God is With Us

The Nativity of Our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ

 From the Homilies on the Book of St Matthew by St John Chrysostom (#1)
Many homilies by Our Father Among the Saints John Chysostom are in the public domain. This quote (and others we will feature) are available for free on the internet. Given the noisy and trashy online environment and our own unworthiness, it is truly a mercy from God that these ancient and precious homilies can be obtained so readily.
The Homilies of St John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St Matthew were translated by Rev. Sir George Prevost, M.A., of Oriel College, Oxford and published in the year 1851. Several years later, an American reprint of the Oxford edition was published in the year 1888. Subsequently, a facsimile of this edition was photolithoprinted by Eerdmans Printing Company. The edition we have used was reprinted in May of 1986 and is identified by ISBN 0-8028-8108-4.
FROM HOMILY 5:
For he doth not call the saying Isaiah’s, but that of the God of all things. For this cause he said not, “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of Isaiah,” but “which was spoken of the Lord.” For the mouth indeed was Isaiah’s, but the oracle was wafted from above.


What then saith this oracle? “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel.”

How was it then, one may say, that His name was not called Emmanuel, but Jesus Christ? Because he said not, “thou shalt call,” but “they shall call,” that is, the multitude, and the issue of events. For here he puts the event as a name: and this is customary in Scripture, to substitute the events that take place for names.

Therefore, to say, “they shall call” Him “Emmanuel,” means nothing else than that they shall see God amongst men. For He hath indeed always been amongst men, but never so manifestly.

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