THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
You cannot say, he says, that these were sinful and insignificant men. No. Even if you set the whole world against them, you would see that they outweigh it and prove more precious.
Therefore he said, "of whom the world was not worthy." What reward could those receive here, when nothing in the world is worthy of them? Here the Apostle lifts up their mind. He teaches them not to cling to the present, but to think on what is above all things in this life.
If the whole world is unworthy of them, what do you wish to receive here? It would be an insult if you received your reward here. Therefore let us not think about worldly things. Let us not seek recompense here. Let us not be so wretched.
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If the whole world is unworthy of them, why do you grasp after a part of it? This is just, for they are friends of God. By "world" he means either mankind or creation itself. Scripture commonly uses the word in both senses.
If all creation, together with mankind, were taken together, it still would not equal them in worth. This is just. As thousands of measures of hay and straw cannot equal ten pearls in value, so it is with them.
"Better is one righteous man than a thousand sinners" (Sir 16:3). By "thousands" he does not mean a fixed number, but an indefinite multitude.
Consider how much a righteous man means. "Joshua cried to the Lord" and said before Israel, "Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and moon, over the valley of Aijalon," and it was so (Josh 10:12).
Let the whole universe come forth, or even two, three, four, ten, or twenty universes. Let them say this and do it. No, they could not. But the friend of God commanded the creations of his Friend.
Or rather, he asked his Friend, and the ministering powers obeyed him. One below commanded those above. Do you see that these powers exist for service and fulfill their appointed task?
This deed is greater than that of Moses. In what way? It is not the same thing to command the sea and to command the powers of heaven. The first is great, very great, yet it cannot be compared with the second.
Listen to why this took place. Why was it so? The name Jesus was a figure of Christ. Because he bore the typological name Jesus, creation trembled at the very name.
What then? Was no one else called Jesus? He was given this name as a figure. Formerly he was called Hoshea, and afterward his name was changed. This was a prediction and a prophecy.
He brought the people of Israel into the promised land, as Jesus Christ brings us into heaven. Neither the Law nor Moses did this, but they remained outside. The Law cannot bring us there, but grace can.
Do you see how the types were traced out from ancient times? Joshua commanded nature, or rather the chief part of nature, while he himself was on earth. Thus, when you see Jesus Christ in human form uttering the same thing, you should not be troubled or amazed.
The former, while Moses was still alive, put enemies to flight. The latter, while the Law still existed, governs all things, though not openly.
Yet let us see how powerful the virtue of the saints is. If here they accomplish such things, and here they act like angels, what will they be there? What glory will they have there?
Perhaps each of you would wish to be such as to command the sun and moon. Here let us note what those would say who assert that heaven is a spherical body.
Why did he not simply say, "Sun, stand still," but added, "over Gibeon, and moon, over the valley of Aijalon"? It was so that the day might be lengthened. The same occurred under Hezekiah, when the sun turned back (Isa 38:8).
Yet the latter miracle is more wondrous than the first. The sun went back in the opposite direction before completing its course.
But if we wish, we can attain something greater. What indeed did Christ promise us? Not to stop the sun or moon, nor to turn the sun back. What then?
"He who loves Me will keep My word; and My Father will love him," He says, "and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him" (Jn 14:23).
What need have I of sun and moon and these miracles, if the Master of all Himself descends to me and dwells with me? I have no need of them. What need have I of all this? He Himself will be sun, moon, and light for me.
Tell me, if you entered a royal palace, what would you want? Would you want the power to move things fixed in place? Or would you want such closeness to the king that he himself would condescend to come to you?
Would you not want the latter more than the former? What then? Is it not wonderful that a man commands as Christ commands?
But you will say, Christ in this has no need of the Father, but acts by His own authority. So be it. First confess and say that He has no need of the Father and acts by His own authority.
Then I will ask you, or rather teach you, concerning the prayer He offered. It belonged to His condescension and divine economy. Certainly Christ was not less than Joshua, and He can teach us even without prayer.
When you hear a teacher spelling syllables and naming letters, you do not call him ignorant. When he asks, "Where is this letter?" you understand that he asks not from ignorance, but because he wishes to instruct the learner.
So also Christ prayed, not because He needed prayer, but because He wished to teach you. He teaches you to be constantly attentive to prayer, and to perform it without ceasing, watchfully and sleeplessly.
By sleeplessness I mean not only waking at night, but also keeping watch in prayer during the day. Such a person is truly called sleepless.
