LA MAIN SECHE
TEXTES
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luc%206:6-11&version=LSG
Luc 6:6-11 (Louis Segond)
6Il arriva, un autre jour de sabbat, que Jésus entra dans la synagogue, et qu'il enseignait. Il s'y trouvait un homme dont la main droite était sèche.
7Les scribes et les pharisiens observaient Jésus, pour voir s'il ferait une guérison le jour du sabbat: c'était afin d'avoir sujet de l'accuser.
8Mais il connaissait leurs pensées, et il dit à l'homme qui avait la main sèche: Lève-toi, et tiens-toi là au milieu. Il se leva, et se tint debout.
9Et Jésus leur dit: Je vous demande s'il est permis, le jour du sabbat, de faire du bien ou de faire du mal, de sauver une personne ou de la tuer.
10Alors, promenant ses regards sur eux tous, il dit à l'homme: Étends ta main. Il le fit, et sa main fut guérie.
11Ils furent remplis de fureur, et ils se consultèrent pour savoir ce qu'ils feraient à Jésus.
Luke 6:6-11 (New King James Version)
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luc%206:6-11&version=NKJV
Healing on the Sabbath
6 Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7 So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him. 8 But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, “Arise and stand here.” And he arose and stood. 9 Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?”[a] 10 And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man,[b] “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.[c] 11 But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.
Matthieu 12:9-15 (Louis Segond)
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthieu%2012:9-15&version=LSG
9Étant parti de là, Jésus entra dans la synagogue.
10Et voici, il s'y trouvait un homme qui avait la main sèche. Ils demandèrent à Jésus: Est-il permis de faire une guérison les jours de sabbat? C'était afin de pouvoir l'accuser.
11Il leur répondit: Lequel d'entre vous, s'il n'a qu'une brebis et qu'elle tombe dans une fosse le jour du sabbat, ne la saisira pour l'en retirer?
12Combien un homme ne vaut-il pas plus qu'une brebis! Il est donc permis de faire du bien les jours de sabbat.
13Alors il dit à l'homme: Étends ta main. Il l'étendit, et elle devint saine comme l'autre.
14Les pharisiens sortirent, et ils se consultèrent sur les moyens de le faire périr.
15Mais Jésus, l'ayant su, s'éloigna de ce lieu. Une grande foule le suivit. Il guérit tous les malades,
Matthew 12:9-15 (New King James Version)
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthieu%2012:9-15&version=NKJV
Healing on the Sabbath
9 Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. 10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—that they might accuse Him. 11 Then He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other. 14 Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.
Behold, My Servant
15 But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes[a] followed Him, and He healed them all.
MAIN SECHE GUERIE LE JOUR DU SABBAT
EXPLICATION PAR SAINT JEAN CHRYSOSTOME
http://www.abbaye-saint-benoit.ch/frame.html
HOMÉLIE XL
« JÉSUS ÉTANT PARTI DE LA, VINT EN LEUR SYNAGOGUE. ET COMME IL S’Y TROUVA UN HOMME QUI AVAIT LA MAIN DESSÉCHÉE, ILS LUI DEMANDÈRENT S’IL ÉTAIT PERMIS DE GUÉRIR LE JOUR DU SABBAT, POUR AVOIR UN SUJET DE L’ACCUSER. » (CHAP. XII, 9,10, JUSQU’AU VERSET 25)
ANALYSE
1. Guérison de la main sèche.
2.3. Que l’envie est un très-grand mal.
4 et 5. Des remèdes propres à guérir l’envie . – Combien les honneurs sont funestes à ceux qui n’y prennent pas garde. – Qu’on devrait plutôt avoir de la compassion que de l’envie pour ceux qui sont dans les charges de l’Eglise. – Que leur réputation même est capable de les perdre.
1. Jésus-Christ guérit encore ici cet homme le jour du sabbat pour justifier davantage ses apôtres. Les antres évangélistes remarquent que Jésus-Christ ayant mis cet homme au milieu des Juifs, leur demanda s’il était permis de faire du bien au jour du sabbat.
N’admirez-vous point, mes frères, la bonté et la tendresse du Sauveur? Il met cet homme au milieu d’eux, afin de les toucher par la seule vue de sa misère, et que la compassion prenant la place de la malignité et de l’envie, ils rougissent de perdre la douceur naturelle à l’homme pour agir avec une brutalité barbare et inhumaine. Mais ces coeurs de pierre, que rien ne peut amollir et qui semblent avoir déclaré la guerre à l’humanité, trouvent bien (321) plus de délices à noircir la réputation du Sauveur, qu’à voir un miracle qui guérit cet homme. Ils montrent doublement leur malice, et par le dessein formé de contredire Jésus-Christ en tout, et par cette opiniâtreté si étrange avec laquelle ils s’opposaient à la guérison des autres.
Quelques évangélistes disent que ce fut Jésus-Christ qui interrogea les Juifs; mais le nôtre marque que ce fut au contraire les Juifs qui lui demandèrent : « S’il était permis de guérir le jour du sabbat, pour avoir un sujet de l’accuser. » Il est vraisemblable que les deux versions sont vraies l’une et l’autre. Comme ils étaient malicieux, et que d’ailleurs ils ne doutaient pas que Jésus-Christ ne guérît ce malade, ils voulaient le prévenir par cette question, pour empêcher ainsi ce miracle. Ils lui demandent donc « s’il est permis de guérir au jour du sabbat, » non pour s’instruire en effet, si cela était permis, mais pour avoir lieu de le calomnier ensuite. Pour leur donner lieu de l’accuser, il suffisait que Jésus-Christ fit ce miracle. Mais ils veulent encore que ses paroles leur donnent prise contre lui, pour multiplier autant qu’ils peuvent les moyens de lui nuire.
Cependant Jésus-Christ demeure dans sa douceur ordinaire. Il guérit ce malade et il leur répond pour faire retomber leurs piéges sur eux, pour nous apprendre la modération, et pour faire voir leur dureté inhumaine. Saint Luc remarque qu’il fit mettre cet homme « au milieu » des Juifs (Luc, VI, 8): non qu’il eût quelque crainte d’eux, mais pour les aider à rentrer en eux-mêmes et pour les toucher de compassion. Mais n’ayant pu fléchir leur dureté, il est dit dans saint Marc (Marc, III, 5), qu’il s’affligea en voyant l’aveuglement de leur coeur, et qu’il leur dit: « Quel est celui d’entre vous, qui ayant une brebis qui vienne à tomber dans une fosse le jour du sabbat, ne la prenne et ne l’en retire (11)? Et combien un homme ne vaut-il pas mieux qu’une brebis? Il est donc permis de faire du bien les jours du sabbat (12). » Pour leur ôter d’abord tout sujet de s’emporter contre lui avec insolence, et de l’accuser encore de violer la loi, il se sert de cette comparaison, et il nous donne lieu d’admirer combien il diversifiait selon les rencontres, les raisons dont il se défend de violer le sabbat.
Il est vrai que dans le miracle de l’aveugle-né (322), il ne se défendit point d’avoir fait de la boue un jour de sabbat, quoique les Juifs l’en accusassent, parce qu’un miracle si extraordinaire suffisait pour montrer qu’il est l’auteur et le maître de la loi. Lorsqu’il commanda au paralytique de porter son lit le jour du sabbat et que les Juifs l’en accusaient, il se défendit, tantôt en Dieu, tantôt en homme. Il parle en homme lorsqu’il dit: « Si un homme est circoncis le jour même du sabbat, afin que la loi ne soit point violée, » il ne dit pas, afin qu’un homme reçoive assistance, « pourquoi vous mettez-vous en colère contre moi, parce que j’ai guéri un homme dans tout son corps (Jean, V)? » Et il parle en Dieu lorsqu’il dit : « Mon Père agit depuis le commencement du monde jusqu’ici, et moi j’agis avec lui.» Lorsqu’il excuse ses disciples que l’on calomniait devant lui, il dit : « N’avez-vous point lu ce que fit David, quand il eut faim lui et ceux qui étaient avec lui; comment il entra dans la maison de Dieu, et y mangea les pains offerts? » Il les défend encore par la conduite ordinaire des prêtres qui faisaient beau. coup de choses le jour du sabbat sans commettre aucune faute.
Mais ici il leur demande: « S’il était permis, le jour du sabbat, de faire du bien ou de faire du mal, » et il leur fait cette question : « Qui d’entre vous ayant une brebis, » et le reste; parce qu’il savait qu’ils étaient avares, et qu’ils craignaient plus la perte d’une brebis qu’ils ne désiraient le salut des hommes.
Saint Marc rapporte « que Jésus-Christ les regardait (Marc, III, 5), » en leur faisant cette question, afin que son regard pût encore aide; à les toucher de compassion. Mais tout cela ne put faire aucun effet sur leur endurcissement. Il guérit cet homme par sa seule parole, quoique souvent ailleurs il impose les mains sur les malades pour les guérir. Et cette circonstance rendait ce miracle encore plus grand. Mais rien ne pouvait adoucir les Juifs, le paralytique était guéri, et eux devenaient plus malades encore par là. Jésus-Christ avait tâché, et par ses paroles, et par ses raisons, et par ses actions de les faire revenir et de les gagner. Mais voyant que leur opiniâtreté était inflexible, il les quitte et il fait son oeuvre.
« Alors il dit à cet homme : Etendez votre main, et l’ayant étendue elle fut rendue saine comme l’autre (13). » Que font à cela les Juifs? Ils sortent d’avec Jésus-Christ, ils s’assemblent (323) et ils consultent entre eux pour lui dresser quelque piége.
2. « Mais les pharisiens étant sortis tinrent du conseil ensemble contre lui sur les moyens qu’ils pourraient prendre pour le perdre (14). » Il ne les avait blessés en rien, et ils voulaient le faire périr. Tant il est vrai que l’envie est cruelle et furieuse, et qu’elle n’épargne ni amis, ni ennemis. Saint Marc dit qu’ils se lièrent avec les hérodiens, pour voir ensemble comment ils perdraient Jésus-Christ. Mais que fait ici le Sauveur, cet agneau si doux et si paisible? Il se retire pour ne pas les aigrir davantage. « Mais Jésus, sachant leurs pensées, se retira de ce lieu (45). » Où sont maintenant ceux qui croient qu’il serait à souhaiter que Dieu fît aujourd’hui des miracles comme autrefois? Jésus-Christ fait bien voir par ce qui lui arriva alors, que les esprits rebelles ne se rendent point aux miracles même. Tout ce qui se passe dans cette guérison miraculeuse montre clairement que les Juifs avaient accusé injustement les apôtres.
Il est à remarquer que plus Jésus-Christ faisait du bien aux hommes, plus ses ennemis s’en aigrissaient. S’ils le voient ou guérir les corps, ou convertir les âmes, ils entrent en furie, et ils cherchent les moyens de l’accuser. Lorsque chez le pharisien il change miraculeusement la pécheresse, ils le condamnent. Lorsqu’il mange avec les publicains et les pécheurs, ils le calomnient. Et ils conspirent ici pour le perdre, après qu’il a guéri cette main desséchée. Mais considérez, je vous prie, comme Jésus-Christ continue de faire son oeuvre. Il guérit les malades comme auparavant, et il tâche en même temps d’adoucir et de guérir les esprits.
« Une grande foule de peuple l’ayant suivi, il les guérit tous, et il leur recommanda en des termes forts et pressants, de ne le point découvrir (16). » Le peuple partout suit et admire Jésus-Christ, et les pharisiens ne quittent point cette aversion qu’ils ont pour lui. Mais pour nous empêcher d’être surpris d’une animosité si opiniâtre, Jésus montre que cela même avait été prédit par le prophète. Car les prophéties ont été faites avec tant de lumière et d’exactitude, qu’elles n’ont rien omis, et qu’elles marquent en particulier les voyages même de Jésus-Christ, les changements de lieux, et le dessein dans lequel il les faisait, pour nous apprendre que c’est le Saint-Esprit qui a tout dicté. Car si les hommes, selon saint Paul, ne peuvent connaître les secrètes pensées des hommes, ils auraient bien moins pu pénétrer les pensées et les raisons de Jésus-Christ, sans une révélation particulière de l’Esprit de Dieu. Voyons donc ce que dit ce prophète:
« Afin que cette parole du prophète Isaïe fût accomplie (17) : Voici mon Fils que j’ai élu, mon bien-aimé dans lequel mon âme a mis toute son affection. Je ferai reposer sur lui mon Esprit, et il annoncera la justice aux nations (8). » Le Prophète relève en même temps la douceur et la puissance de Jésus-Christ. Il ouvre aux gentils une porte large et spacieuse pour leur donner entrée dans la grâce du Sauveur, et il prédit aux Juifs les maux qui devaient leur arriver un jour. Il montre encore l’union parfaite de Jésus-Christ avec son Père. « Voici, » dit-il, « mon Fils que j’ai élu, mon bien-aimé dans « lequel mon âme a mis toute son affection. » Si le Père l’a élu pour son fils bien-aimé, ce n’est donc point pour le combattre qu’il se dispense de garder la loi. Jésus-Christ n’agit point en ennemi du législateur de l’ancienne loi. Ce qu’il fait, il le fait parce qu’il entre dans les desseins de son Père, et qu’il est parfaitement d’accord avec lui en toutes choses. Pour relever ensuite sa douceur, le Prophète dit : « Il ne disputera point ni ne criera point, et personne n’entendra sa voix dans les rues (19).» Il souhaitait d’être toujours au milieu d’eux pour les guérir, mais puisqu’ils ne l’ont pas voulu, it ne leur a point résisté. Il marque encore la toute-puissance du Sauveur et l’extrême faiblesse de ses ennemis lorsqu’il ajoute : « Il ne brisera point le roseau cassé (20); » pour montrer qu’il était aussi aisé à Jésus-Christ de terrasser tous les Juifs, que de « briser un roseau, » et un roseau déjà «cassé». Il n’achèvera point d’éteindre «la mèche de la lampe qui fume encore (20). » Le Prophète nous représente par ces paroles l’excès de la colère des Juifs et la toute-puissance du Sauveur, qui peut avec tant de facilité éteindre cette fureur et calmer ces violences. Que s’il ne l’a pas fait quelquefois, c’est ce qui marque la grandeur de son humilité et de sa douceur. Mais sa patience n’aura-t-elle point de fin, et souffrira-t-il éternellement cette malignité si cruelle et si envenimée de ses ennemis? Non certes ! mais quand il aura accompli ce qu’il a résolu, (323) il se rendra justice à lui-même. C’est ce que marquent ces paroles suivantes : « Jusqu’à ce qu’il rende victorieuse la justice de sa cause (20). » Saint Paul dit la même chose : « Nous avons en notre main le pouvoir de punir toute désobéissance, lorsque vous aurez satisfait à tout ce que l’obéissance demande de vous. » (I Cor. X, 7.) Que veulent dire ces paroles: « Jusqu’à ce qu’il rende victorieuse la justice de sa cause? » C’est-à-dire, jusqu’à ce qu’il ait accompli ce qui le regarde. C’est alors qu’il tirera une vengeance éternelle de ses ennemis, Ils souffriront alors des peines cruelles, lorsqu’il aura fait éclater « sa victoire », lorsqu’il aura fait voir « la justice de sa cause», et lorsque l’impudence de ses ennemis deviendra muette et sera couverte de confusion et de honte. Ce jugement ne se terminera pas seulement a punir les coupables, mais a attirer encore à lui toute la terre. « Et les nations espéreront en son nom (21). » Et pour marquer que cela se faisait ainsi par l'ordre et. par la disposition du Père, le Prophète commence d’abord par ces paroles : « Voici mon Fils que j’ai élu, mon bien-aimé dans lequel mon âme a mis toute son affection. » Car il est visible qu’un Fils qui est aimé de la sorte ne fait rien qu’avec le consentement de son père.
3. « Alors on lui présenta un possédé aveugle et muet, lequel il guérit, en sorte que cet homme qui était auparavant aveugle et muet commença à parler et à voir (22) » Combien est grande, mes frères, la malice du démon ! Il ferme les deux voies par lesquelles cet homme pouvait croire en Jésus-Christ, en lui ôtant la parole et la vue Mais Jésus-Christ lui rend l' une et l’autre « Et tout le peuple fut rempli d’admiration, et ils disaient : N'est-ce pas là le fils de David (23)? » Ce qu’entendant les pharisiens, ils dirent : « Cet homme ne chasse les démons que par la vertu de Béelzébub, prince des démons (24). » Quelle louange si extraordinaire ce peuple donnait-il à Jésus-Christ, et quel sujet les pharisiens avaient-ils de s’en scandaliser? Mais ils ne peuvent supporter ces louanges, et comme je l’ai déjà dit, les bienfaits que les hommes reçoivent de lui irritent ces pharisiens. Ce qui réjouit tous les autres est pour eux une affliction sensible, et là guérison certaine et indubitable des hommes leur perce le coeur. Il s’était retira de devant eux; il avait donné lieu à leur passion de s’apaiser; mais elle se renouvelle, aussitôt en voyant un homme guéri de nouveau. Ainsi leur fureur en cette rencontre a surpassé même celle du démon. Car nous voyons que le démon cède à la toute-puissance de Jésus-Christ, il s'enfuit du corps qu’il possédait, et il demeure dans le silence ; mais ceux-ci, après un si grand miracle de Jésus Christ, s’efforcent ou de. lui ôter la vie, ou de le perdre d’honneur. Et voyant qu’ils n’avaient pas assez de pouvoir pour le faire mourir, il tâchent au moins de noircir sa réputation par leurs calomnies.
