John Chrysostom — Commentary on Scripture

Amos 2:11

[This was the reason why] the Lord accused the Israelites more severely and showed that they deserved greater punishment, because they sinned after receiving the honors that he had bestowed on them. He said, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will visit upon you your iniquities,” and again, “I took of your sons for prophets and of your young men for consecration.” And before the time of the prophets, when he wanted to show that sins received a much heavier penalty when they were committed by the priests than when they were committed by ordinary people, he commanded as great a sacrifice to be offered for the priests as for all the people. This explicitly proves that the priest’s wounds require greater help, indeed as much as those of all the people together. They would not have required greater help if they had not been more serious, and their seriousness is not increased by their own nature but by the extra weight of dignity belonging to the priest who dares to commit them.

ON THE PRIESTHOOD 6:10

Amos 3:2

For this very cause God accuses the Israelites more vehemently, and shows that they were worthy of greater chastisement, because they sinned after so many honors had come to them from Him.

Amos 3:6

I do not say these things in arrogance, but I have the prophet Amos standing at my side, crying and saying, “There is no evil in the city which the Lord has not done.” Now evil is a many-faceted term. I wish that you shall learn the exact meaning of each expression, in order that on account of ambiguity you may not confound the nature of the things and fall into blasphemy. There is then evil, which is really evil; fornication, adultery, covetousness, and the countless dreadful things, which are worthy of the utmost reproach and punishment. Again there is evil, which rather is not evil but is called so, famine, pestilence, death, disease, and other of a similar nature. For these would not be evils. On this account I said they are called so only. Why then? Because, were they evils intended to become the sources of good to us, chastening our pride, goading our sloth and leading us on to zeal, making us more attentive.

HOMILY AGAINST THOSE WHO SAY THAT DEMONS GOVERN HUMAN AFFAIRS 1:4–5

Amos 5:8

I made heaven and earth, he says, and to you I give the power of creation. Make your earth heaven. For it is in your power. “I am he who makes and transforms all things,” says God of himself. And he has given to people a similar power, as a painter, being an affectionate father, teaches his own art to his son. I formed your body beautiful, he says, but I give you the power of forming something better. Make your soul beautiful. I said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, and every fruitful tree.”

HOMILIES ON 1 TIMOTHY 16

Amos 5:8

When I think of the past tempest and of the present calm, I do not cease to say, “Blessed be God, who makes all things and changes them; who has brought light out of darkness; who leads to the gates of hell and brings back; who chastises but does not kill.” And this I desire you too to repeat constantly, and never to desist. For if he has benefited us by deeds, what pardon shall we be prepared for, if we do not requite him even by words? Therefore I exhort that we never cease to give him thanks. For if we are grateful for the former benefits, it is plain that we shall enjoy others also which are greater. Let us say, then, continually, “Blessed be God, who has permitted us to spread before you in quietness the accustomed table, while he has also granted you to hear our word with assurance of safety! Blessed be God, that we no longer run here or there flying from the danger, but that we only have a desire to hear. Grant that we no longer meet one another with agony or trembling and anxious thoughts but with due confidence, having shaken off all our fear.” Our conditions, indeed, on for…

When I think of the past tempest and of the present calm, I do not cease to say, “Blessed be God, who makes all things and changes them; who has brought light out of darkness; who leads to the gates of hell and brings back; who chastises but does not kill.” And this I desire you too to repeat constantly, and never to desist. For if he has benefited us by deeds, what pardon shall we be prepared for, if we do not requite him even by words? Therefore I exhort that we never cease to give him thanks. For if we are grateful for the former benefits, it is plain that we shall enjoy others also which are greater. Let us say, then, continually, “Blessed be God, who has permitted us to spread before you in quietness the accustomed table, while he has also granted you to hear our word with assurance of safety! Blessed be God, that we no longer run here or there flying from the danger, but that we only have a desire to hear. Grant that we no longer meet one another with agony or trembling and anxious thoughts but with due confidence, having shaken off all our fear.” Our conditions, indeed, on former days was nothing better than that of those who are tossed up and down in the midst of the deep, expecting shipwreck every hour. We were scared all day long by innumerable rumors and disturbed and agitated on every side. We were busy every day and curious to know who had come from the court. What news had he brought? And was what was reported true or false? Our nights too we passed without sleep, and while we looked upon the city we wept over it, as if it were on the eve of its destruction.

