ΤΟΥ ΕΝ ΑΓΙΟΙΣ ΠΑΤΡΟΣ ΗΜΩΝ ΙΩΑΝΝΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΧΡΥΣΟΣΤΟΜΟΥ ΑΡΧΙΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΥ ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΥΠΟΛΕΩΣ ΤΑ ΕΥΡΙΣΚΟΜΕΝΑ ΠΑΝΤΑ. ΥΠΟΜΝΗΜΑ ΕΙΣ ΤΟΝ ΑΓΙΟΝ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ ΤΟΝ ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΣ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Βʹ. Βίβλος γενέσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, υἱοῦ Δαυῒδ, υἱοῦ Ἀβραάμ. αʹ. Ἆρα μέμνησθε τῆς παραγγελίας, ἣν πρώην ἐποιησάμεθα πρὸς ὑμᾶς, παρακαλοῦντες μετ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Γʹ. Βίβλος γενέσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, υἱοῦ Δαυῒδ, υἱοῦ Ἀβραάμ. αʹ. Ἰδοὺ τρίτη διάλεξις, καὶ τὰ ἐν προοιμίοις οὐδέπω διελυσάμεθα. Οὐκ ἄρα μάτην ἔλε

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Δʹ. Πᾶσαι οὖν αἱ γενεαὶ ἀπὸ Ἀβραὰμ ἕως Δαυῒδ, γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες: καὶ ἀπὸ Δαυῒδ ἕως τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος, γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες: καὶ ἀπὸ τῆ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Εʹ. Τοῦτο δὲ ὅλον γέγονεν, ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος: «Ἰδοὺ ἡ παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ ἕξει, καὶ τέξεται υἱὸν, κα

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Ϛʹ. Τοῦ Ἰησοῦ γεννηθέντος ἐν Βηθλεὲμ τῆς Ἰου δαίας ἐν ἡμέραις Ἡρώδου τοῦ βασιλέως, ἰδοὺ μάγοι ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν παρεγένοντο εἰς Ἱερο σόλυμα, λέγοντε

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Ζʹ. Καὶ συναγαγὼν πάντας τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ γραμ ματεῖς τοῦ λαοῦ, ἐπυνθάνετο παρ' αὐτῶν, ποῦ ὁ Χριστὸς γεννᾶται. Οἱ δὲ εἶπον αὐτῷ: Ἐν Βηθλεὲμ τ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Ηʹ. Καὶ εἰσελθόντες εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν, εἶδον τὸ παι δίον μετὰ Μαρίας τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ: καὶ πε σόντες προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ: καὶ ἀνοίξαντες τοὺς θησαυρ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Θʹ. Τότε ἰδὼν Ἡρώδης ὅτι ἐνεπαίχθη ὑπὸ τῶν μά γων, ἐθυμώθη λίαν: καὶ ἀποστείλας ἀνεῖλε πάντας τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς ἐν Βηθλεὲμ, καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ὁρί

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Ιʹ. Ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις παραγίνεται Ἰωάννης ὁ Βαπτιστὴς, κηρύσσων ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τῆς Ἰου δαίας, καὶ λέγων: Μετανοεῖτε: ἤγγικε γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΑʹ. Ἰδὼν δὲ πολλοὺς τῶν Σαδδουκαίων καὶ Φαρι σαίων ἐρχομένους ἐπὶ τὸ βάπτισμα αὐτοῦ, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς: Γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν, τίς ὑπέδειξεν ὑμῖν φυγεῖ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΒʹ. Τότε παραγίνεται ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας εἰς τὸν Ἰορδάνην πρὸς τὸν Ἰωάννην, τοῦ βα πτισθῆναι ὑπ' αὐτοῦ. αʹ. Μετὰ τῶν δούλων ὁ Δεσπότης,

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΓʹ. Τότε ἀνήχθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ὑπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματος, πειρασθῆναι ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου. αʹ. Τότε: πότε Μετὰ τὴν τοῦ Πνεύματος κάθοδον, μετὰ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΔʹ. Ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ὅτι Ἰωάννης παρεδόθη, ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν. αʹ. Τίνος ἕνεκεν ἀναχωρεῖ Πάλιν παιδεύων ἡμᾶς, μὴ ὁμόσε χωρεῖν τ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΕʹ. Ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοὺς ὄχλους, ἀνέβη εἰς τὸ ὄρος: καὶ καθίσαντος αὐτοῦ, προσῆλθον αὐτῷ οἱ μα θηταὶ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἀνοίξας τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ, ἐδί δ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙϚʹ. Μὴ νομίσητε, ὅτι ἦλθον καταλῦσαι τὸν νόμον ἢ τοὺς προφήτας. αʹ. Τίς γὰρ τοῦτο ὑπώπτευσεν ἢ τίς ἐνεκάλεσεν ἵνα πρὸς τοῦτο ποιήσηται τὴν ἀπά

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΖʹ. Ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐῤῥέθη τοῖς ἀρχαίοις: Οὐ μοιχεύσεις. Ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν, ὅτι πᾶς ὁ ἐμβλέπων γυναικὶ πρὸς τὸ ἐπιθυμῆσαι αὐτὴν, ἤδη ἐμοίχευσεν αὐ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΗʹ. Ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐῤῥέθη Ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλ μοῦ, καὶ ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος. Ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν, μὴ ἀντιστῆναι τῷ πονηρῷ: ἀλλ' ὅστις σε ῥαπίσει εἰς

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΘʹ. Προσέχετε τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην ὑμῶν μὴ ποιεῖν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι αὐτοῖς. αʹ. Τὸ τυραννικώτερον πάντων λοιπὸν ἐξορίζει πάθ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Κʹ. Ὅταν δὲ νηστεύητε, μὴ γίνεσθε ὥσπερ οἱ ὑπο κριταὶ, σκυθρωποί. Ἀφανίζουσι γὰρ τὰ πρόσ ωπα αὐτῶν, ὅπως φανῶσι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύοντες. αʹ.

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΑʹ. Οὐδεὶς δύναται δυσὶ κυρίοις δουλεύειν: ἢ γὰρ τὸν ἔνα μισήσει, καὶ τὸν ἕτερον ἀγαπήσει: ἢ ἑνὸς ἀνθέξεται, καὶ τοῦ ἑτέρου καταφρονήσει. αʹ.

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΒʹ. Καταμάθετε τὰ κρίνα τοῦ ἀγροῦ, πῶς αὐξάνει: οὐ κοπιᾷ, οὐδὲ νήθει: λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν, ὅτι οὐδὲ Σολο μῶν ἐν πάσῃ τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ περιεβάλετο ὡς ἓν

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΓʹ. Μὴ κρίνετε, ἵνα μὴ κριθῆτε. αʹ. Τί οὖν οὐ χρὴ τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσιν ἐγκαλεῖν Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Παῦλος τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦτό φησι: μᾶλλον δὲ κἀκεῖ ὁ Χριστὸς

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΔʹ. Οὐ πᾶς ὁ λέγων μοι, Κύριε, Κύριε, εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἀλλ' ὁ ποιῶν τὸ θέ λημα τοῦ Πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς. αʹ.

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΕʹ. Καὶ ἐγένετο, ὅτε ἐτέλεσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοὺς λόγους τού τους, ἐξεπλήσσοντο οἱ ὄχλοι ἐπὶ τῇ διδαχῇ αὐτοῦ. αʹ. Καὶ μὴν ἀκόλουθον ἦν ἀλγεῖν αὐτοὺς

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚϚʹ. Εἰσελθόντι δὲ αὐτῷ εἰς Καπερναοὺμ, προσῆλθεν αὐτῷ ἑκατόνταρχος, παρακαλῶν αὐτὸν, καὶ λέ γων: «Κύριε, ὁ παῖς μου βέβληται ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ παραλ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΖʹ. Καὶ ἐλθὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν Πέτρου, εἶδε τὴν πενθερὰν αὐτοῦ βεβλημένην καὶ πυρέσ σουσαν: καὶ ἥψατο τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῆς, καὶ ἀφῆκεν αὐτὴ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΗʹ. Ἐμβάντι δὲ αὐτῷ εἰς τὸ πλοῖον, ἠκολούθησαν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἰδοὺ χειμὼν μέγας ἐγένετο ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ, ὥστε τὸ πλοῖον καλύπτεσθαι ὑπὸ τ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΘʹ. Καὶ ἐμβὰς εἰς τὸ πλοῖον διεπέρασε, καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν πόλιν. Καὶ ἰδοὺ προσήνεγκαν αὐ τῷ παραλυτικὸν ἐπὶ κλίνης βεβλημένον. Καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Λʹ. Καὶ παράγων ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐκεῖθεν, εἶδεν ἄνθρωπον ἐπὶ τὸ τελώνιον καθήμενον, Ματθαῖον λεγόμενον: καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ: «Ἀκολούθει μοι.» αʹ. Ποιήσας γὰ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΛΑʹ. Ταῦτα αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος αὐτοῖς, ἰδοὺ ἄρχων εἰσ ελθὼν προσεκύνει αὐτὸν λέγων: Ἡ θυγάτηρ μου ἄρτι ἐτελεύτησεν: ἀλλὰ ἐλθὼν ἐπίθες τὴν χεῖρά σου

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΛΒʹ. Καὶ παράγοντι ἐκεῖθεν τῷ Ἰησοῦ ἠκολούθησαν δύο τυφλοὶ κράζοντες, καὶ λέγοντες: Ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς, υἱὲ Δαυΐδ. Καὶ ἐλθόντος αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν,

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΛΓʹ. Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω ὑμᾶς ὡς πρόβατα ἐν μέσῳ λύκων. Γίνεσθε οὖν φρόνιμοι ὡς οἱ ὄφεις, καὶ ἀκέραιοι ὡς αἱ περιστεραί. αʹ. Ἐπειδὴ περὶ τῆς ἀνα

