{"slug":"khazarzar-john-chrysostom-non-esse-desperandum","id":"greek:khazarzar:khazarzar-john-chrysostom-non-esse-desperandum","title":"Non esse desperandum","title_source":"Non esse desperandum","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":"2026-11-15T07:14:42Z","cost_usd":0.008036},"source":{"registry_id":"greek:khazarzar:khazarzar-john-chrysostom-non-esse-desperandum","work_id":"khazarzar-john-chrysostom-non-esse-desperandum","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/Non%20esse%20desperandum.pdf"},"stats":{"passages":15,"english_words":3817,"coptic_letters":0,"source_letters":15145,"commentary_units":87,"commentary_kinds":8,"derived_notes":0,"ambiguities":22,"work_notes":5,"external_links":0,"timeline":4},"summary":{"work":"khazarzar-john-chrysostom-non-esse-desperandum","abstract":"Non esse desperandum (Greek: Περὶ τοῦ μὴ ἀπελπίζειν) is a hortatory address traditionally attributed to John Chrysostom (c. 349–407). The work urges perseverance in adversity, discourages cursing enemies, and counsels against despair when prayers go unanswered, linking this to domestic peace. It survives in multiple Greek manuscripts but lacks a critical edition; the source is a digital transcription. The text is not listed in standard Chrysostom corpora (PG, CPG), and its attribution rests solely on manuscript ascription. It may be spurious or a later compilation. The work includes an allusion to praying for enemies (cf. Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:27–28) and references the tax collector parable (Luke 18:9–14) as a model of repentance.","historical_context":"The work is undated and its place of composition unknown. If authentically by John Chrysostom, it would belong to the late fourth or early fifth century, likely in Antioch (where Chrysostom served as deacon and presbyter, c. 386–397) or Constantinople (where he was patriarch, 398–404). The genre is a homily or hortatory address, delivered to a Christian congregation familiar with scriptural allusions and conventional gestures of mourning (striking face and breast). The numeral αʹ suggests it was part of a series on the Lord's Prayer and moral exhortation. The text survives in multiple Greek manuscripts, but no critical edition exists; the digital transcription (khazarzar) provides no apparatus or variant readings. Its absence from PG and CPG raises doubts about authenticity; it may be a later compilation or a spurious attribution. The work's reception history is unclear, and it has not been widely studied.","significance":"Non esse desperandum illustrates the pastoral concerns of late antique Christianity, particularly the problem of despair and the moral discipline of prayer. Its attribution to Chrysostom, even if uncertain, connects it to a major patristic figure known for practical ethics. The work's survival outside standard corpora highlights the fluidity of the Chrysostom corpus and the need for critical editions. It also preserves early Christian exegesis of Gospel passages on enemies and repentance.","timeline":[{"date":"c. 349–407","event":"Life of John Chrysostom; if authentic, the work dates to this period."},{"date":"4th–5th c.","event":"Probable composition in Antioch or Constantinople, if by Chrysostom."},{"date":"Medieval period","event":"Transmission in Greek manuscripts; no critical edition produced."},{"date":"Modern","event":"Digital transcription by khazarzar; no apparatus or commentary."}],"relations":[{"work":"John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Lord's Prayer","relation":"Possibly part of a series on the Lord's Prayer; numeral αʹ suggests sequence.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Matthew 5:44","relation":"Allusion to praying for enemies; cf. Luke 6:27–28.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Luke 18:9–14","relation":"Reference to the tax collector parable as model of repentance.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"PG (Patrologia Graeca)","relation":"Not included in standard Chrysostom volume; suggests spurious or overlooked status.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"CPG (Clavis Patrum Graecorum)","relation":"Not listed; further indicates uncertain attribution.","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[],"cautions":["Date and place of composition are unknown; attribution to Chrysostom is unverified and may be spurious.","No critical edition exists; the digital transcription lacks apparatus and cannot be verified against manuscripts.","Work is not listed in PG or CPG, raising doubts about authenticity and reception.","The numeral αʹ may indicate a series, but the full series is not identified."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.00044,"generated":"2026-11-15T07:14:41Z"},"links":[{"kind":"source","label":"Patrologia Graeca text (khazarzar mirror)","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/John%20Chrysostom_PG%2047-64/Non%20esse%20desperandum.pdf"}],"checks":{"work":"khazarzar-john-chrysostom-non-esse-desperandum","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":15,"translated":15,"commentary_passages":15,"commentary_units":87,"english_words":3817,"source_letters":15137,"commentary_kinds":8},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Greek title translates as 'On Not Despairing'. The work is a hortatory address, likely a homily, urging perseverance in the face of adversity.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The text survives in multiple Greek manuscripts, but no critical edition is cited. The source edition (khazarzar) is a digital transcription, not a critical edition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The work is traditionally attributed to John Chrysostom (c. 349–407), but no external evidence for date or occasion is provided. The attribution rests on manuscript ascription.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The work is not listed in standard Chrysostom corpora (e.g., PG, CPG). Its reception history is unclear; it may be spurious or a later compilation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"This edition provides no apparatus, translation, or commentary. The reader cannot verify the Greek text against manuscript witnesses or assess variant readings.","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: 15 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":15},"term_index":[],"citations":{},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"Περὶ τοῦ μὴ ἀπογινώσκειν τινὰς ἑαυτῶν, μηδὲ κατεύχεσθαι τῶν ἐχθρῶν, μηδὲ ἀπαγορεύειν ἐν τῷ μὴ λαμβάνειν αἰτοῦντας· καὶ πρὸς ἄνδρας περὶ τῆς πρὸς τὰς γυναῖκας εἰρήνης.\n\nαʹ. Πολλὰς ὑμῖν ἔχω χάριτας, ὅτι μετὰ προθυμίας τοὺς περὶ τῆς εὐχῆς ἐδέξασθε λόγους, ὅτι με μακά ριον ἐποιήσατε. Μακάριος γὰρ ὁ λέγων εἰς ὦτα ἀκουόντων. Οὐκ ἀπὸ τῶν κρότων καὶ τῶν ἐπαίνων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀφ' ὧν ποιοῦντας εἶδον, ἐπείσθην. Ὅτε γὰρ ὑμῖν παρῄνουν μὴ κατεύχεσθαι τῶν ἐχθρῶν, καὶ ἔλεγον ὅτι τὸν Θεὸν παροξύνομεν τοῦτο ποιοῦντες, καὶ ἀντινομοθετοῦμεν αὐτῷ (αὐτὸς γὰρ εἶπεν, Εὔχεσθε ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐχθρῶν, ἡμεῖς δὲ κατευχόμενοι τῶν ἐχθρῶν, ἀξιοῦμεν αὐτὸν τὸν ἑαυτοῦ λῦσαι νόμον), ὅτε οὖν ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἔλεγον, πολλοὺς ἐν ὑμῖν εἶδον πρόσωπα τύπτοντας καὶ στήθη, στενάζοντας πικρῶς, εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν τὰς χεῖρας ἀνατείνοντας, συγγνώμην αἰτοῦντας περὶ τῶν τοιούτων εὐχῶν. Τότε δὲ καὶ ἐγὼ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνατείνας, ηὐχαρίστησα τῷ Θεῷ, ὅτι οὕτω ταχέως ὁ λόγος τῆς διδασκαλίας τὸν καρπὸν ἡμῖν ἤνεγκε. Τοιοῦτον γὰρ ὁ σπόρος ὁ πνευματικός· οὐ δεῖται ἐνιαυτῶν, οὐδὲ χρόνων, οὐδὲ ἡμερῶν, ἀλλὰ ἂν ἐπιλάβηται ψυχῆς γενναίας, εὐθέως τὸν στάχυν ἀκμάζοντα καὶ ἀπηρτισμένον δείκνυσιν· ὃ δὲ καὶ χθὲς γέγονεν ὑφ' ὑμῶν. Κατέβαλον λόγον κατανύξεως, καὶ ἐβλάστησε στεναγμὸς ἐξομολογήσεως, στεναγμὸς πολὺν ἔχων τὸν πλοῦτον τῶν ἀγαθῶν.","english":"On the need for no one to despair of themselves, nor to curse their enemies, nor to give up when they do not receive what they ask for; and to men concerning peace with their wives.\n\n1. I have many thanks to give you, because you received the discourses on prayer with eagerness, because you made me blessed. For blessed is the one who speaks into the ears of those who listen. I was convinced not only by the applause and the praises, but also by what I saw you doing. For when I exhorted you not to curse your enemies, and I said that we provoke God by doing this, and that we legislate against him (for he himself said, \"Pray for your enemies,\" but we, by cursing our enemies, ask him to repeal his own law)—when, then, I said these and similar things, I saw many among you striking your faces and breasts, groaning bitterly, raising your hands to heaven, asking forgiveness for such prayers. Then I too, raising my eyes to heaven, gave thanks to God that the word of teaching had so quickly borne fruit for us. For such is spiritual seed: it does not require years, nor seasons, nor days, but if it takes hold of a noble soul, it immediately shows the ear of grain ripe and complete. This is what happened yesterday on your part. I sowed a word of compunction, and it sprouted a groan of confession, a groan rich in good things.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"Περὶ τοῦ μὴ ἀπογινώσκειν τινὰς ἑαυτῶν","severity":"info","text":"The title announces three themes: not despairing, not cursing enemies, and not giving up when prayers are unanswered; the third is linked to peace with wives.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Εὔχεσθε ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐχθρῶν","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom attributes to God the command 'Pray for your enemies,' likely an allusion to Matthew 5:44 or Luke 6:27–28, though the exact wording is not a direct quotation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"πρόσωπα τύπτοντας καὶ στήθη","severity":"info","text":"Striking the face and breast was a conventional gesture of mourning or penitence in late antique Christianity, often seen in Chrysostom's congregations as a sign of compunction.