Vous voyez, mes frères, par cet exemple, ce que c’est que l’envie, et ce que peut dans une âme, ce mal, qu’on peut appeler le plus grand des maux. L'adultère cherche une malheureuse satisfaction son crime, et il le commet en peu de temps; mais l’envieux se punit et se tourmente longtemps, lui-même avant que de tourmenter les autres: il est tellement possédé de sa passion, qu’elle ne lui donne point de trêve. Son. crime se commet et dure toujours.
Comme le pourceau trouve son plaisir dans la boue, et les démons dans notre perte : l’envieux du même trouve ses délices dans l'affliction de son frère. S’il lui voit arriver quelque mal, est alors qu'il respire et qu'il trouve du repos. Il se réjouit de ce qui afflige les autres Il compte leurs pertes au nombre de ses bonnes fortunes, et leurs avantages sont ses plus grandes disgrâces. Enfin il ne s’arrête pas tait a considérer le bonheur qui lui arrive que le malheur qui arrive aux autres.
Ne faudrait-il pas lapider ces sortes de gens? Ne faudrait-il pas leur arracher la vie par mille tortures, eux qui comme des chiens enragés aboient contre tout le monde, qui sont comme des démons visibles, et pires que ces furies que les fables ont invitées? Comme il y a des animaux qui ne se repaissent que d’ordures personnes aussi ne se nourrissent que de la misère des autres, et ils se déclarent ennemis communs de tous les hommes.
Nous avons souvent de la compassion pour les bêtes, même lorsqu'on les tue; mais vous cruel, lorsque vous voyez un homme guéri, vous devenez furieux comme une bête farouche, et vous en séchez d'envie. Peut-on trouver rien de plus détestable que cet excès? N'est-ce donc pas avec raison que les fornicateurs et les publicains ont trouvé accès au royaume (324) bienheureux de Dieu, et que les envieux en ont été éternellement bannis, quoiqu’ils en fussent les enfants et les héritiers légitimes? « Les enfants légitimes, » dit l’Evangile, « seront jetés dehors. » (Matth. VIII, 13.) Les uns en quittant leurs désordres, ont reçu de Dieu des biens qu’ils n’avaient pas espérés, et les autres par envie, ont perdu ceux qu’ils avaient déjà reçus. Et certes cette conduite de Dieu est bien juste. Car cette passion cruelle fait que l’envieux, d’homme qu’il était devient un démon. C’est l’envie qui a causé le premier homicide dans le monde. C’est elle qui a animé le frère contre le frère, et qui lui a fait oublier tous les sentiments de la nature. C’est l’envie qui a souillé la terre du sang de l’innocent Abel, et qui depuis a fait que cette même terre s’est ouverte pour dévorer tout vivants Coré, Dathan, Abiron, et tous ceux qui s’étaient joints à eux contre Moïse.
On me dira peut-être qu’il est aisé de par1er contre l’envie, mais qu’il serait bien plus utile de trouver des moyens de s’en défendre. Voyons donc comment nous pourrons nous préserver d’un mal si funeste. Nous devons considérer premièrement que comme il n’est pas permis aux adultères d’entrer dans l’assemblée des fidèles, il ne le doit pas être non plus aux envieux. Et j’ajoute encore que l’entrée de 1’Eglise devrait être plus interdite aux envieux qu’aux adultères même. Comme on croit que ce vice n’est rien, on se met souvent peu en peine de le combattre : mais lorsque nous en aurons compris la grandeur, il nous sera bien plus aisé de nous en défendre.
Si donc vous vous sentez prévenu de cette passion, pleurez et soupirez. Versez des ruisseaux de larmes devant Dieu, et appelez-le à votre secours. Soyez très-persuadé qu’en portant envie à un autre vous commettez un grand crime, et faites-en pénitence. Si vous entrez, dans ces sentiments, vous pourrez bientôt vous guérir d’une maladie si mortelle.
Vous me direz peut-être : qui ne sait que l’envie est un péché? Il est vrai que tout le monde le sait; mais qui est-ce qui en a autant d’horreur que de la fornication ou de l’adultère? quel est l’envieux qui prie Dieu avec larmes de le délivrer de ce crime? ou qui ait tâché de fléchir sa colère, et de se réconcilier avec lui? On ne voit personne qui ait cette idée de l’envie. L’homme le plus envieux du monde se croit en sûreté s’il jeûne un peu, et s’il fait quelque légère aumône. Il ne croit pas avoir fait un crime, lorsqu’il s’est abandonné à la plus furieuse et la plus criminelle de toutes les passions. Qui a rendu Caïn le meurtrier de son frère, et Esaü le persécuteur du sien ? qui a irrité Laban contre Jacob, et les enfants de Jacob contre leur frère Joseph? qui a suscité Coré, Dathan et Abiron contre Moïse? qui a fait murmurer encore contre lui Aaron son frère et Marie sa soeur? qui a rendu le démon même ce qu’il est, et lui a donné le nom de diable, c’est-à-dire de calomniateur ?
4. Considérez aussi que vous; vous nuisez beaucoup plus qu’à celui à qui vous portez envie, et que l’épée dont vous voulez le blesser vous perce vous-même. En effet, quel mal Caïn a-t-il fait à Abel? Il lui a procuré contre son intention le plus grand des biens, en le faisant passer plus tôt dans une vie très-heureuse, et il s’est enveloppé lui-même dans une infinité, de maux. En quoi Esaü a-t-il nui à Jacob? Son envie a-t-elle empêché qu’il ne se soit enrichi au lieu que cet envieux, en perdant l’héritage et la bénédiction de son père, a vécu et est mort malheureusement?
Quel mal a fait à Joseph l’envie de ses frères, qui les porta presque jusqu’à répandre son sang? Ne se sont-ils pas vus enfin dans la dernière extrémité, et près de périr par la famine, pendant que leur frère régnait, sur toute l’Egypte? Ainsi plus vous avez d’envie contre votre frère, plus vous lui procurez de bien. Dieu qui voit tout, prend en main la cause de l’innocent; et touche de l’injustice avec laquelle vous traitez, il se plaît à le relever lorsque vous cherchez à l’abaisser, et vous punit en même temps selon la grandeur de votre crime. Si Dieu a coutume de punir ceux qui se réjouissent du mal de leurs ennemis; s’il dit dans ses Ecritures: « Ne vous réjouissez pas de la chute de votre ennemi, de peur que Dieu ne le voie, et que cela ne lui plaise pas (Prov. XIV, 17) ; » combien punira-t-il davantage ceux qui, poussés par leur envie, veulent du niai à ceux qui ne leur en ont jamais fait?
Etouffons donc, mes frères, dans nous, ce monstre à plusieurs têtes. Car il y a plusieurs sortes d’envie. Si celui qui n’aime que celui qui l’aime, n’a rien de plus qu’un publicain, que deviendra celui qui hait une personne qui (325) ne l’a point offensé? Comment évitera-t-il l’enfer puisqu’il est pire que les païens mêmes? C’est, mes frères, ce qui me remplit de douleur. Nous devrions imiter les anges, ou plutôt le Seigneur et le Dieu des anges, et nous imitons le démon. Car je sais que dans l’Eglise même il y a beaucoup d’envieux, et encore plus entre nous autres qui en sommes les ministres, qu’entre les fidèles qui nous sont soumis. C’est pourquoi il est bon que nous nous parlions aussi à nous-mêmes.
Dites-moi donc, vous qui êtes ministre de l’Eglise : pourquoi portez-vous envie à cet homme? Est-ce parce que vous le voyez élevé en dignité et en honneur, et célèbre par son éloquence? Ne savez-vous pas que tous ces avantages sont souvent de véritables maux pour ceux qui ne veillent pas assez sur eux? qu’ils les rendent orgueilleux, vains, insolents et lâches? et qu’enfin ils disparaissent bientôt et perdent tout leur éclat? Car ce qu’il y a de plus déplorable dans ces faux biens, c’est que le plaisir qui en naît est court, et que les maux qu’ils causent sont éternels. Dites-moi donc en vérité, est-ce là le sujet de votre envie?
Mais il est puissant, dites-vous, auprès de l’évêque. Il conduit, il ordonne, il fait tout ce qui lui plaît. II peut faire du mal à tous ceux qui lui résistent. Il peut faire du bien à tous ceux qui le flattent. Enfin il a toute la puissance entre les mains. Les gens du monde pourraient parler de la sorte. On excuserait ces pensées dans des hommes charnels, et tout attachés à la terre. Mais un homme spirituel en est incapable. Car que lui pourrait faire celui que vous prétendez être si puissant? Le déposera-t-il de sa dignité? Quel mal en recevra-t-il? s’il mérite d’être déposé, ce sera son bien, puisque rien n’irrite Dieu davantage, que d’être dans les fonctions saintes et d’en être indigne. Que si c’est à tort qu’il le dépose, toute la honte de cette action retombe sur celui qui l’a faite, et non sur celui qui la souffre. Car celui à qui l’on fait une si grande injustice, et qui la souffre généreusement, en devient bien plus pur, et en acquiert une bien plus grande confiance auprès de Dieu.
Ne pensons donc point, mes frères, aux moyens d’avoir des dignités, des honneurs et des charges ecclésiastiques, mais aux moyens d’avoir de véritables vertus. Les dignités portent d’elles-mêmes à faire beaucoup de choses qui ne plaisent pas à Dieu. Il faut avoir une vertu grande et héroïque pour n’en user que selon les règles de son devoir. Un homme qui est sans charge se purifie et se perfectionne par l’humilité de son état même. Mais celui qui est dans une dignité, est semblable à un homme qui demeurerait avec une fille d’une rare beauté, et qui serait obligé de n’arrêter jamais les yeux sur elle. C’est ainsi que ceux qui sont puissants dans l’Eglise doivent craindre de se laisser éblouir par l’éclat de leur puissance.
Telle est la puissance; elle en pousse beaucoup à traiter injurieusement les autres; elles ont allumé la colère dans leur coeur; elles ont rompu le frein de leur langue, pour ouvrir leur bouche aux paroles insolentes et injurieuses, et enfin elles ont été à leur égard comme une tempête furieuse, qui rompt tous les mâts et les cordages d’un vaisseau, et qui le fait périr au milieu des flots. Croyez-vous donc un homme heureux, lorsqu’il est environné de tous ces périls, et son état vous paraît-il bien digne d’envie? Il faudrait, ce me semble, avoir perdu le sens pour en juger de la sorte. Que si ces périls secrets et invisibles ne vous touchent pas assez, représentez-vous encore combien ces personnes qui sont en charge sont exposées aux flatteries, aux jalousies et aux médisances. Appelez-vous donc cet état un état heureux et digne d’envie?
Mais tout le peuple, dites-vous, honore cet homme. De quoi lui sert cet honneur? Est-ce le peuple qui le jugera? Est-ce au peuple qu’il rendra compte de ses actions? N’est-ce pas Dieu qui lui redemandera un compte très-exact de toute sa vie? Ne tremblez-vous point pour lui, lorsque le peuple l’estime? Cet applaudissement et ces louanges, ne sont-ce pas comme- autant d’écueils et de rochers où il est en danger de se perdre? Plus les honneurs que le peuple lui rend sont grands, plus ils sont accompagnés de périls, de soins et d’inquiétudes. Celui qui dépend ainsi du peuple a bien de la peine à respirer un peu, et à demeurer ferme dans le même état. Quelque vertu que ces hommes aient d’ailleurs, il leur est très-difficile de se sauver, et d’entrer dans le royaume de Dieu.
Rien ne corrompt tant l’esprit et ne relâche tant les moeurs, que cet honneur qu’on reçoit du peuple qui rend les prélats timides, lâches, flatteurs et hypocrites. Pourquoi les pharisiens disaient-ils que Jésus-Christ était possédé du (326) démon, sinon par un désir ardent d’être estimés et d’être honorés du peuple? Et d’où vient au contraire que les autres Juifs jugeaient plus favorablement du Sauveur, sinon parce qu’ils n’étaient pas frappés de cette passion comme les pharisiens? Car rien ne rend un esprit si déraisonnable et si insensé que cette avidité de la gloire; et rien ne le rend si équitable, si solide et si ferme que le mépris de l’honneur. C’est pourquoi ce n’est pas sans sujet que je vous ai dit qu’il faut qu’un homme qui est en charge ait un esprit ferme et héroïque pour résister à tant de flots dont il est battu, et pour se sauver de la tempête ,qui l’attaque de toutes parts. Car quand un homme est possédé du désir de l’honneur, lorsque le vent de la gloire humaine lui est favorable, il est prêt à s’exposer à tout : et lorsqu’il lui est contraire, il s’abîme dans la tristesse. La gloire est pour un tel homme un paradis, et le déshonneur un enfer.
5. Est-ce donc là le sujet de votre envie, et n’en devriez-vous pas plutôt faire le sujet de votre compassion et de vos larmes? Lorsque vous croyez l’état de ces personnes digne d’envie, il me semble que vous êtes semblable à celui qui voyant un misérable lié, fouetté cruellement, ou déchiré par des bêtes farouches, regarderait avec envie sa douleur cuisante, et le sang qui lui coulerait de toutes parts. Car autant il y a d’hommes dans tout un peuple, autant ce ministre de l’Eglise a de liens qui l’environnent, et de maîtres auxquels il doit obéir. Ce qui est encore plus insupportable, c’est que chaque homme a ses pensées différentes, Ils attribuent tout le mal qui arrive à celui qui les conduit. Ils n’examinent rien à fond. Qu’une imputation imaginaire et sans fondement vienne à quelqu’un d’eux, elle passera pour une vérité constante dans l’esprit de tous les autres.
Quelle tempête est aussi pénible à souffrir que ces bizarreries du peuple ? Celui qui s’arrête à ces louanges populaires, est comme ces flots de la mer qui s’élèvent jusqu’au ciel, et s’abaissent ensuite jusqu’aux abîmes. il est toujours dans l’agitation, et jamais en paix. Avant que le jour de parler publiquement soit venu, il tremble de peur, et il appréhende le succès; et après que son discours est prononcé, ou il meurt de déplaisir et de tristesse, ou il entre dans une joie excessive qui est pire encore que son déplaisir. Car il est aisé de voir combien cette joie nuit à l’âme par les mauvais effets qu’elle y cause. Elle la rend légère et inconstante, sans solidité et volage.
Nous pouvons voir une preuve de cette vérité dans ces excellents hommes de l’Ancien Testament. Quand David a-t-il fait paraître plus de vertu? Est-ce lorsqu’il était dans le bonheur ou dans la joie, ou lorsqu’il était accablé de tristesse et de misère? Quand les Juifs servaient-ils Dieu avec plus de fidélité? Etait-ce lorsque l’extrémité de leurs maux les obligeait d’appeler Dieu à leur secours que la joie qu’ils ressentaient dans le désert les portait à adorer le veau d’or? C’est ce qui a fait dire à Salomon, qui savait parfaitement ce que c’était que la joie : « qu’il vaut mieux aller dans une maison de pleurs que dans celle où l’on rit (Eccl. VIl, 3); et que Jésus-Christ appelle heureux ceux qui pleurent, et ceux qui rient malheureux: « Malheur à vous qui riez, parce que vous pleurerez ! » Et c’est avec grande raison qu’il parle de la sorte, parce que l’âme devient plus molle et plus relâchée dans la joie; au lieu que dans la tristesse elle rentre en elle-même, elle devient plus sage et plus modérée, elle se dégage de ses passions, elle s’élève plus aisément vers Dieu, et elle trouve en soi-même plus de solidité et de force.
Pensons, mes frères, à ces vérités : fuyons la vaine gloire et le faux plaisir qu’on y trouve, afin de mériter cette gloire véritable qui ne passera jamais, que je vous souhaite, par la grâce et la miséricorde de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ, à qui est la gloire et l’empire dans tous les siècles des siècles. Ainsi soit-il.
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MAIN SECHE GUERIE LE JOUR DU SABBAT
EXPLICATION PAR SAINT JEAN CHRYSOSTOME
http://jesusmarie.free.fr/jean_chrysostome_commentaire_evangile_saint_matthieu_2.html
HOMÉLIE XL " JÉSUS ÉTANT PARTI DE LA, VINT EN LEUR SYNAGOGUE. ET COMME IL S’Y TROUVA UN HOMME QUI AVAIT LA MAIN DESSÉCHÉE, ILS LUI DEMANDÈRENT S’IL ÉTAIT PERMIS DE GUÉRIR LE JOUR DU SABBAT, POUR AVOIR UN SUJET DE L’ACCUSER. " (CHAP. XII, 9,10, JUSQU’AU VERSET 25)
ANALYSE
1. Guérison de la main sèche.
2.3. Que l’envie est un très-grand mal.
4 et 5. Des remèdes propres à guérir l’envie . – Combien les honneurs sont funestes à ceux qui n’y prennent pas garde. – Qu’on devrait plutôt avoir de la compassion que de l’envie pour ceux qui sont dans les charges de l’Eglise. – Que leur réputation même est capable de les perdre.
