John Chrysostom — Commentary on Scripture

Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them.

Ver. 14. "Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them."

These were not of the number to whom Churches had been intrusted, but of the number of his companions. But Apollos was the more vehement, being "an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures." (Acts xviii. 24.) But if Zenas was a lawyer, you say, he ought not to have been supported by others. But by a lawyer here is meant one versed in the laws of the Jews. And he seems to say, supply their wants abundantly, that nothing may be lacking to them.

Titus 3:14

And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.

Ver. 14, 15. "And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful. All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith." That is, either those that love Paul himself, or those men that are faithful. "Grace be with you all. Amen." "And let ours," he says, "learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful." You observe that he is more anxious for them than for those who are to receive their kindnesses. For they might probably have been brought on their way by many others, but I am concerned, he says, for our own friends. For what advantage would it be to them, if others should dig up treasures, and maintain their teachers? This would be no benefit to them, for they remained unfruitful. Could not Christ then, Who with five loaves fed five thousand men, and with seven loaves fed four thousand, could not He have supported Himself and His disciples? For what reason then was He maintained by women? For women, it is said, followed Him, and ministered unto Him. (Mark xv. 41.) It was to teach us from…

Ver. 14, 15. "And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful. All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith."

That is, either those that love Paul himself, or those men that are faithful.

"Grace be with you all. Amen."

"And let ours," he says, "learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful." You observe that he is more anxious for them than for those who are to receive their kindnesses. For they might probably have been brought on their way by many others, but I am concerned, he says, for our own friends. For what advantage would it be to them, if others should dig up treasures, and maintain their teachers? This would be no benefit to them, for they remained unfruitful. Could not Christ then, Who with five loaves fed five thousand men, and with seven loaves fed four thousand, could not He have supported Himself and His disciples?

For what reason then was He maintained by women? For women, it is said, followed Him, and ministered unto Him. (Mark xv. 41.) It was to teach us from the first that He is concerned for those who do good. Could not Paul, who supported others by his own hands, have maintained himself without assistance from others? But you see him receiving and requesting aid. And hear the reason for it. "Not because I desire a gift," he says, "but I desire fruit that may abound to your account." (Phil. iv. 17.)

Zechariah 1:3

Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.

Indeed, God is good to everyone, but he shows his patient endurance especially to those who sin. And if you want to hear a paradoxical statement—paradoxical because it is not customary, but true for the great piety it reveals—listen. God always seems to be severe to the righteous but good to sinners and quick to clemency. He restores the one who sinned and fell and tells him, “Shall not he who falls arise; or he that turns away, shall he not turn back again?” And “Why did that stupid daughter of Judah turn away with a shameless revolting?” And again, “Return to me, and I will return to you.” Elsewhere he assures with an oath the salvation from repentance by much clemency. “ ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘I do not desire the death of a sinner, but that he should turn from his way and live.’ ” To the righteous he says, “If a man achieves every righteousness and truth and later turns from his way and sins, I will not remember his righteousness, but he will die in his sin.” O such strictness toward the righteous! O such abundant forgiveness toward the sinner! He finds so many different mea…

Indeed, God is good to everyone, but he shows his patient endurance especially to those who sin. And if you want to hear a paradoxical statement—paradoxical because it is not customary, but true for the great piety it reveals—listen. God always seems to be severe to the righteous but good to sinners and quick to clemency. He restores the one who sinned and fell and tells him, “Shall not he who falls arise; or he that turns away, shall he not turn back again?” And “Why did that stupid daughter of Judah turn away with a shameless revolting?” And again, “Return to me, and I will return to you.” Elsewhere he assures with an oath the salvation from repentance by much clemency. “ ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘I do not desire the death of a sinner, but that he should turn from his way and live.’ ” To the righteous he says, “If a man achieves every righteousness and truth and later turns from his way and sins, I will not remember his righteousness, but he will die in his sin.” O such strictness toward the righteous! O such abundant forgiveness toward the sinner! He finds so many different means, without himself changing, to keep the righteous in check and forgive the sinner, by usefully dividing his rich goodness.

Zechariah 1:11

And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.

