John Chrysostom, On the Letter to the Hebrews

receiving the gifts, but we admire those who give them; and the greater the gifts they give, the more ashamed are those who receive them, when their sins are great. With what eyes, then, will such a one be able to look upon those who are in the palace, while they show countless labors and wounds, and he himself has nothing to show, but has even his very salvation from the loving-kindness of God alone? For just as if someone should beg off a murderer, a thief, an adulterer about to be led away to execution, and should command him to be at the gates of the palace, that man will no longer be able to look anyone in the eye, even if he has been freed from punishment; so also is this one. 5. For do not, because it is called a kingdom, think that all obtain the same things. For if here both the 63.109 prefect, and all those around the king, and those who are far inferior and hold the place of the so-called *decanes*, are in the palace, although there is so great a distance between the prefect and the decane; much more will this be the case in the kingdom above. And this I do not say on my own authority; for Paul posits another difference greater than these. For as many as are the differences, he says, from the sun to the moon, and to the stars and to the smallest star, so many also are the differences of those in the kingdom. And that the difference between the sun and the smallest star is much greater than that between the so-called decane and the prefect, is clear to all. For the sun illuminates the whole world at once and makes it bright, and hides the moon and stars; but the other often is not even visible, and this in darkness; for there are many stars which we do not see. When, therefore, we see others becoming suns, while we hold the rank of the smallest stars which are not even visible, what comfort will there be for us? Let us not, I beseech you, let us not be so sluggish, not so idle, let us not treat the salvation from God as an occasion for indolence, but let us make a business of it, and increase it. For even if one is a catechumen, yet he knows Christ, yet he has learned the faith, yet he listens to the divine words, yet he is not far from divine knowledge, he knows the will of his Master. For what reason then does he put it off? For what reason does he delay and postpone? Nothing is better than a good life, both here and there, both for the baptized and for the catechumens. For what, tell me, that is burdensome have we been commanded? Have a wife, he says, and be chaste. Is this burdensome, tell me? and how, when many even without a wife are chaste, not only Christians, but also Greeks? What the Greek, then, achieves for the sake of vainglory, do you not even keep this for the fear of God? Give, he says, to the poor from what you have. Is this burdensome? But here too the Greeks accuse us, having emptied entire estates for the sake of vainglory alone. Do not use shameful 63.110 language. Is