Saint John Chrysostom lived, served, and preached during crucial stages in the history of the Christian Church (1).

Saint John was born around the year 350 AD. In Antioch in Syria, shortly after Christianity was established as the official religion of the Roman Empire by Constantine, in a city where Greek civilization met the various cultures of the East.

The Church of Antioch was founded by Saint Paul and visited by Saint Peter. It was distinguished by the bishopric of Saint Ignatius (the God-bearer) - martyred in 107 AD - and Antioch was considered the third city of the Roman Empire. That is until the emergence of the city of Constantinople. Its population is about three hundred thousand people, most of them Greeks, but also Syrians, Phoenicians, Romans, Jews, and others.

Christianity then had to compete with a number of other religions, as well as with the attractions of the secular world of theatres, cabarets and horse races.

Earthquakes and Persian invasions posed a constant threat to the city. The city of Antioch was a prosperous city due to its location between trade routes, and there were very rich families and very poor families, but the majority were in a good financial situation. (2).

Saint John's parents were Christians and prominent citizens (nobles). But his father died when he was still a small child. His mother, Anthusa, devoted herself to raising her son and providing him with all the basic religious and moral teachings. Saint John received his education from the ancient civilization.

His readings included the great classics of Greek paganism. He did not learn any language other than Latin, the official language of the empire, and Syrian, which was spoken by the local people. His teacher, Libanius, was the most famous orator of his time. His sermons attracted large crowds of listeners, and John's sermons later had the same popular reception, and his classical teaching sometimes appeared as mentions of ancient poets, such as Homeus, and allusions to philosophers such as Solon, Socrates, and Diocesus. As for his moral teaching, he combines the spirituality of the New Testament with the teachings and laws of those who called that virtue is the only true good and the only righteousness, and that wisdom is the only source of true freedom and true wealth.

In the fourth century AD, baptism was not necessarily practiced during childhood [despite the biblical evidence of its necessity in early childhood]. At this time, Christian parents would leave their children among the catechumens (seekers of baptism) so that when they reached adulthood, they themselves would choose to receive them. Baptism, so their names are included among the candidates for baptism on the following Christian Easter, under the auspices of the beloved head of the Church of Antioch, Saint Meletius.

John received baptism when he was about twenty years old, and a few years later he was ordained reader. In the school of Antioch, which was headed by Diodorus (later Bishop of Tarsus), Saint John directed all his interests to religious studies, giving priority to the Gospel. Among his colleagues at the Antioch School was Theodore (later Bishop of Mopsouest).

These men took it upon themselves to interpret the Bible according to the Antiochene method, emphasizing the literal and historical meanings of the verses, and within limits, they used the symbolic doctrine established by Origen and the Alexandrian interpreters.

Another student of the School of Antioch was Nestorius, who was condemned as a heretic at the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD. His condemnation cast doubt, and perhaps unworthiness, on the orthodoxy of Diodorus and Theodore.

Saint John was not interested in the details of theological debates, but he used the Antiochene (literal-historical) doctrine of interpretation to advance Christian behavior in life.

Anthusa, John's mother, urged him not to leave her and become a monk as long as she remained alive.

After the death of his mother, John rushed into a life of asceticism with one of the hermit monastic groups among the hills near the city of Antioch. Under the guidance of an old Syrian monk, Saint John spent four years training for ascetic life. Then he retired to isolate himself in an isolated cave. But after two years his extreme ascetic rigor obliged him to return to Antioch – and perhaps this time spent in spiritual contemplation helped him discover his true talent as a shepherd and teacher.

For the next twenty years, he served the Church of Antioch as a reader, deacon, and priest.

During the years he spent as a reader and deacon, he got to know the people of the city, and he carried out his work by participating in serving the divine mysteries, collecting and distributing alms, and helping and guiding the catechumens (baptism seekers). Through his experience, he recognized the extent of the suffering of the poor and the sick, and he attacked the arrogance of the rich.

In the year 386 AD, Flavian (who succeeded Meletius as bishop of Antioch) ordained Saint John to the priesthood and entrusted him with preaching.

Priest John used to preach on Sunday during the Divine Liturgy, and sometimes on Saturday evenings, and at the masses held on the Holy Days. He also used to preach during Lent every day in the evening.

The people's love for him was clear and clear, and his sermons were more famous than the fame of theaters, cabarets, and races, and crowds of listeners would often interrupt him during the sermon with applause. They did not stop doing this despite his advice to them not to do so. He blamed people who only attend the beginning of the Mass and leave after the sermon ends with the catechumens. He did not want the believers to substitute listening to his sermons for participating in the prayers of the Divine Mass and the Holy Mysteries.

