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026 - Homily 14 Part 2 - Romans 812-13 · Homilies on Romans

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  Speaker 1: Section twenty six of Homilies on Romans by John Chrysostom,
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  Speaker 1: translated by J. B. Morris. This LIBRIVANX recording is in
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  Speaker 1: the public domain. Homily fourteen, Part two, Romans eight, Verses
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  Speaker 1: twelve and thirteen, Verse nineteen and twenty. For the earnest
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  Speaker 1: expectation of the creature waiteth, he says, for the revelation
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  Speaker 1: of the sons of God. For the creature was made
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  Speaker 1: subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him
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  Speaker 1: who hath subjected the same in hope. And the meaning
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  Speaker 1: is something of this kind. This creature is in the
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  Speaker 1: midst of its pangs, waiting for and expecting these good things,
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  Speaker 1: whereof we have just now spoken for earnest expectation implies
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  Speaker 1: expecting intensely, and so his discourse becomes more emphatic, and
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  Speaker 1: he personifies this whole world, as the prophets also do
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  Speaker 1: when they introduce the floods clapping their hands, and little
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  Speaker 1: hills leaping, and mountains skipping. Not that we are to
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  Speaker 1: fancy them alive or ascribe any reasoning power to them,
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  Speaker 1: but that we may learn the greatness of the blessings,
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  Speaker 1: so great as to reach even to things without sense.
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  Speaker 1: Also the very same thing they do many times also
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  Speaker 1: in the case of afflicting things, since they bring in
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  Speaker 1: the vine lamenting, and the wine too, and the mountains
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  Speaker 1: and the boardings of the temple howling. And in this
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  Speaker 1: case too it is that we may understand the extremity
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  Speaker 1: of the evils. It is then, in imitation of these
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  Speaker 1: that the Apostle makes a living person of the creature here,
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  Speaker 1: and says that it growneth and bewaileth. Not that he
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  Speaker 1: heard any groan conveyed from the Earth and heaven to him,
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  Speaker 1: but that he might show the exceeding greatness of the
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  Speaker 1: good things to come, and the desire of freedom from
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  Speaker 1: the ills which now pervade them. For the creature was
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  Speaker 1: made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of
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  Speaker 1: him who hath subjected the same. What is the meaning
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  Speaker 1: of the creature was made subject of vanity? Why that
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  Speaker 1: it became corruptible? For what cause? And on what account?
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  Speaker 1: On account of thee o man. For since thou hast
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  Speaker 1: taken a body mortal and liable to suffering, the earth
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  Speaker 1: too hath received a curse and brought forth thorns and thistles.
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  Speaker 1: But that the heaven, when it is waxen old along
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  Speaker 1: with the earth, is to change afterwards to a better portion.
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  Speaker 1: Here from the prophet, in his words, Thou, o Lord,
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  Speaker 1: from the beginning, hast founder. The earth and the heavens
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  Speaker 1: are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but
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  Speaker 1: thou shalt endure, and they all shall wax old, as
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  Speaker 1: doth a garment, and as a cloak. Shalt thou fold
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  Speaker 1: them up, and they shall be changed. Isiah too declares
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  Speaker 1: this when he says, look to the heavens above and
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  Speaker 1: upon the earth beneath. For the heavens are as a
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  Speaker 1: firmament of smoke, and the earth shall wax old like
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  Speaker 1: a garment, and they that dwell therein shall perish in
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  Speaker 1: like manner. Now you see what sense the creature is
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  Speaker 1: in bondage to vanity, and how it is to be
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  Speaker 1: freed from the ruined state. For the One says, thou
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  Speaker 1: shalt fold them up as a garment, and they shall
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  Speaker 1: be changed. And Isaiah says that they that dwell therein
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  Speaker 1: shall perish in like manner, not of course meaning and
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  Speaker 1: utter perishing. For neither do they that dwell therein mankind
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  Speaker 1: that is undergo such an one but a temporary and
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  Speaker 1: through it they are changed into an incorruptible state. And
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  Speaker 1: so therefore will the creature be. And all this he
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  Speaker 1: showed by the way by his saying in like manner,
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  Speaker 1: which Paul also says farther on. At present, however, he
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  Speaker 1: speaks about the bondage itself, and shows for what reason
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  Speaker 1: it became such, and gives ourselves as the cause of it.