HOMILIES CONCERNING THE STATUES 6:1

Amos 5:20-24

This brings us to a conclusion on another matter of great importance. The observances regarding sacrifices, sabbaths, new moons, and all such things prescribed by the Jewish way of life of that day—they are not essential. Even when they were observed they could make no great contribution to virtue; nor when neglected could they make the excellent person worthless or degrade in any way the sanctity of his soul. People of old, while still on earth, manifested by their piety a way of life that rivals the way the angels live. Yet they followed none of these observances, they slew no beasts in sacrifice, they kept no fast, they made no display of fasting. They were so pleasing to God that they surpassed this fallen human nature of ours and, by the lives they lived, drew the whole world to a knowledge of God.

DISCOURSES AGAINST JUDAIZING CHRISTIANS 4:6

Amos 6:4

For when he said, “Woe … to you who are approaching the evil day,” and added, “and adopting false sabbaths,” he showed by his next words how their sabbaths were false. How did they make their sabbaths false? By working wickedness, feasting, drinking, and doing a multitude of shameful and grievous deeds. To prove that this is true, hear what follows. He reveals what I am saying by saying what he adds immediately: “… who sleep upon beds of ivory, and live delicately on their couches, and eat kids out of the flocks, and sucking calves out of the midst of the stalls … who drink filtered wine, and anoint yourselves with the best ointment.” You received the sabbath to free your soul from wickedness, but you have enslaved it further. For what could be worse than this frivolity, this sleeping on beds of ivory? The other sins, such as drunkenness, greed and profligacy, provide some pleasure, however small; but in sleeping on beds of ivory, what pleasure is there? What comfort?

HOMILIES ON LAZARUS AND THE RICH MAN 1

Amos 6:4

Let us not be careless, dearly beloved, in dealing with matters concerning our salvation; recognizing instead the troubles that could come from that evil source, let us avoid the harm it produces. After all, we are warned against intemperance not only in the new dispensation by its greater attention to right thinking, its more frequent struggles and greater effort, its many rewards and ineffable consolations. Not even people living under the old law were permitted to indulge themselves in that way, even though they were sitting in the dark dependent upon tapers and were brought forward gradually into the light, like children being weaned off milk. Lest you think I am idly finding fault with intemperance in what I say, listen to what the prophet says: “Woe to those who fall on evil days in sleeping on beds of ivory, luxuriating on their couches, living on a diet of goats picked from the flocks and suckling calves from the herds, and drinking strained wines, anointed with precious unguents—like men treating this as a lasting city, and not seeking one to come.” Do you see the heavy accu…

Let us not be careless, dearly beloved, in dealing with matters concerning our salvation; recognizing instead the troubles that could come from that evil source, let us avoid the harm it produces. After all, we are warned against intemperance not only in the new dispensation by its greater attention to right thinking, its more frequent struggles and greater effort, its many rewards and ineffable consolations. Not even people living under the old law were permitted to indulge themselves in that way, even though they were sitting in the dark dependent upon tapers and were brought forward gradually into the light, like children being weaned off milk. Lest you think I am idly finding fault with intemperance in what I say, listen to what the prophet says: “Woe to those who fall on evil days in sleeping on beds of ivory, luxuriating on their couches, living on a diet of goats picked from the flocks and suckling calves from the herds, and drinking strained wines, anointed with precious unguents—like men treating this as a lasting city, and not seeking one to come.” Do you see the heavy accusation the prophet levels against intemperance in charging the Jews with these faults of stupidity, sensuality and daily gluttony? I mean, note the accuracy of the words: after attacking their gluttony and their drinking to excess, he added, “like men treating this as a lasting city, and not seeking one to come,” all but stating that their satisfaction got as far as lips and palate, and they went on to nothing better. Pleasure however, is brief and fleeting, whereas pain never lets up and has no end. The truth of this comes from experience, the true meaning of lasting realities—“like men treating this as a lasting city”—and fleeting things—“not seeking one to come”—that is, not lasting for a moment.