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΛΔʹ. Ὅταν δὲ διώκωσιν ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ, φεύ γετε εἰς τὴν ἑτέραν. Ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν, οὐ μὴ τελέσητε τὰς πόλεις τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ ὁ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΛΕʹ. Μὴ νομίσητε, ὅτι ἦλθον βαλεῖν εἰρήνην ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν: οὐκ ἦλθον βαλεῖν εἰρήνην, ἀλλὰ μάχαιραν. αʹ. Πάλιν τὰ φορτικώτερα τίθησι καὶ μετὰ πολλῆ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΛϚʹ. Καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε ἐτέλεσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς διατάσσων τοῖς δώδεκα μαθηταῖς, μετέβη ἐκεῖθεν τοῦ διδάσκειν καὶ κηρύσσειν ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν αὐτῶν. αʹ. Ἐπ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΛΖʹ. Τούτων δὲ πορευομένων, ἤρξατο ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγειν τοῖς ὄχλοις περὶ Ἰωάννου: Τί ἐξήλθετε εἰς τὴν ἔρημον θεάσασθαι κάλαμον ὑπὸ ἀνέμου σαλευό με

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΛΗʹ. Ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ καιρῷ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν: Ἐξομολογοῦμαί σοι, Πάτερ, Κύριε τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅτι ἀπέκρυψας ταῦτα ἀπὸ σοφῶν καὶ σ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΛΘʹ. Ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ καιρῷ ἐπορεύθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοῖς σάβ βασι διὰ τῶν σπορίμων: οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπεί νασαν, καὶ ἤρξαντο τίλλειν στάχυας καὶ ἐσθίε

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Μʹ. Καὶ μεταβὰς ἐκεῖθεν, ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν συναγω γὴν αὐτῶν: καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄνθρωπος τὴν χεῖρα ἔχων ξηράν. αʹ. Πάλιν ἐν σαββάτῳ θεραπεύει, ὑπὲρ τῶν παρὰ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΜΑʹ. Εἰδὼς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὰς ἐνθυμήσεις αὐτῶν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς: Πᾶσα βασιλεία μερισθεῖσα καθ' ἑαυ τῆς, ἐρημωθήσεται: καὶ πᾶσα πόλις ἢ οἰκία μερισθεῖσ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΜΒʹ. Ἢ ποιήσατε τὸ δένδρον καλὸν, καὶ τὸν καρπὸν αὐ τοῦ καλόν: ἢ ποιήσατε τὸ δένδρον σαπρὸν, καὶ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ σαπρόν: ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ καρποῦ τὸ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΜΓʹ. Τότε ἀπεκρίθησαν αὐτῷ τινες τῶν γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων, λέγοντες: «Διδάσκαλε, θέλομεν ἀπὸ σοῦ σημεῖον ἰδεῖν.» Ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπε: «Γεν

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΜΔʹ. Ἔτι δὲ αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος τοῖς ὄχλοις, ἰδοὺ ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ εἱστήκεισαν ἔξω, ζη τοῦντες αὐτῷ λαλῆσαι. Εἶπε δέ τις αὐτῷ: «Ἰδοὺ ἡ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΜΕʹ. Καὶ προσελθόντες οἱ μαθηταὶ εἶπον αὐτῷ: Διατί ἐν παραβολαῖς λαλεῖς αὐτοῖς Ὁ δὲ ἀπο κριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς: Ὅτι ὑμῖν δέδοται γνῶναι τὰ μυστή

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΜϚʹ. Ἄλλην παραβολὴν παρέθηκεν αὐτοῖς, λέγων: Ὡμοι ώθη ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀνθρώπῳ σπείροντι καλὸν σπέρμα ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ αὐτοῦ. Ἐν δὲ τῷ καθεύ δ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΜΖʹ. Ταῦτα πάντα ἐλάλησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐν παραβολαῖς τοῖς ὄχλοις, καὶ χωρὶς παραβολῆς οὐδὲν ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς: ὅπως πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΜΗʹ. Καὶ ἐγένετο, ὅτε ἐτέλεσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὰς παραβολὰς ταύτας, μετῆρεν ἐκεῖθεν. αʹ. Τίνος ἕνεκεν εἶπε, ταύτας Ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἄλλας ἔμελλεν ἐρεῖν. Τ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΜΘʹ. Ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ἀνεχώρησεν ἐκεῖθεν ἐν πλοίῳ εἰς ἔρημον τόπον κατ' ἰδίαν: καὶ ἀκού σαντες οἱ ὄχλοι, ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ πεζῇ ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Νʹ. Καὶ ἀπολύσας τοὺς ὄχλους, ἀνέβη εἰς τὸ ὄρος κατ' ἰδίαν προσεύξασθαι. Ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης, μόνος ἦν ἐκεῖ. Τὸ δὲ πλοῖον ἤδη μέσον τῆς θαλάσσης

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΝΑʹ. Τότε προσέρχονται τῷ Ἰησοῦ οἱ ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι, λέγοντες: «Διατί οἱ μαθηταί σου,» κ. τ. ἑ. αʹ. Τότε: πότε Ὅτε τὰ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΝΒʹ. Καὶ ἐξελθὼν ἐκεῖθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τὰ μέρη Τύρου καὶ Σιδῶνος. Καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ Χαναναία ἀπὸ τῶν ὁρίων ἐκείνων ἐξελθοῦσα, ἔκραξεν αὐ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΝΓʹ. Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς προσκαλεσάμενος τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐ τοῦ, εἶπε: «Σπλαγχνίζομαι ἐπὶ τὸν ὄχλον, ὅτι ἤδη ἡμέραι τρεῖς προσμένουσί μοι, καὶ οὐκ ἔχουσι

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΝΔʹ. Ἐξελθὼν δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὰ μέρη Καισαρείας τῆς Φιλίππου, ἠρώτα τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ, λέγων: Τίνα με λέγουσιν οἷ ἄνθρωποι εἶναι, τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΝΕʹ. Τότε ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπε τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ: Εἴ τις θέλει ὀπίσω μου ἐλθεῖν, ἀπαρνησάσθω ἑαυτὸν, καὶ ἀράτω τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀκολουθείτω μο

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΝϚʹ. Ἀμὴν, ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν: εἰσί τινες τῶν ὧδε ἑστώτων. οἵτινες οὐ μὴ γεύσωνται θανάτου, ἕως ἂν ἴδωσι τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενον ἐν τῇ βασι

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΝΖʹ. Καὶ ἐπηρώτησαν αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ λέγοντες: Τί οὖν οἱ γραμματεῖς λέγουσιν, ὅτι Ἠλίαν δεῖ ἐλ θεῖν πρῶτον αʹ. Οὐκ ἄρα ἀπὸ τῶν Γραφῶν το

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΝΗʹ. Ἀναστρεφομένων δὲ αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ Γαλιλαίᾳ, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς: Μέλλει ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοσθαι εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων, καὶ ἀποκτε νοῦ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΝΘʹ. Οὐαὶ τῷ κόσμῳ ἀπὸ τῶν σκανδάλων! Ἀνάγκη γάρ ἐστιν ἐλθεῖν τὰ σκάνδαλα, πλὴν οὐαὶ τῷ ἀνθρώ πῳ ἐκείνῳ, δι' οὗ τὰ σκάνδαλα ἔρχεται! αʹ. Καὶ εἰ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Ξʹ. Ἐὰν ἁμάρτῃ εἰς σὲ ὁ ἀδελφός σου, ὕπαγε, ἔλεγξον αὐτὸν μεταξὺ σοῦ καὶ αὐτοῦ μόνου. Ἐάν σου ἀκούσῃ, ἐκέρδησας τὸν ἀδελφόν σου. αʹ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΞΑʹ. Τότε προσελθὼν αὐτῷ ὁ Πέτρος εἶπε: Κύριε, ποσάκις ἁμαρτήσει εἰς ἐμὲ ὁ ἀδελφός μου, καὶ ἀφήσω αὐτῷ ἕως ἑπτάκις Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Οὐ λέ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΞΒʹ. Καὶ ἐγένετο, ὅτε ἐτέλεσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοὺς λόγους τούτους, μετῆρεν ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας, καὶ ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὰ ὅρια τῆς Ἰουδαίας πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου.

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΞΓʹ. Καὶ ἰδοὺ εἷς προσελθὼν εἶπεν αὐτῷ: Διδάσκαλε ἀγαθὲ, τί ποιήσας ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω αʹ. Τινὲς μὲν διαβάλλουσι τὸν νεανίσκον τοῦτον, ὡ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΞΔʹ. Τότε ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Πέτρος εἶπεν αὐτῷ: Ἰδοὺ ἡμεῖς ἀφήκαμεν πάντα, καὶ ἠκολουθήσαμέν σοι: τί ἄρα ἔσται ἡμῖν αʹ. Ποῖα πάντα, ὦ μακάριε Πέτρε

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΞΕʹ. Καὶ ἀναβαίνων εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ὁ Ἰησοῦς, παρέλαβε τοὺς δώδεκα μαθητὰς κατ' ἰδίαν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς: Ἰδοὺ ἀναβαίνομεν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΞϚʹ. Καὶ ἐκπορευομένων αὐτῶν ἀπὸ Ἱεριχὼ, ἠκολούθη σαν αὐτῷ ὄχλοι πολλοί. Καὶ ἰδοὺ δύο τυ φλοὶ καθήμενοι παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν, ἀκούσαντες ὅτι Ἰησοῦς πα

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΞΖʹ. Καὶ εἰσελθὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν, ἐξέβαλε πάν τας τοὺς πωλοῦντας καὶ ἀγοράζοντας ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, καὶ τὰς τραπέζας τῶν κολλυβιστῶν κατ έστρεψ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΞΗʹ. Ἄλλην παραβολὴν ἀκούσατε. Ἄνθρωπός τις ἦν οἰκοδεσπότης, ὅστις ἐφύτευσεν ἀμπελῶνα, καὶ φραγμὸν αὐτῷ περιέθηκε, καὶ ὤρυξε ληνὸν, καὶ ᾠκοδόμη

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΞΘʹ. Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπε πάλιν ἐν παραβο λαῖς: Ὡμοιώθη ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀνθρώπῳ βασιλεῖ, ὅστις ἐποίησε γάμους τῷ υἱῷ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Οʹ. Τότε πορευθέντες οἱ Φαρισαῖοι συμβούλιον ἔλαβον, ὅπως αὐτὸν παγιδεύσωσιν ἐν λόγῳ. αʹ. Τότε, πότε Ὅτε μάλιστα κατανυγῆναι ἔδει, ὅτε ἐκπλαγῆ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΟΑʹ. Οἱ δὲ Φαρισαῖοι ἀκούσαντες, ὅτι ἐφίμωσε τοὺς Σαδ δουκαίους, συνήχθησαν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό: καὶ ἐπηρώ τησεν εἷς ἐξ αὐτῶν νομικὸς, πειράζων αὐτὸν,

