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Sources of Atonement Theology: John Chrysostom of Constantinople

(c.349 - 407 AD)

 

An old clay oil lamp from Nazareth, Israel.  Photo credit: Olivia Armstrong.

 

The Writings of John Chrysostom of Constantinople

 

John Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew's Gospel, Homily 27 writes, 'Esaias also spoke of these things; He took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. He said not, He did them away, but He took and bare them; which seems to me to be spoken rather of sins, by the prophet, in harmony'

John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 11 see John 1:14

John Chrysostom, Homilies on Romans, Homily 13 see Romans 8:3

John Chrysostom, Homilies on 2 Corinthians, Homily 11 see 2 Corinthians 5:11 - 21 

John Chrysostom, Homilies on Ephesians, Homily 1 see Ephesians 1:6

John Chrysostom, Homilies on Hebrews, Homily 17 see Hebrews 10:2 - 9

John Chrysostom, Homilies in Praise of Paul, Homily 1, paragraph 15 says, "For he ran through the whole world just as though he were wind and fire, and purified the earth." (found in Margaret M. Mitchell, The Heavenly Trumpet: John Chrysostom and the Art of Pauline Interpretation (Amazon book, 2002), p.447; in connection with paragraph 3 when he says that Paul offered himself as a sacrifice, to "put to death his fleshly nature," showing that the ceremonial-sacrificial system was for purification.

John Chrysostom, Homilies in Praise of Paul, Homily 2, paragraph 9 says, "For how is it not marvelous and incredible that a word which leapt forth from a tongue of clay sent death fleeing, destroyed sin, set straight an incapacitated nature, and made the earth into heaven?" (found in Margaret M. Mitchell, The Heavenly Trumpet: John Chrysostom and the Art of Pauline Interpretation (Amazon book, 2002), p.451

 
 

More Resources on John Chrysostom of Constantinople

 

David Bradshaw, No Repentance After Death: Facing Hard Questions about Salvation. Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy | Ancient Faith, May 26, 2020. Bradshaw examines Clement of Alexandria, Gregory of Nyssa, John Chrysostom, Theophylact, Dorotheus of Gaza, Dionysius the Areopagite, and Maximus the Confessor.

 
 

Sources of Atonement Theology

These resources explore the foundation of “Medical Substitution” as the best understanding of the Bible, and the original understanding of the church. There are also links to books, web articles, etc. from representatives of the three broad Christian traditions.