THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
Again Peter both acts and preaches. Before, the miracle of the fiery tongues stirred the Jews to listen. Now this miracle does so. Then Peter began his discourse from their accusations. Now he begins from their secret thought.
Let us see, then, how this preaching differs from the former one, and what it has in common with it. That one was in the house, when no one had yet joined the Apostles, and when they had not yet performed anything. This one is when all were marveling, when the healed man stood nearby, and when no one doubted, as they had then, when they said, "They are filled with new wine" (Acts 2:13).
Then Peter spoke while standing with all the Apostles. Now he speaks with John alone. He is no longer afraid and speaks more powerfully.
Such is virtue. Once it has received a beginning, it advances and stops nowhere. See also how it was arranged by Providence that the miracle happened near the temple, so that others too might become bold. They do not perform it in some hidden place or secretly. Yet neither do they do it inside the temple, where there was a multitude of people.
Why, you will say, did they believe this? Because the healed man himself proclaimed the benefit. He, of course, would not have lied, nor would he have come to strangers.
Thus the Apostles performed the miracle there either because the place was spacious, or because it was a place set apart. And notice how this happened. They came for one purpose, and they do another. So also Cornelius, while fasting, prayed for one thing, and saw another.
Until now they everywhere call Christ the Nazarene. "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth," Peter says, "rise up and walk." For as yet they were concerned only that people should believe in Him.
But let us not grow weary at the beginning of the account. On the contrary, if someone, after speaking of some great deed, has stopped, let us repeat the beginning again. If we always act in this way, we shall soon come to the end and soon stand upon the summit.
For from zeal, as they say, zeal is born, and from laziness, laziness. He who has done some small thing as he should receives an impulse to undertake something greater, and from there to go much farther.
As fire becomes stronger the more wood it embraces, so zeal, the more pious thoughts it stirs up, becomes more armed against the remaining kind of thoughts.
I will give an example. Within us, like thorns, there are perjury, lying, hypocrisy, cunning, deception, slander, mockery, buffoonery, shameful speech, and blasphemy. On the other side are covetousness, robbery, injustice, calumny, and plots. Further on are evil desire, uncleanness, sensuality, fornication, and adultery. There are also envy, jealousy, anger, fury, remembrance of wrongs, vindictiveness, reviling, and thousands of similar vices.
If we correct ourselves from the first, then we shall already be corrected not only from them, but through them also from those that follow. For our soul gains great strength from this to destroy them.
For example, if one who often swears leaves this diabolical habit, not only will this vice be corrected in him, but another kind of reverence will appear. It seems to me that no one who does not swear will easily wish to do any other evil. He will be ashamed before the virtue he has already attained.
As one wearing a beautiful garment is ashamed to roll in the mud, so it is with him. From this he will come to the point of neither becoming angry, nor fighting, nor reviling. Thus, if even one small good deed is done once, everything has already been done.
Often, however, the opposite also happens. Having acted well once, we fall again through laziness into our former vices. Because of this, even the correction itself becomes impossible.
For example, we set ourselves a law not to swear. For three or even four days we kept it. But then some need arose, and we squandered all the profit we had gathered. Then we fall into carelessness and despair, so that we do not even wish to touch the same matter again.
This is natural. If someone builds a structure for himself and then sees that his building has collapsed, he undertakes the building again with less zeal. But even in this case one must not be careless. On the contrary, one must again use every effort.
Therefore let us set daily laws for ourselves, and for now let us begin with what is easy. Let us cut off frequent swearing from our mouths. Let us bridle the tongue. Let no one swear by God.
This requires no expense, no labor, no long training. It is enough to will it, and all is accomplished, because this is a matter of habit.
Yes, I ask and entreat you, apply yourselves to this. Tell me, if I commanded you to contribute money for me, would not each of you readily bring it according to his ability? If you saw me in extreme danger, would you not give even part of your body, if it could be removed?
And now I am in danger, and in great danger. If I were in prison, or had received thousands of blows, or were in the mines, even then I would not grieve more. Stretch out, then, a helping hand.
Think how great the danger is, when you cannot do even this exceedingly small deed. I call it very small because of the labor it requires. What shall I say then in answer to the accusations?
Why did you not rebuke? Why did you not command? Why did you not establish a law? Why did you not restrain the disobedient? It will not be enough if I say, I exhorted them.
But, it will be said to me, you ought also to have used a stronger rebuke. Eli also exhorted, but may God forbid that I compare you with his children. He exhorted, and he said, "My children, the report that I hear concerning you is not good" (1 Sam 2:24).
Yet Scripture later says that he did not correct his sons (1 Sam 3:13). It says this because he corrected them neither sternly nor with reproach.
Is it not strange that in the Jewish synagogues the laws have such force, though everything is commanded by the one who teaches, while here we are in such neglect and contempt?
