Commentary on the Gospel of Saint John

THEOPHYLACTUS ARCHBISHOP OF BULGARIA ENARRATION ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

LIFE OF JOHN

From Sophronius

^A John, the beloved disciple of Jesus, the son of Zebedee and brother of James—who was beheaded by Herod after the Passion of the Lord—wrote his Gospel last of all, at the request of the bishops of Asia, against Cerinthus and other heretics, and especially against the error of the Ebionites that was then spreading—those who claimed that Christ did not exist before Mary. Hence, he was compelled to relate His divine generation. They also add another reason for this book. For when John had read the scrolls of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, he approved the text of their histories and testified that they had spoken the truth, but that they had ordered their history for only one year, during which John also suffered, after his imprisonment. ^B Therefore, having omitted the time during which the deeds related by the other three occurred, he began his narrative from an earlier time, namely, before John was cast into prison, as can clearly be made manifest to anyone who carefully examines the four Gospels: this excludes that discrepancy which seems to exist between John and the others. Furthermore, he wrote one Epistle, whose beginning is, "That which was from the beginning," etc., which is accepted by all ecclesiastical and learned men. The other two, the beginning of the first of which is, "The elder to the elect lady," and of the second, "The elder to the beloved Gaius," are attributed to John the Presbyter; whose monument also still exists at Ephesus. Some also suppose these two monuments to be that of John the Evangelist, ^C about whom, when we come in order to Papias, his hearer, we shall discourse. Therefore, in the fourteenth year after the death of Nero, when Domitian was inciting persecution, he was relegated to the island of Patmos in exile, where he wrote the Apocalypse, which Justin Martyr and Irenaeus gifted with a paraphrase. But when Domitian had been put to death, and his acts had been rescinded by the Senate on account of his excessive cruelty, under Nerva he returned

of Domitian, and after his acts had been rescinded by the senate because of his great cruelty, [the Apostle] departed for Ephesus under Nerva, and remained there until the Emperor Trajan. He founded and built up all the churches of Asia; and having reached a great age, he fell asleep near the aforementioned city in the sixty-eighth year after the Passion of the Lord. ^A

THE LIFE OF JOHN THE EVANGELIST

John the Evangelist, the brother of the Lord and called the beloved, preached the Gospel of Christ in Asia, and for this reason was relegated into exile on the island of Patmos under the Emperor Trajan. ^B There he wrote the holy Gospel and published it at Ephesus through Gaius, the host and deacon, to whom Paul the Apostle also bears witness, writing to the Romans: "Gaius, my host and the host of the whole Church, greets you." But after the death of Trajan, the blessed John returned from the island and remained in Ephesus, and lived for one hundred and twenty years; when these were completed, he buried himself there by the will of God. There are some, however, who say that he did not go into exile under Trajan, but under Domitian, the son of Vespasian. ^C

SUMMA OF THE CHAPTERS OF THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN

1. Concerning the testimony of John concerning Christ. Concerning John being asked if he were the Christ. Concerning the calling of Andrew, Peter, Philip, and Nathanael. 2. Concerning the marriage in Cana of Galilee. Concerning those cast out of the Temple. Concerning the saying, "Destroy this temple." 3. Concerning Nicodemus and Jesus. Concerning Jesus and John baptizing. Concerning the purification. 4. Concerning the Samaritan woman. Concerning the son of the nobleman. 5. Concerning him who lay for thirty-eight years in infirmity. Concerning the Jews seeking to kill the Lord. 6. Concerning the five loaves and two fishes. Concerning the departure of Christ that they might not make him king. Concerning the walking upon the sea. Concerning the crowd that followed the Lord in boats. Concerning the crowd seeking a sign. Concerning the bread that descended from heaven. Concerning the disciples who abandoned Christ. Concerning Peter’s confession in Christ. ^D 7. Concerning how Christ went secretly to the festival. Concerning the Jews marveling at how Christ knew his letters, having been taught by no one. Concerning the division of the crowd over Christ. Concerning the ambiguity of the leaders and Nicodemus. 8. Concerning those who questioned the Lord about his Father. Concerning how Christ promised freedom to those following him. Concerning those who said that Jesus had a demon...

Concerning the Jews who attempted to stone Jesus, because he preferred himself to Abraham. 9. Concerning the man born blind. 10. Concerning the good shepherd and the hireling. Concerning how Jesus was questioned while he was walking in the portico. 11. Concerning the raising of Lazarus. ^B Concerning the plan of the chief priests and the Pharisees to kill Jesus. Concerning what Caiaphas said. 12. Concerning her who anointed the Lord with ointment. Concerning what Judas said. Concerning the foal of an ass. Concerning the Greeks who approached and asked Philip. Concerning the voice heard from heaven. 502 13. Concerning the basin or washing of feet. Concerning how Judas went out to betray Christ. Concerning the commandment to love one another. Concerning him who asked Peter where the Lord was going. 14. Concerning Thomas, who was ignorant of where the Lord was going. Concerning Judas, son of James, asking Jesus. Concerning the Comforter, the Spirit. 15. Concerning the true vine, ^C and the husbandman, and the branch. 16. Concerning Jesus foretelling to the disciples the things that would come to pass. Concerning this: "A little while, and you shall see me." Concerning how the Father will grant whatever men ask of him. 17. Concerning the prayer of Jesus to the Father for the disciples given to him. 18. Concerning the betrayal of Jesus. Concerning the Jews who fell to the ground. Concerning Peter, who cut off the ear of the high priest's servant. Concerning how Jesus was led to Annas and Caiaphas and Pilate. 19. Concerning the scourging ^D of Christ. Concerning the crucifixion of Christ. Concerning those who stood by the cross. Concerning the request for the Lord's body. Concerning his burial. 20. Concerning the resurrection of Christ. Concerning the manifestation of Christ, first to Mary Magdalene, then to the disciples gathered together. 21. Concerning the manifestation of Christ after the resurrection to Peter and the others fishing on the Sea of Tiberias. Concerning what was said to Peter: "Feed my sheep."

ENARRATION ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN. — PREFACE.

EXPLANATION OF THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. PREFACE.

^A The power of the Holy Spirit is perfected in weakness, as it is written and as we believe; and it is perfected in weakness not only of the body, but also of speech and of the wisdom placed upon the tongue. And this is evident from many other things, but most especially from the case of the great Theologian and brother of the Lord, seen in grace. For he was born of a fisherman father, and practicing the same craft as his father, he was not only ignorant of Greek and Jewish learning, but was entirely unlettered, just as the most divine Luke records concerning him in the Acts of the Apostles. For his native land too was most humble and obscure, not famous for noble arts, but suited for fishing; for Bethsaida brought him forth. ^B Yet such a man—the unlettered, the obscure, he who had nothing striking about him—see what a spirit he was granted, such that he dared to thunder forth those things which none of the other evangelists taught us. For since they had been occupied with explaining the bodily substance of Christ, and had not said anything sufficiently clear and manifest concerning that substance which He had before the ages, there was a fear that some who creep on the ground, and are unable to understand anything sublime, might think that Christ began to exist only then, when He was born of Mary, and that He was not born of the Father before the ages—which is precisely the error into which Paul of Samosata fell. For this reason the great John discusses His heavenly generation, although he does not leave the incarnation of the Word unmentioned; for he says, “And the Word was made flesh.” ^C But some say that certain orthodox people even requested him to write about the heavenly birth, because in those days there were springing up certain heretics who were not ashamed to teach that Christ was a mere man. It is also said that when the saint had read what had been written by the other evangelists, he admired them for having indeed narrated all things truthfully, and judged that they had written correctly and for the sake of the apostles, not for human favor. However, he began to explain, and to make clear, and to add to his own Gospel those things which they had not mentioned clearly or had entirely omitted; which he wrote while he was living in exile on the island of Patmos, thirty-two years after the assumption of Christ into heaven. He was loved by the Lord more than all the disciples, as being simple...

THEOPHYLACTUS, ARCHBISHOP OF BULGARIA

^A John [was] exceeding all the disciples, both in that he was absolutely gentle, and of the easiest manners, and of a pure heart, being a virgin. Whence also, more abundantly, the gift of God was entrusted to him, and he was pampered by ^B many mysteries unknown to the many. For, it says, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." [*] He was, moreover, a kinsman of the Lord. And how? Hear: Joseph, that spouse of the all-pure Theotokos, had seven children from a former wife, four males and three females: Martha, Esther, and Salome; and of this Salome, I say, was this John the son. The Lord is found, therefore, to be his uncle. For since Joseph was held to be the father of the Lord, and Salome was the daughter of this Joseph, Salome is therefore considered the sister of the Lord, and thus John, her son, is the nephew of the Lord. It is not absurd, perhaps, to disclose the names of his mother and of the evangelist himself. For his mother, who was called Salome, is interpreted as "peaceful," and John is "the grace of Him." Let every soul know, therefore, that peace, which is toward men, and that which is in the soul, free from the passions, is the mother of the divine grace, and generates it in us. For it is not likely that a soul which is still perturbed and wages war against other men, and against itself, should attain divine grace. Let us consider also something more miraculous that happened concerning this holy evangelist John. For he alone appears to have had three mothers: Salome by nature, the Thunder (for he is the son of thunder because of his very vocal proclamation in the Gospel), and the Theotokos—for He says: "Behold thy mother." But since these things have been said by us before the explanation, we must now begin the unfolding of the sayings. ^C

CAPUT I.

VER. 1. "In the beginning was the Word." As I said in the preface, so I say again: that while the other evangelists narrated the lower birth of the Lord, His upbringing, and His growth at length, he passes over those things, as having been sufficiently spoken of by his fellow disciples, but discourses upon the divinity of Him who for our sake became man. Although if you look carefully, neither did they neglect to speak of the divinity of the Only-Begotten, but they made mention of it, albeit not at length; nor was he so intent upon the sublimity of the divine Word that he altogether neglected the dispensation of Him in the flesh. For there was one Spirit moving the souls of all. Therefore he discourses to us concerning the Son; for the Father was already known to us from the Old Law. ^D Yet he did not keep silent about the Father, but even when speaking of the Son, he makes mention of Him. He shows, therefore, the eternity of the Only-Begotten, by saying: "In the beginning was the Word," that is, He was from the beginning. For that which is from

^A the beginning—is it possible that any time could be found when it was not? And whence, he says, is it evident that "In the beginning was" means the same as "from the beginning"? Whence? From the common understanding itself, and especially from this very evangelist. For he says in one of his epistles: "That which was from the beginning, which we have seen." Do you see, therefore, how the beloved of the Lord interprets himself? Yes, he says, but I understand "in the beginning" as it is said by Moses: "In the beginning God created." For just as there, "in the beginning" is not understood as if the heaven were eternal, so neither do I understand "in the beginning" in this place as if the Only-Begotten were eternal. These things the heretic says. ^B But we, against this foolish objection, shall say nothing else but this: O sophist of malice, how is it that you have suppressed what follows? But we, even if you are unwilling, will say it. For there Moses says, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth," but in this place, "In the beginning was the Word." What communion, therefore, has "created" with the Word, [or] "was" with the Word? If, indeed, it had been written also here, "In the beginning God created the Son," I would have kept silent; but now he says, "In the beginning was," from which I understand the Word to have been eternal, and not later created, as you prattle. But why did he not say, "In the beginning was the Son," but "the Word"? Listen: because of the infirmity of the hearers, lest, hearing the name of the Son straightway from the beginning, we might think of a birth that is bodily and subject to affections, for this reason He called Him the Word; that you might learn that just as the word is born from the mind without passion, so also this One was born from the Father without any affection. And otherwise, He called Him the Word since He announced to us the things of the Father, ^C just as every word announces the counsels of the mind; and at the same time, because He wished to show Him to be co-eternal with the Father. For just as it is impossible to speak of a mind being at any time without a word, so neither [can one speak of] the Father and God without the Son. He said, "the Word," with the article. For there are also many other words of God, as, for instance, the prophecies and the commandments; according to what is said about the angels, that they are "mighty in strength, doing his word," that is, His commandments; but the Word properly is a certain subsistent essence.

Verse 2. And the Word was with God.

^A speech or wisdom at any time. Therefore, we believe that since the Son is the Word, wisdom, and power of the Father, He was always with God—meaning, with the Father and together with the Father. And how, one says, can it be that the Son who exists is not later than the Father? How? Learn from a material example. Is not the radiance of the sun from the sun itself? Certainly it is. Does it then follow that it is later than the sun, such that there was a time one could conceive of the sun without it? It is impossible to say so. For how could there even be a sun if it did not have radiance? Therefore, what is true for this is understood all the more concerning the Father and the Son. For the Son, being the radiance of the Father, as Paul says, is believed to be always shining forth with the Father, and will not be later than Him. Also, note for me how Sabellius the Libyan is refuted by this passage. For he taught that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are one person, and that this one person appeared sometimes as Father, sometimes as Son, and sometimes as Spirit. These things were trifled by the son of the father of lies, and one full of the wicked spirit; but he is manifestly refuted by what is said here, namely: "And the Word was with God." For the Evangelist says most clearly in this place that the Word is one, and God—that is, the Father—is another. For since the Word was with God, it is evident that two persons are introduced, even if there is one nature in these two. But that there is one nature, hear: "And the Word was God." Do you see that the Word is also God? Thus there is one nature for the Father and the Son, since there is also one divinity. Let both Arius and Sabellius, then, be confounded. Arius, who calls the Son of God a creature and a product, should be brought to shame by the words, "In the beginning was, and the Word was God." And Sabellius, who does not confess a Trinity of persons ^B but rather a unity, is rejected by what is said, "And the Word was with God." For the great John here clearly proclaims that the Word is one, and the Father is another, even though it is not "something else and something else." For "another and another" is said in regard to persons, but "something else and something else" in regard to natures. For example, to set forth the meaning more clearly: Peter and Paul are "another and another"—for they are two persons—but they are not "something else and something else," for the nature of both is one, namely, humanity. So, therefore, it must be taught regarding the Father and the Son: they are "another and another," for they are two persons; but they are not "something else and something else," for their nature is one, namely, the Godhead. "This was in the beginning with God." This very God the Word was never separated from God the Father. For since he had said, "And the Word was God," lest some demonic illusion trouble any, saying, "If the Word is also God, perhaps He will eventually rise up against the Father, as is told in the myths of the Gentiles, and separating Himself from Him, will become an adversary?"—for this reason He says that even though the Word is God, nevertheless He is with God the Father, being with Him and never separated. It will be no less easy to answer the Arians also: "You deaf ones, hear, you who say that the Son of God is a work and a product. Understand what sort of name the Evangelist bestowed upon the Son of God. For he called Him 'The Word'; but you, on the other hand, call Him a work and ^C

^A a product. He is the Word, not a work, nor a creature. But whereas the word is twofold (for the one is internal, which we possess even when we are not speaking—I mean the faculty of speaking; for when someone is asleep, and not speaking, he nonetheless has the word laid up within him and has not abandoned the power—this, then, is the internal word; the other is the proferential [or uttered] word, when we bring forth even through our lips the faculty of speaking that is internal and laid up within, bringing it into action); since the word is twofold, then, neither of these fits the Son of God. For the Word of God is neither proferential nor internal. For those belong to natural things and to us; but the Word of the Father is above nature, and is not subject to these inferior technical definitions. Thus the sophism of the pagan Porphyry has collapsed. For he, ^B attempting to overthrow the Gospel, used such divisions. 'If,' he says, 'the Son of God is the Word, He is either proferential or internal; but since He is neither this nor that, therefore He is not the Word.' The Evangelist has already dissolved this sophism by saying that the internal and the proferential are spoken of regarding those things that are natural and among us; but regarding that which is above nature, there is nothing of the sort. Nevertheless, this also must be said: if this name, 'the Word,' were worthy of God, and were spoken of Him properly and substantially, then the pagan’s doubt would indeed have a place; but in fact, no one could find any other name worthy of God, nor is the term 'Word' itself substantially and properly the name of the Only-begotten, but it only manifests that the Son was born of the Father without any passion, just as a word from the mind, and that the Son is the messenger of the paternal will. And therefore, O miserable man, why do you carp at the name, or why, when you hear 'Father,' and 'Son,' and 'Spirit,' do you fall into material things, and fashion in your mind carnal fathers, and sons, and a spirit of the air—a southern one, perhaps, or a northern one, or some other that stirs up waves? But if you want to know what sort of Word God’s Word is, hear what follows.^C 'All things were made through Him.' Do not imagine, he says, a word poured out into the air and dissolving, but the Creator of all things, both intelligible and sensible. But again, those surrounding Arius spring up, saying that just as we say that a door is made through a saw as through an instrument, while the craftsman who moves the tool is another, so also all things were made through the Son, not that He Himself is the Creator, but an instrument, even as the saw is there, while God and Father is the Creator and uses the Son as an instrument. Thus, they say, the Son is a product, created for this purpose, that all things might be made through Him; just as the saw is made for this, that the technical works might be fashioned through it. These are the wicked ravings of Arius's faction. But what shall we say to them simply and correctly? That if the Father created ^D the Son for this, as they say, that He might have an instrument for the completion of the creature, the Son will be more ignoble than the creature. For just as the saw, which is an instrument, and all other things finished through it...

serve a higher end—because the saw existed for the sake of those things, not the things for the sake of the saw—so also the creature will be more worthy than the Only-begotten. For it is because of it, as they say, that the Father created Him; just as if God had not intended to create all things, He would not even have brought forth the Only-begotten. What could be more senseless than these words? Yes, he says, and why did He not say that the Word Himself made all things, but used this preposition, "through"? Why? So that you might not suspect the Son to be unbegotten, without beginning, and an adversary to God. For this reason He said that the Father made all things through the Word. Imagine a king who has a son, and, being about to build a city, entrusts the construction of it to his son. Just as, therefore, he who says, "The city was built through the king's son," does not introduce the king's son as a servant, but shows that this son has a father ^B and is not alone, so also here, the Evangelist, by saying that all things were made through the Son, revealed that the Father used Him, if I may so speak, as a mediator toward creation, not as one inferior, but as one of equal power and as one capable of accomplishing such a great task. And I will tell you this: if the preposition "through" troubles you, and you seek to find in Scripture some statement saying that the Word Himself made all things, listen to David: "In the beginning Thou, O Lord, didst found the earth, and the works of Thy hands are the heavens." You see how he did not say, "Through Thee were the heavens made and the earth founded," but, "Thou didst found, and the works of Thy hands they are." That David speaks these things concerning the Only-begotten, and not concerning the Father, you may learn both from the Apostle himself, who uses this text in the Epistle to the Hebrews, ^C and you may learn it also from the Psalm itself. For having said, "The Lord looked down upon the earth, to hear the groaning, and to loose the prisoners, and to declare the name of the Lord in Sion," whom else could he signify but the Son of God? For He looked down upon the earth—whether you mean this one upon which we walk, or this nature of ours which has been bound to the earth, or the flesh, according to the saying, "Earth you are," which He also assumed and freed us who were fettered by the bonds of our own sins, we the sons of the slain, that is, of Adam and Eve—and He declared the name of the Lord in Sion. For standing in the temple, He taught about His Father, just as He Himself says, "I manifested Thy name to men." To whom, therefore, do these things belong? To the Father or to the Son? Altogether to the Son. ^D For He Himself declared the name of the Father, as He taught. After, therefore, the blessed David had said these things, he adds, "And Thou, in the beginning, O Lord, didst found the earth, and the works of Thy hands are the heavens." Does he not manifestly introduce the Son as creator, and not as an instrument? But if the preposition "through" seems to you to introduce some diminution, what will you say when Paul applies it to the Father? For he says, "God is faithful, through whom we were called into the fellowship of His Son." Does he make the Father an instrument in this place? And again, "Paul, an apostle through the will of God." And of these things, indeed, enough has been said. Let us return to what we have digressed from. "All things were made through Him." Moses, for his part, concerning...

the visible creation, clarified nothing for us regarding the intelligible things; but the Evangelist, having encompassed all in one word, says, "All things were made through Him," both the visible and the intelligible. "And without Him was not anything made that has been made." Since he said that He Himself made all things, so that no one might think that He also created the Holy Spirit, he adds, "All things were made through Him." And what things are "all"? That which has come into being. Just as if he were saying that if anything is of a created nature, that thing has been made by the Word; but the Spirit is not of a created nature, and therefore He was not made by Him. Thus, without the power of the Word, nothing was made that has been made—that is, nothing that is of that created and made nature.

^B VERS. 4. "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men." The Pneumatomachi, who deny that the Spirit is God, read this passage thus: "And without Him was not anything made that has been made." Then, having made a full stop at this point, they read as if from another beginning, "What has been made, in Him was life." And they interpret the passage according to their own mind, saying that the Evangelist speaks here of the Holy Spirit, saying, that is, that the Holy Spirit was life. These things the followers of Macedonius say, hastening to show that the Holy Spirit is a creature, and to number Him among those things which have been made. We, however, do not read it so, but having made a full stop at "that has been made," we read the next part from a new beginning, "In Him was life." For since he spoke concerning the creation, that "all things were made through Him," he speaks afterward also concerning His providence, that He not only created, but He Himself is also the one who sustains the life ^C of the created things; and for that reason, "In Him was life." I know, however, that by one of the saints this passage has been read thus: "And without Him was not anything made that has been made in Him." Then, having made a stop there, he began the next part, "Life was." And I think that this reading is not mistaken, but holds the same correct meaning. For that saint understood it in an orthodox way, that without the Word, nothing was made that has been made in Him. For all things whatsoever that have been made and created in Him—by the Word, I say—without Him have not been made. Then from another beginning, "Life was, and the life was the light of men." The Evangelist designates the Lord as "Life," as the one who sustains the life of all things, but also as the provider of spiritual life for all who are rational. And "light" is not some sensible light, but an ^D intelligible one, which illuminates the soul itself. Nor did he say that He is the light of the Jews only, but of all men. For all men, insofar as we have received mind and reason from the Word that created us, are for that reason said to be illuminated by Him. For the reason given to us, by which we are called rational, is a light that leads us to the things that are to be done, and the things that are not to be done.

VERS. 5. "And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness"

^A comprehended it not." The light, that is to say the Word of God, shines in darkness—namely, in death and in error. For He, even when He had become dead, so overcame death that He compelled it to vomit forth those whom it had previously swallowed; and in the error of the Gentiles the preaching shines. "And the darkness comprehended it not." For neither did death overcome Him, nor did error. For this light, I mean God the Word, is unconquerable. Yet some thought that by darkness was meant the flesh and this life. The Word, therefore, once having become flesh and being in this life, shone forth, and the darkness—the opposing power, I say—did indeed tempt and persecute the light, but found it unconquerable and invincible. Now the flesh is called darkness, not because it is such by nature—far be it!—but because of sin. For the flesh naturally has no evil whatever; but when moved contrary to nature and serving sin, it both becomes and is called darkness.

VERS. 6. "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John." After having discoursed to us concerning the pre-eternal subsistence of God the Word, since he is also about to speak concerning the incarnation of the Word, he interposes the discourse regarding the Forerunner. And who other than John could have the message concerning the birth [of Christ], he who ran before even prior to the Lord's birth? The evangelist says, therefore, concerning the Forerunner, that there was a "man sent from God"—sent, I say, from God; for false prophets were not sent from God. But when you hear that he was sent from God, do not think that there is anything private or human being spoken of, but that it is all divine. For this reason he is also called an angel; for it is the virtue of an angel to say nothing of his own. And when you hear "angel," do not think that he was an angel by nature, or that he descended from the heavens, but rather he is called an angel because of his work and ministry. For because ^B he served the preaching and was the forerunner of the Lord, for this grace he was called an angel. Therefore the evangelist, overturning the opinion of certain ones who suspected that John was by nature an angel, says: "There was a man sent from God."

VERS. 7. "He came for a witness, to bear witness of the light, that all men might believe through him." This man, he says, who was sent from God, came that he might bear witness of the light. Then, lest anyone should think that the Only-Begotten had need of his testimony for His glory, as if He were in some part lacking, for this reason he added that he came to bear witness of the Son of God—not that He has need of that man’s testimony, but that all might believe through him. Did then all believe through him? By no means. How then does the evangelist say, "that all might believe"? How? As far as it depended upon him, he bore witness for this purpose, that he might draw all men; but if some did not believe, he is not to be blamed. For the sun also rises for this purpose, that it might illuminate all; but if someone has shut himself up in a murky room and does not enjoy its rays, what is that to the sun? So, therefore, and in this place, the one sent was John, in order that all...

^A might believe; but even if the contrary has occurred, he is not the cause.

VERS. 8. *Non erat ille lux illa, sed ut testaretur de luce.* Since it often happens that the one who testifies is greater than the one to whom he bears witness, in order that you might not imagine that John, testifying [regarding] Christ, was greater than He, he removes this evil suspicion, saying: *Non erat ille lux illa* (He was not that light). But someone might say: "Therefore, shall we not be allowed to call either John or any other of the saints 'light'?" We might indeed call each of the saints light, but we would by no means call them "the light" with the article. For example, if someone were to ask you: "Is John light?" assent; but if he inquires *this* way: "Is John *the* light?" say, "No." For he himself is not light properly, but light by participation, having brilliance from the true light.

VERS. 9. *Erat lux illa lux vera, quæ illuminat omnem hominem venientem in mundum.* He is about to speak concerning the incarnate economy of the Only-Begotten, that He came into His own, that He became flesh. Lest, therefore, someone should suspect that He did not exist before He was incarnate, for this reason he raises our mind to the existence that is beyond every beginning and says: *Erat*—even before He was incarnate—*lux illa vera* (He was that true light). Through this, he subverts the heresy of Photinus and Paul of Samosata, who teach in their dogmas that the Only-Begotten began to exist at that time when He was born of Mary, and that He did not exist before this. Hear also, you Arian, who deny that the Son of God is the true God, what the evangelist says: *Erat lux illa vera.* And you too, Manichaean, who say ^B that we are creatures of the evil craftsman, hear that that true light illuminates every man. If, therefore, that evil craftsman is darkness, he would illuminate no one; and thus, we are creatures of the true light. "And how," he says, "does He illuminate every man, when we see so many darkened?" As far as He Himself is concerned, He illuminates all. For tell me, I beseech you, are not all rational? Are not all by nature knowing of good and evil? Do not all have the capacity to know the Creator from the creatures? So the reason given to us, and the nature that instructs us, which is also called the natural law, this has been called the light given to us by God. But if certain persons have not used their reason, they have darkened themselves. Some resolve this objection in this way: The Lord, they say, illuminates every man who comes into the world; that is, those who are in a better state and who are diligent in adorning their own soul, and not allowing it to remain unadorned and ugly.

VERS. 10. *In mundo erat, et mundus per ipsum factus est, et mundus eum non cognovit.* *In mundo erat* as God, present everywhere; but it might also be said that He is in the world according to His provident and preservative power. And yet, why do I say this, he asks, that "He was in the world," when the world would not even exist if He Himself had not created it? From every side he shows Him to be the Creator; ^C at once restraining the insanity of Manes, who says that an evil creator produced all things; but also [refuting] that of Arius, who said that the Son of God is a creature; at the same time also

^A leading every man to confess the Creator, and not to serve created things, but to worship the Creator. "The world," he says, "did not know him"; that is, the common crowd, who are attached to the things of the world. For the word "world" signifies both this universe, as is said here, that "the world was made through him," and it also signifies those who mind worldly things, as he says here that "the world did not know him," that is, earthly men; for all the saints and the prophets did know him.

VERS. 11. "He came to his own, and his own did not receive him." Here he enters very clearly into the discourse concerning the incarnation: and the whole context of the thought is as follows: "The true light was indeed in the world without flesh, and was not recognized; then he also came to his own with flesh." By his own, you may understand either the whole world, or the Jews, whom he chose as his inheritance-cord, and as his portion, and as his peculiar possession. "And his own did not receive him," that is, the Jews, or ^B even the rest of men, who were created by him. Just as, therefore, he laments the madness of men, so also he marvels at the mercy of the Lord. His own, he says, they were, yet they did not all receive him. For the Lord forces no one by necessity or draws them [forcibly], but has left will and choice [free].

VERS. 12. "But as many as received him, to them he gave the power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name." Whether slaves or free, whether children or old men, whether Barbarians or Greeks, as many as received him, to them he gave the power to become children of God. Who are these? Those who believe in his name. So that those who received the Word and the true light, received and welcomed [him] through faith. ^C But for what reason did he not say that he made them children of God, but that he gave them the power to become children of God? For what reason? Hear: Because it is not sufficient for the guardianship of purity to be baptized, but much diligence is also needed so that the image of adoption to the Son of God, figured in baptism, may be preserved undefiled; wherefore many indeed received the grace of adoption in baptism, but through slothfulness did not remain children of God until the end. Perhaps someone might also say this, that many receive him through the fact that they only believe, such as those who are called Catechumens, yet they have not yet become children of God; they have the power, however, when they shall have willed to be baptized, ^D to obtain also this grace, I mean, of adoption. Someone will say also this: Although we receive the benefit of adoption in baptism, yet we are to receive that which is perfect in the resurrection, and then we hope to receive the most perfect adoption; just as Paul also says: "For we wait for the adoption of sons." On this account, therefore, this evangelist also did not say, "As many as received him, he made them children of God," but, "He gave them the power to become children of God," that is, he gave [it] so that in the future age they might receive that grace.

COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN — CHAP. 1

^A "Who [were born] not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." He makes a comparison in a certain way between the divine and the carnal birth, and not without reason, calling back to our memory the carnal pangs, so that we, having recognized the ignobility and humility of the carnal birth by comparison, might run to the divine grace. He says, therefore: "Who were born not of blood," that is, of the menses; for from these the embryo receives nourishment and growth. 15 They also say that the seed first is bloodied, and then is transformed into flesh and the other bodily structure. But since it was likely that some would say that the birth of Isaac, furthermore, was of this kind, such as those who believe in Christ are born—for indeed, Isaac also was not born of blood, for the menses had failed for Sarah—because, therefore, it was possible for some to suspect this, he adds: "Nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man." For even if the birth of Isaac was not of blood, yet it was of the will of man; for indeed, the husband desired to have a child born to him from Sarah. ^B And of the will of the flesh, such as Samuel from Hannah. Therefore, he called Isaac [born] of the will of man, but Samuel of the will of the flesh, that is, of the human [will]; for this barren woman was thirsty to acquire a child; and perhaps both [were true] in both cases. But if you wish to learn something else, hear that the intercourse according to the flesh occurs either from a natural heat—for often someone happens to have a warmer temperament, and from this is more inclined toward intercourse (this, therefore, he called the will of the flesh)—or, because of an evil habit and an intemperate diet, the impulse for intercourse becomes uncontrollable, which he called the will of man, as being an act not of the physical structure, but of the man's intemperance. Perhaps, however, since sometimes the woman is found to be more inclined toward intercourse, and sometimes the man, by the "will of man" he indicated the man's lust, and by the "will of the flesh," that of the woman. You will also rightly understand the "will of the flesh" to be the desire that rekindles ^C ... and growth to the embryo. All who are born of men and women have a natural birth, that [which is] of blood. But since among men and women joined to one another, those who comport themselves manfully against the desire of the flesh are joined for the sake of procreation, while those who comport themselves against it are joined for the sake of the desire itself, he introduces those who are born of those who comport themselves against the flesh as being born of the will of man, and those who [are born] through the desire of the flesh, of the will of the flesh; and he says that those who are born of God by the grace of adoption do not possess this divine generation physically at all, whether they were born from those who were joined together for the sake of procreation, or from those who [were joined] for the sake of the desire of the flesh, and who physically brought them forth. ^D And all these things...

