Homilies on the Gospel of St. Matthew: Part II: Homilies 26–58 9781463231484

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Homilies on the Gospel of St. Matthew

Gorgias Occasional Historical Commentaries

20

Gorgias Occasional Historical Commentaries is a series that seeks to reprint historically important biblical commentaries. Rather than seeking to cover each book of the Bible as a standard commentary series would do, this series strives to bring back to the community of biblical scholars works that have had impact on subsequent biblical studies but which have been difficult to locate for decades or more because they have gone out of print.

Homilies on the Gospel of St. Matthew

Part II: Homilies 26-58

By

John Chrysostom Translated by

George Prévost

1 gorgias press 2011

Gorgias Press LLC, 954 River Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA www.gorgiaspress.com Copyright© 2011 by Gorgias Press LLC Originally published in 1843 All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise without the prior written permission of Gorgias Press LLC.

2011

ISBN 978-1-61143-363-0

Printed in the United States of America

1 ISSN 1935-4398

THE

HOMILIES OF

ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM ARCHBISHOP OF CONSTANTINOPLE

ON THE

GOSPEL OF ST. MATTHEW PART II

TO T H E MEMORY OF T H E

MOST R E V E R E N D F A T H E R

IN

GOD

WILLIAM LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, P R I M A T E OF ALL E N G L A N D , FORMERLY R E M U S PROFESSOR O F D I V I N I T Y IN T H E UNIVERSITY O F

OXFORD,

THIS LIBRARY OF

ANCIENT BISHOPS, FATHERS, DOCTORS, MARTYRS, CONFESSORS, OF CHRIST'S HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH, UNDERTAKEN

AMID

HIS

ENCOURAGEMENT,

AND

CARRIED ON FOR T W E L V E YEARS U N D E R H I S UNTIL HIS DEPARTURE

HENCE IN

PEACE,

IS GRATEFULLY AND

REVERENTLY

INSCRIBED.

SANCTION,

CONTENTS

HOMILY X X V I . Page 385» MATT.

viii.

5.

And when He was entered into Capernaum, there came unto Him a centurion, beseeching Him, and saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sicJc of the palsy, grievously tormented.

HOMILY XXVII. Page 403.

viii. 14, 15. And¿when [Jesus was come into Peters house, He saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever : and He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she arose, and ministered unto Him. MATT.

HOMILY X X V I I I . Page 414.

viii. 23, 24. And when He was entered into a ship, His disciples followed Him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves, but He was asleep. MATT.

b

IV

CONTENTS.

HOMILY

XXIX.

Page 427. M A T T , i x . 1, 2.

And He entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into His own city. And, behold, they brought to Him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

HOMILY

XXX.

Page 434. M A T T . i x . 9.

And as Jesus passed forth from thence, He saiv a man sitting at the receipt custom, named Matthew; and He saith unto him, Follow Me.

H O M I L Y X X XT. Page 448. MATT. ix.

18.

While He spake these things unio them, behold, there came in a ruler, and loorshipped Him, saying, My daughter is even now dead, but come and lay Thy hand upon her, and she shall live.

HOMILY XX XII. Page 460. MATT.

ix. 27—80.

And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed Him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. And when He was come into the house, the blind men came to Him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this ? They say unto Him, Yea, Lord. Then touched He their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened.

V

CONTENTS. HOMILY X X X I I I . Page 479. MATT. x „ 16.

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; he ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves, HOMILY X X X I Y . Page 495. M A T T . X.

23.

But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into the other; for verily I say unto you, ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of Man be come. HOMILY X X X Y . Page 507. MATT. x . 34.

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth; not come to send peace, but a sword.

I am

HOMILY X X X V I , Page 521. M A T T . x i . 1.

And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding His twelve disciples, He departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. HOMILY X X X V I I . Page 531. M A T T . x i . 7,

8,9.

And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see ? A reed shaken with the wind ? But what went ye out for to see ? A man clothed in soft raiment ? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. But what went ye out for to see ? A prophet ? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

vi

CONTENTS. HOMILY X X X V I I I . Page 548. M A T T . x i . 25,

26.

At that time Jesus answered and said, I make acknowledgment unto Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth; because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight.

HOMILY X X X I X . Page 557. M A T T . x i i . 1.

At that time Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the corn; and His disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.

HOMILY XL. Page 565. MATT. x i i . 9 , 10.

And when He was departed thence, He went into their synagogue: and, behold, a man tohich had his hand withered.

HOMILY X L L Page 576. M A T T . x i i . 25,

26.

And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself shall be brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself, shall not stand: and if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

CONTENTS.

vii

HOMILY XLII. Page 586. MATT. x i i . 3 3 .

Either make the tree good, and his fruit good, or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by his fruit. HOMILY XLIII. Page 595. MATT. x i i . 3 8 , 3 9 .

Then certain of the Scribes and Pharisees answered Him, saying, Master, we would see a sign from Thee. But He answeredJ and said, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the Prophet Jonas.

HOMILY XLIY. Page 608. MATT. x i i . 4 6 — 4 9 .

While He yet talked to the people, behold, His mother and His brethren stood without, desiring to speak with Him. Then one said unto Him, Behold, Thy mother and Thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with Thee. But He answered and said unto him that told Him, Who is My mother and My brethren? And He stretched forth His hand toward His disciples, and said, Behold My mother and My brethren ! HOMILY XLV. Page 621. MATT.

xiii. 10, 11.

And the disciples came, and said unto Him, Why speakest Thou unto them in parables ? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is not given.

viii

CONTENTS.

HOMILY X L V I . Page 628.

xiii. 2 4 — 3 0 . Another parable put He forth unto them, saying, The Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field. But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field ? whence then hath it tares ? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up ? But he said, Nay, lest while we gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both therefore grow together until the harvest. MATT.

HOMILY X L V I I . Page 638.

xiii. 3 4 , 35. All these things spake Jesus unto the multitudes in parables, and without a parable spake He not unto them; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet, saying, I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things that have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. MATT.

H O M I L Y XLVIIT. Page 648.

xiii. 53. And it, came to pass, that, when Jesus had finished these parables, He departed thence. MATT.

HOMILY X L I X . Page 664. M A T T . xiv. 13.

Btit when Jesus heard of it, He departed thence by ship into a desert place apart; and when the multitudes had heard thereof, they followed Him on foot out of all the cities.

ix

CONTENTS.

HOMILY L. Page 678. M A T T . x i v . 23,

24.

And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, He was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

HOMILY LI. Page 688. M A T T . XV.

1—6.

Then came to Jesus Scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do Thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But He answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition ? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me, and honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

HOMILY LII. Page 703. M A T T . XV. 21,

22.

And Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto Him, saying, Have mercy on me, 0 Lord, Thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

X

CONTENTS.

HOMILY LI 11. Page 716. M A T T . XV. 32.

But Jesus called His disciples unto Him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with Me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

HOMILY L I T . Page 728. MATT. xvi.

13.

Now when Jesus had gone forth into the coasts of Ceesarea PMlippi, He asked His disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am ? HOMILY LV. Page 742. MATT. xvi. 24.

Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him renounce himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. HOMILY L V I . Page 756. MATT. xvi.

28.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, There are some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom. HOMILY L V I I . Page 772. MATT.

xvii.

10.

And His disciples asked Him, saying, Why then say the Scribes that Elias must first come ?

CONTENTS.

HOMILY

XI

LVIII.

Page 785. MATT. xvii. 22,

23.

And while ihey abode in Galilee, Jesus said nnio them, The Son of Man shall be betrayed into the hands of men, and they shall kill Him, and the third day He shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.

The Centurioni.