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029 - Homily 16 Part 1 - Romans 91 · Homilies on Romans

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Speaker 1: Section twenty nine of Homilies on Romans by John Chrysostom,
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Speaker 1: translated by J. B. Morris. This LibriVox recording is in
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Speaker 1: the public domain. Homily sixteen, Part one, Romans nine, Verse one.
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Speaker 1: I say the truth in Christ, I lie not my conscience,
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Speaker 1: also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost? Did I
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Speaker 1: not seem yesterday to you to have spoken some great
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Speaker 1: and exorbitant things of Paul's love toward Christ? And great
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Speaker 1: indeed they were too great for any words to express.
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Speaker 1: Yet what you have heard to day are as far
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Speaker 1: above those things as those things were above ours. And
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Speaker 1: yet I did not think they could be exceeded. Still,
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Speaker 1: what has been read to day, as it reached my ears,
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Speaker 1: did appear far more glorious than the whole of the former.
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Speaker 1: And that he was aware of this himself he shows
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Speaker 1: by his exordium. For as on the point of entering
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Speaker 1: upon greater things than those, and therefore liable to be
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Speaker 1: disbelieved by the general reality, he first uses a stronger
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Speaker 1: severation about the matter he is going to speak of
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Speaker 1: which men are in the habit of doing, when they
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Speaker 1: are going to say somewhat which is not believed by
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Speaker 1: the generality, and about which they feel the utmost certainty
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Speaker 1: in their own minds. Hence, he says, I say the
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Speaker 1: truth in Christ, I lie not, and my conscience beareth
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Speaker 1: me witness Verses two and three, that I have a
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Speaker 1: great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I
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Speaker 1: could wish that myself were a cursed from Christ? What
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Speaker 1: sayest thou, O Paul, from Christ, thy beloved one, from
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Speaker 1: whom neither kingdom, nor Hell, nor things visible nor intelligible,
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Speaker 1: nor aught else of the kind would separate thee? It
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Speaker 1: is from him that thou wouldst now again be a cursed?
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Speaker 1: What has happened? Hast thou changed? Hast thou given over
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Speaker 1: that love? No? He replies, fear not. Rather, I have
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Speaker 1: even made it more intense. How then, is it that
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Speaker 1: thou wouldst fain be a cursed and seekest a separation
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Speaker 1: and a removal to such a distance that after it
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Speaker 1: there is no possibility of finding a more distant one?
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Speaker 1: Because I love him exceeding. He may reply, now, pray
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Speaker 1: and in what manner? For the things seem a riddle?
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Speaker 1: Or rather, if you will let us learn what the
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Speaker 1: curse is, and then we will question him upon these
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Speaker 1: points and shall understand this unspeakable and extraordinary love. What
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Speaker 1: then is the curse? Here his own words, If any
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Speaker 1: man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be
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Speaker 1: a cursed, that is, let him be set apart from all,
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Speaker 1: removed from all. For as in the case of a
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Speaker 1: thing dedicated which is set apart for God, no one
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Speaker 1: would venture so much as to touch it with his hand,
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Speaker 1: or even to come near it. So too with a
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Speaker 1: man who is put apart from the Church, in cutting
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Speaker 1: him off from all, and removing him as far as possible,
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Speaker 1: he calls him by this name in a contrary sense,
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Speaker 1: thus with much fear, denouncing to all men to keep
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Speaker 1: apart from him, and to spring away from him. For
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Speaker 1: the thing set apart, no one, from respect of it
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Speaker 1: ventures to come near to, but from him who is
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Speaker 1: cut off. All men separate themselves from a very opposite feeling.
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Speaker 1: And so the separation is the same, and both the
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Speaker 1: things and the man are equally removed from the generality.
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Speaker 1: Still the mode of separation is not the same, but
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Speaker 1: in this case it is the opposite to what it
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Speaker 1: is in that for from the one they keep back
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Speaker 1: as being dedicated to God, from the other as being
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Speaker 1: estranged from God and broken off from the Church. This, then,
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Speaker 1: is what Paul means when he says, I could wish
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Speaker 1: that myself were accursed from Christ. And he does not
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Speaker 1: say merely that I could be willing, but using a
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Speaker 1: stronger term, he says I could wish. But if what
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Speaker 1: he says trouble you in your feebleness, consider the real
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Speaker 1: state of the case, not only that he wished to
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Speaker 1: be separated, but also the cause for which he wished it,
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Speaker 1: and then you will see the greatness of his love.
