THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
Where are those who now diminish the majesty of the only begotten? Look, the Son is referred to as the great King, just as the Father is. Christ advises against swearing, stating, ‘neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King’ (Matt. 5:34-35). Similarly, another scripture declares Him to be ‘the mighty God, the everlasting Father,’ that is, the King (Is. 9:6). Therefore, when you learn that your Lord was nailed to the cross, hung there, buried, and descended into the depths of the earth, do not lose heart: He is the ‘Most High,’ exalted in essence; that which is exalted in essence cannot be brought low or fall from its height, for even in the midst of humiliation, His essence remains elevated.
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Likewise, in His death, Christ profoundly demonstrated His authority over death. ‘And the light shines in the darkness,’ says the Evangelist, ‘and the darkness did not overcome it’ (John 1:5). His elevation was displayed even in His humiliation. Observe how, even from within hell, He unsettled all that was high; the sun withdrew its light, the stones shattered, the temple veil split, the earth trembled, Judas met his end, and Pilate, along with his wife, was filled with fear—justice was served upon the judge himself. Thus, when you hear that He was bound and scourged, do not be perplexed; witness how He revealed His authority even in chains. He merely asked, ‘Whom do you seek?’ and all fell to the ground (John 18:4). Can you perceive how ‘awe-inspiring’ He is—what works He accomplishes with but a word and a gesture? When you see Him lifeless, envision the stone rolled away, the angels in reverent fear at the tomb, hell shattered, death overcome, and prisoners set free, and you will grasp how awe-inspiring He truly is. If He demonstrated such might during His humiliation—even in heaven, on earth, and in hell—what power will He display at His glorious return? Listen to the cries of demons during His humiliation, raging and breaking their chains as they say, ‘What do You want with us, Jesus, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the appointed time?’ (Matthew 8:29). If they spoke thus then, what will they proclaim when He returns, as the heavenly forces tremble, the sun darkens, and the moon fails to shine? Therefore, the prophet proclaims, ‘The Most High is to be feared.’ Or even more so, who can adequately articulate the events of that day when He will summon angels across the entire universe, when all creation will quake, the earth will tremble, and the dead will rise in vast numbers, when the heavens will be unspooled like a woven cloth; when a fearsome throne will be established (Dan. 7:9), rivers of fire will flow, books will be opened, and the deeds done in darkness will be laid bare? There will be unspeakable punishments, fierce powers, and unyielding swords leading to Gehenna; when all distinctions will vanish, and kings, commanders, captains, rulers, and princes, alongside countless angels, martyrs, prophets, apostles, priests, and monks will appear; when indescribable rewards, offerings, crowns, and blessings beyond comprehension will follow. Who can give voice to it? If the prophet, reflecting on creation, found himself wearied, saying: ‘how great are Your works, O Lord!’ (Psalm 91:6), and if Paul, pondering at the richness of God's providence, exclaimed: ‘Oh, the depth of the riches’ (Rom. 11:33), what could one possibly say who attempts to describe that day? All this had been foretold by the prophet, stating: ‘The Lord Most High is to be feared, a great King over all the earth,’ indicating the salvation of all creation. He was a great King previously but went unrecognized: ‘He was in the world, and the world did not know Him’ (John 1:10); yet now He has made Himself known as a great King to those who have been united with Him. Indeed, is He not great, who sent forth poor, uneducated fishermen, mere eleven in number, abandoned from their homeland, as silent as fish, clothed with only a single garment and lacking shoes, and drew them to Himself as if by command? Truly, He is a great King who purified the world from falsehood, spread the truth in no time, and defeated the dominion of the devil; He stands as a sovereign without equals, wielding power and authority not from subservience or outward adornments, but from His very nature itself. ‘For this purpose I was born’ (John 18:37). He is a great King, receiving honor not from elsewhere, requiring nothing to reign, acting at will. ‘Go ye into all the world and preach,’ He said (Mark 16:15)—and His word became action. ‘I will, be cleansed’ (Matt. 8:3); “Jesus commanded the unclean spirit, saying, ‘You deaf and dumb spirit! I command you, come out of him’ (Mark 9:24); “Be still, and be quiet” (Mark 4:39); “Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41); “Come, you blessed of My Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34). Do you observe His power displayed everywhere? Do you see how His authority draws those who follow Him to the point they would choose to lay down their lives rather than disobey His commands? An ordinary king receives honor from his subjects; yet He bestows honor upon His followers. Thus, while there may be merely a title for earthly kings, here there are demonstrated deeds. He is the great King who transformed the whole cosmos into heaven, who enlightened the uncultured to wisdom and inspired them to emulate the angels.