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John Chrysostom: Preacher, Teacher and Friend of the Poor

By John Yamniuk, Eparchy of Saskatoon

Throughout the history of Christianity there have been extraordinary individuals who have dedicated their lives to promoting the gospel message. Their example challenges us to follow Christ's teachings and to live holy lives. One of the greatest preachers ever to proclaim God's message was John Chrysostom. This man truly loved God and desired nothing more than the salvation of all people. We will examine John's life in order to gain a greater appreciation of what it means to be a true disciple. John Chrysostom is a model for all Christians; he shows us the way to God through prayer, care of the poor and preaching. If all Christians followed the moral example of John Chrysostom our world would be transformed in a great way.

John Chrysostom was born in Antioch, Syria in 347 A.D. into a middle class family.1 His father passed away shortly after John's birth, leaving his mother to raise him. Anthusa was a strong Christian who devoted herself entirely to raising her children. She was very concerned with their moral formation, and thanks to her, John was able to develop the gift of his mind and his heart.2 John studied under a professional orator in Antioch and mastered the art of rhetoric. His teacher wanted John to take his place teaching at the school when he retired, but God had other plans. The training that John received in eloquent speech and in persuasion would later be used in his preaching.3 In his schooling John trained to be a clerk like his father. It was a well-respected occupation that would have granted him wealth and friends, but he felt a deeper calling for his life.4

John wished to pursue a life of holiness, and in 368 A.D. he was baptized by Meletios the Confessor, who was the bishop of Antioch.5 Shortly after his baptism John was chosen to be a lector in the Church. However, John was not satisfied simply to be a lector and decided to pursue the more challenging lifestyle of an ascetic. John left Antioch and retreated to the mountains where he engaged in rigorous asceticism. At this point he "entered into a covenant with Christ, and bound himself to remain celibate, abstain from wine and meat, wear distinctive dress, and devotion to prayer."6 He had abandoned his secular career in order to draw closer to God. John spent four years learning to control his sensual passions. He believed that people needed to control their passions and not let them dictate how they would live.7 Passions are not evil in themselves: they only become a problem when they become the focus of life. God created us to depend on Him, and to put Him above all else in our lives. Therefore we must always work to remove anything that could become a god in our lives.

After four years had passed, John withdrew to a cave in the mountains where he spent the next two years of his life. During this time of isolation John continually stood, and as he stood he studied and memorized the Holy Scriptures, scarcely sleeping or eating.8 One cannot question John's devotion and dedication to growing closer to God, but his methods certainly do seem to be too extreme for most people to imitate. After two years of complete solitude John had memorized most of the Bible, but his health was failing him. He had permanently damaged his stomach and kidneys from his severe practices. He decided that he was better suited for active service than devoting his time to God in contemplation.9 It is important for people to seek the advice of a spiritual director before undertaking any lifestyle change that could have serious consequences. For most people it is not the will of God that they practice extreme asceticism and destroy their health. One must guard against being overzealous, and remember our health and our bodies are gifts from God.

In the year 378 A.D. John Chrysostom returned to the city of Antioch where he was ordained a deacon. As a deacon he assisted with the instruction of catechumens and helped the bishop look after the poor, sick, mentally challenged, windows, and orphans.10 It was during this time that John wrote many letters and pamphlets. He wrote to people seeking help with their marriages and with suffering in general: "the time for depression is not when we suffer adversity, but when we commit what is wrong."11 We can see that John was encouraging the people to remain faithful to God despite hardships. There are always going to be struggles and trials in life, but one should never lose hope. It is through perseverance and prayer that we grow closer to God. Trials and temptations may be a test from God to test one's faithfulness or they may just simply be permitted by God: "We know all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).

John did not begin his preaching ministry until he was ordained a priest in 386. The main function of the priest is to preach and to give instruction to the people.12 When he first began to preach in Antioch, John used extravagant language and complex analogies. He had been trained in rhetoric and the educated citizens of Antioch were able to appreciate his exuberance. However, he changed his style when a peasant approached him, claiming that he had hardly understood a single word that John had preached.13 John did not let his pride stand in the way of reaching the people. He changed his style, using clearer language that would allow the words of the Gospel to touch the hearts of his whole audience. He also chose to preach in the middle of the nave, close by all his listeners so he could be better heard. His decision to stand amongst the crowds enabled the audience to feel like they were involved and important.14 John was willing to do anything that would help connect the people to the Gospel message he proclaimed. This is very important for all persons involved in ministry and teaching: one needs to spread Christ's message in anyway possible, and not be limited by conventional ways of teaching or preaching.