1. Jésus-Christ guérit encore ici cet homme le jour du sabbat pour justifier davantage ses apôtres. Les antres évangélistes remarquent que Jésus-Christ ayant mis cet homme au milieu des Juifs, leur demanda s’il était permis de faire du bien au jour du sabbat.
N’admirez-vous point, mes frères, la bonté et la tendresse du Sauveur? Il met cet homme au milieu d’eux, afin de les toucher par la seule vue de sa misère, et que la compassion prenant la place de la malignité et de l’envie, ils rougissent de perdre la douceur naturelle à l’homme pour agir avec une brutalité barbare et inhumaine. Mais ces coeurs de pierre, que rien ne peut amollir et qui semblent avoir déclaré la guerre à l’humanité, trouvent bien (321) plus de délices à noircir la réputation du Sauveur, qu’à voir un miracle qui guérit cet homme. Ils montrent doublement leur malice, et par le dessein formé de contredire Jésus-Christ en tout, et par cette opiniâtreté si étrange avec laquelle ils s’opposaient à la guérison des autres.
Quelques évangélistes disent que ce fut Jésus-Christ qui interrogea les Juifs; mais le nôtre marque que ce fut au contraire les Juifs qui lui demandèrent : " S’il était permis de guérir le jour du sabbat, pour avoir un sujet de l’accuser. " Il est vraisemblable que les deux versions sont vraies l’une et l’autre. Comme ils étaient malicieux, et que d’ailleurs ils ne doutaient pas que Jésus-Christ ne guérît ce malade, ils voulaient le prévenir par cette question, pour empêcher ainsi ce miracle. Ils lui demandent donc " s’il est permis de guérir au jour du sabbat, " non pour s’instruire en effet, si cela était permis, mais pour avoir lieu de le calomnier ensuite. Pour leur donner lieu de l’accuser, il suffisait que Jésus-Christ fit ce miracle. Mais ils veulent encore que ses paroles leur donnent prise contre lui, pour multiplier autant qu’ils peuvent les moyens de lui nuire.
Cependant Jésus-Christ demeure dans sa douceur ordinaire. Il guérit ce malade et il leur répond pour faire retomber leurs piéges sur eux, pour nous apprendre la modération, et pour faire voir leur dureté inhumaine. Saint Luc remarque qu’il fit mettre cet homme " au milieu " des Juifs (Luc, VI, 8): non qu’il eût quelque crainte d’eux, mais pour les aider à rentrer en eux-mêmes et pour les toucher de compassion. Mais n’ayant pu fléchir leur dureté, il est dit dans saint Marc (Marc, III, 5), qu’il s’affligea en voyant l’aveuglement de leur coeur, et qu’il leur dit: " Quel est celui d’entre vous, qui ayant une brebis qui vienne à tomber dans une fosse le jour du sabbat, ne la prenne et ne l’en retire (11)? Et combien un homme ne vaut-il pas mieux qu’une brebis? Il est donc permis de faire du bien les jours du sabbat (12). " Pour leur ôter d’abord tout sujet de s’emporter contre lui avec insolence, et de l’accuser encore de violer la loi, il se sert de cette comparaison, et il nous donne lieu d’admirer combien il diversifiait selon les rencontres, les raisons dont il se défend de violer le sabbat.
Il est vrai que dans le miracle de l’aveugle-né (322), il ne se défendit point d’avoir fait de la boue un jour de sabbat, quoique les Juifs l’en accusassent, parce qu’un miracle si extraordinaire suffisait pour montrer qu’il est l’auteur et le maître de la loi. Lorsqu’il commanda au paralytique de porter son lit le jour du sabbat et que les Juifs l’en accusaient, il se défendit, tantôt en Dieu, tantôt en homme. Il parle en homme lorsqu’il dit: " Si un homme est circoncis le jour même du sabbat, afin que la loi ne soit point violée, " il ne dit pas, afin qu’un homme reçoive assistance, " pourquoi vous mettez-vous en colère contre moi, parce que j’ai guéri un homme dans tout son corps (Jean, V)? " Et il parle en Dieu lorsqu’il dit : " Mon Père agit depuis le commencement du monde jusqu’ici, et moi j’agis avec lui." Lorsqu’il excuse ses disciples que l’on calomniait devant lui, il dit : " N’avez-vous point lu ce que fit David, quand il eut faim lui et ceux qui étaient avec lui; comment il entra dans la maison de Dieu, et y mangea les pains offerts? " Il les défend encore par la conduite ordinaire des prêtres qui faisaient beau. coup de choses le jour du sabbat sans commettre aucune faute.
Mais ici il leur demande: " S’il était permis, le jour du sabbat, de faire du bien ou de faire du mal, " et il leur fait cette question : " Qui d’entre vous ayant une brebis, " et le reste; parce qu’il savait qu’ils étaient avares, et qu’ils craignaient plus la perte d’une brebis qu’ils ne désiraient le salut des hommes.
Saint Marc rapporte " que Jésus-Christ les regardait (Marc, III, 5), " en leur faisant cette question, afin que son regard pût encore aide; à les toucher de compassion. Mais tout cela ne put faire aucun effet sur leur endurcissement. Il guérit cet homme par sa seule parole, quoique souvent ailleurs il impose les mains sur les malades pour les guérir. Et cette circonstance rendait ce miracle encore plus grand. Mais rien ne pouvait adoucir les Juifs, le paralytique était guéri, et eux devenaient plus malades encore par là. Jésus-Christ avait tâché, et par ses paroles, et par ses raisons, et par ses actions de les faire revenir et de les gagner. Mais voyant que leur opiniâtreté était inflexible, il les quitte et il fait son oeuvre.
" Alors il dit à cet homme : Etendez votre main, et l’ayant étendue elle fut rendue saine comme l’autre (13). " Que font à cela les Juifs? Ils sortent d’avec Jésus-Christ, ils s’assemblent (323) et ils consultent entre eux pour lui dresser quelque piége.
2. " Mais les pharisiens étant sortis tinrent du conseil ensemble contre lui sur les moyens qu’ils pourraient prendre pour le perdre (14). " Il ne les avait blessés en rien, et ils voulaient le faire périr. Tant il est vrai que l’envie est cruelle et furieuse, et qu’elle n’épargne ni amis, ni ennemis. Saint Marc dit qu’ils se lièrent avec les hérodiens, pour voir ensemble comment ils perdraient Jésus-Christ. Mais que fait ici le Sauveur, cet agneau si doux et si paisible? Il se retire pour ne pas les aigrir davantage. " Mais Jésus, sachant leurs pensées, se retira de ce lieu (45). " Où sont maintenant ceux qui croient qu’il serait à souhaiter que Dieu fît aujourd’hui des miracles comme autrefois? Jésus-Christ fait bien voir par ce qui lui arriva alors, que les esprits rebelles ne se rendent point aux miracles même. Tout ce qui se passe dans cette guérison miraculeuse montre clairement que les Juifs avaient accusé injustement les apôtres.
Il est à remarquer que plus Jésus-Christ faisait du bien aux hommes, plus ses ennemis s’en aigrissaient. S’ils le voient ou guérir les corps, ou convertir les âmes, ils entrent en furie, et ils cherchent les moyens de l’accuser. Lorsque chez le pharisien il change miraculeusement la pécheresse, ils le condamnent. Lorsqu’il mange avec les publicains et les pécheurs, ils le calomnient. Et ils conspirent ici pour le perdre, après qu’il a guéri cette main desséchée. Mais considérez, je vous prie, comme Jésus-Christ continue de faire son oeuvre. Il guérit les malades comme auparavant, et il tâche en même temps d’adoucir et de guérir les esprits.
" Une grande foule de peuple l’ayant suivi, il les guérit tous, et il leur recommanda en des termes forts et pressants, de ne le point découvrir (16). " Le peuple partout suit et admire Jésus-Christ, et les pharisiens ne quittent point cette aversion qu’ils ont pour lui. Mais pour nous empêcher d’être surpris d’une animosité si opiniâtre, Jésus montre que cela même avait été prédit par le prophète. Car les prophéties ont été faites avec tant de lumière et d’exactitude, qu’elles n’ont rien omis, et qu’elles marquent en particulier les voyages même de Jésus-Christ, les changements de lieux, et le dessein dans lequel il les faisait, pour nous apprendre que c’est le Saint-Esprit qui a tout dicté. Car si les hommes, selon saint Paul, ne peuvent connaître les secrètes pensées des hommes, ils auraient bien moins pu pénétrer les pensées et les raisons de Jésus-Christ, sans une révélation particulière de l’Esprit de Dieu. Voyons donc ce que dit ce prophète:
" Afin que cette parole du prophète Isaïe fût accomplie (17) : Voici mon Fils que j’ai élu, mon bien-aimé dans lequel mon âme a mis toute son affection. Je ferai reposer sur lui mon Esprit, et il annoncera la justice aux nations (8). " Le Prophète relève en même temps la douceur et la puissance de Jésus-Christ. Il ouvre aux gentils une porte large et spacieuse pour leur donner entrée dans la grâce du Sauveur, et il prédit aux Juifs les maux qui devaient leur arriver un jour. Il montre encore l’union parfaite de Jésus-Christ avec son Père. " Voici, " dit-il, " mon Fils que j’ai élu, mon bien-aimé dans " lequel mon âme a mis toute son affection. " Si le Père l’a élu pour son fils bien-aimé, ce n’est donc point pour le combattre qu’il se dispense de garder la loi. Jésus-Christ n’agit point en ennemi du législateur de l’ancienne loi. Ce qu’il fait, il le fait parce qu’il entre dans les desseins de son Père, et qu’il est parfaitement d’accord avec lui en toutes choses. Pour relever ensuite sa douceur, le Prophète dit : " Il ne disputera point ni ne criera point, et personne n’entendra sa voix dans les rues (19)." Il souhaitait d’être toujours au milieu d’eux pour les guérir, mais puisqu’ils ne l’ont pas voulu, it ne leur a point résisté. Il marque encore la toute-puissance du Sauveur et l’extrême faiblesse de ses ennemis lorsqu’il ajoute : " Il ne brisera point le roseau cassé (20); " pour montrer qu’il était aussi aisé à Jésus-Christ de terrasser tous les Juifs, que de " briser un roseau, " et un roseau déjà "cassé". Il n’achèvera point d’éteindre "la mèche de la lampe qui fume encore (20). " Le Prophète nous représente par ces paroles l’excès de la colère des Juifs et la toute-puissance du Sauveur, qui peut avec tant de facilité éteindre cette fureur et calmer ces violences. Que s’il ne l’a pas fait quelquefois, c’est ce qui marque la grandeur de son humilité et de sa douceur. Mais sa patience n’aura-t-elle point de fin, et souffrira-t-il éternellement cette malignité si cruelle et si envenimée de ses ennemis? Non certes ! mais quand il aura accompli ce qu’il a résolu, (323) il se rendra justice à lui-même. C’est ce que marquent ces paroles suivantes : " Jusqu’à ce qu’il rende victorieuse la justice de sa cause (20). " Saint Paul dit la même chose : " Nous avons en notre main le pouvoir de punir toute désobéissance, lorsque vous aurez satisfait à tout ce que l’obéissance demande de vous. " (I Cor. X, 7.) Que veulent dire ces paroles: " Jusqu’à ce qu’il rende victorieuse la justice de sa cause? " C’est-à-dire, jusqu’à ce qu’il ait accompli ce qui le regarde. C’est alors qu’il tirera une vengeance éternelle de ses ennemis, Ils souffriront alors des peines cruelles, lorsqu’il aura fait éclater " sa victoire ", lorsqu’il aura fait voir " la justice de sa cause", et lorsque l’impudence de ses ennemis deviendra muette et sera couverte de confusion et de honte. Ce jugement ne se terminera pas seulement a punir les coupables, mais a attirer encore à lui toute la terre. " Et les nations espéreront en son nom (21). " Et pour marquer que cela se faisait ainsi par l'ordre et. par la disposition du Père, le Prophète commence d’abord par ces paroles : " Voici mon Fils que j’ai élu, mon bien-aimé dans lequel mon âme a mis toute son affection. " Car il est visible qu’un Fils qui est aimé de la sorte ne fait rien qu’avec le consentement de son père.
3. " Alors on lui présenta un possédé aveugle et muet, lequel il guérit, en sorte que cet homme qui était auparavant aveugle et muet commença à parler et à voir (22) " Combien est grande, mes frères, la malice du démon ! Il ferme les deux voies par lesquelles cet homme pouvait croire en Jésus-Christ, en lui ôtant la parole et la vue Mais Jésus-Christ lui rend l' une et l’autre " Et tout le peuple fut rempli d’admiration, et ils disaient : N'est-ce pas là le fils de David (23)? " Ce qu’entendant les pharisiens, ils dirent : " Cet homme ne chasse les démons que par la vertu de Béelzébub, prince des démons (24). " Quelle louange si extraordinaire ce peuple donnait-il à Jésus-Christ, et quel sujet les pharisiens avaient-ils de s’en scandaliser? Mais ils ne peuvent supporter ces louanges, et comme je l’ai déjà dit, les bienfaits que les hommes reçoivent de lui irritent ces pharisiens. Ce qui réjouit tous les autres est pour eux une affliction sensible, et là guérison certaine et indubitable des hommes leur perce le coeur. Il s’était retira de devant eux; il avait donné lieu à leur passion de s’apaiser; mais elle se renouvelle, aussitôt en voyant un homme guéri de nouveau. Ainsi leur fureur en cette rencontre a surpassé même celle du démon. Car nous voyons que le démon cède à la toute-puissance de Jésus-Christ, il s'enfuit du corps qu’il possédait, et il demeure dans le silence ; mais ceux-ci, après un si grand miracle de Jésus Christ, s’efforcent ou de. lui ôter la vie, ou de le perdre d’honneur. Et voyant qu’ils n’avaient pas assez de pouvoir pour le faire mourir, il tâchent au moins de noircir sa réputation par leurs calomnies.
Vous voyez, mes frères, par cet exemple, ce que c’est que l’envie, et ce que peut dans une âme, ce mal, qu’on peut appeler le plus grand des maux. L'adultère cherche une malheureuse satisfaction son crime, et il le commet en peu de temps; mais l’envieux se punit et se tourmente longtemps, lui-même avant que de tourmenter les autres: il est tellement possédé de sa passion, qu’elle ne lui donne point de trêve. Son. crime se commet et dure toujours.
Comme le pourceau trouve son plaisir dans la boue, et les démons dans notre perte : l’envieux du même trouve ses délices dans l'affliction de son frère. S’il lui voit arriver quelque mal, est alors qu'il respire et qu'il trouve du repos. Il se réjouit de ce qui afflige les autres Il compte leurs pertes au nombre de ses bonnes fortunes, et leurs avantages sont ses plus grandes disgrâces. Enfin il ne s’arrête pas tait a considérer le bonheur qui lui arrive que le malheur qui arrive aux autres.
Ne faudrait-il pas lapider ces sortes de gens? Ne faudrait-il pas leur arracher la vie par mille tortures, eux qui comme des chiens enragés aboient contre tout le monde, qui sont comme des démons visibles, et pires que ces furies que les fables ont invitées? Comme il y a des animaux qui ne se repaissent que d’ordures personnes aussi ne se nourrissent que de la misère des autres, et ils se déclarent ennemis communs de tous les hommes.
Nous avons souvent de la compassion pour les bêtes, même lorsqu'on les tue; mais vous cruel, lorsque vous voyez un homme guéri, vous devenez furieux comme une bête farouche, et vous en séchez d'envie. Peut-on trouver rien de plus détestable que cet excès? N'est-ce donc pas avec raison que les fornicateurs et les publicains ont trouvé accès au royaume (324) bienheureux de Dieu, et que les envieux en ont été éternellement bannis, quoiqu’ils en fussent les enfants et les héritiers légitimes? " Les enfants légitimes, " dit l’Evangile, " seront jetés dehors. " (Matth. VIII, 13.) Les uns en quittant leurs désordres, ont reçu de Dieu des biens qu’ils n’avaient pas espérés, et les autres par envie, ont perdu ceux qu’ils avaient déjà reçus. Et certes cette conduite de Dieu est bien juste. Car cette passion cruelle fait que l’envieux, d’homme qu’il était devient un démon. C’est l’envie qui a causé le premier homicide dans le monde. C’est elle qui a animé le frère contre le frère, et qui lui a fait oublier tous les sentiments de la nature. C’est l’envie qui a souillé la terre du sang de l’innocent Abel, et qui depuis a fait que cette même terre s’est ouverte pour dévorer tout vivants Coré, Dathan, Abiron, et tous ceux qui s’étaient joints à eux contre Moïse.