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΔΒʹ. Τότε ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐλάλησε τοῖς ὄχλοις καὶ τοῖς μαθη ταῖς αὐτοῦ, λέγων: Ἐπὶ τῆς Μωϋσέως καθέδρας ἐκάθισαν οἱ Γραμματεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι. Πάντα

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΟΓʹ. Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι, ὑποκριταὶ, ὅτι κατεσθίετε τὰς οἰκίας τῶν χηρῶν, καὶ προφάσει μακρὰ προσευχόμενοι: διὰ τοῦτο λήψεσθε π

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΟΔʹ. Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, ὅτι οἰκοδομεῖτε τοὺς τάφους τῶν προ φητῶν, καὶ κοσμεῖτε τὰ μνήματα αὐτῶν, καὶ λέγετε: Εἰ ἦμεν ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν,

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΟΕʹ. Καὶ ἐξελθὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀπὸ τοῦ ἱεροῦ, ἐπορεύετο. Καὶ προσῆλθον οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ, ἐπιδεῖξαι αὐτῷ τὰς οἰκοδομὰς τοῦ ἱεροῦ. Ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΟϚʹ. Τότε οἱ ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ, φευγέτωσαν εἰς τὰ ὄρη καὶ ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ δώματος, μὴ καταβάτω ἆραι τὰ ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ: καὶ ὁ ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ αὐτοῦ, μὴ ἐπ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΟΖʹ. Ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς συκῆς μάθετε τὴν παραβολήν. Ὅταν ἤδη ὁ κλάδος αὐτῆς γένηται ἁπαλὸς, καὶ τὰ φύλλα ἐκφύῃ, γινώσκετε ὅτι ἐγγὺς τὸ θέρος. Οὕτω καὶ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΟΗʹ. Τότε ὁμοιωθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν δέκα παρθένοις, αἵτινες λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας αὐτῶν, ἐξῆλθον εἰς ἀπάντησιν τοῦ νυμφίου. Πέντε δὲ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΟΘʹ. Ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐν τῇ δόξῃ τοῦ Πατρὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ πάντες οἱ ἅγιοι ἄγγελοι μετ' αὐτοῦ, τότε καθίσει, φησὶν, ἐπὶ θρόνου δόξη

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Πʹ. Τοῦ δὲ Ἰησοῦ γενομένου ἐν Βηθανίᾳ, ἐν οἰκίᾳ Σίμω νος τοῦ λεπροῦ, προσῆλθεν αὐτῷ γυνὴ, ἀλάβα στρον μύρου ἔχουσα βαρυτίμου, καὶ ἐξέχεεν ἐπὶ τ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΠΑʹ. Τῇ δὲ πρώτῃ τῶν ἀζύμων προσῆλθον οἱ μαθηταὶ τῷ Ἰησοῦ λέγοντες, Ποῦ θέλεις ἑτοιμάσωμέν σοι φαγεῖν τὸ πάσχα Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν: Ὑπάγετε εἰς τὴν πόλ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΠΒʹ. Ἐσθιόντων δὲ αὐτῶν, λαβὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἄρτον, καὶ εὐχαριστήσας, ἔκλασε, καὶ ἔδωκε τοῖς μαθηταῖς, καὶ εἶπε: Λάβετε, φάγετε: τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ σῶμά

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΠΓʹ. Τότε ἔρχεται μετ' αὐτῶν ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς χωρίον λεγόμενον Γεθσημανῆ, καὶ λέγει τοῖς μαθηταῖς: Καθίσατε αὐτοῦ, ἕως ἂν ἀπελθὼν προσεύξωμαι ἐκεῖ.

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΠΔʹ. Καὶ ἰδοὺ εἷς τῶν μετὰ Ἰησοῦ, ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ, ἀπέσπασε τὴν μάχαιραν αὐτοῦ, καὶ πατά ξας τὸν δοῦλον τοῦ ἀρχιερέως, ἀφεῖλεν αὐτοῦ τ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΠΕʹ. Τότε ἐνέπτυσαν εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκολά φισαν αὐτόν: οἱ δὲ ἐῤῥάπισαν, λέγοντες: Προ φήτευσον ἡμῖν, Χριστὲ, τίς ἐστιν ὁ παίσας σε

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΠϚʹ. Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἔστη ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ ἡγεμόνος: καὶ ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτὸν ὁ ἡγεμὼν, λέγων: Σὺ εἶ ὁ βα σιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἔφη: Σὺ λέγεις.

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΠΖʹ. Τότε οἱ στρατιῶται τοῦ ἡγεμόνος παραλαβόντες τὸν Ἰησοῦν εἰς τὸ πραιτώριον, συνήγαγον ἐπ' αὐτὸν ὅλην τὴν σπεῖραν: καὶ ἐκδύσαντες αὐτὸν, περ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΠΗʹ. Ἀπὸ δὲ ἕκτης ὥρας σκότος ἐγένετο ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ἕως ὥρας ἐνάτης. Περὶ δὲ τὴν ἐνάτην ὥραν ἔκραξεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς φωνῇ μεγάλῃ, καὶ εἶπεν: Ἠλὶ,

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΠΘʹ. Τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον, ἥτις ἐστὶ μετὰ τὴν παρασκευὴν, συνήχθησαν οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι πρὸς Πιλάτον, λέγοντες: Κύριε, ἐμνήσθημεν ὅτι ἐκεῖ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Ϟʹ. Πορευομένων δὲ αὐτῶν, ἰδού τινες τῆς κουστωδίας ἐλθόντες εἰς τὴν πόλιν, ἀνήγγειλαν τοῖς ἀρχιερ εῦσιν ἅπαντα τὰ γενόμενα. Καὶ συναχθέντες με

Homily LXXXV.

Matt. XXVI. 67, 68.

“Then did they spit in His face, and buffeted Him, and others smote Him with the palms of their hands,3023   [R.V. margin, “Or, with rods.”]saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, who is he that smote3024   [R.V., “struck thee.” The variety of Greek terms used to express the maltreatment is remarkable, and is indicated in the R.V.—R.]thee?”3025   [R.V., “struck thee.” The variety of Greek terms used to express the maltreatment is remarkable, and is indicated in the R.V.—R.]

Wherefore did they these things, when they were to put Him to death? What need of this mockery? That thou mightest learn their intemperate spirit by all things, and that having taken Him like a prey, they thus showed forth their intoxication, and gave full swing to their madness; making this a festival, and assaulting Him with pleasure, and showing forth their murderous disposition.

But admire, I pray thee, the self command of the disciples, with what exactness they relate these things. Hereby is clearly shown their disposition to love the truth, because they relate with all truthfulness the things that seem to be opprobrious, disguising nothing, nor being ashamed thereof, but rather accounting it very great glory, as indeed it was, that the Lord of the universe should endure to suffer such things for us. This shows both His unutterable tenderness, and the inexcusable wickedness of those men, who had the heart to do such things to Him that was so mild and meek, and was charming them with such words, as were enough to change a lion into a lamb. For neither did He fail in any things of gentleness, nor they of insolence and cruelty, in what they did, in what they said. All which things the prophet Isaiah foretold, thus proclaiming beforehand, and by one word intimating all this insolence. For “like as many were astonished at thee,” he saith, “so shall thy form be held inglorious of men, and thy glory of the sons of men.”3026   Isa. lii. 14 [LXX.].

For what could be equal to this insolence? On that face which the sea, when it saw it, had reverenced, from which the sun, when it beheld it on the cross, turned away his rays, they did spit, and struck it with the palms of their hands, and some upon the head; giving full swing in every way to their own madness. For indeed they inflicted the blows that are most insulting of all, buffeting, smiting with the palms of their hands, and to these blows adding the insult of spitting at Him. And words again teeming with much derision did they speak, saying, “prophesy unto us, thou Christ, who is he that smote thee?” because the multitude called Him a prophet.

But another3027   Luke xxii. 64.saith, that they covered His face with His own garment, and did these things, as though they had got in the midst of them some vile and worthless fellow. And not freemen only, but slaves3028   Mark xiv. 65. [In this passage δολοι does not occur, but ὑπηρται, which has a wider sense.—R.]also were intemperate with this intemperance towards Him at that time.

These things let us read continually, these things let us hear aright, these things let us write in our minds, for these are our honors. In these things do I take a pride, not only in the thousands of dead which He raised, but also in the sufferings which He endured. These things Paul puts forward in every way, the cross, the death, the sufferings, the revilings, the insults, the scoffs. And now he saith, “let us go forth unto Him bearing His reproach;”3029   Heb. xiii. 13.and now, “who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame.”3030   Heb. xii. 2.

“Now Peter sat in the court without;3031   [The order here is peculiar to this Homily.—R.]and a damsel came unto him, saying, thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before them all,3032   [ατν is inserted here.—R.]saying, I know not what thou sayest. And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and saith, this man also was there3033   [The reading is peculiar (λγει Εκε κα οτο), as indicated in the rendering.—R.]with Jesus of Nazareth. And again he denied with an oath. And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said unto Peter, surely thou also art one of them, for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the words of Jesus, which said, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.”3034   Matt. xxvi. 69–75. [In verse 74, καταθεματζειν is read; in verse 75, ατ is omitted. These variations and those noted above are the only peculiarities.—R.]

Oh strange and wonderful acts! When indeed he saw his master seized only, he was so fervent as both to draw his sword, and to cut off the man’s ear; but when it was natural for him to be more indignant, and to be inflamed and to burn, hearing such revilings, then he becomes a denier. For who would not have been inflamed to madness by the things that were then done? yet the disciple, overcome by fears, so far from showing indignation, even denies, and endures not the threat of a miserable and mean girl, and not once only, but a second and third time doth he deny Him; and in a short period, and not so much as before judges, for it was without for “when he had gone out into the porch,” they asked him, and he did not even readily come to a sense of his fall. And this Luke saith,3035   Luke xxii. 61.namely, that Christ looked on him showing that he not only denied Him, but was not even brought to remembrance from within, and this though the cock had crowed; but he needed a further remembrance from his master, and His look was to him instead of a voice; so exceedingly was he full of fear.

But Mark saith,3036   Mark xiv. 68, 72. [In both passages in Mark there are textual variations in the mss. The clause in verse 68, telling of the first cock-crowing, is omitted in three of the best mss. But the absence of any parallel statement would account for the omission.—R.]that when he had once denied, then first the cock crew, but when thrice, then for the second time; for he declares more particularly the weakness of the disciple, and that he was utterly dead with fear; having learnt these things of his master3037   1 Pet. v. 13.himself, for he was a follower of Peter. In which respect one would most marvel at him, that so far from hiding his teacher’s faults, he declared it more distinctly than the rest, on this very account, that he was his disciple.