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  Speaker 1: What then, was it harshly treated on another's account by
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  Speaker 1: no means? For it was on my account that it
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  Speaker 1: was made? What wrong then is done it which was
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  Speaker 1: made for my sake? When it suffereth these things for
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  Speaker 1: my correction? Or indeed, one has no need to moot
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  Speaker 1: the question of right and wrong at all in the
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  Speaker 1: case of things void of soul and feeling. But Paul,
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  Speaker 1: since he had made it a living person, makes use
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  Speaker 1: of none of these topics I have mentioned, but another
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  Speaker 1: kind of language, as desiring to comfort the hero with
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  Speaker 1: the utmost advantage. And of what kind is this? What
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  Speaker 1: have you to say? He means, it was evil entreated
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  Speaker 1: for thy sake and became corruptible, Yet it has had
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  Speaker 1: no wrong done it for incorruptible? Will it be for
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  Speaker 1: thy sake? Again? This then, is the meaning of in hope.
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  Speaker 1: But when he says it was not willingly that it
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  Speaker 1: was made subject, it is not to show that it
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  Speaker 1: is possessed of judgment that he says so, but that
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  Speaker 1: he may learn that the whole is brought about by
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  Speaker 1: Christ's care and is no achievement of its own. And
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  Speaker 1: now see in what hope also verse twenty one, that
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  Speaker 1: the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage
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  Speaker 1: of corruption. Now what is this creature? Not thyself alone,
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  Speaker 1: but that also which is thy inferior, and partaketh not
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  Speaker 1: of reason or sense, This too shall be a sharer
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  Speaker 1: in Thy blessings, for it shall be freed, he says,
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  Speaker 1: from the bondage of corruption, that is, it shall no
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  Speaker 1: longer be corruptible, but shall go along with the beauty
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  Speaker 1: given to thy body. Just as when this became corruptible,
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  Speaker 1: that became corruptible. Also so now it is made incorruptible,
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  Speaker 1: that also shall go along with and follow it too.
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  Speaker 1: And to show this he proceeds into the glorious liberty
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  Speaker 1: of the children of God, that is, because of the liberty,
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  Speaker 1: for as a nurse who is bringing up a king's child,
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  Speaker 1: when he has come to his father's power, does herself
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  Speaker 1: enjoy the good things along with him. Thus, also in
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  Speaker 1: the creation he means, you see how in all respects
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  Speaker 1: man takes the lead, and that it is for his
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  Speaker 1: sake that all things are made. See how he solaces
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  Speaker 1: the struggler and shows the unspeakable love of God towards man.
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  Speaker 1: For why he would say, dost thou fret at thy temptations,
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  Speaker 1: Thou art suffering for thyself the creation for thee. Nor
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  Speaker 1: does he solace only, but also shows what he says
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  Speaker 1: to be trustworthy. For if the creation, which was made
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  Speaker 1: entirely for thee, is in hope, much more oughtest thou
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  Speaker 1: to be through whom the creation is to come to
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  Speaker 1: the enjoyment of those good things. Thus, men, also, when
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  Speaker 1: a son is to appear, at his coming to a dignity,
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  Speaker 1: clothe even the servants with a brighter garment to the
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  Speaker 1: glory of the sun. So will God also clothe the
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  Speaker 1: creature with incorruption for the glorious liberty of the children.
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  Speaker 1: Verse twenty two. For we know that the whole cree
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  Speaker 1: nation growneth and travaileth in pain. Together. Until now observe
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  Speaker 1: how He shames the hearer, saying, almost be not thou
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  Speaker 1: worse than the Creation, neither find a pleasure in resting
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  Speaker 1: in things present. Not only ought we not to cling
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  Speaker 1: to them, but even to groan over the delay of
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  Speaker 1: our departure. Hence, for if the Creation doth this much more,
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  Speaker 1: oughtst thou to do so, honored with reason as thou art.