From the collation of the Venetian codices of St. Mark.

And indeed, all who are born of men and women have a natural generation of blood. However, when of men and women who are joined together in turn, some comporting themselves manfully against the concupiscence are joined notwithstanding for the sake of having offspring; others, less inclined to offspring, are copulated for the sake of the concupiscence itself: hence he calls those who are begotten by those who comport themselves manfully against the concupiscence "born of the will of man," but those who are begotten by the impulse of concupiscence, "of the will of the flesh." And he adds that those who are born of God through the grace of adoption in their sons, have in no natural way attained this divine manner of birth; whether the desire for offspring, or the concupiscence of the flesh, has impelled their parents to the union. They say, however, etc.

^A that the desire itself leads them to the union, which is the beginning of the act. He has posited both, because while many may feel desire, they do not straightway allow themselves to be carried off by that desire; rather, they master it and do not slip into the act. But those who are conquered by it are first burned by the flesh and the concupiscence smoldering within it, and are thus turned toward the will to unite. The evangelist, therefore, has correctly placed the "will of the flesh" before the "will of the man," since concupiscence naturally precedes the union, and both necessarily run together in the act of coupling. All these things have been said for the sake of those who frequently ask foolish questions; for, to speak more to the point, one single concept is revealed through all these things: namely, the manifestation of the baseness of carnal generation. What more, then, do we who believe in Christ have than those Israelites who were under the Law? For they, too, were called sons of God. There is a great difference between us and them. Since the law in all things held a shadow of the things to come, it did not grant the adoption of sons to the Israelites, but only as in a figure and a type; but we, having received the Spirit of God in truth through baptism, cry out: "Abba, Father." And just as their baptism was typical and shadowy, so too was the adoption that prefigured ours. Even though they were called sons, it happened to them in shadow, and they did not possess the same adoption as sons in truth, as we do now through baptism.

Ver. 14. "And the Word became flesh." ^C After having said that we who believe in Christ become sons of God if we so wish, he now adds the cause of such a great good. For he says: do you wish to learn what secured this adoption as sons for us? It is that "the Word became flesh." But when you hear that the Word became flesh, do not imagine that He departed from His own nature and was changed into flesh; for He would not have been God if He had been changed and altered. Rather, remaining what He was, He became what He was not. ^D Apollinaris of Laodicea, however, started a heresy from this passage. For his dogma was that our Lord and God did not assume the perfect nature of man—that is, a body with a rational soul—but only flesh, bereft of a rational and intellectual soul. For what need, he says, had God of a soul, having the divinity to govern the body, in the way that we have a soul to direct our own body? He had a handle, as he supposed, from the present saying, "And the Word became flesh." For he says He did not say "And He became man," but "flesh," and thus He did not assume a soul that has mind and reason, but flesh without mind and without reason. But that miserable man was ignorant of the fact that Scripture often names the whole by a part; as, when it intends to mention the whole man, it names him by a part, namely, the soul: as, "Every soul that is not circumcised shall be destroyed" (Gen. xvii, 14). Behold, for instead of saying "every man," it spoke of the part, the soul. And again, it names the whole from the flesh, as when he says...

^A "And all flesh shall see the salvation of God" (Luke iii, 6). For, wishing to speak of "every man," he used the name of the flesh. Thus also the evangelist, instead of saying, "The Word became man," said, "The Word became flesh," naming the whole man from the part, as being composed of soul and body.

Perhaps, too, because the flesh is more alien to the divine nature, the evangelist, wishing to signify the immeasurable condescension of God, made mention of the flesh, so that we might be struck by his ineffable philanthropy, in that, for our salvation, he assumed that which was alien to his nature and in every way foreign, I mean the flesh. For the soul has a certain affinity with God, ^B but the flesh does not communicate with him in any way. For this reason, then, I believe the evangelist used only the name of the flesh here, not as if he were devoid of the assumption of a soul, but for the greater manifestation of the wonderful and awesome mystery. For if the Word, though incarnate, had not assumed a human soul, our souls would still be unhealed; for what he did not assume, he did not heal. And what a mockery it would be, since the soul was the first to fall ill—for it was the soul that surrendered to the serpent’s discourse and was deceived in paradise, and then the hand followed its mistress and lady, the soul, and touched the fruit—if the lady were left behind and not assumed, and neither cared for nor healed, while the handmaid, the flesh, were both assumed and sanctified and healed? But let Apollinarius be gone.

As for us, when we hear that "the Word became flesh," we believe that he became a perfect man, it being the custom of Scripture to name the composite man either from the flesh or from the soul alone. ^C And Nestorius is refuted by this passage. For he used to say that it was not God the Word himself who became man, having been conceived from the all-pure blood of the holy Virgin, but that the Virgin gave birth to a man; and this man, having been graced in every kind of virtue, had the Word of God joined to him, which also gave him power against unclean spirits; and from this, he decreed two sons: one being the man Jesus of the Virgin, and another the Son of God, who was indeed joined to the man inseparably, but by habit and grace and love, just as is one who is virtuous. These things he said, being deaf to the truth by his own choice. For if he had wished, he might indeed have listened to this blessed evangelist saying, "The Word became flesh." Is he not clearly refuted here? For the Word himself became man. He did not say, "The Word, having found a man, was joined to him," but, "He himself became man." ^D Moreover, Eutyches, and Valentinus, and Manes are refuted by this. For they said that the Word of God appeared according to an appearance. Let them hear, therefore, that "the Word became flesh." He did not say that he appeared as flesh or seemed to be, but that he became it in truth and in substance, and not by phantasy. For it would be absurd and foolish to believe that when the Son of God is and is called the Truth, he lies in his incarnation.

^A For such is phantasy: it is altogether a false indication.

"And he dwelt among us." Since he had said above, "The Word became flesh," in order that no one might suppose that Christ had thereby become one single nature, he adds, "And he dwelt among us," so that he might show the two natures—ours and that of the Word. For, just as the tabernacle is of one nature and he who dwells in it is of another, so too the Word being said to dwell in us, that is, in our nature, implies—if he is of another nature than ours—that there are two natures. Let the Armenians be ashamed, they who profess one nature. We learn, therefore, through the phrase "The Word became flesh," that the Word himself became man, and though he was the Son of God, he became a Son of a woman—who is strictly called Theotokos, because she gave birth to God in the flesh. And through the phrase "He dwelt among us," we are taught to believe in two natures in the one Christ. For even if he is one according to hypostasis, that is, according to person, he is nevertheless two according to natures; for he is God and man. And the divine nature and the human could not be one, even if they are observed in one subject—I mean Christ.

"And we beheld his glory, glory as of the Only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." ^B Since he said that he "became flesh," he adds thereafter that "we beheld his glory," while he was evidently in the flesh. For if the Israelites could not look upon the face of Moses, which had been made radiant by his conversation with God, much less would the apostles have been capable of gazing upon the naked deity of the Only-begotten, had he not appeared through the flesh. But we beheld glory, not such as Moses had, or such glory as the Cherubim and Seraphim appeared with to the prophet, but such glory as was fitting for the only-begotten Son to possess, naturally inherent in him from the Father. For the word "as" here is not an expression of similarity, but of confirmation and an indubitable determination. Just as when we see a king coming forth with great glory, we say that "as a king he has come forth," instead of saying that he has come forth as one who is truly and in reality king; so too here we ought to understand "as of the Only-begotten"—as if to say, ^C the glory which we beheld was as the glory of him who is in truth and in reality the Son.

"Full of grace and truth." Full of grace, inasmuch as his Word was also "full of grace," if I may so speak, as David also says: "Grace is poured forth upon thy lips." And the evangelist says that "all were marveling at the words of grace that were proceeding out of his mouth." And he bestowed healings upon all who had need of them. But he was full of truth, inasmuch as whatever the prophets, and Moses himself, said or did, were all types; but what Christ said and did was all full of truth, being himself grace and himself truth, and providing these to others. But where did they behold that glory? ^D Some suspect that perhaps it was on Mount Tabor. And perhaps this too is true, that not only in

on the mount, but in all things that He said and did, they were beholding His glory. ^A

VERS. 15. "John testifieth of him, and cried, saying: This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me." The Evangelist frequently invokes the testimony of John; not that he makes the Lord worthy of belief by the words of a servant, but because the crowds had a great opinion of John, for this reason he brings in to the testimony concerning Christ that John who was considered great among them, and was therefore believed by all. But the word "cried" shows the great boldness of John. For not in a corner, but with great boldness did he shout regarding Christ. And what was he saying? "This was he of whom I spake": John was testifying of Him even before he saw Christ. And this was surely by the good pleasure of God, so that it would not appear that he was bearing the more honorable testimony about Christ out of favoritism for His person. Therefore he says, "Of whom I spake," that is, even before I saw Him, "He that cometh after me," clearly in regards to the times of birth; for the Forerunner was six months older than Christ according to the birth in the flesh. "He is preferred before me," that is, He became more honorable and more glorious than I. Why? Because He was also before me according to His divinity. But the Arians foolishly interpreted this saying. For wishing to show that the Son of God was not begotten of the Father, but was made just like one of the creatures, they say: "Behold, John testifies of Him, 'He is preferred [made before] me,' that is, He was made and created by God before me, as one of the creatures." But they are refuted, as they understand the saying poorly, by what follows. For what meaning is apparent in saying that "This man," the Christ that is, "was made before me," that is, "was created before me," because "He was before me"? For it is altogether foolish to say that God created Him first because He was before me. For on the contrary, he ought rather to have said: "Because this one is before me, therefore He was made before me," that is, created. These then are the things of the Arians. But we understand it orthodoxly, that "He who cometh after me," according to the birth in the flesh from the Virgin, "is preferred before me," that is, He became more glorious and more honorable than I because of the miracles that happened around Him in the birth, in the upbringing, in the wisdom. And deservedly so. For He was before me according to the divine birth from the Father, even though He came after me according to the advent in the flesh. ^C

VERS. 16. "And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace." And these are the words of the Forerunner, speaking concerning Christ, that we all, the prophets, have received of His fulness. For He does not possess such grace as those men endowed with the Spirit; but existing as the fountain of every good thing, and of all wisdom and prophecy, He overflows and gives it to all who are worthy, and ^D

^A while overflowing, He remains full and is never exhausted. Nor have we received grace, namely that of the New Testament, in place of the grace of the old legislation. For since that Testament grew old and decayed, in its place we have received the New. And how, he says, did He refer to the Old Testament as grace? Because the Jews also were adopted and accepted by grace. For He says: “Not because you were many, but because of your fathers, I chose you.” The ancients, therefore, were also accepted by grace, and we also, admittedly, have been saved by grace.

^B VERSE 17. “For the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” He explains to us how we have received great grace in exchange for a small grace; and he says that the law indeed was given through Moses, since God used a human being, Moses I mean, as a mediator; but the New Testament came through Jesus Christ, which is also called grace, because God has bestowed upon us not only the remission of sins, but also adoption as sons. It is called truth, ^C inasmuch as whatever the fathers formerly saw or spoke of in a figure, this Testament has clearly proclaimed. Therefore, the New Testament, I say, which is also named grace and truth, does not use a simple, mere man as a mediator, but the Son of God. And observe how, in the case of the Old, he said, “It was given through Moses,” for this man was a minister and a servant. But regarding the New, he did not say, “It was given,” but, “It came,” to show that it came to be through our Lord Jesus Christ as through a master, not ^D a servant, and that grace and truth were brought to their final perfection. For the law was indeed given by God through the agency of Moses; but grace came, it was not given, through Jesus Christ. “Came to be” denotes a certain authority, while “was given” indicates a ministry.

VERSE 18. “No man has seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has made Him known.” Since he had said that “grace and truth came through Jesus Christ,” wishing to establish this very point, he says: I have said nothing incredible. For Moses neither saw God, just as no one else has, nor was he able to provide for us a most clear and manifest account concerning Him; but being a servant, he ministered only to the service of the legal letter. But Christ, being the Son and Only-begotten, and being in the bosom of the Father, not only sees Him, but also declares Him to all men. And so, since He is the Son and sees the Father, being as it were in His bosom, He deservedly gave us grace and truth. But someone might perhaps say: How do we learn in this passage that no one has seen God, when the prophet says: “I saw the Lord”? The prophet indeed saw God, but not His essence itself, but a certain likeness and appearance, as he was able to perceive it. And one man saw in one form, and another in another. Whence it is clear that they did not see the truth itself; for they would not have in

^A different figures seen it, seeing that it is simple and infigurabile. But not even the angels see the essence of God, although they are said to see the face of God; for this indicates only that God always appears to them. The Son, therefore, alone sees the Father, and explains Him to all men. But when you hear of "bosom" in regard to the Father, suspect nothing corporal concerning God. For the Evangelist, wishing to demonstrate the genuineness, and the inseparability, and the coeternity of the Son with the Father, made mention of this name.

Verses 19, 20. And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews ^B sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him: Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; and he confessed, That I am not the Christ.

He said above that John testifies concerning Him; and then, having inserted in the middle what John testified concerning Christ—namely, that "He was made before me," and that "we all, the prophets, have received of His fulness"—he adds: "And this is the testimony of John." What is it? That which he said above, that "He was made before me," and the rest; but also what he says thereafter, that "I am not the Christ," and these are the testimonies of John. The Jews, therefore, sent to John those whom they had as the more excellent—that is, priests and Levites—and these from Jerusalem, so that they, being as it were more sagacious, might persuade John through flattery to confess himself to be Christ. But observe their malice: they do not ask him straightway, "Art thou the Christ?" but, "Who art thou?" And he, knowing their ^C craftiness, does not say who he was, but confesses: "I am not the Christ," looking to their aim, and from every side drawing them to believe that there is another who is the Christ, whom they deemed vile, and of a vile father—a carpenter, namely—and of a vile country—Nazareth, namely—out of which they believed that nothing good could come. Concerning the Forerunner himself, however, they had a great opinion, because he was born of a high priest for a father, and led an angelic life, and one almost devoid of matter. Whence it is just to wonder how, by those very things by which they thought they would harm the glory of Christ, they are impeded. For they questioned John, as one worthy of belief, so that they might have his testimony as a pretext for their own unbelief in Christ, if indeed he had not confessed Him to be the Christ. But it turned out to the contrary for them. For him, whom they held to be trustworthy, they find testifying concerning Christ, and not drawing the honor to himself.

Verses 21-25. And they asked him: What then? Art thou Elias? And he says: I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered: No. They said therefore unto him: Who art thou, that we may give an answer to them that sent us? What sayest thou of thyself? He said: I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaias.

They were expecting that Elias would come, persuaded by ancient ^D tradition; for which reason they ask him if he is Elias—and indeed his life was also similar to that of Elias. He denies

and this also. "Art thou that prophet?" He denies this too, though he was a prophet. How then does he deny it? How? Because they did not ask him, "Art thou a prophet?" but, "Art thou that prophet?"—making the inquiry with the article, meaning by this that prophet who was expected, of whom Moses said, "The Lord thy God will raise up unto you a prophet." ^A John, therefore, did not deny that he was a prophet, but that he was *that* prophet—the one who was expected. For since they had heard Moses saying that a prophet would be raised up, they were hoping, according to certain times, that this would be that prophet. Then they press him again: "Tell us, then, who art thou?" Then he answers them: "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness." I am, he says, the one of whom it is written: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness." For unless you add "of whom it is written," the construction of the sentence appears somewhat absurd. But what is he crying? "Make straight the way of the Lord." I am, he says, a servant, and I am preparing the ways for the Lord—your hearts. Make them straight, therefore, you who are crooked and deceitful, and make them level, so that the Lord Christ may travel through you. Then he brings in Isaiah as a witness. For having said great things about Christ, that He is the Lord, and that he himself had taken upon ^B him the work of a servant and herald, he takes refuge in the prophet. Perhaps someone might explain "I am the voice of one crying" in this way: "I am the voice of Christ who is crying," that is, who is clearly proclaiming the truth. For all those who were in the Law sounded in a faint and humble way, inasmuch as they had not yet arrived at the time of the Gospel truth. And this was indeed the rudeness of the voice in Moses, because the law was obscure and not manifest. But Christ, since He is truth itself, and has announced to us all things of the Father, is the one crying. Therefore John says: "I am the voice of the Word crying," dwelling in the wilderness. Then there follows another principle: "Make straight the way of the Lord." John is deservedly called "voice," in that he was the Forerunner of Christ, just as the voice runs before the word. And to speak more clearly: a voice is indeed an inarticulate spirit which comes out from the chest; but when it is articulated by the tongue, then it becomes a word. ^C Therefore, first the voice, and then the word; prior is John, and then Christ, according to His advent in the flesh. And indeed John's baptism was not articulate; for it was not done in the Spirit; but Christ's was articulate. For it contained nothing of shadows or figures, but was done in the Spirit.

VERS. 24, 25. "And they which were sent were of the Pharisees, and asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?" After they could not draw him to their side through flattery, they terrify him with harsher and more threatening words, so that he might say what they wanted, and confess himself to be Christ. "Why then baptizest thou?" they say; "who gave thee this authority?" It is shown, however, from this statement, that they thought that Christ was one person, and that ^D other one, the expected prophet, was another.

^A They were ill-advised, for that Prophet is Christ Himself and our God. They said all these things, as I said, in order to constrain Him to confess that He was the Christ; or rather, if one must speak the truer thing, as if begrudging Him His glory, they question Him. Wherefore they do not even ask, "Art Thou the Christ?", but, "Who art thou?", as if to say: "Who art thou who undertakest such a work, baptizing and cleansing those who confess?" For indeed, the Jews do not seem to me to be wishing that John should be thought the Christ by the many, but rather they ask him, "Who art thou?", out of envy and begrudgment. Most accursed, therefore, are the Jews, who received John baptizing, but after they were baptized, were ungrateful—truly a brood of vipers.

^B VERS. 26, 27. "John answered them, saying, 'I baptize in water; but there stands one in your midst, whom you do not know; He is the one coming after me, who has become before me, of whose sandal strap I am not worthy to unloose.'" Behold also the meekness and the truth of the holy one. Meekness, indeed, in that he says nothing harsh to them, though they were insolent. But truth, because he was a most frank witness of Christ’s glory, and he did not conceal the glory of the Lord to gain nobility for himself, but confessed: "I indeed baptize with an imperfect baptism; for it is in water alone, not having the remission of sins, but preparing one to receive the spiritual baptism, which bestows the remission of sins."

"But there stands one in your midst, whom you do not know." For the Lord had mingled with the multitude, and it was unknown who He was and from where. Perhaps someone might say that the Lord stood in the midst of the Pharisees in another way as well, but they were ignorant of Him. For because they seemed to have learned the Scriptures by heart, by which the Lord was announced, He was ^C in their midst, that is, in their hearts; but they were ignorant of Him, as not understanding the Scriptures, though they held them in their hearts. Perhaps also, in that the Lord was the Mediator of God and men, He stood in the midst of the Pharisees, wishing to reconcile them to God, but they were ignorant of Him.

Continually, however, he sets down: "The one coming after me," showing that his baptism is not perfect, but only a forerunner to the spiritual baptism. And, "He has become before me," that is, He is more honorable and more glorious, and so much so that I do not dare to count myself even among the least of His servants. For the unloosing of the sandal is the task of the lowest ministry. I know, however, that I have read this interpretation by one of the saints: The sandal is taken everywhere to signify the flesh of sinners, subject to corruption; the thong, however, or the strap, is the bond of sins. John, therefore, in the case of the others who were coming out to him and confessing, had the power to unloose "the strap of sins"—for they came out to him bound by the chains of their own ^D sins—and, by calling them to repentance

he ^A prepared a way for them so that they might perfectly cast away that strap and the shoe of sin; but in Christ, finding no strap—that is, no bond of sin—rightly, he could not loose it. For how could he have loosed that in which he found nothing? "For he did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth." The shoe, however, is the coming of the Lord to us; but its strap is the mode of the incarnation, by which the Word of God was united and, in a certain way, bound to a body. Truly, however, to loose this knot is impossible; for who could loose how God was bound to a body?

VERS. 28. "These things were done in Bethania beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing." Why did he say that these things were done in Bethania? In order to show the boldness of the great herald, that he preached these things about Christ not in a house nor in a corner, but having taken hold of the Jordan, in the midst of the multitude. But it must be known that the more accurate copies have "in Bethabara"; for Bethania is not beyond the Jordan, but is near Jerusalem. ^B

VERS. 29. "The next day he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith: Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." The Lord often came to the Forerunner; for what reason? Perhaps altogether because, since he himself had been baptized by John like one of the many, lest some might think that as though liable to sins he was baptized equally with others, the Baptist, wishing to correct this opinion, again drawing near, says: "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." For he who is so pure, to the point that he is able to take away and abolish the sins of others, it is manifest that he did not receive the baptism of confession equally with others. Examine diligently this saying, "Behold the Lamb of God": for the speech is directed to those desiring and seeking to see that Lamb who was foretold by Isaiah. Behold, he says, that Lamb who is sought; behold, he is present. For it is probable that many, having been instructed by the prophetic book of Isaiah, had sought who that Lamb might be. Therefore John points him out; he did not say "a lamb," but, "the Lamb." ^C For there are indeed many lambs, just as there are many Christs; but he is the true Lamb who is typified by Moses and foretold by Isaiah. Furthermore, Christ is called the Lamb of God, whether because God accepted the death of Christ for our salvation, or because God delivered him up for us unto death; just as we are accustomed to say: "This sacrifice is of such a one," meaning, "Such a one offered this sacrifice." Thus, therefore, the Lord also is called the Lamb of God, in that God the Father, because of his love toward us, gave him unto death. He did not say, however, "Who took away sin," but, "Who taketh away." ^D

^A For he daily taketh away our sins; others' sins, indeed, through baptism, and others' through repentance. And the lambs that were sacrificed in the Old Law atoned for no one's sin whatsoever, but this one taketh away—that is, blotteth out and removeth from the midst—the sin of the whole world.

But why did he not say "sins," but "sin"? Perhaps by saying "sin" he spoke generically and concerning all. For just as we are accustomed to say, "Man has fallen away from God"—meaning all humanity—so here, too, by saying "sin," he signified all sins. Or perhaps, because man, by disobeying God, was driven into various passions, the sin of the world was disobedience, which the Lord removed from our midst, having become obedient unto death [* Phil. II, 8], and healing the contrary with the contrary.

^B VERSE 30. "This is he of whom I said: After me cometh a man, who is become before me, because he was before me." Previously, John was saying to those who had come from the Pharisees: "In the midst of you there standeth one whom you know not, who is become before me." But now he even points him out with his finger and manifests him to those who are ignorant. "This is he of whom I was testifying," he says to the Pharisees, "that he is become before me"—that is, more notable and more honorable than I. "Why? Because he was before me." Listen, Arius; he did not say, "He was created before me," but "he was." Listen also, you sect of Paul of Samosata: the Lord did not begin to be from Mary, but was prior to the Precursor according to his ^C pre-eternal subsistence. For if, as you babble, the Lord received the beginning of his being from Mary, how was he prior to the Precursor? For the Precursor is clearly six months older than the Lord according to his birth in the flesh.

The Lord is called a "man," perhaps because of his perfect age, for he was thirty years old when he was baptized, but perhaps also as the husband of every soul and the bridegroom of the Church. "For I have espoused you," says Paul, "to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ" [* II Cor. XI, 2], that is. The Precursor says, therefore, "I indeed am the groomsman and intermediary; but the man cometh after me. For I draw souls unto faith in Christ; but he is the man who shall be joined to them."

VERSES 31-34. "And I knew him not; but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water." And John bare witness, saying: "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven as a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he who sent me to baptize with water, the same said to me: Upon whom you shalt see the Spirit descending and abiding upon him, he it is that baptizeth with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen, and have born witness that this is the Son of God." Because the Precursor was a kinsman of the Lord—for the angel says to the Virgin: "Behold, thy kinswoman Elizabeth hath conceived" [* Luc. I, 56]—lest anyone suspect

that the Precursor was showing favor to the Lord because of their kinship, and for that reason testified concerning Him, he keeps saying: "And I knew Him not," ^A thereby removing suspicions. But he says, "that He might be made manifest to Israel, therefore I came baptizing." That, he says, all might be led to faith in Him, and that He might be pointed out to the peoples, therefore I baptize. For when I baptize, the peoples gather together; and as they are gathered, Christ is made manifest to them, being preached by me and, present, shown to those who are present. For if they did not gather on account of the baptism, how would the Lord have been pointed out by John? For he would not have gone from door to door, walking around to show Christ with his hand to each person. For that reason, therefore, he says, I came baptizing in water, that as the peoples gathered for the purpose of baptism, He might be manifested by me. From this we learn that the miracles of the infancy of Christ which are talked about are false, and were composed by those who wished to deride the mystery. ^B For if they were true, how was the Lord, who performed such things, unknown? For it is surely not likely that one who performed such miracles would not have been celebrated. But it is not so, it is not. For before He was baptized, He neither performed signs, nor was He known. "But He who sent me to baptize, He said to me: Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, He it is who baptizes with the Holy Spirit." John, as I said, to make his testimony concerning Christ unsuspected, refers the testimony to God and the Father. "For I," he says, "did not know Him: but the Father revealed Him to me at the baptism." Moreover, someone might ask: If John did not know Him, how does Matthew say that he forbade Him, saying: "I ought to be baptized by thee"? ^C It must be said, therefore, that it should be understood thus: "I knew Him not," that is, for a long time, and before the time of the baptism, I did not know Him. But I did know Him at the time of the baptism. Or it may be said otherwise, that he did know Him as being Christ, but that He Himself was the one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit, he learned then, when he saw the Spirit descending. Therefore, saying "I knew Him not" means this: that he did not know that He was the one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit. That He was, however, above the many, he did know. And for that reason, according to Matthew, he forbade Him, as knowing Him to be altogether greater. But after the Holy Spirit descended, then he recognized Him more clearly, and preached Him to others. And the Spirit appeared to all who were present, and not to John alone. ^D Why, then, will someone say, did they not believe? Because their foolish heart was darkened, since even when they saw Him performing miracles, they did not believe. But some say that not all saw Him, but those who were more pious. For although the Spirit descended corporally, it is likely that He did not appear to all, but to the worthy, since the prophets also saw many things in a sensible form; for instance, Daniel and Ezekiel; yet no one else saw those things. "And I saw, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God." And where did John bear witness, that

this is the Son of God? Nowhere is this written; for he says "the Lamb," but nowhere "the Son of God." Hence it is reasonable to conjecture that many other things also were omitted, for not everything was ^A written down.

VERS. 35-37. "On the next day, John was standing again, and two of his disciples; and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he says: Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speaking, and they followed Jesus." On account of the slackness of those who were listening, John is compelled to say the same things, so that through the repeated testimony he might accomplish something; nor was he refuted, but he brought two disciples to Christ. For being, in truth, a groomsman, he did everything in order to bring human nature to the Bridegroom; for which reason Christ indeed remains silent as a bridegroom, but the groomsman speaks all things. And the Lord comes to the multitude like a bridegroom. For in marriages, the bride does not go to the bridegroom, but the latter goes to her, even if he be a king’s son. Therefore, the Lord, intending to betroth our nature, ^B descended to it upon earth, and after the marriage had taken place, he took it, having been assumed into the house of the Father. Therefore, when John had looked upon Jesus—that is, had also shown forth with his bodily eyes the joy he had in Christ, and his admiration—"Behold," he says, "the Lamb." And the disciples, having been softened by the frequent testimonies, followed Jesus, not disdaining John, but rather being more obedient to him, as he testified better things concerning Christ.

VERS. 38, 39. "But Jesus, having turned and seen them following, says to them: What seek you? But they said to him: Rabbi, which being interpreted is called Master, where do you stay? He says to them: Come and see. They came, therefore, and saw where he stayed, and stayed with him that day. And it was about the tenth hour." Matthew, having narrated concerning the baptism of the Lord, immediately leads him up into ^C the mountain to be tempted; but the present evangelist, having left aside those things which were said by him, relates those things which happened after the descent from the mountain. Therefore, after he descended from the mountain where he was tempted, there follows the company of the disciples of John and their approach to Christ. I think that the discourse demonstrates that no one ought to be established as a teacher unless he has first ascended to the summit of virtues—for this is what the mountain signifies—and has overcome every temptation, bearing off the trophy against the tempter. The disciples, therefore, follow first, and then they ask him where he stays. For it was not fitting to converse in public with many present, but in private, as concerning necessary matters. Moreover, neither do they ask first themselves, but Christ himself leads them to the asking. For he says to them: "What seek you?" not as one ignorant (for how could he be ignorant, who knew the hearts of men?), but so that through the question he might call them ^D to say what they wished; but rather, being more persuaded by himself testifying concerning the Christ.

And it is likely that they were even blushing, and fearing him, as one being testified of by John as something more than a man. But as for you, marvel at their goodwill. For not only did they follow, but they also called him *Rabbi*, which is "Teacher," and this even though they had not yet heard anything from him. Desiring privately to learn something from him, they ask, "Where do you stay?" For in quiet it is more convenient both to speak and to listen. But the Lord does not tell them the signs of the house ^A but, "Come," he says, "and see." He does this ^B both to entice them more to follow, and at the same time to train their longing, to see if they might tire of the journey; for if they had approached with a cold mind, they would not have followed him to the house. But how does he say elsewhere that "the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head," while here he appears to have a house? These things do not disagree with one another. For when he says that he "has nowhere to lay his head," he does not mean that he has no lodging at all, but that he does not have his own. If, therefore, he was dwelling in a house, he was not dwelling in his own, but in another’s. And the evangelist does not point out the time in vain, that it was "about the tenth hour," but so that he might teach both teachers and disciples that one should not postpone one’s studies because of the time, nor should the teacher make excuses and say that it is evening, and "you shall learn tomorrow," and that the disciple must know that all time is for learning, and that hearing should not be deferred until the morrow. And we learn this also, that they had their belly so unburdened, and were so sober, that the time which others spend on the rest of the body, being weighed down by foods and unable to apply themselves to earnest work, they spent on learning. Thus were they truly disciples of John, renowned for their fasts. See further, I beg you, how Jesus turns himself toward those following ^C and shows them his face. For unless you have followed Jesus through good action, you shall not arrive at the contemplation of the face of the Lord, nor shall you go to his dwelling, which is to say, you shall not arrive at the illumination of divine knowledge; for the house of Christ is the light. "For he dwells," it says, "in light unapproachable." For if one has not purified himself, and through that purification followed, how shall he be illuminated in knowledge?

