So then the prophets, so many years before, speak of the hall of judgment, and of the condemnation, and of them that were crucified with Him, and of the division of the garments, and of the lot cast upon them, and of many more things besides (for indeed it is unnecessary to allege all now, lest we make our discourse long): and was this man, greater than them all, ignorant of all these things? Nay, how should this be reasonable?
And why did he not say, "Art thou He that should come to hell," [1540] but simply, "He that should come?" Although this were far more absurd than the others, I mean their saying, "he therefore said these things, that he might preach there also after his departure." To whom it were seasonable to say, "Brethren, be not children in understanding, howbeit in malice be ye children." [1541] For the present life indeed is the season for right conversation, but after death is judgment and punishment. "For in hell," it is said, "who will confess unto thee?"
How then were "the gates of brass burst, and the bars of iron broken in sunder"? [1543] By His body; for then first was a body shown, immortal, and destroying the tyranny of death. And besides, this indicates the destruction of the might of death, not the loosing of the sins of those who had died before His coming. And if this were not so, but He have delivered all that were before Him from hell, [1544] how saith He, "It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah?" [1545] For this saying supposes that those are also to be punished; more mildly indeed, yet still that they are to be punished. And yet they did also suffer here the most extreme punishment, nevertheless not even this will deliver them. And if it is so with them, much more with such as have suffered nothing.
"What then?" one may say, "were they wronged, who lived before His coming?" By no means, for men might then be saved, even though they had not confessed Christ. For this was not required of them, but not to worship idols, and to know the true God. "For the Lord thy God," it is said, "is one Lord." [1546] Therefore the Maccabees were admired, because for the observance of the law they suffered what they did suffer; and the three children, and many others too amongst the Jews, having shown forth a very virtuous life, and having maintained the standard of this their knowledge, had nothing more required of them. For then it was sufficient for salvation, as I have said already, to know God only; but now it is so no more, but there is need also of the knowledge of Christ. Therefore He said, "If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin, but now they have no cloak for their sin." [1547]
So likewise with regard to the rule of practice. Then murder was the destruction of him that committed it, but now even to be angry. And then to commit adultery, and to lie with another man's wife, brought punishment, but now even to look with unchaste eyes. For as the knowledge, so also the rule of life is now made stricter. So that there was no need of a forerunner there.
And besides, if unbelievers are after death to be saved on their believing, no man shall ever perish. For all will then repent and adore. And in proof that this is true, hear Paul saying, "Every tongue shall confess, and every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth." [1548] And, "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." [1549] But there is no advantage in that submission, for it comes not of a rightly disposed choice, but of the necessity of things, as one may say, thenceforth taking place.
Let us not then any more bring in such old wives' doctrines, and Jewish fables. Hear at least what Paul saith touching these things. "For as many as have sinned without law, shall also perish without law;" [1550] where his discourse is of those who lived in the time before the law; and, "As many as have sinned in the law, shall be judged by the law," [1551] speaking of all after Moses. And, "That the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men," [1552] and, "indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile." [1553] And yet countless were the evils which the Gentiles have suffered in this world, and this is declared alike by the histories of the heathens, and by the Scriptures that are in our hands. For who could recount the tragic calamities of the Babylonians, or those of the Egyptians? But in proof that they who, not having known Christ before His coming in the flesh, yet refrained from idolatry and worshipped God only, and showed forth an excellent life, shall enjoy all the blessings; hear what is said: "But glory, and honor, and peace to every one that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile." Seest thou that for their good deeds there are many rewards, and chastisements again, and penalties for such as have done the contrary?
4. Where now, tell me, are the utter unbelievers in hell? Why, if those before Christ's coming, who had not so much as heard the name of hell, [1554] nor of a resurrection, and were punished here, shall suffer punishment there also; how much more we that have been nurtured in so many lessons of strict virtue? [1555]
And how is it reasonable, asks one, that they that have never heard of hell, [1556] should fall into hell? For they will say, "If thou hadst threatened hell, we should have feared more, and have been sobered." To be sure; (is it not so?) at our rate of living now, who hear daily the sayings about hell, and give no heed at all.
And besides, there is this also to be said; that he who is not restrained by the judgments in sight, much less will he be restrained by those others. For the less reasonable sort, and those of a grosser disposition, are wont to be sobered rather by things which are at hand, and straightway to happen, than by such as will come to pass a long time after. "But over us," one may say, "a greater fear is suspended, and herein were they wronged." By no means. For first, there are not the same measures [1557] set to us as to them, but much greater for us. Now they that have undertaken greater labors, ought to enjoy greater help. And it is no little help, that our fear has been increased. And if we have an advantage over them in knowing things to come, they have an advantage over us in that the severe punishments are presently laid upon them.
But there is something else, which the multitude say with respect to this also. For "where," say they, "is God's justice, when any one for sinning here, is punished both here and there?" Would ye then I should put you in mind of your own sayings, that ye may no longer give us trouble, but furnish the solution from within yourselves. I have heard many of our people, if haply they were told of a murderer cut off in a court of justice, how they had indignation, and talked in this way: "This unholy and accursed wretch, having perpetrated thirty murders, or even many more, hath himself undergone one death only; and where is the justice of it?" So that ye yourselves confess, that one death is not sufficient for punishment; how give ye then an opposite sentence now. Because not others but yourselves are the objects of your judgment: so great a hindrance is self-love to our perceiving what is just. Because of this, when we are judging others, we search out all things with strictness, but when we are sitting in judgment on ourselves, we are blinded. Since if we were to search into these things in our own case too, as we do with regard to other men, we should give an uncorrupt sentence. For we also have sins, deserving not two or three, but ten thousand deaths. And to pass over all the rest, let us recollect ourselves, as many of us as partake unworthily of the mysteries; such men being guilty of the body and blood of Christ. Wherefore, when thou art talking of the murderer, take account of thyself also. For he indeed hath murdered a man, but thou art under the guilt of slaying the Lord; and he, not having partaken of mysteries, but we, while enjoying the benefit of the sacred table.
And what are they that bite and devour their brethren, and pour out such abundance of venom? What is he that robs the poor of their food? For if he who imparts not of his own, is such as I have said, much more he that takes the things of others. [1558] How many robbers do the covetous surpass in wickedness! how many murderers and robbers of tombs, the rapacious! and how many after spoiling men are desirous even of their blood!
"Nay," saith he, "God forbid." Now thou sayest, God forbid. When thou hast an enemy, then say, God forbid, and call to mind what hath been said, and show forth a life full of great strictness; lest the portion of Sodom await us also, lest we suffer the lot of Gomorrha, lest we undergo the ills of the Tyrians and Sidonians; or rather, lest we offend Christ, which were a thing more grievous and more to be feared than all.
For though to many hell [1559] seem to be a fearful thing, yet I for my part will not cease continually to say, that this is more grievous and fearful than any hell; and you I entreat to be of the same mind. For so shall we both be delivered from hell, and enjoy the glory that is bestowed of Christ; 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.
[1507] [R.V., "Of the Christ," as in nearly all authorities, but Chrysostom reads to Ieso.--R.]
[1508] [R.V., "by his disciples," but some ancient authorities (Vulgate also) support "two." Taken from Luke vii. 19.--R.]
[1509] [R.V., "He that cometh."]
[1510] Matt. xi. 2, 3.
[1511] Luke vii. 18.
[1512] John i. 27.
[1513] John i. 33.
[1514] Matt. iii. 14.
[1515] John iii. 30.
[1516] Matt. iii. 11.
[1517] John i. 29. [R.V., "Or, beareth the sin," etc.]
[1518] [ok n aut dxan peritheke.]
[1519] John iii. 26.
[1520] John iii. 25. [R.V., "with a Jew." So one ms. here. In Homily XXIX. on John, Chrysostom distinctly accepts the singular, as do nearly all Greek mss.--R.]
[1521] Matt. ix. 14.
[1522] Matt. xi. 3.
[1523] Luke vii. 21.
[1524] Matt. iv. 5.
[1525] Matt. xi. 6. [R.V., "shall find none occasion of stumbling in me."]
[1526] John viii. 13. [R.V., "witness."]
[1527] See Origen, 2 Hom. in Reg. t. ii. p. 495, 6; St. Ambr. in Luc. vii. 19; St. Jerome in loc. [The Greek term used is "Hades," not "Gehenna."--R.]
[1528] John i. 29.
[1529] Col. ii. 14. [Comp. R.V., in loco.]
[1530] Matt. iii. 11.
[1531] Matt. xi. 9.
[1532] Isa. liii. 7.
[1533] Isa. xi. 10.
[1534] Isa. liii. 12.
[1535] Isa. liii. 8, from LXX.
[1536] Ps. ii. 1, 2.
[1537] Ps. xxii. 16.
[1538] Ps. xxii. 18.
[1539] Ps. lxix. 21.
[1540] [e tn dn.]
[1541] 1 Cor. xiv. 20.
[1542] Ps. vi. 5 [had].
[1543] Ps. cvii. 16.
[1544] [genne.]
[1545] Matt. x. 15.
[1546] Deut. vi. 4.
[1547] John xv. 22. [R.V., "excuse."]
[1548] Phil. ii. 10, 11.
[1549] 1 Cor. xv. 26.
[1550] Rom. ii. 12.
[1551] Rom. ii. 12.
[1552] Rom. i. 18.
[1553] Rom. ii. 8, 9.
[1554] [genne.]
[1555] philosopha.
[1556] [genne, and so throughout the paragraph.--R.]
[1557] skmmata.
[1558] The words in italics, both here and below, are omitted in several mss.
[1559] [genna, and similarly throughout the paragraph.--R.]