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Commentary on the Gospel of St. John, Part 2

St. John Chrysostom

John, called, for at least the last twelve centuries Chrysostom (golden-mouthed), was the brightest ornament of the ancient Greek churches. He was educated for the profession of the law, and had, among other instructors, the famous rhetorician, Libanius, the friend of Julian the Apostate; who, on being asked, when about to die, as to who could be found competent to succeed him, answered, "John, if the Christians had not stolen him away." For overpowering popular eloquence, Chrysostom had no equal among the fathers. He has been called the Homer of orators. Ferrarius quotes Suidas, as saying that Chrysostom had a tongue flowing likce the Nile: and when he was banished, his people said, that "it were better that the sun should cease to shine, than that his mouth should be shut."

Among the oratorical works of Saint John Chrysostom may be distinguished the sermons and the homilies. The latter term is applied especially to the series of methodical instructions on entire or almost entire books of the Bible. Connected homilies on entire or almost entire books of the Bible form the greater part of Chrysostom’s literary output. There exist almost 700 of this nature, on the Old or the New Testament. Two Gospels were commented by Chrysostom: The Gospel of Saint Matthew and The Gospel of Saint John, commented in 88 homilies, which reveal traces of the author’s controversy with the Arians; these homilies were probably preached in 389. - Summary by Henry Clay Fish and Fulbert Cayré