VERS. 40-42. *And Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who had heard from John, and had followed him. He finds first his own brother Simon, and says to him: We have found the Messiah, which is, if you interpret it, the Christ. And he led him to Jesus. And Jesus having looked upon him, said: You are Simon the son of Jona, you shall be called Cephas, which is interpreted, Peter.* He makes known to us the name of Andrew, but not at all that of the other. For some ^D say that he is John, who writes these things; but others, that he was not among the more notable ones; and at the same time, there was no profit in knowing the name. However, he makes mention of Andrew, because also he was more distinguished

^A and because he had brought his own brother. Observe, I pray you, the brotherly love, and how he did not hide the good from his brother, but shared the treasure with him, and let out a voice of great joy, saying, "We have found [the Messiah]." As it seems, for a long time they had been longing and meditating upon finding him. And he does not say "Messiah" simply, but "the Messiah," with the article, that very one who is properly the Christ; for there was one whom they were expecting, even if many were called Christs and sons of God. He brought him therefore to Jesus, not as one being of a light disposition, carried about by every word, but rather as one sharp and fervent, and one who had received with a good mind the things which his brother had said to him concerning Christ. For it is likely that Andrew had discoursed with him about many matters, and had announced to him precisely the things concerning Christ, inasmuch as he had remained with Christ and had been taught some more mystical things. But if anyone persists in judging the simplicity of Peter, let him learn this also, that it is not even written that he believed Andrew immediately, but that "he brought him to Jesus," which is rather a sign of a firm mind, not one carried about. For he did not simply receive the words of Andrew, but desired to see Christ also, so that if he found something worthy of belief, he might follow; but if not, he might step back; so that being brought to Jesus was not a sign of simplicity, but of precision. What then does the Lord do? From prophesying about him, He begins to manifest Himself to him. For since prophecies persuade men no less than signs, nay, even more, He prophesies about Peter. "For thou," He says, "art Simon the son of Jona." Then also what is to come: "Thou shalt be called Cephas." For from the telling of the present, the future also is made believable. But He did not say, "I will call thee Peter," but, "thou shalt be called." For He did not desire to show His authority from the beginning, since they did not yet have steadfast faith in Him. And for what reason does He surname this one Peter, and those others, the sons of Zebedee, sons of thunder? In order to show ^B that He Himself is He who gave the Old Testament also, and who, as then, so now, changes names; having called Abram Abraham, and Sarai Sarah. Know also that Simon is interpreted "obedience," ^C and Jonas "dove." Therefore, obedience is the daughter of the meekness which is signified by the dove; and he who has obedience also becomes Peter, advancing through obedience so as to be strengthened in the good.

VERS. 43-45. "On the morrow He desired to go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith to him, Follow me. Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith to him, Him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets wrote, we have found, Jesus the son of Joseph, the Nazarene." Andrew, indeed, having heard the Forerunner, and Peter having heard Andrew, followed Jesus; but Philip appears to have heard no one, and yet immediately followed the Lord, who said to him, "Follow me." Whence, therefore, was he so immediately persuaded? It seems, then, that first the voice of the Lord [was in his soul] ^D

a spark of love. For the voice of the Savior was not spoken simply, but immediately kindled the interior of those who were worthy toward love for Him; just as those with Cleopas also say: "Did not our hearts burn within us, as He spoke to us on the way?" Verses 46–48. And Nathanael said to him: Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Philip says to him: Come and see. Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and says concerning him: Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile. Nathanael says to Him: Whence knowest Thou me? Jesus answered and said to him: Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. Philip, indeed, called Jesus a Nazarene, but Nathanael, being more diligent in the law, knew from the Scriptures that Christ must come from Bethlehem, and therefore he says: "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip, however, says: "Come and see," knowing that if he should taste the words of Christ, he would not depart. Furthermore, Nathanael is praised by Christ as an Israelite indeed, for he spoke neither out of favor nor out of hatred. For those words were not of unbelief, but of a diligent mind versed in the law, which knew that Christ comes not from Nazareth, but from Bethlehem. What then of Nathanael? Does he foolishly swell with praises? By no means; but he presses on, wishing to learn something more manifest and evident. Therefore he also asks: "Whence knowest Thou me?" But Christ, by telling him things that no one else knew except himself and Philip—things that he alone had said and done ^B—made him believe. ^C And then, because Philip, who was anxious at heart, was constantly ^D meditating on the writings of Moses and was always expecting Christ, as soon as he saw Him, he believed; for this reason he also says: "We have found Jesus," by which he shows that he was searching. Perhaps, however, he had learned about Christ from Andrew and Peter. For it is likely that, since they were from the same homeland, these men had conversed with him and told him about the Lord; and the Evangelist seems to hint at this by saying: "Now Philip was from the city of Andrew and Peter." But this city was small, and might more aptly be called a village; whence it is also worthy to admire the power of Christ, that from those who brought forth no fruit, He chose the chief disciples. Therefore, neither does Philip keep this good to himself, but he shares it with Nathanael. And since Nathanael was learned in the law, Philip sends him to the Law and the Prophets; for he was precise and well-versed in legal matters. He calls the Lord the son of Joseph, because He was thought to be his son; and he calls Him a Nazarene, although He was properly from Bethlehem, in which He was born, though He was raised in Nazareth. But because His birth was unknown to many, while His upbringing was manifest, they call Him a Nazarene, as one raised there.

^A Apart from Him and Philip, as things spoken and done in private, He reveals His own divinity. For Philip spoke to Nathanael under the fig tree in private, with no one else present, all of which Christ knew even though He was not there. For this reason He says, "When you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Before Philip even approached, the Lord spoke about Nathanael, so that no one might suspect that Philip had told Christ about the fig tree and the other things that were discussed with Nathanael. Whence Nathanael, having recognized the Lord, confessed Him to be the Son of God. Hear what he says.

VERS. 49-51. "Nathanael answered and said to Him, 'Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.' Jesus answered and said to him, 'Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.' And He says to him, 'Amen, amen, I say to you, henceforth you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.'" ^B Prophecy is most powerful and more effective than miracles for drawing some to faith. For demons can also simulate miracles and perform them in appearance, but predicting the future and making a clear foretelling, no one possesses—not even an angel, and how much less the demons. Therefore, the Lord also drew Nathanael, telling him the place, and that Philip had called him, and that he was truly an Israelite. Having heard these things, therefore, Nathanael comes to a realization of the Lord's greatness, as far as he was then able, and confesses Him to be the Son of God. But although he confesses Him to be the Son of God, he does not do so like Peter. For Peter confessed Him as the Son of God, ^C as the true God; for which reason he is called blessed and is entrusted with the Church. But Nathanael confessed Him as a mere man, adopted as a son by God through grace on account of his virtue; and this is clear from his adding, "You are the King of Israel." Do you see that he had not yet reached the perfect knowledge of the true divinity of the Only-Begotten? For he believes Him to be a man beloved by God and the King of Israel. If he had truly confessed Him to be God, he would not have called Him the King of Israel, but the King of the universe; wherefore he is not pronounced blessed like Peter. Whence the Lord also corrects him, and leads him to understand something worthy of His divinity: "You will see," He says, "the angels of God ascending and ^D descending upon the Son of man." For He is saying, "Do not assume Me to be a mere man, but the Master of the angels." For he to whom the angels minister would certainly not be a mere man, but true God. Now these things came to pass at the cross and the ascension. For even before the time of the passion, an angel from heaven strengthened Him; and in the sepulcher an angel was seen; and at the ascension, as Luke relates. Some have understood the fig tree as the Law, as having fruit that is sweet for a time, [but hidden] under the roughness of legal observances and the difficulty of the commandments, as if covered by leaves. They say, therefore, that Nathanael ...

the Lord saw, that is, he looked down with favor and enlightened his understanding, although he was still under the Law. You too should know this—if these things appeal to you—that the Lord saw Nathanael ^A under the fig tree, that is to say, existing under the Law, or within the Law, and searching out its depths. For if he had not been searching out the depths of the Law, the Lord would by no means have seen him. Know also this, that Galilee is interpreted as "a rolling" or "a place of rolling." The Lord therefore went forth into the rolling region of this world, or even into our human nature; and we are under the fig tree, that is to say, under the sweetness of sin, to which there is also no small bitterness attached on account of repentance and the judgments that follow. Just as He is merciful, so He sees and chooses those who confess Him to be the Son of God and the King of that Israel which sees God. And if we apply diligence, He will count us worthy of greater spectacles, and we shall see the angels ascending indeed ^B to the summit of the knowledge of God, but descending again, being unable to comprehend His unknowable substance. Or, alternatively, one ascends when he occupies himself with discourses about the divinity of the Only-Begotten; but one descends when he delights in treating of topics regarding the incarnation and the descent into hell.

CHAPTER II. On the marriage in Cana of Galilee. On those cast out of the temple. On the text, "Destroy this temple."

VERS. 1-4. "And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there. And Jesus also was bidden, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when the wine failed, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, What have I to do with thee, woman? mine hour is not yet come." They call the Lord to the marriage, not because they had seen ^C miracles or anything else great, but simply as an acquaintance; wherefore the Evangelist, signifying this, says: "And there was the mother of Jesus and his brothers there." Therefore, just as they invited her and the brothers, so too they invited Jesus. Now He was present, and He did not reject the invitation, because He did not look to His own dignity, but to our utility and benefit. For He who did not disdain to become a servant, much less did He disdain to come to a wedding. But His mother urges Him to work a miracle, for she had acquired a great opinion of His power, as much from His conception as from His birth. For she kept all these things in her heart, ^D and from these she reasoned that her Son was able to do something beyond man. For it was not because of some other miracle she had seen Him perform that the mother was induced to entreat Him to perform one. For when He was a child, He performed no miracle; because if He had, He would have been known to all. His mother had also heard of the testimonies of John, which he had borne concerning Him, and she already saw the disciples also following Him; and from all these things

she conjectured the power of the Child. ^A But He rebukes her, not unreasonably. For He says, "If there is no wine, those who are in need should approach and ask, and not you, the Mother." For an intercession about one's own affairs becomes a scandal to those who see it; but when those who have the need ask themselves, the matter becomes unsuspected. And the words, "My hour has not yet come," He says, not as one subject to the necessities of times, nor as one observing hours (for how could we say this of the Creator of times and ages?), but because He does all things in the appropriate time. Therefore, since He was still unknown and hidden to the many, and did not yet have all the disciples, nor did those who were at the wedding know Him—for otherwise they themselves would have approached and asked about the wine—since all these things were so, for this reason He says, "My hour has not yet come," that is, the opportune time is not yet present. But here the madness of Arius still rages, attempting to show the Lord as subject to hours and times. Learn, therefore, O cursed one, that if He were subject to hours and times, how could He later have performed the miracle? For it was necessary, according to your word, since He served hours and times, and His hour had not yet come, that He should not be able to perform miracles; but indeed He did perform a miracle; therefore, He does not serve hours. And see, I pray, how He does not resist His Mother to the end, nor in all things, but after having rebuked her slightly, He again fulfills her request, honoring her and giving us patterns of reverence ^B towards parents.

Chapter II

"His mother says to the servants: Whatever He says to you, do it. Now there were there six stone waterpots set according to the purification of the Jews, holding two or three measures apiece. Jesus says to them: Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them to the brim. And He says to them: Draw out now, and bring it to the master of the feast. And they brought it." The mother says to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it," in order that the request might become greater, as they approached and asked, so that it might be shown that the refusal was not one of weakness, but so as not to appear to rush into the performance of miracles for the sake of ostentation and vain glory. Now the stone waterpots were for the purification of the Jews. For the Jews would wash themselves almost every hour, and thus they would eat; for instance, if they had touched a leper, or a dead body, or if they had had marital relations, they would wash as if they were thenceforth unclean. Since, therefore, Palestine is waterless, and it was not possible to find springs in many places, they always filled the waterpots with water, so as not to run to the rivers if they ever became unclean. Not idly, therefore, did He say "according to the purification of the Jews"—but so that some of the faithless might not suspect that some dregs had remained, and then, water having been poured in and mixed, the lightest wine was made; He shows that those had never been receptacles for wine. Could He not, then, have created wine out of nothing even without the filling of the waterpots with water? He could. ^{C D}

^A Yet ^B in many places He diminishes the magnitude of the miracles so that they might be more readily accepted. At the same time, He does this so that He might have the ministers, who had poured the water into the waterpots, as witnesses of the miracle. Furthermore, it is so that we might learn that He is the very One who converts the liquid of the vine—which is, after all, water—into wine. He therefore commands the ministers to present a taste to the steward ^C of the feast; not without reason, but so that no one might suspect that there was an assembly of drunkards, whose sense of taste might be corrupted, and who, by the vice of drunkenness, might imagine water to be wine. In order, therefore, that such a suspicion might not have any place, He permits the tasting to the steward, who was sober. For those who are entrusted with such a ministry are for the most part sober, so that by their order everything that is done there may be carried out in due course and with propriety. However, let us pray that these things may be accomplished in us even now: namely, that a marriage may take place—that is, a union of God with our soul—so long as we are still in Cana of Galilee, in the place, that is, of this lower and rolling world, which is itself being turned and which turns other things. Nor does this marriage take place without the presence of Christ, and His Mother, and His disciples. For unless one believes in Christ who was born of the Virgin Mary, and who spoke through the apostles, how shall he be joined to God? Let us see, therefore, what miracle the Lord works in such a marriage, and in such a union of God with the soul. He converts the water into wine, and He fills our six stone waterpots. By water, you may indeed understand our dissoluteness and softness both in life and in doctrine; and by the six waterpots, the five senses through which we slip in our works, and the sixth waterpot, the rational power through which we are endangered in our dogmas. Thus our Lord Jesus Christ, I mean the evangelical Word, healing our failings—those in the practical life as well as in the dogmatic or contemplative life—converts the watery and easily dissolved element in these into wine, that is, into a life and word that is astringent and gladdening; and thus our waterpots are filled with this good draft: the senses, so that we may not slip in our active life, and the reason, so that we may not fall into wicked dogmas. Observe, ^D however, that stone waterpots also stood there for the purification of the Jews. For "Judas" is said to mean "confession;" and he who confesses is purified through the five senses by which he had formerly sinned. The eye had seen evil, but the eye pours out tears in confession, and thus it serves for purification. The ear had heard meretricious words, but it inclines again to the words of the mouth of God; and so it is with the other senses. Likewise, the rational virtue sins in its dogmas, but it cleanses its former malice when it returns to godly dogmas. Moreover, the waterpots are stone either because we are formed from the earth, or because they must be solid receptacles for such wine, and in no way leaky. The rational power of Paul was a stone waterpot, even when he was persecuting. For he was a zealot of the traditions of his fathers.

^A above all his contemporaries; and when he was preaching, he possessed such power in his words that he was even thought by the Lycaonians to be Hermes, as the leader of the Word.

"And when the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast called the bridegroom, and saith unto him: Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse; but thou hast kept the good wine until now."

The ruler of the feast does not question the servants, but the bridegroom. For what reason? Surely according to a divine dispensation. For if he had questioned the servants, they would certainly have revealed the miracle, and no one would have believed them. For it was the beginning of the signs, and as yet no one had any great opinion concerning Christ; so that even if the servants had recounted the miracle, no one would have believed. ^B However, after these things, when He also displayed other signs, this one was destined to be believed, and little by little, as the servants told this to all, they were deemed trustworthy. Therefore, the Lord ordained that the servants should not be questioned, but the bridegroom.

And He did not make wine simply, but also the best. For such are the miracles of Christ: far better than those which are accomplished by nature. Now, the witnesses that the water became wine are the servants who had drawn the water; [and the witness] that it became the best is the ruler of the feast; all of which things, as time went on, were destined to be preached and thus be more firmly believed by those who heard them.

You may also understand the wine to be the evangelical word, and the water to be everything before the Gospel; for they were more watery, and not reaching the perfection of the Word. For example, what do I mean? The Lord gave various laws to man: one in paradise, a second in the time of Noah, a third in the time of Abraham—the circumcision—a fourth through Moses, a fifth through the prophets. Therefore, all these, when compared with the evidence and power of the Gospel, are watery if someone understands them simply and according to the letter. ^C But if one should enter deeply into the Spirit and perceive the hidden things, he will find the water transformed into wine. For those things which are spoken simply and understood according to the letter are to many entirely water. But he who judges spiritually will find the wine to be the best, to be drunk afterward and kept by the bridegroom Christ; since the Gospel was revealed even in the last times.

"This did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him." That the Lord began performing signs after the baptism, we have said before. But it seems that He performed this as the first sign also. For he says: "This did He as the beginning of the signs." But someone will say that even if it was the beginning of the signs, it was not, however, of all [of them], but of those in Cana of Galilee. For different ones, he…

says, are the miracles he performed in Cana, and this one is the beginning. ^A Someone might say these things; but we, although having many points to show that it is the beginning of all the signs (for both the phrase, "He manifested his glory," and the phrase, "His disciples believed in him," indicate that he did not perform another miracle before this—for from that [event] he manifested his glory), nevertheless do not contend whether this or another came first. But how, then, did he manifest his glory? For not many were present, nor was it done in the presence of the people. But even if not then, yet afterward all were to hear of the miracle; whence it is sung even until this day, and it has not been hidden. And as for the statement, "His disciples believed in him," understand it thus: that they received a more abundant and firmer faith in him; since they surely believed even before, but not so firmly.

VERS. 12-17. "After this he went down to Capernaum, he and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days. And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting. And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; and said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up."

The Lord goes down to Capernaum ^B for no other purpose than to cause his mother to dwell there, so that he might not drag her about with him everywhere. For since they had come to Cana for the marriage, once the marriage was over, he brings his mother back to her own house in Capernaum. And it is clear that for this reason he went down to Capernaum, from the fact that he neither stayed there for many days, nor performed miracles there. For the men who lived in that city were unbelieving toward him; wherefore the Lord also denounces it in another place.

By the evangelist saying that "the passover was at hand," he shows that he was baptized not many days before the Passover. And having gone up to Jerusalem, he does a deed full of great authority; for he casts out those selling sheep and oxen. But if Matthew also says that he did this, know that he did not do this only once; but the one that Matthew mentions he did near the time of the passion, while this one in John is at the beginning of his signs. Therefore, in this passage he spoke less harshly: "Make not my Father's house an house of merchandise." For it was still the beginning of his signs, and there was not yet such authority ^C of the signs manifested. But there, in Matthew, he says, "Make not," he says, "a den of thieves." For he clearly called them thieves because they made profit from unjust methods. For when someone ^D

demands a high price for an item of little value, and perhaps scrapes together profit from the poor and from widows (for these are, for the most part, the ones who purchase and sell necessities), what is he doing but the work of a thief, transacting gain from the misfortunes of others? ^A Why, then, does he cast such people out of the temple at all? Not without reason; but since he was about to heal on the Sabbath and to relax the law, so that he might not appear to be contrary to God, he corrects that impression here. For he who displayed such great zeal for the house would not have set aside God, the Master of the house. For he did not simply cast them out; but by striking them with a scourge made of cords, and by overturning the tables, and by pouring out the coinage, that is to say, the money of the money-changers, he was undertaking a risky work. Therefore, one who risks himself for the house of God would not have been relaxing the law of God as an adversary, but entirely as one who is the Son, and having equal authority with God and the Father, who also gave the law concerning the Sabbath. Hence, he did not even say, "the house of God," but, "the house of my Father," showing that he possesses authority, as the Son, over all that belongs to the Father. Now, money-changers are those who sell small coins, that is, the *nummi*. For *kollybos* is the term for a small coin among the Greeks, which the Romans call a *nummus*. Many of the high priests sin in this way, as did the merchants of that time: selling oxen in the Church—I mean, taking those who are excellent in the word of teaching and, instead of fostering them, handing them over to those who wish to do evil. Furthermore, they sell the sheep—the simpler and common people—and the doves—by which I mean spiritual gifts—to those who offer more, assigning them to higher ranks; these the Lord casts out of the temple, judging them unworthy of the priesthood. ^C But if anyone sells coin and money, that is, dogma and doctrine, and, though perhaps a teacher, does not proclaim the word unless he has profit, the Lord overturns even his table—I mean the seat of teaching—and the word which he holds back for the sake of malice, not giving it to all, which the Lord Jesus pours out through philanthropy and gives to the people; him, the Lord removes from his position of authority, and seats another, a worthy one, upon the chair of teaching. And his disciples remembered that it is written: "The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up." For as they gradually received growth toward the better, they were already remembering the Scriptures, and by taking testimonies from them, they established within themselves a firmer knowledge concerning Christ.

^D VERS. 18-22. "The Jews therefore answered and said unto him, What sign showest thou unto us, that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. The Jews therefore said, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou raise it up in three days? But he was speaking of the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he said this; and they believed the Scripture, and the word which Jesus had said."

^A Since the Jews saw the Lord doing these things with great authority, and saying, "Make not the house of my Father a place of merchandise," they say, "Persuade us by some sign that you are the Son of God, and that you were sent from thence. For whence is it manifest that the father of this house is your Father?" But He answers them enigmatically, saying, "Destroy this temple," referring in every way to His own body, since all the divinity of the Only-Begotten dwelt within it. When He said, "Destroy," He did not exhort them to murder—far from it! But because He knew they were going to do this, He hints at what would happen without delay. Let the Arians also hear how the Lord, even the destroyer of death, says, "I will raise it up." For He did not say, "The Father will raise it up," but said, "I will raise it up," employing His own power, and possessing no need of another from without.

^B But the Jews, supposing Him to be speaking about the inanimate temple, mock Him. For, they say, whereas it was built in forty-six years, how do you say that you will raise it in three days? It must be known that when the temple was first built by Solomon, all things were completed without deficiency in twenty years. But later, after the captivity, having received permission from the Hebrews to build it, they began to rebuild it under King Cyrus; then, being hindered by those who envied them, they extended the construction until the reign of Artaxerxes. Under him, having enjoyed every security, they were able with great zeal to complete the work; at which time it is said that the Jews, while building, held a sword in one of their hands, and a building tool in the other; so much were they in great fear of the neighboring Idumeans—not, perhaps, the Persians; for from them, as I said, they had received full permission.

^C This structure, therefore, they say was made in forty-six years after the captivity, because the Jews were prohibited and hindered from the time of Cyrus until Artaxerxes. And it is not surprising that the Jews did not understand, since not even the disciples understood. For two great things stood in the way: one, that the resurrection was in itself so difficult to grasp, or rather, completely unknown to them; the other, that it was God who dwelt in the body. However, after the resurrection, the disciples understood and believed the Scripture. Which Scripture? Every one that teaches about the resurrection; but most clearly the one that says, "You will not leave my soul in Hades," and that, "The Lord wishes to purify him from the affliction, and to show him light." For those Scriptures speak most clearly ^D of the resurrection.

Apollinarius, however, attempts from this place to find a defense for his own heresy. For, wishing to persuade [us] that the flesh of the Lord is inanimate, he says that the flesh is called a temple, and since a temple is inanimate, therefore the flesh is also inanimate. What a striking and crafty argument: will you make the flesh of the Lord [nothing more than] wood and stones, since the temple is made of these? But when you hear the Lord say, "Now is my soul troubled," and, "I have power to lay down my life,"

that the Lord’s flesh was soulless, he says, ^A because, since the flesh is called a temple, and the temple is soulless, therefore it [the flesh] is also soulless. O thunderstruck and fickle man! Will you also make the Lord’s flesh out of wood and stone because the temple is made of these? But when you hear from the Lord, "Now my soul is troubled," and that "I have power to lay down my soul," how do you understand these things? And if you do not understand these things as referring to a rational and intellectual soul, where will you place that which is said: "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit"? For you will surely not understand this also as referring to an irrational soul. And what do you think of this: "Thou wilt not leave my soul in Hades"? But may you perish with your own notions! ^B

Chapter III. On Nicodemus and Jesus. On Jesus and John baptizing. On purification.

^C VERS. 1, 2. "And when he was at Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man. And there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him."

Some seemed to believe in the name of Jesus when he was at the feast, but their faith was not firm; ^D for they paid attention to Christ for a time, not as God, but as a man who was loved by God, and again they fell away from that contemptible faith. That they were such is evident from the things that follow. "For Jesus himself," he says, "did not commit himself unto them," nor did he entrust all his doctrines to them as he did to those who truly believe, being a searcher of hearts, and knowing what they felt about him. For he was not ignorant of what kind the thoughts were in each man who seemed to believe. Nicodemus was also almost such a one; for he too believed in Jesus, and appears to be speaking for the Lord against the Jews, that he ought to be condemned only after investigation and examination; indeed, even after the cross he showed much service and generosity in the burial. However, because he did not believe as he ought, and was still held by Jewish infirmity, he came to Jesus by night on account of the fear of the Jews. He calls him "master," as if he were a mere man; for such was the opinion he had conceived concerning him; and for this reason he adds: "No man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him." Do you see that he approaches Jesus as a prophet and a man beloved by God? What then does the Lord do? He does not rebuke him, nor does he say: "Why, therefore, have you come to the teacher sent by God by night? Why do you not approach confidently and publicly?" He says none of these things, but speaks to him pleasantly about divine and sublime matters. Note, however, that although Christ performed many miracles, the present evangelist recounts none of them, either because they were related by the other evangelists, or because they are greater than those which are recounted in particular detail.

^A Jesus answered and said to him: "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God." The words spoken by the Savior to Nicodemus seem to have no connection to what Nicodemus said; but to one who pays attention, a great connection will appear. For since Nicodemus had a lowly opinion about Christ—that He was a teacher and that God was with Him—the Lord says to him: "You have such an opinion of Me rightly. For so you have been born from above, that is, a spiritual birth from God; but you are still carnal, and the knowledge you have about Me is not spiritual, but animal and human. But I say to you that unless you, and whoever else, are born from above and of God, and have a pious and worthy opinion of Me, you are outside the kingdom of heaven." For birth through baptism, granting illumination to the soul, allows one to see—that is, to understand—the kingdom of God, which is His only-begotten Son. For just as the Son is the wisdom of God, so He might also be called the kingdom of God. But this kingdom, O Nicodemus, no one sees, that is, understands, unless he has been born of God; and thus, even you, because you have not yet been born spiritually, for that reason do not see Me, the kingdom of God, as you ought, but have a lowly opinion of Me.

^B "Nicodemus says to Him: 'How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?' Jesus answered: 'Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.'" Hearing a doctrine more than human, Nicodemus is astonished, and having suffered a human infirmity, he asks, "How can this be?" which is a sign of lack of faith. For where there is no faith, there the question "How is this?" is asked, and "Why is this?" Therefore, the words of Nicodemus appear ridiculous. For he did not understand the spiritual birth, but makes mention of the corporal womb. For after he heard "Unless one is born from above," he thought that "from above" was used to mean "from the beginning" or "a second time," so that what was said meant: "Unless one is born from the beginning and a second time." For this reason, therefore, he says, "How can a man, being old, enter a second time into his mother's womb?" For two things were causing him to be perplexed: the spiritual birth, and the kingdom. For the name of the kingdom of heaven had never been heard among the Jews. For now, therefore, he is in doubt about the birth, and for this reason, Christ reveals to him more clearly the manner of the spiritual birth, saying, "Unless one is born of water and the Spirit." For man, consisting of two parts, of soul and body, also has a double manner of birth. For water, if it is taken visibly, is understood for the purification of the body; but the Spirit, concurring invisibly, pertains to the regeneration of the invisible soul. And if you ask, "How can water generate?" I will also ask: "How can semen, being itself also watery, be able to turn into a human..."

^A being?" As, therefore, in the case of bodily semen, the whole thing is of the grace of God, so also in baptism, water is the substrate. But the Spirit works all things, and the invocation through prayers, or rather the presence of God. For symbols of burial and resurrection are fulfilled in that water. The three immersions are symbols of the three-day burial; then the human emerges, as the Lord did, more radiant and brighter, wearing the garments of incorruption, having submerged corruption in the water.

"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, you must be born from above. The Spirit blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." ^B Leading Nicodemus away from carnal birth, the Lord says: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit"—that is, spiritual is the human who is born through baptism; for by "spirit," you ought to understand "spiritual." For the one who is baptized does not become the divine Spirit, but having received adoption as a son in the Spirit, and grace and honor, he is deemed worthy to be spiritual. Seeing Nicodemus still disturbed, He says: "Do not marvel." Then, from a sensible example, He attempts to teach him. "For the Spirit," He says, "blows where it wishes." From the wind, He says, learn greater things. For the wind (for He calls it "spirit" in this place) blows where it wishes; and you hear its sound, but you do not know its direction. For it is uncontrollable and unimpeded, and by natural power it has whatever impetus it possesses. And the phrase, "where it wishes it blows," He says, not as if the wind ^C is possessed of deliberate choice and has a will, but, as I said, wishing to show the direction inherent in it by nature and its unimpeded power. If, therefore, you are ignorant of the wind—this "spirit" which falls under sensory perception—how and where it blows, how do you inquire too curiously about the regeneration from the divine Spirit? If this "spirit" cannot be grasped, much less will the grace of the Holy Spirit be subject to the laws of nature. Let Macedonius, the Spirit-fighter, be ashamed, and before him Eunomius; the former, who makes the Spirit a slave, even though he has heard here that "the wind blows where it wishes"—much more, therefore, will the Spirit have a more autonomous motion, and where it wishes, and as it wishes, it will work. Eunomius, however, having sinned in this very matter beforehand, and having called the Spirit a creature, and having furthermore become presumptuous [about] knowing God as He knows Himself—let him hear, therefore, that he does not even know the direction and the ^D impetus of the wind; how then, O wretch, do you dare [to speak of] the essence of God?

Nicodemus answered and said to Him: "How can these things come to pass?" Jesus answered and said to him: "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do you not know these things? Amen, amen I say to you, that what we know, we speak, and what we have seen, we testify, and you do not receive our testimony. If I told you earthly [things] and you do not believe:

^A how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? Nicodemus still remains in Jewish imperfection; therefore he asks again: "How can these things be?" And so the Lord, showing him that he speaks thus out of simplicity, says: "You, being a teacher of Israel, if you had recalled the wondrous miracles recorded in the Old Testament concerning the formation of man and the rest—how he was formed, how the woman [was made] from his rib, how the prodigies in Egypt, how the crossing of the Red Sea, how barren women gave birth, and the like—if you considered these things, as a teacher of Israel, you would not disbelieve what I now say. But I say what I know, and what I have seen, that is, I have known precisely. For he does not signify a bodily vision when he says, 'We have seen,' but the most certain knowledge; but you do not receive our testimony, that is, mine." The Lord says these things not to Nicodemus, but directing his speech to the race of the Jews who were unbelieving until the end. Therefore, "If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe"—that is, if I spoke to you of the regeneration which occurs in baptism, and you did not receive it, but asked, "How?" (now he calls this birth earthly, as it is performed upon the earth for the benefit of those upon the earth; for although it is heavenly according to grace and honor, yet we are baptized while we are on earth)—if, then, having spoken of this earthly birth, I found you disbelieving, when you hear of the heavenly birth, the ineffable one, by which the only-begotten Son was born from the Father, how will you believe? Some, however, understood the "earthly" as the example of the wind; the meaning is to be taken such that: If I have given you an example from earthly things, and not even so were you persuaded, how will you be able to learn the higher things?

VERS. 13. "And no one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man, who is in heaven." ^B Neither does this seem to agree correctly with what preceded. But if one should diligently examine the mind of the Lord, then those things will also appear to cohere well with the superior matters. For because Nicodemus called the Lord a master and a prophet, [He says]: "Do not think of me as a prophet who is from the earth, a teacher sent by God, but know that I have descended from on high as the Son, and am not from the earth. Therefore, no one of the prophets has ascended into heaven, except I who alone am to ascend, who also descended." But when you hear that the Son of man has descended from heaven, do not imagine that the flesh descended from heaven (for this is what Apollinarius taught, that Christ had a body from heaven, and that it passed through the Virgin as through a pipe); but because there is one hypostasis, that is, one person, Christ, composed of two natures, therefore all things that are of the man are said of the Word, and again those that are of the Word are attributed to the man. Thus, then, in this place also, ^C the Son of man is said to have descended from heaven, in that there is one person and one hypostasis. Then, so that when you hear, "Who descended," you do not think that he is not in heaven, [He] says: "He who is in heaven." ^D For since you heard that he descended, do not suppose that as he descended he is no

not ^A there; but I am here bodily, and there I sit together with the Father in a divine manner.

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life." Having spoken before concerning the new birth through baptism, he now speaks concerning the benefit that has come to us through the cross. For the cross, and the death, is the cause to us of the grace given by baptism, if indeed, being baptized, we represent the death of the Lord. He does not say openly, "I am to be crucified," but he makes mention of the serpent, and of the old history; at the same time teaching us that the things of old are related to the new, and that there is one and the same Lawgiver of the Old and New Testament, even though Marcion, and Manes, and the rest of that class of heretics reject the Old, saying it was a legislation ^B of an evil creator; and at the same time teaching that, if the Jews, looking toward a bronze image of a serpent, escaped death, much more do we, looking toward the Crucified and believing, escape the death of the soul. See, I pray you, the type [in relation] to the truth. There, the likeness of a serpent, having the form of a beast, but not having its venom; so also here, the Lord is man, but free from the venom of sin, having come "in the likeness of sinful flesh"—that is, in the likeness of flesh subject to sin, but not being "the flesh of sin." And then, indeed, those who looked escaped bodily death; but we escape the death of the soul. And then, indeed, the one hanging [the bronze serpent] healed the bites of the serpents, but now Christ heals the wounds of the spiritual dragon. ^C When you hear "be lifted up," understand it as "be hanged." For he was hanged on a height, so that he might also sanctify the air, he who had sanctified the earth by walking upon it. But understand also "to be glorified." For in truth, the cross became the height and the glory of Christ. For in that by which he seemed to be condemned, in that he condemned the prince of this world. What I mean is like this: Adam died justly; for he had sinned. The Lord died unjustly; for he had not sinned. Therefore, up to the crucifixion of the Lord, death prevailed justly over men. But since the Lord was found blameless, what right, then, did the devil have over him, that he should put him to death? Since, therefore, he was unjustly put to death, he conquered the one who put him to death, ^D and thus he liberated also Adam from the death that was justly brought upon him as one who had sinned. And in another way: Two things were holding sway over the human race, pleasure and sorrow. Through these two, therefore, the Lord came and was found unconquered. For the tempter attacked him earlier on the mountain through pleasure; and finding him invulnerable to this, he later brought up the great machine, sorrow, so that if by that means he might conquer him; and therefore he moved everything against him: the disciples, that they might deny him; the soldiers, that...

they might mock him; the passersby, that they might blaspheme; and, in short, the Jews, that they might put him to death. ^A But even so, he found him unconquered; for [the Lord] could not be persuaded by the suffering on the cross to hate those who were crucifying him, but rather he loved them and prayed for them, saying: "Father, forgive them this sin." Do you see how he has conquered in that wherein he seemed to be defeated? Thus, then, his cross became his exaltation and glory.

VERS. 15-17. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." ^B Remarkable is the intensity of God’s love toward the world, and so great, that he did not give an angel or a prophet, but his own Son, and him only begotten. For if he had given an angel, it would not have been a small thing. Why? Because the angel is his faithful minister and servant; but we are enemies and apostates. Now, however, by giving the Son, what an excellence of love he has displayed! Again, if having many sons he had given one, even that would have been a very great thing; but now he has given the Only Begotten. Is it, then, possible to celebrate [such] goodness? But the Arians say that he is called Only Begotten because he alone was made and created by God, and all other things by him. To whom we answer simply: if he had been called Only Begotten without the addition of "Son," your impudent invention would have had some reason; but now, seeing that he is called not only Only Begotten, but also Son, [Scripture] does not permit us to understand "Only Begotten" in that way, but signifies him who alone was born of the Father. Observe, moreover, that just as he said above that the Son of man descended from heaven, although the flesh did not descend from heaven, yet because of the one person and the one hypostasis, he attributed the things of God to the man; so here, conversely, he attributes the things of man to the Word of God. For he says ^C that God gave his Son to death, although God remained impassible; but because he who is the Word of God and the man who suffered for us were one and the same in hypostasis, the Son is said to have been given, inasmuch as he truly suffered, not in his own nature, but in his own flesh. But what is the gain of the Son being given? O great [mystery], and beyond human understanding! That whosoever believes in him may gain these two things: one, that he may not perish; another, that he may have life, and that eternal. For the Old [Law] promised those who pleased God in it [the reward of] being filled with length of days; the Gospel, however, does not bestow merely a temporal life, but an eternal and indissoluble one. For since there are two advents of Christ—the one that has already taken place, ^D

^A regarding the former, it says that the Son was not sent to judge the world; for if he had come for this purpose, all would have been judged, because all have sinned, as Paul also says. But he came primarily to save the world, and this was his purpose; he judges those who have not believed only by accident. The Mosaic law, however, came primarily for the reproof of sin and the condemnation of transgressors. For it spared no one, but as soon as it found someone sinning in any way, it immediately inflicted punishment. The first advent, therefore, did not have as its purpose to judge—except by accident—those who have not believed; for these are already judged. But the second advent will certainly take place both to judge all and to render to each according to his works.

« He who believes in the Son is not judged; but he who does not believe is judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light; for their works were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be reproved; but he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be manifested, that they have been wrought in God. » ^B What is meant by, « He who believes in the Son is not judged »? Does this mean that if he lives an impure life, he is not judged? Most certainly he is. For Paul says that such people are not even genuinely faithful: « For they profess to know God, but in their works they deny him. » Nevertheless, what is said here is that by this very act of believing, he is not judged; he will, however, give gravest accounts for his evil works. Yet, on account of his unbelief, he will not be punished, for he has believed once. « But he who does not believe is judged already. » How? First, because this very unbelief is a condemnation; for being outside the light is itself the greatest punishment. Furthermore, even if he is not delivered to hell here and now, he has nonetheless gathered here the occasions for future punishment, just as a murderer, even if he is not condemned by the verdict of a judge, is condemned by the very nature of the deed. And Adam, on the day he ate from the tree, died, ^C even though he continued to live; yet by the sentence and by the nature of the act, he was dead. Every unbeliever, therefore, is already condemned here, as one who will be delivered entirely to punishment and not even be brought into judgment, according to that word, « The ungodly shall not rise in judgment. » For the ungodly are held unworthy to give an account, just as the devil is. Therefore, they shall not rise in judgment, but in condemnation. Thus the Lord also says in the Gospel that the prince of this world has already been judged, not only because he has disbelieved himself, but because he has also made Judas a traitor and become the author of perdition for others. But do not be surprised ^D if the Lord introduces those to be punished in parables as if they were people from whom an account is taken. Firstly, because the things are parables which...

^A are spoken, and one must not take everything in parables as canons and laws. For on that day, each person, having his conscience as a judge that cannot be deceived, will not need another to convict him, but will go away having been bridled by himself. Next, the Lord does not bring in unbelievers as being worthy of an account, but believers who are nonetheless pitiless and unmerciful. We, however, are speaking about the ungodly and the unbelievers; but "ungodly and unbeliever" is one thing, and "unmerciful and sinner" is another. (a) He shows here that those who have not believed are bereft of every excuse. "For this is the judgment," he says, "that the light came to them," and even so they did not run toward it. For they did not sin only in this, that they themselves did not seek the light, but this is the worst feature: that the Light came to them, and yet they did not accept it; for this reason they are condemned. For if the Light had not come, men might have been able to plead ignorance ^B of what is good; but since God the Word came, and gave his own word so as to enlighten, and they did not accept it, they are thenceforth bereft of every excuse. But that no one might say, "No one would prefer darkness to light," he sets forth the cause because of which men approached the darkness. "For their works," he says, "were evil." Since Christianity requires not only correct dogmas but also a chaste life, and they themselves wished to wallow in the mire of sin, for this reason those who do evil deeds did not wish to come to the light of Christianity and submit themselves to its laws. But he who does the truth, that is, he who aspires to a chaste and God-pleasing life, runs to Christianity as to a light, so that he may progress further in the good, and his works may be shown to be done according to God. For such a person, along with believing correctly and achieving ^C a chaste life, shines before all men, and God is glorified in him. Thus, the impurity of life has become the cause of unbelief for the Greeks. But perhaps someone will say, "What then? Are there not bad Christians and Greeks of an honest life?" That there are bad Christians, I myself also say; but that good Greeks can be found, I would never say. For some might be found who are gentle and good by nature (but this is not virtue), yet no one will be found to be good by practice and meditation on the good. And even if some were considered good, they did everything, however, for vain glory. For he who works for the sake of glory, and not for the sake of the good itself, whenever he finds the opportunity, will indulge in evil desires. For if, among us, the threat of Gehenna, and every other pursuit, and the lives of countless saints, scarcely keep men in virtue, how will the ^D trifles and impurities of the Greeks keep those among them in the good? It would be a great thing, indeed, if they did not even make them into the worst of men.

VERS. 22-24. "After these things Jesus and his disciples came into the Judean land, and there he was staying with them, and baptizing. And John was also baptizing in Ænon near to Salem, because there were many waters there, and they came and were bapti-

baptizing. For John ^A had not yet been cast into prison. Jesus was in Jerusalem until the feast of the Passover had concluded; but after it had passed, he went out into the land of Judea and was staying near the Jordan, where many were gathering together. He did not seek out those places with large crowds out of vainglory or for show, but because he desired to share his goodness and use with many; since it was for this very reason that he had gone up to the feasts, that he might benefit more people by his teaching and his demonstration of miracles. But when you hear that he was baptizing, do not suppose that he himself was baptizing, but his disciples; for the evangelist attributes the work of the disciples to the Master. For further on, this same evangelist says that Jesus himself was not baptizing, but his disciples. But you ask: For what reason did he not baptize himself? Learn. John had previously said: "He himself shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit." Yet the Holy Spirit had not yet been given, because it was not yet the time. If, therefore, he had baptized, he would have baptized either without the Spirit, and what difference would there then be between him and John? Or he would have given the Spirit even before the time, which would be unworthy of God, who does all things in their proper time. And what was the time of the giving of the Spirit? The time after the assumption. For it was necessary that human nature be demonstrated to God the Father as immune from sin in Christ Jesus; and thus, with God reconciled to us, the Spirit would be sent as a rich and magnanimous gift. Therefore, the disciples of Jesus were baptizing, so that they might lead more people to the saving teaching. While these were ^B baptizing, John was also still baptizing, and he did not cease, accomplishing two good things at once: one, that he spoke to those who came to him about Christ and led them to Him; and the other, that he took care lest his own disciples be provoked to zeal and greater contention. For if he had ceased to baptize, what would his disciples, who were disposed with more envy toward Christ, not have done? For if, though he cried out a myriad of times and always deferred the primacy to Christ, he did not persuade them to run to Him, into how much envy would he have driven them if he had ceased to baptize? Therefore, Christ also began to preach most especially when John was imprisoned, because of the envy of the Baptist’s disciples. I also believe that John’s death was permitted to happen very quickly for this reason, that the entire disposition of the multitude might pass over to Christ, and no longer be divided in opinion concerning both John and Christ. The disciples of Christ, then, were baptizing with a baptism that had nothing more than the baptism of John. For both were imperfect, as being devoid of the Spirit; yet the cause for both is one: the leading of those being baptized to Christ.

VERSES 23-27

^A A debate concerning baptism arose between certain of John’s disciples and a Jew. For the Jew was preferring the baptism of Christ’s disciples, while the disciples of John preferred that of their own master. Having inquired about the purification—that is, the baptism—they approach their own master and begin to annoy him, saying: "Rabbi, he who was with you—who was in the rank of a disciple, once he departed from you—is baptizing; he to whom you gave witness—that is, the one you baptized, the one you made famous—the same now dares to do what you do." But there is yet another thing: no one comes to you now, but all come to him. "All," they say, "come to him, while holding you in contempt." John, however, wishing to strike fear into them and to show that they are fighting against God, by hindering Christ and pulling others away from his glorification, says: "A man can receive nothing from himself," and what follows. For if it had not been given from above, he says, the one whom you envy would not have increased. Thus you are committing two sins at once: one, in acting against the will of God; the other, in attempting the impossible. Meanwhile, he also gently comforts them, saying that it is not a man who is overcoming them, but God. "Nay, even we," he says, "have what we have from above, not from ourselves." But if the things Christ does are more splendid, one should not be surprised; for God so wills it.

^B Ver. 28-30. "You yourselves are witnesses to me, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but that I have been sent before him.’ He that has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices with joy because of the bridegroom’s voice. This joy of mine therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease." You yourselves, he says, know that I have testified to him that he is greater than I. If, therefore, you pay any attention at all to my testimony, learn that he is to be preferred to me. And this is my joy, that all are coming to him. For if the bride—that is, the people—did not come to the Bridegroom, then I, the bridesman, would have grieved; but now that this has come to pass, I rejoice with joy. For I see the Bridegroom, Christ, speaking to the bride, that is, the people, and instructing her. He did not say "Who stands" ^C without purpose. For he shows that his own works have ceased, and that he has taken his stand, no longer laboring, and that henceforth it is necessary for him to stand and only to listen to Christ ^D teaching and discoursing with the bride. For my work, he says, is finished, and I have handed the people over to him. It is necessary, therefore, that my glory be lessened, and his be increased. But how, then, is the glory of the Forerunner lessened? Or rather, entirely in the way that the morning star is hidden by the sun, and it seems to many that the light has been extinguished, yet in truth it is not extinguished, but is hidden by the greater light; thus also the Forerunner, as the morning star hidden by the spiritual sun, is said to be diminished. But Christ increases, according as he gradually manifests himself through signs and miracles, not according to progress in virtues—God forbid! That would be the raving of Nestorius—but according to the

^A manifestation and demonstration of his divinity. For he showed that he is God gradually, and not all at once.

"My joy therefore," he says, "is fulfilled in the bridegroom." For I see that the work, which was entrusted to me as a bridesman, has progressed. The bridegroom of every soul, then, is the Lord; and the bridal chamber, where the union takes place, is the place of baptism, that is, the Church. He gives to the bride an earnest: the remission of sins and the communion of the Holy Spirit; but the more perfect things are in the future, when he will lead those worthy into better and more sublime things. Note, however, that there is no other bridegroom than Christ alone; all those who teach are but bridesmen, just as the Forerunner is. For there is no other giver of good things than the Lord; all others are mediators and ministers of the good things given by the Lord.

VERS. 31-34. "He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is of the earth, and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all, and bears witness to what he has seen and heard, and no one receives his testimony. He who has received his testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God. For God does not give the Spirit by measure."

The Forerunner compares himself to Christ and says that He indeed comes from above from the Father, and is above all, being removed from all and preserving the paternal excellence; but I, being of the earth, speak of earthly things—vile and lowly, if they are compared with the teaching of Christ. For although the things done by the Forerunner himself were divine, when compared to the things of Christ, they appeared very lowly. ^B He, he says, speaks what he has seen and heard; that is, those things which he heard from the Father, and which he has seen—that is to say, those things which he knows accurately—those he speaks and testifies. But no one of those who do not attend to the truth receives his testimony. But he who receives his testimony, that is, his teaching, "has set his seal"—that is, he has shown and confirmed—"that God is true." For he who believes the one sent by God, believes God, and in consequence sets his seal and demonstrates that he has believed him to be true; just as, on the contrary, he who does not believe the one sent by God shows that he is a liar, and for this reason does not believe him, as being a liar. So that he who believes in Christ shows God to be true, from this very fact of having believed the one sent by Him. For it is plain that he believed him as being true, and rightly so. For all others, he says, have received the operation of the Spirit by measure; but to Christ Himself He did not give one or two powers by measure, but He Himself has the Spirit in His entirety, substantially. Therefore, to the prophets, God gives the Spirit—that is, the operation of the Spirit—and gives it in measure; but to Christ, He neither gives it by measure, nor does He "give" it at all, for Christ has it substantially. When, therefore, you hear that Christ speaks those things which He heard from the Father, do not think that He is in need of knowledge, ^C as if He needed to learn from the Father, but because whatever the Son knows, He knows naturally from the Father, as being consubstantial with Him; for that reason it is said that He hears from the Father what He knows—just as if you were to see a son [learning] from a father.

^A Since you have heard that He was sent, understand Him to have been sent as a ray from the sun, which is the Father. Do we not customarily say that the sun has emitted its rays—that is, sent them into the earth—and yet we never say that the ray is of a different substance, or that it is posterior to the sun? So too, understand the Son to have been sent into the world by the spiritual sun, the Father, as an effulgence, a ray, a light, or whatever else you might fittingly choose to call Him.

It would not be out of place, now that we have reached this point in our argument, to discuss how the Son possesses the Spirit, and why the Spirit is called the Spirit of the Son. For the Apostle says: "God sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, 'Abba, Father,'" ^B and again: "If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him." The Latins, however, interpreting this incorrectly and misunderstanding it, say that the Spirit also proceeds from the Son. But we say this to them first: it is one thing to be *from* something, and another thing to be *of* something. For example, that the Spirit is the Spirit of the Son is undoubtedly true and confirmed by all Scripture; but that the Spirit is *from* the Son, no Scripture testifies, lest we introduce two sources for the Spirit, the Father and the Son.

"Indeed," they say, "for He breathed upon the disciples and said: 'Receive the Holy Spirit.'" O what folly! ^C If He gave the Spirit to the disciples at the time He breathed upon them, how then could He later say to them, "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, not many days from now"? Or how can we believe that the descent of the Spirit took place at Pentecost, if He had already given Him on the evening of the day of the Resurrection? For that was when He breathed upon them. But these notions are truly ridiculous. For it is manifest that on that occasion He did not give them the Holy Spirit, but one particular gift of the Holy Spirit, namely, the remission of sins. For at once He adds: "Whose sins you remit..."

The Son possesses the Spirit substantially, as being consubstantial with Himself, not as one who receives an operation from Him—for the prophets are operated upon [by the Spirit]. But the Spirit is said to be the Spirit of the Son in that the Son is Truth, and Power, and Wisdom; and the Holy Spirit is described by Isaiah as the Spirit of truth, and of strength, and of wisdom. ^D And in another way, because He is given to men through the Son, therefore He is called the Spirit of the Son. Do you, therefore, believe that the Spirit proceeds from the Father, but is given to the creation through the Son, and this shall be your rule of orthodox doctrine.

Verses 33, 36. "The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who is disobedient to the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides upon him." Having spoken of Christ in sublime terms, he now speaks once more of humble things, tempering his discourse to his hearers so that it may be grasped. Therefore he says, "The Father loves the Son," as if...

speaking of a certain marvelous man, and he has given all ^A into the hand of the Son according to his humanity. But if this also applies according to his divinity, what then? The Father has given all things to the Son by reason of nature, not by grace; for since he has his very being from the Father, he is deservedly said to have all things from the Father. The Son, therefore, has all things, both those in heaven and those on earth; for he is the Lord of all, even if some are unwilling. Later, however, at the second coming, when every knee shall bow to him, he will receive the complete lordship of all: when wickedness will no longer have power, but remaining ineffectual, it will show that the nature of good was from the beginning inherent in all things, and holding all things together. He who believes in the Son has eternal life in him—I mean in Christ himself, who is life in truth. “For in him we live and move” (Acts XVII, 28). “But he who is disobedient will not see life.” For how will he who has voluntarily departed from life possess it, which is Christ? Just as Paul also says: “When Christ, our life, shall be manifested, then shall you also,” who have become dead and immobile to wickedness, “be manifested with him in glory” (Coloss. III, 4). “But the wrath of God shall remain upon him.” He did not say that it remains *in* him, but “upon” him, showing that it will never depart from him. For lest, upon hearing of death, you should deem this temporal, he says that it “remains upon” the one who has been disobedient, and that the punishment will be eternal. Through all these words, the Baptist draws and presses all his hearers toward faith in Christ. For he does not say these things in vain, but instructs his own disciples and all others no longer to envy Christ, but to heed him as God.

CAPUT IV. Of the Samaritan woman. Of the nobleman’s son.

VERS. 1-4. “When therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but his disciples), he left the land of Judea, and went again into Galilee. And he needed to pass through Samaria.” The merciful Lord, having once become incarnate for our sake, does everything for our salvation. And so, now too, when he heard that the Pharisees had heard of his glory, and knew that they would be stirred to envy against him, he withdrew into Galilee, teaching us these two things: ^C first, to spare our enemies and in every way endeavor not to give them an occasion for scandal or envy; second, not to cast ourselves into temptation insensibly and in vain, but to withdraw for a time until the madness subsides. Although he was powerful enough to restrain those who envied him, even if they had rushed upon him at that moment, nevertheless he did not do this, lest his economy of the flesh might seem to be mere fantasy. For if he had often passed through the midst of them, what would the Phantasiastae not have said—of the Manichaeans, I say, and the Valentinians and Eutychians? For

Eutyches? ^A Hinting at the slanderous nature of envy, the Evangelist says that although Jesus was not baptizing, yet those who were envious, wishing to incite the Pharisees against Christ, slandered Him as if He were. "He had to pass through Samaria." As if incidentally and not by a planned journey, He approached the Samaritans. See that he did not say, "He had to go to Samaria," but "to pass through Samaria." For He wished to cut off every occasion for accusation from the Jews, so that they might not have it to say that, having abandoned them, He went away to the nations which they abhorred. For when they cast Him out, only then did He turn to the Gentiles; and not even then by primary intent, but as something incidental.

^B VERS. 5, 6. "He comes therefore to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. And there was Jacob's well there." It is worth mentioning whence the Samaritans originated and whence they received that appellation. For the mountain was called Somor from the one by whom it was possessed, just as Isaiah also says: "And the head of Somor is Ephraim." Those who lived under the mountain were not called Samaritans at first, but were called Israelites. But having offended God, they were delivered at various times to the Assyrians. Finally, the Assyrian, having come upon them as they were contemplating defection, captured them and did not permit them to go back to their own land, suspecting a future defection; but he transferred them to the Babylonians and Medes, and gave Samaria as a colony to heathens gathered from various places. ^C When these things had come to pass, God, wishing to show the barbarians that it was not because of powerlessness, but because of sin that He had made the Jews serve them, sent lions upon the barbarians who dwelt in Samaria, which were destroying them all. When this was reported to the king, he sent for some of the Jewish elders who were in captivity, and asked what should be done so that the lions might no longer destroy the barbarians in Samaria. They explained to him that the God of Israel looks upon that place and does not allow those who do not know His laws to dwell there. If, therefore, he cared for the barbarians who were there, he should send Jewish priests who would deliver the laws of God to the barbarians, and thus they would propitiate God. The king was persuaded by them, and sent a certain priest to deliver the law of God to the barbarians in Samaria. ^D They did not receive all the divine books, but only the five of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy; nor did they turn away completely from their impiety, though in later times they ceased from the worship of idols and worshipped God. Therefore the Jews, having returned from the captivity, were jealous of them, inasmuch as they were Assyrians by race, and they called them Samaritans from the mountain. But they named Abraham and Jacob as their progenitors, since Abraham had been a Chaldean, and Jacob, pro-

^A properly accounted himself one because of the spring that was there. The Jews, then, loathed them with all the Gentiles; whence they also reproached the Lord, saying, "You are a Samaritan." And He Himself said to the disciples, "Do not enter into any city of the Samaritans." But for what reason does the evangelist speak with such precision regarding the plot of land of Jacob and the spring? Firstly, so that when you hear the woman saying, "Our father Jacob gave us this spring," you might not be surprised. For that place was Shechem, where the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, committed that grievous murder because their sister Dinah had been raped by the prince of the Shechemites. Furthermore, we also learn this from the fact that the evangelist recounts for us the details about the plot of land and the spring: that the rejection of the Jews happened long ago because of their sins; and because they offended God, the Gentiles took possession of those places. And the things which the patriarchs had possessed on account of their faith in God, these they lost because of their impiety; and thus it is nothing new if even now the Gentiles have been brought into the kingdom of heaven instead of the Jews. Now the piece of land that Jacob gave to Joseph was called Shechem. For because the sons of Jacob had destroyed the Shechemites and laid the city waste, the father gave this very city that had been laid to waste, as an inheritance to his son Joseph. ^B

VERS. 6-8. "Jesus, therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the spring. It was about the sixth hour. A woman of Samaria comes to draw water. Jesus says to her, 'Give Me to drink.' For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food." By stating that the Lord was wearied from the journey, the evangelist shows us at the same time His humility and lack of vanity (for He did not even use pack-animals for the journey, but traveled on foot, instructing us also not to have need of many things), and at the same time that He traveled with intensity and not sluggishly. From this we, too, learn to perform the work of God with intensity and diligence. And the phrase "He sat thus" would signify simply, and just as it happened, and that it was not upon a throne, but simply—that is to say, unaffectedly—on the ground, resting His body and refreshing it by the spring. Then he also introduces another reason why He sat by the spring: it was midday. "For the hour," he says, "was about the sixth." So, even because of the heat of the hour, He had need of rest and refreshment. Or, in another way, so that no one might rebuke the Lord as to how, when He had instructed His disciples not to go into the way of the Gentiles, He Himself came to the Samaritans; for this reason he says that His sitting in that place occurred because of His fatigue ^C and that the conversation with the woman had a reasonable cause, namely, thirst. For since He thirsted naturally, according to what is human, He also had need of drink. And the woman, a soul avid for learning, meets Him as He is seeking it. What then was the need of the deed? Should He repel the woman ^D

^B so studiously disposed, and thirsting to hear those things about which she was in doubt? Far be it! That would not belong to divine philanthropy. ^A See also, I pray, from this the lack of pride in the Lord. For He is left alone on the road, the disciples having gone away into the city to buy food. So little, indeed, did they care for the belly, that at the time when almost everyone sleeps after their meal, they were buying food—namely, bread alone—so that we too might learn to make light of the variety of dishes. See also, I beg, the precision of the evangelist. For he did not say affirmatively, "It was the sixth hour," but so as not to fall short of the truth, he said, "as it were the sixth hour," providing assurance to the discourse.

VERS. 9-11. ^B <Dicit illi mulier Samaritana: Quomodo tu, Judæus cum sis, potum a me poscis, quæ sum mulier Samaritana? Non enim commercium habent Judæi cum Samaritanis. Respondit Jesus, et dixit ei: Si scires donum Dei, et quis sit qui dicit tibi, Da mihi quod bibam, tu petisses ab eo, et dedisset tibi aquam vivam. Dicit ei mulier: Domine, neque quo haurias habes, et puteus profundus est: unde ergo habes aquam illam vivam?> From her habit and clothing, perhaps, and other features of her body, and from the conversation itself, the Samaritan thought the Lord was a Jew; ^C wherefore she also says to Him: "How is it that thou, being a Jew," and the rest. Observe, however, how circumspect the woman was. For if there was need to be cautious, it was the Lord who should have been cautious, not she. For she did not say that the Samaritans do not have dealings with the Jews, but that the Jews do not have dealings with the Samaritans. And yet, she does not remain silent even so, but, thinking the Lord is doing an illicit thing, she corrects what was happening contrary to the law. But Christ does not reveal Himself until the virtue of the woman is demonstrated. ^D But after the virtue of the woman was shown, and that she was so circumspect and accurate, then at last He begins to speak with her of higher things: "If thou knewest," He says, "the gift of God," that is, if thou knewest what God bestows, and that they are eternal and incorruptible, and knewest also Me, that being God I am able to give thee these things, thou wouldst have asked and received living water. He calls the grace of the Holy Spirit "water," because it both cleanses and provides much refreshment to those who receive it. And He says it is not "standing" water, such as is in cisterns and wells, rotten and corrupt, but "living," that is, bubbling up, leaping up, moving. For the grace of the Spirit makes the soul ever-active toward the good, ^D always setting up ascents. Such water Paul drank, living and ever-moving, forgetting those things which were behind, and reaching forth to those which were before. <Dicit ci mulier: Domine.> You see how immediately, refraining from vulgar thought, she attributes great honor to Him, by calling Him "Lord"? Yet she had not reached the depth of Christ's words. For He speaks one way, but she understands the words about the water another way.

^A Jacob is made her father, as she thrusts herself into the Jewish nobility. Observe, I beseech you, the prudence of the woman, how she immediately reasons from the difference between the waters to the difference of those who give them. She says, "If you are going to give such water, you are by all means greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this water." That he himself drank from it is a praise of the quality of the water; for the patriarch was so pleased with the spring that even he drank from it, and his sons as well. And that his flocks drank from it is an indication of the abundance of the water. For he says, it is not only sweet—so sweet that Jacob himself drank from it—but also bountiful, and so bountiful that it sufficed for the multitude of the patriarch Jacob’s flocks. ^B When the woman said, "Are you greater than our father?" the Lord does not explicitly say, "Indeed, I am greater," so as not to appear arrogant, since He had not yet displayed any specimen of His own power; yet He prepares for this through what He says. For He says, "Everyone who drinks from this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks from the water which I shall give him will not thirst forever." Thus, if you admire Jacob who gave such water, much more ought you to admire Him who provides far better water. For the water that I give becomes a spring of water that is always and ever being multiplied. For the saints do not simply keep until the end exactly what little they receive from God; rather, they receive the seeds and beginnings of good through grace, but they themselves also expend effort and make them grow. This is what the Lord signifies through the parable of the talents and through the innkeeper. For he who had received two talents earned two others through his own activity; and to the innkeeper who had received the one wounded by robbers, the Lord promises, "Whatever you expend extra out of your own, I will give to you." ^C Therefore, He intimates this here as well: I give water to the one who thirsts, but that which I give does not remain just so; rather, it overflows and becomes a spring. The Lord gave Paul a small amount of water, the instructions of Ananias; but Paul demonstrated that this small water of Ananias's teaching was a spring, so that the outpourings of that spring reached from Jerusalem even to Illyricum. And how is the woman affected in these matters? She still behaves humbly (for she believes the discourse is about sensible water), but nevertheless she reveals some progress. For at first she was doubtful, saying, "Where do you have living water?" But now she receives the discourse without doubt, saying, "Give me this water." She seems, therefore, to be more prudent than Nicodemus. For he, though he had heard many things, ^D

^A of such a nature, said: "How can these things be?" But she begins already to despise even the fountain of Jacob. For she says: "If you have such water, give it to me, and I shall no longer come here to draw." You see how she ranked the Lord above Jacob. ^B

VERS. 16-22. "Jesus saith to her: Go, call your husband, and come here. The woman answered and said: I have no husband. Jesus saith to her: You have said well, because I have no husband; for you have had five husbands, and he whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly. The woman saith to him: Lord, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers adored on this mountain, and you say that at Jerusalem is the place where it is necessary to adore. Jesus saith to her: Woman, believe me, that the hour comes when you shall adore the Father neither on this mountain, nor at Jerusalem. You adore that which you know not; we adore that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews."

"Go, call your husband." For because He saw her pressing to receive, and compelling Him to give, He says: "Go, call your husband," as if signifying that it was necessary for him also to become a participant in this gift of Mine. But she, hastening both to receive and at the same time to remain hidden, says: "I have no husband." But the Lord, by means of prophecy, now reveals His own power, and numbers her former husbands and convicts him who was then hidden. Was she therefore annoyed when she heard such things? Or did she leave Him and flee? By no means; but rather, having wondered and having clung to Him more firmly, she says: "Lord, I perceive that you are a prophet"; and she inquires of Him concerning divine dogmas, ^C not concerning bodily things, such as bodily health or riches; such a soul did she have, eager for wisdom and devoted to virtue. But what of it? "Our fathers adored on this mountain." This she says on account of Abraham and Isaac; for indeed they say that Isaac was brought there by him for sacrifice. "And how," she says, "do you say that at Jerusalem it is necessary to adore?" Do you see how she has become more exalted? For she who was a little before anxious about not being troubled by thirst, now asks about dogmas. Therefore, Christ also, having seen her intelligence, does not resolve this question of hers (for it was not a matter of great importance), but reveals another greater dogma, which He had revealed neither to Nicodemus nor to Nathanael. "For the hour comes," He says, "when God shall be adored neither in Jerusalem nor in this place." For you, ^DHe says, strive to show that the things of the Samaritans are more worthy than those which are among the Jews; but I say to you that neither these nor those have the priority, but another state shall be for them that is much better. Nevertheless, even so, I declare the Jews more honorable than you Samaritans. For you, He says, "adore that which you know not; we" the Jews, "that which we know." Furthermore, He Himself...

^A includes Himself among the Jews, because He is speaking to the supposition of the woman; for she suspected Him to be a Jewish prophet, and for this reason she says: "We adore." But how did the Samaritans not know what they adored? They thought that God was circumscribed by place. Therefore, also when they were devoured by lions, as has been said above, they sent and reported to the king of the Assyrians that the God of the place did not receive them. Hence, they also remained for a long time even worshipping idols, and not God Himself. The Jews, however, were free from this error, and they knew Him to be the God of all, even if not all of them did. "For salvation is from the Jews." This gives us a double meaning. Either because goods for the world have come from the Jews (for the knowledge of God and the condemnation of idols had its beginning from there, as did all other doctrines, and this very thing of worship among ^B you Samaritans, even if not rightly, at least had its beginning from the Jews); or He calls "salvation" His own advent, which came from the Jews. It is also possible to understand the Lord Himself as salvation, who came from the Jews according to the flesh.

^C VERS. 23, 24. "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father also seeketh such to adore Him. God is a spirit, and they that adore Him, must adore in spirit and in truth." Although we Jews have more than you Samaritans as regards the manner of adoration, nevertheless the things of the Jews are also now about to have an end. For the change will not be only regarding places, but even the manner of worship will be altered; and these things are at the doors, and the hour now is; for they will not be delayed for a long time, as were the things spoken by the prophets. He calls those "true adorers" who live according to His law, who do not include God in any place, as the Samaritans do, or worship Him with bodily cult, as the Jews do; but in spirit and in truth, that is, through the soul, through the purity of the mind. For because God is a spirit, that is, incorporeal, one must adore Him incorporeally, which is to say, according to the soul. For this is what is signified by "in spirit"; for the soul also is a spirit and incorporeal. But since many appear to adore in the soul, yet do not have a right opinion about Him, like the heretics, for this reason He added "in truth." For one must adore God according to the mind, but also have a sound opinion about Him. Perhaps someone will say that the two parts of our philosophy are hinted at here—I mean practice and contemplation—through these two things. For when He says, "in spirit," one is instructed in practice. "For whosoever are led by the spirit of God", they mortify the works of the body, according to the divine Apostle; and again: "The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh." And thus practice is insinuated by that which He says, "in spirit." By that, however, which is said "in truth,"

^B contemplation is insinuated. Paul also says these things when he speaks of "unleavened bread of sincerity," that is, of purity of life, which belongs to practice; and "of truth," which belongs to contemplation. For contemplation is occupied with the truth of dogmatic doctrine. And otherwise: Since it was a peculiarity of the Samaritans to enclose God in a place, and to say that one must worship in this place, while among the Jews everything was done in figure and in shadow, "to worship in spirit" is opposed to the adoration of the Samaritans, so that the statement has this meaning: You, Samaritans, indeed offer a certain local worship to God, but true worshippers will not offer a local one; for they will worship in spirit, that is, with the mind and the soul. Nor yet, like the Jews, will they worship in type and shadow, but in truth, as the Jewish customs and observances were about to be abolished. Perhaps, moreover, since the Jewish law, understood according to the letter, was a type and a shadow, "in spirit" is placed in contrast to the letter. For the law of the letter no longer governs us, but the law of the spirit. "For the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life." And that which is said, "in truth," is opposed to shadow and figure. The time, therefore, He says—or rather, it already is, namely, the time of My bodily advent—comes when ^C true worshippers will neither worship in one place, as do the Samaritans, but by offering worship in every place according to the spirit and incorporeally—as Paul also says: "Whom I serve in my spirit"—nor will they bring a worship that is figural and shadowy, showing forth future things, as do the Jews, but a true one, having nothing shadowy. "For such worshippers ^D the Father seeketh," because He is Spirit, therefore spiritual ones, and because He is truth, true ones.

VERS. 25-27. *The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman. Yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?* Whence did the woman know that the Messias, who is called Christ, was coming? From the Mosaic Scriptures. For we have said above that the Samaritans received the five books of Moses. Since, therefore, they had received the Mosaic books, from them they knew the prophecies concerning Christ, and that He is the Son of God. For when it is said, "Let us make man," it is manifest that it was spoken by the Father as to the Son. And the Son also was the One speaking in the tabernacle to Abraham, and Jacob, prophesying of Him, said: "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, until he come to whom it is reserved." And Moses himself also says: "The Lord will raise up unto you a Prophet from your brethren like unto me; him shall ye hear." And many other things proclaim the advent of Christ. Therefore the woman says: "I know that"]

^A the Messiah is coming." And now the Lord manifests Himself to her, as the sequence of the discourse requires. For if He had said immediately from the beginning, "I am the Christ," He would neither have persuaded the woman, nor would He have appeared as anything but a burdensome and arrogant person. But now, having gradually brought her forward so that she might be reminded of the expectation concerning Christ, He thus reveals Himself. And for what reason, while the Jews were constantly asking, "Tell us if You are the Christ," did He not reveal Himself, but says it to the woman? To them, indeed, He says nothing, because they were asking not to learn, but to slander; but to her, because she was well-disposed, He reveals Himself openly. For indeed, she asked out of a simple intention and mind, and desiring to learn the truth, which is evident from what follows. For once she heard, she not only believed herself, but also drew others to faith; and the woman appears everywhere both well-instructed and faithful.

When the conversation and teaching with the woman had been completed, the disciples arrived in a timely manner, and they were amazed at His humility—that He, being so glorious and celebrated among all, did not disdain to hold a conversation with such a poor Samaritan woman with such great condescension. ^B Yet, though they were amazed, they did not dare to ask about whom He was speaking to her; thus were they disciplined, and they kept the reverence for the Teacher that is becoming to disciples. If at any point they appeared to speak with boldness, as when John reclined upon His breast, or when approaching they said, "Who is the greatest?" or when the sons of Zebedee besought that one might sit at His right hand and the other at His left—those things they inquired about as matters pertaining to themselves, and seeming necessary to them at the time. But in this case, since it was not so much their business to inquire about what was not necessary at all, for that reason they did not use boldness, as they did not have an opportune time.

"The woman then left her waterpot and went away into the city, and says to the men: Come, see a man who told me all things that I ever did; is this the Christ? They went out therefore from the city, and were coming to Him." ^C So much was the woman’s heart set on fire by the words of the Lord, that she even left her waterpot; so quickly did she prefer the water of Christ to the fountain of Jacob. And indeed she becomes an apostle, ordained by the faith that had taken hold of her heart, and she teaches and draws the whole city. "Come," she says, "see a man who told me all things that I ever did." Truly, when the soul has been set on fire by divine thirst, it cares for nothing of the things on earth; not for shame, not for dishonor, nor for anything else. Behold, therefore, that even she is not ashamed to parade her own secrets, but says, "Who told me all things that I ever did." Although she could have said differently: "Come, see a prophet prophesying"—but she does not do so; rather, she despises her own glory, and looks only toward preaching ^D the truth. She does not say, "This is the Christ," affirming

^A it demonstratively, but, "Is this the Christ?" wishing thus to make them share in the calculation and to make the message more acceptable. For if she had declared, "This is the Christ," perhaps some would have been offended and would not have accepted her opinion, as one already prejudiced. Some have understood this, that the five men of the Samaritan woman were the five books of Moses, which the Samaritan woman alone accepted. "And whom you now have," He says, that is, the word of mine which you now receive from me, "is not your husband." For you have not yet been joined, says Jesus, to my teaching.

One might also say that the Samaritan woman represents the type ^B of human nature. For our nature once dwelt upon the mountain, in the mind filled with divine grace. For before Adam sinned, he was adorned with all divine gifts. For he was also a prophet. Having awakened from sleep, he prophesied concerning the formation of the woman and the relationship of the man toward her. He said, "This is now bone of my bones," and further, "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother." Our nature, therefore, was at that time upon this mountain, the high mountain of the mind; but having offended God, it was led away captive, and our holy seed—I mean every more divine thought—the devil who took us captive led away into Babylon, that is, into the confusion of this world. He also brought in foreign, barbarous thoughts, which ^C like lions devoured the good thoughts that dwelt within us, until they were persuaded to receive the oracles of God, yet they did not receive them in their entirety. For when malice has once begun to dwell in the mountain of our mind, it receives, indeed, the books of Moses, but it does not embrace the good in its entirety, but still remains under the curse.

Therefore, Jesus making a journey, that is, having traversed many ways of governance and methods for our salvation, and at one time with threats of evils, at another with afflictions, at another with benefits, and at another with promises of good things, seeking to gain our life—and having grown weary ^D while attempting in such ways to correct us—He found another method of ruling, which pleased Him, wherefore He sat upon it and rested. What is this? The baptismal fount, in which He did good to our nature as if it were a Samaritan woman. And this fount of baptism is worthily called the fount of Jacob, that is, of the supplanter. For in this very fount we supplant the devil, because the Lord also in it crushed the head of the dragon, whom He gave as food to the peoples of the Ethiopians. For none others feed and delight upon this dragon save those who are darkened and black in soul, and devoid of divine light. To this nature of ours, five men were joined, that is, the various laws given to it by God: namely, the law in paradise, the law in the time of Noah, the law given to Abraham, the law given to Moses, and the law given through the prophets. For Noah, after the flood, received a certain commandment, and Abraham received circumcision. These...

five laws having been joined to nature, it received a sixth later, which it did not have as a husband, nor had it been joined to it yet, namely, the law of the New Testament. One may, however, understand a sixth law, which nature did not have as a husband: ^B the law of idolatry. For nature did not have this law as a husband given to it by God, but, like an adulteress, it united itself to it. For this reason, the prophet also says, "And they played the harlot in the wood," and again, "They went a-whoring after every tree," that is, because of the graven images and the trees which they worshipped. For nature was driven to such a pitch of folly that it even sacrificed to beautiful trees because of their beauty—to cypresses, that is, and plane trees, and such like. When, therefore, man loved this sixth adulterer and fell into idolatry, then the Lord came and delivered us from it; therefore He also says, "He whom thou now hast." For indeed, at the times of Christ's coming, even the wiser among the Jews had turned aside into the error of the Gentiles, and this is shown by the heresy of the Pharisees, who believed in fate and astrology. The Samaritan woman is every soul which is imprudently subjected to the five senses, and then, receiving a dangerous doctrine as a kind of sixth adulterer, which Jesus benefits, either through baptism or through the fountain of tears. For tears may also be called the well of Jacob, of our mind, which supplants wickedness. From this water the mind itself drinks, as do its sons, that is, the thoughts, and its cattle, that is, the irrational parts of the soul, anger and desire; for tears become a refreshment ^C for the mind and the thoughts and the rest.

VERS. 31-34. "In the meantime his disciples asked him, saying, Rabbi, eat. But he said to them, I have food to eat that you do not know. The disciples therefore said to one another, Has anyone brought him something to eat? Jesus says to them, My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work." The disciples asked the Lord—that is, they entreated him to eat—not out of a rash opinion, but out of great affection for their teacher; for they saw him exhausted from the journey and the intense heat. But the Lord, knowing ^D that the Samaritan woman was about to draw almost the whole city to him, and that the Samaritans would believe in him, said, "I have food to eat," that is, the salvation of men; for he desired this with as much longing as none of us desires sensible food. "But this food which I have to eat, you, my disciples, do not know." For, being still dull, and unable to understand the things said by me enigmatically, you do not know that I name the salvation of men as food. And in another way: You do not know this food; for you do not know that the Samaritans are about to believe in me and be saved. What, then, do the disciples do? They still doubt whether anyone had brought him something to eat. They do not, however...

^A dare to ask him, because of their habitual reverence for him. He, however, although they did not ask, reveals what was said obscurely and says: "My food is to do the will of him who sent me" (for the will of God is the salvation of men), "and to accomplish his work." For the prophets and the law were not able to perfect the work of God; for they were imperfect, inasmuch as they contained figures and shadows of the good things to come. But the Lord perfected the work of God, I mean our salvation and renewal. Perhaps you may also understand by "the work of God" man, whom the Son of God alone perfected, having shown our nature in himself to be unindebted to sin, and having declared it perfect and absolute in every good work through his divine life in the flesh, and having overcome the world unto the end. The law, too, is the work of God, inasmuch as it was written ^B by the finger of God; which law the Lord fulfilled. "For Christ is the end of the law," since he caused to cease all things that were performed in the law, and transferred them from bodily worship to spiritual. Moreover, the Lord often speaks obscurely so as to make his hearers more attentive, and to excite them to ask and learn what was being said obscurely. By naming "food" the salvation of men, he teaches the disciples that they too, when they should be ordained as teachers of the world, should think less of bodily food, and transfer their whole desire to saving men. Note, moreover, that the Lord himself also accepted food offered by some. For the disciples say, "Has anyone brought him something to eat?" This he did, not as having need of the ministry of others (for how could he who gives food to all flesh stand in need of anyone's ministry?), but so that those bringing it ^C might have a reward, and that they might become accustomed to feeding others as well, and at the same time, because he gives an example to all men not to be ashamed of poverty, nor to deem it a heavy thing if we are fed by others, especially those who teach; and it is most necessary to have others as overseers of food, so that they themselves, not distracted by cares, may be free for the ministry of the word: therefore he also commanded the disciples to be fed by those who were being taught.

VERS. 35-37. "Do you not say, 'There are still four months, and the harvest will come'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes, and see the regions, for they are already white for harvest. And he who reaps receives a wage, and gathers fruit unto eternal life, so that both he who sows may rejoice together, and he who reaps. For in this ^D the saying is true, that one is the sower, and another the reaper. I have sent you to reap that for which you have not labored. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labors." He now begins to reveal more clearly to the disciples things he had previously said more obscurely. For you, he says, say—that is, you think—that the sensible harvest is to come in these four months; I, however, tell you that the spiritual harvest is at hand. These things he said concerning the Samaritans, and they will be saved. What, then, do the disciples (the rest of this text will be provided on the next page).

multitude of Samaritans approaching, and their souls, eager and ready for faith, which, like fields whitened, stand in need of a harvest. For just as ears of grain, when they have turned white, are ready for the harvest, so too are these prepared for salvation. “And he who reaps receives a wage, and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.” But that which he says has this meaning: The prophets sowed, but they did not reap. Yet they are not deprived of the pleasure on account of this, but they rejoice with us, even if they do not reap with us; which is not the case in sensible harvests. For there, if it happens that one sows and another reaps, there is sorrow for the one who does not reap. But in spiritual things it is not so; but the prophets, having both proclaimed and softened the minds of men beforehand, rejoice with us who have drawn men unto salvation. And the words, “I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored,” the Lord says for this reason: so that when he sends the disciples to the preaching, they might not be troubled as if being sent to a difficult task. For the more laborious part, he says, the prophets undertook, but you are being sent to what is already prepared. And he speaks a true word, a proverb circulating among the multitude, that “One is the sower, and another the reaper.” See, moreover, how he says everything with authority and sovereign power: “I sent you to reap.” Let the accursed Marcionites and Manichaeans listen, and those like them, who alienate the Old Testament from the New; for they are refuted right here. For if the Old were foreign, how did the apostles reap the things of the prophets? So, since the apostles reaped that of the Old, ^C that is not foreign to the New Testament, but both are one. Let the followers of Arius also listen, [to see] how, as Lord and one who possesses power, he sends the disciples; he sends them, moreover, that they may reap from the earthly [sphere], and cut off those who were attached to earthly things, both Gentiles and Jews, and bring them into the threshing floor—I mean the Church—in which, having been [brought] by the threshing of the oxen—that is, the teachers—and being subject to them, they may be ground; and having cast off everything hardened, and carnal, and the fuel for the fire, as pure grains they are stored in the celestial granary, and then they become food for God, who rejoices in their salvation. Thus did Paul reap, cutting away from the earth and teaching us that our citizenship is in heaven. Some also apply this passage cleverly to the elderly: “Behold the fields, for they are white for the harvest,” [referring] to their grey hair, clearly, and to the harvest of death.

VERS. 39-42.

“Now from that city many of the Samaritans believed in him because of the word of the woman who testified, ^D that ‘He told me everything I did.’ As then

the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days, and many more believed because of his word; and they said to the woman, “We no longer believe because of your speech; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world, the Christ.”

^B Because of the word of the woman, the Samaritans believe, as men who were prudent in judging for themselves, that the woman would not have publicized her own life to gratify another, unless he whom she proclaimed was truly someone great, and superior to the many. Therefore, showing their faith by their deeds, they begged him to be with them entirely; for the word “to stay” signifies having a permanent dwelling among them. But he does not accede to this, and stays only two days; from which “many more believed because of his teaching.” For the evangelist does not narrate the wondrous words of his teaching in detail, but he gives us to understand the power of his divine teaching from the outcome of the events. For the evangelists pass over many great things, because they do not write for show and ambition, but to declare the truth. And so, the Lord having been among the Samaritans, it is probable that he taught them some more divine things; ^C whence, seeing no sign, they believe and beg him to stay. But the Jews, although they enjoyed many sermons and signs, still persecuted him, being truly “the enemies of the man, his own household.” See also how in a short time the multitude surpassed her by whom they had been taught: for they do not call him a prophet, nor a Savior of Israel, but of the world; and with the article, “This is the Savior,” he who will properly and truly save all. For many came to save—both the law, and the prophets, and angels—but this one is the true Savior.

VERS. 43-45. “After the two days he departed from there and went into Galilee. For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans received him, having seen all that he had done at Jerusalem at the feast; for they too had come to the feast.” ^D When the Lord had gone out from Samaria, he departs into Galilee. Then, lest anyone should inquire and doubt why he did not always stay in Galilee, but traveled among them at intervals, especially since he seemed to be from Galilee, he says that he did not stay in Galilee for this reason, because they showed him no honor. “For Jesus himself testified that a prophet is without honor in his own country.” For we men are accustomed to despise those things which are very familiar, always paying more attention to foreign and unusual things. What then? Do we not see many held in honor even among their own? Certainly, this is very rare. But if some are found who are held in honor in their own country, they will be honored much more in a foreign land, so that the honor which is paid to them in their own country, if it is compared with that which is in a foreign land, will be found to be dishonor. For

^A envy does not allow compatriots to render the appropriate honor, but they render it with reluctance, considering the success of one of their own kin to be a disgrace to themselves. When therefore the Lord had come into Galilee, the Galileans believed, having seen the signs which He did in Jerusalem. Nevertheless, the Samaritans were of more proven worth, who believed even without signs, from the word of the woman. And observe everywhere those who were seemingly cast aside, yet who were approved in faith—I mean the Samaritans and the Galileans (for even these they despised as being more rustic; hence they also said, “The Prophet has not risen out of Galilee”), while those who were deemed chosen ones were cast aside, such as the Jerusalemite Jews were. Deservedly, therefore, even the Gentiles have been accepted. For in His own country, that is to say, in the synagogue of the Jews, the Prophet Christ had no honor, just as Moses says, “The Lord our God will raise up a Prophet for you.”

The evangelist reminds us of the miracle ^C in Cana, where the water was made wine, at once so as to increase the praise of the Samaritans (for the Galileans, he says, received Him because of the signs which were done in Jerusalem and among themselves; but the Samaritans, from the testimony of the woman alone, and from the teaching of the Lord Himself), and at the same time to show us that the royal official also had conceived a certain good opinion about Christ from the miracle which had been done in Cana, even if it was not worthy enough. He calls this man “royal” either because he was of royal lineage, or because he held some dignity of office by which he was so called. Does someone say, therefore, that this man is the same as the centurion in Matthew? For that man too was from Capernaum. I do not think, however, that it is the same man, but another. For that one even restrains Christ from wishing to come, saying, “I am not worthy that You should ^D enter under my roof,” whereas this man pulls Jesus into his house. And that man’s boy—that is to say, his servant—was held by paralysis; this man’s son, however, was held by a fever. And there, when He had come down from the mountain, He entered into Capernaum; but now, He had come from Samaria, and not into Capernaum, but into Cana. In sum, that man was a centurion, but this one was a “royal official” by dignity. The royal official therefore prays the Lord to come down to heal his son; but the Lord rebukes him, as one having a faith that is not perfect, but small. For in saying, “Descend, before my son dies,”

^A he manifests the weakness of his faith, as one who does not believe that even if it should happen that he died, He is able to raise him up. For this reason, then, rebuking him, He says, “Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” At the same time, He also accuses the other citizens of Capernaum; for they appear to be condemned everywhere for great unbelief. Since, then, the nobleman was weak in his judgment, and was urging the Lord to descend to heal the child, the Savior, showing him that He is able to heal him even while absent, says, “Go, your son lives.” In short, He healed the fever of the child and the unbelief of the father. ^B Know, moreover, that a wonder (teras) is one thing, and a sign (semeion) is another. For a wonder is that which is contrary to nature, such as opening the eyes of one born blind, and raising the dead; but a sign is that which is not outside of nature, such as healing a sick person. The Lord will perform this miracle even now for everyone who approaches Him. For every human being is a certain nobleman, not only as a relative of the King of all by reason of the soul, but also as one who has himself received royal authority over all things. And one is often found having his mind—like a son—suffering ill from the fire of illicit pleasures and desires. If, therefore, he approaches Jesus and asks Him to descend, that is, to use condescending philanthropy and forgive him his sins before he is completely put to death by the disease of passions—(for if God did not have mercy upon us, but observed our iniquities and took vengeance according to them, who would survive?)—if, therefore, he approaches, as has been said, he shall obtain what he seeks and will receive his mind sound. ^C Nevertheless, see also what the Lord says to him: “Go, your son lives,” that is, “Do not be immobile toward the good, but go, and show unceasing movement toward the good; for then your son will live. But if you rest and do not walk, your mind will surely die, because you have not advanced toward the good.”

VERS. 51-56. “And although he was now descending, his servants met him and brought word, saying, Your son lives. He inquired therefore of them the hour in which he fared better. And they said to him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. The father knew therefore that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, Your son lives; and he himself believed, and his whole house. ^D This again the second sign Jesus performed, when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.” Struck with amazement at the sudden change in the disease, the servants meet their master, bringing the good news of the child’s health. For he was not simply and as is usually wont, but suddenly, delivered from the fever, so that it might be shown that this miracle was not a matter of nature, but of the power of Christ. Having learned, therefore, from the servants the hour in which the child fared better—that is, had improved and passed into better health—he believed fully in the Lord. For his former faith was imperfect. For do not tell me that

and his faith was imperfect. Do not say to me, "Yet indeed, he would not have come if he had not believed." For fathers are accustomed, out of love for their children, not only to go to physicians in whom they have confidence, but also to the unskilled, desiring to omit nothing of what ought to be done. He came, indeed, out of faith—if we will even grant this—but cold and imperfect, which one could not rightly call faith. But he believed perfectly when he also learned about the hour. Why does the Evangelist say that he performed this, the second sign, in Cana? To show that the Samaritans are worthy of great praise. For, he says, even when this second sign had occurred, the Galileans had not yet reached the sublimity of those who had seen no sign at all. ^A

CHAPTER V. Concerning him who lay in infirmity for thirty and eight years. Concerning the Jews seeking to kill Jesus.

VERS. 1-4. *After these things there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem a sheep-pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool, and stirred up the water. Therefore, whoever stepped in first after the troubling of the water was made whole of whatever disease he was held by.* It was a festival of the Jews, the Pentecost, I think. The Lord goes up at this time, partly that He might not appear to be an adversary to the Law, but might be seen keeping the festival with the rest, and partly that He might draw more people to Him through signs and doctrines, and especially the simple multitude. For at the festivals, the peasants were accustomed to come together, as well as the urban workmen who were busy with their own labors on other days. The pool was called "sheep-pool" because the sheep for sacrifice were brought together there, and their entrails were washed there. Many imagined that the water received some more divine power solely by the washing of the sacrificial entrails, and that on this account an angel would come to the water as to something choice, and work a miracle. Thus divine wisdom seemed to be preparing from afar a way for the Jews to faith in Christ, by pre-ordaining the miracle of the pool. For since baptism was about to provide great power and a most excellent gift, as it purifies sin and makes souls alive, God prefigured baptism in Jewish things, ^B and gives them also water that cleanses pollutions—which were not sins in the proper sense, but seemed so, such as when one had touched a dead body, or a leper, or anything like that. But He gives also the miracle of this pool, which might lead them to the reception of baptism. For an angel would descend at an opportune time, and stir up the water, and would infuse a healing power into it. For certainly the nature of water is not such that it heals by itself ^C (for then this would always be happening), but the whole matter was situated in the angel, whatever efficacy there was. So, too, with us, the water of baptism is water simply; but when it approaches ^D

^A but once it has received the grace of the Spirit through the divine invocations, it looses the ailments of the soul. And if anyone were blind, having the eyes of his soul impaired, and unable to distinguish the better from the worse; and if he were lame, unmoved toward the performance of good and toward progress toward the better; and if he were altogether withered and in despair, and possessing no share of any good, this water heals them all. And whereas at that time infirmity hindered some from receiving healing, now, for being baptized, we have no obstacle. For it is not the case that when one is healed, the others are left unhealed; but even if the whole world were to come together, the grace is not diminished.

^B Vers. 5–7. *“And there was a certain man there, who had been thirty and eight years in his infirmity. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had been in that state for a long time, He saith unto him: Wilt thou be made whole? The infirm man answered him: Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool; but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.”*

Stupendous is the constancy of the paralytic. He had been thirty-eight years, and every year he sat there expecting to be delivered from his disease, and was hindered, being forestalled by the more powerful; yet he did not desist, nor did he despair. Therefore, the Lord also asks him, wishing to show us the strength of the man; for He does not ask as one who wishes to learn something. For it would not only be superfluous, but also foolish, to ask whether a sick person wishes to be healed. Therefore, as I said, it is to show us the constancy of the man that He asks. What then does he reply? With great gentleness he answers: "Yes," he says, "Sir, I wish it indeed, but I have no man who can cast me into the water." He answered nothing blasphemous; he did not rebuke Christ for asking a foolish question; he did not curse the day of his birth, as we faint-hearted ones do, even when falling into lighter diseases; but he gives his response meekly and placidly, even though he did not know who it was that was asking. For he only thought that perhaps it might be to his advantage for him to cast him into the water, and for this reason he speaks kindly to Christ. Christ did not say, "Do you wish it? I will heal you," so that He might not seem to be seeking glory.

^D Vers. 8-10. *“Jesus saith unto him: Arise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked. And on that day was the Sabbath. The Jews therefore said unto him that had been cured: It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for thee to take up thy bed.”*

He commands him to take up the pallet, wishing to make the miracle that He was performing more credible, so that no one might think it to be a mere phantom. For if his limbs had not been firmly knit together, he would not have been able to carry his bed. Moreover, He did not require faith from him before the healing, as He did with some others, because the sick man had not yet seen Him performing signs. For indeed, the Lord was not accustomed to require faith from those whom...

He had not yet benefited; He did not ask for faith before the miracles, but compelled them to have faith after having performed the miracles before them. ^A Observe, moreover, how as soon as he heard, he believed. For he did not reason within himself and say: "Is this man not speaking nonsense, who bids me stand up at once? Having spent thirty-eight years, I have not attained healing, and shall I now rise so abruptly?" No such thing did he ponder, but, having believed, he rose. He heals on the Sabbath, teaching men to understand the observances of the law differently, and not to think that resting from bodily labor constitutes keeping the Sabbath, but rather abstinence from evils. For the law does not forbid doing good on the Sabbath, being the law of God who is always doing good.

Vers. 11-13. "He answered them: He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. Then they asked him: What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? And he that was healed knew not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place." It is fitting to admire the man's boldness toward the Jews, how, when they pressed him and said, "It is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed on the Sabbath day," he himself with confidence ^B freely proclaimed his benefactor: "He that made me whole, the same said unto me," as if he were saying such things as: "You are raving and foolish, commanding me not to obey one who has freed me from such a long and grievous illness." But the Jews do not ask him, "Who is it that made you whole?" but, "Who is it that said unto thee, Take up thy bed?" Thus, then, they were willfully blind to the good, while they brought up the supposed violation of the Sabbath again and again. But Jesus had withdrawn, first, so that in His absence the testimony concerning the health might be free from suspicion and the man not seem to be showing Him partiality, but rather bearing witness to the truth; and afterwards, so that He might not inflame the anger of the Jews still further. ^C For He knows that even the mere sight of one who is envied is enough to cast no small spark of envy into those who are jealous. For this reason, He leaves the deed itself to be investigated on its own. For the Jews who were accusing him, by bringing the event into examination and debate, make it more widely known.

