John Chrysostom, On John

59.119 HOMILY 19. He first finds his own brother Simon, and says to him: "We have found the Messiah," which is

being interpreted, Christ; and he brought him to Jesus. 1. God, having made man in the beginning, did not leave him to be alone,

but gave him the woman as a helper, and made them to dwell together, knowing that from this cohabitation great gain would come. For what if the woman did not use this benefit as she ought? But still, if one would learn the nature of the matter itself, he will see much benefit arising from this cohabitation among those who have sense. Not only in the case of a wife and husband, but even if brothers do this, they themselves will also enjoy the benefit. Wherefore also the Prophet said: What is good or what is pleasant, but for brethren to dwell together in unity? And Paul exhorted not to forsake the assembling of themselves together. For in this we differ from the wild beasts. For this reason we also built cities, and marketplaces and houses, that we might be together and with one another, not only in dwelling, but also in the bond of love. For since our nature was made needy by its Creator, and is not sufficient for itself, God profitably ordained that this 59.120 lack should then be corrected by the help which comes from one another in assembly. For this reason marriage is ordained, so that what is lacking in one may be filled by the other, and the needy nature thus become self-sufficient, so as to have it, even having become mortal, preserve immortality for a long time by succession. And it was possible to elaborate further on this argument, showing how many are the gains which come to those who come together from a genuine and sincere union with one another; but another matter is now pressing, for the sake of which these things have been said by us. For Andrew, having remained with Jesus, and having learned what he learned, did not keep the treasure to himself, but hurries and runs quickly to his brother, to share with him the good things which he had received. But for what reason did John not say what things Christ discussed with them? and whence is it clear that for this reason they remained with Him? This was shown to us before; but it is possible also to learn it from the things read today. For see what this man says to his brother: We have found the Messiah, which is interpreted Christ. 59.121 Do you see how he showed from this what he had learned in a short time? For he sets forth both the power of the Teacher who persuaded them, and their own eagerness, who from the beginning and from of old were anxious for these things. For this is the word of a soul travailing with His presence, and expecting His coming from above, and having become overjoyed after the expected one appeared, and hastening to impart the good news to others. This is of brotherly goodwill, this of kindred affection, this of a sincere disposition, to be eager to hold out a hand to one another in spiritual matters. But hear him also speaking with the addition of the article. For he did not say, 'a Messiah,' but, 'the Messiah'; so they were expecting one certain Christ, having nothing in common with the others. Observe for me also from the very beginning the obedient and tractable mind of Peter. For he immediately ran to him without any delay. For 'he brought him,' it says, 'to Jesus.' But let no one condemn his readiness, as if he received the word without much inquiry. For it is likely that his brother had also spoken these things to him more accurately, and at length; but the evangelists everywhere cut many things short, being careful of brevity. Besides, it is not even said that he simply believed, but that 'he brought him to Jesus,' handing him over to Him at last, so that he might learn everything from Him; for the other disciple was also with them and contributed to these things. But if John the Baptist, saying that He is the Lamb, and

59.119 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. ∆ιὸ 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. ∆ιὰ 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 59.120 Θεὸς τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἔνδειαν λοιπὸν ἐκ τῆς κατὰ τὴν σύνοδον παρ' ἀλλήλων γινομένης ὠφελείας διορθωθῆναι. ∆ιὰ 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. 59.121 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