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Commentary on the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Galatians
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Saint John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, was an important Early Church Father. He is known for his eloquence in preaching and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and political leaders, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, and his ascetic sensibilities. After his death in 407 (or, according to some sources, during his life) he was given the Greek surname chrysostomos, meaning "golden mouthed", rendered in English as Chrysostom.
The Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches honor him as a saint and count him among the Three Holy Hierarchs, together with Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzus. He is recognized by the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church as a saint and as a Doctor of the Church. Churches of the Western tradition, including the Roman Catholic Church, some Anglican provinces, and parts of the Lutheran Church, commemorate him on 13 September. Some Lutheran and many Anglican provinces commemorate him on the traditional Eastern feast day of 27 January. The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria also recognizes John Chrysostom as a saint (with feast days on 16 Thout and 17 Hathor).
John is known in Christianity chiefly as a preacher, theologian and liturgist. Among his homilies (commentaries), eight directed against Judaizing Christians remain controversial for their impact on the development of Christian antisemitism.
Saint John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, was an important Early Church Father. He is known for his eloquence in preaching and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and political leaders, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, and his ascetic sensibilities. After his death in 407 (or, according to some sources, during his life) he was given the Greek surname chrysostomos, meaning "golden mouthed", rendered in English as Chrysostom.
The Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches honor him as a saint and count him among the Three Holy Hierarchs, together with Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzus. He is recognized by the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church as a saint and as a Doctor of the Church. Churches of the Western tradition, including the Roman Catholic Church, some Anglican provinces, and parts of the Lutheran Church, commemorate him on 13 September. Some Lutheran and many Anglican provinces commemorate him on the traditional Eastern feast day of 27 January. The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria also recognizes John Chrysostom as a saint (with feast days on 16 Thout and 17 Hathor).
John is known in Christianity chiefly as a preacher, theologian and liturgist. Among his homilies (commentaries), eight directed against Judaizing Christians remain controversial for their impact on the development of Christian antisemitism.
126 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 21, 2011
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About the author
John Chrysostom
1,276 books231 followersJohn Chrysostom (c. 347–407, Greek: Ἰωάννης ὁ Χρυσόστομος), Archbishop of Constantinople, was an important Early Church Father. He is known for his eloquence in preaching and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and political leaders, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, and his ascetic sensibilities. After his death in 407 (or, according to some sources, during his life) he was given the Greek epithet chrysostomos, meaning "golden mouthed", in English and Anglicized to Chrysostom.
The Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches honor him as a saint and count him among the Three Holy Hierarchs, together with Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzus. He is recognized by the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church as a saint and as a Doctor of the Church. Churches of the Western tradition, including the Roman Catholic Church, some Anglican provinces, and parts of the Lutheran Church, commemorate him on 13 September. Some Lutheran and many Anglican provinces commemorate him on the traditional Eastern feast day of 27 January. The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria also recognizes John Chrysostom as a saint (with feast days on 16 Thout and 17 Hathor).
John is known in Christianity chiefly as a preacher, theologian and liturgist. Among his homilies, eight directed against Judaizing Christians remain controversial for their impact on the development of Christian antisemitism.
The Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches honor him as a saint and count him among the Three Holy Hierarchs, together with Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzus. He is recognized by the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church as a saint and as a Doctor of the Church. Churches of the Western tradition, including the Roman Catholic Church, some Anglican provinces, and parts of the Lutheran Church, commemorate him on 13 September. Some Lutheran and many Anglican provinces commemorate him on the traditional Eastern feast day of 27 January. The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria also recognizes John Chrysostom as a saint (with feast days on 16 Thout and 17 Hathor).
John is known in Christianity chiefly as a preacher, theologian and liturgist. Among his homilies, eight directed against Judaizing Christians remain controversial for their impact on the development of Christian antisemitism.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 21, 2019
absolutely masterful and entirely relevant. This lacks nothing.
September 4, 2024
Full of profound insights from one of the great Church Fathers. I found his format of going through the epistle line by line very helpful. I also liked that John Chrysostom did not confine himself merely to interpreting Paul in these Homilies, he also used the words to denounce many of the popular Heresies of the day.
September 4, 2023
Absolutely fantastic.
February 17, 2015
Essential reading for understanding the ancient Catholic interpretation of Paul's letter to the Galatians. While Chrysostom is, in my opinion, generally unclear, he does makes some very clear statements on righteousness through faith alone that agree with the Reformed doctrine of salvation. On the other hand, he seems to the think the primary problem in Galatia is the addition of mere rituals, and doesn't seem to grasp the underlying problem behind this: i.e. works-based salvation and glorying. This commentary does not illuminate Paul's letter, but it does provide many helpful insights into ancient Christianity, and Chrysostom is an enjoyable preacher to listen to (why he was rightly called the Golden Mouth).
Here are some notable quotes from the commentary:
“Lest any one should suspect, from his calling the Law over and over again a yoke of bondage, and grace a deliverance from the curse, that his object in enjoining an abandonment of the Law, was that one might live lawlessly, he corrects this notion, and states his object to be, not that our course of life might be lawless, but that our philosophy might surpass the law.”