“And the devil came with them.” What are you saying? “With the angels?” He who rebelled, who dishonored himself? Do not worry, my dear; this is an image, a figure. It is like another passage in the [First] Book of Kings, where it is said, “And there came forth an evil spirit, and the Lord said, ‘Who will deceive Ahab?’ ” And the spirit responded: “I will deceive him,” and he indicates it in such a way. The Scripture often takes on an anthropomorphic character.… The angels came, according to the text, and the devil came with them having compassed the earth and walked around in the subcelestial regions. What do we understand by that? That the earth is filled with demons and angels, and that both are under the power of God; and that the angels present themselves before God, from whom they receive orders; and that the devil can do nothing to please himself, if he has not received permission for it from above. For if he has totally rejected the bridle and is no longer in service to God, he is not in the least held back by fear as by a bit which restrains him from using his own power. But…

“And the devil came with them.” What are you saying? “With the angels?” He who rebelled, who dishonored himself? Do not worry, my dear; this is an image, a figure. It is like another passage in the [First] Book of Kings, where it is said, “And there came forth an evil spirit, and the Lord said, ‘Who will deceive Ahab?’ ” And the spirit responded: “I will deceive him,” and he indicates it in such a way. The Scripture often takes on an anthropomorphic character.… The angels came, according to the text, and the devil came with them having compassed the earth and walked around in the subcelestial regions. What do we understand by that? That the earth is filled with demons and angels, and that both are under the power of God; and that the angels present themselves before God, from whom they receive orders; and that the devil can do nothing to please himself, if he has not received permission for it from above. For if he has totally rejected the bridle and is no longer in service to God, he is not in the least held back by fear as by a bit which restrains him from using his own power. But note this: whereas the angels present themselves as servants who render an account to him of their doings, as one can see in Zechariah, the devil has nothing to say to him. Consequently the expression “he came with them” means nothing else but that he too is dependent on God.… What does the expression therefore signify? It signifies that he is with them in the world. In the same way as deceitful people and good people are mixed, so are the angels and the demons.

Zechariah 5:2

And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits.

It comes in opportunely today even from the Old Testament to show you the heinousness of perjury. "There was," it says, "a flying sickle, ten cubits in breadth." The "flying" betokens the swift advent of the vengeance which pursues oaths; that it is many cubits in length and breadth, signifies the force and magnitude of the woes; that it comes flying "from heaven," is to show that the vengeance comes from the judgment-seat on high: that it is in the form of a "sickle," denotes the inevitableness of the doom: for just as the sickle, where it comes and has hooked the neck, is not drawn back with nothing but itself, but with the head reaped off, even so the vengeance which comes upon the swearers is severe, and will not desist until it have completed its work. But if we swear and escape, let us not be confident; this is but to our woe. For what think ye? How many, since Ananias and Sapphira, have dared the same with them? How is it then, say you, that they have not met with the same fate? Not because it was allowed in them, but because they are reserved for a greater punishment. For th…

It comes in opportunely today even from the Old Testament to show you the heinousness of perjury. "There was," it says, "a flying sickle, ten cubits in breadth." The "flying" betokens the swift advent of the vengeance which pursues oaths; that it is many cubits in length and breadth, signifies the force and magnitude of the woes; that it comes flying "from heaven," is to show that the vengeance comes from the judgment-seat on high: that it is in the form of a "sickle," denotes the inevitableness of the doom: for just as the sickle, where it comes and has hooked the neck, is not drawn back with nothing but itself, but with the head reaped off, even so the vengeance which comes upon the swearers is severe, and will not desist until it have completed its work.

But if we swear and escape, let us not be confident; this is but to our woe. For what think ye? How many, since Ananias and Sapphira, have dared the same with them? How is it then, say you, that they have not met with the same fate? Not because it was allowed in them, but because they are reserved for a greater punishment. For those who often sin and are not punished, have greater reason to fear and dread than if they were punished. For the vengeance is increased for them by their present impunity and the long-suffering of God.

Zechariah 5:5

Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth.

“For now,” he says, “the axe is laid at the root of the trees.” There is nothing more terrible than this turn of his discourse. For it is no longer “a flying sickle,” or “the taking down of a hedge,” or “the treading under foot of a vineyard,” but an axe exceedingly sharp, and what is worse, it is even at the roots. For inasmuch as they continually disbelieved the prophets and used to say, “Where is the Day of the Lord?” and “Let the counsel of the holy one of Israel come, that way we may know it,” by reason that it was many years before what they said came to pass; to lead them off from this encouragement also, he sets the terrors close to them. And this he declared by saying “now,” and by his putting it to “the root,” “for the space between is nothing now,” he says, “but it is laid to the very root.” And he said not “to the branches” or “to the fruits” but “to the root.” Signifying that if they were negligent, they would have incurable horrors to endure, and not have so much as hope of remedy. It being no servant who is now come, as those before him were, but the very Lord of all…

“For now,” he says, “the axe is laid at the root of the trees.” There is nothing more terrible than this turn of his discourse. For it is no longer “a flying sickle,” or “the taking down of a hedge,” or “the treading under foot of a vineyard,” but an axe exceedingly sharp, and what is worse, it is even at the roots. For inasmuch as they continually disbelieved the prophets and used to say, “Where is the Day of the Lord?” and “Let the counsel of the holy one of Israel come, that way we may know it,” by reason that it was many years before what they said came to pass; to lead them off from this encouragement also, he sets the terrors close to them. And this he declared by saying “now,” and by his putting it to “the root,” “for the space between is nothing now,” he says, “but it is laid to the very root.” And he said not “to the branches” or “to the fruits” but “to the root.” Signifying that if they were negligent, they would have incurable horrors to endure, and not have so much as hope of remedy. It being no servant who is now come, as those before him were, but the very Lord of all, bringing on them his fierce and most effectual vengeance.

