Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn everyone night and day with tears.
Read Chapter 20
John Chrysostom
AD 407
(Here) again he puts them in fear: I have showed you all things, he says: you cannot take refuge in the plea of ignorance: have shown you by works how that so laboring you ought to work. And he does not say, that to receive is bad, but that not to receive is better. For, remember, he says, the words of the Lord which he spoke: It is more blessed to give than to receive.
This might well be said in our case also: and though the speech seems to refer peculiarly to the teachers, it is common also to the disciples. For what, though I speak and exhort and weep night and day, while the disciple obeys not? Therefore it is that he says, I take you to record: since also himself says, I am pure from the blood of all men: for I have not shunned to declare unto you.
See how many strong expressions are here: with tears, and night and day, and every one. For it was not that if he saw many, then he came in (to the work), but even were it for a single soul, he was capable of doing everything (for that one soul). So it was, in fact, that he compacted them together (συνεκρότησεν) (so firmly as he did). Enough done on my part: three years have I remained: they had establishing enough, he says; enough of roofing. With tears, he says. Do you see that the tears were on this account? The bad man grieves not: grieve thou: perhaps he will grieve also. As, when the sick man sees his physician partaking of food, he also is incited to do the same: so likewise here, when he sees you weeping, he is softened: he will be a good and great man.