“Fulfil not a part, but the whole, if the Law is of force; but if it be not of force, not even a part.”
“He that loves his neighbor as he ought, declines not to minister to him more humbly than any servant.”
“As fire, brought into contact with wax, easily softens it, so does the warmth of love melt all arrogance and presumption more powerfully than fire.”
“Truly the sacrifice was offered for all mankind, and was sufficient to save all, but those who enjoy the blessing are the believing only. Nevertheless it did not deter Him from His so great condescension, that not all would come; but He acted after the pattern of the supper in the Gospel, which He prepared for all, yet when the guests came not, instead of withdrawing the viands, He called in others.”
“A want of zeal in small matters is the cause of all our calamities; because slight errors escape fitting correction, greater ones creep in.”
“Why then are you afraid of drawing nigh, since you have no works demanded of you?... Let us then give thanks, that we belong to them that are being saved, and not having been able to save ourselves by works, were saved by the gift of God.”
“Since they were vanquished in doctrine, they had recourse to violence, which was a manifest sign of Paul’s superiority.”
“If the Law is to be observed, it must be observed as a whole, or not at all. If omitting one part makes you fear condemnation, this fear attaches equally to all the parts. If a transgression of the whole is not punishable, much less is the transgression of a part; on the other hand, if the latter be punishable, much more the former.”
“They said that he who adhered to faith alone was cursed, but he [Paul] shows that he who adhered to faith alone is blessed.”
“To this curse, I say, the people were subject, for no man had continued in, or was a keeper of, the whole Law; but Christ exchanged this curse for the other, ‘Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree’. As then both he who hangeth on a tree, and he who transgresses the Law, is cursed, and as he who is about to relieve from a curse ought himself to be free from it, and to receive another instead of it, therefore Christ took upon Him such another, and thereby relieved us from the curse. It was like an innocent man’s undertaking to die for another sentenced to death, and so rescuing him from punishment. For Christ took upon Him not the curse of transgression, but the other curse, in order to remove that of others. For ‘He did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth’. And as by dying He rescued from death those who were dying, so by taking upon Himself the curse, He delivered them from it.”
“It was not by your own pains that you found out God, but while ye continued in error, He drew you to Himself.”
“You must abandon the law if you would obey it, for this is its own wish.”
Here are some notable quotes from the commentary:
“Lest any one should suspect, from his calling the Law over and over again a yoke of bondage, and grace a deliverance from the curse, that his object in enjoining an abandonment of the Law, was that one might live lawlessly, he corrects this notion, and states his object to be, not that our course of life might be lawless, but that our philosophy might surpass the law.”
“Fulfil not a part, but the whole, if the Law is of force; but if it be not of force, not even a part.”
“He that loves his neighbor as he ought, declines not to minister to him more humbly than any servant.”
“As fire, brought into contact with wax, easily softens it, so does the warmth of love melt all arrogance and presumption more powerfully than fire.”
“Truly the sacrifice was offered for all mankind, and was sufficient to save all, but those who enjoy the blessing are the believing only. Nevertheless it did not deter Him from His so great condescension, that not all would come; but He acted after the pattern of the supper in the Gospel, which He prepared for all, yet when the guests came not, instead of withdrawing the viands, He called in others.”
“A want of zeal in small matters is the cause of all our calamities; because slight errors escape fitting correction, greater ones creep in.”
“Why then are you afraid of drawing nigh, since you have no works demanded of you?... Let us then give thanks, that we belong to them that are being saved, and not having been able to save ourselves by works, were saved by the gift of God.”
“Since they were vanquished in doctrine, they had recourse to violence, which was a manifest sign of Paul’s superiority.”
“If the Law is to be observed, it must be observed as a whole, or not at all. If omitting one part makes you fear condemnation, this fear attaches equally to all the parts. If a transgression of the whole is not punishable, much less is the transgression of a part; on the other hand, if the latter be punishable, much more the former.”
“They said that he who adhered to faith alone was cursed, but he [Paul] shows that he who adhered to faith alone is blessed.”
“To this curse, I say, the people were subject, for no man had continued in, or was a keeper of, the whole Law; but Christ exchanged this curse for the other, ‘Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree’. As then both he who hangeth on a tree, and he who transgresses the Law, is cursed, and as he who is about to relieve from a curse ought himself to be free from it, and to receive another instead of it, therefore Christ took upon Him such another, and thereby relieved us from the curse. It was like an innocent man’s undertaking to die for another sentenced to death, and so rescuing him from punishment. For Christ took upon Him not the curse of transgression, but the other curse, in order to remove that of others. For ‘He did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth’. And as by dying He rescued from death those who were dying, so by taking upon Himself the curse, He delivered them from it.”
“It was not by your own pains that you found out God, but while ye continued in error, He drew you to Himself.”
“You must abandon the law if you would obey it, for this is its own wish.”
October 6, 2019
Chrysostom is one of the most compelling of the early church Fathers. I balked at first at his being against “Judaizing” Christians, but later learned that he meant making works more important than faith.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews