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by John Chrysostom
Matt. I. 1.
"The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham."
Behold a third discourse, and we have not yet made an end of the prefatory matter. It was not then for nought that I said, It is the nature of these thoughts to have a great depth.
Come, then, let us speak today what remains. What is it then that is now required? Why Joseph's genealogy is traced, who had no part in the birth. And one cause we have mentioned already; but it is necessary to mention likewise the other, that which is more mystical and secret than the first. What then is this? He would not that it should be manifest to the Jews, at the time of the birth, that Christ was born of a virgin.
Nay, be not troubled at the strangeness of the saying. For it is no statement of mine, but of our fathers, wonderful and illustrious men. For if He disguised many things from the first, calling Himself Son of Man, and has not everywhere clearly unfolded to us even His equality with the Father; why do you wonder at His having for a time disguised this also, taking order as He was for a certain great and marvelous purpose? and would have condemned her for adultery. For if in regard to the other matters, for which they had frequent precedents likewise in the old dispensation, they were quite shameless in their obstinacy (for so, because He had cast out devils, they called Him possessed; and because He healed on the Sabbath day, they supposed Him to be an adversary of God; and yet oftentimes even before this had the Sabbath been broken), what would they not have said, if this had been told them? Especially as they had all time before this on their side, in that it never had produced any such thing. For if after so many miracles they still called Him son of Joseph, how before the miracles would they have believed that He was born of a virgin?
It is then for this reason that both Joseph has his genealogy traced, and the Virgin betrothed to him. For if even he, who was both a just and wondrous man, required many things, in order that he should receive that which had come to pass; an angel, and the vision in dreams, and the testimony from the prophets; how could the Jews, being both dull and depraved, and of so unfriendly spirit towards Him, have admitted this idea into their minds? For the strangeness and novelty thereof would be sure greatly to disturb them, and the fact that they had never so much as heard of such a thing having happened in the times of their forefathers. For as the man who was once persuaded that He is Son of God, would after that have no cause to doubt concerning this too; so he who was accounting Him to be a deceiver and an adversary of God, how could he but have been yet more offended by this, and have been led on unto the opposite notion? For this cause neither do the apostles at the first directly say this, but while of His resurrection they discourse much and often (forasmuch as of this there were examples in the times before, although not such as this); that He was born of a virgin they do not say always: nay, not even His mother herself ventured to utter this. See, for instance, what says the Virgin even to Himself: "Behold, Your father and I have sought You." Luke 2:48 For if this suspicion had been entertained, neither would He any longer have been accounted to be a Son of David, and this opinion not being held, many other evils besides would have arisen. For this cause neither do the angels say these things to all, but to Mary only, and Joseph; but when showing to the shepherds the glad tidings of that which had come to pass, they no longer added this.
2. But why is it, that having mentioned Abraham, and having said that "he begot Isaac, and Isaac, Jacob;" and not having made any mention of his brother; when he has come to Jacob, he remembers both "Judah, and his brethren"? Now there are some that say, it was because of the perverseness of Esau, and of the rest that came before. But I should not say this; for if it were so, how is it that he a little after mentions such women? It being out of contraries, in this place, that His glory is manifested; not by having great forefathers, but low and of little account. For to the lofty One it is a great glory to be able to abase Himself exceedingly. Wherefore then did He not mention them? Because Saracens, and Ishmaelites, and Arabians, and as many as are sprung from those ancestors, have nothing in common with the race of the Israelites. For this cause then he passes over those in silence, and hastens on to His forefathers, and those of the Jewish people. Wherefore he says, "And Jacob begot Judas and his brethren.
" For at this point the race of the Jews begins
to have its peculiar mark.
3. "And Judas begot Phares and Zara of Thamar." Matthew 1:3 "What doest thou, O
man, putting us in remembrance of a history that contains an unlawful
intercourse?" But why is this said? Since, if we were recounting the race of a
mere man, one might naturally have been silent touching these things; but if of
God Incarnate, so far from being silent, one ought to make a glory of them,
showing forth His tender care, and His power. Yea, it was for this cause He
came, not to escape our disgraces, but to bear them away. Therefore as He is the
more admired, in that He not only died, but was even crucified (though the thing
be opprobrious, yet the more opprobrious the more does it show Him full of love
to man), so likewise may we speak touching His birth; it is not only because He
took flesh upon Him, and became man, that we justly stand amazed at Him, but
because He vouch-safed to have also such kinsfolk, being in no respect ashamed
of our evils. And this He was proclaiming from the very beginnings of His birth,
that:
He is ashamed of none of those things that belong
to us; while He teaches us also hereby, never to hide our face at our
forefathers' wickedness, but to seek after one thing alone, even virtue. For
such a man, though he have an alien for his ancestor, though he have a mother
who is a prostitute, or what you will, can take no hurt thereby. For if the
whoremonger himself, being changed, is nothing disgraced by his former life,
much more will the wickedness of his ancestry have no power to bring to shame
him that is sprung of an harlot or an adulteress, if he be virtuous.
