{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/110/1100033.htm","path":"chr/ecf/110/1100033.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/110/1100033.htm","text":"\u201cAnd it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at His doctrine.\u201d 1067\nYet was it rather natural for them to grieve at the unpleasantness of His sayings, and to shudder at the loftiness of His injunctions; but now so great was the power of the Teacher, that many of them were even caught thereby, and thrown into very great admiration, and persuaded by reason of the sweetness of His sayings, not even when He ceased to speak, to depart from Him at all afterwards. For neither did the hearers depart, He having p. 168 come down from the mountain, but even then the whole auditory followed Him; so great a love for His sayings had He instilled into them.\nBut they were astonished most of all at His authority. For not with reference to another, like the prophet and Moses, did He say what He said; but everywhere indicating Himself to be the person that had the power of deciding. For so, when setting forth His laws, He still kept adding, \u201cBut I say unto you.\u201d And in reminding them of that day, He declared Himself to be the judge, both by the punishments, and by the honors.\nAnd yet it was likely that this too would disturb them. For if, when they saw Him by His works showing forth His authority, the scribes were for stoning and persecuting Him; while there were words only to prove this, how was it other than likely for them to be offended? and especially when at first setting out these things were said, and before He had given proof of His own power? But however, they felt nothing of this; for when the heart and mind is candid, it is easily persuaded by the words of the truth. And this is just why one sort, even when the miracles were proclaiming His power, were offended; while the other on hearing mere words were persuaded and followed Him. This, I would add, the evangelist too is intimating, when he saith, \u201cgreat multitudes followed Him,\u201d 1068 not any of the rulers, nor of the scribes, but as many as were free from vice, and had their judgment uncorrupted. And throughout the whole gospel thou seest that such clave unto Him. For both while He spake, they used to listen in silence, not making any intrusion, nor breaking in upon the connexion of His sayings, nor tempting Him, and desiring to find a handle like the Pharisees; and after His exhortation they followed Him again, marvelling.\nBut do thou mark, I pray thee, the Lord\u2019s consideration, how He varies the mode of profiting His hearers, after miracles entering on words, and again from the instruction by His words passing to miracles. Thus, both before they went up into the mountain, He healed many, preparing the way for His sayings; and after finishing that long discourse to the people, He comes again to miracles, confirming what had been said by what was done. And so, because He was teaching as \u201cone having authority,\u201d lest His so teaching should be thought boasting and arrogant, He doth the very same in His works also, as having authority to heal; that they might no more be perplexed at seeing Him teach in this way, when He was working His miracles also in the same.\n2. \u201cFor when He was come down from the mountain, there came a leper, saying, Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean.\u201d 1069 Great was the understanding and the faith of him who so drew near. For he did not interrupt the teaching, nor break through the auditory, but awaited the proper time, and approaches Him \u201cwhen He is come down.\u201d And not at random, but with much earnestness, and at His knees, he beseeches Him, 1070 as another evangelist saith, and with the genuine faith and right opinion about him. For neither did he say, \u201cIf Thou request it of God,\u201d nor, \u201cIf Thou pray,\u201d but, \u201cIf Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean.\u201d Nor did he say, \u201cLord, cleanse me,\u201d but leaves all to Him, and makes His recovery depend on Him, and testifies that all the authority is His.\n\u201cWhat then,\u201d saith one, \u201cif the leper\u2019s opinion was mistaken?\u201d It were meet to do away with it, and to reprove, and set it right. Did He then so do? By no means; but quite on the contrary, He establishes and confirms what had been said. For this cause, you see, neither did He say, \u201cBe thou cleansed,\u201d but, \u201cI will, be thou clean;\u201d that the doctrine might no longer be a thing of the other\u2019s surmising, but of His own approval.\nBut the apostles not so: rather in what way? The whole people being in amazement, they said, \u201cWhy give heed to us, as though by our own power or authority we had made him to walk?\u201d 1071 But the Lord, though He spake oftentimes many things modestly, and beneath His own glory, what saith He here, to establish the doctrine of them that were amazed at Him for His authority? \u201cI will, be thou clean.\u201d Although in the many and great signs which He wrought, He nowhere appears to have uttered this word. Here however, to confirm the surmise both of all the people and of the leper touching His authority, He purposely added, \u201cI will.\u201d\nAnd it was not that He said this, but did it not; but the work also followed immediately. Whereas, if he had not spoken well, but the saying had been a blasphemy, the work ought to have been interrupted. But now nature herself gave way at His command, and that speedily, as was meet, even more speedily p. 169 than the evangelist hath said. For the word, \u201cimmediately,\u201d falls far short of the quickness that there was in the work.