On me dira peut-être qu’il est aisé de par1er contre l’envie, mais qu’il serait bien plus utile de trouver des moyens de s’en défendre. Voyons donc comment nous pourrons nous préserver d’un mal si funeste. Nous devons considérer premièrement que comme il n’est pas permis aux adultères d’entrer dans l’assemblée des fidèles, il ne le doit pas être non plus aux envieux. Et j’ajoute encore que l’entrée de 1’Eglise devrait être plus interdite aux envieux qu’aux adultères même. Comme on croit que ce vice n’est rien, on se met souvent peu en peine de le combattre : mais lorsque nous en aurons compris la grandeur, il nous sera bien plus aisé de nous en défendre.
Si donc vous vous sentez prévenu de cette passion, pleurez et soupirez. Versez des ruisseaux de larmes devant Dieu, et appelez-le à votre secours. Soyez très-persuadé qu’en portant envie à un autre vous commettez un grand crime, et faites-en pénitence. Si vous entrez, dans ces sentiments, vous pourrez bientôt vous guérir d’une maladie si mortelle.
Vous me direz peut-être : qui ne sait que l’envie est un péché? Il est vrai que tout le monde le sait; mais qui est-ce qui en a autant d’horreur que de la fornication ou de l’adultère? quel est l’envieux qui prie Dieu avec larmes de le délivrer de ce crime? ou qui ait tâché de fléchir sa colère, et de se réconcilier avec lui? On ne voit personne qui ait cette idée de l’envie. L’homme le plus envieux du monde se croit en sûreté s’il jeûne un peu, et s’il fait quelque légère aumône. Il ne croit pas avoir fait un crime, lorsqu’il s’est abandonné à la plus furieuse et la plus criminelle de toutes les passions. Qui a rendu Caïn le meurtrier de son frère, et Esaü le persécuteur du sien ? qui a irrité Laban contre Jacob, et les enfants de Jacob contre leur frère Joseph? qui a suscité Coré, Dathan et Abiron contre Moïse? qui a fait murmurer encore contre lui Aaron son frère et Marie sa soeur? qui a rendu le démon même ce qu’il est, et lui a donné le nom de diable, c’est-à-dire de calomniateur ?
4. Considérez aussi que vous; vous nuisez beaucoup plus qu’à celui à qui vous portez envie, et que l’épée dont vous voulez le blesser vous perce vous-même. En effet, quel mal Caïn a-t-il fait à Abel? Il lui a procuré contre son intention le plus grand des biens, en le faisant passer plus tôt dans une vie très-heureuse, et il s’est enveloppé lui-même dans une infinité, de maux. En quoi Esaü a-t-il nui à Jacob? Son envie a-t-elle empêché qu’il ne se soit enrichi au lieu que cet envieux, en perdant l’héritage et la bénédiction de son père, a vécu et est mort malheureusement?
Quel mal a fait à Joseph l’envie de ses frères, qui les porta presque jusqu’à répandre son sang? Ne se sont-ils pas vus enfin dans la dernière extrémité, et près de périr par la famine, pendant que leur frère régnait, sur toute l’Egypte? Ainsi plus vous avez d’envie contre votre frère, plus vous lui procurez de bien. Dieu qui voit tout, prend en main la cause de l’innocent; et touche de l’injustice avec laquelle vous traitez, il se plaît à le relever lorsque vous cherchez à l’abaisser, et vous punit en même temps selon la grandeur de votre crime. Si Dieu a coutume de punir ceux qui se réjouissent du mal de leurs ennemis; s’il dit dans ses Ecritures: " Ne vous réjouissez pas de la chute de votre ennemi, de peur que Dieu ne le voie, et que cela ne lui plaise pas (Prov. XIV, 17) ; " combien punira-t-il davantage ceux qui, poussés par leur envie, veulent du niai à ceux qui ne leur en ont jamais fait?
Etouffons donc, mes frères, dans nous, ce monstre à plusieurs têtes. Car il y a plusieurs sortes d’envie. Si celui qui n’aime que celui qui l’aime, n’a rien de plus qu’un publicain, que deviendra celui qui hait une personne qui (325) ne l’a point offensé? Comment évitera-t-il l’enfer puisqu’il est pire que les païens mêmes? C’est, mes frères, ce qui me remplit de douleur. Nous devrions imiter les anges, ou plutôt le Seigneur et le Dieu des anges, et nous imitons le démon. Car je sais que dans l’Eglise même il y a beaucoup d’envieux, et encore plus entre nous autres qui en sommes les ministres, qu’entre les fidèles qui nous sont soumis. C’est pourquoi il est bon que nous nous parlions aussi à nous-mêmes.
Dites-moi donc, vous qui êtes ministre de l’Eglise : pourquoi portez-vous envie à cet homme? Est-ce parce que vous le voyez élevé en dignité et en honneur, et célèbre par son éloquence? Ne savez-vous pas que tous ces avantages sont souvent de véritables maux pour ceux qui ne veillent pas assez sur eux? qu’ils les rendent orgueilleux, vains, insolents et lâches? et qu’enfin ils disparaissent bientôt et perdent tout leur éclat? Car ce qu’il y a de plus déplorable dans ces faux biens, c’est que le plaisir qui en naît est court, et que les maux qu’ils causent sont éternels. Dites-moi donc en vérité, est-ce là le sujet de votre envie?
Mais il est puissant, dites-vous, auprès de l’évêque. Il conduit, il ordonne, il fait tout ce qui lui plaît. II peut faire du mal à tous ceux qui lui résistent. Il peut faire du bien à tous ceux qui le flattent. Enfin il a toute la puissance entre les mains. Les gens du monde pourraient parler de la sorte. On excuserait ces pensées dans des hommes charnels, et tout attachés à la terre. Mais un homme spirituel en est incapable. Car que lui pourrait faire celui que vous prétendez être si puissant? Le déposera-t-il de sa dignité? Quel mal en recevra-t-il? s’il mérite d’être déposé, ce sera son bien, puisque rien n’irrite Dieu davantage, que d’être dans les fonctions saintes et d’en être indigne. Que si c’est à tort qu’il le dépose, toute la honte de cette action retombe sur celui qui l’a faite, et non sur celui qui la souffre. Car celui à qui l’on fait une si grande injustice, et qui la souffre généreusement, en devient bien plus pur, et en acquiert une bien plus grande confiance auprès de Dieu.
Ne pensons donc point, mes frères, aux moyens d’avoir des dignités, des honneurs et des charges ecclésiastiques, mais aux moyens d’avoir de véritables vertus. Les dignités portent d’elles-mêmes à faire beaucoup de choses qui ne plaisent pas à Dieu. Il faut avoir une vertu grande et héroïque pour n’en user que selon les règles de son devoir. Un homme qui est sans charge se purifie et se perfectionne par l’humilité de son état même. Mais celui qui est dans une dignité, est semblable à un homme qui demeurerait avec une fille d’une rare beauté, et qui serait obligé de n’arrêter jamais les yeux sur elle. C’est ainsi que ceux qui sont puissants dans l’Eglise doivent craindre de se laisser éblouir par l’éclat de leur puissance.
Telle est la puissance; elle en pousse beaucoup à traiter injurieusement les autres; elles ont allumé la colère dans leur coeur; elles ont rompu le frein de leur langue, pour ouvrir leur bouche aux paroles insolentes et injurieuses, et enfin elles ont été à leur égard comme une tempête furieuse, qui rompt tous les mâts et les cordages d’un vaisseau, et qui le fait périr au milieu des flots. Croyez-vous donc un homme heureux, lorsqu’il est environné de tous ces périls, et son état vous paraît-il bien digne d’envie? Il faudrait, ce me semble, avoir perdu le sens pour en juger de la sorte. Que si ces périls secrets et invisibles ne vous touchent pas assez, représentez-vous encore combien ces personnes qui sont en charge sont exposées aux flatteries, aux jalousies et aux médisances. Appelez-vous donc cet état un état heureux et digne d’envie?
Mais tout le peuple, dites-vous, honore cet homme. De quoi lui sert cet honneur? Est-ce le peuple qui le jugera? Est-ce au peuple qu’il rendra compte de ses actions? N’est-ce pas Dieu qui lui redemandera un compte très-exact de toute sa vie? Ne tremblez-vous point pour lui, lorsque le peuple l’estime? Cet applaudissement et ces louanges, ne sont-ce pas comme- autant d’écueils et de rochers où il est en danger de se perdre? Plus les honneurs que le peuple lui rend sont grands, plus ils sont accompagnés de périls, de soins et d’inquiétudes. Celui qui dépend ainsi du peuple a bien de la peine à respirer un peu, et à demeurer ferme dans le même état. Quelque vertu que ces hommes aient d’ailleurs, il leur est très-difficile de se sauver, et d’entrer dans le royaume de Dieu.
Rien ne corrompt tant l’esprit et ne relâche tant les moeurs, que cet honneur qu’on reçoit du peuple qui rend les prélats timides, lâches, flatteurs et hypocrites. Pourquoi les pharisiens disaient-ils que Jésus-Christ était possédé du (326) démon, sinon par un désir ardent d’être estimés et d’être honorés du peuple? Et d’où vient au contraire que les autres Juifs jugeaient plus favorablement du Sauveur, sinon parce qu’ils n’étaient pas frappés de cette passion comme les pharisiens? Car rien ne rend un esprit si déraisonnable et si insensé que cette avidité de la gloire; et rien ne le rend si équitable, si solide et si ferme que le mépris de l’honneur. C’est pourquoi ce n’est pas sans sujet que je vous ai dit qu’il faut qu’un homme qui est en charge ait un esprit ferme et héroïque pour résister à tant de flots dont il est battu, et pour se sauver de la tempête ,qui l’attaque de toutes parts. Car quand un homme est possédé du désir de l’honneur, lorsque le vent de la gloire humaine lui est favorable, il est prêt à s’exposer à tout : et lorsqu’il lui est contraire, il s’abîme dans la tristesse. La gloire est pour un tel homme un paradis, et le déshonneur un enfer.
5. Est-ce donc là le sujet de votre envie, et n’en devriez-vous pas plutôt faire le sujet de votre compassion et de vos larmes? Lorsque vous croyez l’état de ces personnes digne d’envie, il me semble que vous êtes semblable à celui qui voyant un misérable lié, fouetté cruellement, ou déchiré par des bêtes farouches, regarderait avec envie sa douleur cuisante, et le sang qui lui coulerait de toutes parts. Car autant il y a d’hommes dans tout un peuple, autant ce ministre de l’Eglise a de liens qui l’environnent, et de maîtres auxquels il doit obéir. Ce qui est encore plus insupportable, c’est que chaque homme a ses pensées différentes, Ils attribuent tout le mal qui arrive à celui qui les conduit. Ils n’examinent rien à fond. Qu’une imputation imaginaire et sans fondement vienne à quelqu’un d’eux, elle passera pour une vérité constante dans l’esprit de tous les autres.
Quelle tempête est aussi pénible à souffrir que ces bizarreries du peuple ? Celui qui s’arrête à ces louanges populaires, est comme ces flots de la mer qui s’élèvent jusqu’au ciel, et s’abaissent ensuite jusqu’aux abîmes. il est toujours dans l’agitation, et jamais en paix. Avant que le jour de parler publiquement soit venu, il tremble de peur, et il appréhende le succès; et après que son discours est prononcé, ou il meurt de déplaisir et de tristesse, ou il entre dans une joie excessive qui est pire encore que son déplaisir. Car il est aisé de voir combien cette joie nuit à l’âme par les mauvais effets qu’elle y cause. Elle la rend légère et inconstante, sans solidité et volage.
Nous pouvons voir une preuve de cette vérité dans ces excellents hommes de l’Ancien Testament. Quand David a-t-il fait paraître plus de vertu? Est-ce lorsqu’il était dans le bonheur ou dans la joie, ou lorsqu’il était accablé de tristesse et de misère? Quand les Juifs servaient-ils Dieu avec plus de fidélité? Etait-ce lorsque l’extrémité de leurs maux les obligeait d’appeler Dieu à leur secours que la joie qu’ils ressentaient dans le désert les portait à adorer le veau d’or? C’est ce qui a fait dire à Salomon, qui savait parfaitement ce que c’était que la joie : " qu’il vaut mieux aller dans une maison de pleurs que dans celle où l’on rit (Eccl. VIl, 3); et que Jésus-Christ appelle heureux ceux qui pleurent, et ceux qui rient malheureux: " Malheur à vous qui riez, parce que vous pleurerez ! " Et c’est avec grande raison qu’il parle de la sorte, parce que l’âme devient plus molle et plus relâchée dans la joie; au lieu que dans la tristesse elle rentre en elle-même, elle devient plus sage et plus modérée, elle se dégage de ses passions, elle s’élève plus aisément vers Dieu, et elle trouve en soi-même plus de solidité et de force.
Pensons, mes frères, à ces vérités : fuyons la vaine gloire et le faux plaisir qu’on y trouve, afin de mériter cette gloire véritable qui ne passera jamais, que je vous souhaite, par la grâce et la miséricorde de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ, à qui est la gloire et l’empire dans tous les siècles des siècles. Ainsi soit-il.
WITHERED HAND HEALED ON THE SABBATH
EXPLANATION BY SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
http://www.bible.ca/history/fathers/NPNF1-10/npnf1-10-46.htm#P4002_1277952
Homily XL.
Matthew Chapter 12, Verse 9 And Matthew Chapter 12, Verse 10
Homily XL.
Matthew Chapter 12, Verse 9 And Matthew Chapter 12, Verse 10
"And when He was departed thence, He went into their synagogue: and, behold, a man which had his hand withered."
Again He heals on a Sabbath day, vindicating what had been done by His disciples. And the other evangelists indeed say, that He "set" the man "in the midst," and asked them, "If it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath days."1
See the tender bowels of the Lord. "He set him in the midst," that by the sight He might subdue them; that overcome by the spectacle they might cast away their wickedness, and out of a kind of shame towards the man, cease from their savage ways. But they, ungentle and inhuman, choose rather to hurt the fame of Christ, than to see this person made whole: in both ways betraying their wickedness; by their warring against Christ, and by their doing so with such contentiousness, as even to treat with despite His mercies to other men.
And while the other evangelists say, He asked the question, this one saith, it was asked of Him. "And they asked Him," so it stands, "saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days? that they might accuse Him."2 And it is likely that both took place. For being unholy wretches, and well assured that He would doubtless proceed to the healing, they hastened to take Him beforehand with their question, thinking in this way to hinder Him. And this is why they asked, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days?" not for information, but that "they might accuse Him." Yet surely the work was enough, if it were really their wish to accuse Him; but they desired to find a handle in His words too, preparing for themselves beforehand an abundance of arguments.
But He in His love towards man doth this also: He answers them, teaching His own meekness, and turning it all back upon them; and points out their inhumanity. And He "setteth" the man "in the midst;" not in fear of them, but endeavoring to profit them, and move them to pity.
But when not even so did He prevail with them, then was He grieved, it is said, and wroth with them for the hardness of their heart, and He saith,
"What man is there among you that shall have one sheep, and if this fall into a pit on the Sabbath days, will he not lay hold of it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep?3 Wherefore it is lawful to do well4 on the Sabbath days."5
Thus, lest they have ground of obstinacy, and of accusing him again of transgression, He convicts them by this example. And do thou mark, I pray thee, how variously and suitably in each case, He introduces His pleas for the breaking of the sabbath. Thus, first, in the case of the blind man,6 He cloth not so much as defend Himself to them, when He made the clay: and yet then also were they blaming Him; but the manner of the creation was enough to indicate the Lord and Owner7 of the law. Next, in the case of the paralytic, when he carried his bed, and they were finding fault,8 He defends Himself, now as God, and now as man; as man, when He saith, "If a man on the Sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law should not be broken;" (and He said not "that a man should be profiled"); "are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whir whole on the Sabbath day?"9 As God again, when He saith, "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work."10
But when blamed for His disciples, He said, "Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungered, himself and they that were with him, how he entered into the house of God, and did eat the show-bread? He brings forward the priests also.
And here again; "Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days, or to do evil?11 Which of you shall have one sheep?" For He knew their love of wealth, that they were all taken up with it, rather than with love of mankind. And indeed the other evangelist. saith,12 that He also looked about upon them when asking these questions, that by His very eye He might win them over; but not even so did they become better.
And yet here He speaks only; whereas elsewhere in many cases He heals by laying on of hands also. But nevertheless none of these things made them meek; rather, while the man was healed, they by his health became worse.
For His desire indeed was to cure them before him, and He tried innumerable ways of healing, both by what He did in their presence, and by what He said: but since their malady after all was incurable, He proceeded to the work. "Then saith He to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth, and it was restored whole, like as the other."13
2. What then did they? They go forth, it is said, and take counsel together to slay Him. For "the Pharisees," saith the Scripture, "went out and held a council against Him, how they might destroy Him."14 They had received no injury, yet they went about to slay Him. So great an evil is envy. For not against strangers only, but even against our own, is it ever warring. And Mark saith, they took this counsel with the Herodians.15
What then doth the gentle and meek One? He withdrew, on being aware of it. "But when Jesus knew their devices,16 He withdrew Himself," it is said, "from them"17 Where now are they who say, miracles ought to be done? Nay, by these things He signified, that the uncandid soul is not even thereby persuaded; and He made it plain that His disciples too were blamed by them without cause. This however we should observe, that they grow fierce especially at the benefits done to their neighbors; and when they see any one delivered either from disease or from wickedness, then is the time for them to find fault, and become wild beasts. Thus did they calumniate Him, both when He was about to save the harlot, and when He was eating with publicans, and now again, when they saw the hand restored.
