Ancient Christian Writers - St. John Chrysostom (Beautiful-Mouth)

I had to reorient my thinking when it came to reading this book. John Chrysostom dies in 404 AD, I believe, so the way things are phrased are different than how the Church "talks" now. Other than that, the book has interesting information on Early Church instruction, rites and rituals about baptism (Did you know that the some of the churches baptized the newly instructed in the nude? That was an eye-opener to me!).

I found that, by and large, the book could have been written today, except that it would be misunderstood overall (because the words have different meanings now). The book contains solid, biblical theology on many topics, not just baptism, though that is its main focus. John was not called "beautiful-mouth" for nothing! He can turn a phrase so well and reword scripture so that the common person can understand what God is talking about. The following are some quotes I found to be simply great:

There came out from His side water and blood. Beloved, do not pass this mystery by without a thought. For I have still another mystical explanation to give. I said that there was a symbol of baptism and the mysteries in that blood and water. It is from both of these that the Church is spring through the bath of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit, through baptism and the mysteries. But the symbols of baptism and the mysteries come from the side of Christ. It is from His side, therefore, that Christ formed His church, just as He formed Eve from the side of Adam." (The Third Instruction:17)

That you may know how great a good this is, please consider those who feel great excitement over the affairs of the present life. These men are just like a shadow and worth no more. When they see someone continually talking with an earthly ruler, how great do they judge him to be!...But what would you say of a man who was deemed worthy of talking with God, not of the things which are on earth but about the remission of his sins, about the forgiveness of his transgressions, about protecting not only the gifts already given but also those which are going to be given and about the blessings of eternity? If by his prayer he should obtain the help of heaven, such a man would be happier than the king who wears the crown. (The Seventh Instruction:26)

And why, someone will say, if the bath takes away all our sins, is it not called the bath of the remission of sins, or the bath of cleansing, rather than the bath of regeneration? The reason is that it does not simply remit our sins, nor does it simply cleanse us of our faults, but it does this just as if we were born anew. For it does create us anew and it fashions us again, not molding us from earth, but creating us from a different element, the nature of water. (The Ninth Instruction:20)

There are twelve Instructions in this volume, each feeding off of the others, to give a wonderful account of what baptism and the Lord's Supper (the "mysteries") truly offer, namely, the forgiveness of sins and rebirth. The book also helps the reader understand what common practice in the Church was, but also what were its problems, like the taking of oaths (taking the Lord's name in vain - using God to prove how earnest we are - "as God is my witness").

John's description of the washing of regeneration by water and the Word is spellbinding! He describes these new converts to The Faith as rays of light, outshining the sun, as stars that still are bright during the day, and more. It is an uplifting and instructive book, worth reading.