\nBut He did not merely say, \u201cI will, be thou clean,\u201d but He also \u201cput forth His hand, and touched him;\u201d a thing especially worthy of inquiry. For wherefore, when cleansing him by will and word, did He add also the touch of His hand? It seems to me, for no other end, but that He might signify by this also, that He is not subject to the law, but is set over it; and that to the clean, henceforth, nothing is unclean. 1072 For this cause, we see, Elisha did not so much as see Naaman, but though he perceived that he was offended at his not coming out and touching him, observing the strictness of the law, he abides at home, and sends him to Jordan to wash. Whereas the Lord, to signify that He heals not as a servant, but as absolute master, doth also touch. For His hand became not unclean from the leprosy, but the leprous body was rendered clean by His holy hand.\nBecause, as we know, He came not to heal bodies only, but also to lead the soul unto self-command. As therefore He from that time forward no more forbad to eat with unwashen hands, introducing that excellent law, which relates to the indifference of meats; just so in this case also, to instruct us for the future, that the soul must be our care;\u2014that leaving the outward purifications, we must wipe that clean, and dread the leprosy thereof alone, which is sin (for to be a leper is no hindrance to virtue):\u2014He Himself first touches the leper, and no man finds fault. For the tribunal was not corrupt, neither were the spectators under the power of envy. Therefore, so far from blaming, they were on the contrary astonished at the miracle, and yielded thereto: and both for what He said, and for what He did, they adored his uncontrollable power.\n3. Having therefore healed his body, He bids him,\n\u201cTell no man, but show himself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.\u201d 1073\nNow some say, that for this intent He bade him tell no man, that they might practise no craft about the discerning of his cure; a very foolish suspicion on their part. For He did not so cleanse as to leave the cleansing questionable, but He bids him \u201ctell no man,\u201d teaching us to avoid boasting and vainglory. And yet He well knew that the other would not obey, but would proclaim his benefactor: nevertheless He doth His own part.\n\u201cHow then elsewhere doth He bid them tell of it?\u201d one may ask. Not as jostling with or opposing Himself, but as teaching men to be grateful. For neither in that place did He give command to proclaim Himself, but to \u201cgive glory to God;\u201d 1074 by this leper training us to be clear of pride and vainglory, by the other to be thankful and grateful; and instructing on every occasion to offer to the Lord the praise of all things that befall us. That is, because men for the most part remember God in sickness, but grow slacker after recovery; He bids them continually both in sickness and in health to give heed to the Lord, in these words, \u201cgive glory to God.\u201d\nBut wherefore did He command him also to show himself to the priest, and to offer a gift? To fulfill the law here again. 1075 For neither did He in every instance set it aside, nor in every instance keep it, but sometimes He did the one, sometimes the other; by the one making way for the high rule 1076 of life that was to come, by the other checking for a while the insolent speech of the Jews, and condescending to their infirmity. And why marvel, if just at the beginning He Himself did this, when even the very apostles, after they were commanded to depart unto the Gentiles, after the doors were opened for their teaching throughout the world, and the law shut up, and the commandments made new, and all the ancient things had ceased, are found sometimes observing the law, sometimes neglecting it?\nBut what, it may be said, doth this saying, \u201cShow thyself to the priest,\u201d contribute to the keeping of the law? No little. Because it was an ancient law, that the leper when cleansed should not entrust to himself the judgment of his cleansing, but should show himself to the priest, and present the demonstration thereof to his eyes, and by that sentence be numbered amongst the clean. For if the priest said not \u201cThe leper is cleansed,\u201d he remained still with the unclean without the camp. Wherefore he saith, \u201cShow thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded.\u201d He said not, \u201cwhich I command,\u201d but for a time remits him to the law, by every means stopping their mouths. Thus, lest they should say, He had seized upon the priests\u2019 honor; though He performed the work Himself, yet the approving it He entrusted to them, and made them sit as judges of His own miracles. \u201cWhy, I p. 170 am so far,\u201d He saith, \u201cfrom striving either with Moses or with the priests, that I guide the objects of my favor to submit themselves unto them.\u201d\nBut what is, \u201cfor a testimony unto them\u201d? For reproof, for demonstration, for accusation, if they be unthankful. For since they said, as a deceiver and impostor we persecute Him, as an adversary of God, and a transgressor of the law; \u201cThou shalt bear me witness,\u201d saith He, \u201cat that time, that I am not a transgressor of the law. Nay, for having healed thee, I remit thee to the law, and to the approval of the priests;\u201d which was the act of one honoring the law, and admiring Moses, and not setting himself in opposition to the ancient doctrines.