John Chrysostom — Commentary on Scripture

Genesis 9:22-25

To be sure, some will say, this shows that the reason he did not curse Ham was that he had enjoyed blessing from God. Nevertheless, why is it that though Ham was the sinner, Canaan had to pay the penalty? This does not happen idly either. Ham did not endure less punishment than his son. He too felt its effects. You know well, of course, how in many cases fathers have begged to endure punishment in place of their children. Seeing their children bearing punishment proves a more grievous form of chastisement for the fathers than being subject to it themselves. Accordingly, this incident occurred so that Ham should endure greater anguish on account of his natural affection, so that God’s blessing should continue without impairment and so that his son in being the object of the curse should atone for his own sins. You see, even if in the present instance he bears the curse on account of his father’s sin, nevertheless it was likely that he was atoning for his own failings. In other words, it was not only for his father’s sin that he bore the curse but perhaps also for the purpose of his su…

To be sure, some will say, this shows that the reason he did not curse Ham was that he had enjoyed blessing from God. Nevertheless, why is it that though Ham was the sinner, Canaan had to pay the penalty? This does not happen idly either. Ham did not endure less punishment than his son. He too felt its effects. You know well, of course, how in many cases fathers have begged to endure punishment in place of their children. Seeing their children bearing punishment proves a more grievous form of chastisement for the fathers than being subject to it themselves. Accordingly, this incident occurred so that Ham should endure greater anguish on account of his natural affection, so that God’s blessing should continue without impairment and so that his son in being the object of the curse should atone for his own sins. You see, even if in the present instance he bears the curse on account of his father’s sin, nevertheless it was likely that he was atoning for his own failings. In other words, it was not only for his father’s sin that he bore the curse but perhaps also for the purpose of his suffering a heavier penalty on his own account. After all, for proof that parents are not punished for their children, nor children for their parents, each being liable for the sins he has committed, you can find frequent statements among the inspired authors—as, for instance, when they say, “The teeth of the one eating sour grapes shall be set on edge,” “The soul that shall die is the soul that sins,” and again, “Parents shall not die for their children, nor children for their parents.”

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 29.21

Genesis 10:6-14

Then sacred Scripture goes on from this point to tell of the children born to the sons in these words: “Now, Ham became the father of Cush”; and further, “Now, Cush became the father of Nebrod (Nimrod), who began to be a giant on earth. He was a giant hunter before the Lord.” While some people say the phrase “before the Lord” means being in opposition to God, I on the contrary do not think sacred Scripture is implying this. Rather, it implies that [Nimrod] was strong and brave. But the phrase “before the Lord” means created by him, receiving from him God’s blessing. Or it may mean that God was on the point of arousing our wonder through him by creating such a remarkable creature and displaying him before us on the earth. Nimrod too, however, in his turn in imitation of his forebear did not take due advantage of his natural preeminence but hit upon another form of servitude in endeavoring to become ruler and king. You see, there would not ever be a king unless there were people being ruled. But in that case freedom is seen for what it really is, whereas slavery is the most galling obs…

Then sacred Scripture goes on from this point to tell of the children born to the sons in these words: “Now, Ham became the father of Cush”; and further, “Now, Cush became the father of Nebrod (Nimrod), who began to be a giant on earth. He was a giant hunter before the Lord.” While some people say the phrase “before the Lord” means being in opposition to God, I on the contrary do not think sacred Scripture is implying this. Rather, it implies that [Nimrod] was strong and brave. But the phrase “before the Lord” means created by him, receiving from him God’s blessing. Or it may mean that God was on the point of arousing our wonder through him by creating such a remarkable creature and displaying him before us on the earth. Nimrod too, however, in his turn in imitation of his forebear did not take due advantage of his natural preeminence but hit upon another form of servitude in endeavoring to become ruler and king. You see, there would not ever be a king unless there were people being ruled. But in that case freedom is seen for what it really is, whereas slavery is the most galling obstacle to conditions of freedom, when all the more power is exercised over free people. See what ambition is guilty of. Observe bodily strength not keeping to its limits but constantly lusting after more and clutching for glory. You see, the orders [Nimrod] gave were not those of a leader. Rather, he even builds cities with a view to ruling over the enemy.

