St. John Chrysostom

“For why did God not spare His only-begotten Son, but delivered Him up, although the only one He had? It was that He might reconcile to Himself those who were disposed towards Him as enemies, and make them His peculiar people. For what purpose did He shed His blood? It was that He might win these sheep which He entrusted to Peter and his successors.” (Treatise Concerning The Christian Priesthood, Book 2)


“In speaking of S. Peter, the recollection of another Peter has come to me, the common father and teacher, who has inherited his prowess, and also obtained his chair. For this is the one great privilege of our city, Antioch, that it received the leader of the Apostles (Peter) as its teacher in the beginning. For it was right that she who was first adorned with the name of Christians, before the whole world, should receive the first of the apostles as her pastor. But though we received him as teacher, we did not retain him to the end, but gave him up to royal Rome.” (On the Inscription of the Acts, II, Chrysostom [c. 387]).


“Jesus said to Peter, ‘Feed my sheep’. Why does He pass over the others and speak of the sheep to Peter? He was the chosen one of the Apostles, the mouth of the disciples, the head of the choir. For this reason Paul went up to see him rather than the others. And also to show him that he must have confidence now that his denial had been purged away. He entrusts him with the rule [prostasia] over the brethren and He brings not forward the denial, nor reproaches him with what had taken place, but says, If you love Me, preside over your brethren, and the warm love which you ever manifested, and in which you rejoiced, show thou now; and the life which you said you would lay down for Me, now give for My sheep. (Homilies on John [21:15], 88.1).


“If anyone should say ‘Why then was it James who received the See of Jerusalem?’, I should reply that He made Peter the teacher not of that see but of the whole world.” (Homilies on John [21:19], 88.3).


“Peter, the Leader of the choir of Apostles, the Mouth of the disciples, the Pillar of the Church, the Buttress of the faith, the Foundation of the confession, the Fisherman of the universe.” (Chrysostom, T. iii Hom).


“Peter, that Leader of the choir, that Mouth of the rest of the Apostles, that Head of the brotherhood, that one set over the entire universe, that Foundation of the Church.” (Chrys. In illud hoc Scitote [c. 387]).


“And why, then, passing by the others, does He converse with Peter on these things? (John 21:15). He was the chosen one of the Apostles, and the mouth of the disciples, and the leader of the choir. On this account, Paul also went up on a time to see him rather than the others (Galatians 1:18). And withal, to show him that he must thenceforward have confidence, as the denial was done away with, He puts into his hands the presidency over the brethren. And He brings not forward the denial, nor reproches him with what had past, but says, ‘If you love me, preside over the brethren, …and the third time He gives him the same injunction, showing what a price He sets the presidency over His own sheep. And if one should say, ‘How then did James receive the throne of Jerusalem?,’ this I would answer that He appointed this man (Peter) teacher, not of that throne, but of the whole world.” (Chrysostom, In Joan. Hom. 1xxxviii. n. 1, tom. viii).


“Peter himself the Head or Crown of the Apostles, the First in the Church, the Friend of Christ, who received a revelation, not from man, but from the Father, as the Lord bears witness to him, saying, ‘Blessed art thou, This very Peter and when I name Peter I name that unbroken Rock, that firm Foundation, the Great Apostle, First of the disciples, the First called, and the First who obeyed he was guilty …even denying the Lord.” (Chrysostom, T. ii. Hom).


“(Peter), the foundation of the Church, the Coryphaeus of the choir of the Apostles, the vehement lover of Christ …he who ran throughout the whole world, who fished the whole world; this holy Coryphaeus of the blessed choir; the ardent disciple, who was entrusted with the keys of heaven, who received the spiritual revelation. Peter, the mouth of all Apostles, the head of that company, the ruler of the whole world.” (De Eleemos, iii. 4; Hom. de decem mille tal. 3).


“And yet when Peter, the leader of the apostles, said this to Him, "Be it far from thee Lord, this shall not happen unto Thee,” (On Matthew 26:39).