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  Speaker 1: But as this was not yet enough to force their attention,
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  Speaker 1: he proceeds verse twenty three. And not only they, but
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  Speaker 1: ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the spirit,
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  Speaker 1: even we ourselves grown within ourselves, that is, having had
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  Speaker 1: a taste of the things to come. For even if
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  Speaker 1: any should be quite stone hard, he means what has
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  Speaker 1: been given already is enough to raise him up and
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  Speaker 1: draw him off from things present, and to wing him
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  Speaker 1: after things to come, in two ways, both by the
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  Speaker 1: greatness of the things that are given, and by the
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  Speaker 1: fact that great and numerous as they are, they are
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  Speaker 1: but first fruits. For if the first fruits be so great,
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  Speaker 1: that we are thereby freed even from our sins, and
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  Speaker 1: aim to righteousness and sanctification, and that those of that
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  Speaker 1: time both drave out devils and raise the dead by
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  Speaker 1: their shadow, or garments, Consider how great the whole must be.
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  Speaker 1: And if the creation devoid as it is, of mind
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  Speaker 1: and reason, and though in ignorance of these things, yet
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  Speaker 1: growneth much more should we next that he may give
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  Speaker 1: the heretics no handle, or seem to be disparaging our
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  Speaker 1: present world. We groan, He says, not as finding fold
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  Speaker 1: with the present system, but through a desire of those
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  Speaker 1: greater things. And this he shows in the words waiting
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  Speaker 1: for the adoption, What dost thou say, let me hear
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  Speaker 1: thoudst insist on it at every turn, and its cry
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  Speaker 1: aloud that we were already made sons. And now thou
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  Speaker 1: placest this good thing among hopes, writing that we must
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  Speaker 1: needs wait for it now. It is to set this
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  Speaker 1: right by the sequel that he says, to wit the
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  Speaker 1: redemption of our body, that is the perfect glory our lot.
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  Speaker 1: Indeed is at present uncertainty to our last breath, since
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  Speaker 1: many that were so have become dogs and prisoners. But
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  Speaker 1: if we decease with a good hope, then is the
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  Speaker 1: gift unmovable and clearer and greater, having no longer any
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  Speaker 1: change to fear from death and sin. Then therefore will
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  Speaker 1: the grace be secure when our body shall be freed
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  Speaker 1: from death and its countless ailments. For this is full redemption,
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  Speaker 1: not a redemption only, but such that we shall never
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  Speaker 1: again return to our former captivity. For that thou mayst
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  Speaker 1: not be perplexed at hearing so much of glory without
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  Speaker 1: getting any distinct knowledge of it. He partially exposes to
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  Speaker 1: thy view the things to come setting before thee the
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  Speaker 1: change of thy body, and along with it the change
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  Speaker 1: of the whole creation. And this he has put in
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  Speaker 1: a clearer light in another passage, where he says, who
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  Speaker 1: shall change our vile body? That it may be fashioned
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  Speaker 1: like unto his glorious body? And in another place again
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  Speaker 1: he writes and says, but when this mortal shall have
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  Speaker 1: put on immortality, then shall the saying that is written
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  Speaker 1: be brought to pass? Death is swallowed up in victory.