2. How then is what is said true, when Matthew affirms that Christ said, “Verily I say unto thee, that before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice;”3038   Matt. xxvi. 34.and Mark declares after the third denial, that “The cock crew the second time?”3039   Mark xiv. 72. Nay, most certainly is it both true and in harmony. For because at each crowing the cock is wont to crow both a third and a fourth time, Mark, to show that not even the sound checked him, and brought him to recollection saith this. So that both things are true. For before the cock had finished the one crowing, he had denied a third time. And not even when reminded of his sin by Christ did he dare to weep openly, lest he should be betrayed by his tears, but “he went out, and wept bitterly.”

“And when it was day, they led away Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate.”3040   Chap. xxvii. 1, 2. [This is not a citation, but a combination of terms occurring in all four accounts.—R.] For because they were desirous to put Him to death, but were not able themselves because of the feast, they lead Him to the governor.

But mark, I pray thee, how the act was forced on, so as to take place at the feast. For so was it typified from the first.

“Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that He was condemned, repented, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver.”3041   Matt. xxvi. 3. [R.V. omits “had,” and reads “repented himself,” “brought back.”— R.]

This was a charge both against him, and against these men; against him, not because he repented, but because he did so, late, and slowly, and became self-condemned (for that he delivered Him up, he himself confessed); and against them, for that having the power to reverse it, they repented not.

But mark, when it is that he feels remorse. When his sin was completed, and had received an accomplishment. For the devil is like this; he suffers not those that are not watchful to see the evil before this, lest he whom he has taken, should repent. At least, when Jesus was saying so many things, he was not influenced, but when his offense was completed, then repentance came upon him; and not then profitably. For to condemn it, and to throw down the pieces of silver, and not to regard the Jewish people, were all acceptable things; but to hang himself, this again was unpardonable, and a work of an evil spirit. For the devil led him out of his repentance too soon, so that he should reap no fruit from thence; and carries him off, by a most disgraceful death, and one manifest to all, having persuaded him to destroy himself.

But mark, I pray thee, the truth shining forth on every side, even by what the adversaries both do and suffer. For indeed even the very end of the traitor stops the mouths of them that had condemned Him, and suffers them not to have so much as any shadow of an excuse, that is surely shameless. For what could they have to say, when the traitor is shown to pass such a sentence on himself.

But let us see also the words, what is said; “He brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests,3042   [The words “and elders” are omitted, though Tischendorf cites Chrysostom otherwise.—R.]and saith, I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood. And they said, what is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple,3043   [R.V., “into the sanctuary,” accepting the reading given in the Homily.—R.]and departed, and went and hanged himself.”3044   Matt. xxvii. 3–5. [R.V., “and he went away,” etc.]

For neither could he bear his conscience scourging him. But mark, I pray thee, the Jews too suffering the same things. For these men also, when they ought to have been amended by what they suffered, do not stop, until they have completed their sin. For his sin had been completed, for it was a betrayal; but theirs not yet. But when they too had accomplished theirs, and had nailed Him to the cross then they also are troubled; at one time saying, “Write not, this is the king of the Jews”3045   John xix. 21.(and yet why are ye afraid? why are ye troubled at a dead body that is nailed upon the cross?); at another time they guard over Him, saying, “Lest His disciples steal Him away, and say that He is risen again; so the last error shall be worse than the first.”3046   Matt. xxvii. 64. [Abridged.] And yet if they do it, the thing is refuted, if it be not true. But how should they say so, which did not dare so much as to stand their ground, when He was seized; and the chief3047   ὁ κορυφαο.of them even thrice denied Him, not bearing a damsel’s threat. But, as I said, the chief priests were now troubled; for that they knew the act was a transgression of the law is manifest, from their saying, “See thou to that.”

Hear, ye covetous, consider what befell him; how he at the same time lost the money, and committed the sin, and destroyed his own soul. Such is the tyranny of covetousness. He enjoyed not the money, neither the present life, nor that to come, but lost all at once, and having got a bad character even with those very men, so hanged himself.

But, as I said, after the act, then some see clearly. See at any rate these men too for a time not willing to have a clear perception of the fact, but saying, “See thou to that:” which thing of itself is a most heavy charge against them. For this is the language of men bearing witness to their daring and their transgression, but intoxicated by their passion, and not willing to forbear their satanical attempts, but senselessly wrapping themselves up in a veil of feigned ignorance.

For if indeed these things had been said after the crucifixion, and His being slain, of a truth even then the saying would have had no reasonable meaning, nevertheless it would not have condemned them so much; but now having Him yet in your own hands, and having power to release Him, how could ye be able to say these things? For this defense would be a most heavy accusation against you. How? and in what way? Because while throwing the whole blame upon the traitor (for they say, “See thou to that”), being able to have set themselves free from this murder of Christ, they left the traitor, and even pressed the crime further, adding the cross to the betrayal. For what hindered them, when they said to him, “See thou to that,” themselves to forbear the criminal act? But now they even do the contrary, adding to it the murder and in every thing, both by what they do, and by what they say, entangling themselves in inevitable ills. For indeed after these things, when Pilate left it to them, they choose the robber to be released rather than Jesus; but Him that had done no wrong, but had even conferred on them so many benefits, they slew.

3. What then did that man? When he saw that he was laboring to no profit, and that they would not consent to receive the pieces of silver, “he cast them down in the temple, and went and hanged himself.3048   Matt. xxvii. 5. [See notes on the previous citation of this verse.—R.] And the chief priests took the pieces of silver, and said, it is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, the field of blood, unto this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, and they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of Him that was valued, and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.”3049   Matt. xxvii. 6–10. [The only textual peculiarities are, the substitution of κα for δ, at the beginning of verse 7; and the omission of a clause in verse 9, as indicated above.—R.]

Seest thou them again self-condemned by their conscience? For because they knew that they had been buying the murder, they put them not into the treasury, but bought a field to bury strangers in. And this also became a witness against them, and a proof of their treason. For the name of the place more clearly than a trumpet proclaimed their blood- guiltiness. Neither did they it at random, but having taking counsel, and in every case in like manner, so that no one should be clear of the deed, but all guilty. But these things the prophecy foretold from of old. Seest thou not the apostles only, but the prophets also declaring exactly those things which were matters of reproach, and every way proclaiming the passion, and indicating it beforehand?

This was the case with the Jews without their being conscious of it. For if they had cast it into the treasury, the thing would not have been so clearly discovered; but now having bought a piece of ground, they made it all manifest even to subsequent generations.

Hear ye as many as think to do good works out of murders, and take a reward for the lives of men. These almsgiving are Judaical, or rather they are Satanical. For there are, there are now also they, that take by violence countless things belonging to others, and think that an excuse is made for all if they cast in some ten or a hundred gold pieces.

Touching whom also the prophet saith, “Ye covered my altar with tears.”3050   Mal. ii. 13. Christ is not willing to be fed by covetousness, He accepts not this food. Why dost thou insult thy Lord, offering Him unclean things? It is better to leave men to pine with hunger, than to feed them from these sources. That was the conduct of a cruel man, this of one both cruel and insolent. It is better to give nothing, than to give the things of one set of persons to others. For tell me, if you saw any two persons, one naked, one having a garment, and then having stripped the one that had the garment, thou wert to clothe the naked, wouldest thou not have committed an injustice? It is surely plain to every one. But if when thou hast given all that thou hast taken to another, thou hast committed an injustice, and not shown mercy; when thou givest not even a small portion of what thou robbest, and callest the deed alms, what manner of punishment wilt thou not undergo? For if men offering lame brutes were blamed, what favor wilt thou obtain doing things more grievous? For if the chief, making restitution to the owner himself, still doeth an injustice, and so doeth an injustice, as by adding fourfold scarcely to do away the charge against himself, and this under the old covenant;3051   Exod. xxii. 1.he that is not stealing, but taking by violence, and not even giving to him that is robbed, but instead of him to another; nor yet giving fourfold, but not so much as the half; and moreover not living under the old dispensation, but under the new; consider how much fire he is heaping together upon his own head. And if he do not as yet suffer his punishment, for this self-same thing I say bewail him, for he is treasuring up against himself a greater wrath, unless he repent. For what? “Think ye,” saith He, “that they alone were sinners upon whom the tower fell down? Nay, I say unto you, but except ye repent, ye also shall suffer the same things.”3052   Luke xiii. 4, 5. [Freely cited.]

Let us repent then, and give alms pure from covetousness, and in great abundance. Consider that the Jews used to feed eight thousand Levites, and together with the Levites, widows also and orphans, and they bore many other public charges, and together with these things also served as soldiers; but now there are fields, and houses, and hirings of lodgings, and carriages, and muleteers, and mules, and a great array of this kind in the church on account of you, and your hardness of heart. For this store of the church ought to be with you, and your readiness of mind ought to be a revenue to her; but now two wrong things come to pass, both you continue unfruitful, and God’s priests do not practise their proper duties.

Was it not possible for the houses and the lands to have remained in the time of the apostles? Wherefore then did they sell them and give away? Because this was a better thing.

4. But now a fear seized our fathers (when you were so mad after worldly things, and because of your gatherings, and not dispersing abroad), lest the companies of the widows and orphans, and of the virgins, should perish of famine; therefore were they constrained to provide these things. For it was not their wish to thrust themselves unto what was so unbecoming; but their desire was that your good will should have been a supply for them, and that they should gather their fruits from thence, and that they themselves should give heed to prayers only.

But now ye have constrained them to imitate the houses of them that manage public affairs; whereby all things are turned upside down. For when both you and we are entangled in the same things, who is there to propitiate God? Therefore it is not possible for us to open our mouths, when the state of the church is no better than that of worldly men. Have ye not heard that the apostles would not consent so much as to distribute the money that was collected without any trouble? But now our bishops have gone beyond agents, and stewards, and hucksters in their care about these things; and when they ought to be careful and thoughtful about your souls, they are vexing themselves every day about these things, for which the innkeepers, and tax-gatherers, and accountants, and stewards are careful.

These things I do not mention for nought in the way of complaint, but in order that there may be some amendment and change, in order that we may be pitied for serving a grievous servitude, in order that you may become a revenue and store for the church.