But do thou observe, I pray thee, how He neither desists from His tender care over the infirm, and yet allays their envy. "And great multitudes18 followed Him, and He healed them all; and He charged them that were healed, that they should make Him known to no man."19 Because, while the multitudes everywhere both admire and follow Him, they desist not from their wickedness.
Then, lest thou shouldest be confounded at what is going on, and at their strange frenzy, He introduces the prophet also, foretelling all this. For so great was the accuracy of the prophets, that they omit not even these things, but foretell His very journeyings, and changes of place, and the intent with which He acted therein; that thou mightest learn, how they spake all by the Spirit. For if the secrets of men cannot by any art be known, much more were it impossible to learn Christ's purpose, except the Spirit revealed it.20
What then saith the prophet? Nay, it is subjoined: "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon Him, and He shall show judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive nor cry,21 neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench, till He send forth judgment unto victory. And in His name shall the Gentiles trust."22
The prophet celebrates His meekness, and His unspeakable power, and opens to the Gentiles "a great door and effectual;" he foretells also the ills that are to overtake the Jews, and signifies His unanimity with the Father. For "behold," saith He, "my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased." Now if He chose Him, not as an adversary doth Christ set aside the law, nor as being an enemy of the lawgiver, but as having the same mind with Him, and the same objects.
Then proclaiming His meekness, he saith, "He shall not strive nor cry." For His desire indeed was to heal in their presence; but since they thrust Him away, not even against this did He contend.
And intimating both His might, and their weakness, he saith, "A bruised reed shall He not break." For indeed it was easy to break them all to pieces like a reed, and not a reed merely, but one already bruised.
"And smoking flax shall He not quench." Here he sets forth both their anger that is kindled, and His might that is able to put down their anger, and to quench it with all ease; whereby His great mildness is signified.
What then? Shall these things always be? And will He endure them perpetually, forming such frantic plots against Him? Far from it; but when He hath performed His part, then shall He execute the other purposes also. For this He declared by saying "Till He send forth judgment unto victory: and in His name shall the Gentiles trust." As Paul likewise saith, "Having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled."23
But what is, "when He sends forth judgment unto victory?" When He hath fulfilled all His own part, then, we are told, He will bring down upon them His vengeance also, and that a perfect vengeance. Then shall they suffer His terrors, when His trophy is gloriously set up, and the ordinances that proceed from Him have prevailed, and He hath left them no plea of contradiction, however shameless. For He is wont to call righteousness, "judgment."
But not to this will His dispensation be confined, to the punishment of unbelievers only, but He will also win to Himself the whole world. Wherefore He added, "And in His name shall the Gentiles trust."
Then, to inform thee that this too is according to the purpose of the Father, in the beginning the prophet had assured us of this likewise, together with what had gone before; saying, "My well-beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased." For of the well-beloved it is quite evident that He did these things also according to the mind of the beloved.24
3. "Then they brought unto Him one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb, and He healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw."25
O wickedness of the evil spirit! he had barred up both entrances, whereby that person should have believed, as well sight as hearing; nevertheless, both did Christ open.
"And all the people were amazed, saying, Is not this the Son of David?26 But the Pharisees said, This fellow doths not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils."27
And yet what great thing had been said? Nevertheless, not even this did they endure: to such a degree, as I have already remarked, are they ever stung by the good works done to their neighbors, and nothing grieves them so much as the salvation of men. And yet He had actually retired, and had given room for their passion to subside; but the evil was again rekindled, because a benefit was again conferred; and the evil spirit was not so indignant as they. For he indeed departed from the body, and gave place and fled away, uttering no sound; but these were endeavoring now to slay, now to defame Him. That is, their first aim not succeeding, they would fain hurt His good name.
Such a thing is envy, than which no worse evil can exist. For the adulterer indeed enjoys some pleasure, such as it is, and in a short time accomplishes his proper sin; but the envious man punishes himself, and takes vengeance upon himself more than on the person whom he envies, and never ceases from his sin, but is continually engaged in the commission thereof. For as a sow in mire, and evil spirits in our hurt, so also doth he delight in his neighbor's ills; and if anything painful take place, then is he refreshed, and takes breath; accounting the calamities of others his own joys, and the blessings of others his own ills; and he considers not what pleasure may accrue to himself, but what pain to his neighbor. These men therefore were it not meet to stone and beat to death, like mad dogs, like destroying demons, like the very furies?
For as beetles feed on dung, so do these men on the calamities of others, being a sort of common foes and enemies of our nature. And whereas the rest of mankind pity even a brute when it is killed, dost thou, on seeing a man receive benefits, become like a wild beast, tremble, and turn pale? Why, what can be worse than this madness? Therefore, you see, whoremongers and publicans were able to enter into the kingdom, but the envious, being within it, went out: For "the children of the kingdom," it is said, "shall be cast out."28 And the former, once freed from their present wickedness, attained to things which they never looked for, while these latter lost even the good things which they had; and very reasonably. For this turns a man into a devil, this renders one a savage demon. Thus did the first murder arise; thus was nature forgotten; thus the earth defiled; thus afterwards did it open its mouth, to receive yet living, and utterly destroy, Dathan, and Korah, and Abiram, and all that multitude.29
4. But to declaim against envy, one may say, is easy; but we ought to consider also how men are to be freed from the disease. How then are we to be rid of this wickedness? If we bear in mind, that as he who hath committed fornication cannot lawfully enter the church, so neither he that envies; nay, and much less the latter than the former. For as things are, it is accounted even an indifferent thing; wherefore also it is little thought of; but if its real badness be made evident, we should easily refrain from it.
Weep then, and groan; lament, and entreat God. Learn to feel and to repent for it, as for a grievous sin. And if thou be of this mind, thou wilt quickly be rid of the disease.
And who knows not, one may say, that envy is an evil thing? No one indeed is ignorant of it: yet they have not the same estimation of this passion as of adultery and fornication. When, at least, did any one condemn himself bitterly for having envied? when did he entreat God concerning this pest, that He would be merciful to him? No man at any time: but if he shall fast and give a little money to a poor man, though he be envious to the thousandth degree, he counts himself to have done nothing horrid, held as he is in subjection by the most accursed passion of all. Whence, for example, did Cain become such as he was? Whence Esau? Whence the children of Laban? Whence the sons of Jacob? Whence Korah Dathan, and Abiram, with their company? Whence Miriam? Whence Aaron? Whence the devil himself?
Herewith consider this also; that thou injurest not him whom thou enviest, but into thyself thou art thrusting the sword. For wherein did Cain injure Abel? Did he not even against his own will send him the more quickly into the kingdom? but himself he pierced through with innumerable evils. Wherein did Esau harm Jacob? Did not Jacob grow wealthy, and enjoy unnumbered blessings; while he himself both became an outcast from his father's house, and wandered in a strange land, after that plot of his?30 And wherein did Jacob's sons again make Joseph the worse, and this, though they proceeded even unto blood? had not they to endure famine, and encounter peril to the utmost, whereas he became king of all Egypt? For the more thou enviest, the more dost thou become a procurer of greater blessing to the object of thine envy. For there is a God who beholds these things; and when He sees him injured, that doeth no injury, him He exalts the more, and so makes him glorious, but thee He punishes.
For if them that exult over their enemies, He suffer not to go unpunished ("For rejoice not," it is said, "when thine enemies fall, lest at any time the Lord see it, and it displease Him"31 ); much more such as envy those who have done no wrong.
Let us then extirpate the many-headed wild beast. For in truth many are the kinds of envy. Thus, if he that loves one that is a friend to him hath no more than the publican,32 where shall he stand who hates him that doeth him no wrong? and how shall he escape hell,33 becoming worse than the heathens? Wherefore also I do exceedingly grieve, that we who are commanded to copy the angels, or rather the Lord of the angels, emulate the devil. For indeed there is much envy, even in the church; and more among us, than among those under authority. Wherefore we must even discourse unto ourselves.
5. Tell me then, why dost thou envy thy neighbor? Because thou seest him reaping honor, and words of good report? Then dost thou not bear in mind how much evil honors bring on the unguarded? lifting them up to pride, to vainglory, to arrogance, to contemptuousness; making them more careless? and besides these evils, they wither also lightly away. For the most grievous thing is this, that the evils arising therefrom abide immortal, but the pleasure at the moment of its appearing, is flown away. For these things then dost thou envy? tell me.
"But he hath great influence with the Ruler, and leads and drives all things which way he will, and inflicts pain on them that offend him, and benefits his flatterers, and hath much power." These are the sayings of secular persons, and of men that are riveted to the earth. For the spiritual man nothing shall be able to hurt.
For what serious harm shall he do to him? vote him out of his office? And what of that? For if it be justly done, he is even profited; for nothing so provokes God, as for one to hold the priest's office unworthily. But if unjustly, the blame again falls on the other, not on him; for he who hath suffered anything unjustly, and borne it nobly, obtains in this way the greater confidence towards God.
Let us not then aim at this, how we may be in places of power, and honor, and authority, but that we may live in virtue and self denial. For indeed places of authority persuade men to do many things which are not approved of God; and great vigor of soul is needed, in order to use authority aright. For as he that is deprived thereof, practises self restraint, whether with or against his will, so he that enjoys it is in some such condition, as if any one living with a graceful and beautiful damsel were to receive rules never to look upon her unchastely. For authority is that kind of thing. Wherefore many, even against their will, hath it induced to show insolence; it awakens wrath, and removes the bridle from the tongue, and tears off the door of the lips; fanning the soul as with a wind, and sinking the bark in the lowest depth of evils. Him then who is in so great danger dost thou admire, and sayest thou he is to be envied? Nay, how great madness is here! Consider, at any rate (besides what we have mentioned), how many enemies and accusers, and how many flatterers this person hath besieging him. Are these then, I pray thee, reasons for calling a man happy? Nay, who can say so?
"But the people," you say, "hold high account of him." And what is this? For the people surely is not God, to whom he is to render account: so that in naming the people, thou art speaking of nothing else than of other breakers, and rocks, and shoals, and sunken ridges. For to be in favor with the people, the more it makes a man illustrious, the greater the dangers, the cares, the despondencies it brings with it. For such an one has no power at all to take breath or stand still, having so severe a master. And why say I, "stand still and take breath"? Though such an one have never so many good works, hardly doth he enter into the kingdom. For nothing is so wont to overthrow34 men, as the honor which comes of the multitude, making them cowardly, ignoble, flatterers, hypocrites.
Why, for instance, did the Pharisees say that Christ was possessed? Was it not because they were greedy of the honor of the multitude?
And whence did the multitude pass the right judgment on Him? Was it not because this disease had no hold on them? For nothing, nothing so much tends to make men lawless and foolish, as gaping after the honor of the multitude. Nothing makes them glorious and immoveable, like despising the same.
Wherefore also great vigor of soul is needed for him who is to hold out against such an impulse, and so violent a blast. For as when things are prosperous, he prefers himself to all, so when he undergoes the contrary, he would fain bury himself alive: and this is to him both hell, and the kingdom, when he hath come to be overwhelmed by this passion.
Is all this then, I pray thee, matter of envyings, and not rather of lamentations and tears? Every one surely can see. But thou doest the same, in envying one in that kind of credit, as if a person, seeing another bound and scourged and torn by innumerable wild beasts, were to envy him his wounds and stripes. For in fact, as many men as the multitude comprises, so many bonds also, so many tyrants hath he: and, what is yet more grievous, each of these hath a different mind: and they all judge whatever comes into their heads concerning him that is a slave to them, without examining into anything; but whatever is the decision of this or that person, this they also confirm.
What manner of waves then, what tempest so grievous as this? Yea, such a one is both puffed up in a moment by the pleasure, and is under water again easily, being ever in fluctuation, in tranquillity never. Thus, before the time of the assembly, and of the contests in speaking, he is possessed with anxiety and fear; but after the assembly he is either dead with despondency, or rejoices on the contrary without measure; a worse thing than sorrow. For that pleasure is not a less evil than sorrow is plain from the effect it has on the soul; how light it makes it, and unsteady, and fluttering.
And this one may see even from those of former times. When, for instance, was David to be admired; when he rejoiced, or when he was in anguish? When, the people of the Jews? groaning and calling upon God, or exulting in the wilderness, and worshipping the calf? Wherefore Solomon too, who best of all men knew what pleasure is, saith, "It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house of laughter."35 Wherefore Christ also blesses the one, saying, "Blessed are they that mourn,"36 but the other sort He bewails, saying, "Woe unto you that laugh, for ye shall weep."37 And very fitly. For in delight the soul is more relaxed and effeminate, but in mourning it is braced up, and grows sober, and is delivered from the whole swarm of passions, and becomes higher and stronger.
Knowing then all these things, let us shun the glory that comes from the multitude, and the pleasure that springs therefrom, that we may win the real and everlasting glory; unto which may we all attain, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might, forever and ever. Amen.
WITHERED HAND HEALED ON THE SABBATH
http://biblestudy.churches.net/CCEL/FATHERS2/NPNF110/NPNF1145.HTM#P4002_1277952
EXPLANATION BY SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
Homily XL.
Matthew Chapter 12, Verse 9 And Matthew Chapter 12, Verse 10
Homily XL.
Matthew Chapter 12, Verse 9 And Matthew Chapter 12, Verse 10
"And when He was departed thence, He went into their synagogue: and, behold, a man which had his hand withered."
Again He heals on a Sabbath day, vindicating what had been done by His disciples. And the other evangelists indeed say, that He "set" the man "in the midst," and asked them, "If it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath days."1
See the tender bowels of the Lord. "He set him in the midst," that by the sight He might subdue them; that overcome by the spectacle they might cast away their wickedness, and out of a kind of shame towards the man, cease from their savage ways. But they, ungentle and inhuman, choose rather to hurt the fame of Christ, than to see this person made whole: in both ways betraying their wickedness; by their warring against Christ, and by their doing so with such contentiousness, as even to treat with despite His mercies to other men.
And while the other evangelists say, He asked the question, this one saith, it was asked of Him. "And they asked Him," so it stands, "saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days? that they might accuse Him."2 And it is likely that both took place. For being unholy wretches, and well assured that He would doubtless proceed to the healing, they hastened to take Him beforehand with their question, thinking in this way to hinder Him. And this is why they asked, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days?" not for information, but that "they might accuse Him." Yet surely the work was enough, if it were really their wish to accuse Him; but they desired to find a handle in His words too, preparing for themselves beforehand an abundance of arguments.
But He in His love towards man doth this also: He answers them, teaching His own meekness, and turning it all back upon them; and points out their inhumanity. And He "setteth" the man "in the midst;" not in fear of them, but endeavoring to profit them, and move them to pity.
But when not even so did He prevail with them, then was He grieved, it is said, and wroth with them for the hardness of their heart, and He saith,
"What man is there among you that shall have one sheep, and if this fall into a pit on the Sabbath days, will he not lay hold of it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep?3 Wherefore it is lawful to do well4 on the Sabbath days."5
Thus, lest they have ground of obstinacy, and of accusing him again of transgression, He convicts them by this example. And do thou mark, I pray thee, how variously and suitably in each case, He introduces His pleas for the breaking of the sabbath. Thus, first, in the case of the blind man,6 He cloth not so much as defend Himself to them, when He made the clay: and yet then also were they blaming Him; but the manner of the creation was enough to indicate the Lord and Owner7 of the law. Next, in the case of the paralytic, when he carried his bed, and they were finding fault,8 He defends Himself, now as God, and now as man; as man, when He saith, "If a man on the Sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law should not be broken;" (and He said not "that a man should be profiled"); "are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whir whole on the Sabbath day?"9 As God again, when He saith, "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work."10
But when blamed for His disciples, He said, "Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungered, himself and they that were with him, how he entered into the house of God, and did eat the show-bread? He brings forward the priests also.
And here again; "Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days, or to do evil?11 Which of you shall have one sheep?" For He knew their love of wealth, that they were all taken up with it, rather than with love of mankind. And indeed the other evangelist. saith,12 that He also looked about upon them when asking these questions, that by His very eye He might win them over; but not even so did they become better.
And yet here He speaks only; whereas elsewhere in many cases He heals by laying on of hands also. But nevertheless none of these things made them meek; rather, while the man was healed, they by his health became worse.
For His desire indeed was to cure them before him, and He tried innumerable ways of healing, both by what He did in their presence, and by what He said: but since their malady after all was incurable, He proceeded to the work. "Then saith He to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth, and it was restored whole, like as the other."13
2. What then did they? They go forth, it is said, and take counsel together to slay Him. For "the Pharisees," saith the Scripture, "went out and held a council against Him, how they might destroy Him."14 They had received no injury, yet they went about to slay Him. So great an evil is envy. For not against strangers only, but even against our own, is it ever warring. And Mark saith, they took this counsel with the Herodians.15
What then doth the gentle and meek One? He withdrew, on being aware of it. "But when Jesus knew their devices,16 He withdrew Himself," it is said, "from them"17 Where now are they who say, miracles ought to be done? Nay, by these things He signified, that the uncandid soul is not even thereby persuaded; and He made it plain that His disciples too were blamed by them without cause. This however we should observe, that they grow fierce especially at the benefits done to their neighbors; and when they see any one delivered either from disease or from wickedness, then is the time for them to find fault, and become wild beasts. Thus did they calumniate Him, both when He was about to save the harlot, and when He was eating with publicans, and now again, when they saw the hand restored.