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 29.29

Genesis 11:1-4

“When they traveled from the east, they found open country in the land of Sennar [Shinar] and settled there.” Notice how the human race, instead of managing to keep to its own boundaries, always longs for more and reaches out for greater things. This is what the human race has lost in particular, not being prepared to recognize the limitations of its own condition but always lusting after more, entertaining ambitions beyond its capacity. In this regard, too, when people who chase after the things of the world acquire for themselves much wealth and status, they lose sight of their own nature, as it were, and aspire to such heights that they topple into the very depths. You could see this happening every day without others being any the wiser from the sight of it. Instead, they pause for a while but immediately lose all recollection of it and take the same road as the others and fall over the same precipice. This is exactly what you can see happening to these people in the present instance: “When they traveled from the east, they found open country in the land of Sennar [Shinar] and se…

“When they traveled from the east, they found open country in the land of Sennar [Shinar] and settled there.” Notice how the human race, instead of managing to keep to its own boundaries, always longs for more and reaches out for greater things. This is what the human race has lost in particular, not being prepared to recognize the limitations of its own condition but always lusting after more, entertaining ambitions beyond its capacity. In this regard, too, when people who chase after the things of the world acquire for themselves much wealth and status, they lose sight of their own nature, as it were, and aspire to such heights that they topple into the very depths. You could see this happening every day without others being any the wiser from the sight of it. Instead, they pause for a while but immediately lose all recollection of it and take the same road as the others and fall over the same precipice. This is exactly what you can see happening to these people in the present instance: “When they traveled from the east, they found open country in the land of Sennar [Shinar] and settled there.” See how in gradual stages it teaches us the instability of their attitude. When they saw the open country (the text says), they packed up and left their previous dwelling and settled down there.

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 30.5

Genesis 11:4-8

This in fact is the way the Lord is accustomed to behave. This is what he did in the beginning in the case of the [first] woman as well. She had abused the status conferred on her, and for that reason he subjected her to her husband. Again, too, in the case of Adam, since he drew no advantage from the great ease he enjoyed and from life in the garden but rather rendered himself liable to punishment through the fall, God drove him out of the garden and inflicted on him everlasting punishment in the words “thorns and thistles let the earth yield.” So when the people in the present case, who had been dignified with similarity of language, used the privilege given them for evil purposes, he put a stop to the impulse of their wickedness through creating differences in language. “Let us confuse their speech,” he says, “so that they will be unable to understand one another’s language.” His purpose was that, just as similarity of language achieved their living together, so difference in language might cause dispersal among them.

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 30.13

Genesis 11:9

There are many people even today who in imitation of them want to be remembered for such achievements, by building splendid homes, baths, porches and avenues. I mean, if you were to ask each of them why they toil and labor and lay out such great expense to no good purpose, you would hear nothing but these very words. They would be seeking to ensure that their memory survives in perpetuity and to have it said that “this is the house belonging to so-and-so,” “this is the property of so-and-so.” This, on the contrary, is worthy not of commemoration but of condemnation. For hard upon those words come other remarks equivalent to countless accusations—“belonging to so-and-so the grasping miser, despoiler of widows and orphans.” So such behavior is calculated not to earn remembrance but to encounter unremitting accusations, achieve notoriety after death and incite the tongues of onlookers to calumny and condemnation of the person who acquired these goods. But if you are anxious for undying reputation, I will show you the way to succeed in being remembered for every achievement and also, alo…

There are many people even today who in imitation of them want to be remembered for such achievements, by building splendid homes, baths, porches and avenues. I mean, if you were to ask each of them why they toil and labor and lay out such great expense to no good purpose, you would hear nothing but these very words. They would be seeking to ensure that their memory survives in perpetuity and to have it said that “this is the house belonging to so-and-so,” “this is the property of so-and-so.” This, on the contrary, is worthy not of commemoration but of condemnation. For hard upon those words come other remarks equivalent to countless accusations—“belonging to so-and-so the grasping miser, despoiler of widows and orphans.” So such behavior is calculated not to earn remembrance but to encounter unremitting accusations, achieve notoriety after death and incite the tongues of onlookers to calumny and condemnation of the person who acquired these goods. But if you are anxious for undying reputation, I will show you the way to succeed in being remembered for every achievement and also, along with an excellent name, to provide yourself with great confidence in the age to come. How then will you manage both to be remembered day after day and also become the recipient of tributes even after passing from one life to the next? If you give away these goods of yours into the hands of the poor, letting go of precious stones, magnificent homes, properties and baths.