But if ye are not willing, behold the poor before your eyes; as many as it is possible for us to suffice, we will not cease to feed; but those, whom it is not possible, we will leave to you, that ye may not hear those words on the awful day, which shall be spoken to the unmerciful and cruel. “Ye saw me an hungered, and fed me not.”3053   Matt. xxv. 42.

For together with you this inhumanity makes us laughing-stocks, because leaving our prayers, and our teaching, and the other parts of holiness, we are fighting all our time, some with wine merchants, some with corn-factors, others with them that retail other provisions.

Hence come battles, and strifes, and daily revilings, and reproaches, and jeers, and on each of the priests names are imposed more suitable for houses of secular men; when it would have been fit to take other names in the place of these, and to be named from those things, from which also the apostles ordained, from the feeding of the hungry, from the protection of the injured, from the care of strangers, from succoring them that are despitefully used, from providing for the orphans, from taking part with the widows, from presiding over the virgins; and these offices should be distributed amongst us instead of the care of the lands and houses.

These are the stores of the church, these the treasures that become her, and that afford in great degree both ease to us and profit to you; or rather to you ease with the profit. For I suppose that by the grace of God they that assemble themselves here amount to the number of one hundred thousand;3054   i.e., the sum of all the congregations in Antioch.and if each bestowed one loaf to some one of the poor, all would be in plenty; but if one farthing only, no one would be poor; and we should not undergo so many revilings and jeers, in consequence of our care about the money. For indeed the saying, “Sell thy goods, and give to the poor, and come and follow me,”3055   Matt. xix. 21. [Abridged.]might be seasonably addressed to the prelates of the church with respect to the property of the church. For in any other way it is not possible to follow Him as we ought, not being freed from all grosser and more worldly care.

But now the priests of God attend at the vintage and harvest, and at the sale and purchase of the produce; and whereas they that served the shadow had an entire immunity from such matters, although entrusted with a more carnal service; we, who are invited to the very inmost shrines of the heavens, and who enter into the true holy of holies, take upon ourselves the cares of tradesmen and retail dealers.

Hence great neglect of the Scriptures, and remissness in prayers, and indifference about all the other duties; for it is not possible to be split into the two things with due zeal. Where I pray and beseech you that many fountains may spring up to us from all quarters, and that your forwardness may be to us the threshing floor and the wine press.