Zechariah 7:5 · 2 passages

Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?

Even when they were exiles in Babylon and their captors were trying to force them to sing a sacred hymn, they neither yielded nor obeyed, even though they were captives and slaves to the masters who had conquered them.…And they could not observe the fast. The prophet made this clear when he said, “ ‘Did you keep a fast for me for seventy years?’ said the Lord.” Nor could they offer sacrifice or pour libations. Listen to the three boys when they said, “We have no prince, prophet or leader, no place to offer firstfruits in your sight and find mercy.” The prophet did not say, “We have no priest,” because there were priests among the captives. But to make you understand that the whole matter was a question of the place and that the whole code of laws was bound up with that place, he said, “We have no place.”

After all, if the loving Lord said to the hardhearted Jews through the prophet, “Behold those seventy years: surely it was not for me that you kept that fast? And if you eat and drink, is it not for yourselves that you eat and drink? This is what the Lord, mighty ruler, says: ‘Deliver just judgments, show mercy and pity each of you to your neighbor, do not oppress widow or orphan, sojourner or poor person, and let none of you plot evil against your brother in your heart.’ ” In other words, if those people sitting in darkness and caught up in the shadow of error gained no benefit merely from fasting without performing those other good works or expelling from their heart evil intended against their neighbor, what sort of an excuse can we offer of whom more is required—not simply commanded to abstain from that, but even obliged to love our enemies and be kind to them? And why do I say “be kind”? Also to pray for them and beseech the Lord and implore his providence in their behalf. After all, this most of all will be a recommendation for us on that fearful day, and our best insurance aga…

After all, if the loving Lord said to the hardhearted Jews through the prophet, “Behold those seventy years: surely it was not for me that you kept that fast? And if you eat and drink, is it not for yourselves that you eat and drink? This is what the Lord, mighty ruler, says: ‘Deliver just judgments, show mercy and pity each of you to your neighbor, do not oppress widow or orphan, sojourner or poor person, and let none of you plot evil against your brother in your heart.’ ” In other words, if those people sitting in darkness and caught up in the shadow of error gained no benefit merely from fasting without performing those other good works or expelling from their heart evil intended against their neighbor, what sort of an excuse can we offer of whom more is required—not simply commanded to abstain from that, but even obliged to love our enemies and be kind to them? And why do I say “be kind”? Also to pray for them and beseech the Lord and implore his providence in their behalf. After all, this most of all will be a recommendation for us on that fearful day, and our best insurance against our sins, if we are disposed in this way toward our enemies. I mean, even if the commandment is exceedingly rigorous, provided you keep in mind the prize laid up for those who do right, it will seem nothing at all, even though it is in fact very rigorous. Why is that? Scripture says, “If you do this, you will be like my Father in heaven.” To make the point clearer to us it added, “Because he makes his sun rise on the evil and the good”; that is, it is saying, you are imitating God as far as human beings can. I mean, just as he makes the sun rise not only on the just but also on those who do evil, and provides rain and seasonal storms not only to the good but also to the evil, so you too, if you love not only those who love you but also those badly disposed to you, are imitating your Lord as far as you can.

Zechariah 7:9

Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother:

[You] should have fasted then, when drunkenness was doing those terrible things to you, when your gluttony was giving birth to your ungodliness—not now. Now your fasting is untimely and an abomination. Who said so? Isaiah himself when he called out in a loud voice: “ ‘I did not choose this fast,’ says the Lord.” Why? “You quarrel and squabble when you fast and strike those subject to you with your fists.” But if your fasting was an abomination when you were striking your fellow slaves, does it become acceptable now that you have slain your master? How could that be right?

