{"slug":"khazarzar-john-chrysostom-de-remissione-peccatorum","id":"greek:khazarzar:khazarzar-john-chrysostom-de-remissione-peccatorum","title":"De remissione peccatorum","title_source":"De remissione peccatorum","author":"John Chrysostom","genre":"other","date":"","tradition":"greek","coverage":"not-located","coverage_claim":{"status":"not-located","text":"No English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily missed."},"publication":{"status":"machine-draft","reviewed_by":null,"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","generated":"2026-11-15T07:05:40Z","cost_usd":0.007145},"source":{"registry_id":"greek:khazarzar:khazarzar-john-chrysostom-de-remissione-peccatorum","work_id":"khazarzar-john-chrysostom-de-remissione-peccatorum","edition":"khazarzar","language":"","license":"Migne PG text (public domain); khazarzar host and the digitising project state no licence for this layer","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/John%20Chrysostom_PG%2047-64/De%20remissione%20peccatorum.pdf"},"stats":{"passages":13,"english_words":3077,"coptic_letters":0,"source_letters":13013,"commentary_units":76,"commentary_kinds":8,"derived_notes":0,"ambiguities":20,"work_notes":4,"external_links":0,"timeline":6},"summary":{"work":"khazarzar-john-chrysostom-de-remissione-peccatorum","abstract":"John Chrysostom's *De remissione peccatorum* (On the Remission of Sins) is a homily on forgiveness, likely delivered in Antioch during his presbyterate (c. 386–397). The work opens with multiple scriptural lemmata, including Matthew 18:18, and develops a pastoral argument for unlimited divine forgiveness, using metaphors such as a spring nourishing all creatures. It survives in Greek through the manuscript tradition underlying Migne's Patrologia Graeca, but lacks a modern critical edition. The homily was influential in Byzantine penitential literature and was excerpted in later florilegia, though it never achieved the liturgical prominence of Chrysostom's paschal homilies.","historical_context":"The homily is attributed to John Chrysostom (c. 347–407), a prolific preacher and theologian of the Antiochene school. It was probably composed during his Antiochene period (c. 386–397), when he served as presbyter under Bishop Flavian I. Antioch was a major center of Greek Christianity, marked by theological diversity and social tension. The work belongs to the genre of the homily, a scriptural exposition delivered to a congregation. Its transmission is indirect: the text is known through medieval manuscripts that were later printed in the Patrologia Graeca (ed. J.-P. Migne, 19th c.). No critical edition exists, and the khazarzar digital transcription reproduces Migne without apparatus. The homily's themes of repentance and forgiveness align with Chrysostom's broader pastoral corpus, but its precise date and original liturgical setting remain uncertain.","significance":"*De remissione peccatorum* illustrates Chrysostom's exegetical method of weaving multiple scriptural passages into a unified pastoral message. It contributed to Byzantine penitential theology and was used in florilegia, reflecting its authority in Eastern Christian moral teaching. The work also preserves a possible reference to a non-canonical tradition (the parable of the hundred sheep), which is of interest for the study of apocryphal and oral traditions in late antiquity.","timeline":[{"date":"c. 347","event":"Birth of John Chrysostom in Antioch."},{"date":"c. 386–397","event":"Chrysostom serves as presbyter in Antioch; probable period for the composition of *De remissione peccatorum*."},{"date":"c. 397","event":"Chrysostom becomes Archbishop of Constantinople."},{"date":"5th–15th c.","event":"Manuscript transmission of Chrysostom's homilies in Greek, including *De remissione peccatorum*."},{"date":"19th c.","event":"Publication of the Patrologia Graeca by J.-P. Migne, which includes the text."},{"date":"21st c.","event":"Digital transcription by khazarzar, based on Migne, without critical apparatus."}],"relations":[{"work":"Matthew 18:18","relation":"Key prooftext for forgiveness, cited in the homily's opening.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Matthew 18:19","relation":"Referenced as a saying of the evangelist on binding and loosing.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Matthew 18:21","relation":"Echoed in the theme of unlimited forgiveness.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Chrysostom's paschal homilies","relation":"Contrast in liturgical status; *De remissione* never attained their prominence.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Byzantine penitential florilegia","relation":"Excerpted in later collections, showing influence on moral theology.","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[],"cautions":["The precise date of *De remissione peccatorum* is uncertain; it is assigned to Chrysostom's Antiochene period (c. 386–397) based on internal references, but no external evidence confirms this.","The khazarzar edition lacks a critical apparatus, so textual variants, manuscript witnesses, and editorial decisions are not documented. Readers should consult a modern critical edition for such details.","The parable of the hundred sheep, cited in the homily, is not found in the canonical Gospels and may derive from a lost or apocryphal tradition."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000529,"generated":"2026-11-15T07:05:40Z"},"links":[{"kind":"source","label":"Patrologia Graeca text (khazarzar mirror)","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/John%20Chrysostom_PG%2047-64/De%20remissione%20peccatorum.pdf"}],"checks":{"work":"khazarzar-john-chrysostom-de-remissione-peccatorum","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":13,"translated":13,"commentary_passages":13,"commentary_units":76,"english_words":3077,"source_letters":13013,"commentary_kinds":8},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The edition by khazarzar is a digital transcription based on Migne's Patrologia Graeca, which itself relies on earlier printed editions. No critical apparatus is provided.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"Chrysostom's homilies on repentance are generally dated to his Antiochene period (c. 386–397), but the precise dating of De remissione peccatorum is uncertain and rests on internal references.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This work was influential in Byzantine penitential literature and was excerpted in later florilegia, though it never attained the liturgical status of Chrysostom's paschal homilies.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The khazarzar edition lacks a critical apparatus, so textual variants, manuscript witnesses, and editorial decisions are not documented. Readers should consult a modern critical edition for such details.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"derived_work_notes":[{"kind":"coverage","severity":"info","text":"No English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily missed."},{"kind":"limit","severity":"caution","text":"The English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve."},{"kind":"register","severity":"info","text":"Register: other in ancient Greek; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 13 narrative."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: khazarzar — Migne PG text (public domain); khazarzar host and the digitising project state no licence for this layer"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":13},"term_index":[],"citations":{},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"Εἰς τὸ, \"Ὅσα ἐὰν δήσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔσται δεδεμένα καὶ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ·\" καὶ περὶ τῆς παραβολῆς τῶν ἑκατὸν προβάτων· καὶ εἰς τὸ ῥητὸν τοῦ εὐαγγελιστοῦ, \"Ἐὰν δύο συμφωνήσωσι,\" καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς· καὶ εἰς τὸ, \"Ποσάκις ἐὰν ἁμαρτήσῃ εἰς ἐμὲ ὁ ἀδελφός μου, ἀφήσω αὐτῷ;\" Μίαν ἔχουσα ἡ πηγὴ τοῦ ὕδατος τὴν φύσιν, πολλοῖς καὶ διαφόροις ἐμψύχοις τὸ ἴαμα τῆς δίψης χαρίζεται. Καὶ γὰρ βουκόλια καὶ ποιμνίων ἀγέλαι πρὸς αὐτὴν κατατρέχουσαι, ποτὸν λαμβάνουσι, καὶ τετραπόδων σύνοδος καὶ κυκλοφόρων θηρίων ποικιλόμορφα γένη πρὸς αὐτὴν ἐπειγόμενα, ἐκεῖθεν ὑδρεύονται καὶ πετεινῶν πολυάριθμα πλήθη πρὸς αὐτὴν καθιπτάμενα καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ ἀντλοῦντα, τοῦ δίψους τὸν καύσωνα ἐκεῖθεν ἐκλύουσι. Καὶ οὐ μόνον ἡ πηγὴ τὴν τῶν ἀλόγων χρείαν πληροῖ, ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ λογικῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν τοῦ τόπου πλουσίαν χάριν ἐκ λαγόνων βλαστάνει· καὶ πᾶσα φύσις ἑρπετῶν καὶ πετεινῶν καὶ τετραπόδων καὶ λογικῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐκ μιᾶς πηγῆς ἀντλοῦντα τὸ ὕδωρ χορτάζεται. Τοιαύτη ἐστὶν ἡ τῶν θείων Γραφῶν διδασκαλία, ἀγαπητοὶ, μία τυγχάνουσα. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ καὶ ἐκ μιᾶς τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ σοφίας τὴν ἀπόῤῥροιαν ἔχει, πολλὰς δὴ καὶ διαφόρους τῶν ἀνθρώπων καρδίας σοφίζει. Καὶ ἐκεῖθεν οἱ διδάσκαλοι σοφίζονται, οἱ μαθηταὶ ῥυθμίζονται, αἱ Ἐκκλησίαι μυρίζονται, οἱ διψῶντες ποτίζονται, οἱ ἐσκοτισμένοι φωτίζονται. Ὅτι δὲ ταῦτα οὕτως ἔχει, ἐκ τοῦ ἀρτίως ἡμῖν ἀναγνωσθέντος Εὐαγγελίου ῥᾴδιόν ἐστι τὸ πρᾶγμα μαθεῖν.","english":"On the passage, \"Whatever you bind on earth will be bound also in heaven,\" and concerning the parable of the hundred sheep, and on the saying of the evangelist, \"If two agree,\" and so forth, and on the passage, \"How many times my brother sins against me, shall I forgive him?\" The spring of water, having one nature, bestows the remedy for thirst upon many and diverse living beings. For herds of cattle and flocks of sheep, running down to it, receive drink, and a gathering of four-footed animals and multiform kinds of wheel-borne beasts, hastening to it, draw water from there, and countless multitudes of birds, flying down to it and drawing the water, quench the burning of thirst from it. And not only does the spring fulfill the need of irrational creatures, but it also causes the rich grace of the place to spring forth from its depths for rational humans; and every nature of reptiles and birds and four-footed animals and rational humans, drawing water from one spring, is satisfied. Such is the teaching of the divine Scriptures, beloved, being one. For since it has its outflow from the one wisdom of God, it instructs many and diverse hearts of people. And from there teachers are instructed, disciples are disciplined, churches are anointed, the thirsty are watered, the darkened are enlightened. That these things are so is easy to learn from the Gospel just read to us.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Εἰς τὸ, \"Ὅσα ἐὰν δήσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔσται δεδεμένα καὶ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ·\" καὶ περὶ τῆς παραβολῆς τῶν ἑκατὸν προβάτων· καὶ εἰς τὸ ῥητὸν τοῦ εὐαγγελιστοῦ, \"Ἐὰν δύο σ","severity":"info","text":"The opening lists four scriptural passages that form the homily's lemmata, establishing a multi-textual structure typical of Chrysostom's exegetical method.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ὅσα ἐὰν δήσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔσται δεδεμένα καὶ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ","severity":"info","text":"This is a paraphrase of Matthew 18:18, where Jesus grants Peter the power to bind and loose; Chrysostom uses it as a key prooftext for forgiveness.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἐὰν δύο συμφωνήσωσι","severity":"info","text":"Likely a reference to Matthew 18:19, where Jesus says that if two disciples agree, they can bind or loose; Chrysostom cites it as a saying of the evangelist.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ποσάκις ἐὰν ἁμαρτήσῃ εἰς ἐμὲ ὁ ἀδελφός μου, ἀφήσω αὐτῷ;","severity":"info","text":"This echoes Matthew 18:21, where Peter asks how many times he should forgive his brother; Chrysostom uses it to introduce the theme of unlimited forgiveness.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"παραβολῆς τῶν ἑκατὸν προβάτων","severity":"info","text":"The parable of the hundred sheep is not in the canonical Gospels; it may refer to a lost or apocryphal tradition, or to a pastoral metaphor Chrysostom develops elsewhere.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"Μίαν ἔχουσα ἡ πηγὴ τοῦ ὕδατος τὴν φύσιν","severity":"info","text":"The spring metaphor illustrates the unity of Scripture: one source (divine wisdom) nourishes all creatures, just as one Gospel teaching serves diverse hearers.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The parable of the hundred sheep is not identified in the biblical text; its source is uncertain.","The phrase 'wheel-borne beasts' (κυκλοφόρων θηρίων) is obscure; it may refer to chariot animals or a rhetorical flourish."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"Τί γὰρ ἔλεγεν ὁ Κύριος; Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ὅσα ἐὰν δήσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔσται δεδεμένα καὶ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ. Μία ἐστὶν ἡ φωνὴ, καὶ πολυσχεδῶς πρὸς τὴν ἑκάστου χρείαν καὶ ὠφέλειαν μεριζομένη· μία ἐστὶν ἡ φωνὴ, καὶ ἀρτίζει γέρουσι καὶ νεωτέροις, καὶ γυναιξὶ καὶ παρθένοις καὶ ἀνδράσι, καὶ μαθηταῖς καὶ διδασκάλοις. Ὅσα ἐὰν δήσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔσται δεδεμένα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ. Σοὶ δέδωκε τὴν ἐξουσίαν τοῦ δεσμεῖν καὶ λύειν· σαυτὸν ἔδησας τῇ σειρᾷ τῆς φιλαργυρίας, σαυτὸν λῦσον τῇ ἐντολῇ τῆς φιλοπτωχίας· σαυτὸν ἔδησας τῷ οἴστρῳ τῶν ἡδονῶν, σαυτὸν λῦσον τῇ σωφροσύνῃ· σαυτὸν ἔδησας τῇ Εὐνομίου κακοπιστίᾳ, σαυτὸν λῦσον τῇ τῆς ὀρθοδοξίας εὐσεβείᾳ. Οἱ διδάσκαλοι, δήσατε τὰ Εὐνομίου καὶ Ἀρείου καὶ Μαραθωνίου μαθήματα, καὶ λύσατε ἡμῖν τὰ Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ καὶ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἐν Εὐαγγελίοις νοήματα· δήσατε τοὺς κατὰ τῶν πιστῶν στρατευομένους δαίμονας ταῖς πρὸς Θεὸν ὑμῶν ἱκεσίαις, καὶ λύσατε τοὺς ἐξ ἐθνῶν ἐπιστρέφοντας ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι, τὰς σειρὰς τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων αὐτῶν διαῤῥήσσοντες· δήσατε ἀφορισμῷ τοὺς μετὰ τὸ βάπτισμα ἁμαρτήσαντας, καὶ λύσατε αὐτοὺς πάλιν μετανοοῦντας ὡς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοὺς προσδεχόμενοι· ἀληθὴς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ λόγος· Ὅσα ἂν λύσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔσται λελυμένα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι ἐποίουν. Ἔδησέ ποτε Παῦλος τὸν ἐν Κορίνθῳ πορνεύσαντα, καὶ πάλιν ἔλυσεν αὐτὸν ἐκ καρδίας μετανοήσαντα· ἔδησε καὶ Πέτρος τὸν μετὰ τὸ βάπτισμα βουληθέντα διὰ χρημάτων κτήσασθαι τὴν δωρεὰν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ πάλιν ἔλυσεν αὐτὸν ἐκ καρδίας αὐτῷ προσπεσόντα.","english":"What then did the Lord say? \"Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound also in heaven.\" The voice is one, and it is divided in many ways according to the need and benefit of each person; the voice is one, and it suits the elderly and the young, women and virgins and men, disciples and teachers. \"Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven.\" To you has been given the authority to bind and to loose; you have bound yourself with the chain of avarice, loose yourself by the commandment of love for the poor; you have bound yourself with the sting of pleasures, loose yourself by temperance; you have bound yourself with the evil faith of Eunomius, loose yourself by the piety of orthodoxy. Teachers, bind the teachings of Eunomius, Arius, and Marathonius, and loose for us the meanings of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the Gospels; bind the demons that war against the faithful with your supplications to God, and loose those who convert from the nations in baptism, breaking the chains of their sins; bind by excommunication those who have sinned after baptism, and loose them again when they repent, receiving them as brothers; for the saying is true: \"Whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.\" For this is what the apostles also did. Paul once bound the man who committed fornication in Corinth, and again loosed him when he repented from the heart; Peter also bound the man who, after baptism, wished to acquire the gift of God through money, and again loosed him when he fell before him from the heart.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ὅσα ἐὰν δήσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔσται δεδεμένα καὶ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom cites a dominical saying not found in the canonical Gospels; it likely derives from an apocryphal or oral tradition, possibly related to Matthew 18:18's binding and loosing language.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Εὐνομίου κακοπιστίᾳ","severity":"info","text":"Eunomius was a 4th-century Anomoean heretic; Chrysostom groups him with Arius and Marathonius (a follower of Eunomius) to condemn heterodox teachings, reflecting contemporary theological controversies.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀφορισμῷ","severity":"info","text":"The Greek term 'aphorismōi' means 'excommunication' or 'separation'; here it denotes the formal ecclesiastical penalty for post-baptismal sin, which can be reversed upon repentance.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"Παῦλος ... Πέτρος","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom invokes apostolic examples: Paul's action in Corinth (cf. 1 Corinthians 5) and Peter's dealing with simony (cf. Acts 8:18-24) to ground the practice of binding and loosing in apostolic authority.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Μία ἐστὶν ἡ φωνὴ","severity":"info","text":"The repeated phrase 'the voice is one' frames a rhetorical expansion: the same dominical saying applies diversely to moral, doctrinal, and disciplinary contexts, unifying the passage.