ACC ~ Matthew 21 v32

JOHN CAME TO YOU

CHRYSOSTOM: Therefore he adds also another accusation: “John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him.” John came “to you,” he says, not to them. You cannot find fault with him, as if he were some careless person of no value. His life was irreprehensible. His care for you was great, and yet you did not pay attention to him. THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 67.3. [1]

[1] PG 58:636; NPNF 1 10:411-12.

THE HARLOTS BELIEVED

CHRYSOSTOM: The word “they go into the kingdom before you” is not meant to emphasize that some were following but as having a hope, if they were willing. For nothing so much as jealousy rouses our passions. Therefore he is forever saying things like “the first shall be last and the last first.” [1] Thus he mentioned here both harlots and publicans that they might provoke them to jealousy. Taken together these two represent chief sins engendered by violent lust: the one of sexual desire, the other of the desire of money. THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 67.3. [2]

[1] Mt 19:30.

[2] PG 58:636; NPNF 1 10:412.

NO ONE EXPECTED THE PROSTITUTE TO BELIEVE

INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW: You who are priests, because you know the commandments of Scripture and hold positions of leadership among the people, should have been the first to believe in Christ as an example to the people. Not only did you fail to believe in him, but even after you saw that the publicans and prostitutes believed in him, you were neither ashamed nor repentant. The publicans and prostitutes, whom no one expected to believe, did in fact believe, but you who appeared to be followers of every commandment persisted in your impudence, refusing to repent and believe or even to follow the example of those for whom you ought to have provided an example. Are we to believe that you did not believe in Christ because you were more sinless than those who did believe in him? Quite to the contrary, you did not believe because you were more contemptuous of God, more arrogant, lovers of vainglory, hard-hearted, wanting neither to lead them in faith nor to follow them. Truly great shame has come upon the priesthood and on the whole clergy when the laity can be found more faithful and more just than they are. [1] HOMILY 40. [2]

[1] The author passes in his criticism from the Jewish to the Christian priests. Like Origen, he is highly sensitive to the theme of dishonesty and corruption in the church hierarchy.

[2] PG 56:851.

YOU DID NOT AFTERWARD REPENT

CHRYSOSTOM: And with this there is also still another charge. The publicans were attentive and repented, but even after the publicans and harlots had believed, you did not believe. You should have repented long before they did. But you did not do it. So you are deprived of all excuses. How unspeakable was both the praise of the one and the charge against the other: He came to you, and you did not receive him. He did not come to them, and they received him! And you did not even learn from their example. Note in how many ways he shows that some are to be commended and others charged, but in surprising ways, reversing expectations. To you he came first, not to them. You did not believe. They were not offended. They believed. This did not profit you at all. THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 67. [1]

[1] PG 58:636; NPNF 1 10:412.

WHY PUBLICANS PRECEDE YOU IN THE KINGDOM

INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW: The Lord’s teaching can be paraphrased as follows: “Even if John had not come to you ‘in the way of righteousness’ but had only preached a baptism of repentance, you should have believed him as priests and wise men who judge impartially and in accordance with the facts, for what relevance is the preacher’s way of life to his student? If he lives wickedly, he alone is damned, but if he teaches truthfully, the benefit redounds to everyone who hears him. Even so, however, John came to you in a ‘way of righteousness’ so clearly manifest that his exemplary conduct and angelic life pierced even the hearts of publicans and prostitutes and converted them with fear and trembling to the faith. Yet he did not affect your hearts at all. You can see then that publicans and prostitutes are rightly said to ‘precede you into the kingdom.’” HOMILY 40. [1]

[1] PG 56:850.