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

Homily 5

HOMILIES 57 bidden us not only to endure it when we are struck, but even to offer ourselves to suffer something worse. However, we oppose Him with such violence that we not only do not expose ourselves to endure evil treatment, but even avenge ourselves, and often also take the initiative in laying unjust hands upon others. Moreover, we think we are worsted if we do not return like for like. And I say this because it is a terrible thing that we think we are victorious when, in fact, we are utterly vanquished. And when we are lying prostrate and receiving numberless blows from the Devil we think we are overcoming him. Wherefore, I beseech you, "let us understand what the true nature of the victory over anger is, and let us pursue this kind of victory. To endure ill treatment is to receive the crown. Well, then, if we wish also to be proclaimed victors by God, let us observe the rules, not of the pagan games, but those of God in these contests, and learn to endure all things with equanimity. In this way we shall truly overcome our adversaries and win the rewards: both those granted here and those promised to us by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom glory, power, and honor be to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, now and always, and forever and ever. Amen. Homily 5 (John 1.3-5) 'All things were made through Him and without Him was made nothing that has been made.'l Moses, in beginning his narrative in the Old Testament, spoke to us of the things of sense and enumerated them with many details. 'In the beginning,' he said, 'God created the I John I.!l. 58 SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM heavens and the earth';2 then he added that light also was made, and then a second heaven,3 and the nature of the stars, and every kind of living creature and-not to be tedious by naming them off one by one-everything else. But this Evangelist, cutting all short, summed up in a line both these things and those Moses mentioned. This he did with good reason, since he was dealing with matters well known to his audience. He hastened at once to a greater theme and entered upon his main task, which was to speak, not about the works of the Creator, but about the Creator and Author of all things. On this account, while Moses chose for his subject the inferior part of creation (for he did not discourse to us about the invisible powers) and dwelt on that, in detail, John, who was hastening to come to the Creator Himself, was justified in passing over both classes of things: not only thos:;: Moses spoke of, but also those about which he was silent-all of these he embraced in one short sentence: 'All things were made by Him.' And in order that you might not think that he meant only all those things explicitly mentioned by Moses he added: 'And without him was made nothing that has been made;' that is, no created thing, whether it be visible or merely intelligible, was brought into being without the power of the Son. We shall not punctuate with a period after the word 'nothing ,' as the heretics do. Thus, because they wish to say that the Spirit is a creature, they word it: 'That [which] has been made in Him was life.' But, read in this way, the sentence becomes unintelligible. In the first place, it was not the time here to make mention of the Spirit, and, even if he wished to do so, why did he make it so obscUl.Jy? How, indeed, is it certain that this statement was made with reference to the Spirit? 2 Gen. 1.1. 3 I.e., the sky. HOMILIES 59 Besides, we shall find that, according to their reading of this statement, it was not the Spirit, but the Son Himself, who came into being of Himself. But listen carefully, so that the meaning may not escape your understanding. And come, let us read it in their way for awhile, for in this way its strangeness will be more evident to us: 'That which has been made in Him was life.' They say that 'life' here means the Spirit. But this life...