“In those days Peter rose up in the midst of the disciples (Acts 15), both as being ardent, and as intrusted by Christ with the flock …he first acts with authority in the matter, as having all put into his hands ; for to him Christ said, ‘And thou, being converted, confirm thy brethren.” (Chrysostom, Hom. iii Act Apost. tom. ix.).


“He passed over his fall, and appointed him first of the Apostles; wherefore He said: ‘ ‘Simon, Simon,’ etc. (in Ps. cxxix. 2). God allowed him to fall, because He meant to make him ruler over the whole world, that, remembering his own fall, he might forgive those who should slip in the future. And that what I have said is no guess, listen to Christ Himself saying: ‘Simon, Simon, etc.’” (Chrys, Hom. quod frequenter conveniendum sit 5, cf. Hom 73 in Joan 5).


“And why, then, passing by the others, does He converse with Peter on these things? (John 21:15). He was the chosen one of the Apostles, and the mouth of the disciples, and the leader of the choir. On this account, Paul also went up on a time to see him rather than the others (Galatians 1:18). And withal, to show him that he must thenceforward have confidence, as the denial was done away with, He puts into his hands the presidency over the brethren. And He brings not forward the denial, nor reproches him with what had past, but says, ‘If you love me, preside over the brethren …and the third time He gives him the same injunction, showing what a price He sets the presidency over His own sheep.” (Homilies on John, 88.1).


“Jesus said to Peter, ‘Feed my sheep’. Why does He pass over the others and speak of the sheep to Peter? He was the chosen one of the Apostles, the mouth of the disciples, the head of the choir. For this reason Paul went up to see him rather than the others. And also to show him that he must have confidence now that his denial had been purged away. He entrusts him with the rule [prostasia] over the brethren. . . . If anyone should say ‘Why then was it James who received the See of Jerusalem?’, I should reply that He made Peter the teacher not of that see but of the whole world.” (Ibid).


“Peter himself the head or crown of the Apostles… when I name Peter I name that unbroken rock, that firm foundation…” (Homily 3).


“ ‘And I say unto thee, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church’; that is, on the faith of his confession.” ( Homily 53 on St. Matthew).


“[After his repentance,] He [Peter] becomes again head of the Apostles and the whole world is committed to his care” (8th Discourse on the Jews).


“[after Peter gave his three fold confirmation of faith in the 21st chapter of John,] He restored him to his former dignity, and He handed over to him the authority [jurisdiction / επιστασιαν] of the Universal Church; greatest of all, He proved to us that he, of all the apostles, had the most love for the Master. "Peter," He asks him, "do you love me more than these?" This alone carries equal esteem as a virtues. (On Repentance and Almsgiving, Homily 5)


“This Peter, and when I say Peter I mean the solid rock, the tranquil foundation, the great apostle, the first disciple, the first one called by Christ, and the first one who obeyed. He did something not trivial but exceedingly great—he denied the Master Himself. I am saying this not to accuse that righteous individual but to give you cause for repentance.” (On Repentance and Almsgiving, Homily 3: Concerning Almsgiving and the Ten Virgins)


“In those days Peter rose up in the midst of the disciples" (Acts i. 15) : Both as being ardent and as intrusted by Christ with the flock, . . . he first acts with authority in the matter, as having all put in his hands; for to him Christ had said, 'And thou, being converted, confirm thy brethren' (Hom. iii. in Act. Apost).”


“ ‘Feed my sheep’ (John 21:17), that is, in my place be in charge of your brethren.”


“This Linus [mentioned in 2 Timothy], some say, was second Bishop of the Church of Rome after Peter.” (Homily 10).


“What then saith the mouth of the apostles, Peter, the ever fervent, the leader of the apostolic choir? When all are asked, he answers. And whereas when He asked the opinion of the people, all replied to the question; when He asked their own, Peter springs forward, and anticipates them, and saith,” (Homily 54 on Matthew’s Gospel).