this difficult? for if it had not been commanded, would it not have been necessary to do it rightly, so that we might not appear dishonorable? For that the opposite is difficult, I mean, to use shameful language, is clear from the fact that the soul is ashamed and blushes, if it is led to say any such thing, and will not even say it, unless perhaps it is drunk. For why, when sitting in the marketplace, even if you do this at home, do you not do it there? Is it not because of those present? why do you quickly not do the same thing in the presence of your wife? Is it not so that you may not insult her? So that you may not insult your wife, then, you do not do it; but when insulting God, you do not blush? for He is present everywhere, and hears all things. Do not get drunk, he says; well. For is not this in itself a punishment? He did not say, “Afflict the body,” but what? “Do not get drunk”; that is, do not so break its neck, as to take away the soul’s rule. What then? Ought we not to provide for the body? By no means; I do not say this, but do not provide for its lusts; for so Paul also commanded, saying: “And make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” Do not seize, he says, what is not yours, do not be greedy, do not perjure yourself. What labors do these things require? What toils? Do not speak evil, he says, nor slander. What labor does this have? On the contrary, indeed, there is labor. For when you speak evil, you are immediately in danger, in suspicion, lest he of whom I spoke heard, if

λαμβάνοντας τὰ δῶρα, ἀλλὰ τοὺς διδόντας θαυμάζομεν· καὶ ὅσῳ ἂν μείζονα δῶσι δῶρα, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον καταισχύνονται οἱ λαμβάνοντες, ὅταν μεγάλα ᾖ αὐτοῖς τὰ ἡμαρτημένα. Ποίοις οὖν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἀντιβλέψαι δυνήσεται ὁ τοιοῦτος τοῖς ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις οὖσιν, ἐκείνων μυρίους ἱδρῶτας καὶ τραύματα ἐπιδεικνυμένων, αὐτὸς οὐδὲν ἔχων ἐπιδεῖξαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ σωθῆναι ἀπὸ μόνης τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίας ἔχων; Ὥσπερ γὰρ εἴ τις ἀνδροφόνον, κλέπτην, μοιχὸν μέλλοντα ἀπάγεσθαι ἐξαιτήσαιτο, καὶ κελεύσειεν εἶναι παρὰ τὰ πρόθυρα τῶν βασιλείων, οὐδενὶ δυνήσεται ἀντιβλέψαι ἐκεῖνος λοιπὸν, εἰ καὶ τῆς τιμωρίας ἀπήλλακται· οὕτω δὴ καὶ οὗτος. εʹ. Μὴ γὰρ δὴ, ἐπειδὴ βασίλεια λέγεται, νομίσητε πάντας τῶν αὐτῶν τυγχάνειν. Εἰ γὰρ ἐνταῦθα καὶ ὁ 63.109 ὕπαρχος, καὶ πάντες οἱ περὶ τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ οἱ σφόδρα καταδεέστεροι καὶ τὸν τῶν λεγομένων δεκανῶν τόπον ἐπέχοντες, ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις εἰσὶ, καίτοι τοσούτου ὄντος τοῦ μέσου τοῦ ὑπάρχου καὶ τοῦ δεκανοῦ· πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐν τοῖς ἄνω βασιλείοις τοῦτο ἔσται. Καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ λέγω· καὶ γὰρ ἑτέραν τούτων μείζονα τίθησι διαφορὰν ὁ Παῦλος. Ὅσαι γὰρ διαφοραὶ, φησὶν, ἀπὸ ἡλίου ἕως σελήνης, καὶ ἀστέρων