John Chrysostom — Commentary on Scripture

Ezekiel 1:2-3

Whenever God is going to reveal some sight beyond all expectation to his servants, he leads them out of the cities to a place free from tumult.

AGAINST THE ANOMOEANS 3:25

Ezekiel 2:5

He says “whether they hear or refuse,” not out of ignorance but in case any of the obstinate should say that the prediction was what made them disobedient in the first place. He therefore expresses himself in terms of “whether they will” and “it may be.” For though they had been obstinate towards his servants, they ought to have shown reverence to the dignity of the Son.

HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 68:1

Ezekiel 2:6

The soul that enjoys the watering that comes from the words of God produces in abundance, flourishes and teems with the fruit of the Spirit. But when a soul has become dry, is left uncared for and needs such watering, it becomes desert, its vines grow wild, it produces an abundance of thorns. And these thorns have the natural characteristics of sin. For where there are thorns, there will you find snakes, serpents, scorpions and every power of the devil.

AGAINST THE ANOMOEANS 12:54

Ezekiel 3:12

Did you see how great is the holy dread in heaven and how great the arrogant presumption here below? The angels in heaven give him glory; these heretics on earth carry on meddlesome investigations. In heaven they honor and praise him; on earth we find curious busybodies. In heaven they veil their eyes; on earth the busybodies are obstinate and shamelessly try to hold their eyes fixed on his ineffable glory. Who would not groan, who would not weep for them because of this ultimate madness and folly of theirs?

AGAINST THE ANOMOEANS 1:36

Ezekiel 3:19

We learn from Ezekiel that, provided the guardian gives warning as to what it is necessary to avoid and it is necessary to choose, he delivers his own soul, even if no one pays any attention to him.

HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 13

Ezekiel 9:4

I have heard many, after such experience, blame themselves and say, “What advantage is it that I have grieved? I have not recovered my money, and I have injured myself.” But if you have grieved on account of sin, you have blotted it out and reaped the greatest pleasure. If you have grieved for your brothers who have fallen, you have both encouraged and comforted yourself and have also restored them; and even if you were not to profit them, you have an abundant recompense. And that you may learn that grieving for those who have fallen, though we should not at all benefit them, still brings us a large reward, hear what Ezekiel says, or rather, what God speaks through him. For when he had sent certain messengers to overturn the city and to consume all the dwellings with sword and fire, along with their inhabitants, God charges one of them, “Set a mark on the forehead of those that groan and are in anguish.” And after charging the others and saying, “Begin from my holy ones,” he goes on to add, “but do not touch whoever has the sign on him.”

HOMILIES CONCERNING THE STATUES 18:9

Ezekiel 9:8

You see, even if it is the wicked who perish, nevertheless the souls of good people are likely to show compassion when they see people being punished; and you will find each of the good people and the inspired writers making earnest supplication for them.

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 25:12

Ezekiel 9:8

It is, after all, the practice of the prophets and the just to grieve not only for themselves but for the rest of humanity. If you are inclined to check that, you will find them all giving evidence of this compassion—for example, you can listen to Isaiah’s words, “Don’t put yourself out to comfort me for the destruction of the daughter of my people”; or Jeremiah, … “Who will pour water on my head and provide a fountain of tears for my eyes?” or Ezekiel, “Alas, Lord, will you destroy what remains of Israel?”

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 29:7

Ezekiel 13:19

There were probably in the time of our ancestors also some who … “did the works of the false prophets”; … a thing, by the way, done (I think) by some even today. When, for example, we say that he who calls his brother a fool will go into hell fire, others will say, what? Impossible, they say. And again, when we say that the “covetous person is an idolater,” in this too again they make excuses and say the expression is hyperbolical. And in this way they underrate and explain away all the commandments.

HOMILIES ON EPHESIANS 18

Ezekiel 14:14

Considering all these things, let us prepare for our departure from here. For even if the day of general consummation never comes to us, the end of each one is at the doors, whether they are old or young; and it is not possible for people, after they have gone from here, either to buy oil any more or to obtain pardon by prayers, though he who does the pleading be Abraham, or Noah, or Job or Daniel. While we have opportunity, let us store up for ourselves beforehand much confidence, let us gather oil in abundance, let us remove all into heaven, that in the fitting time, and when we most need them, we may enjoy all; by the grace and love toward people.

HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 20:6

Ezekiel 14:14

No one may despair, though hitherto he may have been careless, of setting his hopes on nothing else, after God’s mercy, but on his own virtue. For if these were no better for such a kindred, even though they were of the same house and lineage with Christ, until they gave proof of virtue, what favor can we possibly receive, when we plead with righteous kin and brethren, unless we are exceedingly dutiful and have lived in virtue?… But even if it is Ezekiel who does the pleading, he will be told, “though Noah comes, and Job and Daniel, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters.” … For it is true that the prayers of the saints have the greatest power, but only on condition of our repentance and amendment of life.

HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 5:7

Ezekiel 14:20

There will be no one then, the text is saying, able to rescue from there a victim of his own indifference, whether brother or father or mother. Why do I say brother or father or mother? Not even the just themselves, who have good grounds for confidence, will be of any assistance to us then if we have now been guilty of indifference.… See the magnitude of the threat and the kind of just people he brought forward as examples. These men, you see, at a critical time proved a source of salvation even to others: Noah saved his wife and sons when that terrible deluge overwhelmed the world; Job likewise proved a source of salvation even to others; and Daniel rescued many from death when that awful barbarian in his quest for things beyond human nature wanted to do away with the Chaldeans, the magi and Gazarenes.… Rather, we should make this alone the object of attention: if we have virtuous forebears, to imitate their virtue; if the contrary is true and we come from disreputable forebears, not to think any handicap results from this but to fall to the labors virtue involves, no harm ensuing f…

There will be no one then, the text is saying, able to rescue from there a victim of his own indifference, whether brother or father or mother. Why do I say brother or father or mother? Not even the just themselves, who have good grounds for confidence, will be of any assistance to us then if we have now been guilty of indifference.… See the magnitude of the threat and the kind of just people he brought forward as examples. These men, you see, at a critical time proved a source of salvation even to others: Noah saved his wife and sons when that terrible deluge overwhelmed the world; Job likewise proved a source of salvation even to others; and Daniel rescued many from death when that awful barbarian in his quest for things beyond human nature wanted to do away with the Chaldeans, the magi and Gazarenes.… Rather, we should make this alone the object of attention: if we have virtuous forebears, to imitate their virtue; if the contrary is true and we come from disreputable forebears, not to think any handicap results from this but to fall to the labors virtue involves, no harm ensuing from this, to be sure.

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 43:6-7

Ezekiel 16:2

What do you say, prophet? God punishes, and shall I grieve for those whom he is punishing? Certainly. For God, who punishes, wants us to grieve, since he does not want to punish us, and he grieves when carrying out punishment. Do not rejoice at this. One will say, “If they are justly punished, we ought not to grieve.” What we ought to grieve for is this, that they were found worthy of punishment. When you see your son undergoing medical or surgical treatment, do you not grieve? You do not say to yourself, “What is this?” This cutting is for health, to speed his recovery; it is for his deliverance, this burning? But for all that, when you hear him crying out and unable to bear the pain, you grieve, and the hope of health being restored is not enough to carry off the shock to nature.

HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 43

Ezekiel 16:3

If we are on the alert, these evils that came into life as a result of the sins of our forebears will in no way be able to harm us, because in fact they go no further than the level of terminology. It was the first formed human being who through the fall brought on the punishment of death and was responsible for spending his life in pain and distress, and it was he who was the cause of servitude. But Christ the Lord came and permitted all these evils to occur only at the level of terminology, provided we are of the right mind. You see, death is now not death but only carries the name of death—or, rather, even the very name has been abolished.

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 29:23

Ezekiel 16:8

Do not infer from these things that it is about punishment only, but also about the boundless longsuffering of God.

HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 43:5

Ezekiel 16:23

I do marvel. You behave in the same way to me, who have been hitherto unknown to you, when even to the Father, of whom you have so much experience, you have done the very same. You have forsaken him, you have run to the devils, drawing to yourselves wicked lovers. With this Ezekiel too was continually upbraiding them.

HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 43:1

Ezekiel 16:49

Do not ask those things from God that you receive from the devil. For it is God’s part to give a contrite and humbled heart, sober, self-possessed and awestruck, full of repentance and compunction. These are his gifts, since it is these things that we most need.

HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 6:9

Ezekiel 17:6

[Ezekiel] calls the city of Jerusalem a vine; but in saying that it stretched out its branches towards the eagle and that its roots were under him, he refers to the treaties and alliances made with him and that it cast itself on him.

HOMILIES CONCERNING THE STATUES 19:9

Ezekiel 18:1-2

It is not possible, if one person has sinned, for another to be punished. Besides, if we grant this, we shall assent to that other supposition as well, namely, that he committed sin before his birth. Therefore, just as by saying “neither has this man sinned,” he did not mean that it is possible for anyone to sin before birth and be punished for this; so by saying “nor his parents” he did not imply that it is possible for anyone to be punished on account of his parents. Now, I say this because he removed this erroneous suspicion through Ezekiel.

HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 56

Ezekiel 18:23

I mean, surely I seek nothing else than a mere end of their wickedness and a stop to their evil? Surely I look for no accounting of past deeds if I see them willing to change? Do I not cry aloud each day, “Surely I have no real wish for the death of the sinner as for his conversion and life”? Do I not take every means to snatch from destruction those ensnared in deceit? Surely, after all, if I see them changing I will not hesitate?… Surely I do not bring you from nonbeing for the purpose of destroying you? It is not in vain that I prepared the kingdom and the countless good things beyond description, was it? Did I not also make the threat of hell for the purpose of encouraging everyone by this means also to hasten toward the kingdom?

HOMILIES ON MATTHEW 44:9