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Speaker 1: Now he was even circumcised, and we pay no attention
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Speaker 1: to what was done, but to the intention of it
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Speaker 1: and the cause of it. And hence we wonder at
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Speaker 1: him the more. And he not only circumcised a person,
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Speaker 1: but he even shaved himself and sacrificed. And yet surely
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Speaker 1: we do not therefore assert him to be a Jew,
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Speaker 1: but upon this very score, to be perfectly free from
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Speaker 1: judaizing and clear of it, and a genuine worship of Christ.
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Speaker 1: As then when you see him circumcising and sacrificing, you
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Speaker 1: do not therefore condemn him as judaizing. But upon this
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Speaker 1: very score have the best reason for crowning him as
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Speaker 1: quite an alien to Judaism. Thus, when thou seest him
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Speaker 1: to have become desirous of being accursed, do not therefore
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Speaker 1: be troubled. But upon this very ground give him the
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Speaker 1: loudest praise, when thou knowest the cause why he wishes this.
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Speaker 1: For if we do not look narrowly into the causes,
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Speaker 1: we shall call Elija a man's layer, and Abraham not
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Speaker 1: a man's layer only, but a murderer of his son,
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Speaker 1: and Phineas and Peter we shall inplead for murder. Likewise,
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Speaker 1: Nor is it in the case of the saints alone,
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Speaker 1: but also of the God of the universe, that he
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Speaker 1: who does not keep to this law this rule will
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Speaker 1: be suspected sundry unbecoming things. Now, to prevent this happening
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Speaker 1: in all cases of the kind, let us bring together
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Speaker 1: both the cause and the intention, and the time, and
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Speaker 1: all that makes in behalf of what is so done.
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Speaker 1: And in this way let us investigate the actions. And
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Speaker 1: this we must do now also in the case of
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Speaker 1: this blessed soul. And what is the cause? It is
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Speaker 1: Jesus himself who is so beloved, and yet he does
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Speaker 1: not say for him for what he says, is, I
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Speaker 1: would wish that I were accursed from him for my brethren.
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Speaker 1: And this comes of his humbleness of mind, for he
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Speaker 1: has no wish to make himself conspicuous, as if he
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Speaker 1: were to say something great and doing Christ a favor
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Speaker 1: in this. And so he speaks of his kinsman that
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Speaker 1: he may conceal his high aim. Since to see that
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Speaker 1: he wished it all for Christ's sake, just hear what
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Speaker 1: comes next after speaking of kinsmen. Then he proceeds verses
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Speaker 1: four and five, to whom betaineth the adoption and the glory,
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Speaker 1: and the Covenant, and the giving of the Law, and
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Speaker 1: the service of God, and the promises, whose are the fathers,
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Speaker 1: and of whom, as concerning the flesh Christ came, who
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Speaker 1: is over all God blessed for ever Amen? And what
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Speaker 1: is this one asks? For? If, with a view to
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Speaker 1: the belief of others, he was willing to become a
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Speaker 1: cursed he ought to have also wished for this in
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Speaker 1: the gentile's behalf. But if he wishes it in the
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Speaker 1: jews behalf only, it is a proof that he did
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Speaker 1: not wish it for Christ's sake, but for his own
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Speaker 1: relationship to them. But in fact, if he had prayed
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Speaker 1: for the Gentiles only, this would not have been equally clear.
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Speaker 1: But since it is for the Jews only, it is
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Speaker 1: a clear proof that it is only for Christ's glory
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Speaker 1: that he is thus earnest. And I am aware that
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Speaker 1: what I am saying will seem a paradox to you. Still,
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Speaker 1: if ye do not make a disturbance, I will presently
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Speaker 1: endeavor to make it clear. For what he has said
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Speaker 1: he has not said nakedly. But since all were talking
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Speaker 1: and accusing God, that after being counted worthy of the
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Speaker 1: name of Sons, and receiving the law, and knowing Him
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Speaker 1: beyond all men, and enjoying such great glory, and serving
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Speaker 1: Him beyond the whole world, and receiving the promises, and
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Speaker 1: being from fathers who were his friends, and what was
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Speaker 1: the greatest thing of all, having been forefathers of Christ himself.