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀληθὴς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ λόγος· Ὅσα ἂν λύσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔσται λελυμένα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom inverts the initial binding saying to a loosing counterpart, a rhetorical device that reinforces the reciprocal authority of clergy to absolve repentant sinners, a key theme in early church discipline.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The source of the dominical saying 'whatever you bind on earth...' is uncertain; it may be a paraphrase of Matthew 18:18 or an independent tradition.","The identity of 'Marathonius' is ambiguous; he is likely a follower of Eunomius, but details are sparse."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":"Λοιπὸν δὲ πολλοὺς καὶ ἀμετανόητα ἁμαρτήσαντας ἔδησαν, ἄλλους δὲ μετανοήσαντας ἔλυσαν. Ἔδησε Πέτρος Ἀνανίαν σὺν Σαπφείρῃ πειράζοντα τὸ Πνεῦμα Κυρίου, καὶ ἔλυσε τῆς Ταβιθᾶ τὰς ὠδῖνας τοῦ θανάτου, ἐκ νεκρῶν αὐτὴν ἀναστήσας· ἔλυσε Κορνήλιον τὸν ἑκατόνταρχον πιστεύσαντα, καὶ ἔδησε Σίμωνα τὸν μάγον ἐν Ῥώμῃ ταῖς μαγείαις ἐμπαίζοντα· ἔδησε καὶ Παῦλος Ἐλύμαν τὸν μάγον διὰ λόγου αὐτὸν τυφλώσας, καὶ ἔλυσε τὴν παιδίσκην τοῦ πυθωνίου δαίμονος αὐτὴν\n\nδιαζεύξας· ἔδησεν ἑαυτὸν Ἰούδας τῷ σχοινίῳ τῆς προδοσίας, καὶ ἔλυσε τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἄρνησιν Πέτρος διὰ τῆς μετανοίας· ἔδησε καὶ Παῦλος ἑαυτὸν διώκων τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, ἀλλὰ πάλιν ἔλυσε ἑαυτὸν ἐπεγνωκὼς ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ τὴν ὁδὸν τῆς ἀληθείας. Πολλὰ δὲ καὶ οἱ προφῆται ἔδησαν, καὶ ἔλυσαν. Ἔδησεν Ἠλίας ὁ Θεσβίτης τὰς ὀμβροτόκους νεφέλας, μὴ διδοὺς τὸν ὑετὸν τοῖς ἀσεβέσι, καὶ ἔλυσεν αὐτὰς πάλιν, τοῦ βασιλέως αὐτῷ Ἀχαὰβ προσπεσόντος· ἔλυσε καὶ ὁ τούτου μαθητὴς Ἐλισσαῖος Νεεμὰν τὸν Σύρον τῆς λέπρας αὐτὸν διαζεύξας, καὶ ἔδησε τὸν Γιεζὴν διὰ χρήματα ψευσάμενον, τὴν λέπραν αὐτῷ ἀρασάμενος· ἔλυσε Δανιὴλ τοῦ Ναβουχοδονόσορ τὸ ἐνύπνιον, καὶ ἔδησε χεῖρας ξιφήρεις Χαλδαίων κατ' αὐτῶν ὁπλισαμένας· καὶ ἔλυσε τὸν ναὸν τῶν εἰδώλων, τὸν Βὴλ καταστρέψας καὶ τὸν δράκοντα κτείνας, καὶ ἔδησε στόματα λεόντων αἱμοβόρων. Ἔδησαν καὶ οἱ τρεῖς παῖδες τοῦ πυρὸς τὴν δύναμιν μὴ καέντες ὑπ' αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔλυσαν τοῦ βασιλέως τὸ δόγμα τὴν εἰκόνα αὐτοῦ μὴ προσκυνήσαντες. Ὑπὲρ δὲ τούτους πάντας ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ἔδησε καὶ ἔλυσεν.","english":"Later, they bound many who had sinned without repentance, and loosed others who had repented. Peter bound Ananias with Sapphira, who were testing the Spirit of the Lord, and loosed Tabitha from the pangs of death, raising her from the dead; he loosed Cornelius the centurion who believed, and bound Simon the Magus in Rome, who was mocking with his sorceries. Paul also bound Elymas the Magus, blinding him with his word, and loosed the slave girl from the spirit of Python, separating her from it. Judas bound himself with the rope of betrayal, and Peter loosed his own denial through repentance. Paul also bound himself when he was persecuting the Church, but again loosed himself, having recognized on the road the way of truth. The prophets also bound and loosed many things. Elijah the Tishbite bound the rain-bearing clouds, not giving rain to the impious, and loosed them again when King Ahab fell before him. His disciple Elisha also loosed Naaman the Syrian from his leprosy, separating it from him, and bound Gehazi, who lied for money, bringing the leprosy upon him. Daniel loosed Nebuchadnezzar's dream, and bound the sword-bearing hands of the Chaldeans, which were armed against them; and he loosed the temple of the idols, overthrowing Bel and killing the dragon, and bound the mouths of bloodthirsty lions. The three youths also bound the power of fire, not being burned by it, and loosed the king's decree, not worshiping his image. Above all these, our Lord Jesus Christ bound and loosed.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἔδησε ... ἔλυσε","severity":"info","text":"The passage is built on a repeated antithetical pattern of 'bound' and 'loosed' (ἔδησε / ἔλυσε), applied to biblical figures to illustrate the power of binding and loosing.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Πέτρος Ἀνανίαν σὺν Σαπφείρῃ","severity":"info","text":"Refers to Acts 5:1–11, where Peter confronts Ananias and Sapphira for withholding money from the community.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ταβιθᾶ","severity":"info","text":"Alludes to Acts 9:36–42, where Peter raises Tabitha (Dorcas) from the dead.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Κορνήλιον τὸν ἑκατόνταρχον","severity":"info","text":"Refers to Acts 10, where Cornelius, a centurion, is converted and baptized by Peter.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Σίμωνα τὸν μάγον","severity":"info","text":"Simon Magus appears in Acts 8:9–24 and later tradition; his binding in Rome is extra-biblical, known from apocryphal Acts of Peter.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἠλίας ὁ Θεσβίτης","severity":"info","text":"Elijah's binding of rain clouds is based on 1 Kings 17:1, where he withholds rain from Ahab's kingdom.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἔδησε Πέτρος Ἀνανίαν σὺν Σαπφείρῃ' could be read as Peter binding both Ananias and Sapphira, but Acts 5 describes only Ananias's death; Sapphira's is separate. Chrysostom may be conflating them for rhetorical effect."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":4,"ref":"p4","source":"Ἔλυσε τὴν μεταξὺ ἡμῶν καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ γεγονυῖαν ἔχθραν, καὶ ἔδησε τὸν ἀρχέκακον ὄφιν, δι' ὃν ἔχθρα γεγένηται· ἔδησε πάντας τοὺς κατὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων στρατευομένους δαίμονας, καὶ ἔλυσε πάντας τοὺς ὑπ' αὐτῶν ὀχλουμένους ἀνθρώπους· ἔδησε τὴν καθ' ἡμῶν στρεφομένην φλογίνην ῥομφαίαν, καὶ ἔλυσε τὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ σταυροῦ δεδεμένον λῃστὴν, εἰς τρυφὴν παραδείσου αὐτὸν εἰσκομίσας· ἔδησε τὸν ἀδελφοκτόνον Κάϊν τρόμοις αὐτὸν συνειλήσας, καὶ ἔλυσε τοῦ παραλυτικοῦ τοὺς τρόμους τὰ μέλη αὐτοῦ διορθώσας· ἔλυσε τὸν Ἰσαὰκ ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ συμποδισθέντα, καὶ ἔδησεν ἀντ' αὐτοῦ κριὸν ἐν φυτῷ Σαβὲκ κατεχόμενον· ἔδησε τὸν Ἰούδαν ἀργύρια φιλήσαντα, καὶ ἔλυσε τὸν ἀρχιτελώνην Ζακχαῖον τὰ χρήματα αὐτοῦ τοῖς πένησι διαδώσαντα· ἔδησε τοὺς Ἰουδαϊκοὺς χοίρους τοῖς δαίμοσιν ἐπιτρέψας, καὶ ἔλυσε τὴν δεδεμένην ὄνον καὶ τὸν πῶλον, τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ πέμψας· ἔδησε τὴν πικροφόρον συκῆν, τὰς ῥίζας αὐτῆς ξηράνας, καὶ ἔλυσε τὴν συγκύπτουσαν γυναῖκα, εἰρηκὼς αὐτῇ, Θάρσει, θύγατερ, λέλυσαι ἀπὸ τῆς ἀσθενείας σου. Ἔλυσε Πέτρον δεδεμένον ἁλύσεσι, καὶ ἔδησε τὸν φονοκτόνον Ἡρώδην τὰ μέλη αὐτοῦ τοῖς σκώληξιν ἐνειλήσας· ἐστερέωσε τὴν ἐπὶ τῆς στερεᾶς πέτρας θεμελιωθεῖσαν ὀρθόδοξον Ἐκκλησίαν, καὶ συνέλυσε τὴν ἐπὶ τῆς ἀστάτου ψάμμου οἰκοδομηθεῖσαν ἑτεροδόξων σκηνήν·","english":"He loosed the enmity that had arisen between us and God, and bound the primordial serpent through whom enmity came to be; he bound all the demons that were marshaled against men, and loosed all the men who were troubled by them; he bound the fiery sword that was turned against us, and loosed the thief bound upon the cross, bringing him into the luxury of paradise; he bound the fratricidal Cain, coiling him in tremors, and loosed the tremors of the paralytic, correcting his limbs; he loosed Isaac, who had been fettered by Abraham, and bound in his stead a ram caught in a thicket of Sabek; he bound Judas, who loved silver, and loosed the chief tax-collector Zacchaeus, who distributed his money to the poor; he bound the Jewish swine, entrusting them to demons, and loosed the bound donkey and the foal, sending his disciples; he bound the bitter-bearing fig tree, drying up its roots, and loosed the stooping woman, saying to her, \"Take courage, daughter, you are loosed from your infirmity.\" He loosed Peter bound in chains, and bound the murderous Herod, coiling his limbs with worms; he strengthened the orthodox Church founded upon the solid rock, and dissolved the tent of the heterodox built upon shifting sand.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἔλυσε ... ἔδησε ...","severity":"info","text":"The passage is structured as a series of antithetical pairs (loosed/bound), each illustrating Christ's power over evil and his redemptive acts, culminating in the Church's victory over heresy.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν ἀρχέκακον ὄφιν","severity":"info","text":"The 'primordial serpent' alludes to the serpent in Genesis 3, the agent of the Fall, whose binding here symbolizes Christ's victory over original sin.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ σταυροῦ δεδεμένον λῃστὴν","severity":"info","text":"The 'thief bound upon the cross' refers to the penitent thief (Luke 23:39-43), whom Christ loosed from sin and brought to paradise.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν ἀδελφοκτόνον Κάϊν","severity":"info","text":"Cain, the fratricide from Genesis 4, is bound with tremors, a typological punishment; the paralytic's tremors are loosed, contrasting divine justice with healing.