• Accueil
  • Œuvres
  • Introduction Instructions Collaboration Sponsors / Collaborateurs Copyrights Contact Mentions légales
Bibliothek der Kirchenväter
Recherche
DE EN FR
Œuvres Jean Chrysostome (344-407) In Matthaeum homiliae I-XC (CCEL) The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. Matthew
Homily I.

1.

It were indeed meet for us not at all to require 1 the aid of the written Word, but to exhibit a life so pure, that the grace of the Spirit should be instead of books to our souls, and that as these are inscribed with ink, even so should our hearts be with the Spirit. But, since we have utterly put away from us this grace, come, let us at any rate embrace the second best course.

For that the former was better, God hath made manifest, 2 both by His words, and by His doings. Since unto Noah, and unto Abraham, and unto his offspring, and unto Job, and unto Moses too, He discoursed not by writings, but Himself by Himself, finding their mind pure. But after the whole people of the Hebrews had fallen into the very pit of wickedness, then and thereafter was a written word, and tables, and the admonition which is given by these.

And this one may perceive was the case, not of the saints in the Old Testament only, but also of those in the New. For neither to the apostles did God give anything in writing, but instead of written words He promised that He would give them the grace of the Spirit: for "He," saith our Lord, "shall bring all things to your remembrance." 3 And that thou mayest learn that this was far better, hear what He saith by the Prophet: "I will make a new covenant with you, putting my laws into their mind, and in their heart I will write them," and, "they shall be all taught of God." 4 And Paul too, pointing out the same superiority, said, that they had received a law "not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart." 5

But since in process of time they made shipwreck, some with regard to doctrines, others as to life and manners, there was again need that they should be put in remembrance by the written word.


  1. [med desthai, "not even to need," as below in sec. 2.--R.] ↩

  2. [edlosen, "made evident, showed." The translator very frequently renders the aorist by the English perfect. Attention will be called in some instances, where the sense is affected by such renderings.--R.] ↩

  3. John xiv. 26. ↩

  4. Jerem. xxxi. 31-33; Is. liv. 13; Heb. viii. 8-11; John vi. 45. ↩

  5. 2 Cor. iii. 3. [The text here agrees with the Rec., not with the oldest mss. followed in the R.V.--R.] ↩

pattern
  Imprimer   Rapporter une erreur
  • Afficher le texte
  • Référence bibliographique
  • Scans de cette version
Traductions de cette œuvre
The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. Matthew
Commentaires sur cette œuvre
Introductory Essay

Table des matières

Faculté de théologie, Patristique et histoire de l'Église ancienne
Miséricorde, Av. Europe 20, CH 1700 Fribourg

© 2023 Gregor Emmenegger
Mentions légales
Politique de confidentialité