Encomium on the Conception of the Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John (Pseudo-Chrysostom)

Encomium on the Conception of the Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John 

By Pseudo-Chrysostom*

1. Moses the great, the servant of God, the crown of the Prophets, the traveler across the sea, the charioteer of the air, the table-setter of manna, the lawgiver of God, the one who received the sacred tablets, the first teacher of what is beneficial for life — this man, so great and eminent, constructed a tabernacle for the people of Israel according to the pattern that he had been taught by God on the mountain. And he made everything within its enclosure holy and sacred, everything that was contained within the boundary surrounding it; but its innermost part was inaccessible and unapproachable, and was called the Holy of Holies.

Following the pattern of this tabernacle, Solomon also built a temple, surpassing all the temples on earth not only in the magnificence of its materials, nor merely in the variety of its craftsmanship, but also in the form of its construction, so that those who saw it would never desire anything found among the Egyptians. And he made the temple according to the image of the whole universe, both the visible and the intelligible. For just as there are earth and heaven, with the firmament as the partition between them, so God commanded that it should be made in the same way. Dividing this temple into two and placing a veil in the middle, He permitted everyone to enter the part outside the veil, but the part within was inaccessible and unseen by all except the high priest alone, as the angel commanded when he spoke to Moses, telling him to say to the children of Israel: “In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, humble your souls,” that is, concerning the Feast of Tabernacles. For then, during the Feast of Tabernacles, the high priest alone entered the Holy of Holies once a year to offer incense.

During this Feast of Tabernacles, therefore, Zechariah also entered to offer incense according to his appointed course of service, and he saw the angel standing at the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you shall have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great before the Lord, and he shall drink neither wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb. And he himself will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to prepare for the Lord a people made ready.”

Do you see a promise that surpasses prophetic power? This prophecy of Zechariah both bound and loosed his tongue: it bound it because he disbelieved the birth, and it loosed it when the birth had taken place. O, what a wonder! John was an evangelist from the womb, a wonderworker from his mother’s womb, the one brought up in the wilderness and one who shared the table of the angels, the second Elijah among the Prophets after the Law, and a most true herald, driving away delusion by the zeal of the Spirit; the Forerunner and Baptist, who said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has drawn near”; the son of Zechariah, the offspring of the barren woman, and the perfect work of the people’s prayers; the true teacher of repentance and advocate for the faithful who confess their sins; the fulfillment of the Law, the beginning of grace, and the rebuke of the impiety of the Jews; the confirmer of heavenly doctrines and the impartial judge of the transgressions of the people; born beyond hope from a barren woman, and the bridal escort of Christ, who by His grace brought water from the rock; the one who bridled the streams of the Jordan and interceded for the cleansing of sinners; the foreknower of the incomprehensible Mystery and prophet of the coming of the Invisible One. This is John, who was born to Zechariah according to the promise in the deepest old age.

O, what a wonder! For behold, the movements of John in the womb were demonstrated through his deeds, which he made known. The world saw the gladness that the Forerunner depicted with his feet while still in the womb. But what honor shall we render to the righteous man, surrounded on every side by his accomplishments? For he is announced while still in the womb, works miracles at his birth, grows in the wilderness as he practices asceticism, is nourished by the Spirit as he advances, mediates between the Law and grace, preaches a baptism of repentance, baptizes the Master when He appears, beholds the glory of the Trinity at the Baptism, bears witness to grace in truth, and, crying aloud, points out the One who was prophesied, confessing Him as Master and proclaiming that He is mightier than himself. He leads those who believe toward Him, teaching the crowds what is beneficial; he admonishes the tax collectors who are being baptized, rebukes Herod for his lawlessness, and in the end receives a blessed end.

With what words, then, shall we marvel at him? What tongue shall we set in motion for these things? What shall we leave unsaid, and what shall we be able to say concerning them? For great is the sea of praises, and great is the breadth of his accomplishments; even the experience of these things itself overwhelms those who speak of them. But let righteous Zechariah, the father of this righteous man, come even now — the one who was condemned to silence and then spoke again. Let him tell us most clearly what happened to him: how he spoke when his tongue had been restrained; how John was born and the angel’s sentence was lifted; how the punishment was removed and healing came.

For the Evangelist, introducing in brief the account of Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth, first indicates their names, their nature, and their dignity; then he adds praise of their way of life and a trophy of their good works, in which he also reveals the condemnation to silence and makes known the loosing of his speech. And listen from this point to the words of the Gospel: “And they had no child,” he says, “because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.” And now I see not only their childlessness, but I also contemplate the ancient example of the righteous, I mean Abraham and Sarah. And I learn of barrenness giving birth to another, of childbearing through grace and nature, of the strange mystery of childbearing; for this is also the manner of this promise.

“And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing at the right side of the altar of incense; and Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. And the angel said to him: Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.”

Good is the possession of the promise, great is the gift of the vision, truly Abrahamic is the boast. For just as Sarah’s conception was announced beforehand to him, so Elizabeth’s pregnancy was likewise proclaimed beforehand to this man. Yet the prophecy is the same; the order of events, however, is not the same. For while Abraham suffered nothing at all on account of the promise, Zechariah is found speechless after the announcement, having failed to believe the faithful angel, and he received his punishment in silence.

“But Zechariah,” he says, “said to the angel: ‘How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years. What is this, O Master? I offer my supplications to God, making atonement on behalf of all the people, and you announce to me that I shall have a son? This is impossible. For old age is weak, nature is powerless, and my wife is a barren rock; and how shall this happen to me? Yet even if, as you have said, a son will be born to me, what benefit will the people receive from him?'”