For in this way both the poor will more easily be supported, and God will be glorified, and ye will advance unto a greater degree of love to mankind, and will enjoy the good things eternal; unto which God grant we may all attain, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory world without end. Amen.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΠΕʹ. Τότε ἐνέπτυσαν εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκολά φισαν αὐτόν: οἱ δὲ ἐῤῥάπισαν, λέγοντες: Προ φήτευσον ἡμῖν, Χριστὲ, τίς ἐστιν ὁ παίσας σε; αʹ. Διατί ταῦτα ἐποίουν, ἀναιρεῖν μέλλοντες; τίς χρεία τῆς κωμῳδίας ταύτης ἦν; Ἵνα μάθῃς αὐτῶν τὸν ἀκόλαστον τρόπον διὰ πάντων: καὶ ὅτι καθάπερ θήραμα εὑρόντες, οὕτω τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἐνεδείκνυντο παροινίαν, καὶ τῆς μανίας ἐνεφοροῦντο, ἑορτὴν ταύτην ποιούμενοι, καὶ μεθ' ἡδονῆς ἐπιόντες, καὶ τὸν φονικὸν αὐτῶν ἐνδεικνύμενοι τρόπον. Σὺ δέ μοι θαύμασον τῶν μαθητῶν τὴν φιλοσοφίαν, μεθ' ὅσης αὐτὰ ἀκριβείας ἀπαγγέλλουσιν. Ὅθεν τὸ φιλάληθες αὐτῶν ἦθος διαδείκνυται, ὅτι τὰ δοκοῦντα εἶναι ἐπονείδιστα ἐξηγοῦνται μετὰ ἀληθείας ἁπάσης, οὐδὲν ἀποκρυπτόμενοι, οὐδὲ ἐπαισχυνόμενοι, ἀλλὰ καὶ δόξαν ἡγούμενοι μεγίστην, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἦν, τὸ τὸν Δεσπότην τῆς οἰκουμένης ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν τοιαῦτα πάσχοντα ἀνέχεσθαι. Τοῦτο καὶ τὴν αὐτοῦ κηδεμονίαν ἐδείκνυ τὴν ἄφατον, καὶ τὴν πονηρίαν ἐκείνων τὴν ἀσύγγνωστον, οἳ ταῦτα ἐτόλμων εἰς τὸν οὕτως ἥμερον καὶ πρᾶον, καὶ τοιαῦτα κατεπᾴδοντα, οἷα καὶ λέοντα ἀρνίον ποιῆσαι ἱκανὰ ἦν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ οὔτε αὐτὸς ἐνέλιπεν ἡμερότητος, οὔτε αὐτοὶ ὕβρεως καὶ ἀπηνείας, δι' ὧν ἐποίουν, δι' ὧν ἔλεγον. Ἅπερ ἅπαντα καὶ ὁ προφήτης Ἡσαΐας προὔλεγεν, οὕτω προαναφωνῶν, καὶ ἑνὶ ῥήματι πᾶσαν ταύτην ἐμφαίνων τὴν ὕβριν. Ὃν τρόπον γὰρ ἐκστήσονται πολλοὶ ἐπὶ σὲ, φησὶν, οὕτως ἀδοξήσει ἀπὸ ἀνθρώπων τὸ εἶδός σου, καὶ ἡ δόξα σου ἀπὸ υἱῶν ἀνθρώπων. Τί γὰρ τῆς ὕβρεως ταύτης ἴσον γένοιτ' ἄν: Εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον ἐκεῖνο, ὃ ἡ θάλασσα ἰδοῦσα ᾐδέσθη, ὃ ἐπὶ σταυροῦ θεασάμενος ὁ ἥλιος τὰς ἀκτῖνας ἀπέστρεψεν, ἐνέπτυον καὶ ἐῤῥάπιζον, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς ἔτυπτον, ἐμφορούμενοι μετὰ δαψιλείας ἁπάσης τῆς ἑαυτῶν μανίας. Καὶ γὰρ πληγὰς τὰς πασῶν ὑβριστικωτέρας ἐνέτεινον, κολαφίζοντες, ῥαπίζοντες, καὶ ταῖς πληγαῖς ταύταις τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐμπτύειν προσετίθεσαν ὕβριν. Καὶ ῥήματα πάλιν πολλῆς γέμοντα κωμῳδίας ἐφθέγγοντο λέγοντες: Προφήτευσον ἡμῖν, Χριστὲ, τίς ἐστιν ὁ παίσας σε; ἐπειδὴ προφήτην αὐτὸν ἔλεγον οἱ πολλοί. Ἕτερος δέ φησιν, ὅτι καὶ περιβαλόντες τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ τῷ ἱματίῳ, ταῦτα ἐποίουν, ὥσπερ τινὰ ἄτιμον καὶ τριωβολιμαῖον εἰς μέσον λαβόντες. Καὶ οὐκ ἐλεύθεροι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ δοῦλοι ταύτην τὴν παροινίαν εἰς αὐτὸν ἐπαροίνουν τότε. Ταῦτα ἀναγινώσκωμεν συνεχῶς, ταῦτα ἀκούωμεν ὡς χρὴ, ταῦτα ἐγγράφωμεν ἡμῶν τῇ διανοίᾳ: καὶ γὰρ ταῦτα ἡμῶν τὰ σεμνά. Ἐπὶ τούτοις ἐγὼ μέγα φρονῶ, οὐ μόνον ἐπὶ τοῖς μυρίοις νεκροῖς οἷς ἀνέστησεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς παθήμασιν οἷς ἔπαθε. Ταῦτα ἄνω καὶ κάτω Παῦλος στρέφει: τὸν σταυρὸν, τὸν θάνατον, τὰ πάθη, τὰς λοιδορίας, τὰς ὕβρεις, τὰ σκώμματα. Καὶ νῦν μέν φησιν, Ἐξερχώμεθα πρὸς αὐτὸν, τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν αὐτοῦ φέροντες: νῦν δὲ, Ὃς ἀντὶ τῆς προκειμένης αὐτῷ χαρᾶς ὑπέμεινε σταυρὸν, αἰσχύνης καταφρονήσας. Ὁ δὲ Πέτρος ἐκάθητο ἐν τῇ αὐλῇ ἔξω: καὶ προσῆλθεν αὐτῷ μία παιδίσκη λέγουσα: Καὶ σὺ ἦσθα μετὰ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Γαλιλαίου. Ὁ δὲ ἠρνήσατο ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν πάντων, λέγων, Οὐκ οἶδα τί λέγεις. Ἐξελθόντα δὲ αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν πυλῶνα, εἶδεν αὐτὸν ἄλλη, καὶ λέγει: Ἐκεῖ καὶ οὗτος ἦν μετὰ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Ναζωραίου. Καὶ πάλιν ἠρνήσατο μεθ' ὅρκου. Μετὰ μικρὸν δὲ προσελθόντες οἱ ἑστῶτες εἶπον τῷ Πέτρῳ: Ἀληθῶς καὶ σὺ ἐξ αὐτῶν εἶ: καὶ γὰρ ἡ λαλιά σου δῆλόν σε ποιεῖ. Τότε ἤρξατο καταθεματίζειν, καὶ ὀμνύειν, ὅτι Οὐκ οἶδα τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Καὶ εὐθέως ἀλέκτωρ ἐφώνησε. Καὶ ἐμνήσθη ὁ Πέτρος τοῦ ῥήματος τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, εἰρηκότος, ὅτι Πρὶν ἀλέκτορα φωνῆσαι, τρὶς ἀπαρνήσῃ με. Καὶ ἐξελθὼν ἔξω, ἔκλαυσε πικρῶς. Ὢ καινῶν καὶ παραδόξων πραγμάτων! Ὅτε μὲν κατεχόμενον εἶδε τὸν Διδάσκαλον μόνον, οὕτως ἔζεεν, ὡς καὶ τὴν μάχαιραν σπάσασθαι, καὶ ἐκκόψαι τὸ ὠτίον: ὅτε δὲ μᾶλλον ἀγανακτῆσαι εἰκὸς ἦν, καὶ πυρωθῆναι καὶ ἐκκαυθῆναι, λοιδοριῶν τοιούτων ἀκούοντα, τότε ἔξαρνος γίνεται. Τίνα γὰρ οὐκ ἂν ἐξῆψεν εἰς μανίαν τὰ τότε γινόμενα; Ἀλλ' ὅμως ὁ μαθητὴς ὑπὸ τοῦ δέους καταγωνισθεὶς οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἐνδείκνυται ἀγανάκτησιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀρνεῖται, καὶ κορασίου ταλαιπώρου καὶ εὐτελοῦς ἀπειλὴν οὐ φέρει: καὶ οὐδὲ ἅπαξ μόνον. ἀλλὰ καὶ δεύτερον καὶ τρίτον ἀρνεῖται, καὶ ἐν χρόνῳ βραχεῖ, καὶ οὐδὲ ἐπὶ δικαστῶν: ἔξω γὰρ ἦν: ἐξελθόντα γὰρ αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν πυλῶνα ἠρώτησαν: καὶ οὐδὲ ᾔσθετο ταχέως τοῦ πτώματος. Καὶ τοῦτο ὁ Λουκᾶς φησιν, ὅτι ἐνέβλεψεν εἰς αὐτὸν ὁ Χριστὸς, δεικνὺς ὅτι οὐ μόνον ἠρνήσατο, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἀνεμνήσθη οἴκοθεν, καὶ ταῦτα τοῦ ἀλεκτρυόνος φωνήσαντος, ἀλλ' ἐδεήθη τῆς τοῦ Διδασκάλου πάλιν ὑπομνήσεως, καὶ τὸ βλέμμα αὐτῷ γέγονεν ἀντὶ φωνῆς: οὕτω περιδεὴς ἦν. Ὁ δὲ Μάρκος φησὶν, ὅτι ὅτε μὲν ἅπαξ ἠρνήσατο, τότε πρῶτον ἐφώνησεν ὁ ἀλεκτρυὼν, ὅτε δὲ τρίτον, τότε δεύτερον, ἀκριβέστερον ἐξηγούμενος τοῦ μαθητοῦ τὴν ἀσθένειαν, καὶ τὸ σφόδρα αὐτὸν ἀποτεθνηκέναι τῷ δέει, καὶ ταῦτα παρ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ Διδασκάλου μαθών: καὶ γὰρ φοιτητὴς ἦν Πέτρου. Ὅθεν μάλιστα ἄν τις αὐτὸν ἐκπλαγείη, ὅτι οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἔκρυψε τὸ ἐλάττωμα τοῦ Διδασκάλου, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων σαφέστερον ἀπήγγειλεν, αὐτῷ τούτῳ τῷ μαθητὴς εἶναι. βʹ. Πῶς οὖν ἀληθὲς τὸ εἰρημένον, τοῦ μὲν Ματθαίου λέγοντος, ὅτι εἶπεν, Ἀμὴν λέγω σοι, ὅτι πρὶν ἀλέκτορα φωνῆσαι, τρὶς ἀπαρνήσῃ με; τοῦ δὲ Μάρκου μετὰ τὸ τρίτον λέγοντος, ὅτι Ἐκ δευτέρου ἀλέκτωρ ἐφώνησε; Σφόδρα μὲν οὖν καὶ ἀληθὲς, καὶ σύμφωνον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ καθ' ἑκάστην ἀγωγὴν καὶ τρίτον καὶ τέταρτον φωνεῖν εἴωθεν ὁ ἀλεκτρυὼν, δηλῶν ὁ Μάρκος, ὅτι οὐδὲ ἡ φωνὴ αὐτὸν ἐπέσχε καὶ εἰς μνήμην ἤγαγε, τοῦτό φησιν: Ὥστε ἀμφότερα ἀληθῆ. Πρὶν ἢ γὰρ τὴν μίαν ἀγωγὴν ἀπαρτίσαι τὸν ἀλεκτρυόνα, τρίτον ἠρνήσατο. Καὶ οὐδὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἀναμνησθεὶς, κλαῦσαι ἐτόλμα φανερῶς, μὴ κατηγορηθῇ διὰ τῶν δακρύων: ἀλλ' Ἐξελθὼν ἔξω ἔκλαυσε πικρῶς. Καὶ γενομένης ἡμέρας ἄγουσι τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἀπὸ τοῦ Καϊάφα ἐπὶ τὸν Πιλάτον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἠβούλοντο αὐτὸν ἀνελεῖν, αὐτοὶ δὲ οὐκ ἴσχυον διὰ τὴν ἑορτὴν, ἐπὶ τὸν ἡγεμόνα ἄγουσι. Σὺ δέ μοι σκόπει πῶς συνηλάθη τὸ πρᾶγμα, ὥστε ἐν ἑορτῇ γενέσθαι. Οὕτω γὰρ ἄνωθεν προδιετετύπωτο. Τότε ἰδὼν Ἰούδας, ὁ παραδιδοὺς αὐτὸν, ὅτι κατεκρίθη, μεταμεληθεὶς ἀπέστρεψε τὰ τριάκοντα ἀργύρια. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐκείνου καὶ τούτων κατηγορία: τοῦ μὲν, οὐχ ὅτι μετεμελήθη, ἀλλ' ὅτι ὀψὲ καὶ βραδέως, καὶ αὐτοκατάκριτος γέγονεν: ὅτι γὰρ παρέδωκεν, αὐτὸς ὡμολόγησε: τῶν δὲ, ὅτι κύριοι ὄντες μεταθέσθαι, οὐ μετενόησαν. Σκόπει δὲ πότε μεταμελεῖται. Ὅτε ἀπηρτίσθη καὶ τέλος ἔλαβεν ἡ ἁμαρτία. Τοιοῦτος γὰρ ὁ διάβολος: οὐκ ἀφίησι τοὺς μὴ νήφοντας ἰδεῖν πρὸ τούτου τὸ κακὸν, ἵνα μὴ μετανοήσῃ ὁ ἁλούς. Τοσαῦτα γοῦν λέγοντος τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, οὐκ ἐπεκάμφθη: ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀπηρτίσθη τὸ πλημμέλημα, τότε ἐπεισῆλθεν αὐτῷ ἡ μετάνοια: καὶ οὐδὲ τότε χρησίμως. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ καταγνῶναι, καὶ τὸ ῥῖψαι τὰ ἀργύρια, καὶ τὸ μὴ αἰδεσθῆναι τὸν Ἰουδαϊκὸν δῆμον, πάντα ἀποδεκτά: τὸ δὲ ἀπάγξασθαι, τοῦτο πάλιν ἀσύγγνωστον, καὶ πονηροῦ δαίμονος ἔργον. Προεξήγαγε γὰρ αὐτὸν τῆς μετανοίας, ἵνα μηδὲν ἐντεῦθεν καρπώσηται: καὶ θανάτῳ αἰσχίστῳ καὶ καταδήλῳ πᾶσιν ἀναιρεῖ, πείσας ἑαυτὸν ἀπολέσαι. Σὺ δέ μοι σκόπει πανταχόθεν τὴν ἀλήθειαν λάμπουσαν, καὶ δι' ὧν οἱ ἐναντίοι καὶ ποιοῦσι καὶ πάσχουσι. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ αὐτὴ τοῦ προδότου ἡ τελευτὴ τῶν κατακρινάντων αὐτὸν ἀποῤῥάπτει τὰ στόματα, καὶ οὐκ ἀφίησιν αὐτοὺς οὐδὲ σκιάν τινα ἀναισχύντου γοῦν ἀπολογίας ἔχειν. Τί γὰρ ἂν ἔχοιεν εἰπεῖν ἐκεῖνοι, ὅταν ὁ προδότης τοιαῦτα καθ' ἑαυτοῦ ψηφιζόμενος φαίνηται; Ἴδωμεν δὲ καὶ τὰ ῥήματα, ἅ φησιν. Ἀπέστρεψε τὰ τριάκοντα ἀργύρια τοῖς ἀρχιερεῦσι, καὶ λέγει: Ἥμαρτον παραδοὺς αἷμα ἀθῶον. Οἱ δὲ εἶπον: Τί πρὸς ἡμᾶς; σὺ ὄψει. Καὶ ῥίψας τὰ ἀργύρια εἰς τὸν ναὸν, ἀνεχώρησε, καὶ ἀπελθὼν ἀπήγξατο. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἤνεγκε τὸ συνειδὸς μαστίζον αὐτόν. Σκόπει δέ μοι καὶ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους τὰ αὐτὰ πάσχοντας. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ οὗτοι ἀφ' ὧν ἔπαθον ὀφείλοντες διορθωθῆναι, οὐ πρότερον ἵστανται, ἕως ἂν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν πληρώσωσιν. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ τούτου πεπλήρωτο ἁμαρτία: προδοσία γὰρ ἦν: ἡ δὲ ἐκείνων οὐδέπω. Ὅτε δὲ καὶ ἐκεῖνοι ἀπήρτισαν, καὶ προσήλωσαν αὐτὸν, τότε καὶ αὐτοὶ ταράττονται: νῦν μὲν λέγοντες, Μὴ γράφε, Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων (καίτοιγε τί δεδοίκατε, τί θορυβεῖσθε, νεκροῦ σώματος ἐπὶ σταυροῦ προσηλωμένου;) νῦν δὲ φυλάττουσιν αὐτὸν, λέγοντες: Μήποτε κλέψωσιν αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἴπωσιν ὅτι ἀνέστη: καὶ ἔσται ἡ ἐσχάτη πλάνη χείρων τῆς πρώτης. Καὶ μὴν ἐὰν εἴπωσιν, ἐλέγχεται τὸ πρᾶγμα, ἐὰν μὴ ἀληθὲς ᾖ. Πῶς δὲ ἐροῦσιν οἱ μηδὲ στῆναι τολμήσαντες, κατασχεθέντος αὐτοῦ, ὁ δὲ κορυφαῖος καὶ τρὶς ἠρνήσατο, κορασίου μὴ φέρων ἀπειλήν; Ἀλλ' ὅπερ ἔφην, ἐταράττοντο λοιπόν. Ὅτι γὰρ ᾔδεσαν παρανομίαν τὸ πρᾶγμα, δῆλον ἐξ ὧν ἔλεγον, Σὺ ὄψει. Ἀκούσατε, οἱ φιλάργυροι, ἐννοήσατε τί ἔπαθεν ἐκεῖνος: πῶς καὶ τῶν χρημάτων ἐξέπεσε, καὶ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν εἰργάσατο, καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἀπώλεσε τὴν ἑαυτοῦ. Τοιαύτη τῆς φιλαργυρίας ἡ τυραννίς. Οὐδὲ τοῦ ἀργυρίου ἀπώνατο, οὐδὲ τῆς παρούσης ζωῆς, οὐδὲ τῆς μελλούσης, ἀλλὰ πάντα ἀθρόον ἀπέβαλε, καὶ δόξαν λαβὼν πονηρὰν παρ' αὐτοῖς ἐκείνοις, οὕτως ἀπήγξατο. Ἀλλ', ὅπερ ἔφην, μετὰ τὸ πρᾶξαι, τότε τινὲς διαβλέπουσιν. Ὅρα γοῦν καὶ τούτους τέως οὐκ ἐθέλοντας αἰσθάνεσθαι σαφῶς τοῦ τολμήματος, ἀλλὰ λέγοντας, Σὺ ὄψει: ὃ καὶ αὐτὸ μέγιστον ἦν αὐτῶν ἔγκλημα. Τοῦτο γὰρ μαρτυρούντων μὲν ἔστι τῇ τόλμῃ καὶ τῇ παρανομίᾳ, ὑπὸ δὲ τοῦ πάθους μεθυόντων, καὶ οὐκ ἐθελόντων ἀποσχέσθαι τῆς σατανικῆς ἐγχειρήσεως, ἀλλὰ πεπλασμένης ἀγνοίας παραπετάσματι περιστέλλοντας ἑαυτοὺς ἀνοήτως. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ μετὰ τὸν σταυρὸν ταῦτα ἐλέγετο, καὶ τὸ ἀναιρεθῆναι αὐτὸν, μάλιστα μὲν οὐδὲ τότε λόγον εἶχε τὸ λεγόμενον, πλὴν ἀλλ' οὐχ οὕτως αὐτοὺς κατέκρινε: νυνὶ δὲ ἔτι παρ' ὑμῖν αὐτὸν ἔχοντες, καὶ κύριοι ὄντες ἀφεῖναι, πῶς ἂν δύναισθε ταῦτα λέγειν; Ἡ γὰρ ἀπολογία αὕτη κατηγορία ἂν ὑμῶν γένοιτο μεγίστη. Πῶς καὶ τίνι τρόπῳ; Ὅτι ἐπὶ τὸν προδότην ὅλον τὸ ἔγκλημα φέροντες, (Σὺ γὰρ ὄψει, φησί:) δυνάμενοι αὐτοὶ τῆς Χριστοκτονίας ἀπαλλαγῆναι, ἀφέντες αὐτὸν καὶ ἐπηγωνίσαντο τῷ τολμήματι, τῇ προδοσίᾳ τὸν σταυρὸν προσθέντες. Τί γὰρ ἐκώλυεν εἰπόντας ἐκείνῳ, Σὺ ὄψει, αὐτοὺς ἀποστῆναι τοῦ τολμήματος; Νῦν δὲ καὶ τοὐναντίον ἐργάζονται, προστιθέντες τὴν σφαγὴν, καὶ πανταχοῦ, καὶ δι' ὧν ποιοῦσι, καὶ δι' ὧν λέγουσιν, ἀφύκτοις ἐμπλέκοντες ἑαυτοὺς κακοῖς. Καὶ γὰρ μετὰ ταῦτα, ἐπιτρέψαντος τοῦ Πιλάτου, τὸν μὲν λῃστὴν εἵλοντο ἀφεθῆναι μᾶλλον, ἢ τὸν Ἰησοῦν: τὸν δὲ οὐδὲν ἠδικηκότα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοσαῦτα εὐεργετηκότα, ἀνῄρουν. γʹ. Τί οὖν ἐκεῖνος; Ὡς εἶδεν ἀνόνητα πονῶν, καὶ οὐκ ἀνεχομένους δέξασθαι τὰ ἀργύρια, Ἔῤῥιψεν αὐτὰ εἰς τὸν ναὸν, καὶ ἀπελθὼν ἀπήγξατο. Οἱ δὲ ἀρχιερεῖς λαβόντες τὰ ἀργύρια, εἶπον: Οὐκ ἔξεστι βαλεῖν αὐτὰ εἰς τὸν κορβονᾶν, ἐπεὶ τιμὴ αἵματός ἐστι. Καὶ συμβούλιον λαβόντες, ἠγόρασαν ἐξ αὐτῶν τὸν ἀγρὸν τοῦ κεραμέως εἰς ταφὴν τοῖς ξένοις. Διὸ ἐκλήθη ὁ ἀγρὸς ἐκεῖνος Ἀγρὸς αἵματος ἕως τῆς σήμερον. Τότε ἐπληρώθη τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ Ἱερεμίου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντες: Καὶ ἔλαβον τὰ τριάκοντα ἀργύρια, τὴν τιμὴν τοῦ τετιμημένου, καὶ ἔδωκαν αὐτὰ εἰς τὸν ἀγρὸν τοῦ κεραμέως, καθὰ συνέταξέ μοι Κύριος. Εἶδες πάλιν αὐτόθεν κατακρινομένους ὑπὸ τοῦ συνειδότος; Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ᾔδεσαν, ὅτι τὸν φόνον ἠγόρασαν, οὐκ ἔβαλον εἰς τὸν κορβονᾶν, ἀλλ' ἠγόρασαν ἀγρὸν εἰς ταφὴν τοῖς ξένοις. Ἐγίνετο δὲ καὶ τοῦτο μαρτύριον κατ' αὐτῶν, καὶ τῆς προδοσίας ἔλεγχος. Τὸ γὰρ ὄνομα τοῦ χωρίου σάλπιγγος λαμπρότερον πᾶσιν ἀνεκήρυττε τὴν μιαιφονίαν αὐτῶν. Καὶ οὐδὲ ἁπλῶς αὐτὸ ποιοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ συμβούλιον λαβόντες, καὶ πανταχοῦ οὕτως, ἵνα μηδεὶς ἀθῶος ᾖ τοῦ τολμήματος, ἀλλὰ πάντες ὑπεύθυνοι. Ταῦτα δὲ ἄνωθεν προὔλεγεν ἡ προφητεία. Ὁρᾷς οὐχὶ τοὺς ἀποστόλους μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς προφήτας τὰ ἐπονείδιστα μετὰ ἀκριβείας διηγουμένους, καὶ πάντοθεν τὸ πάθος ἀνακηρύττοντας καὶ προεμφαίνοντας; Τοῦτο καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι μὴ συνειδότες ὑπέμενον. Εἰ γὰρ εἰς τὸν κορβονᾶν ἐνέβαλον, οὐκ ἂν οὕτω τὸ πρᾶγμα κατάδηλον ἐγένετο: νυνὶ δὲ χωρίον ὠνησάμενοι, καὶ ταῖς μετέπειτα γενεαῖς δῆλον ἐποίησαν τὸ πᾶν. Ἀκούσατε ὅσοι ἀπὸ φόνων δοκεῖτε εὐποιΐας ποιεῖν, καὶ τιμὴν λαμβάνετε ψυχῶν ἀνθρώπων. Ἰουδαϊκαὶ αὗται αἱ ἐλεημοσύναι, μᾶλλον δὲ σατανικαί. Εἰσὶ γὰρ, εἰσὶ καὶ νῦν, οἳ μυρία ἑτέρων ἁρπάζοντες, ὑπὲρ τοῦ παντὸς ἀπολογεῖσθαι νομίζουσι, ἂν δέκα χρυσίνους ἢ ἑκατὸν καταβάλωσι. Περὶ ὧν καὶ ὁ προφήτης φησίν: Ἐκαλύπτετε δάκρυσι τὸ θυσιαστήριόν μου. Οὐ βούλεται Χριστὸς πλεονεξίᾳ τρέφεσθαι, οὐ δέχεται ταύτην τὴν τροφήν. Τί τὸν Δεσπότην ὑβρίζεις, ἀκάθαρτα προσάγων αὐτῷ; Βέλτιον λιμῷ τηκόμενον περιορᾷν, ἢ τρέφειν ἀπὸ τοιούτων. Ἐκεῖνο ὠμοῦ, τοῦτο καὶ ὠμοῦ καὶ ὑβριστοῦ. Βέλτιον μηδὲν δοῦναι, ἢ τὰ ἄλλων ἑτέροις. Εἰπὲ γάρ μοι, εἴ τινας εἶδες δύο, τὸν μὲν γυμνὸν, τὸν δὲ ἱμάτιον ἔχοντα, εἶτα τὸν ἔχοντα τὸ ἱμάτιον ἀποδύσας, περιέβαλες τὸν γυμνὸν, ἆρ' οὐκ ἠδίκησας; Παντί που