We’re well into our first semester of teaching at St Mark’s and looking forward to catching our breath, and redirecting our gaze, as the church celebrates the mystery and wonder of Easter. This term I’ve been teaching a course in Early Church History. It’s always a rich opportunity to meet some of the church’s most influential and gifted leaders and thinkers in its first five centuries. One of those great leaders and thinkers was John Chrysostom, famed as one of the greatest orators and preachers of his day. His surname in Greek literally means ‘golden-mouthed’ and he was Bishop of Constantinople (now Istanbul) from AD 381 until his death in AD 407. Chrysostom was famous for his golden mouth—for the force and clarity of his biblical exposition, the power of his moral teaching, and the pungency of his humour. But he also had a big mouth. You see, he was not afraid to preach robustly to his fellow Christians—of all ranks from the empress to the humblest parishioner—about their tendency to capitulate to the idols of their present age. Those idols were not unlike ours today: money, sex, status, power, or fashionable intellectual fads. Animated by a deep concern for the temporal and spiritual welfare of the needy, he urged his wealthy parishioners to consider their property and surplus as not their own, but rather as a trust. The doughty bishop also railed against heresy and corruption in the centre of political power at Constantinople (i.e. the imperial court). And he maintained the courage of his convictions, His prophetic stance would, in the end, result in his exile and death.
One of the delights of deep dives into the history of the church is discovering its lesser-known treasures. As we head toward the cross on Good Friday and to the joy of the resurrection on Easter Sunday, let me introduce you to one of John Chrysostom’s most famous—and, I should add, shortest—sermons. Entitled the ‘Paschal Homily’ (Easter sermon), it’s still preached every Easter in Orthodox churches. It is less known in the Protestant world—to our loss. I’m struck by its bold declaration of the annihilation, and impotence, of a personified death and hell. Hell, declares Chrysostom, ‘was embittered, for it was fettered in chains. It took a body, and met God face to face. It took earth, and encountered Heaven.’ The sermon is also the inspiration for a contemporary worship song I love to listen to during Easter: Matt Maher’s Christ is Risen. Maher’s triumphant chorus riffs off Chrysostom in the refrain of ‘trampling over death by death.’
I commend both versions to you—in sermon and in song. Here’s the sermon itself, from the website of the Orthodox Church of America:
“If anyone be devout and love God, let them enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast. If anyone be a wise servant, let them rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord. If any have labored long in fasting, let them now receive his recompense. If any have wrought from the first hour, let them today receive his just reward. If any have come at the third hour, let them with thankfulness keep the feast. If any have arrived at the sixth hour, let them have no misgivings; because they shall in nowise be deprived thereof. If any have delayed until the ninth hour, let them draw near, fearing nothing. If any have tarried even until the eleventh hour, let them, also, be not alarmed at his tardiness; for the Lord, who is jealous of his honor, will accept the last even as the first; He gives rest unto him who comes at the eleventh hour, even as unto him who has wrought from the first hour.
And He shows mercy upon the last, and cares for the first; and to the one He gives, and upon the other He bestows gifts. And He both accepts the deeds, and welcomes the intention, and honors the acts and praises the offering. Wherefore, enter you all into the joy of your Lord; and receive your reward, both the first, and likewise the second. You rich and poor together, hold high festival. You sober and you heedless, honor the day. Rejoice today, both you who have fasted and you who have disregarded the fast. The table is full-laden; feast ye all sumptuously. The calf is fatted; let no one go hungry away.
Enjoy ye all the feast of faith: Receive ye all the riches of loving-kindness. let no one bewail their poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed. Let no one weep for their iniquities, for pardon has shown forth from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Savior’s death has set us free. He that was held prisoner of it has annihilated it. By descending into Hell, He made Hell captive. He embittered it when it tasted of His flesh. And Isaiah, foretelling this, did cry: Hell, said he, was embittered, when it encountered Thee in the lower regions. It was embittered, for it was abolished. It was embittered, for it was mocked. It was embittered, for it was slain. It was embittered, for it was overthrown. It was embittered, for it was fettered in chains. It took a body, and met God face to face. It took earth, and encountered Heaven. It took that which was seen, and fell upon the unseen.
O Death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory? Christ is risen, and you are overthrown. Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen. Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice. Christ is risen, and life reigns. Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave. For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages. Amen.”
He is risen indeed. Easter blessings to you and yours from all of us at St Mark’s.
For more info on St Mark’s, our courses, and upcoming events, go to: https://stmarks.edu.au/
Michael Gladwin, St Mark’s Acting Director
