John Chrysostom, On "It is not in man"

to be done? By no means, but he also makes it secure by lamenting. For having said, "The way of man is not his own," he did not fall silent, but added, "Neither shall a man walk, and direct his own course." What he says is this: not everything is in our power, but some things are in our power, and some things are in God's. For to choose the best things, and to will, and to be zealous, and to endure every labor, belongs to our own purpose; but to bring them to completion, and not to allow them to fail, and to arrive at the very end of our right actions, belongs to grace from above. For God has shared virtue with us, and neither did he leave everything to be in our power, lest we be lifted up into arrogance, nor did he take everything Himself, lest we should incline to sloth; but having left a little to our labors, He Himself accomplishes the greater part. For that, if everything were in our power, this would have lifted many into arrogance and made them insolent, let us hear what the Pharisee says, to what great boastfulness he was lifted up, how he spoke great things, and thought himself greater than the whole world. For this reason He did not make everything ours, but left something to be in our power, that He might have a fair pretext for justly crowning us.

And this He showed through that parable, in which He says that, having found men around the eleventh hour, He sent them into the vineyard to work. And yet what did they accomplish in the eleventh hour? But nevertheless, even the brief inclination of the moment was sufficient for God to give them their full wage. And that you may learn that the prophet truly says this, and does not take away our free will, but is philosophizing here about the completion of things, listen to what follows. For having said, "A man’s way is not in himself," he immediately adds, "Correct us, O Lord, but in judgment, and not in anger." For if nothing at all were in our power, he would have said superfluously, "Correct us, but in judgment." 5. For what could be more unjust than to punish those who are not masters of their actions, and for men to undergo punishment whose way and life do not lie in their own power? So when he appears to be entreating God that the punishment against them might not be more severe, he shows nothing other than this, that they are worthy to be chastised and to undergo punishment; and this establishes nothing other than free will.

For if they were not 56.161 masters of their actions, he should not have asked for them to undergo a milder punishment, but rather not to be punished at all; or rather, there would be no need for a request; for God does not need one to entreat him not to punish the blameless. And why do I say God, when not even a man with sense would? When, therefore, the prophet appears to entreat on behalf of the Jews, it is clear that he entreats for them as for sinners; and sin appears then, when we, being masters of not transgressing the law, transgress it. So it is clear to us from every side that our right actions lie both in our power and in God's. Such is also the saying, "Not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy." "And for what reason do I run?" he says. "And for what reason do I will, if everything does not lie in me?" So that by willing and by running you may draw to yourself the inclination and goodwill of God, so that He may cooperate and extend a hand and bring it to completion. For if you take this away, and cease running and willing, neither will God extend a hand, but will Himself also stand aloof. How is this clear? Hear what He says to Jerusalem: "How often would I have gathered your children together, and you would not! Behold, your house is left to you desolate." Do you see, since they were not willing, how God also stood aloof? For this reason we need both to will and to run, that we may also draw God to ourselves. This, then, the prophet also says, that to act rightly is not in us, but in the help of God; but to choose is in us and in our own will. Therefore if to act rightly is in the help of God, he says, even if I do not act rightly, I would not be justly subject to any blame; for when the things from my part