The people expected long and eloquent sermons from him, so this lengthened the time of the Mass as a whole, even if according to the standard of the Orthodox ritual.

In addition to preaching and serving the holy sacraments, John gave every individual in the people personal attention and spiritual guidance. He reminds them and urges them to read the Bible regularly.

Through some of the public crises that occurred, we learned how he and the bishop led the people, and also in many private crises, they noticed the extent of his pastoral concern. John's priestly service in Antioch came to an abrupt end when Saint Nektarios, Patriarch of Constantinople, died in the year 397 AD.

Hence the beginning of John's intrusion against his will into politics, clerical and worldly matters in the capital of the empire, and also the beginning of his troubles.

He was kidnapped from Antioch, fearing that the masses of people would prevent his departure.

He was ordained bishop of Constantinople in the year 398 AD. We do not know exactly the extent of his opposition to this matter, but it seems that he was not given the opportunity to choose, and the masses of the people in Constantinople accepted him as he had in Antioch. He had to face the ambitions of some bishops, courtiers, the court, Empress Evdoxia, and Pope Theophilus, who opposed John’s choice of the throne of Constantinople and harbored a grudge against him.

While Evdoxia was stalking John, when he attacked her by denouncing the extravagant and immoral life she was leading, this was enough to send Saint John into exile. But he continued to encourage believers with his messages when it was no longer possible to address them personally.

Saint John died on September 14, 407 AD. God is glorified at all times.

During his priesthood in Antioch, Saint John preached a series of sermons on the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man, perhaps in the year 388 AD or 398 AD. (3).

He began it on January 2, referring to the raucous celebrations of the god Saturn on the day before the start of the New Year. While celebrations, orgies, and circuses were taking place, crowds of faithful church members were listening to John urging them to do all things for the glory of God. (4)The next day, when they return to church, he presents this parable to them, and on two successive occasions, perhaps the following Saturday or Sunday, he continues his sermon on the parable. And a fourth time, he tells his listeners that he would have finished the interpretation of the parable if it were not for the necessity of performing glorifications for the martyrs Saint Babylus, Saint Juventus, and Saint Maximinus. (5).

The feast day of Saint Babylus is January 24, about three weeks after his first sermon on Lazarus, and the day of honoring Juventus and Maximinus, a few days after that. On a subsequent occasion after that, Saint John concludes the parable with the fourth sermon about it.

About a week later he begins his fifth sermon in his series by saying that he could say more about this parable. But in order not to overwhelm the listeners, he will discuss another verse.

In his sixth and seventh sermons, the proverb was still in his mind and in the minds of his listeners.

Later, perhaps in the same year, when he delivered his sixth sermon after the earthquake, it occurred to him that this was the appropriate time to speak to them about God’s judgment and punishment and the necessity of choosing the right path in life before it is too late.

He began his seventh sermon, warning those who go to racing parties with the verse, “Enter through the narrow gate.” The preacher’s mind came easily to Lazarus and the Rich Man, who passed by the narrow path and who passed by the wide path in succession. The example of Lazarus and the Rich Man enabled Saint John to address many issues. One of his favorite topics, the first of which is the old question: Why do we see the righteous in suffering while sinners are in prosperity? It is followed by the hypothetical question: What does God expect from us? Rich or poor, and in more general terms, how do we obtain salvation? The first four sermons dealt with half the verses of the parable sentence by sentence and discussed these questions along the way.

In First sermonSaint John discusses the lives of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16: 19-21). The parable overlooks the quality of morals of both men. Therefore, Saint John discusses what is wrong in a life of luxury and what is good in a life of poverty.

Are all the rich condemned and all the poor justified? No... although the poor man had a better opportunity, the rich man's primary sin was not giving alms and neglecting the duty of helping his neighbor, in addition to harming his own spiritual well-being, with his negligent way of life. On the other hand, Lazarus, by enduring it patiently and without complaining, used his suffering and pain to account for his spiritual edification.

 Although Saint John does not deny that poverty is an affliction or affliction, he does not say anything about trying to get rid of it, as all his interest is focused on spiritual happiness, not material happiness. If we want to store up for ourselves treasures in heaven, we must obey the commandment to love our neighbors and practice the simplicity that will satisfy our purposes for the benefit of our souls.

And in Second sermonSaint John turns to the death of both men (Luke 16: 22-24). Death shows who is the true rich and who is the true poor. The man who used to live alone now receives honor from the angels, and the other man has lost all service and is lying alone in the grave. The abyss.

Saint John has a lot to say about the positive duties of the rich. They must endow their possessions as stores for the poor, sharing in their wealth, regardless of the quality of morals of these needy people. If we spend more than we should on ourselves, we deserve the punishment of thieves who steal money.