But the angel said: “Great salvation will come through him to the people and to all the nations; for he himself will turn everyone away from delusion and show them the way of salvation, becoming a mediator between God and men. For he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, and he will be called the Prophet of the Most High. He will go before the face of the Lord, saying: ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.’”

2. Zechariah, however, answered and said to the angel: “How shall I know this?” And the angel said: “Because you seek a sign concerning the birth and disbelieve my words, receive a sure pledge: I am Gabriel, who stands before God, and I was sent to speak to you and to announce these things to you. And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things come to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their appointed time.”

Unrelenting is the judgment upon the one who has sinned, and the anger of punishment is not to be postponed. For surely the angel should not have been disbelieved, nor should the altar have been treated with contempt, nor should the time of offering incense have been regarded as a time of deception; for the angel appeared to him while he was offering incense. He did not call to mind the history of Abraham. For then also barrenness and old age brought forth a child, and everything that was said was shown to be worthy of belief; for there was already the miracle of such a birth. Therefore the angel said to him: “You shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things come to pass, because you did not believe my words.” O, the compassionate punishment, which worked correction rather than anything else! For the angel disciplines the very voice that had gone astray.

“For when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they recognized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them, and remained mute.” Well did the Evangelist also record the word “remained.” For the silence was waiting for the voice to be born; Zechariah was waiting for John, the old man for the child. O, what a wonder! The Word comes among us, and the voice proclaims Him beforehand; the Master is coming, and the servant is sent ahead of Him.

But why do I now anticipate the preaching in the wilderness, when I have before me another strange and great voice from the beginning? For deeds come first, greater than these words. While the Baptist still dwelt in his mother’s womb, while he was still held by the bonds of nature, while he was still wrapped in the swaddling clothes of the womb, he proclaimed by his movement the coming of the Master. For it says: “When Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb.” He is not yet born, and he speaks through his leaping; he is not yet permitted to cry out, and he is heard through his deeds; he has not yet learned the ways of life, and he proclaims God beforehand.

Truly, others have labored, and we have entered into their labors. The Prophets cried out beforehand, and they did not keep silent even when they were struck; the line of the Patriarchs was endangered; tyrants opposed them; kings waged war; the people grew angry; the whole world contended against the struggles of the righteous. From one side they were brought before tribunals, and from another they were torn by lashes; punishments and tortures surrounded them on every side. Yet while they were experiencing such a gloomy condition of life, John, announcing the end of the storm, though still bound in the swaddling clothes of nature, showed us the saving spring. And hastening to proclaim with his voice the One whom he had indicated with his feet, he pressed against the boundaries of nature. For he stirred the slow-bearing Elizabeth; he leaped, at once dancing and expressing distress over the fact that he was confined within the womb; he cried out against the passage of the months; he shook the womb as though it were an unjust prison, and through his leaping he cried out, speaking thus to Elizabeth:

“You are doing me an injustice, O mother, by bearing me so late, holding back the joy of the whole inhabited world and hindering the Forerunner. You carry within you a Prophet; you hold a royal soldier captive. You impede the swift runner of piety. You are doing me an injustice, O mother; you do not know what is to come, you are unaware of what will happen. The Light is coming; release the dawn. The Sun will rise; the morning star will shine beforehand. The Word is at the doors, and there is need of a voice; the Bridegroom is near, and it is right that the bridal chamber be spread out in the Jordan. There is need of blood to ransom the world, and I must point out the Lamb from afar. The human race is bound in the swaddling clothes of sins; He who looses those who are bound has come. There is need of a herald, so that all, having learned of Him, may go out to meet the Master; and behold, you hold the Forerunner in your womb. Therefore, O mother, consider Adam held captive in Hades, and the eternal groanings of Eve; for the blood of Abel still cries out, pleading against the slaying by Cain. The elements themselves also groan with him. For this reason you have certainly been delivered from the affliction of childlessness, so that the one born of a barren woman might announce the One born of a Virgin. For this reason I leaped in the womb, so that the devil might no longer dance in the world.”

Thus John, though not yet born, signified these things to Elizabeth through his leaping. “And Elizabeth’s time was fulfilled for her to give birth, and she bore a son. And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had magnified His mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they called him by the name of his father, Zechariah. But his mother answered and said: ‘He shall be called John.’ And they made signs to his father as to what he would have him called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, saying: ‘John is his name.’ And they all marveled. And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue, and he spoke, blessing God.”

Indeed, the child is born, and the voice of the father returns. For thus John’s voice is shown to be crying out, because even his very name has revealed itself to be the activity of a voice. For he says: “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.’” Having received the illumination of the Holy Spirit, he pointed out the Creator through His works, and with his finger pointed out the Maker to all, crying aloud: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”

“Therefore, produce fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say among yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.”

But how does our discourse today correspond to the fervent zeal of the infant? Let us, if it seems good, restrain our tongue for now, which has leaped sufficiently together with the infant. For it is good to measure our exposition according to the occasion, to delight in what has been said, but also to await the contemplation of what follows. For the Baptist did not violate the boundaries of nature even by his leaping, but he himself also waited for the proper time, knowing that the Master would afterward fulfill this also for our sake, proclaiming: “The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as abundant water covers the seas; and from the rising of the sun to its setting My name has been glorified, and in every place a pure sacrifice is offered to My name.”

