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ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

HOMILIES 33-48 ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN

[The Oxford Translation Edited by Rev. Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D.]


HOMILY XXXIII: JOHN iv. 21, 22.

"Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe Me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither 
in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know 
not what; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews."

    [1.] EVERYWHERE, beloved, we have need of faith, faith the mother of 
blessings, the medicine of salvation; and without this it is impossible to 
possess any one of the great doctrines. Without this, men are like to those who 
attempt to cross(2) the open sea without a ship, who for a little way hold out by 
swimming, using both hands and feet, but when they have advanced farther, are 
quickly swamped by the waves: in like manner they who use their own reasonings, 
before they have learnt anything, suffer shipwreck; as also Paul saith, "Who 
concerning faith have made shipwreck." (1 Tim. i. 19.) That this be not our case, 
let us hold fast the sacred anchor by which Christ bringeth over the Samaritan 
woman now. For when she had said, "How say yea that Jerusalem is the place in 
which men ought to worship?" Christ replied, "Believe Me, woman, that the hour 
cometh, when ye shall neither in Jerusalem, nor yet in this mountain, worship the 
Father." An exceedingly great(4) doctrine He revealed to her, and one which He 
did not mention either to Nicodemus or Nathanael. She was eager to prove her own 
privileges more honorable than those of the Jews; and this she subtly argued from 
the Fathers, but Christ met not this question. For it was for the time 
distracting(5) to speak on the matter, and to show why the Fathers worshiped in 
the mountain, and why the Jews at Jerusalem. Wherefore on this point He was 
silent, and having taken away from both places priority in dignity, rouses her 
soul by showing that neither Jews nor Samaritans possessed anything great in 
comparison with that which was to be given; and then He introduceth the 
difference. Yet even thus He declared that the Jews were more honorable, not 
preferring place to place, but giving them the precedence because of their 
intention. As though He had said, "About the 'place' of worship ye have no need 
henceforth to dispute, but in the 'manner' the Jews have an advantage over you 
Samaritans, for 'ye,' He saith, 'worship ye know not what; we know what we 
worship.'"

    How then did the Samaritans "know not" what they worshiped? Because they 
thought that God was local and partial; so at least they served Him, and so they 
sent to the Persians, and reported that "the God of this place is wroth with us" 
(2 Kings xxvi.), in this respect forming no higher opinion of Him than of their 
idols. Wherefore they continued to serve both Him and devils, joining things 
which ought not to be joined. The Jews, on the contrary, were free from this 
supposition, at least the greater part of them, and knew that He was God of the 
world. Therefore He saith, "Ye worship ye know not what; we know what we 
worship." Do not wonder that He numbereth Himself among Jews, for He speaketh to 
the woman's opinion of Him as though He were a Jewish Prophet, and therefore He 
putteth, "we worship." For that He is of the objects of worship is clear to every 
one, because to worship belongs to the creature, but to be worshiped to the Lord 
of the creature. But for a time He speaketh as a Jew; and the expression "we" in 
this place meaneth "we Jews." Having then exalted what was Jewish, He next maketh 
Himself credible, and persuadeth the woman to give the greater heed to His words, 
by rendering His discourse above suspicion, and showing that He doth not exalt 
what belongs to them by reason of relationship(6) to those of His own tribe. For 
it is clear, that one who had made these declarations concerning the place on 
which the Jews most prided themselves, and thought that they were superior to 
all, and who had taken away their high claims, would not after this(7) speak to 
get favor of any, but with truth and prophetic power. When therefore He had for a 
while removed her from such reasonings,(8) say-

ing, "Woman, believe Me," and what follows, then He addeth, "for salvation is of 
the Jews." What He saith is of this kind: neither, that blessings to the world 
came from them, (for to know God and condemn idols had its beginning, from them, 
and with you the very act of worship, although ye do it not rightly, yet received 
its origin from them,) or else, He speaketh of His own Coming. Or rather, one 
would not be wrong in calling both these things "salvation" which He said was "of 
the Jews"; which Paul implied when he said, "Of whom is Christ according to the 
flesh, who is God over all." (Rom. ix. 5.) Seest thou how He commendeth(1) the 
old Covenant, and showeth that it is the root of blessings, and that He is 
throughout not opposed to the Law, since He maketh the groundwork(2) of all good 
things to come from the Jews?

