Baptismal Instructions · §1 · John Chrysostom

The catechumens' future honor and the preacher's request for remembrance

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John Chrysostom opens his first baptismal instruction by addressing the catechumens who are about to be baptized, celebrating their decision and asking them to remember him when they enter the kingdom of heaven.

How lovely and desirable this company of our new brothers is! I call you brothers already, even before the birth pangs, and I embrace our kinship before the delivery. For I know—I know clearly—to what great honor you are about to be led, and to what great authority. Everyone is accustomed to honor those who are about to receive authority even before they receive it, storing up goodwill for themselves through their attentiveness for the future. This is what I am doing now. For you are about to be led not to mere authority, but to a kingdom itself—or rather, not simply to a kingdom, but to the very kingdom of heaven. Therefore I ask and beg you: remember me when you enter that kingdom. What Joseph said to the chief cupbearer—"Remember me when things go well for you" (Genesis 40:14)—this I now say to you: remember me when things go well for you. I do not ask for this reward in return for dreams, as he did. For I have not come to interpret dreams for you, but to tell you of the realities in heaven and to bring you good tidings of such blessings as "no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered the human heart—such are the things God has prepared for those who love him" (1 Corinthians 2:9). Joseph said to that cupbearer, "In three more days Pharaoh will restore you to your office of chief cupbearer" (Genesis 40:13). But I do not say, "In three more days you will be brought to the cupbearing of a tyrant." Rather, in thirty more days not Pharaoh but the King of heaven will restore you to the homeland above, to the free Jerusalem, to the city in the heavens. And Joseph said, "You will place the cup in Pharaoh's hands." But I do not say that you will place the cup in the King's hands. Rather, the King himself will place in your hand the cup that is awesome and full of great power, more precious than either of the two creations. Those who have been initiated know the strength of this cup, and you will know it a little later. Remember me, then, when you enter that kingdom, when you receive the royal robe, when you put on the purple dyed with the Master's blood, when you bind on the diadem whose radiance flashes out on every side more brightly than the rays of the sun. Such are the bridegroom's gifts—greater than our worth, but worthy of his love for humanity. For these reasons I call you blessed already now, even before those sacred bridal chambers. And I do not only call you blessed; I also praise your good judgment, because you did not come to baptism at your last breath, like the more careless among people. Instead, already now, like good and faithful servants, you have prepared yourselves to obey the Master with great goodwill. You have brought the neck of your soul under the yoke of Christ with great gentleness and eagerness, and you received the good yoke and took up the light burden.