Vers. 14-16. "Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him: Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the Sabbath." From the fact that the Lord said to the paralytic, "Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more," we learn, first, that the disease of men is born of sins; ^D and second, that the doctrine concerning Gehenna is true, and that the punishment is eternal. For where now are those who say, "I indulged in a sensual act for one hour, so how am I to be punished forever?" Behold, this man had not sinned for as many years as he was being punished, but for almost the entire

^A life of man was consumed in the length of the punishment. For sins are not judged by time, but by the very nature of the offenses. From this we also learn that even if we are given a harsh penalty for our past sins, if we then entangle ourselves again in the same sins, we shall suffer still more grievous things, and very reasonably so. For he who is not improved by the first punishment is led to greater torments, as one who is senseless and a despiser. But why, he says, are not all punished in this way? For we see many of the wicked faring well, vigorous in body, and living in luxury and prosperity. But the fact that they suffer nothing here will be for them a provision for a more severe punishment ^B which they will bear elsewhere. And Paul clearly stated this, saying: "When we are judged by the Lord," here, that is, "we are disciplined, so that we may not be condemned along with the world," elsewhere, that is; for things here are for admonition, while things there are for punishment. What then? Are all diseases from sins? Not all, indeed, but most of them. For some diseases happen because of sins, just as with this paralytic, and in the book of Kings we see someone suffering from pain in his feet because of sin. Others, however, are for probation and manifestation, like the sickness of Job, so that his virtue might be demonstrated. Some, moreover, arise from sloth, such as from gluttony and drunkenness. And there are some who form a conjecture from what the Lord says, "Sin no more," ^C asserting that the Lord knew that this paralytic was going to point Him out and inform the Jews after He had found him in the temple, and for this reason He says, "Sin no more." But it is not so. For the man appears pious. "For Jesus finds him," he says, "in the temple." Although if he were not pious, he would have surrendered himself to ease and luxury, running home, and would have escaped the madness of the Jews, so as not to have to give them an account. But none of these things caused him to depart from the temple; and even after he recognized Jesus, see with what gratitude he announces Him to the Jews. For he does not say that Jesus is the one who said, "Take up your bed," which was what they wanted to hear, but ^D that he is the one who made him healthy, which they could not bear to hear, deeming the violation of the Sabbath to be a crime. But if the Jews were persecuting the Lord, what did the man sin in that, in pointing Him out to them? For he, from a grateful mind, so that he might draw others also to faith, preached the Healer. But if they were persecuting the benefactor, the crime was theirs. Understand, moreover, by the sheep-pool, the grace of baptism, in which Jesus our Lord, the lamb that was sacrificed for us, was washed, being baptized for our sake. This pool has five porticoes; for the four virtues, along with the one contemplative one, are manifested in baptism. Human nature, therefore, like a certain paralytic, with all its psychic powers seized by disease, lay sick for thirty-eight years. For it was neither rightly disposed in the faith of the Trinity, nor [was it awaiting] the eighth age, I mean the resurrection, and

of judgment of the deeds of this life, firmly believed it would come to pass. Therefore, it did not find a cure; for it had no man to cast it into the pool, which is to say, the Son of God had not yet become man, who was to heal it through baptism.

But when He became man, then He healed our nature; and He commanded [the man] also to take up his bed, which is to say, to make the body light and unencumbered, and to lift it from the earth, so that it might not be weighed down by flesh and earthly cares, but might arise from the sloth directed toward the good, and walk; that is, to be moved toward the performing of good works. ^B Now, that the water of the pool is troubled signifies that in it the spirits of wickedness are troubled, crushed, and suffocated by the grace of the Holy Spirit. Would that we, too, might attain health—we who are relaxed and motionless toward every good work, and have no man, that is, human reason, inasmuch as we have been compared to the senseless beasts, to carry us into the pool of the tears of repentance, into which the first who enters is healed. For he who puts off and delays his repentance to later times, and does not hasten to repent here, but procrastinates, does not attain health. Therefore, hasten to be the first to enter, lest death forestall you. And who is the angel that troubles this pool of repentance? He who is of the great counsel of the Father, Christ and Savior. For unless the divine Word touches our heart and causes a troubling therein by the memory of the punishments in the age to come, ^C this pool will not be efficacious, nor will there be health for the relaxed soul. Furthermore, it is reasonably called "Probatica," for the inward parts and thoughts that are being prepared as a living sacrifice, holy, well-pleasing to God, and becoming innocent, are washed therein, just as sheep—that is, the blameless ones. God grant, then, that we may attain health, and be found in the temple after our healing; that is, that we may no longer be polluted by profane thoughts, so that we may not fall into a more grievous punishment in the future.

Verses 17, 18

«Jesus answered them: My Father worketh until now, and I work.» For this reason, the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His own Father, making Himself equal to God. The Jews, indeed, cast an accusation upon Christ, namely, that He had performed a healing on the Sabbath; but He, ^D as one equal to the Father and of the same authority, says: "Just as God and My Father works even on the Sabbath, and is free from reproach, so am I not liable to this charge." But how does the Father work until now, when Moses says that "God rested from all His works"? Do you wish to learn how God works? Behold the world, and consider the works of Providence: the sun rising and setting, the sea, the springs, the rivers, all animals simply created, and you will see the creation performing its own operations—or rather, receiving the operation and being moved by the ineffable Word of Providence. And certainly, Providence works even on the Sabbath the

creation, guiding it. ^A With good reason, then, He says, "My Father is working, and I am working." But they, consumed by envy, were seeking to kill Him, not only because He was breaking the Sabbath, but also because He was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal to God. For since He called Himself the Son, He necessarily made Himself equal in honor to God; for every son is of the same nature as his father. Where is Arius in this place? Truly, he has been blinded regarding the light. For while naming Christ the Son of the Father, he does not grant Him that he has the same nature as the Father, but confesses the Son of the uncreated Father to be a creature. Yet he ought at least to have taken the Jews as teachers, who for this very reason were persecuting the Lord, because He was calling Himself the Son of God. ^B For it was necessarily inferred that He was equal to God; since if the dignity of the Son were not great, and He had not made Himself equal to God, for what reason would the Jews have persecuted Him?

VERS. 19-21. "Jesus therefore answered and said to them: Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son cannot do anything of Himself, unless He sees the Father doing it." For whatever He does, these things the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does, and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He wills. — "The Son cannot do anything of Himself," in the sense that He has nothing alien or strange from the Father; rather, He is in all things like the Father. ^C Nor has He another substance, that He might have another virtue, and consequently another operation; but because He has the same substance, He has the same virtue. And for this reason, He also works the same things, and cannot do anything other than what the Father does. For He does not have another virtue, either inferior or superior to the Father's, but there is one substance, one virtue, one operation of the Father and the Son. Truly, one says, but the Father is like a certain doctor to the Son, in a way demonstrating to Him how He ought to work. For unless the Son sees the Father working, He does nothing. Therefore, I ask those who babble such things—Arius and Eunomius—how does the Father teach the Son? In wisdom, or not? By all means, in wisdom. But what is the wisdom of God? Is it not the Son Himself? ^D Yes, certainly. Therefore, the Son teaches Himself. Oh, what folly is yours! You deliver the Son to the Father as if He were some child to be taught. But I, in agreement with the wisdom of God, assert that if the Father has moved anything, He has not moved it without the Son; for He is His wisdom. If the Father can do anything, He cannot do it without the Son; for He is His power. That these things are true, hear: "Whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner." If the Father does so with authority and power, then the Son does so in like manner. The Son, therefore, is not inferior to the Father. But as for the fact that these things were spoken humbly—"He shows Him all things," and "He will show Him greater things than these"—one ought not to be surprised. For He is speaking to men who were shouting against Him and were being cut to the heart by envy. And if He did not everywhere interweave those th

^A humble sayings among the lofty ones, what would they not have done, seeing that they rage with madness even when He speaks for the most part so humbly?

What is the meaning of, "And He will show Him greater works than these"? Because He had strengthened the paralytic, He is about to raise the dead as well; for this reason He says: "If you marvel that I have made the paralytic whole, you shall see greater things than these." And that the word "show" is humble and was spoken by way of dispensation so as to soothe their madness, hear what follows: "For as the Father," He says, "raises the dead, so also the Son gives life to whom He wills." The Son, therefore, raises ^B the dead, just as the Father does, and through this He demonstrates the unchangeable nature of His power; but through the phrase, "whomever He wills," He demonstrates the equality of authority. Now the Arians interpret all these things against the glory of the Son, but we Orthodox understand them for its sake.

"For neither does the Father judge anyone, but has given all judgment to the Son; that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son, does not honor the Father who sent Him. Amen, amen, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes in Him who sent me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed from death ^C into life." He had shown Himself able to do good through the many signs which He performed. But because He did not win them over by doing good, nor draw them to honor Him as was fitting, He says that "the Father has given all judgment to the Son," so that even the fear of judgment might persuade them to show honor toward Him. For we human beings are accustomed—especially those of us who are endowed with a duller mind—to learn what is necessary through fear rather than through benefits. And as to the statement, "The Father gave judgment to the Son," understand it in this way: that He begat Him as a Judge, just as you hear also, "He gave Him life," and you understand that He begat Him as Living. For since the Father is the cause of the Son’s existence, all things that the Son has are said to be received ^D from the Father, in that He has these things naturally from Him. Therefore, He has judgment from the Father just as the Father has it; so that, not hearing that the Father is the cause of the Son, we might understand that He is His cause in the same way as He is of created things, and for this reason introduce a diminution of honor, He says that there is no difference in the Son compared to the Father. For He who has the power to punish and to honor as He wills has the very same power as the Father; wherefore, He must be honored just as the Father. "For," He says, "all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father." Those, then, of the school of Arius, since they think to honor the Son as a creature, are proven in the end to be honoring the Father also as a creature. For they either do not honor the Son at all, and let them be ranked with the Jews; or if they do indeed honor Him, but as a creature, and it is fitting to honor Him even as the Father, they are surely proven to be honoring the Father as a creature as well. And in another way, according to what is subjoined: how do they honor the Father,

^A if they say that the Son is a creature, even if the most excellent of all creatures, and suppose this false and vain honor to be attributed to the Son? They altogether dishonor the Father who sent Him. But He said "Him who sent me," so as not to provoke them to anger, as we have already said. For He interweaves His teaching, as has been said, in a wonderful way—sometimes bearing witness to Himself with lofty things, as was worthy, and sometimes, because of the madness of the enemy Jews, with humble things. For if, even when He had risen from the dead, and ascended into heaven, and through the apostles had shown His own power, Arius and Eunomius arose against His glory and dragged Him down to the status of a creature ^B — what would not the Jews of that time have done, who saw Him walking in the flesh with tax collectors and harlots, and eating and drinking as one of many, if He had spoken only lofty things about Himself and not also mingled in the humble ones? For this reason, He adds: "He who hears My words, and believes in Him who sent Me, has eternal life." And by these words He also cheers their minds, as they hear that they are going to believe in God by hearing His words. For He did not say, "He who believes in Me," but, "In Him who sent Me." Therefore, he who believes in Him does not come into judgment—that is, into punishment—but lives an eternal life, not undergoing the death of the soul, and an eternal one, even if he does not escape the natural and temporal one.

VERS. 25-29. "Amen, amen, I say to you, that the hour comes, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in Himself, so He hath given to the Son also to have life in Himself: and He hath given Him power to judge also, because He is the Son of man. Wonder not at this; for the hour cometh, wherein all that are in the graves shall hear the voice of His Son; and they shall come forth, they that have done good things, unto the resurrection of life; but they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment." Having said above that "he who does not honor the Son, does not honor the Father," ^C and having spoken some lofty things about Himself, so that what He says might not seem to be arrogance and empty pride, He also provides the demonstration through deeds, saying, "That the hour comes." Then, so that they might not suspect a long time, He says, "And now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God," that is, "now, when I am dwelling with you." But He says these things concerning those whom He was about to raise from the dead, such as the son of the widow, the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue, and Lazarus. Then He also brings forward an argumentative reason for what was said; for He says: "As the Father hath life in Himself, so He hath given to the Son to have life in Himself," so that He might vivify those who hear His voice. And not only did He give Him the power to vivify, but also to execute judgment, so as to punish and exact vengeance. He frequently brings into the midst words about judgment, so that He may rouse the hearers. For to whom is it persuasive that he is to be raised

^A and that he will render to Him the accounts of his transgressions, but that he runs entirely to Him and propitiates Him, as One who is going to be his judge? Do not wonder, however, that He is the Son of Man. For although He is the Son of Man, He is also God; so that He has the authority to judge, as the Son of God, in a manner befitting Him. And if He appears as man, do not wonder. We must know that Paul of Samosata, teaching that the Lord is a mere man, read this passage thus: "And He gave Him authority also to execute judgment, because He is the Son of man." And placing a point here, he read from another beginning: "Do not wonder at this." But it is completely foolish to read it thus. For the Father gave the judgment to the Son, not because He is the Son of Man, but because He is God. That man, therefore, not enduring to call Christ God, but only Son of Man, thus thought Him to be a judge, not as God, but as Son of Man. But we understand it as it has been said. ^B And having spoken about the particular resurrection—that of Lazarus, I mean, and of the others who had died long before—now He speaks about the universal one: "For the hour is coming in which those who are in the graves shall hear the voice of God." For He speaks here of the universal resurrection. Since He had said above, "He who believes does not come into judgment," lest we suppose that faith alone suffices for salvation, He says that "they shall rise, those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life." Therefore, faith alone without works does not justify, but works also must be present; for then it is faith properly so-called. See also the double doctrine being made, through fear and joy. For when He says that those who do evil are condemned, He strikes with fear; but when He says that those who have done good rise to life, He urges them on through joy.

^C VERS. 30. "I cannot of Myself do anything; as I hear, I judge, and My judgment is just; because I do not seek My own will, but the will of the Father who sent Me." As has also been said in the preceding, these words show the immutability of the Son toward the Father, that is, "I cannot do anything of Myself," and whatever things are of this kind. For I can do nothing alien or foreign to the Father; for I have neither a will other than the paternal, nor a power. But as I hear from the Father, so I judge; that is, just as the Father Himself judges, so do I. He says these things in order to show, as we have often said, the identity in works, and words, and judgments. For lest some, seeing Him as man, might be scandalized as to how the man who appears would perform a just judgment, since David says, "Every man is a liar," ^D He [Ps. CXV, 11] had already said, "Do not wonder that I am the Son of Man"; but He says also now, that His judgment is just, in that He judges as He hears His Father judging. For He does not seek His own will, but that of the Father. For he who wills his own will...

^A to establish it, perhaps will be suspect, as one who corrupts what is just. But he who does not look to his own, what pretext could he have for not judging justly? I, therefore, do not seek my will; for I do not have a will of my own, but whatever the Father wills, that I will also.

VERS. 31-35. ^B "If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another who bears witness of me, and I know that the witness which He bears of me is true. You have sent unto John, and he has borne witness to the truth. But I do not receive witness from man; but these things I say, that you might be saved. He was a burning and a shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a time in his light." ^C It appears here that the Lord is saying things that are contrary. For in many places He appears to have testified of Himself, as He said to the Samaritan woman: "I am the Christ," and to the blind man, and elsewhere in many places. If, therefore, these things are false, what hope of salvation do we have? But this does not seem to be the only contradiction, but another not less than it. For further on, He says: "Even if I bear witness of myself, my witness is true." How then shall these things, which seem to fight against each other, be reconciled? The one thing He says, that "If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true," he says regarding the opinion of the Jews. For since they were likely to say to Him, "You testify of Yourself, and no one testifying of himself is ^D worthy of belief," He says, arguing with them: "I do not bear witness of myself, otherwise, according to your opinion, I would not be worthy of being believed. There is another who bears witness of me," namely, John. But what He says, that "Even if I bear witness of myself, my witness is true," He says by way of concession. For, approaching the reasoning of the Jews, He says: "Let it be that I bear witness of myself. Even if I, therefore, should bear witness of myself, my witness is true; for being God, I am worthy of belief." So the first thing He said argumentatively, that it is not I who bear witness, but the Forerunner; and the second, by way of counter-argument, or concession, that "Even if I bear witness, my witness is true." Therefore, He says, I have three witnesses: John, my works, my Father. And first He puts forward John, so that no one might say to Him: "What then, if he testified for you as a favor?" He says that "You yourselves sent to John." But certainly you would not have sent asking, unless you considered him worthy of belief. So you yourselves also testify that John was truthful. Although I, as God, have no need of human witness, the Master [having no need] of the servant's witness. But because you considered him more worthy of belief, and yourselves paid more attention to him than to me, and you ran to him, whereas to me you do not believe even when I perform miracles, for this reason I remind you of John's witness, and I do everything, and accept even things unworthy of my divinity, so that you might be saved. A lamp

^A ardent he calls John, for the reason that he has his formation from the earth, and is not a light of himself, but from the grace of the Spirit, and is temporary. For as soon as the day of the Lord appeared—that is, the teaching—the lamp was hidden. But you, for an hour, welcomed the things said by him, and rejoiced in him; then, forgetting the things which he said about me, you remained in your former unbelief. For if you had once firmly believed him, he would quickly have guided you to faith in me.

^B Verses 36-38. "But I have a testimony greater than that of John. For the works which the Father has given me to accomplish, those very works which I do, bear witness concerning me, that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me, he himself has borne witness concerning me; you have never heard his voice, nor have you seen his form, and you do not have his word dwelling in you, because you do not believe him whom he has sent." He says: John bore witness concerning me, John who seemed to you all most trustworthy. But since it is likely that some calumniators would be found, who perhaps would say: "And what is that to us? John was showing favor to you, and for this reason he testified to more pleasing things," He says: "You sent to John, and you questioned him, deeming him truthful in all things. However, I have another testimony greater than that of John. The works which the Father gave me," that is, "which the Father entrusted to me to accomplish, testify concerning me." By works he refers to the miracles, of course, such as the healing of the paralytic, and the rest. But since they were accusing him because he was doing these things on the Sabbath, saying, "This man is not from God, because he does not keep the Sabbath," he shows them that he does the things decreed by the Father, and that he is all the more from God, in that he does the works enjoined upon him by God. "For the works," he says, "which the Father has given me to accomplish." Since, therefore, the Father has given these, you are adversaries of God, you who oppose such works. "And the Father who sent me, he himself has borne witness concerning me." Where, however, did the Father bear witness concerning him? Some say at the ^C baptism, when he said, "This is my beloved Son." I think, however, that it is better to understand that God bore witness concerning him through all of Scripture, through both the Law and the Prophets. "But you," he says, "have neither heard his voice"—of the Father, I mean—"nor have you seen his form, and so he is in every way unknown to you. For this reason you do not have his word dwelling in you"; that is, you do not know the Scriptures which testify concerning me, even though you seem to know them and boast in the oracles of God which have been entrusted to you. Whence is it manifest that you do not know the Scriptures? "Because you do not believe him whom he has sent." Just as, therefore, you have neither heard the voice of God (for God does not have a sensible voice), nor have you seen his form (for he is incorporeal and without shape); so neither do you have his word…

I mean the Scriptures which testify concerning me, dwelling within you. ^B VERSE 39-42. "Search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and they are those which testify of me: and you are not willing to come to me that you may have life. I do not receive glory from men, but I have known you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves." He said to them that the word of God, that is to say, the Scriptures which testify of me, are not in you. Instructing them, therefore, how they might be able to possess the word of God, he says: "Search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have life." Observe, moreover, how he did not say, "You have life," but, "Because you think"; and he said "think," showing that they reaped no true fruit from them, expecting to be saved by reading alone, without faith being present. "For those are they which testify of me; but you are not willing to come to me, that you may have life." Whence we learn also from this, that they were evil by choice. For he did not say, "You cannot come," but, "You are not willing to come." Let the Manichaeans hear that evil does not consist in nature, but in the will. ^C Since he had reminded them of the testimony of John, and of the Father, and of his own works—which he was doing solely for their salvation—and since many might have suspected that he was saying these things for the love of glory, for this reason he says, "I do not receive glory from men," that is to say, I have no need of glory, nor do I have such a nature as to require glory from men. But you persecute me, pretending that you do this out of the love of God. But it is not so; it is not so. "For I have known you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves," even if you boast greatly of this, that you persecute me on account of God. With good reason, therefore, are the Jews said not to have the love of God, because they were persecuting love itself, the Son of God. Whence, deservedly, they are also said not to have the word of God remaining in themselves; for they rejected the Word and God. ^D VERSE 43-47. "I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. How can you believe, you who receive glory from one another, and do not seek the glory that is from the only God? Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; there is one who accuses you, Moses, in whom you have hoped. For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote about me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?" "I indeed," he says, "have come in the name of my Father" (for he praises the Father everywhere, and says that he was sent by him and can do nothing of himself; and he speaks many humble things altogether, wishing to remove every excuse for ingratitude from their midst).

wishing to destroy) ^A but another will come, the Antichrist, that is to say, who intends to prove that he alone is God. Therefore, me who have come in the name of the Father—that is, who say that I have been sent by the Father—you do not receive, but him you will receive. This happens to you because he will promise you the glory of this life, which you seek, wanting to receive glory from one another, and showing contempt for the glory that is from the only God; but I promise you nothing noteworthy in this life, but you see much difficulty in the things said by me. For this reason, then, he says, you do not believe me; for you expect to have nothing pleasant in this life from me. And in another way: “You do not believe me, as you wish for glory from one another.” For the rulers and teachers, wanting to be the only ones to appear so to the crowd, do not receive me, so that their glory may not be diminished; ^B and the peoples, seeking to be loved by the rulers, do not want to run to me, so that they might not fall from the honor which they have from the rulers. Since, however, they were also casting Moses back and forth, he says that he will accuse you; for he wrote about me. But where did he write about him? In many other places (for indeed the saying, “The Lord will raise up for you a Prophet,” was about Christ), and in many other things, some in words, others in signs and symbols, such as the miracle of the bush; for the fire was indeed the divinity, but the thorny bush was the sinful ^C nature, which the fire of the divinity took upon itself, and kept it unconsumed, while illuminating it with light; and it truly imparted its own rays to it, but did not take into itself its imperfections. Also Moses said this, which contributed greatly to faith in Christ: for he says, “If a prophet arises, performing signs, and draws you away from God, do not believe him”—such as the Antichrist is. “But if a prophet arises performing signs, and leads you to God and the Father, and does not draw you away, believe him.” Christ, therefore, having come in the name of the Father, and performing signs, but not leading them away from the worship of God, he himself was the one predicted by Moses. “If, therefore, you do not believe the writings of Moses, how will you believe my words?” ^D He says, he wrote them, and the books are always before your eyes, so that even if you should happen to forget, you may have an easy way of remembering again; and yet you do not believe the written things; and how will you believe my unwritten words? Why then do you say these things, O Lord, since you know that they will not believe? Even if I know, he says, that they will be disobedient, yet I say it nevertheless, so that they may not later make the excuse that “If you had spoken, we would have believed.” Furthermore, those who were then, as ungrateful ones, did not believe; but it was neither fitting nor just that those who were to come later should be deprived of the benefit of the words of Christ.

CAPUT VI

in the small boats. Concerning the crowd seeking a sign. Concerning the bread from heaven. Concerning the many disciples who departed from Jesus. Concerning the opinion of Peter concerning Christ. ^B And the phrase, "The feast of the Jews." For it was not Christ’s feast (for how could it be, when he does not ascend to it?), but the feast of the Jews only.

VERSES 1-4

VERSES 5-9

^A Why, then, did he say, "When Jesus had lifted up his eyes"? That we might learn that he was not accustomed to wander with his eyes hither and thither, but sat composed, attentive, and precise, as one who was conversing with his disciples about things more divine. Finally, he lifted up his eyes and inquires about the crowd, how it might be fed. And he asks no other than Philip. For he was the one who was in need of greater instruction, he who said after these things, "Show us the Father, and it is enough for us." For this reason, he regulates him a long time beforehand, and through his interrogation draws him to always remember the miracle. For if the sign had happened simply, the miracle would not have appeared so great; but now he forces him first to confess the scarcity, so that he might more accurately learn the magnitude of the miracle that was about to happen and not be able thenceforth to cast out from his memory ^B the things confessed. For this reason, he says, "Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat?" He says these things testing Philip, that is, wishing to make known what faith he has. For he did not ask him as if ignorant of Philip’s opinion, but wishing to show him to the others. For the Lord himself knew what he was about to do. Having therefore tested Philip as to whether he had faith, and having found him still disposed according to the human way, he finds Andrew also to be such. For even if he thought of something more sublime than Philip (for the latter having said that two hundred denarii’s worth of bread is not enough, he points out five barley loaves and two fish, perhaps meditating on the miracles of the ^C prophets, how Elisha wrought the sign concerning the bread when Samaria had come to the uttermost point of ruin), yet, nevertheless, Andrew is also rebuked for having pondered nothing worthy of the Lord. For he says, "But what are these for so many?" For he supposed that the Lord would perhaps increase the bread, but that if there were more, the increase would also be greater; in every way, he was thinking unsoundly. For the Lord was able to make bread sufficient for the multitude even from things that are not. Nevertheless, in order that the creation might not seem to be alien to his own wisdom, he uses the creation itself for the subject matter of his miracles; and having taken the bread—as a certain material—thus he gives substance to the miracle. Let the Manichaeans be ashamed, saying that bread, and all things in the creation, are the workmanship of the evil God. And for this reason, if someone gives them bread, they do not accept it from the hands of the giver, but order him to throw it from afar, standing and cursing him who gave it: "He who sowed you, let him be scattered; he who kneaded you, let him be kneaded in the flesh," and suchlike. ^D Let them be ashamed, therefore, hearing that Christ, the Son of the good God, multiplied loaves. For if it were an evil creature, the good one would not have multiplied the evil thing—not to mention that he himself also ate bread. But if someone should ask you, "Is this miracle of the loaves the same as that which is described in Matthew?" we say, certainly it is the same.

^A If, however, there the disciples approach, reminding him about the crowd so that they might be sent away, while here Jesus himself asks from whence they should be fed, one should not be surprised. For it is likely that both occurred, and that the disciples first reminded the Lord about the crowds being sent away, and then Philip was asked by the Lord from whence they should be fed.

VERS. 10-13. "Jesus said: Make the people sit down. Now there was much grass in that place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those who were seated; likewise also as much as they wanted of the fish. And when they were filled, he says to his disciples: Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing may be lost. They gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, which remained over to those who had eaten." He commanded them to sit down, as if the table were ready. The disciples, although previously unbelieving, nevertheless eagerly make the men recline. "Now there was grass," since it was spring. For he says, it was the Passover; this was observed in the first month of spring. And only the men are numbered by the evangelist, who follows the custom of the law. For Moses also counted the people from twenty years of age and upward, making no mention of women: ^B by which it is taught that everything which is male and youthful is worthy to be counted before God.

And having taken the loaves, he gives thanks, showing that before food thanks must be rendered to God. Moreover, because there was a crowd, he gives thanks before the crowd, that he might persuade all that it had come to pass according to the will of God, and that he is not an adversary to God, but refers all things to the Father. For when he performs a miracle apart, he does nothing of the sort, even if he performs something greater; but when a miracle is worked before many, then he looks up to God. He shows, however, that he does not do this from weakness, but for the sake of the economy which we have spoken of, from the fact that he performs greater things with authority and as Lord. ^C Some say, moreover, that he gives thanks for this reason also, that he might be hidden from the prince of this world until the time of the passion, and that from this the demon might not recognize him to be God, but might be deceived and ensnared, and thus be destroyed by the cross.

But the Lord permits the loaves to abound, not for the sake of ostentation—heaven forbid!—but so that the satisfying of the men might not be thought to be by an illusion, but might appear to all that they were truly satisfied, since there were so many remains. And for this reason he commanded the fragments also to be collected, so that seeing them, they might be more mindful of the miracle that was done. It is necessary not only to wonder that they abounded, ^D but also at the precision of the abundance, that neither more nor

^A less, but an equal number of basketfuls of the leavings were made to remain by the disciples, so that all might carry them, and that not even Judas might be left without a share, but might also have this miracle as a demonstration that his Master was God, and might derive profit from it, even if through his own wickedness it turned out rather to his condemnation; for the one who had made so many leftovers, of which he himself also carried a basket, he betrayed. For it was not without cause that He ordered the apostles to carry the baskets, but so that they might always be mindful of the miracle, as being those who were to be teachers of the world. For the multitude were not going to derive any great benefit, since they immediately forgot the miracle; such were they in their folly; but the disciples were going to gain no ordinary profit. We learn ^B also from what happened not to be faint-hearted in the straits of poverty, nor timid in hospitality and sharing, but to believe that even if we have only one loaf, He who made such an abundance remain from five loaves will multiply it.

By way of allegory, when the Lord had departed from Jerusalem, according to what has been said in the prophets: "I have forsaken my house, I have left my heritage" (Jerem. xii, 7), then indeed He departs to the Galilee of the Gentiles, taking in the Gentiles, and a great multitude follows Him. He goes up into the mountain, that is, the Cross, that He might draw all to Himself, or into heaven, to the honor and glory worthy of God. For since He has been taken up into heaven, and is glorified by us as God, and not as a mere man, He is said to have gone up into a mountain; for the lofty concept regarding Him is the mountain. He gives to us, as many as are subject to the senses, five rational loaves, because they too are five; for to each sense He gives ^C a convenient loaf, that is, the word: just as Paul also says: "I will speak five words in the Church which are fit for the edification of the five senses" (1 Cor. xiv, 19). We cannot, however, consume all these five words entirely, but they also abound. For no one of us is able to contain all the words of the mystery, but the things which are unattainable and unedible for us, as being more material, the apostles carry, as it were in baskets, for their own just souls. The baskets are made of palm branches; "The just man shall flourish like the palm tree" (Ps. xci, 13). ^D

VERS. 14, 15. "Those men therefore, when they had seen what sign Jesus had done, said: This is of a truth the prophet that is to come into the world. Jesus therefore, when He knew they were about to come, and to take Him by force, that they might make Him king, He withdrew again into the mountain Himself alone." Behold the gluttony of the multitude; though Jesus had done infinite and more wonderful miracles, they did not marvel; and lo, because of food, they say, "This is the prophet." They no longer charge Him with the violation of the Sabbath, they no longer defend the law; but they honor Him so much because of the loaves, that they not only proclaim Him a prophet, but also deem Him worthy of a kingdom. But He flees, training us to despise worldly con-

^A dignities. He withdraws into the mountain alone, having taken no one of the disciples with Him, that He might test their longing, and whether they could bear His absence.