But he did these things not only to instruct us, but also to bring down the
haughtiness of the Jews. For since they, negligent about virtue in their own
souls, were parading the name of Abraham, thinking they had for a plea their
forefathers' virtue; he shows from the very beginning that it is not in these
things men ought to glory, but in their own good deeds.
Besides this, he is establishing another point also, to show that all are under
sin, even their forefathers themselves. At least their patriarch and namesake is
shown to have committed no small sin, for Thamar stands against him, to accuse
his whoredom. And David too had Solomon by the wife whom he corrupted. But if by
the great ones the law was not fulfilled, much more by the less. And if it was
not fulfilled, all have sinned, and Christ's coming has become necessary.
For this cause he made mention also of the twelve patriarchs, by this again
bringing down their pride at the noble birth of their fathers. Because many of
these also were born of women that were slaves; but nevertheless the difference
of the parents did not make a difference in the children. For all were equally
both patriarchs and heads of tribes. For this is the precedence of the Church,
this the prerogative of the nobility that is among us, taking its type from the
beginning. So that whether thou be bond or free, you have from thence nothing
more nor less; but the question is all about one thing only, namely, the mind,
and the disposition of the soul.
4. But besides what we have said, there is another cause also, wherefore he has
mentioned even this history; for to be sure, Zara's name was not cast at random
on that of Phares. (For indeed it was irrelevant, and superfluous, when he had
mentioned Phares, from whom he was to trace Christ's genealogy, to mention Zara
also.) Wherefore then did he mention him? When Thamar was on the point of giving
birth to them, the pangs having come upon her, Zara put forth his hand first.
Genesis 38:27 Then the midwife, when she saw this, in order that the first
should be known, bound his hand with scarlet; but the child, when he was bound,
drew in his hand, and when he had drawn it in, Phares came forth first, and then
Zara. The midwife when she saw this said, "Why was the hedge broken up for you?"
Do you see the dark expression of mysteries? For it was not without purpose that
these things were recorded for us: since neither was it worth our study to
learn, what it might be that the midwife said; nor worth a narrative to know,
that he who came out second, put forth his hand first. What then is the
mysterious lesson? First, from the name of the child we learn what is inquired,
for Phares is "a division," and "a breach." And moreover from the thing itself,
which took place; for it was not in the order of nature that, having thrust out
his hand, he should draw it in again when bound; these thing neither belonged to
a movement directed by reason, nor did they take place in the way of natural
consequence. For after the hand had found its way out, that another child should
come forth before was perhaps not unnatural; but that he should draw it back,
and give a passage for another, was no longer after the manner of children at
the birth, but the grace of God was present with the children, ordering these
things, and sketching out for us by them a sort of image of the things that were
to come.
What then? Some of those who have examined these things accurately say, that
these children are a type of the two nations. And so in order that you might
learn that the polity of the latter people shone forth previously to the origin
of the former, the child that has the hand stretched forth does not show itself
entire, but draws even it in again; and after his brother had glided forth
whole, then he too appears entire. And this took place also with regard to the
two nations. I mean, that after the polity of the Church had been manifested in
the times of Abraham, and then had been withdrawn in the midst of its course,
the Jewish people came, and the legal polity, and then the new people appeared
entire with their own laws. Wherefore also the midwife says, "Why was the hedge
broken up for you?" because the law coming in had broken in upon the freedom of
the polity. For indeed the Scripture is ever wont to call the law a hedge; as
the prophet says: "You have broken down her hedge, so that all they which pass
by the way do pluck off her grapes:" and, "I have set a hedge about it:" and
Paul, "Having broken down the middle wall of the hedge." But others say, that
the saying, "Why was the hedge broken up for you?" was spoken touching the new
people: for this at its coming put down the law.
5. Do you see that it was not for few nor small
causes that he brought to our remembrance the whole history concerning Judah?
For this end he has mentioned Ruth also and Rahab, the one an alien, the other
an harlot, that you may learn that He came to do away with all our ills. For He
has come as a Physician, not as a Judge. Therefore in like manner as those of
old took harlots for wives, even so God too espoused unto Himself the nature
which had played the harlot: and this also prophets from the beginning declare
to have taken place with respect to the Synagogue. But that spouse was
ungrateful towards Him who had been an husband to her, whereas, the Church, when
once delivered from the evils received from our fathers, continued to embrace
the Bridegroom.