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  Speaker 1: But to show that with the corruption of the body,
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  Speaker 1: the constitution of the things of this life will also
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  Speaker 1: come to an end, he wrote again elsewhere, for the
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  Speaker 1: fashion of this world passeth away Verse twenty four. For
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  Speaker 1: we are saved by hope, he says now, since he
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  Speaker 1: had dwelt upon the promise of the things to come,
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  Speaker 1: and this seemed to pain the weaker heerer, if the
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  Speaker 1: blessings are all matter of hope, after proving before that
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  Speaker 1: they are surer than things present and visible, and discoursing
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  Speaker 1: at large on the gifts already given, and showing that
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  Speaker 1: we have received the first fruits of those good things,
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  Speaker 1: lest we should seek our all in this world and
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  Speaker 1: betraitors to the nobility that faith gives us, He says,
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  Speaker 1: for we are saved by hope, and this is about
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  Speaker 1: what he means. We are not to seek our all
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  Speaker 1: in this life, but to have hope also, for this
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  Speaker 1: is the only gift that we brought in to God,
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  Speaker 1: believing him in what he promised shall come. And it
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  Speaker 1: was by this way alone we were saved. If then
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  Speaker 1: we lose this hope, we have lost all that was
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  Speaker 1: of our own contributing for I put you this question,
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  Speaker 1: would he say, were thou not liable for countless sins?
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  Speaker 1: Wert thou not in despair? WoT thou not under sentence?
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  Speaker 1: Wert not all out of heart about thy salvation? What then,
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  Speaker 1: save thee? It was thy hoping in God alone and
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  Speaker 1: trusting to Him about his promises and gifts, And nothing
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  Speaker 1: besides hadst thou to bring in if it was this
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  Speaker 1: then that saved THEE, Hold it fast now also, for
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  Speaker 1: that which afforded THEE so great blessings to a certainty,
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  Speaker 1: will not deceive THEE in regard to things to come.
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  Speaker 1: For in that it found THEE dead and ruined, and
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  Speaker 1: a prisoner and an enemy, and yet made THEE a
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  Speaker 1: friend and a son, and a freeman, and righteous and
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  Speaker 1: a joint heir, and yielded such great things as no
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  Speaker 1: one ever expected. Even how after such munificence and attachment,
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  Speaker 1: will let betray THEE in what is to follow? Say
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  Speaker 1: not to me hopes again, expectations again, faith again. For
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  Speaker 1: it is in this way thou wulst saved from the beginning,
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  Speaker 1: And this dowry was the only one that thou didst
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  Speaker 1: bring into the bridegroom. Hold it then, fast, and keep it,
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  Speaker 1: For if thou demandest to have everything in this world,
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  Speaker 1: thou hast lost that well doing of thine through which
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  Speaker 1: thou didst become bright. And this is why he proceeds
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  Speaker 1: to say, but hope that is seen is not hope
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  Speaker 1: for what a man seeth. Why doth he yet hope
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  Speaker 1: for those twenty five? But if we hope for that
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  Speaker 1: we see not, then do we with patience wait for it?
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  Speaker 1: That is, if thou art to be looking for everything
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  Speaker 1: in this world, what need is therefore hope? What is hope?
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  Speaker 1: Then it is feeling confidence in things to come. What
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  Speaker 1: great demand then doth God make upon thee? Since he
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  Speaker 1: himself giveth thee blessings quite entire from his own stores,
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  Speaker 1: one thing only hope. He asks of THEE that thou
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  Speaker 1: too mayst have somewhat of thine own to contribute towards
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  Speaker 1: thy salvation. And this he intimates in what he proceeds with.
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  Speaker 1: For if we hope for that we see not, then
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  Speaker 1: do we with patience wait for it. As then God
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  Speaker 1: crown with him that undergoes labors and hartnesses and countless toils.
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  Speaker 1: So doth he him that hopeth, for the name of
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  Speaker 1: patience belongs to hard work and much endurance. Yet even
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  Speaker 1: this he hath granted to the man that hopeth, that
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  Speaker 1: he might solace the wearied soul. And then to show
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  Speaker 1: that for this light task we enjoy abundant aid, he
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  Speaker 1: proceeds verse twenty six. Likewise, the spirit also helpeth our infirmities.
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  Speaker 1: For the one point is thy own, that of patience.