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν Ἰσαὰκ ... κριὸν","severity":"info","text":"The binding of Isaac and substitution of a ram (Genesis 22:13) is interpreted typologically: Christ looses Isaac (prefiguring redemption) and binds the ram (sacrifice).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν ἀρχιτελώνην Ζακχαῖον","severity":"info","text":"Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) is a tax collector who repents and gives to the poor; his loosing contrasts with Judas's binding for love of money.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'stooping woman' is unclear; she may be a specific figure from tradition or a generic example of healing."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":5,"ref":"p5","source":"ἔδησαν καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι Χριστὸν, ἀλλ' ἔλυσεν αὐτῶν Χριστὸς τὸν ναὸν, κατέστρεψεν αὐτῶν τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ, παρέλυσεν αὐτῶν τὰ νόμιμα, ἠκύρωσεν αὐτῶν τὰς περιτομὰς, διέλυσεν αὐτῶν τὰς συναγωγὰς, ἀφήρπασεν αὐτῶν τὸν νόμον καὶ τοὺς προφήτας, καὶ αὐτοὺς ἀχύρου δίκην ἀνὰ πᾶσαν πόλιν καὶ χώραν ἐλίκμησεν. Ἔδησε καὶ ὁ διάβολος τὸν Κύριον, ἐπὶ τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτὸν ἀνακομίσας, ἀλλ' ἐνέῤῥηξεν αὐτοῦ Χριστὸς τὴν ἀχόρταστον κοιλίαν, συνέλυσεν αὐτοῦ τοὺς σαρκοφάγους ὀδόντας, τῇ στερεμνίῳ αὐτοῦ πέτρᾳ συγκλάσας, παρέλυσεν αὐτοῦ τὰ νεῦρα, συνέτριψεν αὐτοῦ τὴν στολὴν, κατέστειλεν αὐτοῦ τὴν κόμην, θρῆνον καὶ πένθος σκοτεινὸν ἐπέῤῥιψεν αὐτῷ αἰώνιον, ἀνθ' ὧν τὸν ἐν χαρᾷ ἑστῶτα ἄνθρωπον εἰς πένθος ἁμαρτημάτων κατήγαγεν. Ἐξέσβεσεν αὐτοῦ τοὺς ἀναιδεῖς ὀφθαλμοὺς, κατῄσχυνεν αὐτοῦ τὸ ἄτιμον πρόσωπον, ζιβύναις ὀξέσιν ἐλογχοβόλησεν αὐτὸν, τριστόμῳ ῥομφαίᾳ κατεκέντησεν αὐτὸν, διεσκόρπισε τὰς ἐλπίδας αὐτοῦ, ἐξηρεύνησε τὰς κεκρυμμένας δεξιὰς αὐτοῦ νοσσιὰς, καὶ ἐλίκμησε παντὶ ἀνέμῳ τὰς ἐνθήκας αὐτοῦ· ἠδάφισε τὰ ἀνελεῆ τῶν δαιμόνων αὐτοῦ τέκνα καὶ ἔκγονα, κατέκαυσε πυρὶ ἀσβέστῳ τὰ χειροποίητα αὐτοῦ ξόανα, ἐβαράθρωσε τὴν στρωμνὴν αὐτοῦ, ἀνέῤῥηξε τὰ σκοτεινὰ αὐτοῦ ταμιεῖα, ἀνεπέτασε τὰς πύλας τοῦ ᾅδου, καὶ πάντας τοὺς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ δεθέντας λύσας καὶ μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ λαβὼν, εἰς οὐρανοὺς πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα ὡς γίγας ἀνέδραμε, καθά φησιν ὁ προφήτης· Ἀγαλλιάσεται ὡς γίγας δραμεῖν τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ· ἄκρου τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἡ ἔξοδος αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ κατάντημα","english":"The Jews also bound Christ, but Christ loosed their temple, overturned their Jerusalem, dissolved their laws, annulled their circumcisions, broke up their synagogues, snatched away their law and the prophets, and winnowed them like chaff through every city and country. The devil also bound the Lord, having brought him up to the cross, but Christ burst open his insatiable belly, shattered his flesh-devouring teeth by breaking them against his own solid rock, paralyzed his sinews, crushed his garment, subdued his hair, cast upon him eternal lamentation and dark mourning, in return for his having brought down the man who stood in joy into the mourning of sins. He extinguished his shameless eyes, disgraced his dishonorable face, pierced him with sharp javelins, stabbed him with a three-mouthed sword, scattered his hopes, searched out his hidden right-hand nests, and winnowed his stores to every wind; he razed his merciless demon children and offspring, burned his handmade idols with inextinguishable fire, cast his bedding into a pit, burst open his dark chambers, threw open the gates of Hades, and having loosed all those bound by him and taken them with himself, ran up to the heavens to the Father like a giant, as the prophet says: \"He will exult as a giant to run his course; the end of the sky is his exit and his destination.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἔδησαν καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι Χριστὸν","severity":"info","text":"The passage continues the rhetorical pattern of binding and loosing from the previous passage, now applied to the Jews and the devil, with Christ's counter-actions described in a series of parallel clauses.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀγαλλιάσεται ὡς γίγας δραμεῖν τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ","severity":"info","text":"The quotation is from Psalm 19:5 (LXX): 'He will exult as a giant to run his course.' Chrysostom adapts it to describe Christ's ascension.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"γίγας","severity":"info","text":"The term 'γίγας' (giant) here is used positively, drawing on the LXX's rendering of Hebrew 'gibbor' (strong one), not the negative connotation of the Titans.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Ἰουδαῖοι","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom's anti-Jewish rhetoric reflects the broader context of fourth-century Christian-Jewish polemic, where Jews are depicted as binding Christ (i.e., crucifying him) and suffering divine retribution.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ἔδησε καὶ ὁ διάβολος τὸν Κύριον","severity":"info","text":"The binding of Christ by the devil parallels the earlier binding by the Jews, but Christ's response is more violent and cosmic, involving the bursting of the devil's belly and the opening of Hades.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐνέῤῥηξεν","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text has a scribal error or variant: 'ἐνέῤῥηξεν' (burst into) is likely a misspelling of 'ἀνέῤῥηξεν' (burst open), as seen later in the passage. The sense is clear but the form is irregular.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τῇ στερεμνίῳ αὐτοῦ πέτρᾳ' (his own solid rock) is ambiguous: it may refer to Christ's cross or to a metaphorical rock of faith; the text does not specify.","The identity of 'τὰς κεκρυμμένας δεξιὰς αὐτοῦ νοσσιὰς' (his hidden right-hand nests) is unclear; it may refer to the devil's secret lairs or strongholds."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":6,"ref":"p6","source":"αὐτοῦ ἕως ἄκρου τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὃς ἀποκρυβήσεται τὴν θέρμην αὐτοῦ. Ἀγαλλιάσεται ὡς γίγας δραμεῖν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ.\n\nἨγαλλιάσατο, ὡς ἀρτίως ἠκούετο ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ, διὰ τὴν εὕρεσιν τοῦ ἀπολωλότος ἑνὸς προβάτου. Εἴασε γὰρ τὰ ἐννενηκονταεννέα πρόβατα μὴ πεπλανημένα, τουτέστι, τὰς ἀγγελικὰς δυνάμεις ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη, τουτέστιν, ἐπὶ τοὺς οὐρανοὺς, καὶ ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸ πεπλανημένον πρόβατον τὸ βοῶν καὶ λέγον· Ἐπλανήθην ὡς πρόβατον ἀπολωλός· ζήτησον τὸν δοῦλόν σου, ὅτι τὰς ἐντολάς σου οὐκ ἐπελαθόμην. Τῆς γὰρ τοιαύτης φωνῆς ἀκούσας τοῦ πεπλανημένου προβάτου ἔκλινεν οὐρανοὺς καὶ κατέβη καὶ ἦλθε ζητῆσαι τὸ πεπλανημένον πρόβατον, καὶ εὑρὼν ἠγαλλιάσατο. Ἀγαλλιάσεται ὡς γίγας δραμεῖν ὁδόν. Ἔδραμε τὴν ἀπ' οὐρανῶν ἐπὶ γῆν ὁδὸν ἀγαλλιῶν· εἶτα ἀπὸ γῆς ἐπὶ τὰ ὑποχθόνια ἔδραμεν· εἶτα ἐκεῖ πάσας τὰς ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου κατεχομένας ψυχὰς λύσας, εἰς γῆν κατέδραμε, καὶ πάλιν ἀπὸ γῆς εἰς οὐρανοὺς πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα, ὡς γίγας ἐνήλατο. Καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν, ὃς ἀποκρυβήσεται τὴν θέρμην αὐτοῦ. Θέρμην ἀκούων Χριστοῦ, νόει αὐτὸν ἥλιον δικαιοσύνης. Καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὃς ἀποκρυβήσεται τὴν θέρμην αὐτοῦ. Τίς γὰρ τῷ ψυχροτάτῳ θανάτῳ νεκρωθεὶς, ἀποκρυβήσεται τὴν θέρμην αὐτοῦ τοῦ Πνεύματος, καὶ οὐχὶ πάντες ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστήσονται; Σαλπίσει γὰρ, καὶ οἱ νεκροὶ ἐγερθήσονται ἄφθαρτοι. Εἶτα τὸ ἑξῆς τί, ἀγαπητοί; Εἰ καὶ ὀλίγα ἀπὸ πολλῶν εἰρηκότες, εἰς τὸ, Ὅσα ἐὰν δήσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔσται δεδεμένα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, καὶ ὅσα ἐὰν λύσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔσται λελυμένα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, εἰς τὸν ἑξῆς στίχον τὸν νοῦν ἡμῶν ἐπιῤῥίψωμεν·","english":"of him to the very edge of heaven, and there is none who will hide from his warmth. He will rejoice as a giant to run his course.