Saint John is not saying that we should sell all things and give them to the poor. He is addressing those who are not called to monasticism but must find the Christian way of life in this world. Like other fathers, Saint John made it clear that private property is not a Christian idea but a legal legislation. He did not have private property, but it was for everyone.

In another sermon, Saint John goes further and proposes a return to what was applied in the days of the apostles, in that everything belonging to Christians should be shared. But he also realizes that his listeners are not ready for this radical change even within the Christian community (6)Of course, his listeners have no way to change the economic and social system of the Roman Empire, and we do not expect Saint John to present a political program. He focuses on what is realistic, namely seizing opportunities to do good deeds, such as giving alms and hospitality to strangers, which are available to every person. (7).

And in Third sermonSaint John discusses the rich man’s position and his first plea to Lazarus to send him a drop of water and Abraham’s response to him (Luke 16: 24-26).

What is the relationship between our misfortune, success, and prosperity in this life, and the situation we will be in in the afterlife? Can we earn our way to heaven through our suffering, whether by our will or without our will? This is not the case, according to Saint John’s opinion, but if we patiently bear the suffering and pain on earth, it will help us get rid of some of our sins and the punishment we deserve because of them. He used a metaphorical expression: to wash or be cleansed of our sins, and also a financial or judicial expression: to pay the penalty for our debts.

We all have our sins no matter how good we are, but if the general direction of our lives is virtue and goodness, and if we have finished our necessary suffering before we die, then we need to train ourselves in virtue until we become the kind of people God wants us to be. If we are poor or sick with chronic diseases, then the sick person who endures hard with gratitude is ascetic and sufficient, and if we are rich and healthy, we must practice simple living with our will in order to overcome any inclination or inclination to sin and also in order to develop in us an advantage or virtue.

Is this salvation by works? The incompatibility of works and faith was not a point of contention for the Greek Fathers. Of course, God's grace saves us, just as Saint John ended his prayer at the end of every sermon. God's grace helps our free will to promote goodness in us.

 As a pastor and moral teacher, Saint John focuses on what we are expected to do, and in concluding the third sermon he speaks of the great gulf that separates heaven from hell, and this raises the issue of intercessory prayers for the dead. The Fathers of the Orthodox Church call (with support from the verses of the Gospel) to determine our choice in this life, to be with God or against Him, because once we move to the afterlife, we will not find any opportunity to escape the torment of the abyss, and so Saint John was telling his listeners to work hard to attain Virtues during their lives, they must not wait for salvation through the prayers of others, whether their spiritual father or through their relationships with the saints.

However, the church ritual prays for the dead, and Saint John discussed this matter. We ask what good do our prayers do for those who have died? We can help those who are still purifying and growing in the knowledge and love of God. (The Orthodox Church does not claim to know what purgatory torment specifically entails.) As for those in hell, our prayers for them, as most of our fathers say, reduce their torment?? But do not free them from it(8). Here, Saint John, like his master, wishes that he would influence his listeners with the necessity of following the path of righteousness in this life.

And in Fourth sermonHe continues to discuss the rich man’s position and his second plea by sending Lazarus to his brothers (Luke 16: 7-31).

If we do not receive messengers from the afterlife, then why do we believe in the existence of judgment after death?

Firstly:We have Moses, the prophets and all the holy books.

secondlyReason tells us if God is just, and if people do not receive their reward in this life, then there must be time to compensate and reward them after death.

ThirdGod has given us a commitment of conscience, and this conscience must urge us to confess our sins (it is clear that St. John was thinking about confessing to God in private, and the sacrament of confession by a priest had not yet become common). If we repent and confess our sins, God forgives us, hears us, and helps us become righteous. The subject of St. John's conscience commitment to Joseph and his brothers was mentioned and how their conscience convicted them even before they confessed to Joseph in Egypt. Joseph himself, like Lazarus, presented an example of patient trust in divine providence.

Saint John concludes the sermon with a summary of what he said in these four sermons. If we sin (as everyone sins), we must repent and confess, and we must give alms and practice goodness and virtue in order to get rid of our sins and prepare ourselves for heavenly life. Later, perhaps in the same year, an earthquake occurred and caused damage and disasters in Antioch, so Saint John began preaching, saying: How come they spent three days in prayers, and now the earthquake has ended, and this sermon is longer and less eloquent than his previous sermons?? It is believed that Saint John was improvising. He speaks using what comes to his mind temporarily, what is revealed to him through the situation, and he is aware that this topic is familiar to his listeners, but he asks them to listen patiently and attentively, trying repeatedly to summon his thoughts to the topic, so he says that this earthquake must alert us to God’s punishment, and we have survived this time. The poor must be patient and the rich must give alms. Everyone must seek goodness, rich and poor, men and women, free and slaves. At this point, Saint John goes on to talk about slavery. The entire human race was created free from Eve and Adam. Slavery was introduced because of sin. Ham, who saw Noah's nakedness and brought upon himself the curses of his father.

