THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
What does this mean? Does he reject repentance? No. But how then does he say, "he could not change his father's mind"?
If he condemned himself and wept bitterly, why could he not change his father's mind? Because this did not come from repentance.
As Cain's sorrow did not come from repentance, which he proved by murder, so here Esau's words did not come from repentance. He too afterward proved this by murder, for in intention he killed Jacob.
"The days of mourning for my father are drawing near," he said, "and I will kill my brother Jacob" (Gen 27:41). Therefore tears could not grant him repentance.
The Apostle did not simply say, "he could not change his father's mind," but, "though he sought it with tears." Why? Because he did not repent properly. This is repentance, to repent as one should.
Otherwise, why did the Apostle say this? Why did he now exhort those who had become careless, limping, wavering, and weakened? This is the beginning of falling.
It seems to me that he is hinting here at certain adulterers, but for the time being he does not wish to reprove them openly. He presents himself as not knowing about them, so that they may correct themselves.
It was necessary first to appear not to know, and then, if they persisted, to use reproof also, lest they become shameless. Moses acted this way with Zimri and Cozbi (Num 25:15).
"He could not change his father's mind." He could not, he says, change his father's mind, either because he sinned more than could be wiped away by repentance, or because he did not bring worthy repentance.
Therefore there are sins that exceed repentance. The meaning of his words is this: let us not allow an incurable fall. While we are only limping, correction is easy. But when we are completely ruined, what will become of us?
He addresses this to those who have not yet fallen. He restrains them by fear and says that the one who has fallen cannot receive consolation.
To those who have fallen, lest they give themselves over to despair, he suggests the opposite and speaks thus: "My little children, for whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you" (Gal 4:19).
And again, "You who would be justified by the Law have been severed from Christ; you have fallen from grace" (Gal 5:4). Thus he speaks to the fallen.
When one standing hears that it is impossible for the fallen to receive forgiveness, he becomes stronger and more hopeful in standing. But if the same severity is used toward the fallen, he will never rise.
With what hope would he begin his correction? Esau not only wept, says the Apostle, but also "sought." Thus he does not reject repentance by the words, "he could not change his father's mind."
Rather, he strengthens them more firmly so that they may not fall. Let those who do not believe in Gehenna remember this. Let those who think they sin without punishment ponder this.
Why did Esau not receive forgiveness? Because he did not repent as he should. Do you wish to see true repentance? Hear of Peter's repentance after his denial.
The Evangelist, telling us about him, says, "And he went out and wept bitterly" (Mt 26:75). Therefore this sin was forgiven him, because he repented as he should.
At that time the offering had not yet been brought. The sacrifice had not yet been accomplished. Sin had not yet been crushed, but still ruled and raged.
So that you may know that Peter's denial resulted not so much from his carelessness as from God's abandonment, hear what Christ said to him alone.
God was teaching him to know the measure of man, not to resist what the Teacher says, not to consider himself higher than others, and to remember that nothing can happen without God.
For "unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain" (Ps 127:1). Hear how Christ, wishing to strengthen him and teach him humility, said to him alone:
"The Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you like wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren" (Lk 22:31-32).
Since he probably thought highly of himself, knowing that he loved Christ more than all, he was permitted to fall and deny the Teacher. Therefore he wept bitterly and showed the other feelings that follow weeping.
Indeed, what did he not do? Afterward he exposed himself to countless dangers, proving in everything his courage and firmness of soul.
Judas also repented, but badly, because he hanged himself. Esau too repented, as I said. More precisely, he did not repent at all, because his tears were not tears of repentance, but rather of malice and anger.
This is clear from what followed. Blessed David repented, saying, "Every night I wash my bed; with my tears I drench my couch" (Ps 6:6).
The sin committed long before he lamented after so many years and generations, as though it had been committed recently.
The penitent must not be angry or irritated. He must be contrite, as one condemned, as one without boldness, as one reproved, and as one expecting salvation from mercy alone.
He must regard himself as unmindful of his Benefactor, ungrateful, dishonorable, and worthy of countless torments. If he thinks on this, he will not be angry or irritated.
He will sigh, grieve, weep, and lament day and night. The penitent must never give his sins over to forgetfulness. He must pray that God will not remember them, while he himself never forgets them.
If we remember them, God will forget them. Let us condemn and punish ourselves. In this way we shall propitiate the Judge.
A confessed sin becomes smaller, but an unconfessed one becomes greater. If shamelessness and ingratitude are added to sin, it will never stop.
How can such a man take care not to fall into the same sins that he formerly committed through ignorance?
Therefore I exhort you, let us not deny. Let us not act shamelessly, lest we undergo punishment against our will.
Cain heard from God, "Where is Abel your brother?" And he said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper" (Gen 4:9)? Do you see how this made the sin heavier?