For no longer, according to the Law, is there one temple that receives the sacrifices and is glorified by them; rather, throughout the whole inhabited world, Churches sincerely send up glory to God. There, there was one priest once a year, mortal and filled with every sin; now we have received Jesus Christ as the High Priest of our souls, “who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth.” For, he says, “we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, our Lord Jesus Christ;” to whom is due all glory, honor, and worship, together with the Father and the All-Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Note on the Author:

* While printed in the Patrologia Graeca among the spurious works of John Chrysostom (In laudem conceptionis sancti Joannis Baptistae, PG 50:787–792), this homily is widely recognized in modern patristic databases, including the Thesaurus Linguae Graecae, as a pseudo-Chrysostomic composition (CPG 4642). Liturgical and stylistic markers point to Proclus of Constantinople as the likely author. The reason scholars reattributed this text from Chrysostom to Proclus is style. Chrysostom's style is typically raw, direct, moralistic, and explanatory. Proclus's style is heavily stylized, highly structured, and utilizes rhythmic prose filled with dramatic dialogue (e.g., imagining conversations between the Angel and Zechariah). Consequently, this text should be read within the context of mid-5th-century Byzantine homiletics rather than late 4th-century Antiochene theology.

Translated by John Sanidopoulos.

Ἐγκώμιον εἰς τὴν σύλληψιν τοῦ ἁγίου Ἰωάννου τοῦ προφήτου Προδρόμου καὶ Βαπτιστοῦ.