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  Speaker 1: But the other comes of these spirits furnishing who also
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  Speaker 1: cherisheth THEE unto this hope, and through it again lighteneth
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  Speaker 1: thy labors, Then that thou mightst know that it is
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  Speaker 1: not in thy labors only and dangers, that this grace
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  Speaker 1: standeth by THEE. But even in things the most easy,
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  Speaker 1: seemingly it worketh with THEE, and on all occasions bears
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  Speaker 1: its part in the alliance. He proceeds to say, for
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  Speaker 1: we know not what we should pray for as we ought.
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  Speaker 1: And this he said to show the Spirit's great concern
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  Speaker 1: about us, and also to instruct them not to think
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  Speaker 1: for certainty that those things are desirable, which a man's
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  Speaker 1: reasonings appear so, for since it was likely that they,
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  Speaker 1: when they were scourged and driven out and suffering grievances
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  Speaker 1: without number, should be seeking a respite and think it
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  Speaker 1: was advantageous to them, and ask this favor of God
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  Speaker 1: by no means, he says, suppose that what seemed blessings
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  Speaker 1: to you really are so, for we need God's aid
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  Speaker 1: even to do this. So feeble is man, and such
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  Speaker 1: a nothing by himself. For this is why he says,
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  Speaker 1: for we know not what we should pray for as
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  Speaker 1: we ought, in order that the learner might not feel
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  Speaker 1: any shame at his ignorance. He does not say, ye
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  Speaker 1: know not, but we know not. And that he did
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  Speaker 1: not say this merely to seem moderate. He plainly shows
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  Speaker 1: from other passages, for he desired in his prayers unceasingly
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  Speaker 1: to see Rome. Yet the time when he obtained it
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  Speaker 1: was not at once when he desired it. And for
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  Speaker 1: the thorn that was given him in the flesh, that
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  Speaker 1: is the dangers. He often besought God and was entirely unsuccessful.
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  Speaker 1: And so was Moses, who in the Old Testament prays
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  Speaker 1: to see Palestine, and Jeremiah when he made supplication for
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  Speaker 1: the Jews, and Abraham when he interceded for the people
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  Speaker 1: of Sodom. But the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us
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  Speaker 1: with groanings which cannot be uttered. This statement is not clear,
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  Speaker 1: owing to the cessation of many of the wonders which
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  Speaker 1: then used to take place. Wherefore, I must needs inform
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  Speaker 1: you of the state of things at that time, and
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  Speaker 1: in this way the rest of the subject will be cleared.
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  Speaker 1: What therefore was the state of things? Then? God did
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  Speaker 1: in those days give to all that were baptized certain
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  Speaker 1: excellent gifts, And the name that these had was spirits.
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  Speaker 1: For these spirits of the prophets, it says, are subject
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  Speaker 1: to the prophets. And one had the gift of prophecy
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  Speaker 1: and foretold things to come, and another of wisdom and
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  Speaker 1: toward the many, and another of healings and cured the sick,
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  Speaker 1: and another of miracles and raised the dead, another of
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  Speaker 1: tongues and spake different languages. And with all these there
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  Speaker 1: was also a gift of prayer, which also was called
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  Speaker 1: a spirit. And he that had this prayed for all
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  Speaker 1: the people. For since we are ignorant of much that
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  Speaker 1: is profitable for us, and ask things that are not profitable,
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  Speaker 1: the gift of prayer came into some particular person of
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  Speaker 1: that day, and what was profitable for all the whole
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  Speaker 1: church alike, he was the appointed person to ask for
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  Speaker 1: in behalf of all and the instructor of the rest spirit.
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  Speaker 1: Then is the name that he gives here to the
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  Speaker 1: grace of this character and the soul that receiveth the
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  Speaker 1: grace and intercedeth to God and groaneth. For he that
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  Speaker 1: was counted worthy of such grace as this, standing with
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  Speaker 1: much compunction, and with many mental groanings falling before God
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  Speaker 1: asked the things that were profitable for all. And of
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  Speaker 1: this the deacon at the present day is a symbol
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  Speaker 1: when he offers up the prayers for the people. This, then,
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  Speaker 1: is what Paul means when he says, the Spirit itself
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  Speaker 1: maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered.
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  Speaker 1: End of Section twenty six.