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Click here to read at earlychurchtexts.com in the original Greek (with dictionary lookup links). The English translation below is by the Early Church Texts webmaster, the Revd Andrew Maguire. On the subscription version of the website there is the full Greek text of the homily and a translation by Andrew Maguire alongside.

earlychurchtexts.com

• Is like an electronic encyclopedia of the first five centuries of Church History, with extensive links (subscription version only) to information on around 800 people and themes, and around 230 Church Councils;

• Is a Reader in Early Christian History and Theology with 250+, with over 2,200 printable pages, carefully prepared on-site texts (Greek and/or Latin with English translation alongside) from the first five centuries of the life of the Church. These cover a range of significant themes and represent several authors (a sample text is here and a complete list of on-site texts here). All have dictionary lookup links. There is also an introduction to each text (to help in understanding its context and significance) together with background notes linked with the text, carefully prepared printable versions, a site search engine and many other helpful features;

• Gives easy access to complete Greek and Latin texts which are in the public domain and translations (where found available) from the first five centuries. There are carefully indexed links to authors and their works, including an index of commentaries, homilies etc. by biblical book. Nearly all of the Greek and Latin texts from this period contained in the Migne Patrologia series are covered. Some other sources are also used. The texts used are the scanned versions available at Google Books and elsewhere. A distinctive feature of the Early Church Texts website is that where English translations have been found available online they can easily be read immediately alongside the original Greek and Latin. (A complete list of authors represented is here. A sample text is here.)

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STUDIES

J.N.D. Kelly

The Story of John Chrysostom

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Hagit Amirav

Rhetoric and Tradition: John Chrysostom on Noah and the Flood (Traditio Exegetica Graeca, 12)

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Chrysostomus Baur

John Chrysostom and His Time: Volume 1: Antioch

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Chrysostomus Baur

John Chrysostom and His Time, Vol. 2: Constantinople

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Duane A. Garrett

An Analysis of the Hermeneutics of John Chrysostom's Commentary on Isaiah 1-8 With an English Translation (Studies in the Bible and Early Christianity)

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Blake Goodall

Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Letters of St.Paul to Titus and Philemon (University of California publications : Classical studies ; v. 20)

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Peter Gorday

Principles of Patristic Exegesis: Romans 9-11 in Origen, John Chrysostom, and Augustine (Studies in the Bible and Early Christianity)

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Aideen M. Hartney

John Chrysostom and the Transformation of the City

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Robert Allen Krupp

Shepherding the Flock of God: The Pastoral Theology of John Chrysostom (American University Studies. Series VII. Theology and Religion)

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Mel Lawrenz

The Christology of John Chrysostom

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Blake Leyerle

Theatrical Shows and Ascetic Lives: John Chrysostom's Attack on Spiritual Marriage

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Jaclyn LaRae Maxwell

Christianization and Communication in Late Antiquity: John Chrysostom and his Congregation in Antioch

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Margaret Mary Mitchell

Heavenly Trumpet: John Chrysostom and the Art of Pauline Interpretation

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Robert Louis Wilken

John Chrysostom and the Jews: Rhetoric and Reality in the Late 4th Century

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TRANSLATIONS

Gus George Christo

On Repentance and Almsgiving (The Fathers of the Church)

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Thomas Aquinas Goggin

Commentary on Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist: Homilies 48-88 (The Fathers of the Church, 41)

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Robert C. Hill

Eight Sermons on the Book of Genesis

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David G. Hunter

A Comparison Between a King and a Monk/Against the Opponents of the Monastic Life (Studies in the Bible and Early Christianity, Vol 13)

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M.C.W. Laistner

Christianity and pagan culture in the later Roman Empire: Together with an English translation of Johan Chrysostom's Address on vainglory and the right ... bring up their children (Cornell paperbacks)

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Wendy Mayer

John Chrysostom (The Early Church Fathers)

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Mayer and Bronwen

The Cult of the Saints (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press Popular Patristics)

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Graham Neville

Six Books on the Priesthood (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press Popular Patristics Series)

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? Catherine P. Roth

On Wealth and Poverty

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? David Anderson

On Marriage and Family Life

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Margaret A Schatkin

John Chrysostom as apologist: With special reference to De incomprehensibili, Quod nemo laeditur, Ad eos qui scandalizati sunt, and Adversus oppugnatores vitae monasticae (Analecta VlatadoÌ?n)

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Sally Shore

On Virginity Against Remarriage (Studies in Women and Religion, V. 9)

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Have you grasped how strange it all appears if we examine it according to the normal course of human events and common custom? It is not just what I have already referred to; several more things could be cited which would raise questions beyond what I have touched on. But so that we don’t send your minds into a whirl by thinking of more and more difficulties, let us start trying to find some answers to all these questions. We could begin our answer by considering the star itself. For if we learn about the nature of the star, its origins, and whether it is a normal star, or one different from the others, and whether it is a star by nature, or only by appearance, then we may well swiftly find the answers to the other questions. How will this become clear? Surely from the very things that have been written. For this was no ordinary star. Rather, my view is that this was not a star at all but an invisible power that transformed itself into the appearance of a star.

This is clear firstly from the way it moved. There is certainly no star that moves in this direction. Whether we are talking about the sun, the moon or any other star, we observe that they all move from east to west. But this star travelled from north to south, for this is how Palestine is situated in relation to Persia.

Secondly this can be seen from the particular time of day. For the star appears not at night, but during the day, while the sun is shining. This is not possible for a star or the moon. The moon can shine more brightly than the other lights in the sky, but when the sun’s rays appear it is immediately hidden and vanishes. But this star, by the sheer splendour of its own brightness overpowered even the rays of the sun, shining more brightly than them and blazing more powerfully with such a great light.

Thirdly it is clear from the way the star appeared and then was hidden. It appeared while it was guiding them along the road to Palestine; but when they reached Jerusalem it concealed itself. Then, when they had taken their leave of Herod after telling him the reason for their journey and were about to depart, it showed itself. This is not characteristic of the movement of a star, but rather of a highly intelligent power. It did not have its own particular course, but when they needed to move on, it moved on too. When they stopped, it stopped too, arranging everything just as was needed. It was like the pillar of cloud which, just as was necessary, settled over and then roused the camp of the Jews.

Fourthly one may learn this clearly from the way in which it pointed them to Jesus. For it did not indicate the place by staying up on high. If it had done that the magi would never have found the location. It made the place clear by going down low. It is obvious that no star could point to such a small space, big enough only for a small shelter, or even only for the body of a tiny child. The height of a star is immense and indeterminate. This was not going to help to mark out a confined location and make it known to those who wanted to see it. You can see this from the moon. It is superior to the stars and it appears to be close to everybody in the world, even though they are all scattered far and wide over the surface of the earth. How, tell me, did a star indicate the confined space of a manger and a shelter if it did not leave its place on high, come down low and rest over the very head of the child? This is what the gospel writer hinted at when he wrote: ‘Behold the star went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was’. [Matt 2:9]

Do you see in how many ways it is shown to be no ordinary star and how it did not behave in the way of the normal created order?