VERS. 16-21. *At ubi jam vespera esset, descenderunt discipuli ejus ad mare, et conscensa navi, venerunt trajecto mari ad oppidum Capernaum. Jamque tenebrae erant, nec venerat ad eos Jesus. Mare autem vento magno flante intumescebat. Cum remigassent ergo ferme stadia viginti quinque aut triginta, vident Jesum ambulantem super mare et appropinquantem navi, ac timuerunt. Ille autem dicit eis: Ego sum, nolite timere. Voluerunt ergo recipere eum in navim, et illico navis appulerat terrae ad quam ibant.*

Dominus ^B indeed ascends the mountain alone, so that, as we have said, He may test the longing of the disciples, to see if they were seeking Him. But they, waiting for Him until evening, hoping He would come; and when He did not come, they could not endure it, but kindled with the longing of seeking Him, they embark in the ship. For the evangelist did not declare the time rashly or by chance, but by this indicated their vehement love, in that not even evening held them back. He allows them to be imperiled by the tempest, so that, tranquility having been restored after the storm, they might rejoice more in the miracle, and an indelible memory of Him be impressed upon their hearts. But He stands by them when the storm is present, and by His word casting out fear and creating ^C calm in the sea, He works a double serenity, stilling the turbulence of both their souls and the sea. Moreover, He did not enter the ship, wishing to perform a greater miracle. For observe three miracles: one, that He walked upon the sea; second, that He stilled the waves; third, that He immediately caused the ship to be at the land to which they were going, although it was far distant from the land when the Lord stood by it. Therefore, the Jews did indeed cross the Red Sea with Moses as their leader; but he, as a servant, did all things while praying; yet He, with all authority. And there, a south wind blowing, the water gave way, so as to grant a crossing as if on dry land; but here, a greater miracle happens. ^D For the sea, remaining in its own nature, thus bore the Master upon its surface, so that the prophetic word might be fulfilled: *Who walks upon the sea as upon pavement.* But we, too, are now in spiritual darkness, and are in danger of being submerged in the spiritual sea; but let us receive Christ, and we shall be saved entirely from dangers. And although at times some—whether devils or men—incite tumults against us, and through terrors seek to shake us, let us nonetheless hear Christ crying out: *Do not fear, it is I.* That which He says, however, has this meaning: The terrifying things are passing away, therefore do not fear those things which pass away; but I am, which is to say, I always remain; and as God, I am He who is. Therefore, because terrifying things are temporal,

and not truly existence, but I am, instead of "I remain," and I never pass away, but I truly am, do not abandon your faith in me because of temporal things. Observe, moreover, with me, how Christ does not appear at the beginning of danger, but at its height, and releases the fear. ^A For He permits us to be in the midst of terrible things, so that having struggled in tribulation, and having been hard-pressed, we may become more approved; and so that, having set in motion all our own power and wisdom, and having found it weak, we may flee for refuge to Him alone, who is able to save from what is unexpected. For when the human mind is exhausted, then the salvation from God surprisingly comes to be, preparing us to fly to Him alone who saves, and not to ascribe salvation to ourselves. But if we desire also to receive Christ into our boat, that is to say, to dwell Christ in our heart, we shall immediately be found in the land to which we are going. And what is this land? It is altogether the land of promise, heaven, which is the land of the meek, and of those who, having been delivered from all malice, live in peace.

^B On the next day the crowd which stood beyond the sea, knowing that there was no other small boat there, save that one into which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered into the small boat with His disciples, but that His disciples alone had departed—and other small boats came from Tiberias near the place where they had eaten the bread, after the Lord had given thanks—when, therefore, the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves also entered into the small boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. And having found Him beyond the sea, they said to Him: "Rabbi, when did You come here?" Jesus answered them and said: "Amen, amen, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves, and were filled." Jesus indeed went on foot over the sea to the region which is beyond the sea. But the crowds, on the following day, seeking Him, and seeing that there was but one ship that had received the disciples, into which Jesus Himself had not entered, came into the notion of the miracle, and suspected that He had crossed the sea on foot. For if there had also been another ship, it would be likely to suspect that He did not sail with the disciples, but having entered into that one, had crossed over. But now, there being only one ship which had received the disciples alone, and not the Lord, the miracle is ^C manifest. When, therefore, the crowds had thought these things over, since they found other small boats that had come from the other side, they entered into those, and crossed over to Capernaum; where, indeed, having found the Lord, they do not fall down, nor do they beg to learn how He crossed, nor do they ask about this sign, but thus listlessly say: "When did You come here?" For those seeking to seize Him and make Him king, having found Him, deliberate nothing of the sort; but, casting aside the miracle, they seek rather to enjoy a table of such a kind as they had before. Hence they are reproached by

^A the Lord. "You seek me," He says, "because you ate of the loaves," and for that reason you yearn after me, that you may again have me as a provider of food. Note, however, that while He reproves them, He does not use a harsh reproof. For He did not say, "O slaves of the belly and gluttons," but spoke with gentleness. For desiring to correct, He reproves them, while at the same time, through uncovering the hidden things of their heart, He wishes to lead them to a greater faith. That the reproof was for their correction is clear from what follows. For He bestows on them a most useful teaching, and says:

"Labor not for the meat which perishes, but for that which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give you: for Him has God the Father sealed." ^B You, He says, seek me for the sake of the loaves, as you yearn for this food; but you ought not to lean entirely toward the belly, but rather to care for spiritual things, and not to expend all your anxiety on bodily nourishment. For this He called "the meat which perishes." And since many of those who wish to live in idleness, and especially the Massalians, have used this saying in defense of their idleness, it is necessary to clarify the passage. For our Lord Jesus Christ did not say this as one wishing to abolish bodily labor, and to force them into idleness. For "idleness has taught all manner of wickedness," and if one must express it clearly, this is the "meat which perishes"—to wish to live idly. For one who follows Christ ^C must labor, so that he may have something to share with others; for this carries a reward, the promise of the future kingdom. How then, they say, does the Lord say it is not necessary to labor for "meat which perishes"? He is casting aside the constant zeal regarding food, and leading us gently toward spiritual things. Yes, they say, but strictly, that Christ cuts off bodily labor is clear from His saying to Martha: "Martha, you are anxious and troubled; one thing is needful: and Mary has chosen the good part," and again: "Do not be anxious for the morrow." These things are brought forward by those who wish to be fed in idleness. But what do we say? That which was said to Martha is not about work and labor and idleness, ^D but about knowing the opportune time, and not consuming the time for hearing in occupations regarding the preparation of food. He therefore persuades her not to waste the time of instruction in vain because of the occupation with the things of the belly. And the saying, "Do not be anxious," does not even thus reject labor. For anxiety is one thing, and labor is another. For it is possible for one who labors not to be anxious. The Lord therefore teaches us not to be addicted to the cares of life, nor to have anxiety about how we shall be refreshed tomorrow; He wants us to work each day, saying: "Do not be anxious for the morrow," as if He were saying in this way: Do not be anxious about how, by working today, you may rest tomorrow; but each day [strive for] food.

He says "food that abides," by which He means the mystical participation in the Flesh of the Lord, which He Himself gives to us, having become the Son of Man, whom the Father has sealed—that is to say, He has demonstrated and confirmed that He is His Son. For Christ Himself did indeed demonstrate Himself through miracles; but since He is conversing with the Jews, in order that they might not be troubled, He recurs to the Father and says that He has been sealed by Him, that is, demonstrated and confirmed by testimonies; because the Son is also the image, and seal, and character of the Father. Understand that He has been sealed by Him insofar as He is His image and seal; and thus what is said holds: "For Him whom the Son of man seemed to be, the Father has sealed," which means that He has begotten His own seal and image, which possesses within itself all that He Himself possessed, and maintains with Him every natural identity and absolute equivalence. ^B

• "They said therefore to Him: What shall we do, that we may work the works of God? Jesus answered and said to them: This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent. They said therefore to Him: What sign then do You do, that we may see and believe You? What do You work?" The Jews are seeking to learn the work of God, not so that they might do it, but so that they might seize upon an opportunity. Therefore, the Lord, although He knew that they would profit nothing, nevertheless answers for the sake of the common benefit of the teaching, and points out to them—or rather, to all men—that this is the work of God: to believe in Him whom He has sent. For faith in Him is a work truly holy and perfect, and one that sanctifies those who possess it. ^C For accurate faith becomes a guide to every good work, and good work preserves faith. "For as the works without faith are dead, so also is faith without works." Observe, however, their ingratitude and insensibility: although they had seen such great and such wonderful things, they again seek a sign, and specifically the one regarding the bread by which they had been filled. Therefore, like gluttons, they again ask for such a sign as would contribute to their belly. That this is true is clear from what follows.

• "Our fathers did eat manna in the desert, as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Jesus then said to them: Amen, amen, I say to you, Moses gave you not bread from heaven; but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. They said therefore to Him: Lord, give us always this bread." It is not in vain that we said they were seeking a sign such as the one regarding the bread, as they were slaves to their belly. For behold, they mention the manna, and no other miracle, whether of those in Egypt or those at the Red Sea. For they wished to provoke Him so that He Himself might perform such a sign as would be able to ^D satisfy them carnally; they recall the manna on account of their immoderate gluttony. By which, therefore, the immense wisdom of God, our Lord Jesus

answers them? That, "Moses did not give you the bread," that is, he did not give you the true bread. For all things that were then taking place were types of things now happening. For Moses held the type of God, the true leader of spiritual Israelites; but that bread was a type of me, who have descended from the heavens, and who truly feed, and who truly exist. He calls himself the true bread, not because the manna was false, but because that was a figure and a shadow, and not the truth itself. For ^A properly, manna is the only-begotten Son of God having become man, a word and a hearing to make one marvel. For manna is interpreted, "What is this?" For the Jews, when they saw it, and it had been showered down in heaps in front of every man’s tent, amazed at the strange and foreign spectacle, asked one another, "What is this?" The Lord, therefore, having become man, the Son of God, himself is the manna that amazes all, so that each one being at a loss says, "What is this? How is he the Son of God and the Son of Man? How is one person from two opposites? What is this mystery?" This bread, then, being life according to nature, as the Son of the living Father, does what is proper to him; for he vivifies all things. Just as, therefore, bread from the earth sustains the weak nature of the flesh and does not allow it to perish, so also Christ through the operation of the Spirit vivifies the soul, and indeed even preserves the body itself for incorruption. ^B For through Christ the resurrection from the dead is granted to human nature, and the incorruption of bodies. But the Jews, still addicted to their bellies and entirely earthly, understand the things said as regarding sensible bread and say, "Give us this bread." Thus, therefore, speaking foolishly, they were reproved, and they say, "Always give us this bread," not for one or two days. This, moreover, they said out of avarice. For so that it might not be necessary to spend much on food, they say, "Give us this easily procurable bread always."

^C VERS. 35, 38. "Jesus said to them: I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall not hunger; and he that believeth in me shall not thirst at any time. But I said to you, that you have seen me, and you do not believe. All that the Father giveth to me, shall come to me; and him that cometh to me, I will not cast out, because I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him that sent me." Since the Jews, being earthly, thought the Lord was speaking of sensible bread, and on account of this were pressing him and seeking it, the Lord, reproving them, shows that as long as they await sensible bread, they run to him; but when they learn that it is spiritual, they no longer run to him. Whence he says, "I am the bread of life." He did not say, however, bread of nourishment, ^D but "of life." For since all things had been deadened, Christ vivified us through himself, who is the bread, in that we believe the leaven of the human lump to have been cooked by the fire of the divinity. But the bread of life is not of this sole

such a common sort, but one changed, and not interrupted by death. He who believes in such bread will not hunger, nor will he hunger with the hunger of hearing the word of God, nor will he thirst with an intellectual thirst, from not having the water of baptism and the sanctification of the Spirit, which comes to pass. For the unbaptized person has thirst and great dryness, lacking the holy water that refreshes; but the baptized person, having the Spirit, is always refreshed through Him. Showing, moreover, that even faith in Him is not a common thing, but a gift of God, given by the Father to those who are worthy and upright in heart, He says, “All that the Father gives me will come to me,” ^B that is, those whom the Father gives to me will believe in me. But you, O Jews, because you are unworthy, are not given to me by the Father; therefore, you neither come to me, nor do you have an upright heart, so that God and Father, loving you, might lead you to faith in me. “And him who comes to me, I will not cast out,” that is, I will not destroy, but I will save, and I will prepare to satisfy him with great care. For I have come down from heaven, not that I should do anything else besides the will of the Father. And He says these things, that they may learn that he who does not receive Him is an adversary to God, resisting the will of the Father. For since they called Him an adversary to God, He turns the accusation back upon them, and says, though not openly, that you are the adversaries of God, who do not receive the one who follows the will of the Father. Where is Nestorius here, who says that after the resurrection Christ was deified? ^C Do you not hear, miserable man, that He came down from heaven? Now, He who descended from heaven was certainly not a mere man, but God. For a mere man does not descend—but if indeed he ascends into heaven, God grants this to him on account of his virtue. The descent of the Lord alone precedes the ascent. He Himself, therefore, both descended from heaven as God, since He deigned to be incarnate, and ascended into heaven with flesh, as a man, of course, where He was before as God. Christ, therefore, was not a mere man, deified later, as Nestorius raved, but God before the ages, having become man in the last times. ^D “And this is the will of Him who sent me, the Father, that all that He has given me, I should not lose of it, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in Him, should have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” He continually sets forth, “The Father has given to me,” that He might prick their hearts, and that we might recognize that they are unworthy of the gift of God. For if the Father gives faith in Christ as something great, and they do not have it, it is manifest that they have fallen away from the gift of God. Therefore, I say, says He, I will not lose those whom the Father gives me, that is, those who believe in me; but I will raise them up, which means, I will count them worthy of a glorious resurrection. For the resurrection is twofold: one indeed is common and general, by which all even the sinners rise; the other, by which only the righteous are taken up to meet the Lord.

^A This resurrection, Paul calls an "exsurrection" (out-rising) because of the lifting up from the earth. For sinners indeed rise from the graves, but they do not rise from the earth into the air; for they remain below as condemned. So the righteous both rise and are lifted up, being caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord; but sinners rise only. Now the Lord, interpreting what is signified by, "All that the Father gives me will not perish," expresses the same meaning in other words: "That everyone who sees the Son and believes, may have eternal life." For He says nothing else than what He said before. For "All that the Father gives me" is the same as "Everyone who sees the Son and believes," and "I will not let it perish" is the same as "He has eternal life." He frequently makes mention of the resurrection, so as to persuade men not to circumscribe the providence of God only to those things that are seen, but to know ^B that there is also another state in which they shall undoubtedly enjoy the rewards of virtue; even if the recompense for this life is not now apparent, for this reason one should not abandon the course toward virtue.

VERS. 41-44. "The Jews therefore murmured about Him, because He said, 'I am the bread that came down from heaven,' and they were saying, 'Is not this Jesus the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then does He say, "I have come down from heaven"?' Jesus answered and said to them, 'Do not murmur among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day.'" The Jews murmured at the Lord saying, "I am the bread," as if they had been deceived. For up to this point they thought He was speaking about sensible bread, and they bore with Him gently, hoping that He would give them this bread and gratify their belly; ^C but now, because He revealed to them that His discourse was not about sensible bread but about spiritual, they murmur, having lost hope. For how could they understand spiritual food, and life, and resurrection? They were therefore scandalized by Him, seeing His mother, yet hearing Him say, "I have come down from heaven." Not understanding, therefore, that He Himself is also God, but looking only to that which appeared, they murmured as if the Lord were boasting, and said, "Is not this the son of Joseph?" But the Savior does not answer them, "I am not the son of Joseph"; for they could not understand the ineffable birth which was from the Virgin. And because their mind was not capable of the birth according to the flesh, much less of that which is from the Father before the ages. ^D What then does He answer them? "No one can come to me, unless the Father draws him." He says this, not by taking away free will—God forbid!—but by showing that he who believes has need of much cooperation from God.

^A And otherwise: The Father draws those who have an aptitude of will. But those who do not make themselves fit, He does not draw to the faith. For just as a magnet does not draw everything to which it comes near, but only iron; so God approaches all, but draws those who are more fit and show a certain familiarity toward Him. The Father, therefore, draws and brings [them] to the Son, while the Son raises and vivifies, bestowing the breath of goodness and life, which is the Holy Spirit.

The holy Trinity, therefore, benefits those who believe; and it is not the Father alone, or the Son alone, but just as there is one nature, so there is one operation of beneficence—the Father bringing, the Son vivifying, and the Holy Spirit becoming, for those being vivified, the breath. For everyone who lives also has breath. See, however, the authority of the Son: "I," He says, "will raise up." For He did not say, "My Father will raise up," but, "I." For He does not speak humbly in all things, but sometimes reveals the heights of His own divinity. ^B

VERS. 45. "It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught by God. Everyone therefore who has heard from the Father and has learned, comes to me; not that anyone has seen the Father, unless he who is from God, he has seen the Father. Amen, amen I say to you, he who believes in me has eternal life." He said earlier that "Whomever the Father draws, he comes to me." Wishing to teach and confirm this, He refers the discourse to the prophets. "For it is," He says, "written in the prophets, 'They shall all be taught of God'"; that is, all who desire [it], clearly. ^C For the Father is the common teacher, making His Son known to the worthy through revelation. For, touching the hearts of the simple and those free from deceit, He reveals the Son to them, just as He revealed Him to Peter. Therefore, "He who hears from the Father," that is, he who receives the revelation of the Father and becomes His true disciple, "he comes to me." See, however, how accurately He speaks everything. For He did not say that "He who hears from the Father, he comes to me," but added, "and has learned." For it does not suffice to hear, but one must also learn. What then? Before this time, were they not taught by God in the Old [Testament]? They were indeed, but not in this way. For there is an excellence here, I mean in the New Testament. ^D For then they learned of God through men; but now, the Only-Begotten having become incarnate, the knowledge comes from the Father Himself in the Holy Spirit, so that the prophetic saying may be fulfilled: "In your light"—that is, the Father's, which is to say, the Spirit—"we shall see light," which is the Son. Rightly, therefore, are we all now taught of God, we who have received faith in Christ. But since He said, "He who hears from the Father, he comes to me," in order that no one might suppose that He is speaking of a carnal father, He says: I do not say this, that anyone has seen the Father, except the Son, who is truly from Him and born of His substance. For while we are all from God, yet strictly speaking the Son is the One who also knows the Father.

^A Ver. 48-52. "I am the bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that if any man eat thereof, he may not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." He compares the nourishment given by Him to the manna. "For I," He says, "am the bread of life; but as for the manna, they who ate it are dead." He did not add the words "in the wilderness" without reason, but wishing to show that the manna did not last for the fathers for very long, but only in the wilderness, and did not enter with them into the land of promise. But this bread is not of such a kind, but is everlasting, so that they would receive far greater goods than their fathers, if they should be willing. And how are the things given by Christ not greater? For even if someone tastes of death, he nevertheless lives on account of the hope of the resurrection.

Here He speaks clearly about the mystical communion of His body. "For the bread," He says, "which I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." Furthermore, ^B indicating His own authority, that He was not to be crucified as a slave and one inferior to the Father, but voluntarily, He says, "I will give my flesh for the life of the world." For although He is also said to have been delivered by the Father, yet He is also said to have delivered Himself: the former, so that we may learn of His concord with the Father; but the latter, so that we may not be ignorant of the free will of the Son.

Attend, moreover, to the fact that the bread which is eaten by us in the mysteries is not merely a certain figure of the Lord's flesh, ^C but is the very flesh of the Lord. For He did not say, "The bread which I will give is a figure of my flesh," but, "is my flesh." For this bread is transformed by secret words, through the mystical blessing and the coming of the Holy Spirit, into the flesh of the Lord. And let it not disturb anyone that the bread is to be believed to be flesh. For even when the Lord was walking in the flesh and taking nourishment from bread, that bread which was eaten was changed into His body, and became similar to His holy flesh, and contributed to growth and sustenance according to the human manner. Therefore, even now, the bread is changed into the flesh of the Lord.

But how, one might ask, does it not appear as flesh to us, but as bread? So that we might not be disgusted by the eating. For if it had appeared as flesh, we would have been unfavorably disposed toward the communion. But now, the Lord condescending to our infirmity, the mystical food appears ^D to us such as that to which we are otherwise accustomed. But for the life of the world He gave His flesh to death; for by dying, He abolished death. Understand, moreover, by the "life of the world" also the resurrection. For the death of the Lord brought about the general resurrection for the whole human race. Perhaps, however, He also called the life in the sanctification and in beatitude the life of the world. For although not all have received the sanctification and life in the Spirit, the Lord

nonetheless gave Himself for the world, and insofar as it depended on Him, the world was saved and the whole of nature was sanctified, in that it received the power to overcome sin. And sin fled through the one man, our Lord Jesus Christ, just as also through the one man, Adam, it had fallen into sin.

VERS. 53-56. *Then the Jews disputed among themselves, saying: How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Jesus said to them: Amen, amen I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed.*

When the Jews heard about the eating of the Lord's flesh, they disbelieved. Therefore, they utter the word of disbelief: "How?" For when thoughts of disbelief enter into a soul, then "How?" also enters with them. For this reason, He Himself, wishing to show that this is not impossible, but even most necessary, and that it is not possible to have life in any other way, says: "Unless you eat my flesh," and so on. Thus, also, Nicodemus, out of disbelief, said: "How can a man enter into his mother's womb?" We ought, therefore, when we hear that unless we eat the flesh of the Son we do not have life, to maintain an unquestioning faith in the reception of the divine mysteries, and not seek "How?" For the sensual man—that is, he who follows human and ^B animal, or natural, reasoning—is not capable of the things that are above nature and spiritual. And so, he does not understand the spiritual eating of the Lord's flesh, of which those who do not partake will be deprived of eternal life, as they have not received Jesus who is the true Life. For it is not the flesh of a mere man that is eaten, but of God, and one able to deify, as it has been blended with the Godhead. This is also truly food, in that it does not last for a short time, nor does it perish like corruptible food, but is a source of eternal life. Similarly, the drink of the Lord's blood is truly drink, because it does not suffice for the thirst for a time, but keeps him who has drunk it forever free from thirst and without need; just as He also said to the Samaritan woman, that "He who drinks from the water that I shall give will never thirst." For whoever receives the grace of the Holy Spirit through the reception of the divine mysteries will neither suffer ^C intellectual famine nor endure thirst, such as the unbelievers do.

*He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abideth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father; so he that eateth me, the same also shall live by me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead.* ^D

^A He that eateth this bread shall live for ever. Here we learn the mystery of participation. For he who eats and drinks the flesh and blood of the Lord, remains in the Lord, and the Lord in him. For a strange and ineffable blending takes place, so that God is in us and we in God. Do you not hear a fearful saying? We do not eat bare God (for He is untouchable and incorporeal, and can be apprehended neither by eyes nor by teeth), nor again the flesh of a mere man (for that can profit nothing); but because God has united to Himself the flesh in an ineffable mixing, the flesh is life-giving, not that it has passed into the nature of God—God forbid!—but according to the likeness of glowing iron, which remains iron and yet shows the operation of fire: thus, therefore, the Lord’s flesh, remaining flesh, is life-giving, as the flesh of the Word of God. Just as, He says, I live because of the Father, that is, as born from the Father, who is Life, so he that eateth me, shall live because of me, being mixed, as it were, and trans-elemented into me, who have the power to bestow life. But when you hear, "I live," do not think that He lives by participation in life—for in that case God would be called a living being; but He is not. For God is neither called a living being, nor will life be called a created thing. ^B He repeatedly turns the words, "Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness," up and down, to persuade his hearers that if it were possible for men to be fed for forty years without harvest and seed, and for their life to be preserved, much more will the Lord now preserve our life, which is intellectual, with a better bread, His own flesh which was constituted without the seed of a man from a virginal earth. He makes mention of life everywhere, and brings forward this name frequently, because nothing is so sweet to men as that thing. Therefore, you also can eat and drink the flesh and blood of the Master not only according to the mystical participation, but also in another way. For one eats the flesh when he walks the path of practice; for flesh is difficult to digest, just as the practical life is laborious. But he who is a contemplative drinks the blood, as wine that gladdens the heart; for contemplation is free from labor, indeed it is a rest from labors, and is likened to drink, because drink requires less labor than food.

VERS. 60-63

scandalize you all the more? Indeed, ^A his disciples, having heard him, said: "This is a hard saying; who can hear it?" What profit then is there in these words? Truly, very much and very great. For since they were constantly mindful of bodily food and were bringing forward the manna, he, showing them that all those things were types and shadows, but that the things now being spoken by him are the truth, says these things for this reason, and makes mention of spiritual food, that he might persuade them to rise up even slightly from sensible things, and to despise the types and shadows, and to run toward the truth. But they, being able to perceive nothing above sense, are neither improved, but rather fall away, and say: "This is a hard saying," that is, rough, unacceptable. For who, being carnal, is able to accept spiritual food, and bread coming down from heaven, and flesh being eaten? ^B But when you hear that his disciples fell away, do not understand those who are truly disciples, but those who were following him in the rank of disciples, and were appearing only in outward form as being taught by him. For indeed, there were some among the disciples who, when compared to the crowd, were called his disciples (for they remained with him for a longer time than the crowds), but when compared to his true disciples, were of no account, because they believed in him only for a time, and with, if I may so speak, a cold warmth. See, however, their foolishness. For they ought to have asked and learned the things they did not know; but they fall away, and understand nothing spiritually, but interpret everything according to what appears on the surface. For because they heard "flesh," they imagined that he was compelling them to become eaters of flesh and drinkers of blood. But we, who understand spiritually, are neither eaters of flesh, and rather we are sanctified through such food. ^C Wishing, however, to show them that, just as God, nothing escapes his notice of what is in their hearts, he says: "Does this scandalize you? What then if you should see me, whom you see as the Son of Man, ascending into heaven, where I was before as God?" For the very same person ascends as man, where he was before as God. He said this, however, that he might lead them away from the opinion that they had, that he was the son of Joseph. For he who believes that he was in heaven before will certainly believe that he is not the son of Joseph, but of God; and from that point on he will be persuaded by the things said by him. But hearing that the Son of Man was in heaven before, do not think that the body descended from heaven (for this is the raving of Marcellus the heresiarch and of Apollinarius), but because one and the same was the Son of Man and God the Word, it is said, just as we said, that he ascends as man to where he was before as God. ^D "It is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you, they are spirit and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who were those who did not believe, and who he was who would betray him. Since, as we have often said, carnally...

^A taking what was said by Christ, they were offended, he says that, "To understand spiritually what is said by me, this is what profits; but the flesh," that is, to interpret them carnally, "profits nothing, but becomes an occasion of stumbling." Thus, indeed, they themselves, hearing carnally what was said by Christ, were offended. He adds, therefore, that "The words that I speak, they are spirit," that is, they are spiritual, "and they are life," having nothing carnal, and bringing forth eternal life. ^B And showing the dignity of his divinity—namely, to reveal what is hidden—he says to them, "There are some among you who do not believe." But by saying "some," he excepted the disciples. And the evangelist, wishing to show us that before the foundation of the world he knew all things, says that "Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that did not believe," and that he also knew the malice of the traitor; which is a proof of true divinity. For the prophet says concerning God, "Who knew all things before they came to pass."

VERS. 66-68. "And he said: Therefore I have said to you, that no man can come unto me, unless it be given him of my Father. From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then Jesus said to the twelve: Will you also go away?" We have often said that when you hear that the Father gives faith in the Son, ^C do not imagine that the Father benefits some by lot and others not; for this would be the act of one who is unjust. Rather, consider that the Father benefits those, and gives them the gift of faith, to whom their own choice and will cooperate. For he who is not assisted by his will, even if he is taken by God, does not perceive the benefit. What do I mean to say, by way of example? God gives to all, but some both receive and use well what is given, and by guarding it, they show the gift of God. Others, however, receive it, but lose the things given, so that they appear to have received nothing. When, therefore, the evangelist says, "Unless it be given to anyone by the Father, he cannot come to the Son," he means this: He comes to the Son to whom the Father will give it, that is, he by whom the gift made to him by God might be guarded. "Many of his disciples went back," that is, they separated themselves from the Master, ^D and did not advance forward, but went backward, that is, into unbelief. For in very truth, he who separates himself from Christ goes backward; but he who, according to Paul, cleaves to the Lord, always stretches himself to the things that are before. And he himself, showing that he stands in need of no one, nor of the service or care that they bestowed upon him, says to them: "Will you also go away?" Why, however, did he not rather praise the twelve, because they had not been driven away with the others? Partly because he was guarding the dignity, and who should make himself worthy of receiving it. "Many therefore went away," etc.

showing us that through this it is all the more possible to be drawn in, in the proper way. For if he had praised them, they might have suffered some human conceit and become more arrogant, thinking that they were doing him a favor by following him. But by showing that he does not need their company, he was able to hold them better, since they were receiving a benefit rather than bestowing one, and receiving grace rather than giving it. Consider, too, how prudently he spoke. For he did not say, "Go away"—for that would have been the act of one rejecting them—but he asked, "Do you want to go away?" By this word he gave them the freedom to follow or not, demonstrating that he does not want them to follow him out of respect, but with gratitude for the privilege of following.

^B V. 69-72. "Simon Peter answered him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' Jesus answered them, 'Did I not choose you, the twelve? And one of you is a devil?' He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot; for he was going to betray him, being one of the twelve." Peter, being a lover of the brethren, replies on behalf of the whole band. For he did not say, "Lord, to whom shall I go?" and "I have known and believed," but "To whom shall we go?" etc. He says the Lord has the words of eternal life because he had heard him say, "He who believes in me, I will raise him up, and he shall have eternal life." For they had already accepted the resurrection and the entire teaching. Thus, the words themselves were not what caused scandal, but the inattention, laziness, and ignorance of the hearers. For these twelve heard the same things, and yet they were not scandalized but remained. What then does Christ do? Does he praise Peter, as he does in another place? Not at all, so that it might not appear that he is flattering him because he remained with him. But what does he say to Peter? "I indeed chose you, the twelve, yet not all of you are worthy of the election, but one of you is a devil." This must be understood in two ways: either that "He is now slandering all my words and receives nothing of them," or "He is about to slander me." And indeed, Judas proved to be such a person, slandering ^C the Lord to the Jews and revealing his mysteries to them, just as David says about him: "He went out and spoke to the same effect." The Lord says these things to Peter to correct him. For since Peter had said, "And we have known and have believed," he says, "Do not think this. For you are not all faithful, nor have you all known me." See how the Lord, even from afar, is repelling and checking the malice of the traitor, saying these things while knowing that it would be of no benefit, yet doing what was his part; and he neither made him manifest to all, nor did he allow him to remain entirely hidden: the former, so that he would not become more shameless and contentious; the latter, so that he would not commit his crime with impunity, thinking it was hidden. Ex

also learn this, that God does not habitually make men better by coercion and some kind of force, nor does His election constrain our will when it is bad, so as to make it good. But election comes from God, who encourages us toward what is good and extends His goodness ^B to us; yet in our own mind and will lies the power to be saved and to walk worthily of that election, or the opposite. And marvel that the devil is so hostile that he was able to snatch away one of the twelve—those who raised the dead, performed miracles, and enjoyed the spiritual and life-giving teaching of the Lord. Where, then, is there any hope of salvation left for us, who from our youth have voluntarily enslaved ourselves to malice? Therefore, the evangelist also, as if in astonishment, said, "When he was one of the twelve." Although, he says, he was of that holy company, yet by his own evil will he was found unworthy. Thus, man is by his very nature a changeable animal. Henceforth, let the Manichaeans be dismissed. For we are not evil by nature, ^C otherwise iniquity would always be working in us. Now, however, Judas was not always evil, but there was a time when he was holy. Therefore, it is by the will that evils are both born and grow.

CAPUT VII. How Christ came secretly to the feast. Concerning the Jews wondering how Christ knew letters without having been taught. Concerning the division of the crowd regarding Christ. Concerning the ambiguity of the rulers and Nicodemus.

VERS. 1-5. "Jesus walked after these things in Galilee; for he would not walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him. Now the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was at hand. His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. For no man doeth anything in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou doest these things, show thyself to the world. For neither did his brethren believe in him."

