Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father who is in heaven.
Read Chapter 10
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Thus not from the good things only, but also from the opposites, does He urge them; and He concludes with the dismal part.
And mark His exact care; He said not me, but in me, implying that not by a power of his own, but by the help of grace from above, the confessor makes his confession. But of him that denies, He said not, in me, but me; for he having become destitute of the gift, his denial ensues.
Why then is he blamed, one may say, if being forsaken, he denies? Because the being forsaken is the fault of the forsaken person himself.
But why is He not satisfied with the faith in the mind, but requires also the confession with the mouth? To train us up to boldness in speech, and a more abundant love and determination, and to raise us on high. Wherefore also He addresses Himself to all. Nor does He at all apply this to the disciples only in person, for not them, but their disciples too, He is now rendering noble hearted. Because he that has learned this lesson will not only te...
He exhorts them to bear witness even unto martyrdom. For belief only within one's soul does not suffice; He desires also the belief confessed with the tongue. He did not say, "Whosoever shall confess Me," but in me, that is, in My strength. For he who confesses does so aided by the grace which is from above. But as for him who denies, Christ did not say "in Me," but whosoever shall deny Me, showing that he denies because he does not have the aid from above. Therefore everyone who confesses that Christ is God will find Christ giving confession of him to the Father, that he is a true servant. But those who deny will hear the words, "I do not know you."