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 30.7

Genesis 11:31

Since, however, I have made mention of the patriarch, let us put before your good selves today’s reading, if you do not mind, so as to explain it and thus see the extraordinary degree of the good man’s virtue. “Thara [Thera],” the text says, “took his sons Abraham and Nachor, his son’s son Lot, and his daughter-in-law Sarah, his son Abram’s wife, and led them from the land of Chaldea to journey into the land of the Canaanites. He went as far as Charran [Haran] and settled there. Thara lived two hundred and five years in Charran, and died in Charran.” Let us attend precisely to the reading, I beseech you, so as to manage to grasp the plain sense of the writings. Note, in fact, right in the beginning there seems to be a question in the words used. This blessed author—Moses, I mean—says, “Thara took Abraham and Nachor and led them from the land of Chaldea to journey into the land of the Canaanites. He went as far as Charran and settled there.” The blessed Stephen would later use the following words in praising the Jews: “The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mes…

Since, however, I have made mention of the patriarch, let us put before your good selves today’s reading, if you do not mind, so as to explain it and thus see the extraordinary degree of the good man’s virtue. “Thara [Thera],” the text says, “took his sons Abraham and Nachor, his son’s son Lot, and his daughter-in-law Sarah, his son Abram’s wife, and led them from the land of Chaldea to journey into the land of the Canaanites. He went as far as Charran [Haran] and settled there. Thara lived two hundred and five years in Charran, and died in Charran.” Let us attend precisely to the reading, I beseech you, so as to manage to grasp the plain sense of the writings. Note, in fact, right in the beginning there seems to be a question in the words used. This blessed author—Moses, I mean—says, “Thara took Abraham and Nachor and led them from the land of Chaldea to journey into the land of the Canaanites. He went as far as Charran and settled there.” The blessed Stephen would later use the following words in praising the Jews: “The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia before he settled in Charran … and after his father died he led him there to settle.” So what does that mean? Is sacred Scripture inconsistent with itself? Not at all; rather, you need to understand from this that since the son was God-fearing, God appeared to him and called upon him to move there. His father Thara, though he happened to be a heathen, nevertheless for the affection he had for his son agreed to accompany him in his migration. He went to Charran, settled there and thus ended his life. Then it was that the patriarch moved to Canaan at God’s bidding. Of course, God did not transfer him from there until Thara passed on.

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 31.7

Genesis 12:2

The scope of the promise is extraordinary: “I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and magnify your name.” Not only will I place you at the head of a great nation and cause your name to be great, but as well, “I will bless you, and you will be blessed.” I will favor you with so much blessing, he says, that it will last for all time. “You will be blessed” to such an extent that everyone will be anxious to thrust themselves into your company in preference to the highest honor. See how God right from the beginning foretold to him the honor he would later confer upon him. “I will make you a great nation,” he said; “I will magnify your name; I will bless you, and you will be blessed.” Hence the Jews too found in the patriarch grounds for self-importance and endeavored to establish their kinship with him in the words “We are the children of Abraham.” For you to learn, however, that on the basis of their evil ways they are in fact unworthy of such kinship, Christ says to them, “If you were children of Abraham, you would do the works of Abraham.” John too, the son of Zechariah, whe…

The scope of the promise is extraordinary: “I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and magnify your name.” Not only will I place you at the head of a great nation and cause your name to be great, but as well, “I will bless you, and you will be blessed.” I will favor you with so much blessing, he says, that it will last for all time. “You will be blessed” to such an extent that everyone will be anxious to thrust themselves into your company in preference to the highest honor. See how God right from the beginning foretold to him the honor he would later confer upon him. “I will make you a great nation,” he said; “I will magnify your name; I will bless you, and you will be blessed.” Hence the Jews too found in the patriarch grounds for self-importance and endeavored to establish their kinship with him in the words “We are the children of Abraham.” For you to learn, however, that on the basis of their evil ways they are in fact unworthy of such kinship, Christ says to them, “If you were children of Abraham, you would do the works of Abraham.” John too, the son of Zechariah, when those anxious to be baptized flocked to the Jordan, said to them, “Brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit that benefits repentance, and don’t presume to say, ‘We have Abraham for our father.’ I tell you, after all, that God can raise up children to Abraham even from these stones.” Do you see how great his name was in everyone’s estimation? For the time being, however, before the sequel the just man’s God-fearing qualities are demonstrated in the way he believed the words coming from God and accepted without demur everything, difficult though it seemed.