See, for instance, what befell Ruth, how like it is to the things which belong
to us. For she was both of a strange race, and reduced to the utmost poverty,
yet Boaz when he saw her neither despised her poverty nor abhorred her mean
birth, as Christ having received the Church, being both an alien and in much
poverty, took her to be partaker of the great blessings. But even as Ruth, if
she had not before left her father, and renounced household and race, country
and kindred, would not have attained unto this alliance; so the Church too,
having forsaken the customs which men had received from their fathers, then, and
not before, became lovely to the Bridegroom. Of this therefore the prophet
discourses unto her, and says, "Forget your people, and your father's house, so
shall the king have pleasure in your beauty." This Ruth did too, and because of
this she became a mother of kings, even as the Church did likewise. For of her
David himself sprung. So then to shame them by all these things, and to prevail
on them not to be high-minded, he has both composed the genealogy, and brought
forward these women. Yes, for this last, through those who intervened, was
parent to the great king, and of these David is not ashamed. For it cannot, nay,
it cannot be that a man should be good or bad, obscure or glorious, either by
the virtue or by the vice of his forefathers; but if one must say somewhat even
paradoxical, he shines forth the more, who not being of worthy ancestors, has
yet become excellent.
6. Let no one therefore be high-minded on account of these matters, but let him
consider the forefathers of the Lord, and put away all his haughtiness, and let
good actions be his pride; or rather, not even these. For thus it was that the
Pharisee came to be inferior to the Publican. Thus, if you would show the good
work to be great, have no high thought, and you have proved it so much the
greater. Make account that you have done nothing, and then you have done all.
For if, being sinners, when we account ourselves to be what we are, we become
righteous, as indeed the Publican did; how much more, when being righteous we
account ourselves to be sinners. Since if out of sinners men are made righteous
by a lowly mind (although this were not to be lowly-minded but to be
right-minded); if then to be right-minded avails so much in the case of sinners,
consider what will not lowliness of mind do with respect to righteous men.
Do not then mar your labors, nor cast away from you the fruits of your toils,
neither run thou in vain, making frustrate all your labor after the many courses
you have run. Nay, for your Lord knows your good works better than you do.
Though thou give but a cup of cold water, not even this does He overlook; though
thou contribute but a farthing, though you should utter a sigh only, He receives
it all with great favor and is mindful thereof, and assigns for it great
rewards.
But wherefore do you search out your own doings, and bring them out before us
continually? Do you not know, that if you praise yourself, God will no more
praise you? Even as if you bewail yourself, He will not cease proclaiming you
before all. For it is not at all His will that your labors should be disparaged.
Why do I say, disparaged? Nay, He is doing and contriving all things, so that
even for little He may crown you; and He goes about seeking excuses, whereby you
may be delivered from hell. For this cause, though you should work but the
eleventh hour of the day, He gives your wages entire; and though thou afford no
ground of salvation, He says, "I do it for my own sake, that my name be not
profaned:" Ezekiel 36:22 though you should sigh only, though you should only
weep, all these things He quickly catches hold of, for an occasion of saving
you.
Let us not therefore lift up ourselves, but let us declare ourselves
unprofitable, that we may become profitable. For if you call yourself approved,
you have become unprofitable, though thou were approved; but if useless, you
have become profitable, even though thou were reprobate.
7. Wherefore it is necessary to forget our good actions. "Yet how is it
possible," one may say, "not to know these things with which we are well
acquainted?" How do you say? Offending your Lord perpetually, you live
delicately, and laughest, and dost not so much as know that you have sinned, but
hast consigned all to oblivion; and of your good actions can you not put away
the memory? And yet fear is a stronger kind of thing. But we do the very
contrary; on the one hand, while each day we are offending, we do not so much as
put it before our mind; on the other, if we give a little money to a poor
person, this we are ever revolving. This kind of conduct comes of utter madness,
and it is a very great loss to him who so makes his reckoning. For the secure
storehouse of good works is to forget our good works. And as with regard to
raiment and gold, when we expose them in a market-place, we attract many
ill-meaning persons; but if we put them by at home and hide them, we shall
deposit them all in security: even so with respect to our good deeds; if we are
continually keeping them in memory, we provoke the Lord, we arm the enemy, we
invite him to steal them away; but if no one know of them, besides Him who alone
ought to know, they will lie in safety.
Be not therefore for ever parading them, lest some one should take them away. As
was the case with the Pharisee, for bearing them about upon his lips; whence
also the devil caught them away. And yet it was with thanksgiving he made
mention of them, and referred the whole to God. But not even did this suffice
Him. For it is not thanksgiving to revile others, to be vainglorious before
many, to exalt one's self against them that have offended. Rather, if you are
giving thanks to God, be content with Him only, and publish it not unto men,
neither condemn your neighbor; for this is not thanksgiving. Would you learn
words of thanksgiving? Hearken unto the Three Children, saying, "We have sinned,
we have transgressed. You are righteous, O Lord, in all that you have done unto
us, because you have brought all things upon us by a true judgment." For to
confess one's own sins, this is to give thanks with confession unto God: a kind
of thing which implies one to be guilty of numberless offenses, yet not to have
the due penalty exacted. This man most of all is the giver of thanks.
