THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
To the disciples Christ said, "that the Son of God may be glorified," Jn 11:4, pointing to Himself. To this woman He says, "you will see the glory of God," Jn 11:40, meaning the Father.
Do you see how the weakness of the hearers causes the difference in His sayings? He reminds her of His conversation with her, as though reproaching her for not remembering His words.
Or perhaps He did not wish at that moment to trouble those present. Therefore He says gently, "Did I not tell you that if you would believe, you would see the glory of God?"
Faith, then, is a great good. It is a great good and the cause of many blessings, so that in God's name men can do the works of God.
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"If you have faith," Christ says, "you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move," Mt 17:20. Again He says, "He who believes in Me will also do the works that I do, and greater works than these will he do," Jn 14:12.
What greater works, you ask? The works later performed by the disciples, when even Peter's shadow raised the dead. Through this the power of Christ was preached still more.
It is not so astonishing that He worked miracles while living, as that after His death others could work greater miracles in His name. This served as an undoubted proof of His Resurrection.
Even if He had appeared to all, this would not have inspired such faith, because those who saw Him might still have said that it was a phantom. But whoever sees signs far greater than those He Himself performed while dwelling among men accomplished by His name alone cannot fail to believe, unless he is utterly insensible.
Thus faith is a great good, when it comes from a fervent heart, from much love, and from a soul on fire. It makes us wise. It covers human nothingness and, leaving earthly reasonings behind, practices philosophy concerning heavenly things.
Even more, what human wisdom cannot discover, faith comprehends abundantly and accomplishes. Let us therefore hold fast to faith, and not entrust our affairs to reasonings.
Tell me, why could the pagans discover nothing? Did they not know all external wisdom? Why, then, could they not surpass fishermen, tentmakers, and unlearned men?
Was it not because the pagans entrusted everything to their own reasonings, while the latter entrusted everything to faith? For this reason the latter surpassed Plato, Pythagoras, and all who were in error.
They conquered those skilled in astrology and mathematics, geometry and arithmetic, and those who had studied every science. They became as much better than them as true and genuine sages are better than people who are naturally foolish and senseless.
Indeed, see what happened. The Apostles said that the soul is immortal. Or rather, they not only said this, but persuaded others of it.
The philosophers at first did not even know what the soul was. When they learned and distinguished it from the body, they again suffered from the same ignorance.
Some said that it is incorporeal. Others said that it is a body and perishes together with the body.
Likewise, concerning heaven, the philosophers said that it is animate and is God. The fishermen both taught and persuaded men that it is a creation and work of God.
There is nothing surprising in the fact that pagans were guided by reasonings. What is worthy of tears is that people who present themselves as believers also prove to be merely natural.
For this reason they too fell into errors. Some of them said that they know God as He knows Himself, something no pagan ever dared to say.
Others said that God cannot beget impassibly, and gave Him no advantage over men. Still others assert that neither a good life nor good conduct brings any benefit.
But now is not the time to refute this. That right faith, when joined to a corrupt life, brings no benefit is shown by both Christ and Paul. They were especially concerned for a good life.
Thus Christ teaches, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven," Mt 7:21. Further on He says, "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Thy name?' Then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness,'" Mt 7:22-23.
Indeed, people who are inattentive to themselves easily fall into vices, even if they have right faith. In his Epistle to the Hebrews, Paul likewise says and exhorts, "Strive for peace with all men, and for holiness, without which no one will see the Lord," Heb 12:14.
By holiness he means chastity, according to which each man must be content with his own wife and not fall with another. Whoever is not content cannot be saved, but will inevitably perish, even if he has a thousand virtues.
Indeed, a fornicator cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Yet here it is no longer fornication, but something much worse: adultery.
Just as a woman bound to a husband commits adultery if she is also joined to another, so a man bound to a wife commits adultery if he has another woman as well. Such a man will not inherit the Kingdom, but will be cast into Gehenna.
Hear what Christ says of such people: "Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched," Mk 9:44. Indeed, there is no excuse for a man who, while having his wife, behaves disorderly with another woman. This is already incontinence.
If many abstain even from their own wife when the time of fasting or prayer arrives, what fire does he gather for himself who is not content even with his own wife, but also has relations with another?
If one who has dismissed and put away his wife is not permitted to be joined to another, because this is adultery, then what sin does he commit who, while having a wife in his house, brings in another?
Let no one allow such a disease to remain in his soul. Let each one tear it out by the root. The adulterer harms not so much his wife as himself.
This sin is so grave and unforgivable that if a wife leaves her husband, even an idolater, against his will, God punishes her. But when she leaves an adulterer, He does not punish her.
Do you see what an evil this is? "If any believing wife," it is said, "has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she should not leave him," 1 Cor 7:13.
But this is not said about a fornicator. What is said? "Whoever divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, makes her an adulteress," Mt 5:32.
If through marital union husband and wife become one body, then the man who lives with a prostitute necessarily becomes one body with her. How, then, will an honorable wife, being a member of Christ, receive such a husband?
How will she unite to herself a member of a prostitute? And see the distinction. A woman living with an unbeliever does not thereby become unclean, "for the unbelieving husband is sanctified by his believing wife," 1 Cor 7:14.
But this is not said about the prostitute. What is said? "Shall I take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute?" 1 Cor 6:15.
There sanctification remains and is not taken away, despite cohabitation with an unbeliever. Here, however, it departs. Truly, adultery is a grave sin, grave and preparing endless punishment.
Even here it brings countless calamities. Such a man is compelled to live a painful and grievous life. His condition is no better than that of those condemned to execution.
He secretly enters another's house with fear and great trembling, and he fears everyone alike, slaves and free men. Therefore I implore you: hasten to free yourselves from this disease.
If you do not obey, do not enter these sacred courts. Sheep covered with sores and infected by disease should not graze together with healthy sheep. They must be driven away from the flock until they are freed from their disease.
We have become members of Christ. Let us not become members of a prostitute. This place is not a house of debauchery, but a church.
If you have members that are given to fornication, do not stand in the church, lest you dishonor this place.
Even if there were no Gehenna, even if there were no punishment, how could you do this after those covenants and wedding lamps, after that lawful bed, after the begetting of children, after such communion?
How can you allow yourself to cleave to another? How are you not ashamed and do you not blush?
Do you not know that many condemn even those who take another wife after the death of the first, though this act deserves no punishment? Yet while your wife is still alive, you take another for yourself. What dissoluteness!
Learn what is said of such people: "Their worm," He says, "does not die, and the fire is not quenched," Mk 9:44. Fear this threat. Dread such punishment.
The pleasure here is not as great as the punishment there. But may God grant that no one fall under that punishment. May God grant that, striving in holiness, we may see Christ and attain the promised blessings.
May we all be counted worthy of them, by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory unto ages of ages. Amen.
He answered them, "Believe, and you will see the glory of God," thus teaching that faith is the cause of good works.