πρακτέα; Οὐδαμῶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ θρηνῶν ἀσφαλίζεται. Εἰπὼν γὰρ, ὅτι Οὐχὶ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἡ ὁδὸς αὐτοῦ, οὐκ ἐσιώπησεν, ἀλλ' ἐπήγαγεν, Οὐδὲ ἄνθρωπος πορεύσεται, καὶ κατορθώσει τὴν πορείαν αὐτοῦ. Ὃ δὲ λέγει, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· οὐκ ἐφ' ἡμῖν ἐστι τὸ πᾶν, ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν ἐφ' ἡμῖν, τὸ δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ Θεῷ. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἑλέσθαι τὰ κάλλιστα, καὶ βουληθῆναι, καὶ σπουδάσαι, καὶ πάντα ὑπομεῖναι πόνον, τῆς ἡμετέρας ἐστὶ προθέσεως· τὸ δὲ εἰς τέλος ἀγαγεῖν αὐτὰ, καὶ μὴ συγχωρῆσαι διαπεσεῖν, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸ τὸ πέρας ἐλθεῖν τῶν κατορθωμάτων, τῆς ἄνωθέν ἐστι χάριτος. Ἐμερίσατο γὰρ πρὸς ἡμᾶς τὴν ἀρετὴν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ οὔτε ἐφ' ἡμῖν ἀφῆκε τὸ πᾶν εἶναι, ἵνα μὴ εἰς ἀπόνοιαν ἐπαιρώμεθα, οὔτε αὐτὸς τὸ πᾶν ἔλαβεν, ἵνα μὴ εἰς ῥᾳθυμίαν ἀποκλίνωμεν· ἀλλ' ὀλίγον ἀφεὶς ἐπὶ τοῖς ἡμετέροις πόνοις, τὸ πλέον αὐτὸς κατορθοῖ. Ὅτι γὰρ εἰ τὸ πᾶν ἦν ἐφ' ἡμῖν, πολλοὺς ἂν τοῦτο εἰς ἀπόνοιαν ἐπῆρε καὶ ἐξετραχήλισεν, ἀκούωμεν τοῦ Φαρισαίου, τί φησιν, εἰς ὅσην ἀλαζονείαν ἐπήρετο, πῶς ἐμεγαληγόρει, καὶ τῆς οἰκουμένης ἁπάσης ἐφρόνησε μείζονα. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο οὐ τὸ πᾶν ἡμῶν ἐποίησεν, ἀλλ' ἀφῆκέ τι ἐφ' ἡμῖν εἶναι, ἵνα εὐπρόσωπον λάβῃ πρόφασιν τοῦ δικαίως ἡμᾶς στεφανοῦν.

Καὶ τοῦτο ἐδήλωσε διὰ τῆς παραβολῆς ἐκείνης, καθ' ἥν φησιν, ὅτι περὶ τὴν ἑνδεκάτην ὥραν εὑρὼν ἀνθρώπους, ἔπεμψεν εἰς τὸν ἀμπελῶνα ἐργάζεσθαι. Καίτοι τί ἐν τῇ ἑνδεκάτῃ ὥρᾳ εἰργάσαντο; Ἀλλ' ὅμως ἤρκεσε τῷ Θεῷ καὶ ἡ βραχεῖα τοῦ καιροῦ ῥοπὴ πρὸς τὸ δοῦναι τὸν μισθὸν αὐτοῖς ἀπηρτισμένον. Καὶ ἵνα μάθῃς ὅτι τοῦτο ἀληθῶς ὁ προφήτης φησὶ, καὶ οὐκ ἀφαιρεῖται τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἡμᾶς, ἀλλὰ περὶ τοῦ τέλους τῶν πραγμάτων ἐνταῦθα φιλοσοφεῖ, ἄκουσον τῆς ἐπαγωγῆς. Εἰπὼν γὰρ, Οὐκ ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ ἡ ὁδὸς αὐτοῦ, εὐθὺς ἐπιφέρει, Παίδευσον ἡμᾶς, Κύριε, πλὴν ἐν κρίσει, καὶ μὴ ἐν θυμῷ. Εἰ γὰρ μηδὲν ὅλως ἐφ' ἡμῖν ἦν, περιττῶς ἔλεγε, Παίδευσον ἡμᾶς, πλὴν ἐν κρίσει. εʹ. Τί γὰρ ἂν ἀδικώτερον τοῦ κολάζεσθαι τοὺς οὐκ ὄντας κυρίους τῶν πρακτέων, καὶ τιμωρίαν ὑπέχειν ἀνθρώπους, ὧν ἡ ὁδὸς καὶ ὁ βίος οὐκ ἐπὶ τῇ αὐτῶν ἐξουσίᾳ κεῖται; Ὥστε ὅταν φαίνηται τὸν Θεὸν παρακαλῶν ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ σφοδροτέραν γενέσθαι τὴν τιμωρίαν κατ' αὐτῶν, οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἢ τοῦτο ἐμφαίνει, ὅτι ἄξιοι τοῦ κολάζεσθαι καὶ τιμωρίαν ὑπέχειν εἰσί· τοῦτο δὲ οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἢ τὸ αὐτεξούσιον συνίστησιν.