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 31.13

Genesis 12:18

Note that the severity of the punishment depressed his thinking, to the extent of leading him to offer an excuse to the just man and show signs of every care for him. And yet had God’s grace not been active in appeasing his mind and instilling fear into him, the consequence would have been that he would have flown into an even worse temper to the extent of attempting to even the score with his deceiver, the just man, wreaking his vengeance on him and bringing him to the ultimate peril. He did none of this, however. Fear quenched the fire of his anger. His one concern was to show signs of care for the just man. He now knew, you see, that it was impossible that this could be an unimportant man if he enjoyed such marvelous favor from on high.

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 32.21

Genesis 12:19

What imagination could adequately conceive amazement at these events? What tongue could manage to express this amazement? A woman dazzling in her beauty is closeted with an Egyptian partner, who is king and tyrant, of such frenzy and incontinent disposition, and yet she leaves his presence untouched, with her peerless chastity intact. Such, you see, God’s providence always is, marvelous and surprising. Whenever things are given up as hopeless by human beings, then he personally gives evidence of his invincible power in every circumstance.

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 32.22

Genesis 12:20

You would be right in applying to this just man those words that blessed David used of those who returned from the captivity in Babylon: “Though they sow in tears, they will reap in joy. They went their way and wept as they cast their seed, but in returning they will come in joy, carrying their sheaves aloft.” Did you see his downward journey to be beset with worry and fear, with the fear of death heavy upon him? Now see his return marked by great prosperity and distinction! The just man now, you see, was an object of respect to everyone in Egypt and in Palestine. After all, who would have failed to show respect for the one who so enjoyed God’s protection and was accorded such wonderful care? Quite likely what befell the king and his household escaped no one’s attention. His purpose, you see, in permitting everything and in allowing the just man’s trials to reach such a point was that his endurance might appear more conspicuous, his achievement might win the attention of the whole world, and no one would be unaware of the good man’s virtue.Do you see, dearly beloved, the magnitude of…

You would be right in applying to this just man those words that blessed David used of those who returned from the captivity in Babylon: “Though they sow in tears, they will reap in joy. They went their way and wept as they cast their seed, but in returning they will come in joy, carrying their sheaves aloft.” Did you see his downward journey to be beset with worry and fear, with the fear of death heavy upon him? Now see his return marked by great prosperity and distinction! The just man now, you see, was an object of respect to everyone in Egypt and in Palestine. After all, who would have failed to show respect for the one who so enjoyed God’s protection and was accorded such wonderful care? Quite likely what befell the king and his household escaped no one’s attention. His purpose, you see, in permitting everything and in allowing the just man’s trials to reach such a point was that his endurance might appear more conspicuous, his achievement might win the attention of the whole world, and no one would be unaware of the good man’s virtue.Do you see, dearly beloved, the magnitude of the benefit coming from his trials? Do you see the greatness of the reward for his endurance? Do you see man and wife, advanced in age though they were, giving evidence of so much good sense, so much courage, so much affection for one another, such a bond of love? Let us all imitate this and never become dispirited or consider the onset of tribulations to be a mark of abandonment on God’s part or an index of scorn. Rather, let us treat it as the clearest demonstration of God’s providential care for us.

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 32.24-25

Genesis 13:2

Let us not rush idly by this reading but rather recognize clearly the precision of sacred Scripture in recounting nothing to us as of no importance. “Now Abram was very rich,” the text says. Consider first of all this very fact that its habit had been to convey nothing idly or to no purpose. In this case is it not without reason that [the text] calls him rich. Nowhere else had it made mention of his being rich—this was the first time. Why, and to what purpose? For you to learn the inventiveness of God’s wisdom and providence displayed in favor of the great man, as well as his boundless and extraordinary power. The man who had gone into exile in Egypt under the pressure of famine, unable to sustain the privations of Canaan, suddenly became rich—and not just rich but very rich, not only in cattle but also in silver and gold. Do you not see the extent of God’s providence? Abraham left to find relief from famine and came back not simply enjoying relief from famine but invested with great wealth and untold reputation, his identity well known to everyone. Now the inhabitants of Canaan gain…