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Speaker 1: For this is the meaning of the world of whom,
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Speaker 1: as concerning the flesh, Christ came. They are now cast
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Speaker 1: out and disgraced, and in their place are introduced men
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Speaker 1: who had never known Him. Of the gentiles. Now, since
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Speaker 1: they had said all this and blasphemed God, Paul hearing
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Speaker 1: it and being cut to the heart and vexed for
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Speaker 1: God's glory's sake, wished that he were accursed, had it
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Speaker 1: been possible, so that they might be saved, and this
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Speaker 1: blasphemy be put a stop to, and God might not
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Speaker 1: seem to have deceived the offspring of those to whom
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Speaker 1: he promised the gifts. And that you may see that
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Speaker 1: it was in sorrow for this, and that the promise
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Speaker 1: of God might not seem to fall to the ground,
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Speaker 1: which said to Abraham, I will give this land to
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Speaker 1: thee and to thy seed. That he uttered this wish,
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Speaker 1: he proceeds verse six, not as though the word of
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Speaker 1: God had taken none effect, to show that he had
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Speaker 1: courage to bear all these things for the word of God,
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Speaker 1: that is the promise made to Abraham. For as Moses
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Speaker 1: seemed to be pleading for the Jews, yet was doing
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Speaker 1: everything for God's glory. For he says, lest they say,
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Speaker 1: because he was not able to save them, he led
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Speaker 1: them forth to destroy them in the wilderness, stay thy wrath.
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Speaker 1: So also does Paul, that they may not say he
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Speaker 1: means that the promise of God has fallen to the ground,
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Speaker 1: and he has disappointed us of that he vouched to
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Speaker 1: us and this word has not issued. Indeed, I could
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Speaker 1: wish to be a cursed. This, then, was why he
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Speaker 1: did not speak of the Gentiles, For to them no
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Speaker 1: promises even had been made by him, nor had they
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Speaker 1: worshiped him. Wherefore neither did any blaspheme him on their account.
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Speaker 1: But it was for the Jews, who had both received
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Speaker 1: the promise and had also been brought into a closer
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Speaker 1: connection with him than others, that he expressed this wish.
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Speaker 1: Do you see that if he had expressed it for
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Speaker 1: the Gentiles, he would not have been shown to be
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Speaker 1: doing this so purely for Christ's glory. But since he
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Speaker 1: was willing to become a cursed in the Jew's behalf,
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Speaker 1: then it was most evidenced that it was for Christ's
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Speaker 1: sake only that he desired this. And for this cause
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Speaker 1: he says, to whom betaineth the adoption and the glory
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Speaker 1: and the service of God, and the promise for the
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Speaker 1: law he means, which speaks of Christ comes from thence,
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Speaker 1: and all the covenants made with them and himself came
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Speaker 1: from them, and the fathers who received the promises were
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Speaker 1: all from them. Yet still the opposite has resolted, and
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Speaker 1: they have fallen from all their good things. Hence he means,
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Speaker 1: I am vexed. And if it were possible to be
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Speaker 1: separated from the company about Christ, and to be made
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Speaker 1: an alien, not from the love of Him, that be
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Speaker 1: far from him. For even all this he was doing
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Speaker 1: through love, but from all that enjoyment and glory. I
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Speaker 1: would accept that lot, provided my Master would not to
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Speaker 1: be blasphemed, that he might not have to hear some
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Speaker 1: saying that it has been all for stage effect. He
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Speaker 1: promises to one and gives to another. He was sprung
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Speaker 1: from one race, he saved another. It was to the
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Speaker 1: forefathers of the Jews that he made the promises. And
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Speaker 1: yet he has deserted their descendants and put men who
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Speaker 1: never at any time knew Him into their good things.
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Speaker 1: They labored in the practice of the law and reading
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Speaker 1: the prophets, while men who have come but yesterday from
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Speaker 1: heathen olders and images have been set up above them.