But do thou observe, I pray thee, how He neither desists from His tender care over the infirm, and yet allays their envy. "And great multitudes18 followed Him, and He healed them all; and He charged them that were healed, that they should make Him known to no man."19 Because, while the multitudes everywhere both admire and follow Him, they desist not from their wickedness.
Then, lest thou shouldest be confounded at what is going on, and at their strange frenzy, He introduces the prophet also, foretelling all this. For so great was the accuracy of the prophets, that they omit not even these things, but foretell His very journeyings, and changes of place, and the intent with which He acted therein; that thou mightest learn, how they spake all by the Spirit. For if the secrets of men cannot by any art be known, much more were it impossible to learn Christ's purpose, except the Spirit revealed it.20
What then saith the prophet? Nay, it is subjoined: "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon Him, and He shall show judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive nor cry,21 neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench, till He send forth judgment unto victory. And in His name shall the Gentiles trust."22
The prophet celebrates His meekness, and His unspeakable power, and opens to the Gentiles "a great door and effectual;" he foretells also the ills that are to overtake the Jews, and signifies His unanimity with the Father. For "behold," saith He, "my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased." Now if He chose Him, not as an adversary doth Christ set aside the law, nor as being an enemy of the lawgiver, but as having the same mind with Him, and the same objects.
Then proclaiming His meekness, he saith, "He shall not strive nor cry." For His desire indeed was to heal in their presence; but since they thrust Him away, not even against this did He contend.
And intimating both His might, and their weakness, he saith, "A bruised reed shall He not break." For indeed it was easy to break them all to pieces like a reed, and not a reed merely, but one already bruised.
"And smoking flax shall He not quench." Here he sets forth both their anger that is kindled, and His might that is able to put down their anger, and to quench it with all ease; whereby His great mildness is signified.
What then? Shall these things always be? And will He endure them perpetually, forming such frantic plots against Him? Far from it; but when He hath performed His part, then shall He execute the other purposes also. For this He declared by saying "Till He send forth judgment unto victory: and in His name shall the Gentiles trust." As Paul likewise saith, "Having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled."23
But what is, "when He sends forth judgment unto victory?" When He hath fulfilled all His own part, then, we are told, He will bring down upon them His vengeance also, and that a perfect vengeance. Then shall they suffer His terrors, when His trophy is gloriously set up, and the ordinances that proceed from Him have prevailed, and He hath left them no plea of contradiction, however shameless. For He is wont to call righteousness, "judgment."
But not to this will His dispensation be confined, to the punishment of unbelievers only, but He will also win to Himself the whole world. Wherefore He added, "And in His name shall the Gentiles trust."
Then, to inform thee that this too is according to the purpose of the Father, in the beginning the prophet had assured us of this likewise, together with what had gone before; saying, "My well-beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased." For of the well-beloved it is quite evident that He did these things also according to the mind of the beloved.24
3. "Then they brought unto Him one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb, and He healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw."25
O wickedness of the evil spirit! he had barred up both entrances, whereby that person should have believed, as well sight as hearing; nevertheless, both did Christ open.
"And all the people were amazed, saying, Is not this the Son of David?26 But the Pharisees said, This fellow doths not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils."27
And yet what great thing had been said? Nevertheless, not even this did they endure: to such a degree, as I have already remarked, are they ever stung by the good works done to their neighbors, and nothing grieves them so much as the salvation of men. And yet He had actually retired, and had given room for their passion to subside; but the evil was again rekindled, because a benefit was again conferred; and the evil spirit was not so indignant as they. For he indeed departed from the body, and gave place and fled away, uttering no sound; but these were endeavoring now to slay, now to defame Him. That is, their first aim not succeeding, they would fain hurt His good name.
Such a thing is envy, than which no worse evil can exist. For the adulterer indeed enjoys some pleasure, such as it is, and in a short time accomplishes his proper sin; but the envious man punishes himself, and takes vengeance upon himself more than on the person whom he envies, and never ceases from his sin, but is continually engaged in the commission thereof. For as a sow in mire, and evil spirits in our hurt, so also doth he delight in his neighbor's ills; and if anything painful take place, then is he refreshed, and takes breath; accounting the calamities of others his own joys, and the blessings of others his own ills; and he considers not what pleasure may accrue to himself, but what pain to his neighbor. These men therefore were it not meet to stone and beat to death, like mad dogs, like destroying demons, like the very furies?
For as beetles feed on dung, so do these men on the calamities of others, being a sort of common foes and enemies of our nature. And whereas the rest of mankind pity even a brute when it is killed, dost thou, on seeing a man receive benefits, become like a wild beast, tremble, and turn pale? Why, what can be worse than this madness? Therefore, you see, whoremongers and publicans were able to enter into the kingdom, but the envious, being within it, went out: For "the children of the kingdom," it is said, "shall be cast out."28 And the former, once freed from their present wickedness, attained to things which they never looked for, while these latter lost even the good things which they had; and very reasonably. For this turns a man into a devil, this renders one a savage demon. Thus did the first murder arise; thus was nature forgotten; thus the earth defiled; thus afterwards did it open its mouth, to receive yet living, and utterly destroy, Dathan, and Korah, and Abiram, and all that multitude.29
4. But to declaim against envy, one may say, is easy; but we ought to consider also how men are to be freed from the disease. How then are we to be rid of this wickedness? If we bear in mind, that as he who hath committed fornication cannot lawfully enter the church, so neither he that envies; nay, and much less the latter than the former. For as things are, it is accounted even an indifferent thing; wherefore also it is little thought of; but if its real badness be made evident, we should easily refrain from it.
Weep then, and groan; lament, and entreat God. Learn to feel and to repent for it, as for a grievous sin. And if thou be of this mind, thou wilt quickly be rid of the disease.
And who knows not, one may say, that envy is an evil thing? No one indeed is ignorant of it: yet they have not the same estimation of this passion as of adultery and fornication. When, at least, did any one condemn himself bitterly for having envied? when did he entreat God concerning this pest, that He would be merciful to him? No man at any time: but if he shall fast and give a little money to a poor man, though he be envious to the thousandth degree, he counts himself to have done nothing horrid, held as he is in subjection by the most accursed passion of all. Whence, for example, did Cain become such as he was? Whence Esau? Whence the children of Laban? Whence the sons of Jacob? Whence Korah Dathan, and Abiram, with their company? Whence Miriam? Whence Aaron? Whence the devil himself?
Herewith consider this also; that thou injurest not him whom thou enviest, but into thyself thou art thrusting the sword. For wherein did Cain injure Abel? Did he not even against his own will send him the more quickly into the kingdom? but himself he pierced through with innumerable evils. Wherein did Esau harm Jacob? Did not Jacob grow wealthy, and enjoy unnumbered blessings; while he himself both became an outcast from his father's house, and wandered in a strange land, after that plot of his?30 And wherein did Jacob's sons again make Joseph the worse, and this, though they proceeded even unto blood? had not they to endure famine, and encounter peril to the utmost, whereas he became king of all Egypt? For the more thou enviest, the more dost thou become a procurer of greater blessing to the object of thine envy. For there is a God who beholds these things; and when He sees him injured, that doeth no injury, him He exalts the more, and so makes him glorious, but thee He punishes.
For if them that exult over their enemies, He suffer not to go unpunished ("For rejoice not," it is said, "when thine enemies fall, lest at any time the Lord see it, and it displease Him"31 ); much more such as envy those who have done no wrong.
Let us then extirpate the many-headed wild beast. For in truth many are the kinds of envy. Thus, if he that loves one that is a friend to him hath no more than the publican,32 where shall he stand who hates him that doeth him no wrong? and how shall he escape hell,33 becoming worse than the heathens? Wherefore also I do exceedingly grieve, that we who are commanded to copy the angels, or rather the Lord of the angels, emulate the devil. For indeed there is much envy, even in the church; and more among us, than among those under authority. Wherefore we must even discourse unto ourselves.
5. Tell me then, why dost thou envy thy neighbor? Because thou seest him reaping honor, and words of good report? Then dost thou not bear in mind how much evil honors bring on the unguarded? lifting them up to pride, to vainglory, to arrogance, to contemptuousness; making them more careless? and besides these evils, they wither also lightly away. For the most grievous thing is this, that the evils arising therefrom abide immortal, but the pleasure at the moment of its appearing, is flown away. For these things then dost thou envy? tell me.
"But he hath great influence with the Ruler, and leads and drives all things which way he will, and inflicts pain on them that offend him, and benefits his flatterers, and hath much power." These are the sayings of secular persons, and of men that are riveted to the earth. For the spiritual man nothing shall be able to hurt.
For what serious harm shall he do to him? vote him out of his office? And what of that? For if it be justly done, he is even profited; for nothing so provokes God, as for one to hold the priest's office unworthily. But if unjustly, the blame again falls on the other, not on him; for he who hath suffered anything unjustly, and borne it nobly, obtains in this way the greater confidence towards God.
Let us not then aim at this, how we may be in places of power, and honor, and authority, but that we may live in virtue and self denial. For indeed places of authority persuade men to do many things which are not approved of God; and great vigor of soul is needed, in order to use authority aright. For as he that is deprived thereof, practises self restraint, whether with or against his will, so he that enjoys it is in some such condition, as if any one living with a graceful and beautiful damsel were to receive rules never to look upon her unchastely. For authority is that kind of thing. Wherefore many, even against their will, hath it induced to show insolence; it awakens wrath, and removes the bridle from the tongue, and tears off the door of the lips; fanning the soul as with a wind, and sinking the bark in the lowest depth of evils. Him then who is in so great danger dost thou admire, and sayest thou he is to be envied? Nay, how great madness is here! Consider, at any rate (besides what we have mentioned), how many enemies and accusers, and how many flatterers this person hath besieging him. Are these then, I pray thee, reasons for calling a man happy? Nay, who can say so?
"But the people," you say, "hold high account of him." And what is this? For the people surely is not God, to whom he is to render account: so that in naming the people, thou art speaking of nothing else than of other breakers, and rocks, and shoals, and sunken ridges. For to be in favor with the people, the more it makes a man illustrious, the greater the dangers, the cares, the despondencies it brings with it. For such an one has no power at all to take breath or stand still, having so severe a master. And why say I, "stand still and take breath"? Though such an one have never so many good works, hardly doth he enter into the kingdom. For nothing is so wont to overthrow34 men, as the honor which comes of the multitude, making them cowardly, ignoble, flatterers, hypocrites.
Why, for instance, did the Pharisees say that Christ was possessed? Was it not because they were greedy of the honor of the multitude?
And whence did the multitude pass the right judgment on Him? Was it not because this disease had no hold on them? For nothing, nothing so much tends to make men lawless and foolish, as gaping after the honor of the multitude. Nothing makes them glorious and immoveable, like despising the same.
Wherefore also great vigor of soul is needed for him who is to hold out against such an impulse, and so violent a blast. For as when things are prosperous, he prefers himself to all, so when he undergoes the contrary, he would fain bury himself alive: and this is to him both hell, and the kingdom, when he hath come to be overwhelmed by this passion.
Is all this then, I pray thee, matter of envyings, and not rather of lamentations and tears? Every one surely can see. But thou doest the same, in envying one in that kind of credit, as if a person, seeing another bound and scourged and torn by innumerable wild beasts, were to envy him his wounds and stripes. For in fact, as many men as the multitude comprises, so many bonds also, so many tyrants hath he: and, what is yet more grievous, each of these hath a different mind: and they all judge whatever comes into their heads concerning him that is a slave to them, without examining into anything; but whatever is the decision of this or that person, this they also confirm.
What manner of waves then, what tempest so grievous as this? Yea, such a one is both puffed up in a moment by the pleasure, and is under water again easily, being ever in fluctuation, in tranquillity never. Thus, before the time of the assembly, and of the contests in speaking, he is possessed with anxiety and fear; but after the assembly he is either dead with despondency, or rejoices on the contrary without measure; a worse thing than sorrow. For that pleasure is not a less evil than sorrow is plain from the effect it has on the soul; how light it makes it, and unsteady, and fluttering.
And this one may see even from those of former times. When, for instance, was David to be admired; when he rejoiced, or when he was in anguish? When, the people of the Jews? groaning and calling upon God, or exulting in the wilderness, and worshipping the calf? Wherefore Solomon too, who best of all men knew what pleasure is, saith, "It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house of laughter."35 Wherefore Christ also blesses the one, saying, "Blessed are they that mourn,"36 but the other sort He bewails, saying, "Woe unto you that laugh, for ye shall weep."37 And very fitly. For in delight the soul is more relaxed and effeminate, but in mourning it is braced up, and grows sober, and is delivered from the whole swarm of passions, and becomes higher and stronger.
Knowing then all these things, let us shun the glory that comes from the multitude, and the pleasure that springs therefrom, that we may win the real and everlasting glory; unto which may we all attain, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might, forever and ever. Amen.
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THE WITHERED HAND
HEALED ON THE SABBATH
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Homily 40 on Matthew
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Matthew 12:9-10.
And when He was departed thence, He went into their synagogue: and, behold, a man which had his hand withered.
Again He heals on a Sabbath day, vindicating what had been done by His disciples. And the other evangelists indeed say, that He set the man in the midst, and asked them, If it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath days.
See the tender bowels of the Lord. He set him in the midst, that by the sight He might subdue them; that overcome by the spectacle they might cast away their wickedness, and out of a kind of shame towards the man, cease from their savage ways. But they, ungentle and inhuman, choose rather to hurt the fame of Christ, than to see this person made whole: in both ways betraying their wickedness; by their warring against Christ, and by their doing so with such contentiousness, as even to treat with despite His mercies to other men.
And while the other evangelists say, He asked the question, this one says, it was asked of Him. And they asked Him, so it stands, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days? That they might accuse Him. Matthew 12:10 And it is likely that both took place. For being unholy wretches, and well assured that He would doubtless proceed to the healing, they hastened to take Him beforehand with their question, thinking in this way to hinder Him. And this is why they asked, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days? not for information, but that they might accuse Him. Yet surely the work was enough, if it were really their wish to accuse Him; but they desired to find a handle in His words too, preparing for themselves beforehand an abundance of arguments.
But He in His love towards man does this also: He answers them, teaching His own meekness, and turning it all back upon them; and points out their inhumanity. And He sets the man in the midst; not in fear of them, but endeavoring to profit them, and move them to pity.
But when not even so did He prevail with them, then was He grieved, it is said, and angry with them for the hardness of their heart, and He says,
What man is there among you that shall have one sheep, and if this fall into a pit on the Sabbath days, will he not lay hold of it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days. Matthew 12:3
Thus, lest they have ground of obstinacy, and of accusing him again of transgression, He convicts them by this example. And do thou mark, I pray you, how variously and suitably in each case, He introduces His pleas for the breaking of the sabbath. Thus, first, in the case of the blind man, John 9:6 He does not so much as defend Himself to them, when He made the clay: and yet then also were they blaming Him; but the manner of the creation was enough to indicate the Lord and Owner of the law. Next, in the case of the paralytic, when he carried his bed, and they were finding fault, John 5:9-10 He defends Himself, now as God, and now as man; as man, when He says, If a man on the Sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law should not be broken; (and He said not that a man should be profited); are you angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the Sabbath day? John 7:23 As God again, when He says, My Father works hitherto, and I work. John 5:17
But when blamed for His disciples, He said, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungered, himself and they that were with him, how he entered into the house of God, and did eat the show-bread? Matthew 12:3-4 He brings forward the priests also.
And here again; Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days, or to do evil? Which of you shall have one sheep? For He knew their love of wealth, that they were all taken up with it, rather than with love of mankind. And indeed the other evangelist says, that He also looked about upon them when asking these questions, that by His very eye He might win them over; but not even so did they become better.
And yet here He speaks only; whereas elsewhere in many cases He heals by laying on of hands also. But nevertheless none of these things made them meek; rather, while the man was healed, they by his health became worse.
For His desire indeed was to cure them before him, and He tried innumerable ways of healing, both by what He did in their presence, and by what He said: but since their malady after all was incurable, He proceeded to the work. Then says He to the man, Stretch forth your hand. And he stretched it forth, and it was restored whole, like as the other. Matthew 12:13
2. What then did they? They go forth, it is said, and take counsel together to slay Him. For the Pharisees, says the Scripture, went out and held a council against Him, how they might destroy Him. They had received no injury, yet they went about to slay Him. So great an evil is envy. For not against strangers only, but even against our own, is it ever warring. And Mark says, they took this counsel with the Herodians. Mark 3:6
What then does the gentle and meek One? He withdrew, on being aware of it. But when Jesus knew their devices, He withdrew Himself, it is said, from them. Matthew 12:15 Where now are they who say, miracles ought to be done? Nay, by these things He signified, that the uncandid soul is not even thereby persuaded; and He made it plain that His disciples too were blamed by them without cause. This however we should observe, that they grow fierce especially at the benefits done to their neighbors; and when they see any one delivered either from disease or from wickedness, then is the time for them to find fault, and become wild beasts. Thus did they calumniate Him, both when He was about to save the harlot, and when He was eating with publicans, and now again, when they saw the hand restored.
