John Chrysostom, On Matthew

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I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored. 2. He is not, therefore, hinting at any of these things here, but, as I said, He is demonstrating His punishing power; and He shows this by saying, 'For the time was not yet'; indicating that He came for this purpose principally, not because of hunger, but for the sake of His disciples, who were exceedingly astonished, although many greater signs had already been performed. But, as I said, this was a strange thing; for now for the first time He demonstrated His punishing power. Wherefore, He did not perform the miracle on another plant, but on the most moist of all, so that from this also the miracle might appear greater. And that you may learn that this was done for their sake, to anoint them for courage, listen to what He says next. What does He say? 'And you will do greater things, if you are willing to believe and to have confidence in prayer.' Do you see that the whole thing was done for their sake, so that they might not fear and tremble at plots? Therefore He says this a second time, riveting them to prayer and faith. For you will not only do this, He says, but you will also move mountains, and do many other things, being confident in faith and prayer. But the arrogant and puffed-up Jews, wishing to interrupt His teaching, came and asked: 'By what authority do You do these things?' For since they could not find fault with the signs, they bring up against Him His correction of those trafficking in the temple. And they are seen asking this also in John, although not in these words, but with the same intention. For there too they say, 'What sign do You show us, that You do these things?' But there He answers them, saying, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up'; but here He casts them into a difficulty. From which it is clear that then was the beginning and prelude of the miracles, but here the end. But what they are saying is this: 'Did You receive the teacher's throne? Were You ordained a priest, that You showed so much authority?' it says. And yet He did nothing that involved audacity, but provided for the good order of the temple; but nevertheless, having nothing to say, they find fault with this. And when He cast them out, they did not dare to say anything, because of the miracles; but when He was seen, then they rebuke Him. What then does He do? He does not answer them directly, showing that if they wanted to see His authority, they could have; but He asks them in return, saying, 'The baptism of John, from where is it? From heaven, or from men?' And what connection is there? The greatest, indeed. For if they had said, 'From heaven,' He would have said to them, 'Why then did you not believe him?' For if they had believed, they would not have asked these things. For he had said concerning Him, that 'I am not worthy to loose the strap of His sandal;' and, 'Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world 58.635;' and, 'This is the Son of God;' and, 'He who comes from above is above all;' and, that 'His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will clear His threshing floor.' So that if they had believed him, there was nothing to prevent them from knowing by what authority He does these things. Then since they said maliciously, 'We do not know,' He did not say, 'Neither do I know,' but what? 