\n\nHe rejoiced, as was recently heard in the Gospel, over the finding of the one lost sheep. For he left the ninety-nine sheep that were not wandering, that is, the angelic powers on the mountains, that is, on the heavens, and came to the wandering sheep that cried out and said: I have wandered like a lost sheep; seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commandments. For hearing such a voice of the wandering sheep, he inclined the heavens and descended and came to seek the wandering sheep, and having found it, he rejoiced. He will rejoice as a giant to run a course. He ran the course from the heavens to the earth rejoicing; then from the earth to the underworld he ran; then there, having released all the souls held by the devil, he ran down to earth, and again from earth to the heavens to the Father, he leaped as a giant. And there is none who will hide from his warmth. Hearing of Christ’s warmth, understand him as the sun of righteousness. And there is none who will hide from his warmth. For who, having been deadened by the coldest death, will hide from the warmth of his Spirit, and will not all rise from the dead? For he will sound the trumpet, and the dead will be raised incorruptible. Then what follows, beloved? Even if we have said a few things from many, let us cast our mind upon the next verse, to: Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ πεπλανημένον πρόβατον","severity":"info","text":"The parable of the lost sheep (cf. Matt 18:12–13; Luke 15:4–7) is adapted: the ninety-nine sheep represent angelic powers, and the wandering sheep is the human soul. Chrysostom allegorizes the shepherd as Christ descending from heaven.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"θέρμην","severity":"info","text":"θέρμην (warmth) is glossed as Christ’s spiritual heat, identified with the sun of righteousness. The term contrasts with ψυχροτάτῳ θανάτῳ (coldest death), reinforcing the resurrection theme.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"γίγας","severity":"info","text":"γίγας (giant) here denotes a being of superhuman strength and speed, not the mythological giants of Greek tradition. Chrysostom uses it to emphasize Christ’s swift traversal of cosmos (heaven, earth, underworld).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Εἶτα τὸ ἑξῆς τί","severity":"info","text":"This transitional phrase marks a shift from the allegorical exposition of the lost sheep to the next scriptural verse (the binding/loosing formula). It signals the homiletic structure: exegesis followed by application.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ὅσα ἐὰν δήσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔσται δεδεμένα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ","severity":"info","text":"This verse (cf. Matt 18:18) is quoted as the next topic. It likely refers to ecclesiastical binding and loosing, a key theme in Chrysostom’s argument about remission of sins.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἠγαλλιάσατο, ὡς ἀρτίως ἠκούετο ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'as was recently heard in the Gospel' suggests a preceding Gospel reading (perhaps the lost sheep parable) that is not preserved in this excerpt. The reference is ambiguous without the liturgical context.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The specific Gospel passage 'recently heard' is not identified; it may be from Matthew or Luke.","The phrase 'ἀπὸ πολλῶν εἰρηκότες' (having said a few from many) implies omitted material, leaving the homiletic sequence incomplete."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":7,"ref":"p7","source":"Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ὅτι ἐὰν δύο συμφωνήσωσι ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ περὶ παντὸς πράγματος, οὗ ἐὰν αἰτήσωνται, δοθήσεται αὐτοῖς. Ἀβραὰμ συμφωνήσας μετὰ Σάῤῥας τῆς γυναικὸς αὐτοῦ, ὁ μὲν εἰς τὰς βόας δραμὼν, ἡ δὲ τοὺς ἄρτους ἐπισπεύσασα, πρᾶγμα παράδοξον ἐπὶ γῆρας ἐδέξαντο, τόκον λαγόνων καρπωσάμενοι παῖδα. Ἰακὼβ ὁ πατριάρχης ὁμονοήσας μετὰ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ εὐλογίας αἰωνίου δέδεκται καρπόν. Μωϋσῆς καὶ Ἀαρὼν συμφωνήσαντες, ὅλην Αἴγυπτον ἐξεπόρθησαν, τὸ τῶν Ἑδραίων ἐλευθερώσαντες γένος. Ἰησοῦς καὶ Χαλὲβ ὁμονοήσαντες μόνοι τὴν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ἐκληρονόμησαν γῆν. Δεβόῤῥα μετὰ Βαρὰκ συμφωνήσασα τὸν ὠμότατον ἐνίκησαν τύραννον. Ἰουδὶθ μετὰ τῆς ἰδίας θεραπαινίδος ὁμονοήσασα τὸν ἀλλόφυλον ἐνίκησαν Ὀλοφέρνην. Τωβίας μετὰ τοῦ ἀγγέλου ὁμονοήσας τὸν ἀνδροκτόνον δαίμονα τῆς ἰδίας γαμετῆς συνέδησε, καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ὀφθαλμοὺς κεκλεισμένους ἠνέῳξεν. Ἐζεκίας καὶ Ἡσαΐας ὁμοφώνως εὐξάμενοι, ἑκατὸν ὀγδοήκοντα πέντε χιλιάδας ἀλλοφύλων κατέστρωσαν. Παῦλος καὶ Σίλας ὁμοφώνως ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ εὐξάμενοι, τὰ θεμέλια τῆς φυλακῆς σεισθῆναι ἐποίησαν.","english":"Truly I say to you, if two agree together on the same thing concerning any matter whatsoever that they may ask for, it will be given to them. Abraham, having agreed with Sarah his wife—he running to the cattle, she hastening the loaves—received a wondrous thing in their old age, reaping the fruit of the loins, a child. Jacob the patriarch, having been of one mind with his mother, received the fruit of eternal blessing. Moses and Aaron, having agreed, laid waste to all Egypt, liberating the race of the Hebrews. Joshua and Caleb, being of one mind, alone inherited the land of promise. Deborah, having agreed with Barak, conquered the most savage tyrant. Judith, being of one mind with her own maidservant, conquered the alien Holofernes. Tobit, having agreed with the angel, bound the man-slaying demon from his own wife and opened the closed eyes of his father. Hezekiah and Isaiah, praying with one voice, laid low one hundred eighty-five thousand aliens. Paul and Silas, praying with one voice in the prison, caused the foundations of the prison to be shaken.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν","severity":"info","text":"The opening formula 'Truly I say to you' is a dominical saying pattern, here introducing a maxim about agreement that structures the following catalogue of biblical examples.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀβραὰμ συμφωνήσας μετὰ Σάῤῥας","severity":"info","text":"The story of Abraham and Sarah receiving Isaac in old age (Gen 17:15–21) is retold with details (cattle, loaves) not in the biblical text, suggesting haggadic expansion.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἰακὼβ ... μετὰ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ","severity":"info","text":"Jacob receiving his mother's blessing (Gen 27) is referenced; the 'eternal blessing' likely alludes to the patriarchal blessing that secured his inheritance.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Μωϋσῆς καὶ Ἀαρὼν συμφωνήσαντες","severity":"info","text":"Moses and Aaron's agreement leading to the exodus from Egypt (Exod 3–14) is summarized as laying waste to Egypt and liberating the Hebrews.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἰησοῦς καὶ Χαλὲβ","severity":"info","text":"Joshua and Caleb alone inherited the Promised Land (Num 14:24, 26:65; Josh 14:6–15), a tradition emphasizing their faithfulness.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Δεβόῤῥα μετὰ Βαρὰκ","severity":"info","text":"Deborah and Barak's victory over Sisera (Judg 4) is referenced; 'most savage tyrant' likely refers to Sisera.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text is clear; no significant ambiguities in this passage."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":8,"ref":"p8","source":"Ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἄλλως νοῆσαι τὸ γράμμα, Ἐὰν δύο συμφωνήσωσιν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ περὶ παντὸς πράγματος, οὗ ἐὰν αἰτήσωνται, δοθήσεται αὐτοῖς. Ἐὰν τὰ δύο ταῦτα πολὺ διστασιάζοντα καὶ φιλονεικοῦντα συμφωνήσωσι· τουτέστι, σὰρξ καὶ πνεῦμα, καθ' ὅτι ἡ σὰρξ ἐπιθυμεῖ κατὰ πνεύματος, τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα κατὰ τῆς σαρκός· ἐὰν συμφωνήσωσι τὰ δύο ταῦτα, ἵνα τὸ μὲν κυριεύῃ, τὸ δὲ δουλεύῃ· τὸ μὲν σοφρονῇ, τὸ δὲ μὴ ἀντιλέγῃ· τότε ὁ Κύριος ἔσται ἀνὰ μέσον ψυχῆς καὶ σαρκὸς, καὶ περὶ παντὸς πράγματος, οὗ ἐὰν αἰτήσωνται, δοθήσεται αὐτοῖς. Πολλοὶ γὰρ τοῦτο ἀσκήσαντες εἰσηκούσθησαν, ὡς Ἠλίας ἐν τῷ ὄρει, καὶ Δανιὴλ ἐν τῷ λάκκῳ, καὶ Ἰωνᾶς ἐν τῷ κήτει, καὶ Ἐζεκίας ἐν τῇ κλίνῃ τῆς ἀῤῥωστίας αὐτοῦ, καὶ Πέτρος ἐν Ἰόππῃ, καὶ Κορνήλιος ἐν Καισαρείᾳ. Πολλαὶ δὲ καὶ μόναι γυναῖκες εὐξάμεναι εἰσηκούσθησαν· ὡς Σάῤῥα τοῦ Ῥαγουὴλ ἐν Ἐκβατάνοις, καὶ Ἰουδίθ ἐν τῷ ὑπερῴῳ, καὶ Σωσάννα ἐν τῇ κρίσει τῶν παρανόμων. Τότε προσελθὼν, φησὶν, ὁ Πέτρος εἶπε τῷ Κυρίῳ· Ποσάκις ἀφήσω τῷ ἀδελφῷ μου εἰς ἐμὲ ἁμαρτήσαντι; ἕως ἑπτάκις; Ὁ δὲ Κύριος τί φησι πρὸς αὐτόν; Οὐ μόνον λέγω σοι, Ἕως ἑπτάκις, ἀλλ' ἕως ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά.","english":"It is also possible to understand the passage in another way: \"If two agree together on the same thing concerning any matter whatsoever that they may ask for, it will be given to them.\" If these two, which are greatly at variance and contentious, agree—that is, flesh and spirit, in that the flesh desires against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh—if these two agree, so that one rules and the other serves, one is prudent and the other does not contradict, then the Lord will be between soul and flesh, and concerning any matter whatsoever that they may ask for, it will be given to them. For many who practiced this were heard, as Elijah on the mountain, and Daniel in the den, and Jonah in the whale, and Hezekiah on his bed of sickness, and Peter in Joppa, and Cornelius in Caesarea. And many women also, praying alone, were heard, as Sarah of Raguel in Ecbatana, and Judith in the upper room, and Susanna in the judgment of the lawless. Then, it says, Peter approached and said to the Lord: \"How many times shall I forgive my brother who has sinned against me? Up to seven times?\" And what does the Lord say to him? \"I do not only say to you, 'Up to seven times,' but up to seventy times seven.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἄλλως νοῆσαι τὸ γράμμα","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom introduces a second, allegorical reading of the dominical saying about two agreeing, shifting from literal to spiritual interpretation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"σὰρξ καὶ πνεῦμα","severity":"info","text":"The 'two' are identified as flesh and spirit, a standard Pauline binary (cf. Gal 5:17) used here to allegorize the agreement motif.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἠλίας ἐν τῷ ὄρει, καὶ Δανιὴλ ἐν τῷ λάκκῳ, καὶ Ἰωνᾶς ἐν τῷ κήτει","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom lists Old Testament figures whose prayers were answered: Elijah (1 Kings 19), Daniel (Dan 6), Jonah (Jon 2), Hezekiah (2 Kings 20).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Πέτρος ἐν Ἰόππῃ, καὶ Κορνήλιος ἐν Καισαρείᾳ","severity":"info","text":"Peter in Joppa and Cornelius in Caesarea are New Testament exemplars of answered prayer, likely drawn from Acts (9:36–43; 10:1–48).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"Σάῤῥα τοῦ Ῥαγουὴλ ἐν Ἐκβατάνοις, καὶ Ἰουδίθ ἐν τῷ ὑπερῴῳ, καὶ Σωσάννα ἐν τῇ κρίσει","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom cites deuterocanonical heroines—Sarah (Tobit), Judith, Susanna—as models of solitary prayer, showing their acceptance in 4th-century Greek Christian tradition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἕως ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά","severity":"caution","text":"The saying 'seventy times seven' is not found in canonical Gospels; it may reflect an apocryphal tradition or Chrysostom's rhetorical expansion of the Matthean forgiveness logion (Matt 18:21–22).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The source of the dominical saying about two agreeing is unclear; it may be from an apocryphal gospel or Chrysostom's own paraphrase.","The identity of 'Peter in Joppa' is ambiguous: it could refer to the apostle's raising of Tabitha (Acts 9:36–43) or a local tradition."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":9,"ref":"p9","source":"Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἤκουσε τοῦ Κυρίου εἰρηκότος, Ὅσα ἐὰν δήσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔσται δεδεμένα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ· καὶ ὅσα ἐὰν λύσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔσται λελυμένα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ· ἐπεργάσεται τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ Κυρίου, βουλόμενος ἅμα μαθεῖν, καὶ πόση ἐστὶν ἡ τοιαύτη τοῦ Κυρίου φιλάνθρωπος χάρις. Εἶπες ἡμῖν, Ὅσα ἐὰν δήσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔσται δεδεμένα καὶ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, καὶ ὅσα ἐὰν λύσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔσται λελυμένα καὶ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ. Ποσάκις οὖν ἐὰν ἁμαρτήσῃ εἰς ἐμὲ ὁ ἀδελφός μου, ἀφήσω αὐτῷ; ἕως ἑπτάκις; Ὁ δὲ Κύριος σκοπήσας τὸ πτωχὸν αὐτοῦ τῆς περὶ τὸν πλησίον φιλανθρωπίας, εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν· Οὐ μόνον λέγω σοι, Ἕως ἑπτάκις, ἀλλ' ἕως ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά. Σὺ μὲν γὰρ ὡς ἄνθρωπος πένης πενίαν ᾔτησας· ἐγὼ δὲ ὡς Θεὸς μεγαλόδωρος πλουσίως τὴν χάριν δεδώρημαι. Οὐ μόνον ἕως ἑπτάκις, ἀλλ' ἕως ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά. Ἀλλὰ μυστήριον ἔχει ὁ λόγος ἀπόκρυφον. Ἐὰν μὴ ὁ γεωργὸς τὴν δίκελλαν εἰς τὴν γῆν βαθύνῃ, τοὺς καρποὺς ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι καιρῷ οὐχ εὑρίσκει ἐπιτηδείους· οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἐὰν μὴ τὸν νοῦν ἡμῶν βαθύνωμεν εἰς τὸ γράμμα, τὸν κεκρυμμένον τοῦ Πνεύματος θησαυρὸν οὐχ εὑρίσκομεν. Ποσάκις ἐὰν ἁμαρτήσῃ εἰς ἐμὲ ὁ ἀδελφός μου, ἀφήσω αὐτῷ; ἕως ἑπτάκις; Καὶ τί γὰρ οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἕως ὀκτάκις, ἢ ἑξάκις, ἢ δεκάκις, ἀλλ' Ἕως ἑπτάκις; Ἐπειδὴ ὁ Θεὸς ἐποίησε τὰ σύμπαντα ἐν ἓξ ἡμέραις, καὶ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ κατέπαυσεν ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ. Μυστήριον ἐπερωτᾷ ὁ Πέτρος τὸν Κύριον, βουλόμενος μαθεῖν ἐκκλησιαστικοὺς κανόνας·","english":"For he had heard the Lord saying, \"Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.\" He therefore works upon the promise of the Lord, wishing at the same time to learn how great such philanthropic grace of the Lord is. He said to us, \"You told us, 'Whatever you bind on earth will be bound also in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed also in heaven.' How many times, then, if my brother sins against me, shall I forgive him? Up to seven times?\" And the Lord, having observed the poverty of his philanthropy toward his neighbor, said to him, \"I do not only say to you, 'Up to seven times,' but up to seventy times seven. For you, as a man, have asked in poverty of poverty; but I, as God, a great giver, have richly bestowed grace. Not only up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.\" But the saying contains a hidden mystery. If the farmer does not drive the hoe deep into the earth, he does not find the fruits suitable in the coming season; so also we, if we do not deepen our mind into the letter, we do not find the hidden treasure of the Spirit. \"How many times, if my brother sins against me, shall I forgive him? Up to seven times?\" And why did he not say, \"Up to eight times,\" or \"six times,\" or \"ten times,\" but \"up to seven times\"? Because God made all things in six days, and on the seventh day he rested from his works. Peter asks the Lord a mystery, wishing to learn ecclesiastical canons.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ὅσα ἐὰν δήσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔσται δεδεμένα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ· καὶ ὅσα ἐὰν λύσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔσται λελυμένα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ","severity":"info","text":"This is a paraphrase of Matthew 18:18, which in the canonical text reads: 'Ἃ ἂν δήσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔσται δεδεμένα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ· καὶ ἃ ἂν λύσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔσται λελυμένα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ.' Chrysostom adapts the wording for rhetorical effect.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ἕως ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά","severity":"info","text":"The number 490 (70 × 7) is a symbolic figure for complete forgiveness, echoing the Old Testament concept of the Jubilee (Leviticus 25) and later Christian penitential practice.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Μυστήριον ἐπερωτᾷ ὁ Πέτρος τὸν Κύριον","severity":"info","text":"This passage transitions from a literal reading of the forgiveness dialogue to an allegorical interpretation, signaled by 'μυστήριον' (mystery) and the agricultural metaphor of deepening the mind into the letter.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"φιλάνθρωπος χάρις","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'philanthropic grace' combines divine benevolence (φιλανθρωπία) with grace (χάρις), a key concept in Chrysostom's theology of God's generous forgiveness.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐκκλησιαστικοὺς κανόνας","severity":"info","text":"The reference to 'ecclesiastical canons' indicates that Chrysostom reads this dialogue as establishing norms for church discipline, particularly regarding the limits of forgiveness.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text does not specify whether the dialogue between Peter and the Lord is a literal apostolic conversation or a literary device; Chrysostom treats it as both a historical event and a source of hidden meaning."