But do thou observe, I pray you, how He neither desists from His tender care over the infirm, and yet allays their envy. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all; and He charged them that were healed, that they should make Him known to no man. Because, while the multitudes everywhere both admire and follow Him, they desist not from their wickedness.
Then, lest you should be confounded at what is going on, and at their strange frenzy, He introduces the prophet also, foretelling all this. For so great was the accuracy of the prophets, that they omit not even these things, but foretell His very journeyings, and changes of place, and the intent with which He acted therein; that you might learn, how they spoke all by the Spirit. For if the secrets of men cannot by any art be known, much more were it impossible to learn Christ's purpose, except the Spirit revealed it. 1 Corinthians 2:11
What then says the prophet? Nay, it is subjoined: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon Him, and He shall show judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive nor cry, neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench, till He send forth judgment unto victory. And in His name shall the Gentiles trust.
The prophet celebrates His meekness, and His unspeakable power, and opens to the Gentiles a great door and effectual; he foretells also the ills that are to overtake the Jews, and signifies His unanimity with the Father. For behold, says He, my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased. Now if He chose Him, not as an adversary does Christ set aside the law, nor as being an enemy of the lawgiver, but as having the same mind with Him, and the same objects.
Then proclaiming His meekness, he says, He shall not strive nor cry. For His desire indeed was to heal in their presence; but since they thrust Him away, not even against this did He contend.
And intimating both His might, and their weakness, he says, A bruised reed shall He not break. For indeed it was easy to break them all to pieces like a reed, and not a reed merely, but one already bruised.
And smoking flax shall He not quench. Here he sets forth both their anger that is kindled, and His might that is able to put down their anger, and to quench it with all ease; whereby His great mildness is signified.
What then? Shall these things always be? And will He endure them perpetually, forming such frantic plots against Him? Far from it; but when He has performed His part, then shall He execute the other purposes also. For this He declared by saying Till He send forth judgment unto victory: and in His name shall the Gentiles trust. As Paul likewise says, Having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
But what is, when He sends forth judgment unto victory? When He has fulfilled all His own part, then, we are told, He will bring down upon them His vengeance also, and that a perfect vengeance. Then shall they suffer His terrors, when His trophy is gloriously set up, and the ordinances that proceed from Him have prevailed, and He has left them no plea of contradiction, however shameless. For He is wont to call righteousness, judgment.
But not to this will His dispensation be confined, to the punishment of unbelievers only, but He will also win to Himself the whole world. Wherefore He added, And in His name shall the Gentiles trust.
Then, to inform you that this too is according to the purpose of the Father, in the beginning the prophet had assured us of this likewise, together with what had gone before; saying, My well-beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased. For of the well-beloved it is quite evident that He did these things also according to the mind of the beloved.
3. Then they brought unto Him one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb, and He healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spoke and saw.
O wickedness of the evil spirit! He had barred up both entrances, whereby that person should have believed, as well sight as hearing; nevertheless, both did Christ open.
And all the people were amazed, saying, Is not this the Son of David? But the Pharisees said, This fellow does not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils.
And yet what great thing had been said? Nevertheless, not even this did they endure: to such a degree, as I have already remarked, are they ever stung by the good works done to their neighbors, and nothing grieves them so much as the salvation of men. And yet He had actually retired, and had given room for their passion to subside; but the evil was again rekindled, because a benefit was again conferred; and the evil spirit was not so indignant as they. For he indeed departed from the body, and gave place and fled away, uttering no sound; but these were endeavoring now to slay, now to defame Him. That is, their first aim not succeeding, they would fain hurt His good name.
Such a thing is envy, than which no worse evil can exist. For the adulterer indeed enjoys some pleasure, such as it is, and in a short time accomplishes his proper sin; but the envious man punishes himself, and takes vengeance upon himself more than on the person whom he envies, and never ceases from his sin, but is continually engaged in the commission thereof. For as a sow in mire, and evil spirits in our hurt, so also does he delight in his neighbor's ills; and if anything painful take place, then is he refreshed, and takes breath; accounting the calamities of others his own joys, and the blessings of others his own ills; and he considers not what pleasure may accrue to himself, but what pain to his neighbor. These men therefore were it not meet to stone and beat to death, like mad dogs, like destroying demons, like the very furies?
For as beetles feed on dung, so do these men on the calamities of others, being a sort of common foes and enemies of our nature. And whereas the rest of mankind pity even a brute when it is killed, do you, on seeing a man receive benefits, become like a wild beast, tremble, and turn pale? Why, what can be worse than this madness? Therefore, you see, whoremongers and publicans were able to enter into the kingdom, but the envious, being within it, went out: For the children of the kingdom, it is said, shall be cast out. And the former, once freed from their present wickedness, attained to things which they never looked for, while these latter lost even the good things which they had; and very reasonably. For this turns a man into a devil, this renders one a savage demon. Thus did the first murder arise; thus was nature forgotten; thus the earth defiled; thus afterwards did it open its mouth, to receive yet living, and utterly destroy, Dathan, and Korah, and Abiram, and all that multitude.
4. But to declaim against envy, one may say, is easy; but we ought to consider also how men are to be freed from the disease. How then are we to be rid of this wickedness? If we bear in mind, that as he who has committed fornication cannot lawfully enter the church, so neither he that envies; nay, and much less the latter than the former. For as things are, it is accounted even an indifferent thing; wherefore also it is little thought of; but if its real badness be made evident, we should easily refrain from it.
Weep then, and groan; lament, and entreat God. Learn to feel and to repent for it, as for a grievous sin. And if you be of this mind, you will quickly be rid of the disease.
And who knows not, one may say, that envy is an evil thing? No one indeed is ignorant of it: yet they have not the same estimation of this passion as of adultery and fornication. When, at least, did any one condemn himself bitterly for having envied? When did he entreat God concerning this pest, that He would be merciful to him? No man at any time: but if he shall fast and give a little money to a poor man, though he be envious to the thousandth degree, he counts himself to have done nothing horrid, held as he is in subjection by the most accursed passion of all. Whence, for example, did Cain become such as he was? Whence Esau? Whence the children of Laban? Whence the sons of Jacob? Whence Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, with their company? Whence Miriam? Whence Aaron? Whence the devil himself?
Herewith consider this also; that you injure not him whom you envy, but into yourself you are thrusting the sword. For wherein did Cain injure Abel? Did he not even against his own will send him the more quickly into the kingdom? But himself he pierced through with innumerable evils. Wherein did Esau harm Jacob? Did not Jacob grow wealthy, and enjoy unnumbered blessings; while he himself both became an outcast from his father's house, and wandered in a strange land, after that plot of his? And wherein did Jacob's sons again make Joseph the worse, and this, though they proceeded even unto blood? Had not they to endure famine, and encounter peril to the utmost, whereas he became king of all Egypt? For the more you envy, the more do you become a procurer of greater blessing to the object of your envy. For there is a God who beholds these things; and when He sees him injured, that does no injury, him He exalts the more, and so makes him glorious, but you He punishes.
For if them that exult over their enemies, He suffer not to go unpunished (For rejoice not, it is said, when your enemies fall, lest at any time the Lord see it, and it displease Him ); much more such as envy those who have done no wrong.
Let us then extirpate the many-headed wild beast. For in truth many are the kinds of envy. Thus, if he that loves one that is a friend to him has no more than the publican, where shall he stand who hates him that does him no wrong? And how shall he escape hell, becoming worse than the heathens? Wherefore also I do exceedingly grieve, that we who are commanded to copy the angels, or rather the Lord of the angels, emulate the devil. For indeed there is much envy, even in the church; and more among us, than among those under authority. Wherefore we must even discourse unto ourselves.
5. Tell me then, why do you envy your neighbor? Because you see him reaping honor, and words of good report? Then do you not bear in mind how much evil honors bring on the unguarded? Lifting them up to pride, to vainglory, to arrogance, to contemptuousness; making them more careless? And besides these evils, they wither also lightly away. For the most grievous thing is this, that the evils arising therefrom abide immortal, but the pleasure at the moment of its appearing, is flown away. For these things then do you envy? Tell me.
But he has great influence with the Ruler, and leads and drives all things which way he will, and inflicts pain on them that offend him, and benefits his flatterers, and has much power. These are the sayings of secular persons, and of men that are riveted to the earth. For the spiritual man nothing shall be able to hurt.
For what serious harm shall he do to him? Vote him out of his office? And what of that? For if it be justly done, he is even profited; for nothing so provokes God, as for one to hold the priest's office unworthily. But if unjustly, the blame again falls on the other, not on him; for he who has suffered anything unjustly, and borne it nobly, obtains in this way the greater confidence towards God.
Let us not then aim at this, how we may be in places of power, and honor, and authority, but that we may live in virtue and self denial. For indeed places of authority persuade men to do many things which are not approved of God; and great vigor of soul is needed, in order to use authority aright. For as he that is deprived thereof, practises self restraint, whether with or against his will, so he that enjoys it is in some such condition, as if any one living with a graceful and beautiful damsel were to receive rules never to look upon her unchastely. For authority is that kind of thing. Wherefore many, even against their will, has it induced to show insolence; it awakens wrath, and removes the bridle from the tongue, and tears off the door of the lips; fanning the soul as with a wind, and sinking the bark in the lowest depth of evils. Him then who is in so great danger do you admire, and do you say he is to be envied? Nay, how great madness is here! Consider, at any rate (besides what we have mentioned), how many enemies and accusers, and how many flatterers this person has besieging him. Are these then, I pray you, reasons for calling a man happy? Nay, who can say so?
But the people, you say, hold high account of him. And what is this? For the people surely is not God, to whom he is to render account: so that in naming the people, you are speaking of nothing else than of other breakers, and rocks, and shoals, and sunken ridges. For to be in favor with the people, the more it makes a man illustrious, the greater the dangers, the cares, the despondencies it brings with it. For such an one has no power at all to take breath or stand still, having so severe a master. And why say I, stand still and take breath? Though such an one have never so many good works, hardly does he enter into the kingdom. For nothing is so wont to overthrow men, as the honor which comes of the multitude, making them cowardly, ignoble, flatterers, hypocrites.
Why, for instance, did the Pharisees say that Christ was possessed? Was it not because they were greedy of the honor of the multitude?
And whence did the multitude pass the right judgment on Him? Was it not because this disease had no hold on them? For nothing, nothing so much tends to make men lawless and foolish, as gaping after the honor of the multitude. Nothing makes them glorious and immoveable, like despising the same.
Wherefore also great vigor of soul is needed for him who is to hold out against such an impulse, and so violent a blast. For as when things are prosperous, he prefers himself to all, so when he undergoes the contrary, he would fain bury himself alive: and this is to him both hell, and the kingdom, when he has come to be overwhelmed by this passion.
Is all this then, I pray you, matter of envyings, and not rather of lamentations and tears? Every one surely can see. But you do the same, in envying one in that kind of credit, as if a person, seeing another bound and scourged and torn by innumerable wild beasts, were to envy him his wounds and stripes. For in fact, as many men as the multitude comprises, so many bonds also, so many tyrants has he: and, what is yet more grievous, each of these has a different mind: and they all judge whatever comes into their heads concerning him that is a slave to them, without examining into anything; but whatever is the decision of this or that person, this they also confirm.
What manner of waves then, what tempest so grievous as this? Yea, such a one is both puffed up in a moment by the pleasure, and is under water again easily, being ever in fluctuation, in tranquillity never. Thus, before the time of the assembly, and of the contests in speaking, he is possessed with anxiety and fear; but after the assembly he is either dead with despondency, or rejoices on the contrary without measure; a worse thing than sorrow. For that pleasure is not a less evil than sorrow is plain from the effect it has on the soul; how light it makes it, and unsteady, and fluttering.
And this one may see even from those of former times. When, for instance, was David to be admired; when he rejoiced, or when he was in anguish? When, the people of the Jews? Groaning and calling upon God, or exulting in the wilderness, and worshipping the calf? Wherefore Solomon too, who best of all men knew what pleasure is, says, It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house of laughter. Ecclesiastes 7:2 Wherefore Christ also blesses the one, saying, Blessed are they that mourn, Matthew 5:4 but the other sort He bewails, saying, Woe unto you that laugh, for you shall weep. Luke 6:25 And very fitly. For in delight the soul is more relaxed and effeminate, but in mourning it is braced up, and grows sober, and is delivered from the whole swarm of passions, and becomes higher and stronger.
Knowing then all these things, let us shun the glory that comes from the multitude, and the pleasure that springs therefrom, that we may win the real and everlasting glory; unto which may we all attain, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might, forever and ever. Amen.
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Source. Translated by George Prevost and revised by M.B. Riddle. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 10. Edited by Philip Schaff. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1888.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight.
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WITHERED HAND HEALED ON THE SABBATH
EXPLANATION BY SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
http://www.tertullian.org/fathers2/NPNF1-10/npnf1-10-46.htm#P4002_1277952
Homily XL.
Matthew Chapter 12, Verse 9 And Matthew Chapter 12, Verse 10
Homily XL.
Matthew Chapter 12, Verse 9 And Matthew Chapter 12, Verse 10
"And when He was departed thence, He went into their synagogue: and, behold, a man which had his hand withered."
Again He heals on a Sabbath day, vindicating what had been done by His disciples. And the other evangelists indeed say, that He "set" the man "in the midst," and asked them, "If it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath days."1
See the tender bowels of the Lord. "He set him in the midst," that by the sight He might subdue them; that overcome by the spectacle they might cast away their wickedness, and out of a kind of shame towards the man, cease from their savage ways. But they, ungentle and inhuman, choose rather to hurt the fame of Christ, than to see this person made whole: in both ways betraying their wickedness; by their warring against Christ, and by their doing so with such contentiousness, as even to treat with despite His mercies to other men.
And while the other evangelists say, He asked the question, this one saith, it was asked of Him. "And they asked Him," so it stands, "saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days? that they might accuse Him."2 And it is likely that both took place. For being unholy wretches, and well assured that He would doubtless proceed to the healing, they hastened to take Him beforehand with their question, thinking in this way to hinder Him. And this is why they asked, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days?" not for information, but that "they might accuse Him." Yet surely the work was enough, if it were really their wish to accuse Him; but they desired to find a handle in His words too, preparing for themselves beforehand an abundance of arguments.
But He in His love towards man doth this also: He answers them, teaching His own meekness, and turning it all back upon them; and points out their inhumanity. And He "setteth" the man "in the midst;" not in fear of them, but endeavoring to profit them, and move them to pity.
But when not even so did He prevail with them, then was He grieved, it is said, and wroth with them for the hardness of their heart, and He saith,
"What man is there among you that shall have one sheep, and if this fall into a pit on the Sabbath days, will he not lay hold of it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep?3 Wherefore it is lawful to do well4 on the Sabbath days."5
Thus, lest they have ground of obstinacy, and of accusing him again of transgression, He convicts them by this example. And do thou mark, I pray thee, how variously and suitably in each case, He introduces His pleas for the breaking of the sabbath. Thus, first, in the case of the blind man,6 He cloth not so much as defend Himself to them, when He made the clay: and yet then also were they blaming Him; but the manner of the creation was enough to indicate the Lord and Owner7 of the law. Next, in the case of the paralytic, when he carried his bed, and they were finding fault,8 He defends Himself, now as God, and now as man; as man, when He saith, "If a man on the Sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law should not be broken;" (and He said not "that a man should be profiled"); "are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whir whole on the Sabbath day?"9 As God again, when He saith, "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work."10
But when blamed for His disciples, He said, "Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungered, himself and they that were with him, how he entered into the house of God, and did eat the show-bread? He brings forward the priests also.
And here again; "Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days, or to do evil?11 Which of you shall have one sheep?" For He knew their love of wealth, that they were all taken up with it, rather than with love of mankind. And indeed the other evangelist. saith,12 that He also looked about upon them when asking these questions, that by His very eye He might win them over; but not even so did they become better.
And yet here He speaks only; whereas elsewhere in many cases He heals by laying on of hands also. But nevertheless none of these things made them meek; rather, while the man was healed, they by his health became worse.
For His desire indeed was to cure them before him, and He tried innumerable ways of healing, both by what He did in their presence, and by what He said: but since their malady after all was incurable, He proceeded to the work. "Then saith He to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth, and it was restored whole, like as the other."13
2. What then did they? They go forth, it is said, and take counsel together to slay Him. For "the Pharisees," saith the Scripture, "went out and held a council against Him, how they might destroy Him."14 They had received no injury, yet they went about to slay Him. So great an evil is envy. For not against strangers only, but even against our own, is it ever warring. And Mark saith, they took this counsel with the Herodians.15
What then doth the gentle and meek One? He withdrew, on being aware of it. "But when Jesus knew their devices,16 He withdrew Himself," it is said, "from them"17 Where now are they who say, miracles ought to be done? Nay, by these things He signified, that the uncandid soul is not even thereby persuaded; and He made it plain that His disciples too were blamed by them without cause. This however we should observe, that they grow fierce especially at the benefits done to their neighbors; and when they see any one delivered either from disease or from wickedness, then is the time for them to find fault, and become wild beasts. Thus did they calumniate Him, both when He was about to save the harlot, and when He was eating with publicans, and now again, when they saw the hand restored.