I am not concerned for my own glory. My glory is your good life. Rather, I am concerned for your salvation. Every day we cry out and proclaim in your hearing. Yet, though no one listens, we show no severity.
I fear that for this untimely and great leniency we may have to give an answer on the day of the coming judgment. Therefore I announce to all with a loud and clear voice, and I entreat you: those who are guilty of this crime and pronounce words that come from the evil one (Mt 5:37), and this is what an oath is, must not cross the threshold of the church.
But let the present month be appointed for your correction. Do not tell me, necessity compels me, because people do not believe me. For now, leave the oaths uttered by habit.
I know that many will laugh at us. But it is better for us to be laughed at now than to weep then. And those who laugh will be senseless people. Indeed, tell me, who of sound mind would laugh because a commandment is being kept?
If they do laugh, such people will laugh not at us, but at Christ. Are you horrified at these words? I fully believe it. For if I had introduced this law, the laughter would be directed at me. But if there is another Lawgiver, the mockery passes to Him.
Once they spat upon Christ, struck Him on the cheek, and buffeted Him. So He suffers this now also, and there is nothing inconsistent here. Therefore Gehenna has been prepared. Therefore there is the worm that does not end.
Behold, I again speak and bear witness. Let whoever wishes laugh, and let whoever wishes mock. We have been appointed for this, to be laughed at and mocked, and to endure everything. We are "as the refuse of the world, as the offscouring," according to blessed Paul (1 Cor 4:13).
If anyone does not wish to fulfill this command, by this present word, as by a trumpet, I forbid such a man to cross the church threshold. Let him be a magistrate, or even the one who wears the diadem.
Either take this authority from me, or, if I remain with it, do not surround me with dangers. I cannot ascend this throne and do nothing great. If this is impossible, it is better to stand below. For nothing is worse than a leader who brings no benefit to those under him.
Strive again, then, I ask you, and be attentive. Or rather, let us say this: let us strive together, and then there will surely be some benefit. Fast and pray to God. Together with you, we too shall pray that He destroy this destructive habit in us.
It is a great thing to become teachers of the universe. It is no small thing if it is heard everywhere that no one in this city swears. If this happens, you will receive a reward not only for your own struggles, but also for your care for the brethren.
You will become for the universe what I now am for you. Then certainly others also will emulate you, and you will truly be a lamp standing on a lampstand.
And is this, you will say, everything? No, this is not everything, but it is the beginning of the other virtues. One who does not swear will, willingly or unwillingly, from shame or from fear, certainly come also to other works of piety.
But many, you say, will not agree and will fall away. Yet better is one who does the will of the Lord than thousands of transgressors (Sir 16:3). Everything has been overthrown and is in the utmost disorder because, as at spectacles, we seek a multitude of people, and not a multitude of good people.
Tell me, what benefit can a crowd of people bring you? Do you wish to know that the saints constitute a people, and not a crowd? Lead hundreds of thousands into war, and one saint. Let us see who will do more.
Joshua went out to battle and alone accomplished everything. In this way the rest brought no benefit. A crowd of people, beloved, when they do not do the will of God, differs in no way from those who do not exist at all.
I pray and desire that the Church be adorned with a multitude of people, but with a multitude of good people. For this I would gladly allow myself to be torn to pieces. But if this is impossible, I desire that a few be good.
Do you not see that it is better to have one precious stone than thousands of small coins? Do you not see that it is better to have one healthy eye than, after losing it, to burden oneself with corpulence? Do you not see that it is better to have one healthy sheep than thousands of mangy ones?
Do you not see that a few good children are better than many bad ones? Do you not see that in the kingdom there are few, but in Gehenna many?
What do I gain from a multitude of people? What benefit is there? There is no benefit, but rather harm for the rest. It is as if someone, when he could have either ten healthy people or thousands of sick ones, brought those thousands to the ten.
The majority, when they do nothing good, will bring us nothing but punishment there and dishonor here. No one will say that we are many. Rather, everyone will reproach us because we are useless.
This is precisely what the pagans always say to us when they hear from us that we are many. You are many, they say, but bad.
Behold, I again forbid and proclaim to you with a loud voice: let no one regard this as a joke. I will expel and not admit the disobedient. As long as I sit on this throne, I will not renounce any of its rights.
If someone casts me down, I will then be without blame. But as long as I am subject to responsibility, I cannot be negligent. This is not for fear of my own punishment, but for the sake of your salvation, since I ardently desire your salvation.
For this I am torn and suffer pain. But obey me, so that both here and in the age to come you may receive a great reward, and that we all together may enjoy eternal blessings, by the grace and love for mankind of the Only-begotten Son of God. With Him, to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, dominion, and honor, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
In the present discourse there is more boldness than in the former one. This is not because the Apostle was afraid before, but because those people, mockers and revilers, would not have endured such boldness.