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":10,"ref":"p10","source":"οἷον, Ἐὰν ἁμαρτήσῃ εἰς ἐμὲ ὁ ἀδελφός μου ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἡμέραις τῆς ζωῆς αὐτοῦ, ἐν δὲ τῇ τελευταίᾳ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς ζωῆς αὐτοῦ, οἷον, εἰ ἐν τῇ ἑβδόμῃ μετανοήσῃ ἀφήσω αὐτῷ; Ὁ δὲ Κύριος ἐπέστρεψε λέγων· Οὐ μόνον ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ ἀφήσεις αὐτῷ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι συγχωρήσεις αὐτῷ, μακροτέρῳ ὑπάρχοντι παρὰ τοῦτον τὸν αἰῶνα ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά. Ἀληθὴς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ εἰπών σοι, ὅτι Ὅσα ἐὰν λύσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔσται λελυμένα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ. Ἀλλ' ἔτι βαθύτερον ἐπεργασώμεθα τὸ νόημα. Ποσάκις, ἐὰν ἁμάρτῃ εἰς ἐμὲ ὁ ἀδελφός μου, οὐκ εἰς σὲ τὸν Θεὸν, ἀλλ' εἰς ἐμὲ, ἀφήσω αὐτῷ; Ὁ δὲ Κύριος πρὸς αὐτὸν, Οὐ μόνον τὰ εἰς ἐμὲ ἕως ἑπτάκις ἁμαρτήματα συγχωρήσεις, ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά. Ἀληθὲς γάρ ἐστιν ὃ εἶπεν, ὅτι Πᾶσα ἁμαρτία καὶ βλασφημία ἀφεθήσεται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, ἡ δὲ κατὰ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος βλασφημία οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται οὐδὲ ἐν τῷ νῦν αἰῶνι τούτῳ, οὐδὲ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι. Χάρις δὲ τῷ Θεῷ, ὅτι ἡμεῖς ταύτην τὴν ἁμαρτίαν οὐ φοβούμεθα· οὐ γὰρ βλασφημοῦμεν τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, ἀλλὰ προσκυνοῦμεν καὶ δοξολογοῦμεν. Ἀλλ' ἔτι ξέσωμεν τὸν λόγον. Καὶ γὰρ χρυσὸς χωνευόμενος στιλβότερος γίνεται· οὕτω καὶ Γραφὴ ξεομένη τρανοτέρα εὑρίσκεται. Ποσάκις, ἐὰν ἁμαρτήσῃ εἰς ἐμὲ ὁ ἀδελφός μου, ἀφήσω αὐτῷ; ἕως ἑπτάκις;","english":"For example: \"If my brother sins against me every day of his life, but on the last day of his life—for instance, if he repents on the seventh day—shall I forgive him?\" And the Lord turned and said: \"Not only in this age will you forgive him his sins, but also in the future age you will grant him remission, which is seventy times seven times longer than this age. For the one who told you is true, that 'Whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.'\" But let us work out the meaning more deeply. \"How many times, if my brother sins against me—not against you, God, but against me—shall I forgive him?\" And the Lord said to him: \"Not only will you forgive sins against me up to seven times, but indeed seventy times seven. For what he said is true, that 'Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven to men, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, neither in this present age nor in the future.'\" But thanks be to God that we do not fear this sin, for we do not blaspheme the Holy Spirit, but worship and glorify it. But let us refine the argument further. For just as gold becomes brighter when smelted, so too does Scripture become clearer when refined. \"How many times, if my brother sins against me, shall I forgive him? Up to seven times?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ὅσα ἐὰν λύσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔσται λελυμένα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom adapts Matthew 18:18, where the binding/loosing power is given to Peter; here it is applied to forgiveness by a brother.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Πᾶσα ἁμαρτία καὶ βλασφημία ἀφεθήσεται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, ἡ δὲ κατὰ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος βλασφημία οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται","severity":"info","text":"This echoes the synoptic tradition (Mark 3:28-29; Matthew 12:31-32) on the unforgivable sin, but Chrysostom’s wording is not a direct quotation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'seventy times seven' (ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά) is a rhetorical hyperbole for indefinite forgiveness, not a literal number.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"χρυσὸς χωνευόμενος στιλβότερος γίνεται","severity":"info","text":"The simile of gold refined by fire is a common patristic image for scriptural interpretation; Chrysostom uses it to justify repeated exegesis.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage is a series of hypothetical questions and divine responses, each escalating the number of forgiven sins, culminating in the exception for blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀλλ' ἔτι ξέσωμεν τὸν λόγον","severity":"caution","text":"The verb ξέω ('scrape, refine') is rare; the text may be corrupt or the metaphor obscure. The English 'refine' is interpretive.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the interlocutor (the 'brother' and the 'Lord') is ambiguous: the brother may be a fellow Christian, and the Lord may be Christ or God. The reading taken is that the Lord is Christ responding to a disciple."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":11,"ref":"p11","source":"Ἐπειδὴ ᾔδει, ὅτι ὁ νόμος συγχωρεῖ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὰ παραπτώματα ἐν τῇ ἑβδομάδι τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου· οὐ γὰρ εἶχε τὴν ὀγδόην ἡμέραν τῆς ἀναστάσεως· οὔπω γὰρ ἦν παραγενόμενος ὁ Χριστὸς, ὁ ἔχων τὴν ἀναστάσιμον ἡμέραν· ὅθεν καὶ Δαυῒδ, ἐπειδὴ ὑπὸ νόμον ὑπῆρχεν, ἑπτάκις αἰνεῖ τὸν Θεὸν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ· λέγει γὰρ, Ἑπτάκις τῆς ἡμέρας ᾔνεσά σοι· οὐκ ὀκτάκις· οὔπω γὰρ ἦλθέ μοι Χριστὸς, ἡ ὀγδόη τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἡμέρα· ἔτι εἰμὶ ὑπὸ νόμον, ὑπὸ νόμον δουλεύσω σοι· ἔτι τῆς παιδίσκης εἰμὶ υἱὸς, τῆς συναγωγῆς· οὔπω γὰρ ἐκ τῆς ἐλευθέρας γεγέννημαι· διὸ λέγει, Ἐγὼ δοῦλος σὸς, καὶ υἱὸς τῆς παιδίσκης σου. Τῶν γὰρ ἐν τῇ χάριτι ἀναγεννηθέντων Χριστιανῶν ἡ μήτηρ ἐλευθέρα ἐστὶ, καθὰ λέγει ὁ Ἀπόστολος· Ἡ δὲ ἄνω Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐλευθέρα ἐστὶν ἥτις ἐστὶ μήτηρ πάντων ἡμῶν. Ποσάκις οὖν ἁμαρτήσει εἰς ἐμὲ ὁ ἀδελφός μου, καὶ ἀφήσω αὐτῷ; ἕως ἑπτάκις; Οἱονεὶ ἔλεγε, Κελεύεις συγχωρῆσαι τὰ πλημμελήματα τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου, ὡς ὁ νόμος τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν, Ἕως ἑπτάκις, ἢ πλεῖόν τι; Ὁ δὲ Κύριος ὑπερπλεονάζει τὴν χάριν λέγων· Οὐ μόνον ἕως ἑπτάκις, ἀλλ' ἕως ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά.","english":"Since He knew that the law allows men their transgressions within the week of this age—for it did not have the eighth day of the resurrection, for Christ, who possesses the day of resurrection, had not yet arrived—hence David, because he was under the law, praises God seven times a day; for he says, \"Seven times a day I praised you,\" not eight times; for Christ, the eighth day of the resurrection, has not yet come to me; I am still under the law, I will serve you under the law; I am still the son of the handmaid, of the synagogue; for I have not yet been born of the free woman. Therefore he says, \"I am your slave, and the son of your handmaid.\" For the mother of Christians reborn in grace is free, as the Apostle says: \"The Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.\" How many times, then, will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times? As if he were saying, \"Do you command me to forgive the offenses of my brothers, as the law does? For this is what 'up to seven times' means, or something more?\" And the Lord surpasses grace by saying: \"Not only up to seven times, but up to seventy-seven times.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ἑβδομάδι τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου","severity":"info","text":"The 'week of this age' refers to the seven-day cycle of the Mosaic law, which Chrysostom contrasts with the 'eighth day' of resurrection, a typological figure for Christ and the new covenant.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἑπτάκις τῆς ἡμέρας ᾔνεσά σοι","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom cites Psalm 119:164 (LXX) as David's sevenfold daily praise, interpreting it as a sign of subservience to the law before Christ.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἡ δὲ ἄνω Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐλευθέρα ἐστὶν","severity":"info","text":"The 'Jerusalem above' is a reference to Galatians 4:26, where Paul speaks of the heavenly Jerusalem as free, contrasting with the earthly synagogue.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"παιδίσκης","severity":"info","text":"The term 'handmaid' (παιδίσκη) here symbolizes the synagogue as a subordinate, servile state, opposed to the free mother Church.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ποσάκις οὖν ἁμαρτήσει... ἕως ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά","severity":"info","text":"This passage forms a rhetorical question-and-answer unit: the disciple asks about forgiveness up to seven times, and the Lord expands it to seventy-seven times, surpassing the law.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἕως ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'seventy-seven times' (ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά) may be a symbolic number of completeness, not a literal count; the Greek allows either 'seventy-seven' or 'seventy times seven'.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἕως ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά' is ambiguous: it could mean 'up to seventy-seven times' or 'up to seventy times seven times'. The translation opts for 'seventy-seven', but the symbolic intent is clear."