But do thou observe, I pray thee, how He neither desists from His tender care over the infirm, and yet allays their envy. "And great multitudes18 followed Him, and He healed them all; and He charged them that were healed, that they should make Him known to no man."19 Because, while the multitudes everywhere both admire and follow Him, they desist not from their wickedness.
Then, lest thou shouldest be confounded at what is going on, and at their strange frenzy, He introduces the prophet also, foretelling all this. For so great was the accuracy of the prophets, that they omit not even these things, but foretell His very journeyings, and changes of place, and the intent with which He acted therein; that thou mightest learn, how they spake all by the Spirit. For if the secrets of men cannot by any art be known, much more were it impossible to learn Christ's purpose, except the Spirit revealed it.20
What then saith the prophet? Nay, it is subjoined: "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon Him, and He shall show judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive nor cry,21 neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench, till He send forth judgment unto victory. And in His name shall the Gentiles trust."22
The prophet celebrates His meekness, and His unspeakable power, and opens to the Gentiles "a great door and effectual;" he foretells also the ills that are to overtake the Jews, and signifies His unanimity with the Father. For "behold," saith He, "my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased." Now if He chose Him, not as an adversary doth Christ set aside the law, nor as being an enemy of the lawgiver, but as having the same mind with Him, and the same objects.
Then proclaiming His meekness, he saith, "He shall not strive nor cry." For His desire indeed was to heal in their presence; but since they thrust Him away, not even against this did He contend.
And intimating both His might, and their weakness, he saith, "A bruised reed shall He not break." For indeed it was easy to break them all to pieces like a reed, and not a reed merely, but one already bruised.
"And smoking flax shall He not quench." Here he sets forth both their anger that is kindled, and His might that is able to put down their anger, and to quench it with all ease; whereby His great mildness is signified.
What then? Shall these things always be? And will He endure them perpetually, forming such frantic plots against Him? Far from it; but when He hath performed His part, then shall He execute the other purposes also. For this He declared by saying "Till He send forth judgment unto victory: and in His name shall the Gentiles trust." As Paul likewise saith, "Having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled."23
But what is, "when He sends forth judgment unto victory?" When He hath fulfilled all His own part, then, we are told, He will bring down upon them His vengeance also, and that a perfect vengeance. Then shall they suffer His terrors, when His trophy is gloriously set up, and the ordinances that proceed from Him have prevailed, and He hath left them no plea of contradiction, however shameless. For He is wont to call righteousness, "judgment."
But not to this will His dispensation be confined, to the punishment of unbelievers only, but He will also win to Himself the whole world. Wherefore He added, "And in His name shall the Gentiles trust."
Then, to inform thee that this too is according to the purpose of the Father, in the beginning the prophet had assured us of this likewise, together with what had gone before; saying, "My well-beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased." For of the well-beloved it is quite evident that He did these things also according to the mind of the beloved.24
3. "Then they brought unto Him one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb, and He healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw."25
O wickedness of the evil spirit! he had barred up both entrances, whereby that person should have believed, as well sight as hearing; nevertheless, both did Christ open.
"And all the people were amazed, saying, Is not this the Son of David?26 But the Pharisees said, This fellow doths not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils."27
And yet what great thing had been said? Nevertheless, not even this did they endure: to such a degree, as I have already remarked, are they ever stung by the good works done to their neighbors, and nothing grieves them so much as the salvation of men. And yet He had actually retired, and had given room for their passion to subside; but the evil was again rekindled, because a benefit was again conferred; and the evil spirit was not so indignant as they. For he indeed departed from the body, and gave place and fled away, uttering no sound; but these were endeavoring now to slay, now to defame Him. That is, their first aim not succeeding, they would fain hurt His good name.
Such a thing is envy, than which no worse evil can exist. For the adulterer indeed enjoys some pleasure, such as it is, and in a short time accomplishes his proper sin; but the envious man punishes himself, and takes vengeance upon himself more than on the person whom he envies, and never ceases from his sin, but is continually engaged in the commission thereof. For as a sow in mire, and evil spirits in our hurt, so also doth he delight in his neighbor's ills; and if anything painful take place, then is he refreshed, and takes breath; accounting the calamities of others his own joys, and the blessings of others his own ills; and he considers not what pleasure may accrue to himself, but what pain to his neighbor. These men therefore were it not meet to stone and beat to death, like mad dogs, like destroying demons, like the very furies?
For as beetles feed on dung, so do these men on the calamities of others, being a sort of common foes and enemies of our nature. And whereas the rest of mankind pity even a brute when it is killed, dost thou, on seeing a man receive benefits, become like a wild beast, tremble, and turn pale? Why, what can be worse than this madness? Therefore, you see, whoremongers and publicans were able to enter into the kingdom, but the envious, being within it, went out: For "the children of the kingdom," it is said, "shall be cast out."28 And the former, once freed from their present wickedness, attained to things which they never looked for, while these latter lost even the good things which they had; and very reasonably. For this turns a man into a devil, this renders one a savage demon. Thus did the first murder arise; thus was nature forgotten; thus the earth defiled; thus afterwards did it open its mouth, to receive yet living, and utterly destroy, Dathan, and Korah, and Abiram, and all that multitude.29
4. But to declaim against envy, one may say, is easy; but we ought to consider also how men are to be freed from the disease. How then are we to be rid of this wickedness? If we bear in mind, that as he who hath committed fornication cannot lawfully enter the church, so neither he that envies; nay, and much less the latter than the former. For as things are, it is accounted even an indifferent thing; wherefore also it is little thought of; but if its real badness be made evident, we should easily refrain from it.
Weep then, and groan; lament, and entreat God. Learn to feel and to repent for it, as for a grievous sin. And if thou be of this mind, thou wilt quickly be rid of the disease.
And who knows not, one may say, that envy is an evil thing? No one indeed is ignorant of it: yet they have not the same estimation of this passion as of adultery and fornication. When, at least, did any one condemn himself bitterly for having envied? when did he entreat God concerning this pest, that He would be merciful to him? No man at any time: but if he shall fast and give a little money to a poor man, though he be envious to the thousandth degree, he counts himself to have done nothing horrid, held as he is in subjection by the most accursed passion of all. Whence, for example, did Cain become such as he was? Whence Esau? Whence the children of Laban? Whence the sons of Jacob? Whence Korah Dathan, and Abiram, with their company? Whence Miriam? Whence Aaron? Whence the devil himself?
Herewith consider this also; that thou injurest not him whom thou enviest, but into thyself thou art thrusting the sword. For wherein did Cain injure Abel? Did he not even against his own will send him the more quickly into the kingdom? but himself he pierced through with innumerable evils. Wherein did Esau harm Jacob? Did not Jacob grow wealthy, and enjoy unnumbered blessings; while he himself both became an outcast from his father's house, and wandered in a strange land, after that plot of his?30 And wherein did Jacob's sons again make Joseph the worse, and this, though they proceeded even unto blood? had not they to endure famine, and encounter peril to the utmost, whereas he became king of all Egypt? For the more thou enviest, the more dost thou become a procurer of greater blessing to the object of thine envy. For there is a God who beholds these things; and when He sees him injured, that doeth no injury, him He exalts the more, and so makes him glorious, but thee He punishes.
For if them that exult over their enemies, He suffer not to go unpunished ("For rejoice not," it is said, "when thine enemies fall, lest at any time the Lord see it, and it displease Him"31 ); much more such as envy those who have done no wrong.
Let us then extirpate the many-headed wild beast. For in truth many are the kinds of envy. Thus, if he that loves one that is a friend to him hath no more than the publican,32 where shall he stand who hates him that doeth him no wrong? and how shall he escape hell,33 becoming worse than the heathens? Wherefore also I do exceedingly grieve, that we who are commanded to copy the angels, or rather the Lord of the angels, emulate the devil. For indeed there is much envy, even in the church; and more among us, than among those under authority. Wherefore we must even discourse unto ourselves.
5. Tell me then, why dost thou envy thy neighbor? Because thou seest him reaping honor, and words of good report? Then dost thou not bear in mind how much evil honors bring on the unguarded? lifting them up to pride, to vainglory, to arrogance, to contemptuousness; making them more careless? and besides these evils, they wither also lightly away. For the most grievous thing is this, that the evils arising therefrom abide immortal, but the pleasure at the moment of its appearing, is flown away. For these things then dost thou envy? tell me.
"But he hath great influence with the Ruler, and leads and drives all things which way he will, and inflicts pain on them that offend him, and benefits his flatterers, and hath much power." These are the sayings of secular persons, and of men that are riveted to the earth. For the spiritual man nothing shall be able to hurt.
For what serious harm shall he do to him? vote him out of his office? And what of that? For if it be justly done, he is even profited; for nothing so provokes God, as for one to hold the priest's office unworthily. But if unjustly, the blame again falls on the other, not on him; for he who hath suffered anything unjustly, and borne it nobly, obtains in this way the greater confidence towards God.
Let us not then aim at this, how we may be in places of power, and honor, and authority, but that we may live in virtue and self denial. For indeed places of authority persuade men to do many things which are not approved of God; and great vigor of soul is needed, in order to use authority aright. For as he that is deprived thereof, practises self restraint, whether with or against his will, so he that enjoys it is in some such condition, as if any one living with a graceful and beautiful damsel were to receive rules never to look upon her unchastely. For authority is that kind of thing. Wherefore many, even against their will, hath it induced to show insolence; it awakens wrath, and removes the bridle from the tongue, and tears off the door of the lips; fanning the soul as with a wind, and sinking the bark in the lowest depth of evils. Him then who is in so great danger dost thou admire, and sayest thou he is to be envied? Nay, how great madness is here! Consider, at any rate (besides what we have mentioned), how many enemies and accusers, and how many flatterers this person hath besieging him. Are these then, I pray thee, reasons for calling a man happy? Nay, who can say so?
"But the people," you say, "hold high account of him." And what is this? For the people surely is not God, to whom he is to render account: so that in naming the people, thou art speaking of nothing else than of other breakers, and rocks, and shoals, and sunken ridges. For to be in favor with the people, the more it makes a man illustrious, the greater the dangers, the cares, the despondencies it brings with it. For such an one has no power at all to take breath or stand still, having so severe a master. And why say I, "stand still and take breath"? Though such an one have never so many good works, hardly doth he enter into the kingdom. For nothing is so wont to overthrow34 men, as the honor which comes of the multitude, making them cowardly, ignoble, flatterers, hypocrites.
Why, for instance, did the Pharisees say that Christ was possessed? Was it not because they were greedy of the honor of the multitude?
And whence did the multitude pass the right judgment on Him? Was it not because this disease had no hold on them? For nothing, nothing so much tends to make men lawless and foolish, as gaping after the honor of the multitude. Nothing makes them glorious and immoveable, like despising the same.
Wherefore also great vigor of soul is needed for him who is to hold out against such an impulse, and so violent a blast. For as when things are prosperous, he prefers himself to all, so when he undergoes the contrary, he would fain bury himself alive: and this is to him both hell, and the kingdom, when he hath come to be overwhelmed by this passion.
Is all this then, I pray thee, matter of envyings, and not rather of lamentations and tears? Every one surely can see. But thou doest the same, in envying one in that kind of credit, as if a person, seeing another bound and scourged and torn by innumerable wild beasts, were to envy him his wounds and stripes. For in fact, as many men as the multitude comprises, so many bonds also, so many tyrants hath he: and, what is yet more grievous, each of these hath a different mind: and they all judge whatever comes into their heads concerning him that is a slave to them, without examining into anything; but whatever is the decision of this or that person, this they also confirm.
What manner of waves then, what tempest so grievous as this? Yea, such a one is both puffed up in a moment by the pleasure, and is under water again easily, being ever in fluctuation, in tranquillity never. Thus, before the time of the assembly, and of the contests in speaking, he is possessed with anxiety and fear; but after the assembly he is either dead with despondency, or rejoices on the contrary without measure; a worse thing than sorrow. For that pleasure is not a less evil than sorrow is plain from the effect it has on the soul; how light it makes it, and unsteady, and fluttering.
And this one may see even from those of former times. When, for instance, was David to be admired; when he rejoiced, or when he was in anguish? When, the people of the Jews? groaning and calling upon God, or exulting in the wilderness, and worshipping the calf? Wherefore Solomon too, who best of all men knew what pleasure is, saith, "It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house of laughter."35 Wherefore Christ also blesses the one, saying, "Blessed are they that mourn,"36 but the other sort He bewails, saying, "Woe unto you that laugh, for ye shall weep."37 And very fitly. For in delight the soul is more relaxed and effeminate, but in mourning it is braced up, and grows sober, and is delivered from the whole swarm of passions, and becomes higher and stronger.
Knowing then all these things, let us shun the glory that comes from the multitude, and the pleasure that springs therefrom, that we may win the real and everlasting glory; unto which may we all attain, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might, forever and ever. Amen.
EXPLANATION BY SAINT KYRELLOS I
THE 24th PATRIARCH OF ALEXANDRIA
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/pearse/morefathers/files/cyril_on_luke_02_sermons_12_25.htm#SERMON XXIII
FROM SERMON XXIII. Explanation of what follows.
[From the Syriac, as before.]
But God said, I require mercy, and not sacrifice: and the acknowledgment of God, and not whole burnt offerings.
What is meant by mercy? and what by sacrifice? By mercy then is signified, Justification and grace in Christ: even that which is by faith. For we have been justified, not by the works of the law that we have done, but by His great mercy. And sacrifice means the law of Moses.
6:6. And He was teaching: and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.
[From Mai.] But His teaching was ever of things too high for reason, and such as made plain to His hearers the pathway of salvation 93 opened through Him: and immediately after His teaching He displayed His godlike power, having first by words smoothed, as it were, the road to belief. For the miracle sometimes converts unto faith those who had disbelieved the word. But the Pharisees watched Him, to see if He would heal on the sabbath: for such is the nature of an envious man, that he makes the praises of others food for his own disease, and wickedly is maddened by their reputation. And what once more said He to this, Who knoweth all things, Who searcheth the hearts, and understandeth whatever is therein? "For with Him is the light," as Scripture declares. "He spake to him that had the withered hand, Stand forth into the midst." And why did He do this? It might perhaps be to move the cruel and unpitying Pharisee to compassion: the man's malady perhaps might shame them, and persuade them to allay the flames of envy.
6:9. I will ask you something: Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil?
Most wise in very deed is this question, and a statement most suitable to meet their folly. For if it be lawful to do good on the sabbath, and nothing prevents the sick being pitied by God, cease thus picking up opportunities for faultfinding against Christ, and bringing down on thy own head the sentence which the Father has decreed against those who dishonour the Son: for thou hast heard Him where He says of Him by the voice of David, "And I will cut off His enemies from before His face, and put to flight those that hate Him." But if it be not lawful to do good on the sabbath, and the law forbids the saving of life, thou hast made thyself an accuser of the law, thou hast slandered the commandment, for which the ministry of Moses is regarded with admiration. No, he replies, the God of all did not enact the law of the sabbath for Himself, but for us rather, whose neck is bowed to it. Thou sayest well; I assent to thy words; therefore that which is divine is free from the compulsion of the law. Why, then, dost thou blame Christ for wishing also to shew mercy on the sabbath, and benefit a living soul? And were it our wish to examine closely the law enacted for the sabbath, we should find it ordained by God for purposes of mercy. For He commanded to 94 do no work on the sabbath, and entirely to abstain from labour, and even to give rest at the same time to the irrational animals. For He said, that its purpose was, "that thy manservant may rest, and thy maidservant, thy ox, and thy beast of burden, and all thy cattle." But He Who has mercy on the ox and other animals, how would not He pity on the sabbath day a man who was attacked by a severe and irremediable malady? 21
6:11. And they ware filled with madness.
Is not the miracle enough to produce faith? Thou seest Him working with godlike dignity, and with supreme power healing the sick, and travaillest thou with murder, bred of envy and malice?
WITHERED HAND HEALED ON THE SABBATH
TEXTS
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luc%206:6-11&version=LSG
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luc%206:6-11&version=NKJV
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthieu%2012:9-15&version=LSG
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthieu%2012:9-15&version=NKJV
EXPLANATION
http://www.abbaye-saint-benoit.ch/frame.html
http://jesusmarie.free.fr/jean_chrysostome_commentaire_evangile_saint_matthieu_2.html
http://www.bible.ca/history/fathers/NPNF1-10/npnf1-10-46.htm#P4002_1277952
http://biblestudy.churches.net/CCEL/FATHERS2/NPNF110/NPNF1145.HTM#P4002_1277952
http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/200140.htm
http://www.tertullian.org/fathers2/NPNF1-10/npnf1-10-46.htm#P4002_1277952
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/pearse/morefathers/files/cyril_on_luke_02_sermons_12_25.htm#SERMON XXIII
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