Zechariah 8:16

These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:

For indeed there is nothing equal to this virtue. Would you learn the power of this virtue? “Though Moses and Samuel stood before me,” says God, “my soul would not regard them.” Nevertheless those whom Moses and Samuel were not able to snatch away from God’s wrath, this precept when observed was able to snatch away. Hence it is that he continually exhorts those to whom he had spoken of these things, saying, “Let none of you revengefully imagine evil against your brother in his heart,” and “Let none of you think of his neighbor’s malice.” It is not said merely, forego wrath; but do not retain it in your mind; do not think of it; part with all your resentment; do away with the sore. For you suppose that you are paying him back the injury; but you are first tormenting yourself, and setting up your rage as an executioner within you in every part, and tearing up your own bowels. For what can be more wretched than a person perpetually angry? And just as maniacs never enjoy tranquility, so also one who is resentful and retains an enemy will never have the enjoyment of any peace. Incessantly…

For indeed there is nothing equal to this virtue. Would you learn the power of this virtue? “Though Moses and Samuel stood before me,” says God, “my soul would not regard them.” Nevertheless those whom Moses and Samuel were not able to snatch away from God’s wrath, this precept when observed was able to snatch away. Hence it is that he continually exhorts those to whom he had spoken of these things, saying, “Let none of you revengefully imagine evil against your brother in his heart,” and “Let none of you think of his neighbor’s malice.” It is not said merely, forego wrath; but do not retain it in your mind; do not think of it; part with all your resentment; do away with the sore. For you suppose that you are paying him back the injury; but you are first tormenting yourself, and setting up your rage as an executioner within you in every part, and tearing up your own bowels. For what can be more wretched than a person perpetually angry? And just as maniacs never enjoy tranquility, so also one who is resentful and retains an enemy will never have the enjoyment of any peace. Incessantly raging, [such a person] daily increases the tempest of his thoughts, calling to mind his words and his acts, and detesting the very name of one who has aggrieved him. If you but mention his enemy, he becomes furious at once, and sustains great inward anguish; and should he only by chance get a bare glimpse of him, he fears and trembles, as if encountering the worst evils.

Zechariah 9:4

Behold, the Lord will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire.

Many, I know, respect the Jews and think that their present way of life is a venerable one. This is why I hasten to uproot and tear out this deadly opinion. I said that the synagogue is no better than a theater, and I bring forward a prophet as my witness. Surely the Jews are not more deserving of belief than their prophets. “You had a harlot’s brow; you became shameless before all.” Where a harlot has set herself up, that place is a brothel and a theater; it also is a den of robbers and a lodging for wild beasts. Jeremiah said, “Your house has become for me the den of a hyena.” He does not simply say “of a wild beast” but “of a filthy wild beast,” and again, “I have abandoned my house, I have cast off my inheritance.” But when God forsakes a place, that place becomes the dwelling of demons.

Zechariah 9:9

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

But how, after not walking openly among the Jews and retiring into the wilderness, does Jesus again enter openly? Having quenched their anger by retiring, he comes to them when they were stilled. Moreover, the multitude which went before and which followed after was sufficient to cast them into agony; for no sign attracted the people as that of Lazarus. And another Evangelist says that they strewed their garments under his feet and that “the whole city was moved,” with so great honor did he enter. And this he did, prefiguring one prophecy and fulfilling another; and the same act was the beginning of the one and the end of the other. For “Rejoice, for your king comes unto you meek” belonged to him as fulfilling a prophecy, but the sitting upon the ass was the act of one prefiguring a future event, that he was about to have the impure race of the Gentiles subject to him.

Zechariah 13:7

Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.

Christ spoke of the betrayer; he foretold that all would run away; he predicted his own death. “I shall smite the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.” He foretold who was going to deny him, when he would do so, and how many times it would happen. He predicted everything accurately. After he had foretold all these things as a sufficient proof that he possessed knowledge of what was going to happen, he went to a certain place to pray. The heretics say that the prayer is the prayer of the divinity; we say it is the prayer of the plan of redemption.

Zephaniah 2:11

The LORD will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.

Despite all this, they still could not raise up a temple and restore the place in which they would be allowed to observe all these rituals according to the law. For the power of Christ, the power which founded the church, has also destroyed that place. The prophet foretold that Christ would come and that he would do these things, even though he would not come until after the captivity.

Zephaniah 3:9-10 · 2 passages

For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.

Since this text did not literally refer to wild beasts, let the Jews say when this actually happened. For a wolf has never pastured a lamb. If it were to happen that they would pasture together, how would this benefit the human race? The text referred not to wild beasts but to wild people. It referred to Scythians, to Thracians, to Mauretanians, to Indians, to Sarmatians, to Persians. Another prophet made it clear that all these nations would be brought under one yoke when he said, “And they shall serve him under one yoke, and each one shall adore him from his own place.” No longer, he said, will people worship him in Jerusalem but everywhere throughout the world. No longer are people bidden to go up to Jerusalem, but each one shall remain in his own home and offer this worship.

Another prophet again made clear the way God would be worshiped. “They shall each adore him in his own place and serve him under one yoke.” And again another prophet said, “The virgin of Israel had fallen. Never more shall she rise.” And Daniel explained clearly that everything would be destroyed—the sacrifice, the libation, the anointing, the judgment.