Let us not rush idly by this reading but rather recognize clearly the precision of sacred Scripture in recounting nothing to us as of no importance. “Now Abram was very rich,” the text says. Consider first of all this very fact that its habit had been to convey nothing idly or to no purpose. In this case is it not without reason that [the text] calls him rich. Nowhere else had it made mention of his being rich—this was the first time. Why, and to what purpose? For you to learn the inventiveness of God’s wisdom and providence displayed in favor of the great man, as well as his boundless and extraordinary power. The man who had gone into exile in Egypt under the pressure of famine, unable to sustain the privations of Canaan, suddenly became rich—and not just rich but very rich, not only in cattle but also in silver and gold. Do you not see the extent of God’s providence? Abraham left to find relief from famine and came back not simply enjoying relief from famine but invested with great wealth and untold reputation, his identity well known to everyone. Now the inhabitants of Canaan gained a more precise idea of the good man’s virtue by seeing this sudden transformation that had taken place—the stranger who had gone down into Egypt as a refugee and vagabond now flush with so much wealth.

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 33.4-5

Genesis 13:3

Consider, I ask you, how he was a lover of peace and quiet and was constantly attentive to divine worship. The text says, remember, that he went down to that place where he had previously built the altar. By calling on the name of God he right from the very beginning fulfilled in anticipation that saying of David, “I would rather be of no account in the house of my God than take up residence in sinners’ dwellings.” In other words, solitude turned out to be preferred by him for invoking the name of God, instead of the cities. After all, he well knew that cities’ greatness is not constituted by multitude of inhabitants but by the virtue of its residents. Hence too the desert proved to be more desirable than the cities, adorned as it was by the just man’s virtue and thus a more resplendent vision than the whole world.

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 33.5

Genesis 13:7

Notice how the abundance of their possessions proved to be a major cause for their separation, creating a division, sundering their harmony and undoing the bond of kinship. “Trouble developed between Abram’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen. Now the Canaanites and the Pherezites inhabited the land at that time.” Notice how the relatives are responsible for the first signs of separation. Invariably this is the source from which springs all sorts of problems—discord among the brethren. The text says, remember, “Trouble developed between the herdsmen.” They are the ones who provide the occasion for separation, who sunder the harmony, who give evidence of bad feeling.

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 33.6

Genesis 13:8

See the extraordinary degree of his humility; see the height of his wisdom. The elder, the senior, addresses his junior and calls his nephew “brother,” admits him to the same rank as himself and retains no special distinction for himself. Instead, he says, “Let there be no trouble between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and yours.” Nor would it be proper, after all, for this to happen, he says, since we are brothers. Do you see him fulfilling the apostolic law, which says, “Already, then, the verdict has completely gone against you for having lawsuits with one another. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? Instead, you do wrong and defraud, and this to your own brothers.” All these admonitions the patriarch observes in fact by saying, “Let there be no trouble between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, because we are brothers.” What could be more peace-loving than such a spirit as this? It wasn’t idly, of course, or to no purpose that I mentioned at the outset that his reason for preferring solitude to the whole civilized world was a love for peace and quiet. See h…

See the extraordinary degree of his humility; see the height of his wisdom. The elder, the senior, addresses his junior and calls his nephew “brother,” admits him to the same rank as himself and retains no special distinction for himself. Instead, he says, “Let there be no trouble between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and yours.” Nor would it be proper, after all, for this to happen, he says, since we are brothers. Do you see him fulfilling the apostolic law, which says, “Already, then, the verdict has completely gone against you for having lawsuits with one another. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? Instead, you do wrong and defraud, and this to your own brothers.” All these admonitions the patriarch observes in fact by saying, “Let there be no trouble between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, because we are brothers.” What could be more peace-loving than such a spirit as this? It wasn’t idly, of course, or to no purpose that I mentioned at the outset that his reason for preferring solitude to the whole civilized world was a love for peace and quiet. See him in this case too, when he noticed the herdsmen completely at odds, how right from the beginning he tried to quench the fire that threatened to break out and put a stop to the rivalry. You see, it was important for him in his role of teacher of wisdom sent to the inhabitants of Palestine, far from providing any bad example or offering any encouragement, rather to give them all the clearer instruction through the clarion call of his restraint in manners and to convert them into imitators of his own virtue.