John was renowned for his speaking abilities and was later called Chrysostom, which means "golden mouth" because of his dazzling effectiveness as a pulpit orator.15 We know that John preached hundreds of sermons because close to nine hundred have survived.16 His homilies were simple explanations of the scripture delivered in the form of a conversation, and he covered the daily concerns of life that people faced.17 He had the ability to touch the hearts and minds of his audience. He wanted all people to be able to comprehend his message. He frequently quoted Scripture to prove the point he was trying to make and to help people remember his sermons. He allowed the power of the Holy Spirit to work through him and touch the hearts of his listeners. His main topics of discussion were wealth, pride, and power, and their negative consequences. He desired his followers to turn away from these vices that separated them from Christ, and to cultivate the virtues of humility and charity.18

The city of Antioch where John preached was a city of great wealth, but also a city of great poverty. There was a highly visible class of beggars that traveled the streets asking for alms.19 These poor would often stand outside the church while the rich entered to hear John preach. John taught that the rich must share with the poor because all people are God's children. He was not afraid to speak harshly against the people who oppressed the poor, or even those who chose to ignore them: "The man who denies alms to the starving is as much his brother's murderer as Cain."20 All people are called to contribute because all human beings are children of God. We have been made in the "image and likeness" of the Creator (Genesis 1:26). In a sense all people are royalty, for we have a King as our Father. Therefore we must realize the dignity and respect that all people deserve. If we really viewed those around us as precious and of indescribable worth, we could not allow people to go hungry or without adequate housing and clothing.

John's message is for all people of all time. It is important to note that we take our example from God who gives us so very much: "God gives us abundantly all things that are much more necessary than money, such as air, water, fire, sunshine and things of this kind"21 However, the greatest gift that God offered to humanity was the gift of his Son, Jesus. This does not mean that we should just talk about Christ and neglect the material needs of the poor. For we are truly material and spiritual beings, and we need both parts working together in a harmony in order to be the people God made us to be. It is also important to remember that we need to move away from an individualistic mentality towards a communal attitude: John claims that the "essence of Christianity is seeking of the common good."22

John Chrysostom did more than just preach the need to help the poor; he established many permanent philanthropic institutions. There were many children, women, and elderly who had no one to support them financially. These people were vulnerable to poverty and disease. John helped to set up hospitals, hostels, and orphanages to care for those who needed assistance.23 He helped raise funds and supplies for the people who worked directly with the poor. John even reduced the amount of money that was used to maintain his own residence, in order to supply more funds for the poor.24 This clearly shows that everything that he preached in his sermons he believed in his heart. It is never enough for a Christian to just speak of Gospel values, there must always be a response: "Do not say: It is impossible for me to care for others. If you are a Christian, it is impossible that it should be so... the thing is part of the very nature of the Christian."25 To be a Christian is to love all human beings and to treat them as equals.

The people that John preached to in Antioch were not very devout Christians: "Antioch had a reputation for pleasure-seeking, worldliness, fickleness, and cynicism. They also had a great passion for horse-racing and the theater."26 The theater was run by the pagans and appealed to the desires of the flesh. John blamed the theater for corrupting people and leading to moral corruption. The races on the other hand were viewed as evil because people often acted violently towards one another, and would choose them over Church. John made it his mission to preach against such earthly passions and to convince the people to direct their attention towards God. John would demonstrate many different emotions as he spoke out against such societal problems. At times he would be very indignant, while at other times he would weep because of the peoples' sins.27 The crowds were willing to listen to John's criticisms and scolding because they could tell he truly cared for them, and for their salvation: "I repeat that I love you, that I love you in my heart, and that you are all to me: father and mother, brothers and sisters, and children."28 John claimed that he had but one wish for his listeners: that they become bearers of divine love.

John Chrysostom gained the respect of the people because he was not a hypocrite. His strong beliefs and convictions were lived out in his daily life. People were able to see the heart of John, just as he viewed the hearts of his listeners. He did not have a supermodel appearance, but what he lacked in looks, he made up with his heart: "Physically, John Chrysostom was not particularly handsome: short of structure, a large head, an ascetic face of a sick-pale complexion but with a frank, energetic look. On the whole he was an unimposing figure, a real 'spider-head' as he termed himself."29 This is important to note because if one is considered to be very good-looking it could be argued that people are merely drawn to them because of their outer beauty. In the case of John Chrysostom he was a truly beautiful individual because he was filled with the love of God and souls.