“And in those days," it says, "Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said." (v. 15.) Both as being ardent, and as having been put in trust by Christ with the flock, and as having precedence in honor, he always begins the discourse.” (Homily 3 on Acts).


“I would fain inquire then of those who desire to lessen the dignity of the Son, which manner of gifts were greater, those which the Father gave to Peter, or those which the Son gave him? For the Father gave to Peter the revelation of the Son; but the Son gave him to sow that of the Father and that of Himself in every part of the world; and to a mortal man He entrusted the authority over all things in Heaven, giving him the keys; who extended the church to every part of the world, and declared it to be stronger than heaven.” (Homily LIV).


“And how has He set over us so many to reprove; and not only to reprove, but also to punish? For him that hearkens to none of these, He has commanded to be as a heathen man and a publican. And how gave He them the keys also? Since if they are not to judge, they will be without authority in any matter, and in vain have they received the power to bind and to loose.” (Homily 12 on the Gospel of John).


“At all events the master of the whole world, Peter, to whose hands He committed the keys of heaven, whom He commanded to do and to bear all, He bade tarry here for a long period. Thus in His sight our city was equivalent to the whole world. But since I have mentioned Peter, I have perceived a fifth crown woven from him, and this is that this man succeeded to the office after him. For just as any one taking a great stone from a foundation hastens by all means to introduce an equivalent to it, lest he should shake the whole building, and make it more unsound, so, accordingly, when Peter was about to depart from here, the grace of the Spirit introduced another teacher equivalent to Peter, so that the building already completed should not be made more unsound by the insignificance of the successor.” (Homily on St. Ignatius).


St. John Chrysostom interprets the following passage in Galatians, where Paul rebukes Peter:


“But when Cephas came to Antioch, I resisted him to the face, because he stood condemned. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing them that were of the circumcision.” (Galatians 2:11-12).


Now to the commentary:


“Many, on a superficial reading of this part of the Epistle, suppose that Paul accused Peter of hypocrisy. But this is not so, indeed it is not, far from it; we shall discover great wisdom, both of Paul and Peter, concealed herein for the benefit of their hearers. But first a word must be said about Peter’s freedom in speech, and how it was ever his way to outstrip the other disciples. Indeed it was upon one such occasion that he gained his name from the unbending and impregnable character of his faith. For when all were interrogated in common, he stepped before the others and answered, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Mat. xvi. 16.) This was when the keys of heaven were committed to him. So too, he appears to have been the only speaker on the Mount; (Mat. xvii. 4.) and when Christ spoke of His crucifixion, and the others kept silence, he said, “Be it far from Thee.” (Mat. xvi. 22.) These words evince, if not a cautious temper, at least a fervent love; and in all instances we find him more vehement than the others, and rushing forward into danger. So when Christ was seen on the beach, and the others were pushing the boat in, he was too impatient to wait for its coming to land. (John xxi. 7.) And after the Resurrection, when the Jews were murderous and maddened, and sought to tear the Apostles in pieces, he first dared to come forward, and to declare, that the Crucified was taken up into heaven. (Acts ii. 14, 36.) It is a greater thing to open a closed door, and to commence an action, than to be free-spoken afterwards. How could he ever dissemble who had exposed his life to such a populace? He who when scourged and bound would not bate a jot of his courage, and this at the beginning of his mission, and in the heart of the chief city where there was so much danger,—how could he, long afterwards in Antioch, where no danger was at hand, and his character had received lustre from the testimony of his actions, feel any apprehension of the believing Jews? How could he, I say, who at the very first and in their chief city feared not the Jews while Jews, after a long time and in a foreign city, fear those of them who had been converted? Paul therefore does not speak this against Peter, but with the same meaning in which he said, “for they who were reputed to be somewhat, whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me.” But to remove any doubt on this point, we must unfold the reason of these expressions.