HOMILIES ON Genesis 33.7

Genesis 13:8

Notice how he addresses Lot on terms of equality—and yet I have the impression that the outbreak of trouble had no other origin than in the refusal of the patriarch’s herdsmen to allow Lot to enjoy the same privileges as they. The just man, however, handles everything with restraint, demonstrating the remarkable degree of his own good sense and teaching not only those present at the time but also every one in the future never to settle their differences with our relatives by feuding. Their squabbling brings great disgrace on us, and instead of trouble being attributed to them, the blame reverts to us. So what fittingness could there be for brothers, sharing in fact the same nature, the same links of kinship and due at that point to dwell near to each other, to engage in hostilities when it was expected of them to play the role of teaching all these people restraint, gentleness and complete good sense? Let people who believe they are above such reproach give heed to this example when on the grounds of relationship they connive at their relatives’ larceny, rapacity, scheming beyond mea…

Notice how he addresses Lot on terms of equality—and yet I have the impression that the outbreak of trouble had no other origin than in the refusal of the patriarch’s herdsmen to allow Lot to enjoy the same privileges as they. The just man, however, handles everything with restraint, demonstrating the remarkable degree of his own good sense and teaching not only those present at the time but also every one in the future never to settle their differences with our relatives by feuding. Their squabbling brings great disgrace on us, and instead of trouble being attributed to them, the blame reverts to us. So what fittingness could there be for brothers, sharing in fact the same nature, the same links of kinship and due at that point to dwell near to each other, to engage in hostilities when it was expected of them to play the role of teaching all these people restraint, gentleness and complete good sense? Let people who believe they are above such reproach give heed to this example when on the grounds of relationship they connive at their relatives’ larceny, rapacity, scheming beyond measure, in the city and in the country, confiscation of one person’s farm and another’s home, and on that basis they show such scoundrels even greater favor.

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 33.8

Genesis 13:13

Do you observe Lot having regard only for the nature of the land and not considering the wickedness of the inhabitants? What good, after all, is fertility of land and abundance of produce when the inhabitants are evil in their ways? By contrast, what harm could come from solitude and a simple lifestyle when the inhabitants are more restrained? The summit of blessings, you see, is the uprightness of those who dwell in a place. Lot, however, had eyes for one thing only, the richness of the countryside. Hence Scripture desires to indicate to us the wickedness of those who dwelt there in the words “Now the people of Sodom were very wicked sinners in God’s sight.” They were not merely “wicked” but also “sinners,” and not simply “sinners” but also “in God’s sight.” That is, the extent of their sins was extreme, and their wickedness superabounded—hence it added as well, “very wicked in God’s sight.” Do you see the extremity of the evil? Do you see how great an evil it is to usurp pride of place and not to consider what is for the common good? Do you see what a great thing is deference, cedi…

Do you observe Lot having regard only for the nature of the land and not considering the wickedness of the inhabitants? What good, after all, is fertility of land and abundance of produce when the inhabitants are evil in their ways? By contrast, what harm could come from solitude and a simple lifestyle when the inhabitants are more restrained? The summit of blessings, you see, is the uprightness of those who dwell in a place. Lot, however, had eyes for one thing only, the richness of the countryside. Hence Scripture desires to indicate to us the wickedness of those who dwelt there in the words “Now the people of Sodom were very wicked sinners in God’s sight.” They were not merely “wicked” but also “sinners,” and not simply “sinners” but also “in God’s sight.” That is, the extent of their sins was extreme, and their wickedness superabounded—hence it added as well, “very wicked in God’s sight.” Do you see the extremity of the evil? Do you see how great an evil it is to usurp pride of place and not to consider what is for the common good? Do you see what a great thing is deference, ceding pride of place, taking second place? Take note, in fact: As the instruction develops we shall see that the one who took the pick of the best places gained no advantage from it, whereas he who chose the lesser became more resplendent day by day, and, with his wealth increasing, he became the attraction of all eyes.

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 33.15

Genesis 13:14

See the promptness of God’s providential recompense demonstrated in favor of the good man. Sacred Scripture wants to teach us the extent of the reimbursement the patriarch was accorded for such humility from the loving God. And so after saying that Lot took his leave and went off to the land he had selected on the score of its beauty, [Scripture] immediately added, “The Lord God said to Abram.” Then, for our precise realization that he said this by way of rewarding him for what had been done for Lot, it added, “God said to Abram after Lot’s parting with him,” as if to say the following words to him without demur: You ceded the beautiful region to your nephew on account of your great restraint and thus gave evidence of your eminent humility and showed such concern for peace as to put up with anything for the sake of preventing any rivalry coming between you—accept from me a generous reward.