Εἰ γὰρ μὴ κύ 56.161 ριοι τῶν πρακτέων ἦσαν, οὐχὶ πραοτέραν ἔδει τὴν τιμωρίαν ἀξιοῦν αὐτοὺς ὑποσχεῖν, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ ὅλως κολάζεσθαι· μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ ἀξιώσεως ἔδει· ὁ γὰρ Θεὸς οὐ δεῖται τοῦ παρακαλοῦντος αὐτὸν, ὥστε μὴ κολάσαι τοὺς ἀνευθύνους. Καὶ τί λέγω, ὁ Θεὸς, ὅπου γε οὐδὲ ἄνθρωπος νοῦν ἔχων; Ὅταν οὖν φαίνηται παρακαλῶν ὁ προφήτης ὑπὲρ Ἰουδαίων, ὡς ὑπὲρ ἡμαρτηκότων εὔδηλον ὅτι παρακαλεῖ· ἁμαρτία δὲ τότε φαίνεται, ὅταν ἡμεῖς, ὄντες κύριοι τοῦ μὴ παραβῆναι τὸν νόμον, παραβαίνωμεν. Ὥστε πάντοθεν δῆλον ἡμῖν, ὅτι καὶ ἐφ' ἡμῖν καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ Θεῷ τὰ ἡμέτερα κεῖται κατορθώματα. Τοιοῦτόν ἐστι καὶ τὸ, Οὐ τοῦ θέλοντος, οὐδὲ τοῦ τρέχοντος, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἐλεοῦντος Θεοῦ. Καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν τρέχω; φησί· τίνος δὲ ἕνεκεν θέλω, εἰ μὴ τὸ πᾶν ἐν ἐμοὶ κεῖται; Ἵνα διὰ τοῦ θέλειν καὶ τοῦ τρέχειν ἐπισπάσῃ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν ῥοπὴν καὶ τὴν εὔνοιαν, ὥστε συμπρᾶξαι καὶ χεῖρα ὀρέξαι καὶ πρὸς τὸ τέλος ἀγαγεῖν. Ἐὰν γὰρ ἀνέλῃς τοῦτο, καὶ παύσῃ τρέχων καὶ θέλων, οὔτε ὁ Θεὸς ὀρέξει χεῖρα, ἀλλ' ἀποστήσεται καὶ αὐτός. Πόθεν τοῦτο δῆλον; Ἄκουσον τί φησι τῇ Ἱερουσαλήμ. Ποσάκις ἠθέλησα ἐπισυναγαγεῖν τὰ τέκνα σου, καὶ οὐκ ἠθελήσατε; Ἰδοὺ, ἀφίεται ὁ οἶκος ὑμῶν ἔρημος. Ὁρᾷς, ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἠθέλησαν, πῶς ἀπέστη καὶ ὁ Θεός; ∆ιὰ τοῦτο χρεία ἡμῖν καὶ τοῦ θέλειν καὶ τοῦ τρέχειν, ἵνα καὶ τὸν Θεὸν ἐπισπασώμεθα. Τοῦτο οὖν φησι καὶ ὁ προφήτης, ὅτι τὸ κατορθῶσαι οὐκ ἐν ἡμῖν, ἀλλ' ἐν τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ βοηθείᾳ· τὸ δὲ ἑλέσθαι ἐν ἡμῖν καὶ ἐν τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ προαιρέσει. Οὐκοῦν εἰ ἐν τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ βοηθείᾳ τὸ κατορθῶσαι, φησὶ, κἂν μὴ κατορθώσω, οὐδεμίαν ἂν εἴην δίκαιος ὑπομένειν αἰτίαν· ὅταν γὰρ τὰ παρ' ἐμαυτοῦ