THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
Then follows the proof: “For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the defiled, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more shall the Blood of Christ. Who through the Holy Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse our conscience from dead works, to serve the living and true God!” (Heb 9:13-14).
If, he says, the blood of oxen can cleanse the flesh, much more can the Blood of Christ wash away the uncleanness of the soul. Lest by the word “sanctify” you understand anything great here, he explains the difference between the two cleansings. He shows how exalted the latter is, and how lowly the former. And rightly so, for there it was the blood of oxen, but here the Blood of Christ.
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Yet he was not satisfied with the name of Christ. He also sets forth the manner of His offering: “For if,” he says, “through the Holy Spirit He offered Himself without blemish to God.” That is, this spotless sacrifice was pure from sins. The phrase “through the Holy Spirit” shows that it was offered not by means of fire or anything else.
“He shall cleanse,” he says, “our conscience from dead works.” He rightly said, “from dead works.” For as there, if someone touched a dead body, he was defiled, so here, if someone touches a dead work, he is defiled in conscience. “To serve,” he says, “the living and true God.” Here he shows that one who performs dead works cannot serve the living God.
He rightly says, “the living and true God,” indicating that what is offered to Him must be of the same kind. Therefore what we offer is living and true, while what the Jews offered is dead and false. And this is right.
Therefore let no one who has dead works come here. If one who touched a dead body was forbidden to enter the tabernacle, much more is one forbidden who has dead works. This defilement is the most abominable. Dead works are all works that have no life and give forth a stench.
As a dead body is incapable of any sensation and disturbs those who approach it, so sin quickly strikes the rational faculty. It does not leave the soul itself at peace, but troubles and torments it. They say that a plague, as soon as it appears, immediately harms bodies.
Such is sin. It is like a plague, except that it does not first corrupt the air and then the bodies. It attacks the soul directly. Do you not see how those infected burn, how they toss about, what a stench they give off? Do you not see how repulsive their faces are, and how entirely unclean they are?
Such are sinners, though they do not see it. Tell me, is one enslaved to the passion of greed or sensuality not worse than anyone in a fever? Is he not more unclean than any such person, doing and allowing every shameful thing?
What can be more repulsive than a greedy man? What prostitutes or stage performers dare to do, he will dare also. Perhaps they would hesitate sooner than he. Why do I say that he will dare? He fawns before those before whom he should not fawn, and is insolent where he should not be.
He never keeps an even bearing. He often courts and flatters wicked, ill-intentioned, debauched men, who are far worse and more worthless than he. But he reviles and insults others, noble and wholly virtuous men. Do you see his baseness and shamelessness in both cases? He is both excessively servile and arrogant.
Prostitutes remain at home, guilty of selling their bodies for money. Yet they plead poverty and extreme hunger in excuse, though even this cannot excuse them, since one can be fed by labor. But the greedy man does not remain at home. He goes through the middle of the city, handing over not his body but his soul to the devil.
He has intercourse and union with him, as with a prostitute. When he has fully satisfied his lust, he departs. This is seen not by two or three people, but by the whole city. Prostitutes commonly give themselves to anyone who gives gold. Whoever offers them payment, slave or free, gladiator or anyone else, they accept.
But those who offer nothing, even if they are nobler than all, they do not admit without money. Greedy men do the same. They do not admit pure thoughts when these bring no money. But for money they cling to filthy and truly beastlike thoughts, and shamelessly make them their own, thus destroying the beauty of their soul.
As prostitutes are ugly, dark, coarse, heavy, misshapen, uncomely, and altogether repulsive, so are greedy souls. They cannot hide their ugliness even with outward cosmetics. When ugliness reaches an extreme, no devices can cover it.
Shamelessness makes prostitutes, as the prophet says: “You had the forehead of a prostitute; you refused to be ashamed” (Jer 3:3). The same may be said to the greedy man: you were ashamed before no one, not before this one or that one, but before no one at all.
How so? He is not ashamed before father, son, wife, friend, brother, benefactor, or anyone whatever. Why do I say friend, brother, and father? He is not ashamed before God Himself. He regards everything as a fable and laughs at everything, being drunk with violent passion.
He does not want to hear anything that might benefit him. Indeed, what madness! He says, “Woe to you, mammon, and to the one who does not have you.” Here I am torn by anger. Woe to those who say this, even if they say it in jest.
