John Chrysostom, After Return from Previous Exile

Post reditum a priore exsilio

A HOMILY OF THE SAME, HAVING RETURNED FROM HIS FORMER EXILE.

52.443 1. When Pharaoh seized Sarah from Abraham, the beautiful and comely

woman, the wicked and barbarian and Egyptian, seeing her beauty with unjust eyes, and wishing to enact a drama of adultery; then indeed, then at the very beginning God did not punish, so that the courage of the just man might be shown, and the chastity of the woman, and the licentiousness of the barbarian, and the loving-kindness of God; the courage of the just man, because he bore what happened with thanksgiving; the chastity of the woman, because she fell into barbarian hands, and maintained her modesty; the licentiousness of the barbarian, because he went to another's bed; the loving-kindness of God, because after human despair, then He brought the crown to the just man. These things happened then in the time of Abraham, but they happened today in the case of the Church. This one is an Egyptian, as that one was an Egyptian; this one had spearmen, that one had shield-bearers; that one, Sarah, this one, the Church; that one held her for one night, this one entered for one day; nor would the one have been permitted, but that the chastity of the bride might be shown, that he enters, and the beauty of her chastity was not corrupted, although he prepared an adulterer, and the documents were being completed, and many of the household signed. The scheme was perfected, and the end did not come to pass.

His wickedness was shown, and the loving-kindness of God. But that barbarian then, recognizing his sin, confessed his transgression; for he says to Abraham: What is this you have done? Why did you say, 'She is my sister'? and I nearly would have sinned; but this one contended after the transgression. O wretched and miserable man, you have sinned, be quiet, do not add sin upon sin. And she returned, possessing Egyptian wealth; but the Church returned, possessing wealth from her resolve, and she appeared more chaste. But see the madness of the barbarian. You cast out the shepherd; why did you scatter the flock? You removed the pilot; why did you break the rudders? You cast out the vinedresser; why did you uproot the vines? why did you corrupt the monasteries? You have imitated an attack of barbarians.

2. He did all things, that your courage might be shown; he did all things, that he might learn

that here is a flock shepherded by Christ. The shepherd was outside, and the flock was gathered together, and the apostolic saying was fulfilled: Not only in my presence, but also in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. And they made such threats, fearing your courage and the affection of your love, and your longing for me. We dare nothing, he says, in the city; give him to us outside. Take me outside, that you may learn the longing of the Church, that you may learn the nobility of my children, the strength of the soldiers, the power of the hoplites, the splendor of the diadems, the abundance of wealth, the greatness of love, the patience of perseverance, the flower of freedom, the renown of victory, the ridicule of your defeat. O what new and paradoxical things! The shepherd is outside, and the flock leaps for joy; the general is far away, and the 52.444 soldiers were arming themselves. No longer did the church have only the camp, but the city also became a church. The streets, the marketplaces, the air was being sanctified; heretics were being converted, the Jews were becoming better; the priests were being condemned, and the Jews were praising God, and were running to us. So also it happened in the time of Christ. Caiaphas

Post reditum a priore exsilio

ΤΟΥ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΕΠΑΝΕΛΘΟΝΤΟΣ Ἀπὸ τῆς προτέρας ἐξορίας ὁμιλία.

52.443 αʹ. Ὅτε τὴν Σάῤῥαν ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ἥρπασεν ὁ Φαραὼ, τὴν καλὴν καὶ εὐειδῆ

γυναῖκα ὁ πονηρὸς καὶ βάρβαρος καὶ Αἰγύπτιος, ἀδίκοις ὀφθαλμοῖς ἰδὼν αὐτῆς τὸ κάλλος, καὶ μοιχείας ἐργάσασθαι δρᾶμα βουλόμενος· τότε δὴ, τότε παρὰ μὲν τὴν ἀρχὴν οὐκ ἐκόλασεν ὁ Θεὸς, ἵνα δειχθῇ καὶ τοῦ δικαίου ἡ ἀνδρεία, καὶ τῆς γυναικὸς ἡ σωφροσύνη, καὶ τοῦ βαρβάρου ἡ ἀκολασία, καὶ ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπία· τοῦ δικαίου ἡ ἀνδρεία, ὅτι ἔφερεν εὐχαρίστως τὸ γενόμενον· τῆς γυναικὸς ἡ σωφροσύνη, ὅτι ἐνέπεσεν εἰς τὰς βαρβαρικὰς χεῖρας, καὶ τὴν σεμνότητα διετήρησε· τοῦ βαρβάρου ἡ ἀκολασία, ὅτι ἀλλοτρίᾳ ἐπῆλθεν εὐνῇ· τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ φιλανθρωπία, ὅτι μετὰ ἀπόγνωσιν ἀνθρώπων, τότε τὸν στέφανον ἤνεγκε τῷ δικαίῳ. Ταῦτα ἐγίνετο τότε ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ, ἐγένετο δὲ σήμερον ἐπὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Αἰγύπτιος οὗτος, ὡς ἐκεῖνος Αἰγύπτιος· οὗτος δορυφόρους εἶχεν, ἐκεῖνος ὑπασπιστάς· ἐκεῖνος τὴν Σάῤῥαν, οὗτος τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν· μίαν νύκτα ἐκεῖνος συνέσχε, μίαν ἡμέραν οὗτος εἰσῆλθεν· οὐδ' ἂν τὴν μίαν συνεχωρήθη, ἀλλ' ἵνα δειχθῇ τῆς νύμφης ἡ σωφροσύνη, ὅτι εἰσέρχεται, καὶ οὐ διεφθάρη αὐτῆς τὸ κάλλος τῆς σωφροσύνης, καίτοι μοιχὸν ἡτοίμασε, καὶ τὰ γραμματεῖα συνετελεῖτο, καὶ πολλοὶ τῶν τῆς οἰκίας ὑπέγραφον. Ἀπηρτίσθη ἡ μηχανὴ, καὶ τὸ τέλος οὐκ ἐγένετο.