Ιωάνης Χρυσόστομος

αʹ. Μωϋσῆς ὁ μέγας, ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ θεράπων, τὸ κεφάλαιον  τῶν προφητῶν, ὁ τῆς θαλάσσης ὁδοιπόρος, ὁ τοῦ ἀέρος ἡνίοχος, ὁ τοῦ μάννα τραπεζοποιὸς, ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ νομοθέτης,   ὁ   τὰς   πλάκας   τὰς   ἱερὰς   δεξάμενος,   ὁ   πρῶτος   εἰσηγητὴς   τῶν συμφερόντων  τῷ βίῳ, οὗτος ὁ τοσοῦτος καὶ τηλικοῦτος  σκηνὴν τῷ λαῷ Ἰσραὴλ κατεσκεύασε, καθ' ὃν ἐν τῷ ὄρει παρὰ Θεοῦ ἐδιδάχθη τύπον. Καὶ πάντα μὲν ἅγιά τε καὶ ἱερὰ τὰ καθ' ἕκαστον ἐποίησεν, ὅσα τῷ περισχοινίσματι κατὰ τὸ ἐντὸς περιείληπτο· τὸ δὲ ἐνδότατον  τούτοις ἄδυτόν τε καὶ ἀνεπίβατον  ἦν, Ἅγιον ἁγίων  λεγόμενον.Τούτῳ τῷ παραδείγματι τῆς σκηνῆς καὶ Σολομὼν ᾠκοδόμησε ναὸν, οὐχὶ τῇ πολυτελείᾳ τῆς ὕλης μόνον, οὐδὲ τῇ ποικιλίᾳ τῆς τέχνης, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ σχήματι τῆς οἰκοδομῆς πάντας  τοὺς ἐπὶ γῆς ναοὺς  ἀποκρύπτοντα·  ὥστε αὐτοὺς μηδέποτε εἰς ἐπιθυμίαν  ἐλθεῖν  τῶν  παρὰ Αἰγυπτίοις. Καὶ ποιεῖ τὸν  ναὸν  πρὸς τὴν  εἰκόνα  τοῦ κόσμου παντὸς, τοῦ τε αἰσθητοῦ καὶ τοῦ νοητοῦ. Καθάπερ γάρ ἐστι γῆ καὶ οὐρανὸς, καὶ μέσον διάφραγμα τὸ στερέωμα τοῦτο· οὕτω κἀκεῖνον ἐκέλευσε γενέσθαι ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ εἰς δύο διατεμὼν  τὸν ναὸν τοῦτον, καὶ καταπέτασμα ἀφεὶς μέσον, τὸ μὲν ἔξω τοῦ καταπετάσματος πᾶσι συνεχώρησεν εἶναι βατὸν, τὸ δὲ ἔνδον, ἄβατον πᾶσι καὶ ἀθέατον, πλὴν τοῦ ἀρχιερέως μόνου, ὡς ὁ ἄγγελος ἐνετείλατο, λαλήσας τῷ Μωϋσῇ, εἰπεῖν  τοῖς  υἱοῖς  Ἰσραήλ· Ἐν  τῷ  μηνὶ  τῷ  ἑβδόμῳ  δεκάτῃ  τοῦ  μηνὸς, ταπεινώσατε  τὰς ψυχὰς  ὑμῶν· τοῦτ' ἔστι, περὶ τῆς σκηνοπηγίας· τότε γὰρ ἐν τῇ σκηνοπηγίᾳ ἅπαξ τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ  μόνος ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς εἰσῄει εἰς τὰ Ἅγια τῶν  ἁγίων θυμιᾷν. Ἐν ταύτῃ οὖν τῇ ἑορτῇ τῆς σκηνοπηγίας εἰσῆλθε καὶ ὁ Ζαχαρίας θυμιᾶσαι κατὰ   τὴν   ἐφημερίαν   αὐτοῦ,   καὶ   εἶδε   τὸν   ἄγγελον   ἑστῶτα   ἐκ  δεξιῶν   τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου τοῦ θυμιάματος· Καὶ ἐταράχθη Ζαχαρίας ἰδὼν, καὶ φόβος ἐπέπεσεν ἐπ' αὐτόν· εἶπε δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ ἄγγελος· Μὴ φοβοῦ, Ζαχαρία· διότι εἰσηκούσθη ἡ δέησίς σου, καὶ ἡ γυνή  σου Ἐλισάβετ γεννήσει  υἱόν  σοι, καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα  αὐτοῦ Ἰωάννην·  καὶ ἔσται σοι χαρὰ καὶ ἀγαλλίασις· καὶ πολλοὶ  ἐπὶ τῇ γεννήσει  αὐτοῦ χαρήσονται. Ἔσται γὰρ μέγας ἐναντίον  Κυρίου, καὶ οἶνον καὶ σίκερα οὐ πίεται, καὶ Πνεύματος ἁγίου   πλησθήσεται   ἔτι   ἐκ   κοιλίας   μητρὸς   αὐτοῦ.   Καὶ   αὐτὸς προπορεύσεται ἐν πνεύματι  καὶ δυνάμει  Ἠλίου, ἐπιστρέψαι καρδίας πατέρων  ἐπὶ τέκνα, καὶ ἀπειθεῖς ἐν φρονήσει δικαίων, ἑτοιμάσαι Κυρίῳ λαὸν κατεσκευασμένον. Εἶδες ἐπαγγελίαν,  προφητικὴν  ὑπερβαίνουσαν δύναμιν;  Αὕτη ἡ προφητεία τοῦ Ζαχαρίου ἔδησε καὶ ἔλυσε τὴν γλῶτταν·  ἔδησε γὰρ, ἀπιστηθέντος  τοῦ τόκου·ἔλυσε  δὲ  αὐτὴν,  γενομένου  τοῦ  τόκου.  