάνθρωπος Θεὸς τοῖς ἐπιπόνοις τούτοις καὶ ἡδέα ἀνέμιξεν· ὅπερ καὶ ἐπὶ πάντων τῶν ἁγίων ποιεῖ, οὔτε τοὺς κινδύνους, οὔτε τὰς