\nAnd if they were not in fact to be the better, hereby most of all one may perceive His respect for the law, that although He foreknew they would reap no benefit, He fulfilled all His part. For this very thing He did indeed foreknow, and foretold it: not saying, \u201cfor their correction,\u201d neither, \u201cfor their instruction,\u201d but, \u201cfor a testimony unto them,\u201d that is, for accusation, and for reproof, and for a witness that all hath been done on my part; and though I foreknew they would continue incorrigible, not even so did I omit what ought to be done; only they continued keeping up to the end their own wickedness. 1077\nThis, we may observe, He saith elsewhere also; \u201cThis gospel shall be preached in all the world for a testimony to all the nations, and then shall the end come;\u201d 1078 to the nations, to them that obey not, to them that believe not. Thus, lest any one should say, \u201cAnd wherefore preach to all, if all are not to believe?\u201d\u2014it is that I may be found to have done all my own part, and that no man may hereafter be able to find fault, as though he had not heard. For the very preaching shall bear witness against them, and they will not be able hereafter to say, \u201cWe heard not;\u201d for the word of godliness \u201chath gone out unto the ends of the world.\u201d 1079\n4. Therefore bearing these things in mind, let us also fulfill all our duties to our neighbor, and to God let us give thanks continually. For it is too monstrous, enjoying as we do His bounty in deed every day, not so much as in word to acknowledge the favor; and this, though the acknowledgment again yield all its profit to us. Since He needs not, be sure, anything of ours: but we stand in need of all things from Him. Thus thanksgiving itself adds nothing to Him, but causes us to be nearer to Him. For if men\u2019s bounties, when we call them to memory, do the more warm us with their proper love-charm; 1080 much more when we are continually bringing to mind the noble acts of our Lord towards us, shall we be more diligent in regard of His commandments.\nFor this cause Paul also said, \u201cBe ye thankful.\u201d 1081 For the best preservative of any benefit is the remembrance of the benefit, and a continual thanksgiving.\nFor this cause even the awful mysteries, so full of that great salvation, which are celebrated at every communion, are called a sacrifice of thanksgiving, 1082 because they are the commemoration of many benefits, and they signify the very sum of God\u2019s care for us, and by all means they work upon us to be thankful. For if His being born of a virgin was a great miracle, and the evangelist said in amaze, \u201cnow all this was done;\u201d His being also slain, what place shall we find for that? tell me. I mean, if to be born is called \u201call this;\u201d to be crucified, and to pour forth His blood, and to give Himself to us for a spiritual feast and banquet,\u2014what can that be called? Let us therefore give Him thanks continually, and let this precede both our words and our works.\nBut let us be thankful not for our own blessings alone, but also for those of others; for in this way we shall be able both to destroy our envy, and to rivet our charity, and make it more genuine. Since it will not even be possible for thee to go on envying them, in behalf of whom thou givest thanks to the Lord.\nWherefore, as you know, the priest also enjoins to give thanks for the world, for the former things, for the things that are now, for what hath been done to us before, for what shall befall us hereafter, when that sacrifice 1083 is set forth.\nFor this is the thing both to free us from earth, and to remove us into heaven, and to make us angels instead of men. Because they too form a choir, and give thanks to God for His good things bestowed on us, saying, \u201cGlory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men.\u201d 1084 \u201cAnd what is this to us, that are not upon earth, nor are men?\u201d \u201cNay, it is very much to us, for we have been taught so to love our fellow serv p. 171 ants, as even to account their blessings ours.\u201d\nWherefore Paul also, everywhere in his epistles, gives thanks for God\u2019s gracious acts to the world.\nLet us too therefore continually give thanks, for our own blessings, and for those of others, alike for the small and for the great. For though the gift be small, it is made great by being God\u2019s gift, or rather, there is nothing small that cometh from Him, not only because it is bestowed by Him, but also in its very nature.\nAnd to pass over all the rest, which exceed the sand in multitude; what is equal to the dispensation 1085 that hath taken place for our sake? In that what was more precious to Him than all, even His only-begotten Son, Him He gave for us His enemies; and not only gave, but after giving, did even set Him before us as food; 1086 Himself doing all things that were for our good, both in giving Him, and in making us thankful for all this. For because man is for the most part unthankful, He doth Himself everywhere take in hand and bring about what is for our good. And what He did with respect to the Jews, by places, and times, and feasts, reminding them of His benefits, that He did in this case also, by the manner of the sacrifice bringing us to a perpetual remembrance of His bounty in these things.\nNo one hath so labored that we should be approved, and great, and in all things right-minded, as the God who made us. Wherefore both against our will He befriends us often, and without our knowledge oftener than not. And if thou marvel at what I have said, I point to this as having occurred not to any ordinary person, but to the blessed Paul. For even that blessed man, when in much danger and affliction, often besought God that the temptations might depart from him: nevertheless God regarded not his request, but his profit, and to signify this He said, \u201cMy grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.