One may pray at night and still sleep. One may not pray by day and still be watchful, when the soul is directed toward God. It knows with Whom it speaks and to Whom its word is addressed.
It keeps in mind that angels stand before Him with fear and trembling, while the man himself approaches yawning and scratching himself.
Prayer is a great weapon, if it is performed with proper thoughts. To understand its power, attend to this. Constant prayer overcame shamelessness, injustice, cruelty, and harshness.
"Hear," the Lord said, "what the unrighteous judge says" (Lk 18:6). Prayer overcame sloth. What friendship did not do, constant prayer did.
"If, I tell you, he will not rise and give him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as much as he asks" (Lk 11:8).
Constant prayer made even an unworthy woman worthy. "It is not good," the Lord said, "to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table" (Mt 15:26-27).
Let us therefore be diligent in prayer. It is a great weapon when it is offered zealously, without vainglory, and from a sincere heart.
It put enemies to flight. It benefited a whole people, though they were unworthy. "I have seen the affliction of My people in Egypt and have heard their cry," God says, "and I have come down to deliver them" (Ex 3:7-8).
Prayer is a saving medicine. It guards against sins and heals transgression. The widow abandoned by all also fled to it.
Therefore, if we pray with humility, and beat our breast like the publican, and speak his words, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner" (Lk 18:13), we shall obtain everything.
True, we are not publicans. Yet we have other sins, no less than his. Do not tell me that your sin is small. Every sinful act is the same in its essence.
Just as both one who kills a child and one who kills a man are called murderers, so the covetous man is covetous in small things and in great.
Remembrance of wrongs is not a small sin, but a great one. "The ways of those who remember wrongs are unto death," says the Wise One (Prov 12:28). Christ also says that "everyone angry with his brother without cause shall be liable to judgment."
The same is true of one who says to his brother, "Raca," or "fool," and the like (Mt 5:22). We partake unworthily of the dread Mysteries. We envy and speak evil. Some of us often get drunk.
Each of these deeds by itself is enough to deprive us of the heavenly Kingdom. If they are joined together, what defense can we have?
We need much repentance, beloved, much prayer, much endurance, and much zeal, if we are to receive the good things promised us.
Let us also say, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." Or rather, let us not merely say it, but think it. If someone else reproves us, let us not be angry.
The publican heard, "not like this publican" (Lk 18:11), and was not irritated. He was contrite. He received an insult, but did not answer with insult. The other exposed his wound, and he found a remedy.
Let us therefore say, "Be merciful to me, a sinner." When another says the same to us, let us not be vexed.
If we admit many evils in ourselves, yet become indignant when we hear them from others, this is no longer humility and confession. It is ambition and vainglory.
You ask, does calling oneself a sinner mean seeking vainglory? Yes. By this path we gain the reputation of humble people. We become objects of admiration and praise. If we said the opposite about ourselves, we would deserve contempt.
Thus even this act we perform from vainglory. What then is humility? It is to endure when another reviles us, to acknowledge one's sin, and to bear evil speech.
Yet even this would be a sign not so much of humility as of good sense. But now, though we call ourselves sinful, unworthy, and much else, if another says anything similar about us, we are irritated and grow fierce.
Do you see that we have neither confession of sins nor even good sense? You call yourself such a person. Do not be vexed when you hear the same from others, and when others reprove you.
When others revile you, your sins are thereby exposed. They lay a burden upon themselves, but they lead you to philosophy.
Listen to what blessed David said when Shimei cursed him. "Let him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has commanded him. It may be that the Lord will look upon my humiliation and repay me with good for his cursing this day" (2 Kgs 16:11-12).
Yet you say many bad things about yourself and grow indignant if you do not hear from others the praises given to great righteous men. Do you not see that you are jesting in matters that are no jest?
Thus we refuse praises out of desire for other praises. We do this so that afterward we may receive greater praise and be admired even more. By not allowing praise, we act in order to increase it.
In general, everything among us is done from vainglory and not according to truth. For this reason everything in us is empty and unreliable.
Therefore I exhort you, let us restrain ourselves, at least now, from the source of evils, vainglory. Let us live in a manner pleasing to God, that we may be counted worthy of the good things to come in Christ Jesus our Lord.
[...] The words, "they wandered in deserts and mountains, in caves and holes of the earth," mean nothing other than this. They wandered like fugitives and exiles, like men guilty of grave crimes and unworthy to look upon the sun.
Even in the deserts they found no refuge. They had continually to flee, to seek shelter, to bury themselves alive in the earth, and to be constantly subject to fear.