Perceive ye how great is the power of bonds? How great the force of those praises that are sung in tribulation? Their heart failed not, they were not cast down, but were then yet more vigorous, and their courage then yet greater and justly so.
While we are considering these things one question yet remains for us: Why was it that in the prison on the one hand, the prisoners were loosed, whilst in the furnace the executioners were burnt to death: for that indeed should have been the king's fate, because neither were they who bound them, nor they who cast them into the furnace, guilty of so great sin as the man who commanded this should be done. Why then did they perish? On this point there is not any very great need of minute examination; for they were wicked men. And therefore this was providentially ordered, that the power of the fire might be shown, and the miracle might be made more signal; for if it thus devoured them that were without, how did it show them unscathed that were within it? it was that the power of God might be made manifest. And let no one wonder that I have put the king on a level with the jailor, for he did the same thing; the one was in no wise more noble than the other, and they both had their reward.
But, as I said, the righteous, when they are in tribulations, are then especially more energetic, and when they are in bonds: for to suffer any thing for Christ's sake is the sweetest of all consolation.
Will ye that I remind you of yet another prison? It seems necessary to go on from this chain to another prison still. And which will ye? Shall it be that of Jeremiah, or of Joseph, or of John? Thanks to Paul's chain; how many prisons has it opened to our discourse? Will ye have that of John? He also was once bound for Christ's sake, and for the law of God. What then? Was he idle when he was in prison? Was it not from thence he sent, by his disciples, and said, "Art Thou He that cometh, or look we for another?" (Matt. xi. 2, 3.) Even when there, then, it seems he taught, for surely he did not disregard his duty. But again, did not Jeremiah prophesy concerning the king of Babylon, and fulfil his work even there in prison? And what of Joseph? Was he not in prison thirteen years? What then? Not even there did he forget his virtue. I have yet to mention the bonds of one and therewith will close my discourse. Our Master Himself was bound, He who loosed the world from sins. Those hands were bound, those hands that wrought ten thousand good deeds. For, "they bound Him," it saith, "and led Him away to Caiaphas;" (Matt. xxvii. 2; John xviii. 24.) yes, He was bound who had wrought so many marvellous works.
Reflecting on these things, let us never repine; but whether we be in bonds, let us rejoice; or whether we be not in bonds, let us be as though we were bound together with Him. See how great a blessing are bonds! Knowing all these things, let us send up our thanksgiving for all things to God, through Christ Jesus our Lord with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Ghost, be glory, might, and honor, now and forever and ever. Amen.
[260] [Christ referred to the glorification with His Father which was to follow his humiliation. Cf. John xvii. 5. Philip. ii. 9.--G.A.]
[261] ["The one requires no less power than the other, the same divine exousia enables both to be done. But that ye may know that I was entitled to say the one, I will prove to you that I have the power to say the other."--Meyer. Since neither is easier but each alike requires divine power, if I can prove to you that I have this divine power to do one, that will prove to you that I have power to do the other.--G.A.]
[262] amuetous.
[263] [The Jews, when they imprisoned the Apostles as recorded in Acts v. 19.--G.A.]
[264] [The prison which suggested this discourse (Eph. iv. 1.) was that of Paul in Rome, but the next one mentioned and discoursed of by St. Chrysostom was the one in which Paul was at Philippi, Acts xvi., the next one was the prison where Peter was at Jerusalem, and this last one (Acts v. 19.) at Jerusalem also. No mention has been made of any imprisonment at Cæsarea.--G.A.]
[265] [This reminds one of the saying of an eccentric evangelist in America who refering to those that abused and persecuted him for the severity of his preaching said, "It's always the hit dog that yelps."--G.A.]
[266] [This passage reminds one of the famous golden chain of Homer, seiren chruseien, (Iliad viii. 19-27) to which several allegorical meanings have been given.--G.A.]
[267] [The ancient custom was the reverse of ours, for the preacher commonly delivered his sermon sitting, and the people heard it standing.--Bingham Antiquities Bk. xiv. Ch. iv. Sec. 24.--G.A.]
[268] [The word in the Greek doulos which means a bond-slave, though softened in the Auth. Ver. to "servant" and in the Rev. Ver. to "bond-servant."--G.A.]
[269] [Field's text has here etolmese, he did not venture;' but that gives a sense less satisfactory than the text of Savile and the Oxford translator, ekeleuse, which is well attested.--G.A.]