Ἐφάνη ἐκείνου ἡ πονηρία, καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ φιλανθρωπία. Ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν βάρβαρος τότε ἐκεῖνος ἐπιγνοὺς τὸ ἁμάρτημα, ὡμολόγησε τὸ παρανόμημα· λέγει γὰρ τῷ Ἀβραάμ· Τί ἐποίησας τοῦτο; εἰς τί εἶπας, ὅτι ἀδελφή μού ἐστι; καὶ μικροῦ ἂν ἥμαρτον· οὗτος δὲ μετὰ τὴν παρανομίαν ἐπηγωνίσατο. Ἄθλιε καὶ ταλαίπωρε, Ἥμαρτες, ἡσύχασον, μὴ πρόσθες ἁμαρτίαν ἐφ' ἁμαρτίαν. Κἀκείνη μὲν ἐπανῆλθε, πλοῦτον ἔχουσα τὸν Αἰγυπτιακόν· ἡ δὲ Ἐκκλησία ἐπανῆλθε, πλοῦτον ἔχουσα τὸν ἀπὸ τῆς γνώμης, καὶ σωφρονεστέρα ἐφάνη. Ὄρα δὲ τὴν μανίαν τοῦ βαρβάρου. Ἐξέβαλες τὸν ποιμένα· τί τὴν ἀγέλην διέσπασας; Ἀπέστησας τὸν κυβερνήτην· τί τοὺς οἴακας κατέκλασας; Τὸν ἀμπελουργὸν ἐξέβαλες· τί τὰς ἀμπέλους ἀνέσπασας; τί τὰ μοναστήρια διέφθειρας; Βαρβάρων ἔφοδον ἐμιμήσω.

βʹ. Ἐποίησεν ἅπαντα, ἵνα δειχθῇ ὑμῶν ἡ ἀνδρεία· ἐποίησεν ἅπαντα, ἵνα μάθῃ

ὅτι ποίμνη ἐστὶν ἐνταῦθα ὑπὸ Χριστοῦ ποιμαινομένη. Ἔξω ὁ ποιμὴν, καὶ ἡ ἀγέλη συνεκροτεῖτο, καὶ τὸ ἀποστολικὸν ἐπληροῦτο ῥῆμα· Οὐκ ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ μου μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀπουσίᾳ μου, μετὰ φόβου καὶ τρόμου τὴν ἑαυτῶν σωτηρίαν κατεργάζεσθε. Καὶ τοιαῦτα ἠπείλουν δεδοικότες ὑμῶν τὴν ἀνδρείαν καὶ τῆς ἀγάπης τὸ φίλτρον, καὶ τὸν πόθον τὸν περὶ ἐμέ. Οὐδὲν τολμῶμεν, φησὶν, ἐν τῇ πόλει· δότε ἡμῖν αὐτὸν ἔξω. Λάβετέ με ἔξω, ἵνα μάθητε τὸν πόθον τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, μάθητε τῶν ἐμῶν τέκνων τὴν εὐγένειαν, τῶν στρατιωτῶν τὴν ἰσχὺν, τῶν ὁπλιτῶν τὴν δύναμιν, τῶν διαδημάτων τὴν περιφάνειαν, τοῦ πλούτου τὴν περιουσίαν, τῆς ἀγάπης τὸ μέγεθος, τῆς καρτερίας τὴν ὑπομονὴν, τῆς ἐλευθερίας τὸ ἄνθος, τῆς νίκης τὸ περιφανὲς, τῆς ἥττης σου τὸν γέλωτα. Ὢ καινῶν καὶ παραδόξων πραγμάτων· ὁ ποιμὴν ἔξω, καὶ ἡ ἀγέλη σκιρτᾷ· ὁ στρατηγὸς πόῤῥω, καὶ οἱ 52.444 στρατιῶται ὡπλίζοντο. Οὐκέτι ἡ ἐκκλησία εἶχε τὸ στρατόπεδον μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ πόλις ἐκκλησία ἐγένετο. Αἱ ῥῦμαι, αἱ ἀγοραὶ, ὁ ἀὴρ ἡγιάζετο· αἱρετικοὶ ἐπεστρέφοντο, οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι βελτίους ἐγένοντο· οἱ ἱερεῖς κατεδικάζοντο, καὶ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι τὸν Θεὸν εὐφήμουν, καὶ ἡμῖν προσέτρεχον. Οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐγένετο. Καΐφας