δῆλον. Εἰ δὲ ὅπερ ἔλαβες ἑτέρῳ δοὺς ἅπαν, ἠδίκησας, οὐκ ἠλέησας: ὅταν μηδὲ τὸ πολλοστὸν μέρος δῷς ὧν ἁρπάζεις, καὶ ἐλεημοσύνην τὸ πρᾶγμα καλῇς, ποίαν οὐκ ὑποστήσῃ τιμωρίαν; Εἰ γὰρ χωλὰ ἄλογα προσφέροντες ἄνθρωποι ἐνεκαλοῦντο, σὺ χαλεπώτερα ποιῶν ποίας τεύξῃ συγγνώμης; Εἰ γὰρ αὐτῷ ἀποδιδοὺς τῷ Κυρίῳ ὁ κλέπτης ἔτι ἀδικεῖ, καὶ οὕτως ἀδικεῖ, ὡς τετραπλασίονι προσθήκῃ μόλις λῦσαι τὸ ἔγκλημα, καὶ ταῦτα ἐπὶ τῆς Παλαιᾶς: ὁ μὴ κλέπτων, ἀλλὰ βιαζόμενος, καὶ μηδὲ αὐτῷ τῷ ἀφαιρεθέντι διδοὺς, ἀλλ' ἀντ' ἐκείνου ἑτέρῳ, καὶ μηδὲ τετραπλασίονα, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ τὰ ἡμίση, καὶ μηδὲ ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ, ἀλλ' ἐν τῇ Καινῇ πολιτευόμενος, ἐννόησον ὅσον ἐπὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ κεφαλὴν συνάγει τὸ πῦρ. Εἰ δὲ οὐδέπω δίδωσι τὴν δίκην, δι' αὐτὸ μὲν οὖν τοῦτο αὐτὸν θρήνησον, ὅτι μείζονα ἑαυτῷ θησαυρίζει τὴν ὀργὴν, εἰ μὴ μεταμεληθείη. Τί γάρ; Δοκεῖτε, φησὶν, ὅτι ἐκεῖνοι μόνοι ἦσαν ἁμαρτωλοὶ, ἐφ' οὓς ὁ πύργος κατηνέχθη; Οὐχὶ, λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀλλ' ἐὰν μὴ μετανοήσητε, καὶ ὑμεῖς τὰ αὐτὰ πείσεσθε. Μετανοήσωμεν τοίνυν καὶ δῶμεν ἐλεημοσύνην πλεονεξίας καθαρὰν, καὶ πολλὴν ἔχουσαν τὴν δαψίλειαν. Ἐννοήσατε ὅτι Ἰουδαῖοι Λευΐτας ὀκτακισχιλίους ἔτρεφον, καὶ μετὰ τῶν Λευϊτῶν καὶ χήρας καὶ ὀρφανοὺς, καὶ πολλὰ ἕτερα ἐλειτούργουν, καὶ μετὰ τούτου καὶ ἐστρατεύοντο: νυνὶ δὲ ἀγροὶ, καὶ οἰκίαι, καὶ μισθώματα οἰκημάτων, καὶ ὀχήματα, καὶ ὀρεωκόμοι, καὶ ἡμίονοι, καὶ πολλὴ τοιαύτη παράταξις ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ δι' ὑμᾶς καὶ τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀπανθρωπίαν. Καὶ γὰρ ἐχρῆν παρ' ὑμῖν εἶναι τὸν θησαυρὸν τοῦτον τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, καὶ πρόσοδον αὐτῇ τὴν ὑμετέραν γίνεσθαι προθυμίαν: νυνὶ δὲ δύο τὰ ἄτοπα γίνεται, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἄκαρποι μένετε, καὶ οἱ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἱερεῖς τὰ προσήκοντα οὐ μεταχειρίζουσι. Μὴ γὰρ οὐκ ἦν δυνατὸν ἐπὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων τὰς οἰκίας μένειν καὶ τοὺς ἀγρούς; Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν ἐπώλουν καὶ ἐδίδοσαν; Ὅτι τοῦτο βέλτιον ἦν. δʹ. Ἀλλὰ νῦν δέος ἔλαβε τοὺς πατέρας ὑμῶν, οὕτω πρὸς τὰ βιωτικὰ μαινομένων ὑμῶν, καὶ διὰ τὸ συλλέγειν, ἀλλὰ μὴ σκορπίζειν, μὴ λιμῷ διαφθαρῶσιν οἱ τῶν χηρῶν καὶ ὀρφανῶν καὶ τῶν παρθένων χοροί: διὰ τοῦτο ταῦτα κατασκευάσαι ἠναγκάσθησαν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἠβούλοντο ἑαυτοὺς εἰς τοιαύτην ἀσχημοσύνην ἐμβαλεῖν, ἀλλ' ἐπεθύμουν τὴν ὑμετέραν γνώμην αὐτοῖς πρόσοδον εἶναι, καὶ τοὺς καρποὺς ἐντεῦθεν τρυγᾷν, καὶ αὐτοὺς εὐχαῖς προσέχειν μόναις. Νυνὶ δὲ αὐτοὺς ἠναγκάσατε τῶν τὰ πολιτικὰ πραττόντων πράγματα τὰς οἰκίας μιμεῖσθαι: ὅθεν πάντα ἄνω καὶ κάτω γέγονεν. Ὅταν γὰρ καὶ ὑμεῖς καὶ ἡμεῖς τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐνεχώμεθα, τίς ὁ ἐξιλεούμενος τὸν Θεόν; Διὰ ταῦτα οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἀνοῖξαι τὸ στόμα, ὅτι οὐδὲν τῶν βιωτικῶν ἀνδρῶν ἄμεινον ἡ Ἐκκλησία διάκειται. Οὐκ ἠκούσατε, ὅτι οὐδὲ τὰ ἀπραγμόνως συλλεγόμενα χρήματα διανέμειν κατεδέξαντο οἱ ἀπόστολοι; Νυνὶ δὲ ἐπιτρόπους καὶ οἰκονόμους καὶ καπήλους παρῆλθον ἡμῖν οἱ ἐπίσκοποι τῇ περὶ ταῦτα φροντίδι: καὶ δέον αὐτοὺς ὑπὲρ τῶν ψυχῶν μεριμνᾷν καὶ φροντίζειν τῶν ὑμετέρων, οἱ δὲ, ὑπὲρ ὧν ὑποδέκται καὶ φορολόγοι καὶ λογισταὶ καὶ ταμίαι μεριμνῶσιν, ὑπὲρ τούτων καθ' ἑκάστην κόπτονται τὴν ἡμέραν. Ταῦτα οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἀποδυρόμενος λέγω, ἀλλ' ὥστε γενέσθαι τινὰ διόρθωσιν καὶ μεταβολὴν, ὥστε ἡμᾶς ἐλεηθῆναι χαλεπὴν δουλεύοντας δουλείαν, ὥστε ὑμᾶς γενέσθαι πρόσοδον καὶ θησαυρὸν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Εἰ δὲ μὴ βούλεσθε, ἰδοὺ οἱ πένητες πρὸ τῶν ὑμετέρων ὀφθαλμῶν: ὅσοις μὲν δυνατὸν ἡμῖν ἀρκέσαι, οὐ διαλείψομεν τρέφοντες: οὓς δὲ οὐ δυνατὸν, ὑμῖν ἀφήσομεν, ἵνα μὴ τῶν ῥημάτων ἐκείνων ἀκούσητε κατὰ τὴν φοβερὰν ἡμέραν, τῶν πρὸς τοὺς ἀνελεεῖς καὶ ὠμοὺς λεγομένων, ὅτι Πεινῶντά με εἴδετε, καὶ οὐκ ἐθρέψατε. Καὶ γὰρ μεθ' ὑμῶν ἡμᾶς καταγελάστους ἡ ἀπανθρωπία αὕτη ποιεῖ, ὅτι τὰς εὐχὰς ἀφέντες, καὶ τὴν διδασκαλίαν, καὶ τὴν ἄλλην ἁγιωσύνην, οἱ μὲν οἰνοπώλαις, οἱ δὲ σιτοπώλαις, οἱ δὲ τοῖς τὰ ἕτερα καπηλεύουσιν ὤνια, τὸν πάντα πυκτεύομεν χρόνον. Ἐντεῦθεν μάχαι καὶ φιλονεικίαι, καὶ καθημεριναὶ λοιδορίαι, καὶ ὀνείδη καὶ σκώμματα, καὶ ἑκάστῳ τῶν ἱερέων ὀνόματα ἐπίκειται, βιωτικαῖς μᾶλλον πρέποντα οἰκίαις: δέον ἀντὶ τούτων ἕτερα ἀνταλλάξασθαι, καὶ ἐντεῦθεν καλεῖσθαι, ἀφ' ὧν καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι ἐνομοθέτουν, ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν πενήτων διατροφῆς, ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν ἀδικουμένων προστασίας, ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν ξένων ἐπιμελείας, ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν ἐπηρεαζομένων βοηθείας, ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν ὀρφανῶν προνοίας, ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν χηρῶν συμμαχίας, ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν παρθένων ἐπιστασίας, καὶ ταύτας ἀντὶ τῆς τῶν χωρίων καὶ τῶν οἰκημάτων φροντίδος διανέμεσθαι τὰς οἰκονομίας. Ταῦτα γὰρ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τὰ κειμήλια: οὗτοι οἱ πρέποντες αὐτῇ θησαυροὶ, καὶ πολλὴν καὶ ἡμῖν εὐκολίαν. καὶ ὑμῖν ὠφέλειαν παρέχοντες, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ὑμῖν εὐκολίαν μετὰ τῆς ὠφελείας. Καὶ γὰρ τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι εἰς δέκα μυριάδων ἀριθμὸν οἶμαι τοὺς ἐνταῦθα συναγομένους τελεῖν: καὶ εἰ ἑνὸς ἄρτου μετεδίδου τινὶ τῶν πενήτων ἕκαστος, ἅπαντες ἦσαν ἂν ἐν εὐπορίᾳ: εἰ ἐξ ἑνὸς ὀβολοῦ μόνον, οὐδεὶς ἂν ἦν πένης, οὐκ ἂν τοσαῦτα ὑπεμείναμεν ὀνείδη καὶ σκώμματα ἀπὸ τῆς περὶ τὰ κτήματα προνοίας. Καὶ γὰρ τὸ, Πώλησόν σου τὰ ὑπάρχοντα, καὶ δὸς πτωχοῖς καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς τῆς Ἐκκλησίας προέδρους ὑπὲρ τῶν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας κτημάτων καιρὸν ἂν ἔχοι λέγεσθαι. Ἄλλως γὰρ ἀκολουθῆσαι ὡς χρὴ οὐκ ἔνι, μὴ πάσης φροντίδος ἀπηλλαγμένον παχυτέρας καὶ βιωτικωτέρας. Νυνὶ δὲ οἱ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἱερεῖς τρυγητῷ καὶ ἀμητῷ παρακάθηνται, καὶ πράσει καὶ ἀγορασίᾳ προσόδων: καὶ οἱ μὲν τῇ σκιᾷ λατρεύοντες, πᾶσαν τῶν τοιούτων ἀτέλειαν εἶχον, καίτοι σωματικωτέραν λειτουργίαν ἐγκεχειρισμένοι: ἡμεῖς δὲ οἱ πρὸς αὐτὰ τῶν οὐρανῶν τὰ ἄδυτα καλούμενοι, καὶ εἰς τὰ ἀληθινὰ Ἅγια τῶν ἁγίων εἰσιόντες, ἐμπόρων καὶ παλιγκαπήλων ἀναδεχόμεθα φροντίδας. Ἐντεῦθεν καὶ Γραφῶν ἀμέλεια πολλὴ, καὶ εὐχῶν ῥᾳθυμία, καὶ ἡ περὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα ὀλιγωρία. Οὐδὲ γὰρ δυνατὸν εἰς ἀμφότερα σχίζεσθαι μετὰ τῆς προσηκούσης σπουδῆς. Διὸ δέομαι καὶ ἀντιβολῶ πολλὰς ἡμῖν πάντοθεν ἀναβλύσαι πηγὰς, καὶ τὴν ἅλω καὶ τὴν ληνὸν τὴν ὑμετέραν γενέσθαι προθυμίαν ἡμῖν. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ οἱ πένητες διατραφήσονται εὐκολώτερον, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς δοξασθήσεται, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐπὶ πλέον ἐπιδώσετε φιλανθρωπίας, καὶ τῶν αἰωνίων ἀπολαύσεσθε ἀγαθῶν: ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.