Tell me, did God not utter this threat: “No one can serve two masters” (Mt 6:24)? Yet you weaken His threat, daring to say this to your own harm. Does Paul not say that covetousness is idolatry? Does he not call the covetous man an idolater (Col 3:5; Eph 5:5)?
Yet you stand and laugh, like public women, giving yourself over to laughter, like actors on a stage. Because of this everything has been overturned and fallen. Everything among us has become buffoonery: our dealings with one another and our courtesy. Nothing is serious, nothing firm.
I do not say this only about laypeople. I know whom I mean. Even the church is filled with laughter. One person says a witty word, and laughter immediately spreads among those seated. And astonishingly, even during prayer itself many do not stop laughing.
The devil triumphs everywhere. He has bound all and possesses all. Christ is dishonored and driven out. The Church is counted as nothing. Have you not heard Paul, who says: “Filthiness and foolish talk and jesting are not fitting for you; let them be put away from you” (Eph 5:4)?
He places buffoonery together with filthiness. And you laugh? What is “foolish talk”? That which brings no benefit. And still you laugh? And you, monk, do you grin? You who have been crucified to the world and given over to mourning, tell me, why do you laugh?
Have you heard that Christ ever did this? Never. On the contrary, He often grieved. When He looked upon Jerusalem, He wept. When He had the betrayer before His mind, He was troubled. When He was about to raise Lazarus, He wept. And you laugh?
If the one who does not grieve over the sins of others deserves condemnation, can he who does not grieve over his own sins, but laughs, obtain forgiveness? The present time is a time of sorrow and grief, contrition and humility, struggle and contests. And you laugh?
Do you not know how Sarah was rebuked? Do you not hear the words of Christ, who says: “Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall weep and mourn” (Lk 6:25)? You sing the same thing every day. For tell me, what do you say? Do you say, “I laughed”? No. What then? “I am weary with my groaning” (Ps 6:6).
But perhaps some are so distracted and frivolous that they laugh even at this rebuke, precisely because we are now speaking about laughter. Such is the character of frivolity and such is license, that even rebuke is not felt.
The priest of God stands, offering prayer for all, and you, ashamed of nothing, laugh? He offers prayers for you with trembling, and you show contempt? Or do you not hear the Scripture, which says, “Woe to those who despise”? Do you not tremble and shudder?
When you enter royal chambers, you observe propriety in clothing, gaze, gait, and everything else. Yet here, where the true royal chambers are, like those in heaven, you laugh? Of course you do not see this. But know that angels are present everywhere here.
Especially in the house of God they stand before the King, and everything is filled with these bodiless powers. I shall say the same to women. Before their husbands they would not readily dare to do this, and if they do, it is not always, but only in merriment. Yet here they do it always.
Woman, you cover your head. Tell me, why do you laugh while sitting in church? You came here to confess your sins, to fall down before God, to ask and pray concerning the sins you have committed. And you do this with laughter? How then can you propitiate Him?
But you will say, what evil is laughter? Laughter is not evil. Evil is when it is without measure and out of place. The power of laughter was given to us so that we might use it when we see friends after a long separation.
It was given so that, when we see someone worn down and discouraged, we might cheer him by a smile. It was not given so that we might guffaw and laugh constantly. The power of laughter was implanted in our soul so that the soul might sometimes receive relief, not so that it might grow slack.
Bodily desire also lies in our nature. Yet it does not follow that we must necessarily satisfy it, or use it without measure. Rather, we must govern it. We do not say, “It was implanted in us; therefore we must satisfy it.”
Serve God with tears, that you may wash away your sins. I know that many mock us and say, “Tears again.” But for this very reason it is time for tears. I know that some say solemnly, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (1 Cor 15:32).
But remember: “Vanity of vanities; all is vanity” (Eccl 1:2). I do not say this, but the one who tested everything. “I built myself houses,” he says; “I planted vineyards, made gardens and groves, and planted in them every kind of fruit tree” (Eccl 2:4-6).
And after all this, what does he say? “Vanity of vanities; all is vanity.” Therefore let us weep, beloved, let us weep, that we may truly laugh and truly rejoice in the season of real joy. Present joy is always mixed with sorrow and is never pure.
But that joy is real and unfeigned. It contains nothing insincere and has no admixture. Let us rejoice with that joy, and let us strive to obtain it. It cannot be obtained except by choosing here not what is pleasant, but what is profitable.
We must even undergo some voluntary grief and bear everything that happens with thanksgiving. Thus we shall be able to be counted worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven, by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, dominion, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.