\u201d 1087 So that before He hath told him the reason, He benefits him against his will, and without his knowing it.\n5. Now what great thing doth He ask, in requiring us to be thankful in return for such tender care? Let us then obey, and everywhere keep up this. Since neither were the Jews by anything ruined so much, as by being unthankful; those many stripes, one after another, were brought upon them by nothing else than this; or rather even before those stripes this had ruined and corrupted their soul. \u201cFor the hope of the unthankful,\u201d saith one, \u201cis like the winter\u2019s hoar frost;\u201d 1088 it benumbs and deadens the soul, as that doth our bodies.\nAnd this springs from pride, and from thinking one\u2019s self worthy of something. But the contrite will acknowledge grounds of thanksgiving to God, not for good things only, but also for what seem to be adverse; and how much soever he may suffer, will count none of his sufferings undeserved. Let us then also, the more we advance in virtue, so much the more make ourselves contrite; for indeed this, more than anything else is virtue. Because, as the sharper our sight is, the more thoroughly do we learn how distant we are from the sky; so the more we advance in virtue, so much the more are we instructed in the difference between God and us. And this is no small part of true wisdom, 1089 to be able to perceive our own desert. For he best knows himself, who accounts himself to be nothing. Thus we see that both David and Abraham, when they were come up to the highest pitch of virtue, then best fulfilled this; and would call themselves, the one, \u201cearth and ashes,\u201d 1090 the other, \u201ca worm;\u201d 1091 and all the saints too, like these, acknowledge their own wretchedness. So that he surely who is lifted up in boasting, is the very person to be most ignorant of himself. Wherefore also in our common practice we are wont to say of the proud, \u201che knows not himself,\u201d \u201che is ignorant of himself.\u201d And he that knows not himself, whom will he know? For as he that knows himself will know all things, so he who knows not this, neither will he know the rest.\nSuch an one was he that saith, \u201cI will exalt my throne above the Heavens.\u201d 1092 and did not account himself to be worthy so much as of the title of the apostles, after so many and so great deeds of goodness.\nHim therefore let us emulate and follow. And we shall follow him, if we rid ourselves of earth, and of things on earth. For nothing makes a man to be so ignorant of himself, as the being rivetted to worldly concerns: nor does anything again so much cause men to be rivetted to worldly concerns, as ignorance of one\u2019s self: for these things depend upon each other. I mean, that as he that is fond of outward glory, and highly esteems p. 172 the things present, if he strive for ever, is not permitted to understand himself; so he that overlooks these things will easily know himself; and having come to the knowledge of himself, he will proceed in order to all the other parts of virtue.\nIn order therefore that we may learn this good knowledge, let us, disengaged from all the perishable things that kindle in us so great flame, and made aware of their vileness, show forth all lowliness of mind, and self-restraint: that we may attain unto blessings, both present and future: by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be glory, might, and honor, to the Father, together with the Holy and Good Spirit, now and ever, and world without end. Amen.\n[R.V., \u201cWhen Jesus ended these words, the multitudes were astonished at his teaching.\u201d\u2014R.]\n168:1068 168:1069\nMatt. vii. 2. [The first clause is from Matt. 7.1; and the passages are joined to point the lesson from the assumed delay. But there can be little doubt that the healing of the leper took place earlier. Comp. Mark 1:40, Luke 5:12.\u2014R.]\n168:1070 168:1071\nActs iii. 12. [The New Testament passage has been modified in the citation.\u2014R.]\n169:1072 169:1073 169:1074\nLuke xvii. 18. [This is the passage probably referred to. The Oxford edition refers to Luke vii. 18, and the Latin version to John ix. 24, where the exact phrase occurs, but in the mouths of Christ\u2019s opposers.\u2014R.]\n169:1075 169:1076 170:1077\n[This interpretation is scarcely admissible, nor does Chrysostom notice the disobedience of the healed man (Mark i. 45). The \u201ctestimony\u201d is that commanded by Moses.\u2014R.]\n170:1078 170:1079 170:1080 170:1081 170:1082\n\u03b5\u03c7\u03b1\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03b1. [The translator has paraphrased the passage. Literally, \u201cwhich are at every assembly (\u03c3\u03bd\u03b1\u03be\u03b9\u03bd), are called Eucharist.\u201d There is no suggestion of \u201csacrifice\u201d in the Greek at this point.\u2014R.]\n170:1083\n[Here the word meaning \u201csacrifice\u201d is used.\u2014R.]\n170:1084\nLuke ii. 14. [The form is that of the received text; but \u201camong men\u201d is the correct rendering even of this reading.\u2014R.]\n171:1085 171:1086 171:1087 171:1088 171:1089 171:1090 171:1091 171:1092\nIsa. xiv. 13, \u03c4\u03bd \u03c3\u03c4\u03c1\u03c9\u03bd \u03c4\u03bf \u03bf\u03c1\u03b1\u03bd\u03bf\u1f10\u03bb\u03b1\u03c7\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u03c4\u03c1\u03bf\u03bd, here \u1f10\u03c3\u03c7\u03c4\u03bf\u03bd.","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. X: The Homilies of S...","type":"page"}