In the year 398 A.D. John was consecrated as bishop of Constantinople.30 He had been a priest for only twelve years and now he was the bishop of one of the most powerful cities. John accepted this position because he saw an opportunity to continue his work, to build up the Church of God. As bishop he gave counsel to the emperor, a tradition that started with Constantine.31 He was not intimated by the emperor or empress and spoke out against them when they treated the people unjustly or violated God's commandments. As bishop John also had a great deal of authority, which he used to combat heretics. The main group that he fought against was the Arians, who claimed that Jesus was not equal to God.32 John clearly and firmly declared that Jesus and the Father were equal and of one essence. In order to stimulate the faith of the Church and to teach people the true ways of Christianity, John brought relics of the saints into the city. He taught the people the importance of venerating the saints and martyrs. He continued to preach the love of God and the importance of living a virtuous life: "I want to keep not a few, but all of you. Should but one be lost I should consider myself as lost. I am the shepherd who leaves the ninety nine sheep in search for the one that has strayed.”33 John truly desired that all souls be saved. His example of service and love is one that should be followed by all pastors and people in positions of authority.

As bishop, John began to gain many enemies who did not like his teaching of helping the poor and giving up wealth. John had frequently denounced the vices and follies of the clergy and the upper-class.34 He emptied the Episcopal palace, where he resided, of its costly plates and furniture and sold them for the benefit of the poor. He also donated his large income to help the needy. He refused invitations to banquets, gave no dinner parties, and ate simple meals by himself. If John had not fully acted in ways that supported his message, he could have been easily ignored. However, John was such a great model of charity and humility that the clergy and elite could not ignore him. Although he was hated by some of the clergy and wealthy class, he was always popular with the masses of people. His audience would push and shove one another to get closer to John when he preached. It was not uncommon for the people to burst out in applause when John was charismatically proclaiming God's Word. John allowed them to applaud hoping it would help them to remember his main points. However, he declared that it is better to listen quietly and attentively, so the message could penetrate their hearts; this would enable them to reflect on his words when they went home."35 The Word of God has power to transform lives and to help people live moral lives.

One of John's main points that he wanted people to understand was the notion of equality and brotherhood. He wanted the rich to see Christ in the poor, and the poor to see Christ in the rich. For this reason he frequently spoke out against usury because it would further the oppression of the one who was already greatly oppressed. He declared that people would be blessed if they lent money without interest: "I want you to receive heaven for interest."36 John also prayed for solidarity, that people would live together in harmony and peace.37 This notion of equality also extended to married couples: "Man and wife are spiritually equal to each other; they should help, protect and educate each other."38 He gave sermons on marriage and compared the family to the Trinity.39 The love that is expressed between husband and wife is life-giving, just like the cycle of love generated between the different persons of the Trinity. Throughout his homilies, John used numerous citations from scripture because he wanted to hammer into the minds and hearts of his listeners the message of Christ: "Whatever you do to the least of my brothers that you do unto me" (Matthew 25:40). He knew that the homily was a powerful tool to educate the people because it contained Scripture. He forcefully proclaims the importance of the Bible: "The Bible should be for every Christian his place of rest, his paradise. Reading the Bible is like opening the window that overlooks the heavens."40

John's leadership of the church in Constantinople would not last long. At the Synod of Oak in 403 A.D.41 John was sentenced to exile after the empress and some of the clergy that hated him brought false charges against him. The empress and the wealthy were also afraid of the poor, who were beginning to believe that they deserved to be treated better. The rich were afraid that John's preaching would lead to riots and end their days of wealth. However, when John's followers heard of his exile, they began to riot against the emperor and empress forcing them to allow John to return. His return to the city, however, lasted for less than one year. In 404 A.D. he was exiled for good because he refused to stop preaching against the emperor and empress. John's weak health caught up to him on his long journey, and he passed away in 407 A.D.

John Chrysostom had an intense fire in his soul to remind people of Christ's teachings. He was an amazing preacher and teacher who proclaimed the Gospel with authority and without reservation. He fought against injustice and reserved a special place in his heart for the poor, who are also children of God, and worthy of love and respect. He reaffirmed the dignity and beauty of each human being. He taught morality through his words and actions. His message was grounded in love and the desire for all of God's children to have a life of dignity. His complete surrender to the will of God is a model for us today. The Church is always in need of men and women who are willing to give up everything for the well-being of all souls. John Chrysostom challenges us today to preach the message of God's love to one another, and to treat all human beings with respect, love, and honour: "Let us give up and extinguish that love of wealth, that we may kindle in us a desire for eternal things."42

Bibliography:

Kelly, J. N. D. Golden Mouth: The Story of John Chrysostom - Ascetic, Preacher, Bishop. New York: Cornell University Press, 1995.

Mayer, Wendy and Pauline Allen. John Chrysostom.New York: Routledge, 2000.

Phan, Peter C. Social Thought: Message of the Fathers of the Church,Volume 20. Wilmington, Delaware: Michael Glazier Inc., 1984.

Van de Weyer, Robert. On Living Simply: The Golden Voice of John Chrysostom. Liguori: Liguori/Triumph Publications, 1997.

Vandenberghe, Bruno H. John of the Golden Mouth. London: Blackfriars Publications, 1958.