Ὢ τοῦ  θαύματος!  Ἰωάννης  ἐκ  κοιλίας εὐαγγελιστὴς, ἐκ γαστρὸς θαυματουργὸς, τῆς ἐρημίας σύντροφος, καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων ὁμοδίαιτος,  ὁ μετὰ  τὸν  νόμον  ἐν  προφήταις,  δεύτερος  Ἠλίας,  καὶ  ἀληθέστατος κήρυξ, τῷ ζήλῳ τοῦ Πνεύματος τὴν πλάνην ἐξελαύνων, ὁ πρόδρομος καὶ βαπτιστὴς, ὁ λέγων· Μετανοεῖτε· ἤγγικε γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν· ὁ τοῦ Ζαχαρίου υἱὸς, καὶ τῆς  στείρας τὸ βλάστημα, καὶ τῶν  εὐχῶν  τοῦ  λαοῦ  τέλειον  αὐτούργημα· ὁ τῆς μετανοίας  γνήσιος  εἰσηγητὴς,  καὶ  πιστῶν  συνήγορος  ἐξομολογουμένων·  ὁ  τοῦ νόμου πλήρωμα, καὶ τῆς χάριτος ἀρχηγὸς, καὶ τῆς ἀσεβείας τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἔλεγχος· ὁ τῶν ἐπουρανίων δογμάτων βεβαιωτὴς, καὶ κριτὴς ἀδέκαστος τῶν τοῦ λαοῦ πταισμάτων· ὁ ἐκ στείρας ἀγόνου παρ' ἐλπίδα τεχθεὶς, καὶ χάριτι τοῦ ἐκ τῆς πέτρας ὕδωρ ἐξαγαγόντος Χριστοῦ νυμφαγωγός· ὁ τῶν Ἰορδανείων ῥείθρων χαλιναγωγὸς, καὶ τῆς  τῶν  ἁμαρτωλῶν  καθάρσεως πρεσβευτής· ὁ τοῦ ἀκαταλήπτου  μυστηρίου προγνώστης, καὶ τῆς τοῦ ἀοράτου παρουσίας προφήτης· οὗτός ἐστιν Ἰωάννης ὁ κατ' ἐπαγγελίαν  τεχθεὶς τῷ Ζαχαρίᾳ ἐν γήρᾳ βαθυτάτῳ. Ὢ τοῦ θαύματος! ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν  ἔργων  ἐδείχθη  τὰ ἐν γαστρὶ τοῦ Ἰωάννου  σκιρτήματα, ἃ ἐμήνυσεν. Εἶδεν ὁ κόσμος τὴν ἀγαλλίασιν, ἣν ἐν τῇ νηδύϊ ὁ πρόδρομος τοῖς ποσὶν ἐζωγράφησεν. Ἀλλὰ ποίαν ἡμεῖς τῷ δικαίῳ τὴν τιμὴν ἀποτίσωμεν, κυκλούμενοι πανταχόθεν τοῖς αὐτοῦ κατορθώμασιν; Εὐαγγελίζεται γὰρ κυοφορούμενος, θαυματουργεῖ τικτόμενος, προκόπτει  ἐν  ταῖς  ἐρήμοις  ἀσκούμενος,  τρέφεται   τῷ  Πνεύματι  προαγόμενος, μεσιτεύει νόμῳ  καὶ χάριτι,  κηρύττει  μετανοίας  βάπτισμα, βαπτίζει τὸν  ∆εσπότην παραγενόμενον, θεωρεῖ βαπτίζων τῆς Τριάδος τὴν δόξαν, καὶ τὴν χάριν μαρτυρεῖ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ,  βοῶν  ὑποδείκνυσι  τὸν  προφητευθέντα,  ∆εσπότην ὁμολογῶν,  καὶ αὐτοῦ ἰσχυρότερον· ὁδηγεῖ πρὸς αὐτὸν τοὺς πιστεύοντας, ἐκδιδάσκων τὸ συμφέρον τοῖς ὄχλοις·  νουθετεῖ  καὶ βαπτιζομένους  τελώνας,  ἐλέγχει  καὶ τὸν  Ἡρώδην παρανομοῦντα, δέχεται καὶ μακαριζόμενον τέλος. Ποίοις τοίνυν θαυμάσομεν λόγοις; ποίαν ἐν τούτοις κινήσομεν γλῶσσαν; τί τούτων   παραλείπομεν,  καὶ  τί  εἰπεῖν   περὶ  τούτων   ἰσχύσομεν;  Μέγα  γὰρ  τῶν ἐγκωμίων  τὸ πέλαγος,  μέγα  καὶ τῶν  κατορθωμάτων  τὸ πλάτος· ἐκπλήττει  τοὺς λέγοντας  καὶ μόνη τῶν  πραγμάτων  ἡ πεῖρα. Ἀλλ'  ἔλθοι καὶ νῦν  Ζαχαρίας ὁ τοῦ δικαίου πατὴρ, ὁ καὶ τῇ σιωπῇ κατακριθεὶς, καὶ πάλιν φθεγξάμενος· ἐκεῖνος ἡμῖν τὰ ἑαυτοῦ  τρανότατα  διηγήσεται,  πῶς  ἐφθέγξατο  κατασχεθείσης τῆς  γλώσσης, πῶς Ἰωάννης γεννᾶται, καὶ ἡ τοῦ ἀγγέλου ἀπόφασις λύεται, πῶς ἡ τιμωρία ἀπάγεται, καὶ ἡ θεραπεία ἔρχεται. Ὁ γὰρ εὐαγγελιστὴς