He withdraws ^D because of the murderous Jews, not as one fearing death—for he was able to walk in their midst and suffer nothing—but because if he had always done such things, he would not have been believed to have become man, but would have been thought to be a phantom. Whence, now he withdraws, confirming that he is truly man and refuting all those who say he was incarnate only in appearance, as the Manichaeans, Marcion, and Basilides, and those like them say. At other times, however, when he was in the midst of those who were raging against him, he remained unharmed, and displayed his divinity, confounding Paul of Samosata and teaching all that he was not a mere man, but was also God. He withdraws into Galilee now. For since the time of the Passion had not yet arrived, he goes...

it was useless and superfluous for him to be in the midst of his enemies, and to be the cause of ever greater rage in them. ^A *And there was, he says, the Feast of Tabernacles.* It is worth speaking about the feasts that the Jews celebrated. For there were three: one was the Passover, which they kept as those who had crossed out of Egypt, and it was also the first among them; the second was Pentecost, which they celebrated as those who had been delivered from the evils in the wilderness, having entered into the land of promise, and having tasted for the first time the fruits of the grain-harvest; therefore, they offered sheaves on that feast as first-fruits. The third was the Feast of Tabernacles, which they celebrated as a thanksgiving for the gathering of the fruits in the month which the Romans call September. For then indeed they offered thanks to the Lord, having gathered all the fruits. Therefore they also set up tents, that is to say, huts, and as if living in the fields, they rejoiced. Hence some say that certain Davidic psalms, which have the inscription *For the wine-presses*, were composed by David for this feast. For then they were filling their wine-presses, treading the grapes, that is to say, and offering thanks for these things, and using psalms and other things for thanksgiving. Such is the eighth psalm. ^B Therefore, in it the prophet also makes mention of the good things given by God to man. These things also signified the following: the Passover, our passing over from unbelief to faith; Pentecost, the entry into the Church, as the other land of promise, when, that is to say, we also eat bread, partaking of the divine mysteries. For it is not the case that as soon as we believe and have crossed over from unbelief, we immediately eat of the bread; but it is necessary first to be baptized, and to become worthy to stand among those who have been baptized in the Church, and then to partake of the bread. But the Feast of Tabernacles signifies the resurrection, when the fruits of all our works are brought to completion, and our tabernacles, which have been destroyed through death, are built up again. There are also other, more divine accounts regarding these feasts, but this is not the time to speak of them; for we always choose what is more profitable for the many. ^C Being, therefore, the feast of the Jews called the Feast of Tabernacles, when his brothers saw him not preparing to go up, they—envying him—said: *Depart from here, and go there, so that your disciples also, that is to say, the crowds who follow you, may see what you do.* For he is not speaking of the twelve, but of those who followed him otherwise. Now his brothers, that is, the sons of Joseph, accuse him of two passions: cowardice and vainglory. Therefore they also say: *For there is no one who does anything in secret,* which belongs to cowardice, *and he himself seeks to be open*, which belongs to vainglory. *If you do these things, manifest yourself to the world,* they say. ^D Here, however, they hint that "we do not have a good opinion of the things done by you. For if you do these things as good works, manifest yourself; but if you hide yourself, it is evident that you are hiding because you are doing evil." For whose sake, during these five months, when the evangelist had narrated nothing else than this sign of the loaves and the Lord's discourse to those who ate, which those who were ungrateful later mocked, he passed on to other things

saying: “Now the Jews' feast of Tabernacles was at hand.” ^A For it is evident from this that he passed over in silence the works of five months. For when he performed the miracle of the loaves, it was Passover, which was celebrated in the month the Romans call March, which was the first month among them; but now it was the feast of Tabernacles, which takes place in our month of September. Why, then, did the evangelist do this? Because it was not possible to recount everything. Moreover, the evangelists were zealous to relate those things concerning which some reproach or contradiction on the part of the Jews followed. It is worth marveling at their truthfulness, and how they are not ashamed to relate those things which seem to bring a certain ignominy to the Master. ^B The evangelist, having passed quickly over many of the works and words of the Lord, narrates the unbelief of the brethren and all the things with which they reproached Him. But whence did they have such great unbelief? From their will and envy; for those who are kin are always wont to envy. Nevertheless, observe that those who were affected by such great unbelief toward Him before He was crucified, when they even saw Him glorious and doing miracles, after the cross and the apparent ignominy, testified for Him, having become apostles, and preachers, and bishops. Therefore they saw Him risen without contradiction. For they would not have exposed themselves for His sake had they not received certain and firm proof of His resurrection.

VERS. 6-8. • Jesus therefore says to them: “My time is not yet come, but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you, but me it hates, because I testify of it that its works are evil. You go up to this feast, I am not yet going up to this feast, because my time is not yet fulfilled.” ^C The brethren, envying the Lord, accuse Him of both cowardice and arrogance. But what does He say to them? Does He speak harshly? Not at all, but meekly. For He did not say, “Who are you, you who counsel and teach me such things?” But what does He say? “My time is not yet come,” that is, the time of the cross and death; “but your time is always ready.” For you, He says, even if you are ever with the Jews, they will not kill you, as you seek the same things as they; but me they will immediately desire to kill, if they see me having arrived at the feast. Or else it is to be understood in another way. For He who blesses those who mourn in this present age speaks things now, and things which can pertain to all the saints. For it is not, He says, a time of festivity for me, when I see all evil flourishing in the fullness of the Jews. For it is a time of mourning and lamentation, when truth is indeed opposed and the divine will is not kept. Therefore, for these reasons, it is not for me a time of festivity; ^D but you, inasmuch as you conspire with the Jews and are addicted to the world, it is no wonder if...

it is not foreign to you to celebrate with those who are like you. And the world cannot hate you, that is, those who mind the things of the world are—as has been stated—like unto them; but it hates me because I expose its works. For this becomes the cause of hatred: the exposure that speaks with boldness. He sends, therefore, his brothers to the feast, showing that he does not force them to stay with him if they do not wish to. Consider, too, that for the two charges which they brought against him—I mean cowardice and vainglory—he makes two replies. Against the cowardice, by saying that he exposes the works of the world, that is, of those who mind the things of the world; ^B for he would not expose them if he were a coward, as you suppose. And against the vainglory, by not compelling them to stay with him. For if he were guilty of the charge of vainglory, he would not have sent them away; since those who are vainglorious and arrogant are much more eager to have many followers. Since, then, they were reproaching him with these two things, he quite reasonably resisted both, showing their suspicion to be groundless. And the saying, "My time is not yet fully come," signifies that the time of death and the cross is not yet. For it is necessary for me still to live in the flesh, in order that I may perform more signs and set forth more teachings, as I might thereby prepare more crowds to believe and make the disciples stronger, both through the demonstration of more signs and through the teaching. "Not yet, therefore," he says, "has the time of death arrived, that I should throw myself to those who are raging against me." On this account, he did not even… ^C And, having said these things to them, he remained in Galilee. And when his brothers had gone up, then he also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. For what reason, after saying to his brothers, "I am not going up to the feast," does he go up again? He did not say unconditionally "I am not going up," but "Not now"; that is, "with you." At the beginning, he avoided the ascent, as the Jews were boiling with rage. After this, however, when the feast was about to end, he went up, when it was likely that their madness would also have abated. And in another way: he did not act contrary to what he said. For he did not go up to celebrate the feast, but to teach; and not with the cheerfulness which those who hold festivities use, but secretly. He hides himself in order to confirm his humanity. For if he had appeared, they would have been frantic against him, wishing to kill him. And he would not have suffered them to do this, since the time of the passion had not yet arrived; but by being in their midst, he would have escaped the passion, and would have seemed to be incarnate [only] in appearance. On this account he flees and withdraws as a man, doing what belonged to a man. ^D The Jews therefore were seeking him at the feast and saying, "Where is he?" And there was much murmuring concerning him in the crowds. Some were saying that he is good; others, however, were saying, "No, but he deceives the crowd." No one, however, spoke openly concerning him.

^A For the Jews do not even mention his name. For they do not say, "Where is Jesus?" but, "Where is that man?" So too were they opposed to his very name. Consider, moreover, how eager they were for slaughter, since they did not even spare the time of the feast, but wished to hunt him down during it; therefore they also kept seeking him. So little reverence did they manifest for the feast day, and such were their deeds. ^B There was, however, much murmuring concerning him in the crowds, since there were different opinions about him: the rulers, for their part, saying that "He deceives the crowd," while many were saying that "He is good." Now these who were saying that he is good were from the crowd. And that this is true is clear from the fact that the evangelist says no one dared to speak openly for fear of the Jews; for it is evident that those who did not dare to speak openly in his behalf, and kept silent, fearing the Jewish rulers, were from the crowd. Furthermore, the very statement that "He deceives the crowd" is a token that it was the rulers who were slandering him. For if they had been from the crowd, they would have said, "He deceives us." But now, as they say, "He deceives the crowd," they show that those saying these things are not from the crowd, but from among the rulers. Observe, however, how the ruling class is everywhere corrupted, while the subjects remain uncorrupted, save that they lacked a more manly spirit and remained immature, being unable to speak freely.

VERS. 14-16. But when the midst of the feast was already past, Jesus went up into the temple and was teaching. And the Jews were marveling, saying, "How does this man know letters, not having learned?" Jesus answered them and said, "My teaching is not mine, but of him who sent me."

using such words to slander his neighbor. For he says, "He has altogether stolen the garment." So too, therefore, the Jews [say]: "How does this man know letters?" [They say] that he has them ^A from Beelzebub. And yet, from this fact, they ought rather to have conjectured that this was not human. But because they did not wish to admit this, He replies to them, instructing them that this teaching is from the Father and God. "For nothing of mine is," He says, "nor do I speak from myself as an adversary to God, but whatever things are of the Father, these are also my words."

VERS. 17, 18. "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak from myself. He that speaketh from himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh the glory of him that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him." Having said that "My doctrine is not mine," that is, opposed to God, ^B "but is my Father’s," He says that if anyone shall do the will of God—that is, if anyone shall embrace virtue and not serve envy, nor be darkened by foolish envy against Me—he shall know the power of my words, whether I speak the things that are of the Father or some foreign and altered things. But he who searches the Scriptures and the prophets does the will of God. Such a man, therefore, is able to know concerning the Lord's teaching that it is from God. For the prophets do not introduce the Lord as an adversary to God and speaking from himself, but as both speaking and doing everything that is in accordance with God. Furthermore, He also adds another line of reasoning, saying: "He who speaks from himself," that is, he who wishes to establish his own doctrine, ^C does this for no other reason than that he may reap some vain glory from it. "But if I," He says, "do not wish to reap my own glory, but seek the glory of Him who sent me, for what reason would I wish to teach other things? I am therefore true, and there is no unrighteousness in me," that is: I do not snatch glory owed to another; for this would be injustice. And so my doctrine encompasses both truth and righteousness in itself. For it does not arise from arrogance, so as to contain both falsehood and injustice. For the arrogant man both lies, in that he says things about himself that are above his worth, and acts unjustly, in that he snatches glory that belongs to another and does not befit him. But the Lord, because He sought the things of the Father and said ^D nothing arrogantly about Himself, is altogether true and just. We have often said, and now we also say, that when the Lord seems to say certain humble things, it is not to be thought that He says these things because He is by nature less than the Father, but so that He might not be held as an adversary to God, and because of the weakness of the hearers, and because He was clothed with flesh, and so that He might teach us to be modest and to say nothing great about ourselves. But when He speaks lofty things and about His own glory, we must believe that He speaks these lofty things as one who is truly equal to the Father, because of the greatness of His own nature.

VERS. 19, 20. "Did not Moses give you the law? And none of

you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill me?" The crowd answered and said, "You have a demon; who seeks to kill you?" ^A This appears indeed, to one who does not consider it well, as if it does not hold together with what preceded, but to us who consider it well, it is highly consistent. For since they accused Him of breaking the Sabbath and violating the law, He stands against this, showing them to be rather the transgressors of the law. For the law says, "You shall not murder"; but you seek to kill. Thus, you are the ones breaking the law, not I. Therefore, ceasing to condemn yourselves, you accuse me as one who breaks the law, because I healed a man on the Sabbath. And He said, "None of you keeps the law," because all of those to whom He was speaking were seeking to kill Him. See, however, how He Himself speaks to them with a gentle voice; but they speak insultingly and with arrogance, saying, "You have a demon"—for by this they insult Him, thinking to terrify Him and to torment His soul with insults. He says, moreover, that Moses gave the law (although He Himself was the Lord of Moses and the Giver of the law) on account of the weakness and senselessness of the Jews. For how would they have endured hearing Him say, "Moses did not give you the law, but I, who am the Master and Lord of Moses and of the law"? ^B VERS. 21-24. "Jesus answered and said to them: I have done one work, and you all marvel because of this. Moses gave you circumcision, not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers; and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man. If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with me because I made a whole man whole on the Sabbath? Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment." By a certain syllogism He shows them that they labor in hatred of Him without cause, and says: "I have done one work" on the Sabbath, namely the healing of the paralytic, "and you all marvel because of this"—this is, you are troubled and in an uproar; although Moses himself, that legislator, broke the Sabbath by having commanded every soul to be circumcised on the eighth day. For it often happens that the eighth day, on which it is necessary for a boy to be circumcised, is the Sabbath day. And if the Sabbath was broken by Moses himself ^C on account of circumcision, and nothing prevented a man from being circumcised on the Sabbath day, and if that eighth day happens to be the Sabbath, the law concerning the rest of the Sabbath is broken so that the law of circumcision may not be broken. If these things are so, then, why are you angry and enraged at me because I healed a man entirely whole on the Sabbath? Although circumcision was not of Moses, but of the fathers; yet it, even though it is not of Moses, broke the law concerning the Sabbath which was given by Moses. And circumcision indeed, which causes pain, is not prohibited on the Sabbath; but I, having freed a man from pain and made him whole, am I accused? Do not judge according to appearance, ^D that is, just and without respect of persons, judge. Nor is Moses, who [broke the Sabbath] on account of circumcision, outside...

blame while you condemn me, and [that] while I broke the Sabbath for the benefit of man. For to hold Moses to be without blame on account of the dignity of his person, but to condemn me, who seem to be of no account, is clearly showing partiality.

^B “Then some of the Jerusalemites began to say: ‘Is this not the man whom they are trying to kill? And look, he speaks openly, and they say nothing to him. Have the rulers perhaps truly known that this is truly the Christ? But we know where this man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where he is from.’”

It is not simply and without cause that he adds, “Some of the Jerusalemites,” but to show that those who had enjoyed the greatest miracles were the most wretched of all. For how are they not wretched, for having seen a great sign of his divinity, they still possess a corrupt judgment? For they had a great sign, indeed, if they had wished [to see it]: that while they were unwilling and raging against him, he walked in their midst and suffered nothing from them. But they did not wish to recognize his power from this sign. And they doubt, saying: “Have the rulers perhaps known ^C that this is truly the Christ?” And they do not even remain in this opinion, but they reason that since no one knows where the Christ comes from, but we know where this man is from, therefore this man is not the Christ. And see the malice, how it contradicts itself! Their rulers, when asked by Herod, say that the Christ is to be born in Bethlehem of Judea; but these say that no one knows where the Christ is from. Do you see the contradiction? And again, in another place they say: “We know that God spoke to Moses; but as for this man, we do not know where he is from.” Do you see the words of men out of their ^D minds? “We know,” and, “We do not know.” What is equal to this madness? For they looked to only one thing: not to believe. Therefore, when it was to their advantage, they said, “We know”; but when it was not, they insisted, “We do not know.” Such is the contradiction of their malice.

Someone might ask: Moved by what do they say that when the Christ comes, no one knows where he is from? For they would not have spoken so openly against the scribes who were in the time of Herod, who said plainly that “he is born in Bethlehem of Judea,” and again against those who say that “the Christ comes from the village of Bethlehem,” unless they had some testimony from the Scriptures or firm traditions. What, then, is to be said? That both parties were saying these things from the prophets. For both those who said he was to be born in Bethlehem, and those who said he was to be of the city of David, were clearly [citing] the prophet

Micah, as Matthew also says: "And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel." And these same people who said that no one knows where the Christ comes from, had the prophets as witnesses to this very opinion; and Micah himself, saying: "His goings forth are from the beginning, from the days of eternity;" ^B which indicates his unknown going forth, that is, his birth. For no one among men could know him who has his goings forth, that is, his birth, "from the beginning" and "from the days of eternity." For men are in time, but he is from the days of eternity and from the beginning; and how can one who is under time know the eternal? But Isaiah also says: "And his generation who shall tell?" Persuaded by these things, therefore, they said that no one knows whence Christ is. For they did not indeed understand that the Lord Jesus is twofold: according to the birth in the flesh from the Virgin, it is known whence he is, namely that he was born in Bethlehem; but according to his incorporeal and ineffable birth, which is from the Father before all ages, his birth is above all speech. Therefore, those Jerusalemites confess that they know his birth in the flesh, and whence he is; but they do not confess the one before the ages, according to which no one knows whence Christ is. Therefore, not understanding that he is of twofold nature—of which the one was known, but the other was not—they say that he is not the Christ.

VERS. 28, 29. ^C Jesus therefore cried out in the temple, teaching, and saying: "You both know me, and you know whence I am; and I have not come of myself, but he who sent me is true, whom you do not know. But I know him, for I am from him, and he sent me." Since they said, "We know this man, whence he is," for no other reason than to show that he is from the earth and that he is the son of a carpenter, for this reason he leads them back to heaven, saying: "And you know me, and you know whence I am;" that is, even if you are silent because of your malice, yet you know whence I am, that it is from heaven. For since my Father is from there, it is manifest that I also am from there, and that I was sent by him, who is true. But because he is true, therefore I also am certainly true and not a liar. For the true one would not have wished to send an impostor and a liar. ^D Yet this one who sent me, you indeed do not know, but you are ignorant with an ignorance that comes through works. For as Paul says, there is ignorance in knowledge: "They profess to know God, but by their works they deny him." You also, therefore, O Jews, do not know my Father because of your evil works and most wicked disposition. "But I know him." For neither an evil disposition nor works displeasing to him hinder me from knowing him. "For I am from him," that is, from him, not from another substance, nor alien to him, "and he sent me." See also here the two natures of Christ being shown: for by that which is said, "I am from him," sub-

^A His divine substance is declared; but when he says, "He sent me," the human is declared; for by his human nature he is called sent, and even a servant, he who is the Son of God.

VERS. 30, 31. "They sought therefore to apprehend him, and no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come. Many of the multitude believed in him, and said, When Christ cometh, shall he do more signs than these which this man hath done?" ^B The evangelist, showing that they were invisibly restrained, and that he suffered willingly and not from inability, says: "They sought to apprehend him, and no man laid hands on him." But as to that which he said, "His hour was not yet come," it does not mean that he was subject to the times, but that he does all things at a seasonable time and at the hour that is convenient. For when he judged that his suffering was timely, that is to say, at a fitting and suitable hour, then he gave himself over to those who were to crucify him. For he does and orders all things at seasons that are ^C opportune and accommodating. As, for instance, it was necessary for the law to be given, but at a seasonable time; and likewise the prophets, and the Gospel. Therefore the mention of the hour shows the manifest prudence and wisdom of the Saviour. "And many believed in him, saying: When Christ cometh, will he do more signs than these which this man hath done?" They speak concerning the wine at Cana of Galilee, the nobleman's son, the paralytic, the loaves, and in sum of all the others, of which the evangelists have not even made mention by name because of the multitude of them. Yet when you hear that many believed, know that their faith was not exact, but such as it is ^D likely to be in the vulgar multitude, shifting its opinion from time to time.

VERS. 32-36. "The Pharisees heard the people murmuring these things concerning him: and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent ministers to apprehend him. Jesus therefore said to them: Yet a little while I am with you, and I go to him that sent me. You shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither you cannot come. The Jews therefore said among themselves: Whither will this man go, that we shall not find him? Will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles? What is this saying that he hath said, You shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither you cannot come?" By the things at which the crowd was murmuring, he manifested that they had a milder disposition and a certain partial faith toward the Lord, and that they wished to be separated from the rulers; perceiving which, the latter sent to apprehend him, for this reason alone, that he was believed to be Christ. They sent, but did not come themselves, fearing the crowd, lest there should be any riot; and therefore they send officers, drawing themselves aside from the danger that might perhaps occur, and exposing those others to the fury of the crowd; thus in every way they sought their own interest. But the Lord speaks words full of humility: "Yet a little while I am with you." Why, he says, do you hasten for me to depart? Why do you persecute me? Wait but a little time, and even if you do not desire it,

I shall be caught away. ^A Observe also the saying, "I am with you"; that is, even if you persecute, even if you drive me away, I am with you; meaning, I am managing those things which are for your benefit, and I am speaking those things which tend toward salvation. "And I go to Him who sent me." Here he also strikes fear into them, as being those about to offend against Him who sent Him. For those who dishonor Him who has been sent, it is manifest that they also offend against Him who sent Him. By saying "I go," he signified the voluntary nature of his death. ^B And by pointing out that his death is not such as is the common one, he says, "Where I go, you cannot come." For if his death were common and similar to that of many, and he were to remain in death, he would not have said, "You cannot come"; for we all go to the common death. Therefore, wishing to show what I was saying, that his death is not such as common death is, he says, "Where I go, you cannot come." And furthermore, by saying, "You will seek me, and will not find me," he shows that he will be desirable to them. But when did they seek him? Luke said that "many women were weeping for him." It is also likely that many others suffered this, but even when the city was being taken, they remembered Christ and his miracles, and sought his presence. He said all these things, wishing to win them over and soothe them. For when their ministers came, wishing to seize him, he shows that he knows the cause of their arrival, and that they wish to kill him. ^C Therefore he foretells his own death to them, that it is but a little while, and he goes to the Father. And to foretell his death is a great and non-human thing. Therefore also David says, "Make known to me, O Lord, my end." The Jews, however, were saying, "Is he about to go into the dispersion of the Greeks?" Observe how they suffered something, and were softened toward the things said by him; this is clear from their asking, "Is he about to go into the dispersion of the Greeks?" For if this were not so, they would have said: Do you wish to depart? We pray for this, this will be pleasing to us. Now, however, they say nothing of the sort, but as if grieving lest they be deprived of him, they ask where he is about to go. This is also manifest from the fact that they say he is about to go to the Greeks and to teach them. ^D For they did not say, "He is about to deceive them," but "to teach." Now, they called the heathens the "dispersion," as being dispersed in every place. For the Jews of old did not mingle with them, but were gathered in one place, in Palestine, and they used to reproach the heathens as being dispersed everywhere; which later turned back upon themselves; for the Hebrews themselves have become a "dispersion."

VERS. 37, 38. "In the last, great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying: If anyone thirst, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the Scripture said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." The first day of the feast and this last one—

or the seventh, they called "great," seeing that the Law also called the seventh day of the feast a holy convocation. ^B Following this usage, the evangelist calls the last day "great." It is with good reason, therefore, that on the last day he speaks to the crowds, giving them as it were provisions for those about to depart for home. For it would have been untimely to converse with those who, in the middle days, were given over to pleasure; for they would not have paid attention. Jesus cried out, partly so that He might be heard more clearly, and partly to manifest His boldness in speaking and that He feared no one. What then does He say? "He who believes in me, as the Scripture said"—here one must make a stop, and then a new beginning must be made: "Rivers shall flow out of his belly." For since many were believing because of the signs, He shows that one should not believe so much because of the signs as because of the Scriptures (for right faith comes from the Scriptures); for this reason He says, "He who believes in me, as the Scripture said," that is, as the Scripture bears witness about me, that I am the Son of God, that I am the Creator, that I am the Lord of all, that I am the Savior of the world. For many supposed they believed, but not as the Scripture said, but rather followed their own heresies; such are all heretics. He said that rivers would flow from the belly of one who believes in this way, calling the heart "belly" metaphorically, ^C just as David also says: "And thy law in the midst of my belly," that is, of my heart. He said "rivers" flow, and not a "river" of living water, hinting at the abundant grace and lavishness of the Spirit. For such is the Spirit, that into whatever soul He enters, and in whomsoever He dwells, He makes it gush forth more abundantly than any fountain. And one may learn how rivers flow out of the belly of the believer according to the Scriptures, if one considers the tongue of Peter, and the impetus of Paul, and the wisdom of Stephen; nothing escaped them when they spoke, but all were carried away as if swept along by the currents of certain rivers of irresistible force.

"This he said about the Spirit, which those who were believing in him were about to receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet, because Jesus was not yet glorified." The evangelist, interpreting what the rivers of living water are, says that "This he said about the Spirit, which those who were believing were about to receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet, he says." But here one might ask: How does the evangelist say that the Holy Spirit was not yet—given, clearly? And did not the prophets speak by the Spirit? And how then did the apostles perform healings? We say, then, that the prophets did indeed speak by the Spirit, but this grace had been constricted and had withdrawn from the earth. So even if it was active in the times of the prophets, at that time, due to the unworthiness of the people—when, I say, Christ was walking in the flesh—prophecy was not present, nor did that grace look upon their holy things and the temple. Since, therefore, at that time there was no operation of the Spirit, but it was destined to be given, for this reason he says, ^D

^A that "The Holy Spirit was not yet given," that is, was not yet moving among the Jews, nor appearing through operations. But the apostles were performing miracles not in the Spirit, but in the power of the Lord. For hear also what the Gospel says: that when He was about to send them, He gave them power, but not the Holy Spirit. So that whatever miraculous things they did, they did not by the Spirit, but by the power and name of the Lord. When, however, He had risen from the sepulcher, then He said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit," and at Pentecost the Holy Spirit came upon them. Otherwise, even if the power of the Spirit was in the prophets, and in the apostles before the cross, yet it was not so, as it was after the assumption, bountiful, that is, and abundant, so as to be compared to rivers. And so the evangelist rightly said that the Holy Spirit had not yet been given, that is, had not yet been poured forth as bountifully as it was later; for even before the cross it was given indeed, but not so bountifully. ^B "For Jesus was not yet glorified," the evangelist calling the cross glory in this place. For by the cross He cast down the tyrant, and He reigned. Since, therefore, the cross was not yet fixed, nor sin abolished, nor our nature in Christ victorious over the world and reconciled to God, it is correctly said that the bountiful gift of the Spirit was not given. For it behooved us first to become friends of God, which was consummated by the cross, and then thus to receive the gift of God; just as also in worldly matters, first someone becomes a friend of the king, and then receives gifts. Thanks, therefore, to God, who has bestowed upon us such a benefit, as much as not even to the prophets. For the prophets indeed had the grace of the Spirit, but they did not impart it to others; but the apostles filled myriads. ^C

VERS. 40-43. "Many of the crowd therefore, when they heard this discourse, said: This is truly the prophet. Others said: This is Christ. But some said: Does Christ come from Galilee? Does not the Scripture say that from the seed of David, and from the village of Bethlehem, where David was, Christ comes? There arose therefore a dissension in the crowd because of Him." ^D Stung by the freedom of the words, some of the crowd—not of the rulers (for the rulers always resisted because of envy)—confess that "This is the prophet," the one who was expected. Others, however, being like an ignorant and inconsiderate crowd, said that "He is the Christ," not understanding that He is the same, and not one person the Christ and another the prophet. But the more ungrateful ones say, "Does Christ come from Galilee? But from Bethlehem and from the seed of David." They said this, however, with a wicked mind, and not like Nathanael. For he, as one learned in the law and accurate, said, "Can anything good be from Nazareth?" Therefore also the Lord praises him, as not deceitful, but saying this rather out of zeal for the law. These, however, say this deceitfully.

^A For they seem to know indeed that Jesus is from Bethlehem, even if he were raised in Galilee; but out of envy they were unwilling to acknowledge the birth from Bethlehem, and instead called him a Galilean. But suppose they were ignorant that he was from Bethlehem: how could they have doubted that he was of the seed of David? For was it not manifest that Mary drew her lineage from David? From this, therefore, it is clear that they were speaking maliciously. A dissension then arose in the crowd, not among the rulers. For the rulers were of one mind, not to receive him as the Christ. ^B

VERS. 44-46. "And some of them wanted to apprehend him, but no one laid hands upon him. The ministers therefore came to the high priests and Pharisees; and they said to them, 'Why did you not bring him?' The ministers answered, 'Never has a man spoken as this man speaks.'" Those who were of less malice were adversaries to the glory of Christ only in their words; but those who were more shameless even wanted to lay hands upon him. Nevertheless, they were invisibly bound, the divine power restraining them; and not even by this miracle were they pricked to the heart. Truly David said of these, "They were divided, and were not pricked." But let us see what these ministers, who were sent to bring him, answered to the Pharisees, as they were very sound of mind. For the Pharisees, who seemed to be both wiser and to read the Scriptures—and who were seeing miracles—raved against the Lord and questioned them in the manner of robbers: "Why did you not bring him?" But they, even without signs, were persuaded by his teaching alone; so apt were they for what is good. And that they were captivated not by signs, but by his words—which is a greater thing—is evident from this: for they did not say, "Never has a man performed such a miracle," but, "So has he spoken." So disposed and eager were they to receive the word of salvation. But one must admire not only their wisdom, but also their boldness. For they did not fear the anger of the Pharisees, nor, as servants who had been sent, did they say what was pleasing to their rulers, but instead they testified to the truth. ^C It behooves all those who follow rulers to imitate these ministers, and not to obey them in those things in which they might unjustly command, just as happened in the case of Saul. For when he commanded the priests of God to be put to death unlawfully, those standing by him did not obey him to do it.

VERS. 47-51. "The Pharisees therefore answered them, 'Are you also led astray? Has any of the rulers believed in him, or of the Pharisees? But this crowd, which does not know the law, is cursed.' Nicodemus says to them, he who had come to him by night, who was one of their number: 'Does our law judge a man unless it first hears from him, and knows what he is doing?'" For what reason do the Pharisees speak to the ministers not wrathfully, but ^D gently, placidly

^A saying, "Are you also deceived?" Because they were afraid lest they too should be completely torn away and follow Christ. Therefore, they address them more mildly and flatteringly: "Are you also," they say, "who are supposedly wiser than the others, and who remain steadfast with us, the teachers of the law, 'deceived?'" They attempt to persuade them, moreover, with a very foolish argument. For they say, "Has any one of the rulers believed in Him?" And yet, whose crime is this? Christ's, or those who did not believe? For certainly those who did not believe are the ones to be condemned. They pronounce the crowd accursed because it believed, while they themselves are worthy of countless curses, inasmuch as they are incredulous and the authors of incredulity in others. ^B For what reason, then, does the evangelist note concerning Nicodemus that he came to Jesus by night, and that he was one of them? To show that they are liars. For since they had said, "Has any of the rulers believed in Him?" he demonstrates that in this, too, they lie. For behold, Nicodemus, being a ruler and one of them, believed in Christ. How, then, does Nicodemus speak to them? "Does our law," he says, "judge a man unless it first hears from him?" He shows, therefore, from this, that they neither knew the law nor did the things that were of the law, even though they boasted much about the law. For the law indeed commands that no one be killed without being condemned; these men, however, rush to the slaughter of Him who has not been heard. Whence, they are manifest transgressors of the law. By saying, therefore, "and knows what He is doing," he shows that one ought not to hear perfunctorily, but perfectly and diligently, so that it may be known what ought to be done, and that one should not be condemned so ignorantly.