8. Let us beware therefore of saying anything about ourselves, for this renders
us both odious with men and abominable to God. For this reason, the greater the
good works we do, the less let us say of ourselves; this being the way to reap
the greatest glory both with men and with God. Or rather, not only glory from
God, but a reward, yea, a great recompense. Demand not therefore a reward that
you may receive a reward. Confess yourself to be saved by grace, that He may
profess Himself a debtor to you; and not for your good works only, but also for
such rightness of mind. For when we do good works, we have Him debtor for our
good works only; but when we do not so much as think we have done any good work,
then also for this disposition itself; and more for this, than for the other
things: so that this is equivalent to our good works. For should this be absent,
neither will they appear great. For in the same way, we too, when we have
servants, Luke 17:10 do then most approve them when, after having performed all
their service with good will, they do not think they have done anything great.
Wherefore, if you would make your good deeds great, do not think them to be
great, and then they will be great.
It was in this way that the centurion also said, "I am not fit that you should
enter under my roof;" because of this, he became worthy, and was "marvelled at"
Matthew 8:8 above all Jews. On this wise again Paul says, "I am not meet to be
called an apostle;" 1 Corinthians 15:9 because of this he became even first of
all. So likewise John: "I am not meet to loose the latchet of His shoe;" because
of this he was the "friend of the Bridegroom," and the hand which he affirmed to
be unworthy to touch His shoes, this did Christ draw unto His own head. So Peter
too said, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man;" Luke 5:8 because of this he
became a foundation of the Church.
For nothing is so acceptable to God as to number one's self with the last. This
is a first principle of all practical wisdom. For he that is humbled, and
bruised in heart, will not be vainglorious, will not be wrathful, will not envy
his neighbor, will not harbor any other passion. For neither when a hand is
bruised, though we strive ten thousand times, shall we be able to lift it up on
high. If therefore we were thus to bruise our heart likewise, though it were
stirred by ten thousand swelling passions, it could not be lifted up, no, not
ever so little. For if a man, by mourning for things pertaining to this life,
drives out all the diseases of his soul, much more will he, who mourns for sins,
enjoy the blessing of self-restraint.
9. "But who," one may say, "will be able thus to bruise his own heart?" Listen
to David, who became illustrious chiefly because of this, and see the contrition
of his soul. How after ten thousand good works, and when he was on the point of
being deprived of country, and home, and life itself, at the very season of his
calamity, seeing a vile and outcast common soldier trample on the turn of his
fortunes and revile him; so far from reviling him again, he utterly forbad one
of his captains, who was desirous to have slain him, saying, "Let him alone, for
the Lord has bidden him." 2 Samuel 16:10 And again, when the priests desired to
carry about the ark of God with him, he did not permit it; but what does he say?
"Let me set it down in the temple, and if God deliver me from the dangers that
are before me, I shall see the beauty thereof; but if He say to me, I have no
delight in you, behold, here am I, let Him do to me as seems good unto Him." And
that which was done with regard to Saul, again and again, even oftentimes, what
excellence of self-restraint does it not show? Yea, for he even surpassed the
old law, and came near to the apostolic injunctions. For this cause he bore with
contentedness all that came from the Lord's hands; not contending against what
befell him, but aiming at one object alone, namely, in everything to obey, and
follow the laws set by Him. And when after so many noble deeds on his part, he
saw the tyrant, the parricide, the murderer of his own brother, that injurious,
that frenzied one, possessing in his stead his own kingdom, not even so was he
offended. But "if this please God," says he, "that I should be chased, and
wander, and flee, and that he should be in honor, I acquiesce, and accept it,
and do thank God for His many afflictions." Not like many of the shameless and
impudent ones, who when they have not done, no not the least part of his good
works, yet if they see any in prosperity, and themselves enduring a little
discouragement, ruin their own souls by ten thousand blasphemies. But David was
not such an one; rather he showed forth all modesty. Wherefore also God said, "I
have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart."
Such a spirit as this let us too acquire, and whatever we may suffer we shall bear it easily, and before the Kingdom, we shall reap here the gain accruing from lowliness of mind. Thus "learn," says He, "of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest unto your souls." Matthew 11:29 Therefore in order that we may enjoy rest both here and hereafter, let us with great diligence implant in our souls the mother of all things that are good, I mean humility. For thus we shall be enabled both to pass over the sea of this life without waves, and to end our voyage in that calm harbor; by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might for ever and ever. Amen.
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