σύντομον τοῦ Ζαχαρίου καὶ Ἐλισάβετ τῆς γυναικὸς αὐτοῦ εἰσάγων τὸ κήρυγμα,  πρότερον τὰς προσηγορίας αὐτῶν καὶ τὴν  φύσιν  καὶ  τὴν  ἀξίαν  σημαίνει·  ἔπειτα  δὲ  πολιτείας  ἔπαινον  καὶ  εὐποιίας τρόπαιον ἐπάγει, ἐν ᾧ καὶ τῆς σιωπῆς κατάκρισιν δείκνυσι, καὶ τῆς εὐγλωττίας  τὴν λύσιν γνωρίζει. Καὶ ἄκουε τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν  ἐντεῦθεν ῥημάτων· Καὶ οὐκ ἦν, φησὶν, αὐτοῖς τέκνον, καθότι ἡ Ἐλισάβετ ἦν στείρα, καὶ ἀμφότεροι προβεβηκότες ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτῶν  ἦσαν. Καὶ νῦν οὐ μόνον τὴν τούτων  ἀτεκνίαν  ὁρῶ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἀρχαίαν εἰκόνα τῶν  δικαίων  ἐννοῶ,  Ἀβραὰμ λέγω  καὶ Σάῤῥας· καὶ μανθάνω  καὶ στείρωσιν   τίκτουσαν   ἑτέραν,   καὶ   παιδοποιίαν    χάριτος   καὶ   φύσεως,   ξένον τεκνογονίας  μυστήριον· οὗτος γὰρ καὶ τῆς ἐπαγγελίας  ὁ τρόπος ταύτης. Ὤφθη δὲ αὐτῷ  ἄγγελος  Κυρίου ἑστὼς  ἐκ  δεξιῶν  τοῦ  θυσιαστηρίου  τοῦ  θυμιάματος·  καὶ ἐταράχθη  Ζαχαρίας ἰδὼν,  καὶ  φόβος  ἐπέπεσεν  ἐπ'  αὐτόν.  Εἶπε δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν  ὁ ἄγγελος·  Μὴ φοβοῦ,  Ζαχαρία· διότι  εἰσηκούσθη ἡ  δέησίς σου, καὶ  ἡ  γυνή  σου Ἐλισάβετ γεννήσει  υἱόν  σοι, καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰωάννην.  Καλὸν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τὸ κτῆμα, μέγα τῆς ὀπτασίας τὸ δῶρον, ἀληθῶς Ἀβραμιαῖον τὸ καύχημα· ὡς  γὰρ  ἐκείνῳ  ἡ  σύλληψις  τῆς  Σάῤῥας, οὕτω  καὶ  τούτῳ  προκατήγγελται   τῆς Ἐλισάβετ ἡ κύησις. Ἀλλ' ἡ μὲν πρόῤῥησις ἴση· οὐκ ἴση δὲ τῶν  πραγμάτων  ἡ τάξις. Τοῦ γὰρ Ἀβραὰμ   μηδὲν   ἐκ   τῆς   ἐπαγγελίας    πεπονθότος   δεινὸν,   ἄφωνος    μετὰ   τὸν εὐαγγελισμὸν  Ζαχαρίας εὑρίσκεται, πιστῷ  ἀγγέλῳ  μὴ πιστεύσας, καὶ  σιωπῇ  τὴν τιμωρίαν δεξάμενος. Εἶπε δὲ, φησὶ, Ζαχαρίας πρὸς τὸν ἄγγελον· Κατὰ τί γνώσομαι τοῦτο; ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι πρεσβύτης, καὶ ἡ γυνή μου προβεβηκυῖα ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτῆς. Τί  τοῦτο,  ∆έσποτα; ἐγὼ  τὰς  ἱκεσίας  προσάγω  τῷ  Θεῷ ὑπὲρ  παντὸς  τοῦ  λαοῦ ἐξιλασκόμενος, καὶ αὐτὸς υἱόν μοι τέξειν εὐαγγελίζῃ; Τοῦτο ἀδύνατόν ἐστι. Τὸ γὰρ γῆρας ἀσθενὲς, καὶ ἡ φύσις ἄτονος, καὶ ἡ ἐμὴ σύζυγος πέτρα ἐστὶν ἄγονος· καὶ πῶς ἔσται μοι τοῦτο; Ὅμως εἰ καὶ ὡς εἴρηκας, γενήσεταί μοι υἱὸς, τίς ἔσται ὠφέλεια ἐξ αὐτοῦ τῷ λαῷ; Ὁ δὲ ἄγγελος· Μεγάλη ἔσται σωτηρία δι' ἐκείνου τῷ λαῷ, καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν· αὐτὸς γὰρ ἐπιστρέψει πάντας ἀπὸ τῆς πλάνης, καὶ ὑποδείξει αὐτοῖς τὴν ὁδὸν τῆς σωτηρίας, μεσίτης γενόμενος Θεοῦ καὶ ἀνθρώπων· Καὶ γὰρ προπορεύσεται ἐν πνεύματι καὶ δυνάμει Ἠλίου, καὶ προφήτης Ὑψίστου κληθήσεται. Οὗτος προπορεύσεται πρὸ προσώπου Κυρίου, λέγων· Ἴδε ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ αἴρων τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου.