'Neither do I tell you.' For if they were ignorant, they needed to be taught; but since they were malicious, He rightly answers them nothing. And why did they not say that the baptism was 'from men'? 'They feared the crowds,' it says. Did you see a perverse heart? Everywhere they despise God, and do everything for the sake of men. For they feared him also for their sake, not revering the man, but because of the people; and they were unwilling to believe in Christ because of the people; and from this all their evils were born. Then He says, 'What do you think? A man had two sons, and he says to the first, "Go, work today in the vineyard."' 'But he, answering, said, "I will not"; but afterward, having repented, he went.' 'And coming to the second, he said likewise. And he, answering, said, "I go, sir"; and he did not go.' 'Which of the two, then, did the will of the father?' They say, 'The first.' Again He convicts them through parables, hinting at both their ingratitude and the obedience of those who were utterly condemned. For these two children signify this, which also in the case of

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Ἀπέστειλα ὑμᾶς θερίζειν ἃ οὐχ ὑμεῖς κεκοπιάκατε. βʹ. Οὐκ ἄρα τούτων τι αἰνίττεται ἐνταῦθα, ἀλλ' ὅπερ ἔφην ἐστὶ, τὴν δύναμιν ἐπιδείκνυται τὴν τιμωρητικήν· καὶ τοῦτο ἐκ τοῦ λέγειν, Οὔπω γὰρ ἦν καιρὸς, δείκνυσι· δηλῶν ὅτι προηγουμένως εἰς τοῦτο ἦλθεν, οὐ διὰ τὴν πείνην, ἀλλὰ διὰ τοὺς μαθητὰς, οἳ καὶ σφόδρα ἐθαύμασαν, καίτοι πολλῶν ἤδη σημείων γενομένων μειζόνων· ἀλλ' ὅπερ ἔφην, ξένον τοῦτο ἦν· νῦν γὰρ πρῶτον τὴν τιμωρητικὴν ἐπεδείξατο δύναμιν. ∆ιὸ οὐδὲ ἐν ἄλλῳ φυτῷ, ἀλλ' ἐν τῷ πάντων ὑγροτάτῳ τὸ θαῦμα ἐποίησεν, ὥστε κἀντεῦθεν μεῖζον φανῆναι τὸ θαῦμα. Καὶ ἵνα μάθῃς, ὅτι δι' αὐτοὺς τοῦτο γέγονεν, ἵνα εἰς τὸ θαῤῥεῖν αὐτοὺς ἀλείψῃ, ἄκουε τῶν ἑξῆς ὧν λέγει. Τί δέ φησιν; Καὶ ὑμεῖς μείζονα ἐργάσεσθε, ἐὰν θέλητε πιστεύειν, καὶ εὐχῇ θαῤῥεῖν. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι τὸ πᾶν δι' αὐτοὺς γέγονεν, ὥστε μὴ δεδοικέναι καὶ τρέμειν ἐπιβουλάς; ∆ιὸ καὶ δεύτερον τοῦτο λέγει, εὐχῇ προσηλῶν καὶ πίστει. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ τοῦτο ἐργάσεσθε μόνον, φησὶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὄρη μεταστήσετε, καὶ ἕτερα πλείονα ποιήσετε, πίστει καὶ εὐχῇ θαῤῥοῦντες. Ἀλλ' οἱ ἀλαζόνες Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ τετυφωμένοι, διακόψαι βουλόμενοι τὴν διδασκαλίαν αὐτοῦ, προσελθόντες ἠρώτων· Ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιεῖς; Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τοῖς σημείοις ἐπισκῆψαι οὐκ εἶχον, τὴν τῶν καπηλευόντων ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ προφέρουσιν αὐτῷ διόρθωσιν. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ παρὰ τῷ Ἰωάννῃ φαίνονται ἐρωτῶντες, εἰ καὶ μὴ τούτοις τοῖς ῥήμασιν, ἀλλὰ τῇ αὐτῇ γνώμῃ. Καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖ λέγουσι· Τί σημεῖον δεικνύεις ἡμῖν, ὅτι ταῦτα ποιεῖς; Ἀλλ' ἐκεῖ μὲν ἀποκρίνεται αὐτοῖς λέγων· Λύσατε τὸν ναὸν τοῦτον, καὶ ἐγὼ ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις ἐγερῶ αὐτόν· ἐνταῦθα δὲ εἰς ἀπορίαν αὐτοὺς ἐμβάλλει. Ὅθεν δῆλον, ὅτι τότε μὲν ἀρχὴ καὶ προοίμιον ἦν τῶν θαυμάτων, ἐνταῦθα δὲ τέλος. Ὃ δὲ λέγουσι, τοῦτό ἐστι· Τὸν διδασκαλικὸν ἐδέξω θρόνον; ἱερεὺς ἐχειροτονήθης, ὅτι τοσαύτην ἐξουσίαν ἐπεδείξω; φησί. Καὶ μὴν οὐδὲν ἐποίησεν αὐθάδειαν ἔχον, ἀλλὰ τῆς εὐταξίας προενόησε τοῦ ἱεροῦ· ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐδὲν ἔχοντες εἰπεῖν, τούτῳ ἐπισκήπτουσι. Καὶ ὅτε μὲν ἐξέβαλεν, οὐκ ἐτόλμησαν εἰπεῖν οὐδὲν, διὰ τὰ θαύματα· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὤφθη, τότε ἐπιτιμῶσι. Τί οὖν αὐτός; Οὐκ ἐξ εὐθείας αὐτοῖς ἀποκρίνεται, δεικνὺς ὅτι εἰ ἤθελον ἰδεῖν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐξουσίαν, ἠδύναντο· ἀλλ' ἀντερωτᾷ αὐτοὺς λέγων· Τὸ βάπτισμα Ἰωάννου πόθεν ἐστίν; ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, ἢ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων; Καὶ ποία αὕτη ἀκολουθία; Μεγίστη μὲν οὖν. Εἰ γὰρ εἶπον, Ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, εἶπεν ἂν αὐτοῖς· ∆ιατί οὖν οὐκ ἐπιστεύσατε αὐτῷ; Εἰ γὰρ ἐπίστευσαν, οὐκ ἂν ἠρώτησαν ταῦτα. Περὶ γὰρ αὐτοῦ ἐκεῖνος εἶπεν, ὅτι Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς λῦσαι τὸν ἱμάντα τοῦ ὑποδήματος αὐτοῦ· καὶ, Ἰδοὺ ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ αἴρων τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κό 58.635 σμου· καὶ, Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ, Ὁ ἄνωθεν ἐρχόμενος ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστί· καὶ, ὅτι Τὸ πτύον ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ διακαθαριεῖ τὴν ἅλωνα αὐτοῦ. Ὥστε εἰ ἐπίστευσαν ἐκείνῳ, οὐδὲν ἦν τὸ κωλύον αὐτοὺς εἰδέναι ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιεῖ. Εἶτα ἐπειδὴ κακουργοῦντες ἔλεγον, Οὐκ ἴσμεν, οὐκ εἶπεν, Οὐδὲ ἐγὼ οὐκ οἶδα· ἀλλὰ τί; Οὐδὲ ἐγὼ λέγω ὑμῖν. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἠγνόουν, διδάσκεσθαι αὐτοὺς ἔδει· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐκακούργουν, εἰκότως οὐδὲν αὐτοῖς ἀποκρίνεται. Καὶ πῶς οὐκ εἶπον, ὅτι Ἐξ ἀνθρώπων τὸ βάπτισμα; Ἐφοβοῦντο τοὺς ὄχλους, φησίν. Εἶδες διεστραμμένην καρδίαν; Πανταχοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ καταφρονοῦσι, καὶ διὰ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἅπαντα πράττουσι. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτον δι' αὐτοὺς ἐφοβοῦντο, οὐκ αἰδούμενοι τὸν ἄνδρα, ἀλλὰ διὰ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους· καὶ τῷ Χριστῷ πιστεύειν διὰ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους οὐκ ἤθελον· καὶ πάντα ἐντεῦθεν αὐτοῖς ἐτίκτετο τὰ κακά. Εἶτά φησι· Τί ὑμῖν δοκεῖ; Ἄνθρωπος εἶχε υἱοὺς δύο, καὶ λέγει τῷ πρώτῳ· Ὕπαγε, σήμερον ἐργάζου εἰς τὸν ἀμπελῶνα. Ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν, Οὐ θέλω· ὕστερον δὲ μεταμεληθεὶς ἀπῆλθε. Καὶ προσελθὼν τῷ δευτέρῳ, εἶπεν ὡσαύτως. Ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν, Ἐγὼ, κύριε· καὶ οὐκ ἀπῆλθε. Τίς οὖν ἐκ τῶν δύο ἐποίησε τοῦ πατρὸς τὸ θέλημα; Λέγουσιν, Ὁ πρῶτος. Πάλιν διὰ παραβολῶν αὐτοὺς ἐλέγχει, τήν τε αὐτῶν ἀγνωμοσύνην, καὶ τὸ τῶν σφόδρα κατεγνωσμένων καταπειθὲς αἰνιττόμενος. Τὰ γὰρ τέκνα ταῦτα τὰ δύο τοῦτο δηλοῖ, ὃ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν