{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/110/1100047.htm","path":"chr/ecf/110/1100047.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/110/1100047.htm","text":"\u201cAt that time Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the corn; and His disciples were a hungered, and began to pluck the 1645 ears of corn, and to eat.\u201d\nBut Luke saith, \u201cOn a double Sabbath.\u201d 1646 Now what is a double Sabbath? When the cessation from toil is twofold, both that of the regular Sabbath, and that of another feast coming upon it. For they call every cessation from toil, a sabbath.\nBut why could He have led them away from it, who foreknew all, unless it had been His will that the Sabbath should be broken? It was His will indeed, but not simply so; wherefore He never breaks it without a cause, but giving reasonable excuses: that He might at once bring the law to an end, and not startle them. But there are occasions on which He even repeals it directly, and not with circumstance: as when He anoints with the clay the eyes of the blind man; 1647 as when He saith, \u201cMy Father worketh hitherto, and I work.\u201d 1648 And He doth so, by this to glorify His own Father, by the other to soothe the infirmity of the Jews. At which last He is laboring here, putting forward as a plea the necessity of nature; although in the case of acknowledged sins, that could not of course ever be an excuse. For neither may the murderer make his anger a plea, nor the adulterer allege his lust, no, nor any other excuse; but here, by mentioning their hunger, He freed them from all blame.\nBut do thou, I pray thee, admire the disciples, how entirely they control themselves, and make no account of the things of the body, but esteem the table of the flesh a secondary thing, and though they have to struggle with continual hunger, do not even so withdraw themselves. For except hunger had sorely constrained them, they would not have done so much as this.\nWhat then do the Pharisees? \u201cWhen they saw it,\u201d it is said, \u201cthey said unto Him, Behold, Thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath day.\u201d 1649\nNow here indeed with no great vehemence (yet surely that would have been consistent in them),\u2014nevertheless they are not vehemently provoked, but simply find fault. But when He stretched out the withered hand and healed it, 1650 then they were so infuriated, as even to consult together about slaying and destroying Him. For where nothing great and noble is done, they are calm; but where they see any made whole, they are savage, and fret themselves, and none so intolerable as they are: such enemies are they of the salvation of men.\nHow then doth Jesus defend His disciples? \u201cHave ye not read,\u201d saith He, \u201cwhat David did in the temple, 1651 when he was an hungered, himself and all they that were with him? how he entered into the house of God, and did eat the show-bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?\u201d 1652\nThus, whereas in pleading for His disciples, He brings forward David; for Himself, it is the Father. 1653\nAnd observe His reproving manner: \u201cHave ye not read what David did?\u201d For great indeed was that prophet\u2019s glory, so that Peter also afterwards pleading with the Jews, spake on this wise, \u201cLet me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried.\u201d 1654\nBut wherefore doth He not call him by the name of his rank, either on this occasion or afterwards? Perhaps because He derived His race from him.\nNow had they been a candid sort of persons, He would have turned His discourse to the disciples\u2019 suffering from hunger; but abominable as they were and inhuman, He rather rehearses unto them a history.\nBut Mark saith, \u201cIn the days of Abiathar the High Priest:\u201d 1655 not stating what was con p. 251 trary to the history, but implying that he had two names; and adds that \u201che gave unto him,\u201d 1656 indicating that herein also David had much to say for himself, since even the very priest suffered him; and not only suffered, but even ministered unto him. For tell me not that David was a prophet, for not even so was it lawful, but the privilege was the priests\u2019: wherefore also He added, \u201cbut for the priests only.\u201d For though he were ten thousand times a prophet, yet was he not a priest; and though he were himself a prophet, yet not so they that were with him; since to them too we know that he gave.\n\u201cWhat then,\u201d it might be said, \u201cwere they all one with David?\u201d Why talk to me of dignity, where there seems to be a transgression of the law, even though it be the constraint of nature? Yea, and in this way too He hath the more entirely acquitted them of the charges, in that he who is greater is found to have done the same.\n\u201cAnd what is this to the question,\u201d one may say; \u201cfor it was not surely the Sabbath, that he transgressed?\u201d Thou tellest me of that which is greater, and which especially shows the wisdom of Christ, that letting go the Sabbath, He brings another example greater than the Sabbath. For it is by no means the same, to break in upon a day, and to touch that holy table, which it was not lawful for any man to touch. Since the Sabbath indeed hath been violated, and that often; nay rather it is continually being violated, both by circumcision, and by many other works; and at Jericho 1657 too one may see the same to have happened; but this happened then only. So that He more than obtains the victory. How then did no man blame David, although there was yet another ground of charge heavier than this, that of the priests\u2019 murder, which had its origin from this? But He states it not, as applying himself to the present subject only.\n2. Afterwards again He refutes it in another way also. For as at first He brought in David, by the dignity of the person quelling their pride; so when He had stopped their mouths, and had put down their boasting, then He adds also the more appropriate refutation. And of what sort is this? \u201cKnow ye not, that in the temple the priests profane the Sabbath, and are blameless?\u201d 1658 For in that other instance indeed, saith He, the emergency made the relaxation, but here is the relaxation even without emergency. He did not however at once thus refute them but first by way of permission, afterwards as insisting upon his argument. Because it was meet to draw the stronger inference last, although the former argument also had of course its proper weight.\nFor tell me not, that it is not freeing one\u2019s self from blame, to bring forward another who is committing the same sin. For when the doer incurs no blame, the act on which he hath ventured becomes a rule for others to plead.\nNevertheless He was not satisfied with this, but subjoins also what is more decisive, saying that the deed is no sin at all; and this more than anything was the sign of a glorious victory, to point to the law repealing itself, and in two ways doing so, first by the place, then by the Sabbath; or rather even in three ways, in that both the work is twofold 1659 that is done, and with it goes also another thing, its being done by the priests; and what is yet more, that it is not even brought as a charge. \u201cFor they,\u201d saith He, \u201care blameless.\u201d\nSeest thou how many points He hath stated? the place; for He saith, \u201cIn the temple;\u201d the persons, for they are \u201cthe priests;\u201d the time, for He saith, \u201cthe Sabbath;\u201d the act itself, for \u201cthey profane;\u201d (He not having said, \u201cthey break,\u201d but what is more grievous, \u201cthey profane;\u201d) that they not only escape punishment, but are even free from blame, \u201cfor they,\u201d saith He, \u201care blameless.\u201d\nDo not ye therefore account this, He saith, like the former instance. For that indeed was done both but once, and not by a priest, and was of necessity; wherefore also they were deserving of excuse; but this last is both done every Sabbath, and by priests, and in the temple, and according to the law. And therefore again not by favor, but in a legal way, they are acquitted of the charges. For not at all as blaming them did I so speak, saith He, nor yet as freeing them from blame in the way of indulgence, but according to the principle of justice.\nAnd He seems indeed to be defending them, but it is His disciples whom He is clearing of the alleged faults. For when He saith, \u201cthose are blameless,\u201d He means, \u201cmuch more are these.\u201d\n\u201cBut they are not priests.\u201d Nay, they are greater than priests. For the Lord of the temple Himself is here: the truth, not the type. Wherefore He said also,\n\u201cBut I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.\u201d 1660\np. 252\nNevertheless, great as the sayings were which they heard, they made no reply, for the salvation of men was not their object.\nThen, because to the hearers it would seem harsh, He quickly draws a veil over it, giving His discourse, as before, a lenient turn, yet even so expressing Himself with a rebuke. \u201cBut if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have 1661 mercy and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.\u201d 1662\nSeest thou how again He inclines His speech to lenity, yet again shows them to be out of the reach of lenity? \u201cFor ye would not have condemned,\u201d saith He, \u201cthe guiltless.\u201d Before indeed He inferred the same from what is said of the priests, in the words, \u201cthey are guiltless;\u201d but here He states it on His own authority; or rather, this too is out of the law, for He was quoting a prophetic saying. 1663\n3. After this He mentions another reason likewise; \u201cFor the Son of man,\u201d saith He, \u201cis Lord of the Sabbath day;\u201d 1664 speaking it of Himself. But Mark relates Him to have said this of our common nature also; for He said, \u201cThe Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.\u201d 1665\nWherefore then was he punished that was gathering the sticks? 1666 Because if the laws were to be despised even at the beginning, of course they would scarcely be observed afterwards.\nFor indeed the Sabbath did at the first confer many and great benefits; for instance, it made them gentle towards those of their household, and humane; it taught them God\u2019s providence and the creation, as Ezekiel saith; 1667 it trained them by degrees to abstain from wickedness, and disposed them to regard the things of the Spirit.\nFor because they could not have borne it, 1668 if when He was giving the law for the Sabbath, He had said, \u201cDo your good works on the Sabbath, but do not the works which are evil,\u201d therefore He restrained them from all alike for, \u201cYe must do nothing at all,\u201d saith He: and not even so were they kept in order. But He Himself, in the very act of giving the law of the Sabbath, did even therein darkly signify that He will have them refrain from the evil works only, by the saying, \u201cYe must do no work, except what shall be done for your life.\u201d 1669 And in the temple too all went on, and with more diligence and double toil. 1670 Thus even by the very shadow He was secretly opening unto them the truth.\nDid Christ then, it will be said, repeal a thing so highly profitable? Far from it; nay, He greatly enhanced it. For it was time for them to be trained in all things by the higher rules, and it was unnecessary that his hands should be bound, who was freed from wickedness, winged for all good works; or that men should hereby learn that God made all things; or that they should so be made gentle, who are called to imitate God\u2019s own love to mankind (for He saith, \u201cBe ye merciful, as your Heavenly Father\u201d); 1671 or that they should make one day a festival, who are commanded to keep a feast all their life long; (\u201cFor let us keep the feast,\u201d it is said, \u201cnot with old leaven, neither with leaven of malice and wickedness; but with unleavened bread of sincerity and truth\u201d); 1672 as neither need they stand by an ark and a golden altar, who have the very Lord of all for their inmate, and in all things hold communion with Him; by prayer, and by oblation, and by scriptures, and by almsgiving, and by having Him within them. Lo now, why is any Sabbath required, by him who is always keeping the feast, whose conversation is in Heaven?\n4. Let us keep the feast then continually, and do no evil thing; for this is a feast: and let our spiritual things be made intense, while our earthly things give place: and let us rest a spiritual rest, refraining our hands from covetousness; withdrawing our body from our superfluous and unprofitable toils, from such as the people of the Hebrews did of old endure in Egypt. For there is no difference betwixt us who are gathering gold, and those that were bound in the mire, working at those bricks, and gathering stubble, and being beaten. Yea, for now too the devil bids us make bricks, as Pharaoh did then. For what else is gold, than mire? and what else is silver, than stubble? Like stubble, at least, it kindles the flame of desire; like mire, so doth gold defile him that possesses it.\nWherefore He sent us, not Moses from the wilderness, but His Son from Heaven. If then, after He is come, thou abide in Egypt, thou wilt suffer with the Egyptians: but if leaving that land thou go up with the spiritual Israel, thou shalt see all the miracles.\nYet not even this suffices for salvation. For we must not only be delivered out of Egypt, but we must also enter into the promise. Since the Jews too, as Paul saith, both went through the Red Sea, 1673 and ate manna, p. 253 and drank spiritual drink, but nevertheless they all perished.\nLest then the same befall us also, let us not be slow, neither draw back; but when thou hearest wicked spies even now bringing up an evil report against the strait and narrow way, and uttering the same kind of talk as those spies of old, let not the multitude, but Joshua, be our pattern, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh; and do not thou give up, until thou have attained the promise, and entered into the Heavens.\nNeither account the journey to be difficult. \u201cFor if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved.\u201d 1674 \u201cBut this way,\u201d it will be said, \u201cis strait and narrow.\u201d Well, but the former, through which thou hast come, is not strait and narrow only, but even impassable, and full of savage wild beasts. And as there was no passing through the Red Sea, unless that miracle had been wrought, so neither could we, abiding in our former life, have gone up into Heaven, but only by baptism intervening. Now if the impossible hath become possible, much more will the difficult be easy.\n\u201cBut that,\u201d it will be said, \u201cwas of grace only.\u201d Why, for this reason especially thou hast just cause to take courage. For if, where it was grace alone, He wrought with you; will He not much more be your aid, where ye also show forth laborious works? If He saved thee, doing nothing, will He not much more help thee, working?\nAbove 1675 indeed I was saying, that from the impossibilities thou oughtest to take courage about the difficulties also; but now I add this, that if we are vigilant, these will not be so much as difficult. For mark it: death is trodden under foot, the devil hath fallen, the law of sin is extinguished, the grace of the Spirit is given, life is contracted into a small space, the heavy burdens are abridged.\nAnd to convince thee hereof by the actual results, see how many have overshot the injunctions of Christ; and art thou afraid of that which is just their measure? What plea then wilt thou have, when others are leaping beyond the bounds, and thou thyself too slothful for what is enacted?\nThus, thee we admonish to give alms of such things as thou hast, but another hath even stripped himself of all his possessions: thee we require to live chastely with thy wife, but another hath not so much as entered into marriage: and thee we entreat not to be envious, but another we find giving up even his own life for charity: thee again we entreat to be lenient in judgments, and not severe to them that sin, but another, even when smitten, hath turned the other cheek also.\nWhat then shall we say, I pray thee? What excuse shall we make, not doing even these things, when others go so far beyond us? And they would not have gone beyond us, had not the thing been very easy. For which pines away, he who envies other men\u2019s blessings, or he who takes pleasure with them, and rejoices? Which eyes all things with suspicion and continual trembling, the chaste man, or the adulterer? Which is cheered by good hopes, he that spoils by violence, or he that shows mercy, and imparts of his own to the needy?\nLet us then bear in mind these things, and not be torpid in our career for virtue\u2019s sake; but having stripped ourselves with all readiness for these glorious wrestlings, let us labor for a little while, that we may win the perpetual and imperishable crowns; unto which may we all attain, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might forever and ever. Amen.\n[With our best mss. authorities, the article is omitted in the Homily. Comp. R.V., in loco.\u2014R.]\n250:1646\n\u03b4\u03b5\u03c5\u03c4\u03b5\u03c1\u03bf\u03c0\u03c1\u03c4, Luke vi. 1. [On the textual difficulty, see Tischendorf (viii.) and Westcott and Hort. The former retains it, giving the patristic comments upon it. The latter put it in the margin, regarding it as spurious.\u2014R.]\n250:1647 250:1648\nJohn v. 17. [R.V., \u201ceven until now,\u201d etc.]\n250:1649 250:1650 250:1651\n[\u1f10\u03bd \u03c4 \u03b5\u03c1, is inserted here (not in Homily XL.) by Chrysostom, but does not occur in any of our mss. of the New Testament.\n250:1652\nMatt. 12:3, 4.\n250:1653 250:1654 250:1655\nMark ii. 26. [The Homily reads \u03c4\u03bf \u03c1\u03c7\u03b9\u03b5\u03c1\u03c9\u03c4\u03bf, rendering \u201cwhen Abiathar was high priest;\u201d but gives the other reading in the margin.\u2014R.]\n251:1656\nAbimelech, 1 Sam. xxi. 6.\n251:1657 251:1658 251:1659\nAs being done, 1, in the holy place; 2, on the holy day.\n251:1660\nMatt. xii. 6. [R.V., \u201cthat one greater (Greek, a greater thing) than the temple is here.\u201d]\n252:1661 252:1662 252:1663 252:1664 252:1665 252:1666 252:1667 252:1668\nThe meaning seems to be, it would have been too hard a trial of their religious discretion.\n252:1669\nExod. xii. 16, LXX.\n252:1670 252:1671 252:1672 252:1673\n1 Cor. x. 1, &c.\n253:1674 253:1675\n[\u2019\u0391\u03bd\u03c9\u03c4\u03c1\u03c9; but \u201cbefore\u201d agrees better with English usage in public address.\u2014R.]","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. X: The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom.: Homily XXXIX","type":"page"}