Greek

ΚΑΤΗΧΗΣΙΣ ΠΡΩΤΗ. Πρὸς τοὺς μέλλοντας φωτίζεσθαι, καὶ διὰ τί λουτρὸν παλιγγενεσίας καὶ οὐκ ἀφέσεως ἁμαρτημάτων λέγεται, καὶ ὅτι ἐπικίνδυνον οὐ τὸ ἐπιορκεῖν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ὀμνύειν, κἂν εὐορκῶμεν. αʹ. Ὡς ποθεινὸς καὶ ἐπέραστος τῶν νέων ἡμῖν ἀδελφῶν ὁ χορός· ἀδελφοὺς γὰρ ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ καὶ πρὸ τῶν ὠδίνων ἤδη καλῶ, καὶ πρὸ τοῦ τόκου τὴν συγγένειαν τὴν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀσπάζομαι. Οἶδα γὰρ, οἶδα σαφῶς εἰς ὅσην μὲν ἄγεσθαι μέλλετε τιμὴν, εἰς ὅσην δὲ ἀρχήν· τοὺς δὲ ἀρχὴν μέλλοντας λαμβάνειν, καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἀρχῆς εἰώθασι τιμᾷν ἅπαντες, διὰ τῆς θεραπείας εὔνοιαν ἑαυτοῖς προαποτιθέμενοι πρὸς τὸ μέλλον. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ποιῶ νῦν· οὐ γὰρ εἰς ἀρχὴν ἄγεσθαι μέλλετε ψιλὴν, ἀλλ' εἰς βασιλείαν αὐτήν· μᾶλλον δὲ οὐκ εἰς βασιλείαν ἁπλῶς, ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὴν τῶν οὐρανῶν τὴν βασιλείαν. Διὰ τοῦτο ὑμῶν δέομαι καὶ ἀντιβολῶ, ἵνα μνησθῆτέ μου, ὅταν ἔλθητε εἰς βασιλείαν ἐκείνην, καὶ ὅπερ ὁ Ἰωσὴφ ἔλεγε πρὸς τὸν ἀρχιοινοχόον· Μνήσθητί μου, ὅταν εὖ σοι γένηται· τοῦτο κἀγὼ λέγω πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἄρτι· Μνήσθητέ μου ὅταν εὖ ὑμῖν γένηται. Οὐκ ἐνυπνίων ταύτην ἀπαιτῶ τὴν ἀμοιβὴν καθάπερ ἐκεῖνος· οὐ γὰρ ὀνείρατα ἦλθον διαλῦσαι ὑμῖν, ἀλλὰ τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς διηγησόμενος πράγματα, καὶ εὐαγγέλια κομίζων ἀγαθῶν τοιούτων, Οἷα οὔτε ὀφθαλμὸς εἶδεν, οὔτε οὖς ἤκουσεν, οὔτε ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου ἀνέβη· τοιαῦτά ἐστιν Ἃ ἡτοίμασεν ὁ Θεὸς τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Ἰωσὴφ ἔλεγε πρὸς τὸν οἰνοχόον ἐκεῖνον· Ἔτι τρεῖς ἡμέραι, καὶ ἀποκαταστήσει σε Φαραὼ εἰς τὴν ἀρχιοινοχοΐαν σου· ἐγὼ δὲ οὐ λέγω, Ἔτι τρεῖς ἡμέραι, καὶ εἰς οἰνοχοΐαν ἐνεχθήσεσθε τυράννου· ἀλλ' ἔτι τριάκοντα ἡμέραι, καὶ ἀποκαταστήσει ὑμᾶς οὐχὶ Φαραὼ, ἀλλ' ὁ τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλεὺς εἰς τὴν ἄνω πατρίδα, εἰς τὴν ἐλευθέραν Ἱερουσαλὴμ, εἰς τὴν πόλιν τὴν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Κἀκεῖνος μὲν ἔλεγεν, ὅτι Δώσεις τὸ ποτήριον εἰς χεῖρας τοῦ Φαραώ· ἐγὼ δὲ οὐ λέγω, ὅτι δώσετε τὸ ποτήριον εἰς τὰς χεῖρας τοῦ βασιλέως, ἀλλ' ὅτι αὐτὸς ὁ βασιλεὺς εἰς χεῖρα τὴν ὑμετέραν δώσει τὸ ποτήριον τὸ φρικτὸν καὶ πολλῆς γέμον δυνάμεως, καὶ τῆς κτίσεως τιμιώτερον ἑκατέρας. Ἴσασιν οἱ μεμυημένοι τοῦ ποτηρίου τούτου τὴν ἰσχύν· εἴσεσθε δὲ καὶ ὑμεῖς μικρὸν ὕστερον. Μνήσθητε οὖν, ὅταν ἔλθητε εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν ἐκείνην, ὅταν τὸ ἱμάτιον τὸ βασιλικὸν ἀπολάβητε, ὅταν τὴν πορφύραν περιβάλησθε τὴν αἵματι βαφεῖσαν Δεσποτικῷ, ὅταν διάδημα ἀναδήσησθε τῶν ἡλιακῶν ἀκτίνων φαιδροτέρας ἔχον πανταχόθεν ἐκπηδώσας λαμπηδόνας. Τοιαῦτα γὰρ τοῦ νυμφίου τὰ ἕδνα, μείζονα μὲν τῆς ἡμετέρας ἀξίας, ἄξια δὲ τῆς αὐτοῦ φιλανθρωπίας. Διὰ ταῦτα ὑμᾶς ἐντεῦθεν ἤδη καὶ πρὸ τῶν ἱερῶν ἐκείνων μακαρίζω παστάδων· οὐ μακαρίζω δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπαινῶ τὴν εὐγνωμοσύνην, ὅτι μὴ καθάπερ οἱ ῥᾳθυμότεροι τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἐν ἐσχάταις ἀναπνοαῖς τῷ φωτίσματι προσήλθετε, ἀλλ' ἐντεῦθεν ἤδη καθάπερ οἰκέται εὐγνώμονες, μετὰ πολλῆς εὐνοίας ὑπακοῦσαι Δεσπότῃ παρεσκευασμένοι, τὸν αὐχένα τῆς ψυχῆς μετὰ πολλῆς ἐπιεικείας τε καὶ προθυμίας ὑπὸ τὴν ζεύγλην ἠγάγετε τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ τὸν ζυγὸν ἐδέξασθε τὸν χρηστὸν, καὶ τὸ φορτίον ἐλάβετε τὸ ἐλαφρόν.

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About this text

John Chrysostom (c. 349–407) addressed these instructions to catechumens preparing for baptism. He gave them as two catechetical homilies for those about to be baptized, to guide baptismal preparation, moral purification and renunciation of Satan.

He first celebrates their decision and contrasts deliberate preparation with deathbed baptism, then explains the many names of baptism, above all the washing of regeneration, as recreation of the whole person rather than only forgiveness of sins. He urges control of the tongue by renouncing all oaths and reform of habits before baptism, and warns against luxury, especially women's jewelry, and pagan practices such as omens, amulets and incantations, calling readers to use the renunciation of Satan as a daily weapon. The reader meets Joseph, Pharaoh, Moses, David, Job, John the Baptist, Peter, Paul and Alexander of Macedon. Paul, Christ, David, John the Baptist, Peter and an unnamed speaker of wisdom sayings are quoted at length, and demons are quoted speaking to Christ.

To be baptized renders the word for being enlightened, and enlightenment, initiation and sacred rites also refer to baptism and its rites, while washing of regeneration means complete re-creation. I renounce you, Satan is the baptismal renunciation, Satan's pageantry covers theaters, races, omens, amulets and all sin, and covenant and deposit describe the agreement with Christ and the grace entrusted at baptism. Oaths of every kind are forbidden, including perjury and truthful oaths, and omens, amulets and incantations mean pagan signs and spells. Uz renders Ausitis, the land of Uz and home of Job, and the coins of Alexander of Macedon were used as amulets. The quotations follow the Septuagint, here given with standard English Bible book names and Hebrew Psalm numbering, with a note where the Greek numbering is one behind.

No published English used as wording.

Printed text used

Translated from Migne PG text (Aegean University Digital Patrology, via (Greek)
Also checked Migne PG 49, archive.org scan patrologiae_cursus_completus_gr_vol_049 (Greek machine-read text) (Greek · check (same print; machine-read text compared word by word))

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