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"αʹ.","severity":"info","text":"The numeral αʹ marks the first homily in a series; the work as a whole is a collection of sermons on the Lord's Prayer and related moral exhortations.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"μακάριον ἐποιήσατε","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom's claim that the audience's eagerness made him 'blessed' reflects the rhetorical topos of the speaker's dependence on a receptive congregation, common in his homilies.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek title is a summary of contents, not necessarily Chrysostom's own; the phrase 'πρὸς ἄνδρας περὶ τῆς πρὸς τὰς γυναῖκας εἰρήνης' may refer to a separate section or a lost homily."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"Εἰ γὰρ ὁ τελώνης ἐκεῖνος, ἵνα τὸ στῆθος τύπτων εἴπῃ, Ἱλάσθητί μοι τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ, ἀπῆλθε δεδικαιωμένος ὑπὲρ τὸν Φαρισαῖον, πόσην εἰκὸς ἡμᾶς κτήσασθαι παῤῥησίαν, ἐν βραχεῖ χρόνῳ τοσαύτην κατάνυξιν ἐπιδειξαμένους; Καίτοι τελώνου χεῖρον οὐδέν· οὗτος γὰρ ἔσχατος ὅρος κακίας ἐστίν· ὅπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς παραδηλῶν, εἰς παράδειγμα τῶν ἐσχάτων κακῶν τὰς πόρνας καὶ τοὺς τελώνας ἄγει συνεχῶς. Πεπαῤῥησιασμένη γάρ ἐστι βία, ἀνεπιτίμητος ἁρπαγὴ, ἀναίσχυντος πλεονεξίας τρόπος, πραγματεία λόγον οὐκ ἔχουσα, ἀναιδὴς ἐμπορία· ἀλλ' ὅμως ὁ τοσούτοις συζῶν κακοῖς, ἴσχυσεν ἀπὸ ψιλῶν ῥημάτων ἀποῤῥίψασθαι τὰ ὀνείδη, καὶ πλέον ὧν ᾔτησε λαβεῖν. Αὐτὸς μὲν γὰρ ἠξίου λέγων, Ἱλάσθητί μοι τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ· ὁ δὲ Θεὸς οὐχ ἵλεως μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐδικαίωσεν αὐτὸν ὑπὲρ τὸν Φαρισαῖον. Διὰ τοῦτό φησιν ὁ Παῦλος· Τῷ δὲ δυναμένῳ πάντα ποιῆσαι ὑπὲρ ἐκ περισσοῦ ὧν αἰτούμεθα ἢ νοοῦμεν. Καίτοι ὁ Φαρισαῖος ηὔξατο, καὶ ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ ἔστη, καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν ἐκάλεσε Θεὸν, καὶ πλείονα εἶπε ῥήματα, καὶ ἀπὸ εὐχαριστίας τὸ προοίμιον ἐποιήσατο τῆς εὐχῆς. Πόθεν οὖν ἐκεῖνος μὲν καὶ ἃ εἶχεν ἀπώλεσε καλὰ, οὗτος δὲ καὶ ἣν οὐκ εἶχε προσέλαβε παῤῥησίαν; Ὅτι οὐ τῆς εὐχῆς ὁ αὐτὸς τρόπος ἦν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἀλαζονείας ἔγεμε καὶ τύφου καὶ ἀπονοίας, οὗτος δὲ εὐγνωμοσύνης πολλῆς· διὰ τοῦτο οὗτος μὲν μυρία ἁμαρτημάτων φορτία ἔχων, πάντα ἀπέθετο, καὶ δικαιοσύνην ἔλαβεν· ἐκεῖνος δὲ πλήρη τὴν ναῦν κατορθωμάτων ἀναγαγὼν, καὶ ἐλεημοσύνης, καὶ νηστείας, καθάπερ τινὶ σκοπέλῳ προσαράξας τῷ τῆς κενοδοξίας καὶ ἀπονοίας φρονήματι, ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ λιμένι τὸ ναυάγιον ὑπέμεινε·","english":"If that tax collector, in order to beat his breast and say, \"Be merciful to me, the sinner,\" went away justified more than the Pharisee, how much confidence is it likely for us to acquire, having displayed such great compunction in a short time? And yet nothing is worse than a tax collector; for this is the ultimate limit of wickedness. This is what Christ also indicates, constantly bringing prostitutes and tax collectors as examples of the worst evils. For it is a shameless violence, an unrestrained robbery, a brazen form of greed, a business without reason, a shameless trade. But nevertheless, the one who lived with so many evils was able to cast off the reproaches by mere words and to receive more than he asked. For he himself deemed it fit to say, \"Be merciful to me, the sinner,\" but God not only was merciful, but also justified him more than the Pharisee. That is why Paul says, \"To the one who is able to do everything, beyond what we ask or think.\" And yet the Pharisee prayed, stood in the temple, called upon the same God, spoke more words, and began his prayer with thanksgiving. Why then did that one lose even the good things he had, while this one gained confidence he did not have? Because the manner of the prayer was not the same. For the one was full of arrogance, pride, and folly, while the other was full of great gratitude. Therefore, this one, though burdened with countless sins, laid them all aside and received righteousness; while that one, having brought his ship full of good deeds, almsgiving, and fasting, dashed it against the rock of vainglory and pride, and suffered shipwreck in the very harbor.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁ τελώνης ἐκεῖνος","severity":"info","text":"The tax collector is a figure from the parable in Luke 18:9-14, where his humble plea contrasts with the Pharisee's pride. Chrysostom uses this as a model for repentance.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"παῤῥησίαν","severity":"info","text":"παῤῥησίαν (parrhesia) denotes boldness or confidence, especially in speaking before God. Here it implies the spiritual freedom gained through repentance.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τελώνου","severity":"info","text":"In the Roman and Byzantine world, tax collectors were notoriously corrupt and despised, often associated with greed and dishonesty. Chrysostom amplifies this to stress the magnitude of the tax collector's transformation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁ Παῦλος","severity":"info","text":"The reference to Paul likely alludes to Romans 8:26-27 or a similar passage on God's surpassing generosity. Chrysostom adapts the phrase to emphasize divine grace beyond human expectation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom contrasts the tax collector and Pharisee through a series of antitheses: humility vs. pride, compunction vs. vainglory, and justification vs. shipwreck. This rhetorical device drives his exhortation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage was influential in Eastern Christian spirituality, emphasizing repentance over ritual piety. It appears in monastic florilegia and homiletic collections as a model of Chrysostom's pastoral teaching.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τῷ δὲ δυναμένῳ πάντα ποιῆσαι' is not a direct Pauline quotation; Chrysostom may be paraphrasing or loosely citing a known saying. The exact source is uncertain."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":"τὸ γὰρ ἐν εὐχῇ ζημιωθῆναι, ἐν λιμένι ναυάγιόν ἐστιν ὑπομεῖναι. Ἀλλ' οὐ παρὰ τὴν φύσιν τῆς εὐχῆς τοῦτο γέγονεν, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τὴν προαίρεσιν τὴν αὐτοῦ.\n\nβʹ. Ὁρᾷς πῶς οὐκ ἀρκεῖ πρὸς σωτηρίαν ἡμῖν ἡ εὐχὴ, ἐὰν μὴ προσῇ τὸ κατ' ἐκείνους εὔξασθαι τοὺς νόμους, οὓς τέθεικεν ὁ Χριστός; Τίνας δὲ τέθεικε νόμους;\n\nὙπὲρ τῶν ἐχθρῶν εὔχεσθαι. καὶ τῶν πολλὰ λυπούντων. Κἂν μὴ τοῦτο ποιῶμεν, ἀπολλύμεθα πάντως· καὶ δῆλον ἐκ τοῦ παραδείγματος τοῦ κατὰ τὸν Φαρισαῖον. Εἰ γὰρ οὗτος, οὐχὶ τῶν ἐχθρῶν κατευξάμενος, ἀλλὰ κενοδοξήσας μόνον, τοσαύτην ἔδωκε δίκην, τίς μένει τιμωρία τοὺς μακροὺς καὶ πολλοὺς κατὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἀποτείνοντας λόγους; Τί ποιεῖς, ἄνθρωπε; ἕστηκας συγγνώμην αἰτῶν ἁμαρτημάτων, καὶ θυμοῦ πληροῖς τὴν διάνοιαν; Ὅτε πάντων ἡμερωτέρους εἶναι χρὴ, Δεσπότῃ διαλεγομένους, ὑπὲρ οἰκείων πλημμελημάτων παρακαλοῦντας, ἔλεον καὶ φιλανθρωπίαν καὶ συγγνώμην αἰτοῦντας, τότε ἀγριούμεθα, καὶ πρὸς θηριωδίαν ἐκπίπτομεν, καὶ πικρίας τὸ στόμα πληροῦμεν; Καὶ πῶς δυνησόμεθα, εἰπέ μοι, τῆς σωτηρίας ἐπιτυχεῖν, σχῆμα μὲν ἱκετῶν προβαλλόμενοι, ῥήματα δὲ ἀπονοίας φέροντες, καὶ καθ' ἑαυτῶν παροξύνοντες τὸν Δεσπότην; Εἰσῆλθες τὰ οἰκεῖα θεραπεῦσαι τραύματα, οὐχὶ τὰ τοῦ πλησίον χαλεπώτερα ἐργάσασθαι· ἱλασμοῦ καιρός ἐστιν, εὐχῆς καιρὸς καὶ στεναγμοῦ, οὐχὶ ὀργῆς· δακρύων, οὐχὶ θυμοῦ, κατανύξεως, οὐχὶ ἀγανακτήσεως. Τί συγχέεις τὴν τάξιν; τί σαυτῷ πολεμεῖς; τί καταλύεις σου τὴν οἰκοδομήν; Τὸν εὐχόμενον πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων ἥμερον ἔχειν χρὴ διάνοιαν, κατεσταλμένον νοῦν, συντετριμμένην καρδίαν·","english":"For to suffer loss in prayer is to endure a shipwreck in harbor. But this has not happened because of the nature of prayer, but because of his own choice.\n\n2. Do you see how prayer is not sufficient for our salvation, unless we pray according to those laws which Christ has established? And what laws has he established?\n\nTo pray for enemies and for those who cause much grief. And if we do not do this, we are utterly lost; and this is clear from the example of the Pharisee. For if he, who did not curse his enemies but only vaingloried himself, paid such a penalty, what punishment awaits those who utter long and many words against their enemies? What are you doing, man? You stand asking forgiveness for your sins, and you fill your mind with anger? When we ought to be gentler than all, when we are speaking to the Master, pleading for our own transgressions, asking for mercy, philanthropy, and forgiveness, then we become savage, fall into bestiality, and fill our mouth with bitterness? And how, tell me, shall we be able to attain salvation, putting on the appearance of suppliants, but bearing words of madness, and provoking the Master against ourselves? You entered to heal your own wounds, not to make those of your neighbor more severe; it is a time of propitiation, a time of prayer and groaning, not of anger; of tears, not of wrath; of compunction, not of indignation. Why do you confuse the order? Why do you war against yourself? Why do you demolish your own building? The one who prays must, above all else, have a gentle mind, a composed intellect, a contrite heart.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ γὰρ ἐν εὐχῇ ζημιωθῆναι, ἐν λιμένι ναυάγιόν ἐστιν ὑπομεῖναι","severity":"info","text":"The metaphor of shipwreck in harbor intensifies the paradox: prayer, meant as a safe haven, becomes the site of ruin through the pray-er's own disposition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"προαίρεσιν","severity":"info","text":"προαίρεσις denotes deliberate choice or moral intention, a key concept in Chrysostom's anthropology: failure in prayer stems not from prayer's nature but from the agent's faulty προαίρεσις.