{"id":11576,"date":"2019-06-12T15:01:31","date_gmt":"2019-06-12T22:01:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.orthodoxytoday.org\/blog\/?p=11576"},"modified":"2024-11-22T09:08:19","modified_gmt":"2024-11-22T17:08:19","slug":"rebuke-and-publicly-denounce-blasphemers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orthodoxytoday.org\/blog\/2019\/06\/rebuke-and-publicly-denounce-blasphemers\/","title":{"rendered":"Rebuke and Publicly Denounce Blasphemers"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Rebukeby St. John Chrysostom –
\nBut since our discourse has now turned to the subject of blasphemy<\/a>, I desire to ask one favor of you all, in return for this my address, and speaking with you; which is, that you will correct on my behalf the blasphemers<\/a> of this city. And should you hear any one in the public thoroughfare, or in the midst of the forum, blaspheming<\/a> God<\/a>; go up to him and rebuke him; and should it be necessary to inflict blows, spare not to do so.<\/p>\n

Smite him on the face; strike his mouth; sanctify your hand with the blow, and if any should accuse you, and drag you to the place of justice<\/a>, follow them there; and when the judge on the bench calls you to account, say boldly that the man blasphemed<\/a> the King of angels<\/a>!<\/p>\n

For if it be necessary to punish those who blaspheme<\/a> an earthly king, much more so those who insult God. It is a common crime, a public injury; and it is lawful for every one who is willing, to bring forward an accusation. Let the Jews<\/a> and Greeks learn, that the Christians<\/a> are the saviours of the city; that they are its guardians, its patrons, and its teachers.<\/p>\n

Christians are the saviours of the city; that they are its guardians, its patrons, and its teachers<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Let the dissolute [immoral] and the perverse also learn this; that they must fear<\/a> the servants of God too; that if at any time they are inclined to utter such a thing, they may look round every way at each other, and tremble even at their own shadows, anxious lest perchance a Christian<\/a>, having heard what they said, should spring upon them and sharply chastise them.<\/p>\n

Have you not heard what John did? He saw a man that was a tyrant overthrowing the laws<\/a> of marriage; and with boldness, he proclaimed in the midst of the forum, It is not lawful for you to have your brother Philip’s wife.<\/q> Mark\u00a06:18<\/a> But I urge you on, not against a prince or a judge; nor against the marriage ordinance outraged; nor in behalf of fellow-servants insulted. But I require you to castigate an equal, for insolence against the Lord.<\/p>\n

Truly, if I had said to you, punish and correct those kings or judges who transgress the laws<\/a>, would you not say that I was mad? But John forsooth [indeed] acted thus. So that even this is not too much for us. Now then, at least, correct a fellow-servant; an equal; and although it should be necessary to die, do not shrink from chastising a brother. This is your martyrdom<\/a>, since John was also a martyr<\/a>. And although he was not commanded to sacrifice<\/a>, nor to worship an idol, yet for the sacred laws<\/a> that were despised, he laid down his head.<\/p>\n

Let the dissolute and the perverse also learn this; that they must fear the servants of God too.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Do thou too then contend, even to the death, for the truth<\/a>, and God will fight for you! And make me not this cold reply. What matters it to me? I have nothing in common with him.<\/q> With the devil<\/a> alone we have nothing in common, but with all men<\/a> we have many things in common; for they partake of the same nature with us; they inhabit the same earth, and they are nourished with the same food; they have the same Lord; they have received the same laws<\/a>, and are invited to the same blessings with ourselves.<\/p>\n

Let us not say then, that we have nothing in common with them; for this is a satanic speech; a diabolical inhumanity. Therefore let us not give utterance to such words, but exhibit such a tender care as becomes brethren!<\/p>\n

___________________________
\nExcerpts from Homily 1 on the Statues<\/a> by Saint John Chrysostom.<\/em> (More modern synonyms included in brackets where appropriate, for clarity.)<\/p>\n

\"Rebuke<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by St. John Chrysostom – But since our discourse has now turned to the subject of blasphemy, I desire to ask one favor of you all, in return for this my address, and speaking with you; which is, that you will correct on my behalf the blasphemers of this city. And should you hear any … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":497,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"generate_page_header":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[149,68,175,5,130,141,126,157],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11576","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-apologetics","category-christianity","category-heresy","category-orthodox-christianity","category-orthodox-church","category-sermons","category-theology","category-wisdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.orthodoxytoday.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11576","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.orthodoxytoday.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.orthodoxytoday.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.orthodoxytoday.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/497"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.orthodoxytoday.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11576"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.orthodoxytoday.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11576\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.orthodoxytoday.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11576"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.orthodoxytoday.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11576"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.orthodoxytoday.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11576"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}