καὶ τοῦ μικροτάτου ἀστέρος, τοσαῦται καὶ τῶν ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ. Καὶ ὅτι πολλῷ πλέον τοῦ δεκανοῦ λεγομένου καὶ τοῦ ὑπάρχου, τοῦ ἡλίου καὶ τοῦ μικροτάτου ἀστέρος τὸ διάφορον, δῆλον ἅπασιν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἥλιος πᾶσαν ὁμοῦ καταλάμπει τὴν οἰκουμένην καὶ φαιδρὰν ποιεῖ, καὶ σελήνην καὶ ἀστέρας ἀποκρύπτει· ὁ δὲ πολλάκις οὐδὲ φαίνεται, καὶ ταῦτα ἐν σκότῳ· πολλοὶ γάρ εἰσι τῶν ἀστέρων, οὓς οὐχ ὁρῶμεν. Ὅταν οὖν ἑτέρους ὁρῶμεν ἡλίους γινομένους, ἡμεῖς δὲ τῶν ἀστέρων τῶν σμικροτάτων τὴν τάξιν ἔχωμεν τῶν οὐδὲ φαινομένων, τίς ἔσται ἡμῖν παραμυθία; Μὴ, παρακαλῶ, μὴ οὕτω νωθεῖς ὦμεν, μὴ οὕτως ἀργοὶ, μὴ πραγματευώμεθα τὴν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ σωτηρίαν εἰς ῥᾳθυμίαν, ἀλλ' ἐμπορευώμεθα αὐτὴν, καὶ πληθύνωμεν. Κἂν γὰρ κατηχούμενός τις ᾖ, ἀλλὰ τὸν Χριστὸν οἶδεν, ἀλλὰ τὴν πίστιν ἔγνω, ἀλλὰ τῶν θείων ἐπακούει λόγων, ἀλλ' οὐ πόῤῥω ἐστὶ τῆς θείας γνώσεως, οἶδε τὸ θέλημα τοῦ ∆εσπότου αὐτοῦ. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν ἀναβάλλεται; τίνος ἕνεκεν μέλλει καὶ ὑπερτίθεται; Οὐδὲν βίου κρεῖττον καλοῦ, καὶ ἐνταῦθα κἀκεῖ, καὶ ἐπὶ φωτιζομένων καὶ ἐπὶ κατηχουμένων. Τί γὰρ, εἰπέ μοι, φορτικὸν ἐπιτετάγμεθα; Ἔχε, φησὶ, γυναῖκα, καὶ σωφρόνει. Τοῦτο φορτικὸν, εἰπέ μοι; καὶ πῶς, ὅπου γε πολλοὶ καὶ χωρὶς γυναικὸς σωφρονοῦσιν, οὐ Χριστιανοὶ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ Ἕλληνες; Ὃ ὑπερβαίνει τοίνυν ὁ Ἕλλην διὰ κενοδοξίαν, σὺ οὐδὲ τοῦτο τηρεῖς διὰ τὸν φόβον τοῦ Θεοῦ; ∆ίδου, φησὶ, πένησιν ἐκ τῶν ὄντων. Τοῦτο φορτικόν; Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐνταῦθα κατηγοροῦσιν ἡμῶν Ἕλληνες, ὁλοκλήρους οὐσίας κενώσαντες διὰ κενοδοξίαν μόνην. Μὴ αἰσχρο 63.110 λόγει. Τοῦτο δύσκολον; εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἐπετέτακτο, οὐκ ἔδει αὐτὸ κατορθοῦν, ἵνα μὴ ἄτιμοι φαινώμεθα; ὅτι γὰρ τὸ ἐναντίον δύσκολον, τὸ αἰσχρολογεῖν λέγω, δῆλον ἐξ ὧν αἰδεῖται ἡ ψυχὴ καὶ ἐρυθριᾷ, ἐάν τι τοιοῦτον εἰπεῖν προαχθῇ, καὶ οὐδὲ ἐρεῖ, ἐὰν μὴ τάχα μεθύῃ. ∆ιὰ τί γὰρ ἐπ' ἀγορᾶς καθήμενος, κἂν ἐπὶ οἰκίας τοῦτο ποιῇς, ἐκεῖ οὐ ποιεῖς; ἆρα οὐχὶ διὰ τοὺς παρόντας; διὰ τί ἐπὶ τῆς γυναικός σου ταχέως τὸ αὐτὸ μὴ ποιεῖς; ἆρα οὐχ ἵνα μὴ αὐτὴν ὑβρίσῃς; Ἵνα μὴ ὑβρίσῃς τοίνυν τὴν γυναῖκά σου, οὐ ποιεῖς· τὸν δὲ Θεὸν ὑβρίζων οὐκ ἐρυθριᾷς; πανταχοῦ γὰρ πάρεστι, καὶ πάντα ἀκούει. Μὴ μέθυε, φησί· καλῶς. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸ καθ' ἑαυτὸ οὐ κόλασις; Οὐκ εἶπε, Κατάτεινον τὸ σῶμα, ἀλλὰ τί; Μὴ μέθυε· τουτέστι, μὴ οὕτως αὐτὸ ἐκτραχηλίσῃς, ὡς τῆς ψυχῆς ἀφελέσθαι τὴν ἀρχήν. Τί οὖν; οὐ χρὴ προνοεῖσθαι τοῦ σώματος; Μὴ γένοιτο· οὐ τοῦτο λέγω, ἀλλ' εἰς ἐπιθυμίας αὐτοῦ μὴ προνόει· οὕτω γὰρ καὶ Παῦλος ἐκέλευσε λέγων· Καὶ τῆς σαρκὸς πρόνοιαν μὴ ποιεῖσθε εἰς ἐπιθυμίας. Μὴ ἅρπαζε, φησὶ, τὰ μὴ σὰ, μὴ πλεονέκτει, μὴ ἐπιόρκει. Ποίων πόνων ταῦτα δεῖται; ποίων ἱδρώτων; Μὴ κακηγόρει, φησὶ, μηδὲ συκοφάντει. Ποῖον ἔχει τοῦτο πόνον; Τοὐναντίον μὲν οὖν πόνος. Ὅταν μὲν γὰρ εἴπῃς κακῶς, εὐθέως ἐν κινδύνῳ εἶ, ἐν ὑποψίᾳ, Μὴ ἤκουσε περὶ οὗ εἶπον, ἄν