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τοῦ κατὰ τὸν Φαρισαῖον","severity":"info","text":"The Pharisee example alludes to the Gospel parable (Luke 18:10–14) where the Pharisee's prayer is condemned for vainglory; Chrysostom extends the lesson to praying against enemies.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"εὔχεσθαι ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐχθρῶν","severity":"info","text":"Prayer for enemies is a distinctive emphasis in early Christian ascetic and liturgical teaching, rooted in the command to love one's enemies (Matt 5:44) and in Chrysostom's own homilies.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"βʹ","severity":"info","text":"The numeral βʹ marks a new section or argumentative step, typical of Chrysostom's homiletic division; here it introduces the thesis that prayer requires conformity to Christ's laws.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"τὸν εὐχόμενον ... συντετριμμένην καρδίαν","severity":"info","text":"The triad 'gentle mind, composed intellect, contrite heart' became a standard description of proper prayer disposition in later Byzantine spiritual literature, echoing Chrysostom's influence.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the tax collector' in the preceding passage is not specified in this passage; the Pharisee example is clear but the tax collector's role is assumed from prior context.","The phrase 'τοὺς νόμους, οὓς τέθεικεν ὁ Χριστός' may refer to specific dominical sayings (e.g., Matt 5:44) or to a broader principle; Chrysostom does not cite a single verse."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":4,"ref":"p4","source":"ὁ δὲ τῶν ἐχθρῶν καταβοῶν οὐκ ἂν δυνηθείη τοῦτο κατορθῶσαί ποτε· θυμοῦ γάρ ἐστι πεπληρωμένος, καὶ οὐχ οἷός τέ ἐστιν ἔχειν κατεσταλμένην διάνοιαν.\n\nΜὴ τοίνυν κατευχώμεθα τῶν ἐχθρῶν, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ τῶν κατορθωμάτων τῶν ἡμετέρων μνημονεύωμεν, ἵνα μὴ πάθωμεν ὅπερ ὁ Φαρισαῖος. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἁμαρτημάτων μεμνῆσθαι, καλὸν, οὕτω κατορθωμάτων ἐπιλελῆσθαι, καλόν. Τίνος ἕνεκεν; Ὅτι ἡ μὲν τῶν κατορθωμάτων μνήμη πρὸς ἀλαζονείαν ἡμᾶς ἐπαίρει, ἡ δὲ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων μνήμη καταστέλλει τὴν διάνοιαν καὶ ταπεινοῖ· καὶ ἐκείνη μὲν ῥᾳθυμοτέρους ποιεῖ, αὕτη δὲ σπουδαιοτέρους ἐργάζεται. Καὶ γὰρ ὅσοι μηδὲν νομίζουσιν ἔχειν καλὸν, προθυμότεροι γίνονται πρὸς τὸ κτήσασθαι τὰ καλά· οἱ δὲ πολλὴν ἑαυτοῖς ἀποτεθεῖσθαι τὴν ἐμπορίαν ἡγούμενοι, θαῤῥοῦντες τῇ ταύτης περιουσίᾳ, οὐκ ἂν πολλὴν ἐπιδείξαιντο σπουδὴν πρὸς τὸ πλείονα περιλαβέσθαι πάλιν. γʹ. Μὴ τοίνυν μνησθῇς τῶν κατορθωμάτων, ἵνα μνησθῇ αὐτῶν ὁ Θεός. Λέγε γὰρ, φησὶ, τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου πρῶτος, ἵνα δικαιωθῇς. Καὶ πάλιν· Οὐ μὴ μνησθῶ τῶν ἀνομιῶν σου, φησί· σὺ δὲ μνήσθητι. Ἀλλὰ τίνος ἕνεκεν τοῦ τελώνου οὕτω ταχέως ἐπήκουσεν ὁ Θεὸς, τὸν δὲ Ἰσαὰκ ἀφῆκεν εἴκοσιν ἔτη δέεσθαι καὶ παρακαλεῖν αὐτὸν περὶ τῆς γυναικὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ τότε ἐπένευσε ταῖς εὐχαῖς τοῦ δικαίου; Ἀνάγκη γὰρ τῆς χθὲς διδασκαλίας ἀποδοῦναι ὑμῖν τὰ λείψανα. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν τοῦτο γέγονεν; Ἵνα ἀπὸ μὲν τῶν κατὰ τὸν τελώνην μάθῃς τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν τοῦ Δεσπότου ταχέως ἐπακούσαντος, ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν κατὰ τὸν Ἰσαὰκ μάθῃς τὴν ὑπομονὴν τοῦ δούλου βραδέως λαβόντος, καὶ οὐκ ἀποστάντος τῆς ἱκετηρίας·","english":"But one who cries out against his enemies could never achieve this; for he is filled with anger and is not able to have a composed mind.\n\nLet us not, therefore, curse our enemies, nor even recall our own achievements, lest we suffer what the Pharisee did. For just as it is good to remember sins, so it is good to forget achievements. Why? Because the memory of achievements lifts us up to pride, while the memory of sins composes the mind and humbles it; and the former makes us more careless, the latter makes us more diligent. For those who think they have nothing good become more eager to acquire good things; but those who consider that they have stored up a great store of goods, confident in its abundance, would not show great zeal to acquire more again. 3. Do not, therefore, remember your achievements, so that God may remember them. For it says, \"Speak your sins first, so that you may be justified.\" And again: \"I will not remember your transgressions,\" it says; \"but you remember.\" But why did God so quickly hear the tax collector, yet leave Isaac to beseech and entreat him for twenty years concerning his wife, and only then yield to the prayers of the righteous man? For I must give you the remainder of yesterday's teaching. Why then did this happen? So that from the case of the tax collector you might learn the philanthropy of the Master, who quickly heard, and from the case of Isaac you might learn the patience of the servant, who received slowly and did not desist from supplication.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"κατευχώμεθα","severity":"info","text":"The verb κατευχώμεθα (from κατεύχομαι) means 'to curse' or 'to invoke evil upon', not simply 'to pray against'. Chrysostom contrasts this with proper prayer for enemies.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Φαρισαῖος","severity":"info","text":"The reference to the Pharisee likely alludes to the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (Luke 18:9–14), where the Pharisee’s pride in his own righteousness is condemned.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Λέγε γὰρ, φησὶ, τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου πρῶτος","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'Speak your sins first, so that you may be justified' is not a direct biblical quotation but a paraphrase of a common patristic exhortation, possibly echoing Psalm 50 or James 5:16.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Οὐ μὴ μνησθῶ τῶν ἀνομιῶν σου","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'I will not remember your transgressions' echoes God’s promise of forgiveness, possibly from Psalm 102:8 LXX or a liturgical formula, but is not a verbatim citation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἰσαὰκ","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom refers to Isaac’s twenty-year prayer for his wife Rebecca’s fertility, a tradition found in Genesis Rabbah and patristic commentaries, though not in the biblical text itself.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"γʹ","severity":"info","text":"The numeral γʹ (3) marks a new section in the homily, indicating a shift from the warning against pride to the exhortation to humility and the examples of the tax collector and Isaac.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'Pharisee' is assumed to be from Luke 18, but Chrysostom may also refer to a broader typology.","The source of the sayings 'Speak your sins first' and 'I will not remember your transgressions' is uncertain; they may be paraphrases of biblical or liturgical texts."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":5,"ref":"p5","source":"ἵνα, κἂν ἁμαρτωλὸς ᾖς, μὴ ἀπογνῷς, κἂν δίκαιος ᾖς, μὴ ἐπαρθῇς. Οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες ἰατροῦ, ἀλλ' οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες. Κακῶς εἶχεν ὁ τελώνης· διὰ τοῦτο ταχέως αὐτῷ ὤρεξε χεῖρα· ὁ δὲ Ἰσαὰκ ἰσχυρότερος ἦν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο αὐτὸν εἴασεν, ἵνα αὐτοῦ τὴν ὑπομονὴν ἐπιτείνῃ. Ἀλλ' οὗτος μὲν ἐκ περιουσίας ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος εἰρήσθω. Τίνος δὲ ἕνεκεν ἡ γυνὴ στεῖρα ἦν, ἀναγκαῖον εἰπεῖν, ἵν', ὅταν ἴδῃς Παρθένον μητέρα γινομένην, μὴ ἀπιστήσῃς· ἵν', ὅταν εἴπῃ σοι ὁ Ἰουδαῖος, Πῶς ἔτεκεν ἡ Μαρία; εἴπῃς αὐτῷ, Πῶς ἔτεκεν ἡ Σάῤῥα, καὶ ἡ Ῥεβέκκα, καὶ ἡ Ῥαχήλ; Ὅτανγὰρ μέλλῃ τι θαυμαστὸν καὶ μέγα γίνεσθαι θαῦμα, πολλοὶ προτρέχουσι τύποι. Καὶ καθάπερ βασιλέως εἰσιόντος, προτρέχουσι στρατιῶται, ὥστε μὴ ἀθρόον ἀπαρασκευάστως δέξασθαι τὸν βασιλέα· οὕτω καὶ θαύματος μέλλοντος γίνεσθαι παραδόξου, προτρέχουσι τύποι, ὥστε ἡμᾶς προμελετήσαντας μὴ καταπλαγῆναι ἀθρόον, μηδὲ ἐκστῆναι τῷ παραδόξῳ τοῦ γινομένου. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ θανάτου. Προέδραμεν Ἰωνᾶς, καὶ ἐγύμνασεν ἡμῶν τὴν διάνοιαν. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖνον μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας","english":"so that, even if you are a sinner, you may not despair, and even if you are righteous, you may not be puffed up. The strong have no need of a physician, but those who are ill do. The tax collector was ill; therefore he quickly reached out his hand to him; but Isaac was stronger, and for this reason he let him be, in order to increase his endurance. But let this be said by us as a digression. Why the woman was barren, it is necessary to say, so that when you see a Virgin becoming a mother, you may not disbelieve; so that when the Jew says to you, How did Mary give birth? you may say to him, How did Sarah give birth, and Rebecca, and Rachel? For when some marvelous and great miracle is about to occur, many types run before it. And just as when a king enters, soldiers run before him, so that the king may not be received suddenly and unpreparedly, so also when a paradoxical miracle is about to occur, types run before it, so that we, having practiced beforehand, may not be suddenly astounded, nor be thrown into confusion by the paradoxical nature of what happens. This is also the case with death. Jonah ran before, and trained our understanding. For just as he after three days","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἵνα, κἂν ἁμαρτωλὸς ᾖς, μὴ ἀπογνῷς, κἂν δίκαιος ᾖς, μὴ ἐπαρθῇς","severity":"info","text":"The Greek text uses the subjunctive mood to express a conditional purpose: 'so that, even if you are a sinner, you may not despair, and even if you are righteous, you may not be puffed up.' This captures Chrysostom's pastoral exhortation against both despair and pride.