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In illud: Filius ex se nihil facit

OF OUR FATHER AMONG THE SAINTS JOHN CHRYSOSTOM In the great church, after the (bishop) had spoken a few words on the Gospel, on the text, "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the

Father do."

56.247 1. O the force, O the tyranny! The teacher who spoke before, holding a full cup, brought us to taste the drink with the tips of our lips; and he has done this, not from a lack of teaching—for indeed he is accustomed to gush forth no less than a fountain—but, as I said before, revealing the tyranny of your love, which you have practiced showing toward our littleness. For this reason he quickly fell silent and concluded his discourse, wishing to gratify your desire, and making us responsible for the whole debt. Since, therefore, he has yielded the floor to us, and I see you hanging on our tongue, it is necessary now to strip for the wrestling match. But assist me, and lend a hand, stirring up our tongue with your prayers, and by the intelligence of your hearing making the teaching easy.

For the prophet seeks not only a wonderful counsellor, but also an intelligent hearer. For no ordinary contest is set before us today, but one that requires many prayers, much vigilance on the part of the hearers, and much diligence from the speaker, so that what is said may both be spoken with accuracy, and planted with security in the mind of your love. For I wish you not only to hear, but also to be instructed; not only to learn, but also to teach; not only to receive it yourselves, but also to transmit it to others. For thus our theatre will be more splendid, and the congregation larger, when you are able through what you hear to bring back others also. Therefore, in the previous assembly, having brought forward this Gospel saying, "My Father is working until now, and I am working," and having shown from this His equality with the one who begot Him—which the evangelist also declared before this, saying, "For this reason they sought all the more to kill him, not only because he broke the sabbath, but also because he called God his own Father, making himself equal with God"—thus I concluded the discourse.

Today, however, it is necessary to refute the objections brought against these things by the heretics. For even if we contend among friends, we must use such accuracy that our argument is in every way undeceivable and invincible, even if it were to be in the 56.248 midst of enemies. For as I said before, I wish you not only to hear, but also to instruct others. For this reason, I have taken care to gird you with all accuracy with spiritual weapons, so that no member may appear naked, nor receive a fatal blow. For our discourse holds the rank of weapons, at once protecting our own and striking our opponents; striking not to cast them down, but to raise them up when they are down. For such is the nature of this battle: it sets up a trophy for the salvation of the combatants. So that this may happen, therefore, concentrate your mind for me, casting out every worldly care, arouse your understanding, present me with a sharp eye. Let not the rich man be puffed up by his ease, nor the poor man be oppressed by the care of his poverty; but casting out all this unevenness of life, let each one present himself as a prepared hearer; for the matters now set before us are not ordinary. And for this reason

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In illud: Filius ex se nihil facit

ΤΟΥ ΕΝ ΑΓΙΟΙΣ ΠΑΤΡΟΣ ΗΜΩΝ ΙΩΑΝΝΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΧΡΥΣΟΣΤΟΜΟΥ Ἐν τῇ μεγάλῃ ἐκκλησίᾳ, προειρηκότος (ἐπισκόπου) ὀλίγα εἰς τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον, εἰς τὸ, "Οὐδέποτε ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ ποιεῖ ὁ Υἱὸς οὐδὲν, ἐὰν μή τι βλέπῃ τὸν

Πατέρα ποιοῦντα."

56.247 αʹ. Ὢ τῆς βίας, ὢ τῆς τυραννίδος. Πεπληρωμένην τὴν φιάλην ἔχων ὁ διδάσκαλος προειρηκὼς, ἄκροις τοῖς χείλεσιν γεύσασθαι ἡμᾶς ἐπήγαγε τὸ πόμα· τοῦτο δὲ πεποίηκεν, οὐ δι' ἔνδειαν διδασκαλίας· καὶ γὰρ καὶ πηγῆς οὐκ ἔλαττον βρύειν εἴωθεν· ἀλλ', ὥσπερ ἔφθην εἰπὼν, τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀγάπης φανερῶν τὴν τυραννίδα, ἢν περὶ τὴν ἡμετέραν σμικρότητα ἐπιδείκνυσθαι μεμελετήκατε· διὰ τοῦτο ταχέως ἐσίγησεν, καὶ τὸν λόγον κατέκλεισε, τῇ ἐπιθυμίᾳ τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ χαρίσασθαι βουλόμενος, καὶ ὁλοκλήρου τοῦ ὀφλήματος ἡμᾶς ὑπευθύνους καθιστάς. Ἐπεὶ οὖν καὶ αὐτὸς ἡμῖν τῷ λόγῳ παρεχώρησεν, καὶ ὑμᾶς ἐκκρεμαμένους ὁρῶ τῆς γλώττης τῆς ἡμετέρας, ἀνάγκη λοιπὸν ἀποδύσασθαι πρὸς τὰ παλαίσματα· ἀλλὰ συνάρασθέ μοι, καὶ χεῖρα ὀρέξατε, ταῖς εὐχαῖς διεγείροντες ἡμῶν τὴν γλῶσσαν, καὶ τῇ συνέσει τῆς ἀκροάσεως εὔκολον ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν διδασκαλίαν.

Ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ προφήτης οὐ θαυμαστὸν ζητεῖ μόνον σύμβουλον, ἀλλὰ καὶ συνετὸν ἀκροατήν. Οὐ γὰρ ὁ τυχὼν ἡμῖν ἀγὼν πρόκειται σήμερον, ἀλλὰ πολλῶν δεόμενος εὐχῶν, πολλῆς δὲ ἀγρυπνίας τῆς τῶν ἀκροωμένων, πολλῆς δὲ σπουδῆς τοῦ λέγοντος, ἵνα καὶ λεχθῇ μετὰ ἀκριβείας τὰ λεγόμενα, καὶ φυτευθῇ μετὰ ἀσφαλείας ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀγάπης. Οὐ γὰρ ἀκοῦσαι βούλομαι μόνον ὑμᾶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ παιδευθῆναι· οὐ μαθεῖν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ διδάσκειν· οὐκ αὐτοὺς δέχεσθαι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς ἑτέρους διαβιβάζειν. Οὕτω γὰρ ἡμῖν λαμπρότερον ἔσται τὸ θέατρον, καὶ πλείων ὁ σύλλογος, ὅταν ὑμεῖς δι' ὧν ἀκούετε καὶ ἑτέρους ἐπανάγειν δυνήσησθε. Τῇ μὲν οὖν προτέρᾳ συνάξει ταύτην εἰς μέσον ἀγαγὼν τὴν ῥῆσιν τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν τὴν λέγουσαν, Ὁ Πατήρ μου ἕως ἄρτι ἐργάζεται, κἀγὼ ἐργάζομαι, καὶ δείξας ἐντεῦθεν τὴν πρὸς τὸν γεγεννηκότα ἰσότητα, ὅπερ καὶ πρὸ τούτου ἀπεφήνατο ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς λέγων, ∆ιὰ τοῦτο μᾶλλον ἐδίωκον αὐτὸν, οὐ μόνον ὅτι ἔλυσε τὸ σάββατον, ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ Πατέρα ἴδιον ἔλεγε τὸν Θεὸν, ἴσον ἑαυτὸν ποιῶν τῷ Θεῷ, οὕτω τὸν λόγον κατέλυσα.

Σήμερον δὲ τὰ παρὰ τῶν αἱρετικῶν ἡμῖν πρὸς ταῦτα ἀντεπαγόμενα ἀναγκαῖον διαλῦσαι. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἐν φίλοις ἀγωνιζόμεθα, ἀλλὰ τοσαύτῃ δεῖ κεχρῆσθαι τῇ ἀκριβείᾳ, ὥστε πανταχόθεν ἀνεξαπάτητον εἶναι τὸν λόγον καὶ ἀχείρωτον, καὶ εἰ ἐν 56.248 μέσοις τοῖς ἐχθροῖς γένοιτο. Ὅπερ γὰρ ἔφθην εἰπὼν, οὐχὶ ἀκούειν βούλομαι μόνον ὑμᾶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑτέρους παιδεύειν. ∆ιὸ δὴ μετὰ ἀκριβείας ἁπάσης περιθεῖναι ὑμῖν ὅπλα ἐσπούδακα τὰ πνευματικὰ, ὥστε μηδαμοῦ φανῆναι μέλος γυμνὸν, μηδὲ καιρίαν δέξασθαι πληγήν. Καὶ γὰρ ὅπλων τάξιν ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος ἐπέχει, φράττων μὲν ὁμοῦ τοὺς οἰκείους, βάλλων δὲ τοὺς ἐναντίους· βάλλων οὐχ ἵνα κατενέγκῃ, ἀλλὰ κειμένους ἀναστήσῃ. Τοιοῦτον γὰρ τῆς μάχης ταύτης τὸ εἶδος· ἐπὶ τῇ σωτηρίᾳ τῶν πολεμούντων τρόπαιον ἵστησιν. Ἵν' οὖν τοῦτο γένηται, συντείνατέ μοι τὴν διάνοιαν, πᾶσαν ἐκβάλλοντες φροντίδα βιωτικὴν, διαναστήσατε τὴν γνώμην, ὀξυδερκὲς παρέχετέ μοι τὸ ὄμμα. Μήτε ὁ πλούσιος ὑπὸ τῆς ῥᾳθυμίας χαυνούσθω, μήτε ὁ πένης ὑπὸ τῆς φροντίδος τῆς πενίας πιεζέσθω· ἀλλὰ πᾶσαν ταύτην ἐκβάλλοντες τοῦ βίου τὴν ἀνωμαλίαν, ἀκροατὴν παρεσκευασμένον ἕκαστος ἑαυτὸν παρεχέτω· οὐ γὰρ τὰ τυχόντα ἡμῖν τὰ προκείμενα νῦν. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο