Homilies on Matthew — Homily 63

St. John Chrysostom

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

Matt. XIX. 16.

And, behold, one came and said to Him, Good Master, by doing what, shall I inherit eternal life?

Some indeed accuse this young man, as one dissembling and ill-minded, and coming with a temptation to Jesus, but I, though I would not say he was not fond of money, and under subjection to his wealth, since Christ in fact convicted him of being such a character, yet a dissembler I would by no means call him, both because it is not safe to venture on things uncertain, and especially in blame, and because Mark has taken away this suspicion; for he says, that having come running unto Him, and kneeling to Him, he besought Him, and that Jesus beheld him, and loved him. [[Mark 10.17]]-21

But great is the tyranny of wealth, and it is manifest hence; I mean, that though we be virtuous as to the rest, this ruins all besides. With reason has Paul also affirmed it to be the root of all evils in general. For the love of money is the root of all evils, he says.

Wherefore then does Christ thus reply to him, saying, There is none good? askest thou me concerning that which is good? One there is who is good." It is probable, but not certain, that Chrysostom accepted the other form of the text. Comp. note on Homily XXVII. 5., p. 186.—R.] Because He came unto Him as a mere man, and one of the common sort, and a Jewish teacher; for this cause then as a man He discourses with him. And indeed in many instances He replies to the secret thoughts of them that come unto Him; as when He says, We worship we know what; [[John 4.22]] and, If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. [[John 5.31]] When therefore He says, There is none good; not as putting Himself out from being good does He say this, far from it; for he said not, Why do you call me good? I am not good; but, there is none good, that is, none among men.

And when He says this self-same thing, He says it not as depriving even men of goodness, but in contradistinction to the goodness of God. Wherefore also He added, But one, that is, God; and He said not, but my Father, that you might learn that He had not revealed Himself to the young man. So also further back He called men evil, saying, If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children. [[Matthew 7.11]] For indeed there too He called them evil, not as condemning the whole race as evil (for by ye, He means not ye men ), but comparing the goodness that is in men with the goodness of God, He thus named it; therefore also He added, How much more shall your Father give good things to them that ask Him? And what was there to urge Him, or what the profit that He should answer in this way? He leads him on little by little, and teaches him to be far from all flattery, drawing him off from the things upon each, and fastening him upon God, and persuading him to seek after the things to come, and to know that which is really good, and the root and fountain of all things, and to refer the honors to Him.

Since also when He says, Call no o