Homilies on Matthew — Homily 38

St. John Chrysostom

1. 0. Greeting
2. Chapter 2
3. Chapter 3
4. Chapter 4
5. Chapter 5

[[Matthew 11.25]]-26.

At that time Jesus answered and said, I make acknowledgment unto You, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth; because You have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.

Do you see, how many ways He leads them on to the faith? First, [[Matthew 11.7]]-11 by His praises of John. For by pointing to him as a great and marvellous one, He proved likewise all his sayings credible, whereby he used to draw them on to the knowledge of Him. Secondly, [[Matthew 11.12]] by saying, The kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force; for this is the language of one who is pressing and urging them. Thirdly, [[Matthew 6.13]] by signifying that the number of the prophets was finished; for this too manifested Himself to be the person that was announced beforehand by them. Fourthly, [[Matthew 6.14]]-19 by pointing out that whatsoever things should be done by him, were all accomplished; at which time also He made mention of the parable of the children. Fifthly, by His upbraiding them that had not believed, and by His alarming and threatening them greatly. [[Matthew 11.20]]-24 Sixthly, by His giving thanks for them that believed. For the expression, I make acknowledgment to You, here is, I thank You. I thank You, He says, because You have hid these things from the wise and prudent.

What then? Does He rejoice in destruction, and in the others not having received this knowledge? By no means; but this is a most excellent way of His to save men, His not forcing them that utterly reject, and are not willing to receive His sayings; that, since they were not bettered by His call, but fell back, and despised it, His casting them out might cause them to fall into a longing for these things. And so likewise the attentive would grow more earnest.

And while His being revealed to these was fit matter of joy, His concealment from those was no more of joy but of tears. Thus at any rate He acts, where He weeps for the city. Not therefore because of this does He rejoice, but because what wise men knew not, was known to these. As when Paul says, I thank God, that you were servants of sin, but you obeyed from the heart the form of doctrine which was delivered unto you. You see, neither does Paul therefore rejoice, because they were servants of sin, but because being such, they had been so highly favored.

Now by the wise, here, He means the Scribes, and the Pharisees. And these things He says, to make the disciples more earnest, and to show what had been vouchsafed to the fishermen, when all those others had missed of it. And in calling them wise, He means not the true and commendable wisdom, but this which they seemed to have through natural shrewdness. Wherefore neither did He say, you have revealed it to fools, but to babes; to unsophisticated, that is, to simple-minded men; and He implies that so far from their missing these privileges contrary to the