βʹ. Ὁ δὲ Ζαχαρίας ἀνταποκριθεὶς εἶπε πρὸς τὸν ἄγγελον· Κατὰ τί γνώσομαι τοῦτο; Εἶπε δὲ ὁ ἄγγελος· Ἐπειδὴ σημεῖον ἐπιζητεῖς τοῦ τόκου, καὶ τοῖς ἐμοῖς ἀπιστεῖς λόγοις,  λάβε ἐνέχυρον  ἀσφαλές· Ἐγώ εἰμι Γαβριὴλ ὁ παρεστηκὼς ἐνώπιον  τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἀπεστάλην λαλῆσαι πρὸς σὲ, καὶ εὐαγγελίσασθαί σοι ταῦτα. Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἔσῃ σιωπῶν, καὶ μὴ δυνάμενος  λαλῆσαι, ἄχρι ἧς ἡμέρας γένηται  ταῦτα, ἀνθ' ὧν  οὐκ ἐπίστευσας τοῖς λόγοις  μου, οἵτινες  πληρωθήσονται  εἰς τὸν  καιρὸν αὐτῶν.Ἀνένδοτος ἡ δίκη τῷ πλημμελήσαντι, καὶ ἀνυπέρθετος ἡ τῆς τιμωρίας ὀργή. Οὐκ ἔδει  γὰρ  ἀληθῶς  ἀπιστηθῆναι  τὸν  ἄγγελον,  οὐ  τὸ  θυσιαστήριον εὐκαταφρόνητον σχεῖν, οὐ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦ θυμιάματος καιρὸν ἀπάτης λογίσασθαι· ὁ γὰρ ἄγγελος θυμιῶντι αὐτῷ ὤφθη. Οὐ τῆς Ἀβραὰμ ἱστορίας ὑπεμνήσθη· καὶ τότε γὰρ στείρα καὶ γῆρας παιδοποιεῖ, καὶ εὔπιστα πανταχοῦ  τὰ λεγόμενα ἐδείχθη· εἶχε γὰρ τῆς τοιαύτης τεκνογονίας τὸ θαῦμα· ὅθεν ὁ ἄγγελος πρὸς αὐτὸν, Ἔσῃ, φησὶ, σιωπῶν, καὶ μὴ δυνάμενος λαλῆσαι, ἄχρι ἧς ἡμέρας γένηται ταῦτα, ἀνθ' ὧν οὐκ ἐπίστευσας τοῖς ἐμοῖς λόγοις. Ὢ τῆς φιλανθρώπου  τιμωρίας, διόρθωσιν μᾶλλον ἐργασαμένης! αὐτὴν γὰρ ὁ ἄγγελος τὴν σφαλεῖσαν φωνὴν σωφρονίζει. Ἐξελθὼν γὰρ οὐκ ἠδύνατο λαλῆσαι αὐτοῖς· καὶ ἐπέγνωσαν  ὅτι ὀπτασίαν ἑώρακεν ἐν τῷ ναῷ· καὶ αὐτὸς ἦν διανεύων  αὐτοῖς,  καὶ διέμενε  κωφός.  Καλῶς γὰρ καὶ τὸ ἔμενεν  ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς συνεγράψατο· περιέμενε γὰρ ἡ σιωπὴ τικτομένην τὴν φωνὴν, ὁ Ζαχαρίας τὸν Ἰωάννην,  ὁ πρεσβύτης τὸν παῖδα. Ὢ τοῦ θαύματος  λόγος ἐπιδημεῖ, καὶ ἡ φωνὴ  προκηρύττει· ∆εσπότης ἔρχεται, καὶ δοῦλος προαποστέλλεται. Ἀλλὰ τί νῦν προλαβὼν τὸ τῆς ἐρήμου κήρυγμα λέγω, ἔχων ἑτέραν ξένην τινὰ καὶ μεγάλην τῶν προοιμίων φωνήν; Ἔργα γάρ ἐστι πρῶτα, τούτων τῶν ῥημάτων ἀνώτερα. Ἔτι γὰρ ὁ Βαπτιστὴς οἰκῶν ἐν τῇ γαστρὶ τῆς μητρὸς, ἔτι τοῖς τῆς φύσεως δεσμοῖς κατεχόμενος, ἔτι  τοῖς  μητρικοῖς  σπαργάνοις ἐνειλη[μμένος],  κηρύγματι  τὴν  τοῦ ∆εσπότου βοᾷ παρουσίαν· Ἐγένετο γὰρ, φησὶν, ὡς ἤκουσε τὸν ἀσπασμὸν τῆς Μαρίας ἡ Ἐλισάβετ, ἐσκίρτησε τὸ  βρέφος  ἐν  τῇ  κοιλίᾳ  αὐτῆς.  Οὔπω γεννᾶται,  καὶ  τοῖς  σκιρτήμασι φθέγγεται·  οὔπω βοᾷν συγχωρεῖται,  καὶ δι' ἔργων  ἀκούεται· οὔπω μανθάνει  τὸν βίον, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν προκηρύττει . Ὄντως ἄλλοι κεκοπιάκασι, καὶ ἡμεῖς εἰς τοὺς κόπους αὐτῶν εἰσεληλύθαμεν· προεβόων οἱ προφῆται, καὶ οὐκ ἐσίγων τυπτόμενοι· πατριαρχῶν κατάλογος ἐκινδύνευεν·  ἀντιπαρετάττοντο  τύραννοι· βασιλεῖς ἐπολέμουν· ὠργίζετο δῆμος· ὁ κόσμος ὅλος ἀντηγωνίζετο  τοῖς τῶν  δικαίων  ἀγῶσιν· ἔνθεν  προσήγοντο βήμασι, κἀκεῖθεν κατεξαίοντο ταῖς μάστιξι· πανταχόθεν  κολαστήρια καὶ στρεβλώσεις. Ἀλλ' ἐν τοιαύτῃ κατηφείᾳ βίου τυγχάνοντας λύσιν τοῦ χειμῶνος εὐαγγελιζόμενος ὁ Ἰωάννης,  δεδεμένος ἔτι τοῖς σπαργάνοις τῆς φύσεως, τὸ σωτήριον ἔαρ ὑπέδειξεν ἡμῖν· καὶ σπεύδων κηρῦξαι τῇ φωνῇ  ὃν ἐμήνυσε τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτοῦ, ἐβιάζετο τοὺς ὅρους  τῆς  φύσεως·  βραδυτοκοῦσαν  γὰρ  τὴν  Ἐλισάβετ  ἐσόβει· ἐσκίρτα  ὁμοῦ  τε χορεύων  καὶ δυσχεραίνων  ἐφ' οἷς ἐπὶ  τῆς  νηδύος  κεκράτητο· τῆς  περιόδου τῶν μηνῶν κατεβόα· ὡς ἄδικον φυλακὴν τὴν μήτραν ἐτίνασσε, καὶ ἐβόα τοῖς σκιρτήμασι, τοιαῦτα  πρὸς τὴν  Ἐλισάβετ φθεγγόμενος· Ἀδικεῖς, ὦ  μῆτερ, βραδυτοκοῦσα, τῆς οἰκουμένης τὴν χαρὰν συνέχουσα, καὶ τὸν πρόδρομον κωλύουσα· προφήτην ἐγγάστριον φέρεις, βασιλικὸν στρατιώτην κατέχεις· συμποδίζεις τὸν ταχυδρόμον τῆς εὐσεβείας· ἀδικεῖς, ὦ μῆτερ· οὐκ οἶδας  τὸ μέλλον,  ἀγνοεῖς  τὰ ἐσόμενα. Τὸ φῶς παραγίνεται, τὸν ὄρθρον ἀπόλυσον· ἀνατελεῖ  ὁ ἥλιος, ὁ ἑωσφόρος προλάμψῃ· ἐπὶ θύραις ὁ λόγος, καὶ χρεία τῆς φωνῆς, ἐγγὺς ὁ νυμφίος, καὶ δίκαιον ἁπλωθῆναι τὸν θάλαμον  ἐν  τῷ  Ἰορδάνῃ· αἵματος  χρεία  ἐξαγοράζοντος  τὸν  κόσμον, καὶ χρή  με πόῤῥωθεν  τὸν  ἀμνὸν  ὑποδεῖξαι. Σπαργανοῦται  τὸ γένος  ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις, ἦλθεν  ὁ λύων  τοὺς πεπεδημένους.  