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CONVERSATION 1

The Works of Our Holy Father John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople

Commentary on St. Matthew the Evangelist

DISCOURSE I.

IN FACT, we ought not to have need of the help of the Scriptures, but ought to lead a life so pure that instead of books the grace of the Spirit may serve our souls, and that as they are written with ink, so our hearts may be written with the Spirit. But since we have rejected such grace, we will use at least the second way. And that the first way was better, God showed this both in word and deed. In fact, with Noah, Abraham and his descendants, as well as with Job and Moses, God did not converse through writing, but directly, because He found their minds pure. When the entire Jewish people had fallen into the very depths of wickedness, then the writings, the tablets, and the instruction through them had already appeared. And so it was not only with the saints in the Old Testament, but, as we know, in the New Testament as well. In the same way, God did not give the Apostles anything written, but promised to give the grace of the Spirit instead of the Scriptures. "This," He said to them, "will bring all things to your remembrance (Jn. XIV, 26). And so that you may know that this way (of God's communion with the saints) was much better, listen to what He says through the prophet: "I command you a new covenant, giving my laws in their minds, and I will write in their hearts, and all will be taught by God" (Jer. XXXI, 31-34; John. VI, 45). And Paul, pointing to this superiority, said that he had received the law (written) not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of the heart of flesh (2 Cor. III, 3). But since in the course of time some deviated from the true teaching, others from the purity of life and morality, the need for written instruction arose again. Consider, then, what folly it would be if we, who ought to live in such purity as to have no need of the Scriptures, but to present our hearts to the Spirit instead of books, if, having lost this dignity and having need of the Scriptures, we did not make proper use of even this second medicine.

How, then, when, and where was the ancient law given? After the destruction of the Egyptians, in the wilderness, on Mount Sinai, in the fire and smoke that came out of the mountain, at the sound of the trumpet, in the midst of thunder and lightning, after the entry of Moses into the very darkness. But in the New Testament it is not so: not in the wilderness, not on the mountain, not in the midst of smoke and gloom, darkness and storm, but at the onset of day, in the house, when all were sitting together, everything took place in deep silence. For coarse and unbridled people, sensual and striking phenomena were needed, such as the desert, the mountain, smoke, the sound of trumpets, and the like; but for people who were more exalted, more submissive, and who had risen above sensual concepts, there was no need of anything of the kind. If there was a noise over the apostles, it was not for their sake, but for the sake of the Jews who were present, for whose sake the tongues of fire also appeared. For if the latter nevertheless said [of the apostles] that they were filled with wine (Acts 2:11). II, 13), how much more would they have said so, if they had not seen anything of the kind. Further, in the Old Testament, God descended when Moses went up (Exod. XIX, 3); here the Spirit descended when our nature ascended to heaven, or rather, to the royal throne. If the Spirit had been less, the apparitions [that accompanied His coming] would not have been more majestic and miraculous, and yet the New Testament tablets are far more excellent than those of the Old Testament, as well as the events more glorious. In fact, the apostles did not come down from the mountain with stone planks in their hands, like Moses, but carrying the Spirit in their souls, and went about everywhere, exuding the treasure and source of teachings, spiritual gifts, and all good things, becoming by grace animated books and laws. Thus they drew three thousand, so five thousand, so all the nations of the world, because through their mouth God spoke to all who came to them. II, 41 and IV, 4). So Matthew, being filled with the Spirit of God, wrote a book, Matthew the publican; I am not ashamed to name him or the other apostles after their occupation, because this most of all reveals both the grace of the Spirit and their own virtue.