Commentary on Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist, Homilies 1–47

Homily 30

HOMILIES 287 agree in that); the object to be sought is how to overcome it. How, th'en, do we overcome it? If we exchange true glory for vainglory. For, just as we scorn earthly wealth when we look to other riches, and despise this life when we fix our mind on that much better one, so also we shall be able to reject the glory here when we fix our mind on that glory which is holier by far than this; namely, real glory. In truth, the former is vain and foolish, with a name empty of substance, while the latter is true, and from heaven, and has as eulogists not men, but angels, and archangels, nay, rather, it has even men also, together with Him. If you look to that theatre, if you have learned the lesson of those crowns, if you lean on the applause from that quarter, it will never be possible for the things of this world to hinder you, nor will you esteem present things as great, nor will you seek for those that pass. And this is so, for in the royal palace no guard who stands near the king, ignoring the one who wears a diadem and sits on the throne, wastes his time on the cries of crows, or the noise of flies and gnats as they flit about and buzz. The praises of men, indeed, are no better than these. Well, then, since we know the worthlessness of human values, let us gather all things into a safe treasury, and let us seek the glory which lasts and is inviolable. Mayall of you obtain this glory by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom glory be to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, now and always, and throughout the endless ages of eternity. Amen. Homily 30 (John 3.31-34) 'He who comes from above is over all. He who is from the earth belongs to earth, and of the earth he speaks.'! 1 John 3.31. 288 SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM The love of glory is a terrible things, terrible and prolific of many evils. It is a kind of thorn, hard to remove; or a wild beast, impossible to tame; a many-headed monster, taking up arms against the very ones who feed it. Just as the worm gnaws through the wood by which it is generated, and the rust feeds on the iron whence it proceeds, and moths feed on wool, so also does vainglory destroy the soul that feeds it. Wherefore, we must be very much in earnest if we are to get rid of this disease. Indeed, notice here again what long incantations John chanted over his disciples who were afflicted with this disease, and with difficulty he mollified them. Besides the words upon which we have already commented, he showered them with still others. With what kind? He said: 'He who comes from above is over all. He who is from the earth belongs to earth, and of the earth he speaks.' He meant: 'Since you are spreading my testimony everywhere, and saying that I am more worthy of belief, it is necessary for you to know this: that it is not possible for Him who comes from heaven to be rendered worthy of belief through the agency of one who dwells on earth.' But what is the meaning of the expression: 'is over all'? And what did he wish to indicate by it? The meaning is as follows. By this expression he made it clear that Christ needs no one, but is Himself sufficient to Himself and that He is incomparably greater than all men. Further, he said that he himself 'is from the earth and speaks of the earth,' not in the sense that he was drawing on his own ideas, as he preached, but in the way that Christ said: 'If I have spoken of earthly things to you, and you do not believe.' Christ referred to baptism in this way, not because it was of earth, but because He was using it in contrast with His ineffable generation. So also in this context, when John said that he was speaking of the earth, He was compar- HOMILIES 289 ing his teaching with that of Christ. For, 'speaking of the earth' means nothing else than 'My teachings are small and of little...