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Speaker 1: What foresight is there in all this? Now that these
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Speaker 1: things may not be said of my Master. He means,
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Speaker 1: even if they are said unjustly, I would willingly lose
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Speaker 1: even a kingdom, and that glory unutterable, and any sufferings
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Speaker 1: would I undergo, as considering it the greatest consolation possible
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Speaker 1: for my trouble no longer to hear my beloveds so blasphemed.
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Speaker 1: But if he be still against allowing this explanation, just
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Speaker 1: reflect that many fathers have at many times taken up
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Speaker 1: with thus much for their children, and have chosen to
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Speaker 1: be separated from them, and to see them in honor,
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Speaker 1: considering their honor dearer to them than their company. But
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Speaker 1: since we are so short of love like this, we
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Speaker 1: cannot even form an idea of what is here meant.
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Speaker 1: For there be some that are so wholly unworthy even
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Speaker 1: to hear the name of Paul, and that stand at
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Speaker 1: such an interval and distance from that vehemency of his
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Speaker 1: as to fancy that he says this of temporal death.
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Speaker 1: Who I should say, were as ignorant of Paul as
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Speaker 1: the blind of the sun's rays, or even much more so,
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Speaker 1: for he that died daily and set before him dangers
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Speaker 1: thick as snowstorm, And then said, who shall separate us
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Speaker 1: from the love of Christ, shall tribulation or distress of
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Speaker 1: famine or persecution, And still unsatisfied with what he had said,
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Speaker 1: and after going above the heaven and the heaven of heavens,
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Speaker 1: and running through the angels and archangels and all the
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Speaker 1: higher orders of beings, and taking in at once things present,
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Speaker 1: things to come, things visible, things intelligible, things grievous, and
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Speaker 1: things good that were on either part, and leaving nothing
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Speaker 1: out at all, yet not even thus satiated, but even
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Speaker 1: bodying forth another non existing creation. How should he, by
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Speaker 1: way of saying some great thing after all these things,
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Speaker 1: make mention of a temporary death. It is not so. Surely,
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Speaker 1: it is not but such a notion as that of
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Speaker 1: worms nestling in their dunghill. For had he said this,
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Speaker 1: in what sense would he be wishing himself accursed from Christ?
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Speaker 1: For death of that sort would have joined him more
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Speaker 1: closely with the band about Christ, and made him enjoy
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Speaker 1: that glory the more. Yet some there are who venture
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Speaker 1: to say things do different from these even more ridiculous.
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Speaker 1: It was not, then, they say, death, that he wished
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Speaker 1: to have, but to be a treasure, a thing set
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Speaker 1: apart of Christ's. And who even of the most worthless
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Speaker 1: and indolent, that would not wish for this? And in
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Speaker 1: what way was this likely to be in his kinsman's behalf.
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Speaker 1: Let us then leave these fables and trifles, for it
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Speaker 1: is no more worth while making a reply to these
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Speaker 1: things than to children babbling at play. And let us
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Speaker 1: go back again to the words themselves, luxuriating in this
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Speaker 1: very ocean of love, and fearlessly swimming there in every direction,
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Speaker 1: and reflecting upon the unspeakable flame of love. Or rather
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Speaker 1: say what one may, one shall say nothing worthy the subject.
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Speaker 1: For there is no ocean so wide and a flame
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Speaker 1: so intense as this, and no language can set it
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Speaker 1: forth as it deserves. But he alone knew it, who
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Speaker 1: in good earnest gained it. And now let me bring
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Speaker 1: the words themselves before you again. I could wish that
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Speaker 1: I myself were accursed. What does the eye myself mean?
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Speaker 1: I means I that have been a teacher of all,
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Speaker 1: that have gathered together countless good deeds, that am waiting
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Speaker 1: for countless crowns, that desired him so much as to
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Speaker 1: value his love above all things, who all my days
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Speaker 1: a burning for him, and hold all things of second
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Speaker 1: importance to the love of him. For even being loved
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Speaker 1: by Christ was not the only thing he cared for,
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Speaker 1: but loving him exceedingly also, And this last he cared most.
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Speaker 1: For hence it was that he looked to this only
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Speaker 1: and took all things lightheartedly. For he kept one aim
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Speaker 1: in view, and all circumstances the fulfilling of this excellent love,
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Speaker 1: and this he wishes for. But since things were not
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Speaker 1: to take this course, nor he to become a cursed,
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Speaker 1: he next attempts to go into a defense against the charges,
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Speaker 1: and so to bring what was bruted abroad by all
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Speaker 1: before them, as to overthrow it. And before he openly
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Speaker 1: enters into his defense against these, he first lays down
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Speaker 1: some seeds of it beforehand. For when he says to
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Speaker 1: whom betaineth the adoption and the glory and the giving
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Speaker 1: of the law, and the service of God and promises,
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Speaker 1: he doubts, but say that God willed them indeed to
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Speaker 1: be saved, And this he showed by his former dealings,
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Speaker 1: and by Christ's having sprung from them, and by what
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Speaker 1: he promised to the fathers. But they, out of their
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Speaker 1: own untreatable temper, thrust the benefit away from them. And
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Speaker 1: this is also the reason of his setting down such
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Speaker 1: things as set forth God's gift, not such as were
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Speaker 1: encomiums upon them. For the adoption came of his grace,
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Speaker 1: and so to the glory and the promises and the law.
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Speaker 1: After taking all these things then into consideration, and reflecting
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Speaker 1: how earnest God along with his son, had been for
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Speaker 1: their salvation, he lifts up his voice aloud and says,
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Speaker 1: who is blessed forever? Amen, so himself offering up thanksgiving
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Speaker 1: for all men unto the only begotten of God. What
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Speaker 1: he says, if others do blaspheme. Still, we who know
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Speaker 1: his mysteries and his unspeakable wisdom and great providence over us,
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Speaker 1: know well that it is not to be blasphemed, but
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Speaker 1: to be glorified, that he is worthy. Still, not satisfied
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Speaker 1: with being himself conscious of it, he endeavors next to
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Speaker 1: bring things to reac and to use a sharper way
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Speaker 1: of speech against them. And he does not direct his
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Speaker 1: aim at them without first divesting them of a suspicion
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Speaker 1: they had, lest then he should seem to be addressing
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Speaker 1: them as enemies. Further On, he says, brethren, my heart's
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Speaker 1: desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they
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Speaker 1: might be saved. And here, along with other remarks, he
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Speaker 1: so ordered things as not to seem to be saying
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Speaker 1: what he was going to say out of enmity against them.
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Speaker 1: Hence he does not decline calling them even kinsmen and brothers.
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Speaker 1: For even if it was for Christ's sake that he
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Speaker 1: said what he did, still he is for drawing their
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Speaker 1: mind to him also, and paves his way to what
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Speaker 1: he has to say, and quits himself of all suspicion
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Speaker 1: owing to what had to be said against them. And
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Speaker 1: then he at last goes into the subject most of
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Speaker 1: them were looking for, for many, as I have already stated,
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Speaker 1: wanted to know what was the reason why they who
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Speaker 1: had received the promise fell short of it, while those
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Speaker 1: who had never even heard of it were saved before them. Therefore,
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Speaker 1: to clear up this differ, he brings forward the answer
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Speaker 1: before the objection, for to prevent any from saying, what
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Speaker 1: art thou more thoughtful for God's glory than God is
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Speaker 1: for his own? And does he need thy aid that
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Speaker 1: his word may not fall to the ground. In reply
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Speaker 1: to these things, he says, I spoke this not as
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Speaker 1: if God's word had fallen to the ground, but to
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Speaker 1: show my love for Christ. For as things have had
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Speaker 1: this issue, we are in no want of words in
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Speaker 1: God's behalf, or of showing that stand his promise? Did
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Speaker 1: God said to Abraham, to thee and to thy seed,
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Speaker 1: will I give the land? And in thy seed shall
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Speaker 1: all the nations of the earth be blessed. Let us see,
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Speaker 1: then he says, of what sort this seed is? For
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Speaker 1: it is not all that are from him, that are
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Speaker 1: his seeds. Whence he says, for they are not all Israel,
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Speaker 1: that are of Israel verse seven. Neither because they are
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Speaker 1: the seed of Abraham, are they all children? Now, when
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Speaker 1: you come to know of what kind the seed of
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Speaker 1: Abraham is, you will see that the promise is given
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Speaker 1: to his seed, and know that the word hath not
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Speaker 1: fallen to the ground. Of what kind pray is the seed?
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Speaker 1: Then it is no saying of mine he means, but
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Speaker 1: the Old Testament itself explains itself by saying, as follows
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Speaker 1: in Isaac, shall thy seed be called? What is in
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Speaker 1: Isaac explain verse eight? That is, they which are the
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Speaker 1: children of the flesh, These are not the children of God,
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Speaker 1: but the children of the promise. These are counted for
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Speaker 1: the seed. And observe the judgment and depth of Paul's mind,
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Speaker 1: for in interpreting he does not say they which are
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Speaker 1: the children of the flesh, These are not the children
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Speaker 1: of Abraham, but the children of God, so blending the
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Speaker 1: former things with the present, and showing that even Isaac
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Speaker 1: was not merely Abraham's son, And what he means is
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Speaker 1: somewhat of this sort. As many as have been born
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Speaker 1: as Isaac was, they are sons of God and of
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Speaker 1: the seed of Abraham. And this is why he said,
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Speaker 1: in Isaac, shall thy seed be called, that one may
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Speaker 1: learn that they who are born after the fashion of Isaac,
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Speaker 1: these are, in the truest sense, Abraham's children. In what
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Speaker 1: way was Isaac born then, not according to the law
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Speaker 1: of nature, not according to the power of the flesh,
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Speaker 1: but according to the power of the promise? What is meant, then,
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Speaker 1: by the power of the promise verse nine, at this
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Speaker 1: time will I come and Sarah shall have a son.
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Speaker 1: This promise, then, and word of God, it was that
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Speaker 1: fashioned Isaac and begat him. For what if a womb
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Speaker 1: was its instrument, and the belly of a woman, Since
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Speaker 1: it was not the power of the belly, by the
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Speaker 1: might of the promise that begat the child. Thus are
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Speaker 1: we also gendered by the words of God? Since in
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Speaker 1: the pool of water. It is the words of God
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Speaker 1: which generate and fashion us. For it is by being
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Speaker 1: baptized into the name of the Father and of the
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Speaker 1: Son and of the Holy Ghost that we are gendered.
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Speaker 1: And this birth is not of nature, about of the
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Speaker 1: promise of God. For as after first foretelling the birth
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Speaker 1: of Isaac, he then accomplished it so hours also he
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Speaker 1: had announced before many ages ago by the prophets, and
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Speaker 1: afterwards brought it to pass. You know how great he
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Speaker 1: has set it forth as being, and how as he
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Speaker 1: promised a great thing, he furnished it with a bunon
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Speaker 1: and ease. But if the Jews were to say that
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Speaker 1: the words in Isaac shald I see be called mean this,
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Speaker 1: that those born of Isaac should be reckoned for a
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Speaker 1: seed than the Edomites too, and all that sprang of him,
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Speaker 1: or to be denominated his sons, since their forefather Esau,
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Speaker 1: was a son of his. But now so far are
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Speaker 1: they from being called sons, that they are the greatest
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Speaker 1: possible aliens. You see then, that it is not the
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Speaker 1: children of the flesh that are the children of God,
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Speaker 1: but that even in nature itself, the generation by means
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Speaker 1: of baptism from above was sketched out beforehand. And if
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Speaker 1: you tell me of the womb, I in return have
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Speaker 1: to tell you of the water. But as in this
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Speaker 1: case all is of the spirit, so in the other
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Speaker 1: always of promise, for the womb was more chilled than
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Speaker 1: any water, owing to barrenness and to old age. Let
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Speaker 1: us then gain accurate knowledge of our own nobility, and
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Speaker 1: display a life worthy of it. For in it is
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Speaker 1: nothing fleshly or earthy. Hence neither let there be in us.
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Speaker 1: For it was neither sleep, nor the will of the flesh,
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Speaker 1: nor embraces, nor the madness of desire, but God's love
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Speaker 1: towards man which wrought the whole. And as in that
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Speaker 1: case it was when the age was past hope, so
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Speaker 1: in this also it was when the old age of
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Speaker 1: sins had come over him, that man suddenly sprang up
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Speaker 1: in youth, and we all became the children of God
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Speaker 1: and the seed of Abraham. End of Section twenty nine.