κατά ίουδαίων - αʹ

Today I had intended to complete my discussion...

on the topic on which I spoke to you a few days ago. I wished to present you with even clearer proof that God's nature is more than our minds can graspe. Last Sunday I spoke on this at great length, and I brought forward as my witnesses Isaiah, David, and Paul.

For it was Isaiah who exclaimed: "Who shall declare his generation?"

David knew God was beyond his comprehension and so he gave thanks to him and said: "I will praise you for you are fearfully magnified: wonderful are your works". And again it was David who said: "The knowledge of you is to wonderful for me, a height to which my mind cannot attain".

Paul did not search and pry into God's very essence, but only into his providence. I should say rather that he looked only on the small portion of divine providence which God had made manifest when he called the gentiles. And Paul saw this small part as a vast and incomprehensible sea when he exclaimed: "O the depth of the riches and of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments, and how unsearchable his ways!"

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These three witnesses gave us proof enough.

But I was not satisfied with prophets, nor did I settle for apostles.

I mounted to the heavens and gave you as proof the chorus of angels as they sang: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will among men". Again, you heard the Seraphim as they shuddered and cried out in astonishment: "Holy holy holy, the Lord God of hosts, all the earth is filled with his glory". And I gave you also the cherubim who exclaimed: "Blessed be his glory in his dwelling".


~chrysostomus~
against the jews
homily 1