His father did not act this way. How did he act? When he heard, "Where are you?" he said, "I heard Your voice in Paradise, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid" (Gen 3:9-10).
It is a great good to acknowledge sins and constantly remember them. Nothing heals sinful habits so much as continual remembrance of sins. Nothing makes a man so slow to commit evil.
I know that conscience withdraws and does not love to be tormented by the remembrance of sins. But force the soul and put a bridle upon it.
It rages like an unbridled horse and does not wish to be convinced that it has sinned. But all this is the work of Satan.
Let us persuade the soul that it has sinned, so that it may repent, and having repented, be delivered from punishments.
Tell me, how do you wish to receive forgiveness of sins without confessing them? The one who has sinned is surely worthy of mercy and compassion.
But you, who have not yet been convinced that you have sinned, how do you wish to be shown mercy, when you are so shameless in your sins?
Let us therefore persuade ourselves that we have sinned. Let us not say this only with the tongue, but also with the mind.
Let us not merely call ourselves sinners, but set our sins before ourselves, counting each one separately.
I do not tell you to display yourself before everyone or accuse yourself before others. I advise you to follow the prophet, who says, "Commit your way to the Lord" (Ps 37:5).
Confess your sins before God. Confess before the Judge while praying, if not with the tongue, then with memory. In this way seek mercy.
If you constantly keep your sins in memory, you will never remember wrong against your neighbor. I do not mean only knowing that you are a sinner.
That cannot humble the soul as much as the sins themselves, counted one by one. Keeping them constantly in memory, you will not remember wrong, become angry, speak evil, or become puffed up.
Nor will you fall again into the same sins. You will become stronger for doing good deeds. Do you see how many good things come from remembrance of sins?
Therefore let us inscribe them in our minds. I know that the soul rejects such unpleasant remembrance. But let us compel and force it.
It is better for it to suffer now from remembering sins than then from punishment for them.
Now, if you remember them, constantly confess them before God, and pray for their forgiveness, you will destroy them more quickly.
But if you forget them now, you will remember them involuntarily then, when they are revealed before the whole universe and proclaimed before all, friends, enemies, and angels.
The Lord did not say only to David, "You did it secretly, but I will do this before all Israel and before the sun" (2 Kgs 12:12). He says it to all of us also.
He will say, "You feared men and were ashamed before them more than before God. You did not think of the all-seeing God, but were ashamed before men."
"For his fear is only the eyes of men" (Sir 23:19). For all this you will give account. I will reprove you by revealing your sins before the eyes of all.
That this is just, and that on that day the sins of all of us will be revealed if we do not now destroy them by frequent remembrance, listen to how the hard-heartedness and inhumanity of those who were not merciful here is revealed.
"For I was hungry," He says, "and you gave Me no food" (Mt 25:42). When is this said? In a solitary and hidden place? No.
When then? When "the Son of Man comes in His glory" and gathers "all the nations," and when He separates one from another, placing them "on the right" and "on the left."
Then He will say in the hearing of all, "For I was hungry, and you gave Me no food." Remember also how the five virgins will hear before all, "Truly, I say to you, I do not know you" (Mt 25:12).
The "five" and "five" here do not mean only five by number, but all wicked, cruel, and inhuman virgins, and also those who are not such.
Likewise the one who buried his one talent in the earth will hear before all, before those who brought five and those who brought two talents, "Wicked and lazy servant" (Mt 25:26).
He will reprove them then not only by words, but also by deeds, as the Evangelist says: "They shall look on Him Whom they pierced" (Jn 19:37).
There will be a common resurrection of all, sinners and righteous. The Judge will judge all together.
Imagine those who, in sorrow and grief, will be cast into the fire, while others are crowned. "Come," He will say, "blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."
But to the others He will say, "Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Mt 25:34, 41).
Let us not merely hear these words, but also inscribe them before our eyes. Let us imagine that He Himself now appears before us and says this, and that we are cast into that fire.
What will we feel in the soul? With what shall we console ourselves? What will happen when we are divided into two sides?
What will happen when we are accused of seizing another's goods? What defense shall we present? What plausible excuse? None.
Inevitably they will drag us, bound and with bowed heads, into the openings of the burning furnaces, into the river of fire, into darkness, and into endless torments. We shall have no one to deliver us.
It is impossible to pass from here to there. "Between us and you," the righteous will say, "a great chasm has been fixed" (Lk 16:26).
Even if they wished, it would still be impossible to cross and give a helping hand. Inevitably we shall burn forever, and no one will help us.
It will not help if that person is father, mother, or anyone else, even one with great boldness before God. "A man cannot redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him" (Ps 49:7).
Therefore, if one cannot place hope of salvation in another, but only in God's love for mankind and then in oneself, I exhort you: let us do everything so that our life may be pure and our conduct blameless.