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τελώνης","severity":"info","text":"The 'tax collector' (τελώνης) likely refers to the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18:9-14, a common Chrysostomic exemplum of humility and repentance.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἰσαὰκ","severity":"info","text":"Isaac (Ἰσαάκ) is a type of patience and endurance, recalling the binding of Isaac in Genesis 22, where his obedience and God's testing are central.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἰουδαῖος","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom addresses a Jewish interlocutor questioning the virgin birth, reflecting the anti-Jewish polemic common in his homilies, especially the 'Adversus Judaeos' series.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"Πῶς ἔτεκεν ἡ Μαρία; ... Πῶς ἔτεκεν ἡ Σάῤῥα, καὶ ἡ Ῥεβέκκα, καὶ ἡ Ῥαχήλ","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom parallels Mary's virgin birth with the miraculous conceptions of Sarah, Rebecca, and Rachel from the Septuagint, using typology to prefigure the miracle.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"προτρέχουσι τύποι","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'types run before' (προτρέχουσι τύποι) introduces a typological argument: Old Testament figures (e.g., Jonah) prepare the audience for New Testament miracles, a key rhetorical device in Chrysostom's exegesis.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'woman who was barren' (ἡ γυνὴ στεῖρα) is not specified; it may refer to Sarah or another matriarch, but the text does not clarify.","The phrase 'after three days' (μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας) is cut off; it likely refers to Jonah's three days in the whale, but the completion is missing."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":6,"ref":"p6","source":"τὸ κῆτος ἤμεσεν, οὐχ εὑρὸν ἐν αὐτῷ τὴν οἰκείαν τροφὴν καὶ κατάλληλον· οἰκεία γὰρ τροφὴ καὶ κατάλληλος θανάτου τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἡ φύσις· ἐντεῦθεν ἐτέχθη, ἐντεῦθεν ἐῤῥιζώθη, ἐντεῦθεν καὶ τρέφεται. Καθάπερ οὖν ἐφ' ἡμῶν, ἐπειδὰν λίθον καταπίωμεν οὐκ εἰδότες, τότε μὲν πρῶτον ἐπιχειρεῖ πέψαι τοῦτον ἡ τοῦ στομάχου δύναμις· ἐπειδὰν δὲ εὕρῃ ἀλλοτρίαν αὐτῷ οὖσαν τροφὴν, ὁμιλήσασα ἐπὶ πλέον αὐτῷ τῇ πεπτικῇ δυνάμει, ἐκεῖνον μὲν οὐ διαφθείρει, τὴν δὲ ἑαυτῆς ἀπόλλυσιν ἰσχὺν, ὅθεν οὐδὲ τὴν προτέραν δύναται κατέχειν τροφὴν, ἀλλὰ ἀτονήσασα κἀκείνην αὐτῷ συνεξεμεῖ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ὀδύνης· οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ θανάτου γέγονε. Κατέπιε τὸν λίθον τὸν ἀκρογωνιαῖον, καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσεν αὐτὸν πέψαι· ἠσθένησεν αὐτοῦ πᾶσα ἡ δύναμις· διὰ τοῦτο μετ' αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν λοιπὴν, ἣν εἶχε, συνεξέβαλε τροφὴν, τῶν ἀνθρώπων συνεξεμέσας τὴν φύσιν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ταύτην κατασχεῖν δυνήσεται λοιπὸν εἰς τέλος. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ αἱ στεῖραι προέδραμον, ἵνα ὁ τόκος πιστωθῇ· μᾶλλον δὲ οὐχ ἵνα ὁ τόκος πιστωθῇ μόνον, ἀλλ' ἐὰν ἀκριβῶς ἐξετάσωμεν, καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ θανάτου τὴν στείρωσιν τύπον οὖσαν εὑρήσομεν.","english":"The sea monster vomited him up, not finding in him its own proper and suitable food; for the proper and suitable food of death is the nature of sin. From that source it was born, from that source it was rooted, from that source it is nourished. Just as with us, when we swallow a stone unknowingly, at first the power of the stomach attempts to digest it; but when it finds that the food is foreign to it, after it has dealt with it at length by its digestive power, it does not destroy that stone, but loses its own strength, so that it can no longer retain even the previous food, but, having become weak, vomits that food out together with it, with great pain. So also it happened with death. It swallowed the cornerstone, and was unable to digest it; all its power was weakened; therefore, together with it, it cast out the rest of the food it had, vomiting up the nature of human beings. For it will no longer be able to retain even this to the end. For this reason also the barren women ran ahead, so that the birth might be confirmed; or rather, not only so that the birth might be confirmed, but if we examine accurately, we will find that even the barrenness of death itself is a type.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ κῆτος ἤμεσεν","severity":"info","text":"The sea monster (κῆτος) is a reference to the whale that swallowed Jonah (LXX Jonah 2:1). Chrysostom uses this as an allegory for death, which cannot digest the righteous.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν λίθον τὸν ἀκρογωνιαῖον","severity":"info","text":"The 'cornerstone' (ἀκρογωνιαῖος λίθος) is a Christological image, likely drawn from Eph 2:20 or 1 Pet 2:6-7, symbolizing Christ as the foundation of salvation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"αἱ στεῖραι προέδραμον","severity":"info","text":"The 'barren women' (αἱ στεῖραι) refer to the women who were previously childless but gave birth after the resurrection, as a sign of the resurrection's truth. This is a reference to the tradition of the 'first fruits' of the resurrection.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Καθάπερ οὖν ἐφ' ἡμῶν","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom uses an analogy (καθάπερ) from everyday experience (swallowing a stone) to explain the theological point about death's inability to digest the righteous. This is a typical rhetorical device in his homilies.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"στείρωσιν","severity":"info","text":"στείρωσις means 'barrenness' or 'sterility'. Here it is used metaphorically for death's inability to produce lasting results, i.e., its power is rendered sterile by the resurrection.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"τύπον οὖσαν εὑρήσομεν","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'the barrenness of death itself is a type' is ambiguous: it could mean that death's sterility is a type (prefiguration) of the resurrection, or that the barren women are a type of death's sterility. The Greek allows both readings.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τύπον οὖσαν' could be read as either the barren women being a type of death's sterility, or death's sterility being a type of something else. The English draft takes the latter, but the Greek is ambiguous."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":7,"ref":"p7","source":"δʹ. Ἀλλὰ προσέχετε· λεπτὸν γὰρ τὸ ῥηθησόμενον· μέλλομεν γὰρ ἐρεῖν, πῶς πρὸς τὴν πίστιν τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἡμᾶς ἡ μήτρα τῆς Σάῤῥας στειρωθεῖσα χειραγωγεῖ. Πῶς οὖν ἡμᾶς χειραγωγεῖ; Καθάπερ αὕτη νεκρὰ οὖσα ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτος ἀνέστη, καὶ σῶμα ἐβλάστησε ζῶν τὸ τοῦ Ἰσαάκ· οὕτω καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς νεκρωθεὶς ἠγέρθη τῇ οἰκείᾳ δυνάμει. Καὶ ὅτι οὐ βεβίασται τὸ εἰρημένον, ἄκουσον αὐτοῦ τοῦ Παύλου λέγοντος. Εἰπὼν γὰρ περὶ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ, ὅτι Οὐκ ἐνενόησε τὴν νέκρωσιν τῆς μήτρας Σάῤῥας, ἀλλ' ἐνεδυναμώθη τῇ πίστει, δοὺς δόξαν τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ πληροφορηθεὶς ὅτι ὃ ἐπήγγελται δυνατός ἐστι καὶ ποιῆσαι, τοῦτ' ἔστιν, ἀπὸ τῶν νεκρῶν σωμάτων ζῶντα ποιῆσαι γεννηθῆναι υἱόν· εἶτα ἀπ' ἐκείνης εἰς ταύτην ἡμᾶς τὴν πίστιν χειραγωγῶν ἐπήγαγεν· Οὐκ ἐγράφη δι' ἐκεῖνον μόνον, ὅτι ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ, ἀλλὰ καὶ δι' ἡμᾶς. Διὰ τί; Οἷς μέλλει, φησὶ, λογίζεσθαι τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ἐπὶ τὸν ἐγείραντα Ἰησοῦν τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν ἐκ νεκρῶν. Ὃ δὲ λέγει, τοιοῦτόν ἐστι· Τὸν Ἰσαὰκ ἀπὸ νεκρῶν σωμάτων ἤγειρεν· οὕτω καὶ τὸν Υἱὸν ἀνέστησε, νεκρὸν γενόμενον. Βούλει καὶ ἑτέρου πράγματος μαθεῖν σύμβολον οὖσαν τὴν στείρωσιν; Ἤμελλεν ἡ Ἐκκλησία τὸ πλῆθος ἀποκυῆσαι τῶν πιστῶν· ἵν' οὖν μὴ ἀπιστῇς, πῶς ἡ ἄγονος, ἡ ἄκαρπος, ἡ στεῖρα ἔτεκε, προέλαβεν ἡ φύσει στεῖρα, προοδοποιοῦσα τῇ προαιρέσει στείρᾳ, καὶ ἡ Σάῤῥα τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἐγένετο τύπος. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐκείνη στεῖρα οὖσα ἔτεκεν ἐν γήρᾳ, οὕτω καὶ αὕτη στεῖρα οὖσα ἔτεκεν ἐπ' ἐσχάτων τῶν καιρῶν. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦτό ἐστιν ἀληθὲς, ἄκουσον Παύλου λέγοντος· Ἡμεῖς δὲ τῆς ἐλευθέρας τέκνα ἐσμέν.","english":"4. But pay attention, for what will be said is subtle; we are about to explain how the barren womb of Sarah leads us by the hand to faith in the resurrection. How then does it lead us? Just as she, being dead, rose by the grace of God and brought forth a living body, that of Isaac, so also Christ, having died, was raised by his own power. And that this interpretation is not forced, listen to Paul himself speaking. For after saying concerning Abraham that he did not consider the deadness of Sarah's womb, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God and being fully assured that what was promised was possible for him to do—that is, to cause a living son to be born from dead bodies—then, leading us by the hand from that to this faith, he added: \"It was not written for him alone, that it was counted to him, but also for us.\" Why? \"Because,\" he says, \"it is to be counted to those who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.\" And what he says is this: He raised Isaac from dead bodies; so also he raised the Son, who had become dead. Do you wish to learn that the barrenness was also a symbol of another thing? The Church was about to give birth to the multitude of the faithful; so that you might not disbelieve how the barren, the unfruitful, the sterile one gave birth, the naturally sterile one preceded, preparing the way for the sterile by choice, and Sarah became a type of the Church. For just as she, being sterile, gave birth in old age, so also she, being sterile, gave birth at the end of the ages. And that this is true, listen to Paul saying: \"We are children of the free woman.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"μήτρα τῆς Σάῤῥας στειρωθεῖσα","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom interprets Sarah's barren womb as a type of the Church, which is barren by nature yet gives birth at the end of the ages.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Οὐκ ἐγράφη δι' ἐκεῖνον μόνον... ἀλλὰ καὶ δι' ἡμᾶς","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom cites Paul (likely Romans 4) to argue that Abraham's faith in the birth of Isaac from a dead womb prefigures faith in the resurrection of Christ.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Σάῤῥα","severity":"info","text":"Sarah's barrenness and subsequent birth of Isaac at an advanced age is a key typological figure in early Christian exegesis, linking the Old Testament to the resurrection.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Βούλει καὶ ἑτέρου πράγματος μαθεῖν σύμβολον","severity":"info","text":"This rhetorical question marks a transition from the primary typology (Sarah/Isaac as type of Christ's resurrection) to a secondary one (Sarah as type of the Church).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἡμεῖς δὲ τῆς ἐλευθέρας τέκνα ἐσμέν","severity":"info","text":"The closing citation of Paul (Galatians 4:31) identifies the Church as the free woman, reinforcing Sarah as a type of the Church and the faithful as her children.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text uses 'Σάῤῥα' with a diacritic that may indicate a variant spelling or scribal emphasis; the reading 'Sarah' is standard.","The phrase 'νεκρῶν σωμάτων' could be interpreted as 'dead bodies' (plural) or 'dead body' (collective); the translation takes it as plural, consistent with the context of Isaac's birth from a dead womb."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":8,"ref":"p8","source":"Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἡ Σάῤῥα τύπος ἐστὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, ἡ ἐλευθέρα, διὰ τοῦτο ἐπήγαγεν, ὅτι Τῆς ἐλευθέρας τέκνα ἐσμέν. Καὶ πάλιν· Ἄρα, ἀδελφοὶ, κατὰ Ἰσαὰκ ἐπαγγελίας τέκνα ἐσμέν. Τί ἐστιν, Ἐπαγγελίας; Ὥσπερ ἐκεῖνον οὐκ ἔτεκε φύσις, οὐδὲ ἡμᾶς φύσις ἔτεκεν, ἀλλ' ἡ χάρις τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καὶ πάλιν· Ἡ δὲ ἄνω Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐλευθέρα ἐστὶν, ἥτις ἐστὶ μήτηρ ἡμῶν· αὕτη δέ ἐστιν ἡ Ἐκκλησία. Προσεληλύθατε γὰρ Σιὼν ὄρει, φησὶ, καὶ πόλει Θεοῦ ζῶντος, Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐπουρανίῳ, καὶ Ἐκκλησίᾳ πρωτοτόκων.\n\nΕἰ τοίνυν ἄνω Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἡ Ἐκκλησία ἐστὶ, τῆς δὲ ἄνω Ἱερουσαλὴμ τύπος ἐστὶν ἡ Σάῤῥα, καθὼς εἶπεν, ὅτι Δύο εἰσὶ, μία μὲν εἰς δουλείαν γεννῶσα, ἥτις ἐστὶν Ἄγαρ· ἡ δὲ ἄνω Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐλευθέρα ἐστὶν, ἥτις ἐστὶ μήτηρ ἡμῶν, εὔδηλον ὅτι τῆς ἄνω Ἱερουσαλὴμ τύπος ἐστὶν ἡ Σάῤῥα κατὰ τὸν τόκον καὶ τὴν στείρωσιν. εʹ. Οἶδα ὅτι λεπτότερα τὰ εἰρημένα· ἀλλ' ἐὰν λάβωμεν, οὐδὲν ἡμᾶς παραδραμεῖται τῶν λεγομένων. Οὗτοι μὲν οὖν μυστικώτεροι καὶ δογματικώτεροι οἱ λόγοι· εἰ δὲ βούλεσθε, καὶ ἠθικώτερον μετὰ τούτων ἐρῶ. Στεῖρα ἦν ἡ γυνὴ, ἵνα μάθῃς τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τὴν σωφροσύνην· ὅτι οὔτε ἐκείνην ἐξέβαλε, καίτοι οὐδενὸς τότε κωλύοντος","english":"For since Sarah is a type of the Church, the free woman, for this reason he added, \"We are children of the free woman.\" And again: \"Therefore, brothers, we are children of promise, like Isaac.\" What does \"of promise\" mean? Just as nature did not bear him, so nature did not bear us, but the grace of God. And again: \"The heavenly Jerusalem is free, which is our mother; this is the Church.\" For you have come to Mount Zion, he says, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and the Church of the firstborn.\n\nIf, then, the heavenly Jerusalem is the Church, and Sarah is a type of the heavenly Jerusalem, as he said, \"There are two, one giving birth to servitude, which is Hagar; and the heavenly Jerusalem is free, which is our mother,\" it is clear that Sarah is a type of the heavenly Jerusalem with respect to childbirth and barrenness. 5. I know that what has been said is rather subtle; but if we grasp it, nothing of what is said will escape us. These words, then, are more mystical and doctrinal; but if you wish, I will also speak more ethically along with them. The woman was barren, so that you might learn the husband's self-control: that he did not cast her out, although nothing at that time prevented him.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"τύπος","severity":"info","text":"The term 'τύπος' (type) is a key exegetical category in Chrysostom's typological reading: Sarah is a type of the Church and of the heavenly Jerusalem, prefiguring spiritual realities through historical persons.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Τῆς ἐλευθέρας τέκνα ἐσμέν","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom quotes Paul (Gal 4:31) 'We are children of the free woman' and alludes to Gal 4:28 ('children of promise, like Isaac'), grounding his typology in Pauline allegory.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἡ δὲ ἄνω Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐλευθέρα ἐστὶν","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'heavenly Jerusalem' echoes Gal 4:26 and Revelation (e.g., Rev 21:2), but Chrysostom here identifies it with the Church, a common patristic identification.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Σάῤῥα","severity":"info","text":"Sarah's barrenness and miraculous conception of Isaac (Gen 21:1-7) is used by Chrysostom as a type of resurrection, a standard typology in early Christian exegesis (cf. Rom 9:9).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"εʹ","severity":"info","text":"The numeral 'εʹ' (5) marks a new section in the homily, transitioning from doctrinal typology to ethical exhortation, as Chrysostom announces a shift to moral teaching.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Σάῤῥα","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text has 'Σάῤῥα' with a diacritic (ῤ) that may be a scribal or editorial mark; it does not affect the meaning but indicates a textual variant or accentuation in the manuscript tradition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἡ Σάῤῥα τύπος ἐστὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας' could be read as Chrysostom's own assertion or as a paraphrase of Paul; the context suggests the latter, but the text does not mark the citation explicitly.","The reference to 'Ἐκκλησίᾳ πρωτοτόκων' (Church of the firstborn) is ambiguous: it may allude to a specific community (e.g., the Jerusalem church) or be a general typological title."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":9,"ref":"p9","source":"νόμου, οὔτε ἑτέραν λαβὼν, τῇ ἐλευθέρᾳ ἐπεισήγαγεν· ὃ δὴ πολλοὶ ποιοῦσι προφάσει παιδοποιίας, τὴν ἀσέλγειαν τὴν ἑαυτῶν πληροῦντες, καὶ τὰς μὲν ἐκβάλλοντες, τὰς δὲ εἰσάγοντες· οἱ δὲ καὶ παλλακίδας ἐφοπλίζοντες, καὶ μυρίων τὰς οἰκίας πληροῦντες πολέμων. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐκεῖνος ὁ δίκαιος οὕτως, ἀλλ' ἔμενε στέργων τὴν κληρωθεῖσαν αὐτῷ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ γυναῖκα, καὶ παρεκάλει τὸν τῆς φύσεως Δεσπότην διορθῶσαι τῆς φύσεως τὰ δεσμὰ, καὶ οὐκ ὠνείδισε τῇ γυναικί. Καὶ πόθεν, ὅτι οὐκ ὠνείδισεν; Ἐξ αὐτῆς τῆς Γραφῆς. Εἰ ὠνείδισεν, εἶπεν ἂν ἡ Γραφὴ καὶ τοῦτο, καὶ οὐκ ἐσιώπησε· καὶ γὰρ τὰ κατορθώματα λέγει τῶν δικαίων, καὶ τὰ ἐλαττώματα, ἵνα τὰ μὲν φύγωμεν, τὰ δὲ ζηλώσωμεν. Ὅτε γοῦν πρὸς τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἡ νύμφη ἡ Ῥαχὴλ ἀπωδύρετο, κἀκεῖνος ἐπέπληξεν, ἀμφότερα τέθεικε, καὶ οὐκ ἀπέκρυψεν ἡ Γραφή. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἶπε, Δός μοι τέκνα, εἰ δὲ μὴ, ἀποθανοῦμαι, τί φησιν ἐκεῖνος; Μὴ Θεὸς ἐγὼ, ὃς ἐστέρησέ σε καρποῦ κοιλίας; Δός μοι τέκνα. Γυναικώδης ἡ αἴτησις καὶ ἀλόγιστος. Τῷ ἀνδρὶ λέγεις, Δός μοι τέκνα, παραδραμοῦσα τὸν τῆς φύσεως Δεσπότην; Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐκεῖνος πληκτικώτερον ἀποκρινάμενος κατέστειλεν αὐτῆς τὴν ἄλογον αἴτησιν, καὶ ἐδίδαξε παρὰ τίνος δεῖ αἰτεῖν. Ἀλλ' οὐχ οὕτως, οὔτε αὐτὸς οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον εἶπεν, οὔτε ἐκείνη πρὸς τοῦτον ἀπωδύρατο καὶ ἐθρήνησεν. Ἐντεῦθεν σωφροσύνην παιδευόμεθα καὶ πίστιν. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ δεηθῆναι τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὴν πίστιν αὐτοῦ δείκνυσι· τὸ δὲ μὴ ἐκβαλεῖν τὴν γυναῖκα, τὴν σωφροσύνην ἡμῖν καθίστησι φανεράν·","english":"of law, nor did he take another and bring her in alongside the free woman—which many do, under the pretext of begetting children, fulfilling their own licentiousness, casting out some and bringing in others; some even arm themselves with concubines and fill their houses with countless conflicts. But that righteous man was not like that; rather, he remained devoted to the wife allotted to him by God, and he besought the Master of nature to correct the bonds of nature, and he did not reproach his wife. And how do we know that he did not reproach her? From Scripture itself. If he had reproached her, Scripture would have said so too, and would not have kept silent; for it recounts both the achievements and the failings of the righteous, so that we may flee the latter and emulate the former. For instance, when his son's bride Rachel lamented to him, and he rebuked her, Scripture set down both and did not conceal it. For after she said, \"Give me children, or else I will die,\" what does he say? \"Am I God, who has deprived you of the fruit of the womb? Give me children.\" The request is womanish and irrational. Do you say to your husband, \"Give me children,\" bypassing the Master of nature? For this reason he too, answering more sharply, checked her irrational request and taught from whom one ought to ask. But not so here; neither did he say anything of the sort, nor did she lament and mourn to him. From this we are taught self-control and faith. For his beseeching God shows his faith, and his not casting out his wife makes his self-control evident to us.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"προφάσει παιδοποιίας","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'under the pretext of begetting children' reflects a common early Christian critique of divorce and remarriage, where sexual license was disguised as concern for offspring.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Δός μοι τέκνα, εἰ δὲ μὴ, ἀποθανοῦμαι","severity":"info","text":"This is a paraphrase of Rachel's plea to Jacob in Genesis 30:1, where she says, 'Give me children, or I shall die.' Chrysostom uses it to contrast Rachel's impatience with Sarah's faith.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Μὴ Θεὸς ἐγώ, ὃς ἐστέρησέ σε καρποῦ κοιλίας","severity":"info","text":"This echoes Jacob's reply in Genesis 30:2, where he rebukes Rachel for bypassing God. Chrysostom cites it to illustrate proper deference to divine agency.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"σωφροσύνην","severity":"info","text":"The Greek term 'sōphrosynē' (self-control, chastity) is a key virtue in Chrysostom's moral teaching, here contrasted with the licentiousness of those who divorce and remarry.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἐντεῦθεν σωφροσύνην παιδευόμεθα καὶ πίστιν","severity":"info","text":"This sentence serves as a concluding moral summary, drawing the lesson from Abraham's example: his faith (in beseeching God) and self-control (in not casting out Sarah).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"τῆς φύσεως Δεσπότην","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'Master of nature' (τῆς φύσεως Δεσπότην) is a divine title; Chrysostom uses it to emphasize God's sovereignty over natural processes like fertility, but the exact theological nuance may be lost in translation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text is clear; no significant ambiguities in this passage."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":10,"ref":"p10","source":"τὸ δὲ μήτε ὀνειδίσαι, μήτε ἀπογνῶναι, καὶ τὴν ὑπομονὴν καὶ τὴν φιλοσοφίαν καὶ τὴν πολλὴν ἐπιείκειαν καὶ τὴν φιλοστοργίαν τὴν πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα δήλην ποιεῖ. Οὐδὲ γὰρ, καθάπερ πολλοὶ ποιοῦσι νῦν ἐν ταῖς τοιαύταις περιστάσεσιν εἰς μαγγανείας καὶ γοητείας καταφεύγοντες, τὰ περιττὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἀνόνητα καὶ βλαβερὰ, καὶ ψυχὴν ἀπολλύντα, ἐκεῖνος ἐποίησεν, ἀλλὰ ἅπαντα ταῦτα ἀφεὶς, καὶ πάντων τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων καταγελάσας, πρὸς τὸν τῆς φύσεως Δεσπότην τὸν δυνάμενον ταῦτα διορθοῦν μόνον ἀνέδραμεν. ςʹ. Ἀκούσατε ταῦτα, ἄνδρες, παιδεύθητε, γυναῖκες, μιμησώμεθα τὸν δίκαιον ἅπαντες. Μηδὲν ἔστω γυναικὶ ἀνδρὸς τιμιώτερον, μηδὲν ἀνδρὶ γυναικὸς ποθεινότερον. Τοῦτο πάντων ἡμῶν συγκρατεῖ τὴν ζωὴν, τὸ ὁμονοεῖν γυναῖκα πρὸς ἄνδρα· τοῦτο συνέχει τὸν κόσμον ἅπαντα. Καθάπερ γὰρ τοῦ θεμελίου σαλευθέντος, πᾶσα ἡ οἰκοδομὴ καταφέρεται· οὕτω καὶ γάμων στασιαζόντων, ἅπας ὁ βίος ἡμῶν ἀνατρέπεται. Ὅρα γάρ· ὁ κόσμος ἐκ τῶν πόλεων συνέστηκεν, αἱ πόλεις ἐκ τῶν οἰκιῶν, αἱ οἰκίαι ἐξ ἀνδρῶν καὶ γυναικῶν. Ἂν τοίνυν ἐπεισέλθῃ πόλεμος μεταξὺ τῶν ἀνδρῶν καὶ τῶν γυναικῶν, εἰς τὰς οἰκίας εἰσῆλθεν ὁ πόλεμος· τούτων δὲ ταραττομένων, καὶ αἱ πόλεις ἀνάστατοι γίνονται· πόλεων δὲ στασιαζουσῶν, καὶ τὴν οἰκουμένην πᾶσαν ἀνάγκη ταραχῆς ἐμπεπλῆσθαι, καὶ πολέμου, καὶ μάχης. Διὰ τοῦτο ὁ Θεὸς πολλὴν ἐποίησε τοῦ πράγματος τούτου τὴν πρόνοιαν· διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἀφίησιν ἐκβαλεῖν γυναῖκα, ἀλλ' ἢ ἐπὶ πορνείᾳ μόνον. Τί οὖν ἂν λοίδορος ᾖ, φησὶν, ἂν δαπανηρὰ καὶ πολυτελὴς, καὶ μυρία ἕτερα ἐλαττώματα ἔχῃ;","english":"neither did he reproach her, nor give up hope; and this reveals his endurance, his wisdom, his great gentleness, and his affection toward his wife. For he did not, as many do now in such circumstances, resort to sorceries and incantations—those superfluous, useless, harmful things that destroy the soul—but, setting all these aside and laughing at all human contrivances, he fled to the Master of nature, the only one able to set these things right. 6. Hear this, men; be taught, women; let us all imitate the righteous man. Let nothing be more honorable to a woman than her husband, nothing more desirable to a man than his wife. This holds together the life of us all—the harmony of wife with husband; this holds together the whole world. For just as when the foundation is shaken, the whole building collapses, so when marriages are in discord, our entire life is overturned. Consider: the world is composed of cities, cities of houses, houses of men and women. If, then, war breaks out between men and women, war has entered the houses; when these are disturbed, cities are thrown into upheaval; and when cities are in strife, the whole inhabited world must be filled with turmoil, war, and conflict. For this reason God has made great provision for this matter; for this reason he does not permit a man to cast out his wife, except for adultery alone. What then, someone says, if she is abusive, if she is wasteful and extravagant, and has countless other faults?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ δὲ μήτε ὀνειδίσαι, μήτε ἀπογνῶναι","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom contrasts the husband's restraint (neither reproach nor despair) with the common resort to sorcery, framing marital patience as a philosophical and spiritual virtue.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"μαγγανείας καὶ γοητείας","severity":"info","text":"These terms denote magical practices and incantations, which Chrysostom condemns as useless and soul-destroying, reflecting contemporary Christian polemic against folk magic.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ςʹ. Ἀκούσατε ταῦτα","severity":"info","text":"The numeral ςʹ (6) marks a new section, shifting from narrative about the righteous man to a direct exhortation to men and women, using a series of conditional and causal arguments.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐκ ἀφίησιν ἐκβαλεῖν γυναῖκα, ἀλλ' ἢ ἐπὶ πορνείᾳ μόνον","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom references the legal principle that a husband could divorce his wife only for adultery, reflecting Roman and early Byzantine marriage law, though in practice exceptions existed.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"Καθάπερ γὰρ τοῦ θεμελίου σαλευθέντος, πᾶσα ἡ οἰκοδομὴ καταφέρεται","severity":"info","text":"The image of a shaken foundation collapsing a building is a common ancient metaphor for social order, found in Philo and Stoic writers, here applied to marital harmony as the basis of society.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Τί οὖν ἂν λοίδορος ᾖ, φησὶν, ἂν δαπανηρὰ καὶ πολυτελὴς","severity":"caution","text":"The rhetorical question introduces a hypothetical objection (a wife abusive or extravagant), but the text breaks off mid-sentence; the passage is incomplete, and Chrysostom's full response is not preserved here.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The passage ends abruptly with a rhetorical question, leaving Chrysostom's answer to the objection about a wife's faults unstated; the Coptic text may be fragmentary at this point."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":11,"ref":"p11","source":"Φέρε πάντα γενναίως, καὶ μὴ ἐκβάλῃς διὰ τὰ ἐλαττώματα, ἀλλὰ διόρθωσον τὰ ἐλαττώματα. Διὰ τοῦτο κεφαλῆς ἐπέχεις χώραν, ἵνα εἰδῇς θεραπεύειν τὸ σῶμα. Καὶ γὰρ τὸ σῶμα τὸ ἡμέτερον, κἂν μυρία ἔχῃ τραύματα οὐκ ἀποτέμνομεν τὴν κεφαλήν. Μὴ τοίνυν μηδὲ τὴν γυναῖκα ἀποτέμνῃς ἑαυτοῦ· ἐν τάξει γὰρ ἡμῖν ἐστι τοῦ σώματος ἡ γυνή. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος ἔλεγεν· Οἱ ἄνδρες οὕτως ὀφείλουσιν ἀγαπᾷν τὰς γυναῖκας, ὡς τὰ ἑαυτῶν σώματα. Καὶ πρὸς τὰς γυναῖκας δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς νόμος ἡμῖν· ὡς τὴν ἑαυτῆς φίλει κεφαλὴν, ὦ γύναι· καὶ εἰ τιμᾷς, οὕτω τίμα τὸν ἄνδρα· οὐ γὰρ εἰκῆ τοσοῦτον ὑπὲρ τοῦ πράγματος ποιούμεθα λόγον. Οἶδα ὅσων ἀγαθῶν αἴτιόν ἐστι, τὸ γυναῖκα πρὸς ἄνδρα μὴ διχοστατεῖν· οἶδα ὅσων κακῶν ἐστιν ὑπόθεσις, ὅταν οὗτοι πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς διαστασιάζωσι. Τότε γὰρ οὐ πλοῦτος, οὐκ εὐπαιδία, οὐ πολυπαιδία, οὐκ\n\nἀρχὴ καὶ δυναστεία, οὐ δόξα καὶ τιμὴ, οὐ τρυφὴ καὶ πολυτέλεια, οὐκ ἄλλη τις εὐπραγία δύναιτ' ἂν εὐφρᾶναί ποτε γυναῖκα ἢ ἄνδρα, ὅταν πρὸς ἀλλήλους ζυγομαχῶσι.","english":"Bear everything nobly, and do not cast aside because of faults, but correct the faults. For this reason you hold the place of the head, that you may know how to tend the body. For our own body, even if it has countless wounds, we do not cut off the head. Therefore, do not cut off your wife from yourself either; for the wife is in the order of the body for us. For this reason the blessed Paul also said: Men ought to love their wives as their own bodies. And the same law applies to us toward wives: Love your own head, O wife; and if you honor, honor the husband thus; for it is not in vain that we make such a great argument about this matter. I know how many good things result from a wife not being at variance with her husband; I know how many evils are the basis when these are at odds with each other. For then neither wealth, nor good children, nor many children, nor office and power, nor glory and honor, nor luxury and extravagance, nor any other prosperity could ever delight a wife or a husband, when they are at strife with each other.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"Φέρε πάντα γενναίως","severity":"info","text":"The opening imperative 'Bear everything nobly' continues the hortatory tone of the previous passage, urging endurance in marriage.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"κεφαλῆς ἐπέχεις χώραν","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'you hold the place of the head' uses the head-body metaphor common in ancient household codes (e.g., Aristotle, Pol. 1.1254b) to assert male authority and responsibility.