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 1:10

Amos 7:2

It is, after all, the practice of the prophets and the just to grieve not only for themselves but also for the rest of humankind. If you’re inclined to check that, you will find them all giving evidence of this compassion—for example, you can listen to Jeremiah, “Who will pour water on my head, and provide a fountain of tears for my eyes?” or Ezekiel, “Alas, Lord, you will destroy what remains of Israel?” or Daniel lamenting in these words, “You have made us few in number by comparison with the Gentiles,” or Amos, “Think better of this, Lord.”

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 29:7

Amos 7:14-15

Amos also said, “I was no prophet, nor the son of a prophet, but only a herdsman, a gatherer of sycamore fruit. And God took me.” He did not say this to exalt himself but to stop their mouths that suspected him as no prophet, and to show that he is no deceiver, and what he says does not come from his own mind.

HOMILIES ON 2 CORINTHIANS 24:3

Amos 8:11

We harm both soul and body if we are guilty of lack of moderation to them both by fattening one beyond need or by causing them to waste away from starvation.… The Lord of all once admonished the Jewish people … by way of extreme indignation in the words, “I will deal you not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the Word of the Lord,” to teach us that while one famine can torture the body, the other famine affects the soul. This very thing that the Lord threatened to inflict on them by way of punishment we now of our own volition secure for ourselves despite God’s show of care for us and his provision for us, through the advice of mentors, as well as the reading of Scriptures.

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 54:4

Amos 9:1

Tell me, John, what do you mean when you say, “No one has ever seen God”? What shall we think about he prophets who say that they saw God? Isaiah said, “I saw the Lord sitting on a high and exalted throne.” And, again, Daniel said, “I saw until the thrones were set, and the ancient of days sat.” And Micah said, “I saw the God of Israel sitting on his throne.” And again, another prophet said, “I saw the Lord standing on the altar, and he said unto me, ‘Strike the mercy seat.’ ” And I can gather many similar passages to show you as witnesses of what I say.How is it, then, that John says, “No one has ever seen God”? He says this so that you may know that he is speaking of a clear knowledge and a perfect comprehension of God. All the cases cited were instances of God’s condescension and accommodation. That no one of those prophets saw God’s essence in its pure state is clear from the fact that each one saw him in a different way. God is a simple being; he is not composed of parts; he is without form or figure. But all these prophets saw different forms and figures. God proved this very t…

Tell me, John, what do you mean when you say, “No one has ever seen God”? What shall we think about he prophets who say that they saw God? Isaiah said, “I saw the Lord sitting on a high and exalted throne.” And, again, Daniel said, “I saw until the thrones were set, and the ancient of days sat.” And Micah said, “I saw the God of Israel sitting on his throne.” And again, another prophet said, “I saw the Lord standing on the altar, and he said unto me, ‘Strike the mercy seat.’ ” And I can gather many similar passages to show you as witnesses of what I say.How is it, then, that John says, “No one has ever seen God”? He says this so that you may know that he is speaking of a clear knowledge and a perfect comprehension of God. All the cases cited were instances of God’s condescension and accommodation. That no one of those prophets saw God’s essence in its pure state is clear from the fact that each one saw him in a different way. God is a simple being; he is not composed of parts; he is without form or figure. But all these prophets saw different forms and figures. God proved this very thing through the mouth of another prophet. And he persuaded those other prophets that they did not see his essence in its exact nature when he said, “I have multiplied visions, and by the ministries of the prophets I was presented.” What God was saying was, “I did not show my very essence, but I came down in condescension and accommodated myself to the weakness of their eyes.”

AGAINST THE ANOMOEANS, HOMILY 4:18–19

Amos 9:11-12

Listen to the prophet saying, “I will raise up the tabernacle of David that has fallen.” Actually, it has fallen; our human nature has had an irreparable fall and was in need of that powerful hand alone. For it was not possible to raise it up otherwise, unless he who fashioned it in the beginning stretched out a hand to it and formed it again from above by the regeneration of water and the Spirit. Behold, pray, the awesome and ineffable character of the mystery. He dwells always in this tabernacle, for he put on our flesh, not to put it off again but to have it always with him. If this were not so, he would not have deemed it worthy of his royal throne.

HOMILIES ON JOHN 11

Amos 9:12

all the nations who are called by my name: If then it was to this end that the city rose again (namely) because of Jesus (that was to come) of them, it shows that of the building of the city the cause is, the calling of the Gentiles.