Χρεία κλήτορος, ἵνα  πάντες  μαθόντες  ἀπαντήσωσι  τῷ ∆εσπότῃ· καὶ ἰδοὺ κρατεῖς ἐν μήτρᾳ τὸν πρόδρομον. Οὐκοῦν ἐννόησον, μῆτερ, τὸν Ἀδὰμ κρατούμενον ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ, τῆς Εὔας τοὺς αἰωνίους στεναγμούς· ἔτι γὰρ κράζει τὸ αἷμα τοῦ Ἄβελ τὴν κατὰ τοῦ Κάϊν ἐντυγχάνον  ἀναίρεσιν· συστενάζει αὐτῷ καὶ αὐτὰ τὰ στοιχεῖα. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο πάντως ἀπηλλάγης τοῦ πάθους τῆς ἀτεκνίας, ἵνα μηνύσῃ ὁ ἐκ στείρας  τὸν  ἐκ  παρθένου·  διὰ  τοῦτο  ἐγὼ  ἐν  τῇ  μήτρᾳ  ἐσκίρτησα, ἵνα  μηκέτι ὀρχήσηται ὁ διάβολος ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ.Τοιαῦτα  μὲν  οὖν  μήπω  τεχθεὶς  ὁ  Ἰωάννης  πρὸς  τὴν  Ἐλισάβετ διὰ  τῶν σκιρτημάτων ἐσήμανε· Τῇ δὲ Ἐλισάβετ ἐπλήσθη ὁ χρόνος τοῦ τεκεῖν αὐτὴν,καὶ ἐγέννησεν υἱὸν, καὶ ἤκουσαν οἱ περίοικοι καὶ οἱ συγγενεῖς αὐτῆς ὅτι ἐμεγάλυνε Κύριος τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ μετ' αὐτῆς, καὶ συνέχαιρον αὐτῇ. Καὶ ἐγένετο, ἐν τῇ ὀγδόῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἦλθον περιτεμεῖν τὸ παιδίον, καὶ ἐκάλουν αὐτὸ ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ  Ζαχαρίαν.  Καὶ ἀποκριθεῖσα  ἡ  μήτηρ  αὐτοῦ  εἶπεν·  Ἰωάννης  κληθήσεται. Ἐνένευον δὲ τῷ πατρὶ αὐτοῦ τὸ τί ἂν θέλοι καλεῖσθαι αὐτό· καὶ αἰτήσας πινακίδιον, ἔγραψε, λέγων· Ἰωάννης ἐστὶ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἐθαύμασαν πάντες. Ἀνεῴχθη δὲ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ παραχρῆμα καὶ ἡ γλῶσσα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐλάλει  εὐλογῶν  τὸν Θεόν. Ἀμέλει τὸ βρέφος τίκτεται, καὶ ἡ φωνὴ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐπανέρχεται· οὕτω γὰρ δείκνυται βοῶσα ἡ Ἰωάννου φωνὴ, ὅτι καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ ὄνομα φωνῆς ἐνέργεια πέφηνεν. Ἐγὼ γὰρ, φησὶ, φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου· εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ. ∆εξάμενος γὰρ τὴν ἔλλαμψιν  τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος, ὑπεδείκνυε τὸν ποιητὴν τοῖς ποιήμασι, καὶ τὸν πλάστην ἐδακτυλοδείκτει  τοῖς πᾶσι μεγαλοφώνως βοῶν· Ἴδε ὁ Ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ αἴρων  τὴν  ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου. Ποιήσατε οὖν καρποὺς ἀξίους τῆς μετανοίας, καὶ μὴ ἄρξησθε λέγειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς· Πατέρα ἔχομεν τὸν Ἀβραάμ· λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν, ὅτι δύναται ὁ Θεὸς ἐκ τῶν λίθων τούτων ἐγεῖραι τέκνα τῷ Ἀβραάμ.  Ἀλλὰ   τί   τῷ   θερμῷ   ζήλῳ   τοῦ   βρέφους   καὶ   ὁ   ἡμέτερος   σήμερον συνεκτείνεται λόγος; Ἐπίσχωμεν, εἰ δοκεῖ, νῦν τέως τὴν γλῶσσαν, ἀρκούντως μετὰ τοῦ βρέφους σκιρτήσασαν. Καλὸν γὰρ  συμμετρεῖν  τῷ  καιρῷ  τὴν  ἐξήγησιν,  καὶ  ἐντρυφᾷν  μὲν  τοῖς εἰρημένοις, περιμένειν δὲ καὶ τὴν τῶν καθεξῆς θεωρίαν. Οὔτε γὰρ τοὺς ὅρους τῆς φύσεως ὁ Βαπτιστὴς ἐβιάσατο τῷ σκιρτήματι, ἀλλ' ἔμενε καὶ αὐτὸς τὸν προσήκοντα χρόνον,  εἰδὼς  ὅτι  καὶ  τοῦτο  δι'  ἡμᾶς  μετ'  αὐτὸν  πληρώσει  ὁ  ∆εσπότης, βοῶν· Πλησθήσεται ἡ γῆ τοῦ γνῶναι  τὸν Κύριον, ὡς ὕδωρ πολὺ, κατακαλύψαι θαλάσσας καὶ ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν ἡλίου μέχρι δυσμῶν δεδόξασταί μου τὸ ὄνομα, καὶ ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ προσφέρεται τῷ ὀνόματί μου θυσία καθαρά. Οὐκ ἔτι γὰρ κατὰ τὸν νόμον εἷς ναός ἐστιν ὁ δεχόμενος τὰς θυσίας, ὁ σεμνυνόμενος ἐπὶ ταύταις· ἀλλὰ κατὰ πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην Ἐκκλησίαι εἰλικρινῶς  τῷ Θεῷ δόξαν ἀναπέμπουσιν. Ἐκεῖ ἱερεὺς ἦν εἷς τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ, θνητὸς, καὶ πάσης ἁμαρτίας πεπληρωμένος· νῦν ἐλάβομεν τῶν ἡμετέρων  ψυχῶν  ἀρχιερέα Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, Ὃς ἁμαρτίαν  οὐκ ἐποίησε, καὶ οὐχ εὑρέθη   δόλος   ἐν   τῷ   στόματι   αὐτοῦ.   Ἔχομεν   γὰρ,  φησὶν,   ἀρχιερέα   μέγαν διεληλυθότα τοὺς οὐρανοὺς, τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν· ᾧ πρέπει πᾶσα δόξα, τιμὴ καὶ προσκύνησις, σὺν τῷ Πατρὶ καὶ τῷ παναγίῳ Πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.