“The Apostles, as I said before, permitted circumcision at Jerusalem, an abrupt severance from the law not being practicable; but when they come to Antioch, they no longer continued this observance, but lived indiscriminately with the believing Gentiles which thing Peter also was at that time doing. But when some came from Jerusalem who had heard the doctrine he delivered there, he no longer did so fearing to perplex them, but he changed his course, with two objects secretly in view, both to avoid offending those Jews, and to give Paul a reasonable pretext for rebuking him. For had he, having allowed circumcision when preaching at Jerusalem, changed his course at Antioch, his conduct would have appeared to those Jews to proceed from fear of Paul, and his disciples would have condemned his excess of pliancy. And this would have created no small offence; but in Paul, who was well acquainted with all the facts, his withdrawal would have raised no such suspicion, as knowing the intention with which he acted.


“Wherefore Paul rebukes, and Peter submits, that when the master is blamed, yet keeps silence, the disciples may more readily come over. Without this occurrence Paul’s exhortation would have had little effect, but the occasion hereby afforded of delivering a severe reproof, impressed Peter’s disciples with a more lively fear. Had Peter disputed Paul’s sentence, he might justly have been blamed as upsetting the plan, but now that the one reproves and the other keeps silence, the Jewish party are filled with serious alarm; and this is why he used Peter so severely. Observe too Paul’s careful choice of expressions, whereby he points out to the discerning, that he uses them in pursuance of the plan, (oikonomias) and not from anger.


“His words are, “When Cephas came to Antioch, I resisted him to the face, because he stood condemned;” that is, not by me but by others; had he himself condemned him, he would not have shrunk from saying so. And the words, “I resisted him to the face,” imply a scheme for had their discussion been real, they would not have rebuked each other in the presence of the disciples, for it would have been a great stumblingblock to them. But now this apparent contest was much to their advantage; as Paul had yielded to the Apostles at Jerusalem, so in turn they yield to him at Antioch.” (Commentary on Galatians).


“If any is blameless." "In every city," he says, for he did not wish the whole island to be intrusted to one, but that each should have his own charge and care, for thus he would have less labor himself, and those under his rule would receive greater attention, if the Teacher had not to go about to the presidency of many Churches, but was left to be occupied with one only and to bring that into order.” (Homily 2 on Titus).


"And I say unto thee, Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church", that is on the faith of his confession. Thus he shows many will believe and raises his mind and makes him shepherd. . . . Do you see how he himself' leads Peter to high thoughts of him, and reveals himself and shows that he is the Son of God by these two promises? For those things which are peculiar to God alone, namely to forgive sins, and to make the Church immovable in such an onset of waves, and to declare a jsherman to be stronger than any rock while all the world wars against him, these things he himself promises to give; as the Father said, speaking to Jeremiah, that he would set him as a column of brass and as a wall-but him for one nation, this man for all the world. I would ask those who wish to lessen the dignity of the Son, which gifts were greater, those which the Father gave to Peter, or those which the Son gave to him? The Father gave to Peter the revelation of the Son, but the Son gave him to sow that of the Father and of himself throughout the world; and to a mortal man he entrusted the authority over all things in heaven, giving him the keys, who extended the Church throughout the world and declared it to be stronger than heaven.” (Homily 54, On Matthew).


“After that grave fall (for there is no sin equal to denial), after so great a sin, he brought him back to his former honour, and entrusted him with the care of the universal Church, and, what is more than all, he showed us that he had a greater love for his master than any of the apostles, for he saith, " Peter, lovest thou me more than these?” (Homily 5, On Penitence).


“And if anyone would say “How did James receive the chair of Jerusalem?", I would reply that he 1 appointed Peter a teacher not of the chair, but of the world.” (Homily 88, On John).


“Notice how Peter ends on a fearful note. He does not preach to them from the prophets, but from current events of which they were witnesses. Of course these add their witness and strengthen the word by what has now happened. And notice, he first allows the question to be moved in the Church, and then speaks…” (Homily 32, On the Acts of the Apostles).


“If therefore we desire to partake of that Spirit which is from the Head, let us cleave to one another. For there are two kinds of separation from the body of the Church : the one when we wax cold in love, the other when we dare to do things unworthy of our membership; for in either way we cut ourselves off from the fullness. . . .. . . . Therefore I assert and protest that to make a schism in the Church is no less an evil than to fall into heresy. . . . I speak not of you who are present, but of those who are deserting from us. This act is adultery.” (Homily 11).


“To this end was the Spirit given, that he might unite those who are separated by race and by different manners. And how then is this unity preserved? " In the bond of peace. " This cannot exist in strife and discord. " For ", he says, " where there are strifes among you, and jealousy, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk after the manner of men? " For as fire, when it finds dry pieces of wood, works up all together into one blazing pile, but, when the wood is wet, does not act at all or unite the pieces; as, in the same way, no cold substance can strengthen this union, but generally speaking any warm one can : thus it is that the glow of charity is produced ; by the bond of peace, he wishes to bind us all together.” (Homily 9, On the Epistle to the Ephesians).


“They who were dragged hither and thither, who were despised and bound with fetters, and who suffered all those thousand torments, in their death are more honoured than kings; and consider how this has come to pass: in the most regal city of Rome, to the tomb of the fisherman and the tentmaker run emperors and consuls and generals.” (Contra Judaeos et Gentiles).


“. . . . Where the seraphim praise and the cherubim do fly, there we shall see Paul with Peter. as chief and leader of the choir of the saints, and shall enjoy his generous love. For if when here he so loved men that when he might have departed to be with Christ, he chose to be here, much more will he there display a warmer affection. I love Rome even for this, although indeed one has other grounds for praising it, both for its greatness, its antiquity, its beauty, its numbers, its power, its riches, and its victories in war. But I let all these things pass, and bless it for this reason, that he both wrote to them when living, and loved them so much, and spoke to them when he was with them, and there ended his life. And so indeed the city is more famous for this than for all the other things. And as a body great and strong, it has two shining eyes,l the bodies of these saints. The heaven is not so bright, when the sun sends forth his rays, as is the city of Rome, sending out these two lights into all the world. Thence Paul will be caught up, thence Peter . . . What two crowns has the city about it, with what golden chains it is girded, what fountains it has! Therefore I admire the city, not for its much gold, not for its columns, not for any other phantasy, but for these pillars of the Church.” (Homily 32, On Romans).


“ ‘And after they had held their peace, James answered . . .’ I. This man was bishop, as they say, and so he speaks last, and the saying is fulfilled, "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established". . . . " Men and brethren," he says, " hearken unto me." Notice the moderation of the man. His also is a fuller speech, for it completes the matter under discussion. " Symeon", he says, "declared" : in Luke, when he prophesied "how first God did visit the Gentiles " There was no arrogance in the Church. Peter speaks after Paul, and no one silences him. James waits patiently; he does not start up. Neither John nor the other apostles say anything ; they kept silence, for James was inuested with the chief rule, and they think this was no hardship, for their soul was clean from the love of glory. Peter certainly spoke more emphatically, but James more mildly; for it is necessary for one in high authority to leave what is unpleasant for others to say, while he himself appears in the milder part.” (Homily 33).


"And in those days ", it says, " 'Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples and said ". Both as being ardent, and as having been put in trust by Christ with the flock, and as having precedence in honour,l he always begins the discourse. . . . Why did he riot ask Christ to give him some one in the room of Judas? It is better as it is. For in the first place, they were engaged in other things ; secondly, of Christ's presence with them the greatest proof that could be given was this : as he had chosen when he was among them, so did he now being absent. Now this was no small matter for their consolation. But observe how Peter does everything with the common consent, nothing imperiously.


“. . . And so at the beginning he said, " Men and brethren, it is necessary to choose from among you". He defers the decision to the whole body, thereby both making the elected objects of reverence, and keeping himself clear of all invidiousness with regard to the rest. ". . . One must be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection", that their college might not be left mutilated. Then why did it not rest with Peter to make the election himself?


“What was the motive? This, that he might not seem to bestow it of favour. And besides, he was not yet endowed with the Spirit. "And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias." Not "he appointed them" ; but it was he that introduced the proposition to that effect, at the same time pointing out that even this was not his own, but from of old by prophecy ; so that he acted as expositor, not as preceptor.


“. . . ‘Men and brethren . . .’ Here is forethought for providing a teacher : here was the first who ordained a teacher. He did not say, "We are sufficient ". So far was he beyond all vainglory, and he looked to one thing alone. Andyet he had the same power to ordain as they all collectively. But well might these thinis be done in this fashion, through the noble spirit of the man, and considering that prelacy was not then an affair of dignity, but of care for the governed. This neither made the elected to become elated, for it was to dangers they were called, nor those not elected to hake a grievance of it, as if they were disgraced. But these things are not done in that way nowadays ; no, quite the contrary. For observe, they were 120, and he asks for one out of the whole body; with good right, as having been put in charge of them ; for to him had Christ said, '' And when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." (Homily 3, On Acts).


“The merciful God is wont to give this honour to his servants, that by their grace others may acquire salvation ; as was agreed by the blessed Paul, that teacher of the world who emitted the rays of his teaching everywhere.” (Homily 24).


. . . He says to hinl " Feed my sheep ". Why does he pass over the others and speak about these to him? He was the chosen one of the apostles, the mouth of the disciples, the head of the choir; for this reason Paul went up to see him rather than the others. And also, to show him that he must now have confidence, since the denial was done away, he entrusts him with the primacy1 of the brethren; and he does not bring forward the denial, or reproach him with the past, but says: " If you love me, rule the brethren,2 and now show the fervent love which you have always shown, and in which you rejoiced, and now give for my sheep the life which you said you would lay down for me." . . . And if anyone would say "How did James receive the chair of Jerusalem?", I would reply that he appointed Peter a teacher not of the chair, but of the world.


“And he [Christ] did this to withdraw them [Peter I and John] from the unseasonable sympathy for each other; for I since they were about to receive the charge of the world, it was 11 necessary that they should no longer be closely associated together.” (Homily 5, On Penitence).


“The apostles do not see their own affairs, but those of others, all together and each separately. Peter, the leader of the choir, the mouth of all the apostles, the head of that tribe, the ruler of the whole world, the foundation of the Church, the ardent lover of Christ ; for he says " Peter, lovest thou me more than these? " I speak his paisis that you may learn that he loves Christ, for the care of the slaves isthe greatest proof of love to the Lord. It is not I who say these things, but the beloved Lord. "If thou lovest me," he says, "feed my sheep." Let us see whether he has the primacy of a shepherd.” (Homily 2, on Timothy 3:1).


“ ‘And I say unto thee, Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church’, that is on the faith of his confession. Thus he shows many will believe and raises his mind and makes him shepherd. . . . Do you see how he himself' leads Peter to high thoughts of him, and reveals himself and shows that he is the Son of God by these two promises? For those things which are peculiar to God alone, namely to forgive sins, and to make the Church immovable in such an onset of waves, and to declare a jsherman to be stronger than any rock while all the world wars against him, these things he himself promises to give; as the Father said, speaking to Jeremiah, that he would set him as a column of brass and as a wall-but him for one nation, this man for all the world. I would ask those who wish to lessen the dignity of the Son, which gifts were greater, those which the Father gave to Peter, or those which the Son gave to him? The Father gave to Peter the revelation of the Son, but the Son gave him to sow that of the Father and of himself throughout the world; and to a mortal man he entrusted the authority over all things in heaven, giving him the keys, who extended the Church throughout the world and declared it to be stronger than heaven.” (Homily 54, On Matthew).