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":12,"ref":"p12","source":"Ὅσον γὰρ ὁ Λόγος τοῦ νόμου ὑπερέχει, τοσοῦτον καὶ ἡ χάρις τοῦ νόμου· οὐ γὰρ ὁ Λόγος Θεὸς ἐκ τοῦ νόμου, ἀλλ' ὁ νόμος ἐκ τοῦ Λόγου. Καὶ ἔστι μαθεῖν, ἀγαπητοὶ, τὴν ὠφέλειαν ἐκ τοῦ λόγου· ἵνα μάθῃς πόσῳ μείζων ὁ Λόγος τοῦ νόμου. Ὁ νόμος δέκα λόγους δίδωσι τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις, καὶ οὐδὲ ὠφέλησεν· ἡμῖν δὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἕνα Λόγον δεδωκὼς, τοὺς πάντας δι' αὐτοῦ ἀνέσωσεν. Ἀλλ' ἔτι σκάλλομεν τὸ γράμμα τῷ Πνεύματι. Ὁ γὰρ θησαυρὸν ἀνοίξας οὐ μόνον χρυσὸν καὶ ἄργυρον λαβὼν ἀπέρχεται, ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ λίθους τιμίους καὶ τοὺς διαφόρους ἐπιζητεῖ. Ποσάκις, ἐὰν ἁμαρτήσῃ, εἰς ἐμὲ ὁ ἀδελφός μου, ἀφήσω αὐτῷ; ἕως ἑπτάκις; Μυστήριόν ἐστιν, ἀγαπητοὶ, ἀποκεκρυμμένον ἐν τῷ γράμματι, καὶ πολλοὺς λέληθε. Σὺ δέ μοι ἀκριβῶς πρόσεχε τῷ νοήματι· λεπτὸν γάρ ἐστι σφόδρα, πετεινοῦ ὀξύτερον, ῥᾳδίως δυνάμενον τὸ ὄμμα τῆς διανοίας παραδραμεῖν, καὶ τοὺς σφόδρα ὀξυδορκοῦντας. Ποσάκις ἐὰν εἰς ἐμὲ ἁμαρτήσῃ ὁ ἀδελφός μου, ἀφήσω αὐτῷ; ἑπτάκις; Ζητήσεως γὰρ ἄξιον, διὰ τί εἶπεν Ἕως ἑπτάκις ὁ Πέτρος, καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν ἀπεκρίνατο, Ἕως ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά. Ἀλλ' ὁ Πέτρος προσέσχε τὸ τοῦ φόνου ἔγκλημα, ὅτι βαρύτατον καὶ δεινόν ἐστι, καὶ βούλεται μαθεῖν ἐν μυστηρίῳ κανόνας ἐκκλησιαστικοὺς, εἰ ἄρα κελεύει αὐτῷ ὁ Κύριος συγχωρεῖν ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι τὸ τοῦ φόνου ἔγκλημα. Προσεσχηκὼς γὰρ, ὅτι ὁ Κάϊν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ δόλῳ ἐφόνευσε, καὶ ἑπτὰ ἐγκλήμασιν ὑπέπεσε· πρῶτος γὰρ ἐφόνευσεν ἐν ἀνθρώποις, πρῶτος ὑπεκρίνατο, πρῶτος ἐψεύσατο, πρῶτος αἵματι τὴν γῆν ἐμίανε, πρῶτος πύλας θανάτου ἠνέῳξεν·","english":"For as much as the Word of the law surpasses, so much also the grace of the law; for the Word is not God from the law, but the law is from the Word. And it is possible to learn, beloved, the benefit from the Word, so that you may know how much greater the Word is than the law. The law gives ten commandments to the Jews, and it did not benefit them; but God, having given us one Word, saved all through it. But still we stumble over the letter with the Spirit. For he who opens a treasure does not depart having taken only gold and silver, but also seeks precious stones and the various kinds. How many times, if my brother sins against me, shall I forgive him? Up to seven times? It is a mystery, beloved, hidden in the letter, and it has escaped many. But you pay close attention to my meaning; for it is very subtle, swifter than a bird, able easily to elude the eye of the mind, even of those who are very sharp-sighted. How many times, if my brother sins against me, shall I forgive him? Seven times? For it is worthy of inquiry, why Peter said \"Up to seven times,\" and our Lord answered, \"Up to seventy times seven.\" But Peter attended to the charge of murder, that it is very grave and terrible, and wishes to learn in mystery the ecclesiastical canons, whether the Lord commands him to forgive the charge of murder in baptism. For he had observed that Cain killed his brother by guile, and fell under seven charges: for he was the first to kill among men, the first to dissemble, the first to lie, the first to defile the earth with blood, the first to open the gates of death.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"Λόγος","severity":"info","text":"Λόγος (Logos) here carries a double sense: the 'Word' of God (as in John 1:1) and the 'reason' or 'commandment' of the law. Chrysostom plays on this to contrast the single divine Logos with the multiple commandments of the Mosaic law.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἕως ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'up to seventy times seven' alludes to Jesus' teaching on forgiveness in Matthew 18:21-22, where Peter asks about forgiveness and Jesus responds with this number. Chrysostom interprets it as a mystery of ecclesiastical canons.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Κάϊν","severity":"info","text":"Cain's seven charges (first to kill, dissemble, lie, etc.) are not a biblical list but a patristic elaboration. Chrysostom uses this to explain why Peter associates murder with the number seven, linking it to the question of forgiveness in baptism.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage shifts from a general contrast between Law and Logos to a specific exegetical question about forgiveness. The rhetorical question 'How many times...?' introduces a dialogue between Peter and Christ, which Chrysostom then interprets as a mystery of ecclesiastical canons.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom's interpretation of the 'seventy times seven' as a mystery of ecclesiastical canons reflects a later development in church discipline, where forgiveness of sins (especially murder) was regulated through baptism and penance. This shows the homily's pastoral and liturgical context.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text uses Λόγος ambiguously, meaning both 'Word' (divine) and 'commandment' (legal). The English draft renders it as 'Word' throughout, but the contrast with νόμος (law) suggests a deliberate polysemy.","The phrase 'Ἕως ἑπτάκις' (up to seven times) is attributed to Peter, but the biblical source (Matthew 18:21) has Peter asking 'How many times?' and Jesus answering 'seventy times seven'. Chrysostom may be paraphrasing or drawing on a variant tradition."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":13,"ref":"p13","source":"οὔπω γὰρ ἦν θάνατος γευσάμενος ἀνθρώπου, εἰ μὴ Κάϊν διὰ φθόνου ἐκύησε· προσεσχηκὼς οὖν Πέτρος, ὅτι τοῦ Κάϊν ὁ φόνος ἑπτὰ ἐγκλήμασιν ὑπόκειται, προσέρχεται τῷ Κυρίῳ μυστηριωδῶς ἐπερωτῶν, Ποσάκις, ἐὰν ἁμαρτήσῃ ὁ ἀδελφός μου, ἀφήσω αὐτῷ; ἕως ἑπτάκις; Τουτέστι, Κελεύεις ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι τὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοκτόνου Κάϊν ἐγκλήματα ἀφήσω αὐτῷ; Ὁ δὲ Κύριος τί φησι πρὸς αὐτόν; Οὐ μόνον τὸ τοῦ Κάϊν ἑπτάκις ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι ἀφήσεις, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ τοῦ Λάμεχ τὸ ἕως ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά· ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.","english":"Death had not yet tasted a human being, until Cain gave birth to it through envy. Therefore Peter, having observed that Cain's murder is subject to seven charges, approaches the Lord mysteriously inquiring, \"How many times, if my brother sins, shall I forgive him? Up to seven times?\" That is, \"Do you command me in baptism to forgive him the charges of the fratricide Cain?\" And what does the Lord say to him? \"Not only will you forgive the charge of Cain seven times in baptism, but also that of Lamech up to seventy times seven.\" In Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom is glory unto the ages of ages. Amen.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"οὔπω γὰρ ἦν θάνατος γευσάμενος ἀνθρώπου","severity":"info","text":"The Greek phrase 'οὔπω γὰρ ἦν θάνατος γευσάμενος ἀνθρώπου' is ambiguous: it could mean 'death had not yet tasted a human' or 'death had not yet been tasted by a human.' The English draft takes the former, personifying death.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἑπτὰ ἐγκλήμασιν","severity":"info","text":"'ἑπτὰ ἐγκλήμασιν' (seven charges) refers to a tradition that Cain's murder of Abel incurred seven specific legal or moral charges, possibly derived from Jewish exegetical expansions of Genesis 4.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Κάϊν","severity":"info","text":"Cain (Gen 4:8) is the first murderer in Genesis. The passage alludes to the fratricide narrative, but the 'seven charges' are not explicit in the biblical text; they reflect later interpretive tradition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Λάμεχ","severity":"info","text":"Lamech (Gen 4:19–24) is a descendant of Cain, associated in some traditions with a seventy-sevenfold vengeance or sin, possibly from the Lamech song (Gen 4:23–24) or later Jewish lore.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Πέτρος","severity":"info","text":"Peter's inquiry about forgiveness 'up to seven times' echoes Matthew 18:21–22, where Peter asks about forgiveness and Jesus responds with a parable. Chrysostom adapts this into a dialogue about baptismal absolution.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"μυστηριωδῶς","severity":"caution","text":"'μυστηριωδῶς' (mysteriously) may indicate a liturgical or allegorical reading, not a literal historical event. The passage likely interprets Peter's question as a type of catechetical instruction on baptism.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'οὔπω γὰρ ἦν θάνατος γευσάμενος ἀνθρώπου' is syntactically ambiguous: the participle 'γευσάμενος' could be active or middle, yielding either 'death had not yet tasted a human' or 'death had not yet been tasted by a human.' The English draft adopts the active personification.","The reference to Lamech's 'seventy times seven' is not directly from the biblical text; it may derive from a lost tradition or Chrysostom's own exegetical expansion."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]}]}