The Christian point of view is that true slavery is for a person to become a prisoner of sin, and that slavery to virtue is true freedom, and here Saint John uses a kind of contradiction of expressions for which the Roman philosophers were famous. The subject of slavery reminded him of Onesimus, the slave who through his piety and righteousness became free.

  Saint John does not go further than that and does not say that Christians must emancipate their slaves, even though the pious Byzantines did so of their own free will when they entered monastic life. (9)However, society was not yet prepared for the general emancipation of slaves.

As for us, are we ready to accept all humankind as free in God, regardless of their social status or work?

The sermon returns to the usual topic of the reward that Lazarus received and the reward that the rich man received. The rich man received the reward for his good deeds in this life, so that these deeds would not diminish his punishment in the afterlife, as he could have helped himself if he shared his wealth with him. In fact, he does not have the right to ask for relief from his torment, and the recompense for Lazarus’ sins, “whatever they may be,” which he had fulfilled in this life, lest it detract from his consolations in the afterlife.

At the end of the sermon, Saint John adds that the person who puts himself through pains and hardships in this life that exceed his sins will reach heaven with a credit that justifies him, and this can grant him many blessings and become among the blessed in heaven.

And in The last sermon Regarding the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man, Saint John began it by warning those who frequent racing parties with the verse, “Enter through the narrow gate” (Matthew 7:13-14). Why were racing parties a serious problem? It includes wrestling, wheel racing, fighting between wrestlers and animals, and also indecent displays between the vertebrae. St. John says that Christians who are seen at racing parties set a bad example for those who would like to convert to Christianity, because in addition to wasting their time, they also nullify the work of the Spirit who cares for them in the Church. Perhaps they are like some people these days who make sport an alternative to religion with their enthusiasm for one sporting hero or another. Anyway, they take the easy way out and it will end badly.

The broad road and the narrow gate reminded the preacher of his favorite examples of the rich man on the easy path and Lazarus on the difficult path. In addition to what he said before, he discusses the question: Is wealth really a good thing and is poverty an evil? Once again, he uses antithesis of expressions, such as the narrative method. The rich man received in his life what he thought was good, but he did not realize that there were other things that were more good. On the other hand, Lazarus accepted what the rich man thought was evil (poverty and illness), looked beyond appearances and struggled. For the sake of truly good things, which are virtue and heavenly reward.

The first four sermons were previously translated into English by (10)F. Allen I have reviewed it in general. However, this translation is modern, citing a text published in Migne PG 48. 963-1054, and I have omitted the fifth sermon and some passages not related to the topic of wealth and poverty.

Regarding the biblical evidence, the translation of the original modified version was used unless the meaning of the sermon required a different translation.

For the Old Testament, Saint John of course used the Septuagint, and there is no reference to this in the footnote.

I would like to thank Bishop Kallistos of Diodia - Father John Minderoff - Janet Biro - Wendy and Donnell Pam and Kev - Lawrence Stephen and my families Nathanael - Margaret and my father Georgie Roth for their help and support.

Catherine B. dung
England - Bicester
May 1984

(1) History of St. John D. Attwater

Saint John Chrysostom, pastor and preacher, Milwaukee 1939,

Saint John Chrysostom and His Times Dom C. Baur, OSB London 1959

(2) Saint John counted the tenth of the rich and the tenth of the poor.

(Article on the Gospel of Matthew 66.3, PG 58. 630) 

(3) PG 48. 963-1054.

(4) PG 48. 953-961.

(5) PG 50. 527-533, 571-578.

(6) See Primary Christian Teachings

C. Avila, Ownership: (New York: Mary Knoll 1983.)

(7) Sermon on the Acts of the Apostles 1103, PG 60, 96-98.

For information on Byzantine alms giving see D. Constantelos, Byzantine Philanthropy and Social Welfare (New Brunswick, New Jersey, 1968).

(8) Bishop of Kallistos Ware: “One body in Christ, death and communion with the saints”

Sobormos7/ECR 3:2 (1981) 179-191  

(9) See the Index of Constantelos, Byzantine Philanthropy and Social Welfore “Slares, freeing of.”

(10) 4 lectures (articles) by John Chrysostom on the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man, translation:

BA – F. Allen (london 1869)