But how, says one, if the Evangelist refers [353] to His manifestation to men, and to the glory which was to attend Him from them, does he speak of what was not yet accomplished, as having already taken place? for he does not say, "shall be," but "was." Because this is a custom among the prophets of old, to speak of the future as of the past. Thus Isaiah speaking of His slaughter does not say, "He shall be led (which would have denoted futurity) as a sheep to the slaughter"; but "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter" ( Isa. liii. 7 ); yet He was not yet Incarnate, but the Prophet speaks of what should be as if it had come to pass. So David, pointing to the Crucifixion, said not, "They shall pierce My hands and My feet," but "They pierced My hands and My feet, and parted My garments among them, and cast lots upon My vesture" ( Ps. xxii. 16, 18 ); and discoursing of the traitor as yet unborn, he says, "He which did eat of My bread, hath lifted up [354] his heel against Me" ( Ps. xli. 9 ); and of the circumstances of the Crucifixion, "They gave Me gall for meat, and in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink." ( Ps. lxix. 21.)
[4.] Do you desire that we adduce more examples, or do these suffice? For my part, I think they do; for if we have not dug over the ground in all its extent, [355] we have at least dug down to its bottom; and this last kind of work is not less laborious than the former; and we fear lest by straining your attention immoderately we cause you to fall back.
Let us then give to our discourse a becoming conclusion. And what conclusion is becoming? A suitable giving of glory to God; and that is suitable which is given, not by words only, but much more by actions. For He saith, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." ( Matt. v. 16.) Now nothing is more full of light than a most excellent conversation. As one of the wise men has said, "The paths of the just shine like the light" ( Prov. iv. 18 , LXX.); and they shine not for them alone who kindle the flame by their works, and are guides in the way of righteousness, but also for those who are their neighbors. Let us then pour oil into these lamps, that the flame become higher, [356] that rich light appear. For not only has this oil great strength now, but even when sacrifices were at their height, [357] it was far more acceptable than they could be. "I will have mercy," [358] He saith, "and not sacrifice." ( Matt. xii. 7; Hos. vi. 6.) And with good reason; for that is a lifeless altar, this a living; and all that is laid on that altar becomes the food of fire, and ends in dust, and it is poured forth as ashes, and the smoke of it is dissolved into the substance of the air; but here there is nothing like this, the fruits which it bears are different. As the words of Paul declare; for in describing the treasures of kindness to the poor laid up by the Corinthians, he writes, "For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God." ( 2 Cor. ix. 12.) And again; "Whiles they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the Gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; and by their prayer for you, which long after you." Dost thou behold it [359] resolving itself into thanksgiving and praise of God, and continual prayers of those who have been benefited, and more fervent charity? Let us then sacrifice, beloved, let us sacrifice every day upon these altars. For this sacrifice is greater than prayer and fasting, and many things beside, if only it come from honest gain, and honest toils, and be pure from all covetousness, and rapine, and violence. For God accepts such [360] offerings as these, but the others He turns away from and hates; He will not be honored out of other men's calamities, such sacrifice is unclean and profane, and would rather anger God than appease Him. So that we must use all carefulness, that we do not, in the place of service, insult Him whom we would honor. For if Cain for making a second-rate offering, [361] having done no other wrong, suffered extreme punishment, how shall not we when we offer anything gained by rapine and covetousness, suffer yet more severely. It is for this that God has shown to us the pattern [362] of this commandment, that we might have mercy, not be severe to our fellow-servants; but he who takes what belongs to one and gives it to another, hath not shown mercy, but inflicted hurt, and done an extreme injustice. As then a stone cannot yield oil, so neither can cruelty produce humanity; for alms when it has such a root as this is alms [363] no longer. Therefore I exhort that we look not to this only, that we give to those that need, but also that we give not from other men's plunder. "When one prayeth, and another curseth, whose voice will the Lord hear?" ( Ecclus. xxxiv. 24.) If we guide ourselves thus strictly, we shall be able by the grace of God to obtain much lovingkindness and mercy and pardon for what we have done amiss during all this long time, and to escape the river of fire; from which may it come to pass that we be all delivered, and [364] ascend to the Kingdom of Heaven, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
[313] al. "nothing."
[314] al. "is."
[315] al. "shall be."
[316] al. "this may be learnt from Ezekiel."
[317] al. "in a far greater way."
[318] Lit. "wipe out."
[319] al. "very much a servant."
[320] al. "and others again with these."
[321] politeias.
[322] leme, al. lume, "defilement."
[323] al. "said to."
[324] No such passage is extant in Josephus. Probably the place alluded to is Antiq. b. xviii. c. 5, § 2, where the destruction of the troops of Herod the tetrarch by Aretas is attributed to the death of John the Baptist.
[325] Ben. "the war through which the city of the Jews, which was once the mother city, is no city."
[326] al. "raises."
[327] Morel. kai panta ta autou ontos anezete, hos kai peri tes aorou helikias tes sphattomenes.
[328] al. "produce."
[329] Morel. inserts "hence, away with the thought."
[330] al. "of babes."
[331] al. "would not so."
[332] al. "because the many."
[333] gegonen.
[334] al. "those therefore."
[335] Morel. "as obeying it in all things: but they who yet moved below, needed also many other (things), because of their groveling on the ground, and being wrapt."
[336] al. "all the."
[337] al. "men for inst."
[338] hu postole.
[339] Lit. "shaded over."
[340] Morel. and ms. Savile reads prostitheasi te ptesei palin kai ... pleiona sunaptousin.
[341] al. "make believe."
[342] Matt. iii. 11, and Luke iii. 16.
[343] Some mss. add, "but being able to possess the souls of the many with much fearlessness."
[344] al. "Christ Himself."
[345] schema.
[346] Ben. "provoked (to curiosity) by."
[347] Matt. iii. 11 not verbally quoted.
[348] Not found in Matt.
[349] genomenos emprosthen.
[350] protos en.
[351] hu parxeos.
[352] ousioseos.
[353] al. "the reference is."
[354] al. "has magnified."
[355] al. "not much ground."
[356] al. "more soaring."
[357] lit. "flourished."
[358] e leon. St. Chrysostom plays on the word, which was pronounced nearly as e laion, "oil." Thus on 2 Tim. ii. 25, Hom. vi.
[359] the "service," leitourgia.
[360] al. "only such."
[361] ta deutereia prosenenkon. St. Chrysostom implies, that the offering of Cain was not of his best.
[362] eidos.
[363] e leemosune, (lit. "mercifulness,") whence our alms.
[364] Morel. "sit down in the heavenly bride-chamber."