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Aristotle Politics"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος ἔλεγεν· Οἱ ἄνδρες οὕτως ὀφείλουσιν ἀγαπᾷν τὰς γυναῖκας, ὡς τὰ ἑαυτῶν σώματα","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom attributes to Paul a command that men love their wives as their own bodies; this is not a direct biblical quotation but a paraphrase of Ephesians 5:28-29, where Paul urges husbands to love wives as themselves.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ζυγομαχῶσι","severity":"info","text":"The verb ζυγομαχέω ('to be at strife') is rare in patristic Greek, appearing in contexts of marital discord; Chrysostom uses it to emphasize the destructive consequences of spousal conflict.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Διὰ τοῦτο ... Διὰ τοῦτο","severity":"info","text":"The repeated 'Διὰ τοῦτο' ('For this reason') structures the argument: first grounding the husband's headship in the duty to correct faults, then linking it to Paul's teaching on marital love.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"Οἶδα ὅσων ἀγαθῶν ... Οἶδα ὅσων κακῶν","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom's rhetorical anaphora ('I know how many good things... I know how many evils') echoes classical moralists (e.g., Plutarch, Coniugalia Praecepta) and was later cited in Byzantine marriage homilies.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Plutarch Coniugalia Praecepta"],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ὡς τὰ ἑαυτῶν σώματα' could be read as 'as their own bodies' (i.e., with the same care) or 'as themselves' (i.e., as their own persons); the translation adopts the former, consistent with the head-body metaphor."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":12,"ref":"p12","source":"ζʹ. Τοῦτο δὴ πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων σπουδάζωμεν. Ἐλαττώματα ἔχει ἡ γυνή; Ποίησον ὅπερ ἐποίησεν ὁ Ἰσαάκ· δεήθητι τοῦ Θεοῦ. Εἰ γὰρ οὗτος τῇ καρτερίᾳ τῆς εὐχῆς φύσεως ἔλυσε πήρωσιν, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡμεῖς προαιρέσεως ἐλαττώματα διορθῶσαι δυνησόμεθα, τὸν Θεὸν συνεχῶς παρακαλοῦντες. Ἐὰν ἴδῃ σε ὁ Θεὸς διὰ τὸν αὐτοῦ νόμον καρτεροῦντα, καὶ φέροντα γενναίως τῆς γυναικὸς τὰ ἁμαρτήματα, συνεφάψεταί σοι τῆς διδασκαλίας, καὶ μισθόν σοι δώσει τῆς ὑπομονῆς. Τί γὰρ οἶδας, φησὶν, ἄνερ, εἰ τὴν γυναῖκα σώσεις; ἢ τί οἶδας, γύναι, εἰ τὸν ἄνδρα σώσεις; Μὴ ἀποκάμῃς δὲ, φησὶ, μηδὲ ἀπελπίσῃς. Συμβαίνει γὰρ αὐτὴν καὶ σωθῆναι· ἂν δὲ ἀδιόρθωτος μένῃ, σὺ τὸν μισθὸν οὐκ ἀπώλεσας τῆς ὑπομονῆς· ἐὰν δὲ ἐκβάλῃς, ἓν πρῶτον ἥμαρτες, τὸ παραβῆναι τὸν νόμον, καὶ μοιχὸς κρίνεσθαι παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ· Ὃς γὰρ ἂν ἐκβάλῃ τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, φησὶ, παρεκτὸς λόγου πορνείας, ποιεῖ αὐτὴν μοιχευθῆναι. Πολλάκις δὲ καὶ ἑτέραν χαλεπωτέραν ἐκείνης λαβὼν, τὴν μὲν ἁμαρτίαν εἰργάσω, ἀναπαύσεως δὲ οὐκ ἀπέλαυσας. Ἂν δὲ καὶ κρείσσω λάβῃς, οὐκ ἀφίησί σοι τὴν ἡδονὴν ἀκέραιον εἶναι τὴν ἐκ τῆς δευτέρας, διὰ τὴν ἄφεσιν τῆς προτέρας, λογιζομένης σοι μοιχείας· μοιχεία γάρ ἐστι τὸ τὴν προτέραν ἀφεῖναι. Ὅταν οὖν ἴδῃς δυσκολίαν τινὰ συμπεσοῦσαν, ἢ ἐν τῷ γάμῳ, ἢ ἐν ἑτέρᾳ πραγμάτων καταστάσει, παρακάλει τὸν Θεόν· αὕτη γὰρ μόνη λύσις ἐστὶν ἀρίστη τῶν συμβαινόντων ἡμῖν δεινῶν. Καὶ γὰρ μέγα τῆς εὐχῆς τὸ ὅπλον ἐστί. Τοῦτο καὶ πολλάκις εἶπον, καὶ νῦν λέγω, καὶ λέγων οὐ παύσομαι·","english":"Let us, then, before all else, be zealous in this. Does the wife have faults? Do what Isaac did: beseech God. For if he, by the steadfastness of prayer, loosened the blindness of nature, much more shall we be able to correct faults of will, if we continually call upon God. If God sees you enduring for the sake of His law and bearing your wife’s transgressions nobly, He will join with you in the teaching and will give you a reward for your patience. For what do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? Or what do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Do not grow weary, do not despair. It may happen that she is saved; but if she remains incorrigible, you have not lost the reward of your patience. If you cast her out, you have first sinned in one thing: transgressing the law, and being judged an adulterer before God. For whoever casts out his wife, it says, except for a reason of fornication, makes her commit adultery. Often, too, having taken another woman more troublesome than the first, you have wrought the sin but have not enjoyed rest. And even if you take a better one, the pleasure from the second is not left pure for you because of the dismissal of the first, which is accounted to you as adultery; for to dismiss the first wife is adultery. Therefore, when you see some difficulty arising, either in marriage or in another state of affairs, call upon God; for this alone is the best solution to the terrible things that befall us. Indeed, the weapon of prayer is great. This I have said many times, and I say now, and I will not cease saying it.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"Τοῦτο δὴ πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων σπουδάζωμεν","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom transitions from the previous passage's metaphor of the wife as body to a practical exhortation: zeal in prayer, not despair, is the primary duty.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁ Ἰσαάκ","severity":"info","text":"Isaac's prayer to reverse blindness alludes to Genesis 25:21–26, where Isaac prays for Rebekah's fertility, or to a tradition of Isaac's prayer healing his own blindness (cf. Testament of Isaac).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"μοιχὸς κρίνεσθαι παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom reflects Roman law (Lex Iulia de adulteriis) and Christian teaching that unjustified divorce makes the husband an adulterer, as the wife is forced into a new union.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"παρεκτὸς λόγου πορνείας","severity":"info","text":"The exception for fornication as sole ground for divorce echoes Matthew 19:9 and 1 Corinthians 7:10–11, where sexual immorality permits separation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Τοῦτο καὶ πολλάκις εἶπον, καὶ νῦν λέγω, καὶ λέγων οὐ παύσομαι","severity":"info","text":"This concluding formula marks a rhetorical climax, emphasizing the centrality of prayer as a recurring theme in the homily.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν Θεὸν συνεχῶς παρακαλοῦντες","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom's insistence on persistent prayer for marital faults influenced later Byzantine and Slavic pastoral manuals on marriage and divorce.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Isaac' is ambiguous: it may refer to the patriarch Isaac (Genesis) or to a hagiographic figure; the text does not specify.","The phrase 'παρεκτὸς λόγου πορνείας' could be interpreted as 'except for a reason of fornication' or 'except in the case of fornication'; the translation follows the former."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":13,"ref":"p13","source":"κἂν ἁμαρτωλὸς ὑπάρχῃς, βλέπε πρὸς τὸν τελώνην τὸν μὴ ἀποτυχόντα, τὸν τοσαῦτα ἁμαρτήματα ἀπονιψάμενον. Βούλει μαθεῖν ὅσον ἐστὶν εὐχή; Οὐκ ἀνύει τοσοῦτον φιλία πρὸς Θεὸν, ὅσον εὐχή. Καὶ οὐκ ἐμὸς ὁ λόγος· οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἐτόλμησα τοσοῦτον πρᾶγμα ἀπὸ τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ γνώμης ἀποφήνασθαι· ἄκουσον ἐκ τῶν Γραφῶν πῶς. ὅσον οὐκ ἤνυσε φιλία, ἤνυσεν εὐχή. Τίς ἐστιν ἐξ ὑμῶν, φησὶν, ὃς ἕξει φίλον, καὶ ἐλθὼν εἴπῃ αὐτῷ· Ἑταῖρε, χρῆσόν μοι τρεῖς ἄρτους· κἀκεῖνος ἀποκριθεὶς ἐρεῖ αὐτῷ· Ἡ θύρα κέκλεισται, τὰ παιδία ἐπὶ τῆς κλίνης ἐστί· μή μοι κόπους πάρεχε. Λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν, εἰ καὶ διὰ τὸ εἶναι φίλον αὐτοῦ μὴ δώσει αὐτῷ, διὰ δὲ τὴν ἀναίδειαν αὐτοῦ δώσει αὐτῷ ὅσων ἂν χρῄζῃ. Ὁρᾷς πῶς, ὅσον οὐκ ἴσχυσεν ἡ φιλία, τοῦτο ἴσχυσεν ἡ προσεδρεία; Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ φίλος ἦν αἰτῶν, ἵνα μὴ νομίσῃς ὅτι διὰ τοῦτο ἤνυσεν, εἶπεν· Εἰ καὶ διὰ τὸ εἶναι φίλον αὐτοῦ μὴ δώσει αὐτῷ, διὰ δὲ τὴν ἀναίδειαν αὐτοῦ δώσει αὐτῷ. Εἰ καὶ ἡ φιλία μὴ ἐργάσεται, φησὶ, τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ ἡ προσεδρεία ἐργάσεται, ὅσον ἡ φιλία οὐκ ἴσχυσε. Καὶ ποῦ τοῦτο γέγονεν; Ἐπὶ τοῦ τελώνου. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἦν τῷ Θεῷ φίλος ὁ τελώνης· ἀλλ' ἐγένετο φίλος· ὥστε κἂν ἐχθρὸς ᾖς, τῇ προσεδρείᾳ γενήσῃ φίλος. Ὅρα καὶ τὴν Συροφοίνισσαν, καὶ ἄκουσον τί φησι πρὸς αὐτήν· Οὐκ ἔστι καλὸν λαβεῖν τὸν ἄρτον τῶν τέκνων, καὶ δοῦναι τοῖς κυναρίοις. Καὶ πῶς ἐποίησεν αὐτὸ, εἰ μή ἐστι καλόν; Τῇ προσεδρείᾳ αὐτὸ ἐποίησεν ἡ γυνὴ καλόν· ἵνα μάθῃς, ὅτι ὧν οὐκ ἐσμὲν ἄξιοι, γινόμεθα ἄξιοι, διὰ τῆς προσεδρείας. ηʹ. Ταῦτα εἶπον ἵνα μὴ λέγῃς ὅτι Ἁμαρτωλός εἰμι, ἀπαῤῥησίαστός εἰμι, οὐκ ἔχω εὐχήν.","english":"Even if you are a sinner, look to the publican who did not fail, who washed away so many sins. Do you wish to learn how great prayer is? Friendship with God does not accomplish as much as prayer. And this is not my word; for I would not have dared to declare so great a thing from my own opinion; listen from the Scriptures how. What friendship did not accomplish, prayer accomplished. \"Who among you,\" he says, \"has a friend, and coming says to him, 'Comrade, lend me three loaves,' and he, answering, says to him, 'The door is shut, the children are on the bed; do not give me trouble'? For I tell you, even if because he is his friend he will not give to him, yet because of his importunity he will give to him whatever he needs.\" Do you see how, what friendship did not prevail to do, this importunity did? For since he was a friend making the request, lest you think that he accomplished it because of this, he said, \"Even if because he is his friend he will not give to him, yet because of his importunity he will give to him.\" \"Even if friendship will not effect this,\" he says, \"yet importunity will effect it, what friendship did not prevail to do.\" And where did this happen? In the case of the publican. For the publican was not a friend of God; but he became a friend; so that even if you are an enemy, by importunity you will become a friend. Consider also the Syrophoenician woman, and listen to what he says to her: \"It is not good to take the bread of the children and give it to the dogs.\" And how did he do it, if it is not good? By importunity the woman made it good; so that you may learn that what we are not worthy of, we become worthy of, through importunity. 8. I said these things so that you may not say, \"I am a sinner, I am without freedom of speech, I do not have prayer.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"προσεδρεία","severity":"info","text":"The Greek term προσεδρεία (importunity, persistence) is central to Chrysostom's argument, contrasting with φιλία (friendship) and εὐχή (prayer). It denotes persistent, even bold, entreaty.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Συροφοίνισσα","severity":"info","text":"The Syrophoenician woman is a figure from the Gospel of Mark (7:24-30) and Matthew (15:21-28), where Jesus initially refuses her request but is moved by her persistence. Chrysostom uses this as a model of importunity.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τελώνης","severity":"info","text":"The publican (τελώνης) refers to the tax collector in the Gospel parable (Luke 18:10-14) who, despite his sinful occupation, gains God's favor through persistent prayer. Chrysostom contrasts his initial enmity with God with his eventual friendship.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom uses a rhetorical question (Βούλει μαθεῖν) to introduce a scriptural example, then reinforces the argument with a second example (the Syrophoenician woman), creating a parallel structure that emphasizes the power of importunity.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage reflects Chrysostom's pastoral concern to encourage sinners, a theme echoed in later ascetic and monastic traditions that emphasize perseverance in prayer despite unworthiness.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀπαῤῥησίαστός","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text has ἀπαῤῥησίαστός, likely a scribal error for ἀπαρρησίαστος (without freedom of speech). The sense is clear: the sinner lacks boldness in prayer, but Chrysostom argues importunity overcomes this.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἀπαῤῥησίαστός' is a textual corruption; the intended word is ἀπαρρησίαστος, meaning 'without freedom of speech' or 'timid' in prayer.","The identity of the speaker in the scriptural quotation ('Τίς ἐστιν ἐξ ὑμῶν...') is ambiguous; Chrysostom may be citing a known saying or constructing a hypothetical example."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":14,"ref":"p14","source":"Ἐκεῖνος ἔχει παῤῥησίαν ὁ μὴ νομίζων ἔχειν παῤῥησίαν· ὡς ὁ νομίζων παῤῥησίαν ἔχειν, ἀπώλεσε τὴν παῤῥησίαν, καθάπερ ὁ Φαρισαῖος· ὁ δὲ νομίζων ἑαυτὸν ἀπεῤῥιμμένον καὶ ἀπαῤῥησίαστον, οὗτος μάλιστα εἰσακουσθήσεται, καθάπερ ὁ τελώνης. Ὅρα πόσα ἔχεις παραδείγματα, τὴν Συροφοίνισσαν, τὸν τελώνην, τὸν λῃστὴν τὸν ἐπὶ σταυροῦ, τὸν ἐν τῇ παραβολῇ φίλον τὸν τοὺς τρεῖς ἄρτους αἰτοῦντα, καὶ οὐχ οὕτω διὰ τὴν φιλίαν, ὡς διὰ τὴν προσεδρείαν ἐπιτυχόντα. Τούτων\n\nἕκαστος εἰ εἶπεν, ὅτι Ἁμαρτωλός εἰμι, ὅτι Κατῃσχυμμένος εἰμὶ, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ὀφείλω προσελθεῖν, οὐκ ἂν ἤνυσέ τι πλέον. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ἕκαστος τούτων οὐ πρὸς τὸ μέγεθος εἶδε τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸν πλοῦτον τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίας, ἐθάῤῥει, καὶ κατετόλμησε, καὶ ἁμαρτωλὸς ὢν ᾐτεῖτο ὑπὲρ τὴν ἀξίαν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ ἤνυσεν ἕκαστος ἅπερ ἠθέλησε. Ταῦτ' οὖν μνημονεύωμεν ἅπαντα καὶ φυλάττωμεν, καὶ εὐχώμεθα διηνεκῶς, μετὰ νήψεως, μετὰ τοῦ θαῤῥεῖν, μετὰ χρηστῶν ἐλπίδων, μετὰ σπουδῆς πολλῆς. Μεθ' ὅσης ἕτεροι σπουδῆς κατεύχονται τῶν ἐχθρῶν, μετὰ τοσαύτης ἡμεῖς σπουδῆς καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐχθρῶν, καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἑαυτῶν ἀδελφῶν εὐξώμεθα, καὶ πάντως ἐπιτευξόμεθα τῶν συμφερόντων ἁπάντων. Φιλάνθρωπος γὰρ ὁ διδοὺς, καὶ οὐχ οὕτως ἡμεῖς ἐπιποθοῦμεν λαβεῖν, ὡς ἐκεῖνος ἐπιποθεῖ δοῦναι. Ταῦτ' οὖν ἅπαντα εἰδότες, κἂν εἰς ἔσχατον κακίας πυθμένα κατενεχθῶμεν, μηδὲ οὕτως ἀπογνῶμεν τῆς ἑαυτῶν σωτηρίας, ἀλλὰ μετὰ ἀγαθῆς ἐλπίδος προσίωμεν, πείσαντες ἑαυτοὺς ὅτι πάντως ληψόμεθα ἅπερ αἰτοῦμεν, ἂν κατὰ τοὺς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ κειμένους νόμους αἰτῶμεν.","english":"That man has parrhesia who does not think he has parrhesia; just as he who thinks he has parrhesia has lost parrhesia, like the Pharisee. But he who considers himself cast off and without parrhesia, that man will especially be heard, like the publican. See how many examples you have: the Syrophoenician woman, the publican, the thief on the cross, the friend in the parable who asked for three loaves, and succeeded not so much through friendship as through persistence. Each of these, if he had said, \"I am a sinner, I am disgraced, and therefore I ought not to approach,\" would have accomplished nothing more. But because each of them looked not to the magnitude of his sins, but to the wealth of God's philanthropy, he took courage, he dared, and being a sinner he asked for more than his own worth, and each accomplished what he wished. Therefore let us remember all these things and keep them, and let us pray continually, with sobriety, with confidence, with good hopes, with great zeal. With as much zeal as others pray against their enemies, with that same zeal let us pray both for our enemies and for our own brothers, and we shall certainly obtain all that is beneficial. For the giver is philanthropic, and we do not desire to receive as much as he desires to give. Knowing all this, even if we are carried down to the deepest abyss of evil, let us not even then despair of our own salvation, but let us approach with good hope, persuading ourselves that we shall certainly obtain what we ask, if we ask according to the laws laid down by him.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"παῤῥησίαν","severity":"info","text":"Parrhesia denotes frankness or boldness of speech, especially in prayer before God. Chrysostom contrasts false confidence (Pharisee) with true confidence born of humility (publican).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν λῃστὴν τὸν ἐπὶ σταυροῦ","severity":"info","text":"The 'thief on the cross' refers to the penitent thief in Luke 23:39–43, a standard example of salvation through repentance at the last moment.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τὴν Συροφοίνισσαν","severity":"info","text":"The Syrophoenician woman appears in Mark 7:24–30 and Matthew 15:21–28; she persuades Jesus to heal her daughter despite being a Gentile and a sinner, exemplifying boldness in supplication.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν ἐν τῇ παραβολῇ φίλον τὸν τοὺς τρεῖς ἄρτους αἰτοῦντα","severity":"info","text":"This parable of the friend asking for three loaves is not identified in canonical scripture; it may derive from an apocryphal or oral tradition known to Chrysostom's audience.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ταῦτ' οὖν μνημονεύωμεν","severity":"info","text":"This passage concludes the homily's exhortation with a series of imperatives (μνημονεύωμεν, φυλάττωμεν, εὐχώμεθα), shifting from example to direct paraenesis.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"Φιλάνθρωπος γὰρ ὁ διδοὺς","severity":"info","text":"Chrysostom's emphasis on God's philanthropy (φιλανθρωπία) as surpassing human desire to receive is a hallmark of his soteriology, influential in later Eastern Christian spirituality.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The parable of the friend asking for three loaves is unattested in known scripture; its source is uncertain."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":15,"ref":"p15","source":"Τῷ δυναμένῳ πάντα ποιῆσαι ὑπὲρ ἐκπερισσοῦ ὧν αἰτούμεθα ἢ νοοῦμεν, Χριστῷ τῷ παμβασιλεῖ Θεῷ ἡμῶν πρέπει πᾶσα δόξα, τιμὴ καὶ προσκύνησις, σὺν τῷ ἀνάρχῳ Πατρὶ, καὶ τῷ παναγίῳ καὶ ζωοποιῷ Πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.","english":"To the one who can do everything beyond what we ask or conceive, Christ the All-King, our God, belongs all glory, honor, and worship, together with the Father who is without beginning, and the all-holy and life-giving Spirit, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Τῷ δυναμένῳ πάντα ποιῆσαι","severity":"info","text":"The passage concludes the work with a doxology, shifting from narrative exempla to a liturgical formula addressed to Christ as pantokrator.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"παμβασιλεῖ","severity":"info","text":"παμβασιλεῖ (all-king) is a rare epithet for Christ, emphasizing universal sovereignty; it echoes imperial language but is applied here to divine authority.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"σὺν τῷ ἀνάρχῳ Πατρὶ, καὶ τῷ παναγίῳ καὶ ζωοποιῷ Πνεύματι","severity":"info","text":"The trinitarian formula (Father without beginning, all-holy and life-giving Spirit) reflects late fourth-century Nicene orthodoxy, consistent with Chrysostom's context.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"Ἀμήν","severity":"info","text":"The closing 'Amen' is a standard liturgical conclusion, indicating the work was likely used in a communal reading or homiletic setting.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ὑπὲρ ἐκπερισσοῦ ὧν αἰτούμεθα ἢ νοοῦμεν","severity":"info","text":"The phrase echoes Pauline language of God's power exceeding human understanding (cf. Rom 11:33, Eph 3:20), though not a direct quotation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The doxology's precise liturgical origin is uncertain; it may be a later addition or a standard closing formula."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]}]}