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 34.5

Genesis 13:16

Then, in case Abraham should have regard only to his own condition, his advanced years and Sarah’s sterility, and thus lose confidence in the promise instead of trusting in the power of the One making the promise, he said, “I will make your descendants as numerous as all the grains of sand in the world. If anyone can number the grains of sand in the world, your descendants too will be numbered.” No doubt the promise went beyond human nature. Not only did he promise to make him a father despite so many impediments but also to extend the gift to such a multitude as to be compared with all the grains of sand in the world, and the multitude to be beyond number, wishing as he did to demonstrate the extent of the remarkable increase by the comparison.

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 34.10

Genesis 13:18

Wonderful the extent of the promise; remarkable the depth of generosity of the Lord of us all; extraordinary the degree of the reward conferred by him in his mercy and love on this blessed man and on the descendants destined to be born to him! Hearing this, and amazed at God’s unspeakable goodness, the patriarch “struck camp and moved on until settling at the oak of Mamre, which is at Hebron.” After accepting the promise … and following Lot’s parting, he changed his campsite to the vicinity of the oak of Mamre. Notice his sensible attitude, his high sense of responsibility in effecting the transfer with ease and making no difficulty of changing from place to place. You will not find him shackled and hidebound by any custom, something that frequently affects a great number of people, even those considered wise and those generally free of concerns. If the occasion should require them to change and move in a different direction, even in many cases for a spiritual matter, you would find many of them troubled, beside themselves, regretting the change on account of their being prisoners of…

Wonderful the extent of the promise; remarkable the depth of generosity of the Lord of us all; extraordinary the degree of the reward conferred by him in his mercy and love on this blessed man and on the descendants destined to be born to him! Hearing this, and amazed at God’s unspeakable goodness, the patriarch “struck camp and moved on until settling at the oak of Mamre, which is at Hebron.” After accepting the promise … and following Lot’s parting, he changed his campsite to the vicinity of the oak of Mamre. Notice his sensible attitude, his high sense of responsibility in effecting the transfer with ease and making no difficulty of changing from place to place. You will not find him shackled and hidebound by any custom, something that frequently affects a great number of people, even those considered wise and those generally free of concerns. If the occasion should require them to change and move in a different direction, even in many cases for a spiritual matter, you would find many of them troubled, beside themselves, regretting the change on account of their being prisoners of habit. The just man, on the other hand, wasn’t like that. He showed good sense from the very outset. Like a stranger or a pilgrim he moved from here to there and from there to the next place. And in all cases his concern was to give evidence of his God-fearing attitude in his actions.

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 34.12

Genesis 14:8

Let us not idly pass these words by, dearly beloved, or consider the account to be of no value. It was of set purpose that sacred Scripture recounted everything to us with precision so that we should learn the might of these barbarians and the degree of valor they displayed and with how much ferocity they involved themselves in war so as to clash even with the giants—that is, men powerful in bodily stature—and put to flight all the peoples dwelling there. You see, just as a swollen torrent sweeps away everything in its path and destroys it, in the same way the barbarians fell on these peoples and destroyed them completely with the result that they put to flight the rulers of the Amalekites and all the others. But perhaps someone may say, “What good is it for me to know about the might of the barbarians?” It was not idly or to no purpose that Scripture mixed these matters in with its account. Nor is it without point that we are now bringing it to your attention and directing you in turn to recall their valor. Rather, our purpose is that from the ensuing instruction you may learn the e…

Let us not idly pass these words by, dearly beloved, or consider the account to be of no value. It was of set purpose that sacred Scripture recounted everything to us with precision so that we should learn the might of these barbarians and the degree of valor they displayed and with how much ferocity they involved themselves in war so as to clash even with the giants—that is, men powerful in bodily stature—and put to flight all the peoples dwelling there. You see, just as a swollen torrent sweeps away everything in its path and destroys it, in the same way the barbarians fell on these peoples and destroyed them completely with the result that they put to flight the rulers of the Amalekites and all the others. But perhaps someone may say, “What good is it for me to know about the might of the barbarians?” It was not idly or to no purpose that Scripture mixed these matters in with its account. Nor is it without point that we are now bringing it to your attention and directing you in turn to recall their valor. Rather, our purpose is that from the ensuing instruction you may learn the extraordinary degree of God’s power and also the patriarch’s virtue.

HOMILIES ON GENESIS 35.9