    Ver. 23. "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall 
worship the Father."

    "We, O woman," He saith, "excel you in the manner of our worship, but even 
this shall henceforth have an end. Not the places only, but even the manner of 
serving God shall be changed. And this change is at your very doors. 'For the 
hour cometh, and now is.'"

    [2.] For since what the Prophets said they said long before the event, to 
show that here it is not so,(3) He saith, "And now is." Think not, He saith, that 
this is a prophecy of such a kind as shall be accomplished after a long time, the 
fulfillment is already at hand and at your very doors, "when the true worshipers 
shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth." In saying "true,"(4) He 
excludeth Jews as well as Samaritans; for although the Jews be better than the 
Samaritans, yet are they far inferior to those that shall come, as inferior as is 
the type to the reality. But He speaketh of the Church, that she(5) is the "true" 
worship, and such as is meet for God.

    "For the Father seeketh such to worship Him."

    If then He in times past sought such as these, He allowed to those others 
their way of worship, not willingly,(6) but from condescension, and for this 
reason,(7) that He might bring them in also. Who then are "the true worshipers"? 
Those who confine not their service by place, and who serve God in spirit; as 
Paul saith, "Whom I serve in my spirits in the Gospel of His Son": and again, "I 
beseech you that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, acceptable unto God, 
your reasonable service." (Rom. i. 9 and xii. 1.) But when he saith,

    Ver. 24. "God is a Spirit" [God is spirit]. He declareth nothing else than 
His incorporeal Nature. Now the service of that which is incorporeal must needs 
be of the same character, and must be offered by that in us which is incorporeal, 
to wit, the soul, and purity of mind. Wherefore He saith, "they that worship Him, 
must worship Him in spirit and in truth." For because both Samaritans and Jews 
were careless about the soul, but took great pains about the body, cleansing it 
in divers ways, it is not, He saith, by purity of body, but by that which is 
incorporeal in us, namely the mind, that the incorporeal One is served. Sacrifice 
then not sheep and calves, but dedicate thyself to the Lord; make thyself a 
holocaust, this is to offer a living sacrifice. Ye must worship "in truth "(9); 
as former things were types, such as circumcision, and whole burnt offerings, and 
victims, and incense, they now no longer exist, but all is "truth." For a man 
must now circumcise not his flesh, but his evil thoughts, and crucify himself, 
and remove and slay his unreasonable desires." The woman was made dizzy by His 
discourse, and fainted in at the sublimity of what He said, and, in her trouble, 
hear what she saith:

    Ver. 25, 26. "I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when He is 
come, He will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I am that speak unto 
thee."

    And whence came the Samaritans to expect the coming of Christ, seeing that 
they received Moses only?(11) From the writings of Moses themselves. For even in 
the beginning He revealed the Son. "Let Us make man in Our Image, after Our 
Likeness" (Gen. i. 26), was said to the Son. It was He who talked with Abraham in 
the tent. (Gen. xviii.) And Jacob prophesying concerning Him said, "A ruler shall 
not fail from Judah, nor a leader from his thighs, until He come for whom it is 
reserved,(12) and He is the expectation of nations." (Gen. xviii.) And Moses 
himself saith, "The Lord thy God will raise up unto you a Prophet of your 
brethren like unto me, unto Him shall ye hearken." (Deut. xviii. 15.) And the 
circumstances attending the serpent, and the rod of Moses, and Isaac, and the 
sheep, and many other things they who chose might select as proclaiming His 
coming.

    "And why, pray," saith one, "did not Christ lead on the woman by these means? 
why did He instance the serpent to Nicodemus, and mention prophecy to Nathanael, 
but to her say nothing of the kind? For what reason, and why?" Because they were 
men, and were versed in these things, she a poor ignorant woman unpracticed in 
the Scriptures. Wherefore He doth not speak to her from them, but draweth her on 
by the "water" and by prophecy, and bringeth her to make mention of Christ and 
then revealeth Himself; which had He at first told the woman when she had not 
questioned Him, He would have seemed to her to trifle and talk idly, while as it 
is by bringing her little by little to mention Him, at a fitting time He revealed 
Himself. To the Jews, who continually said, "How long dost Thou make us to doubt? 
tell us if Thou art the Christ" (c. x. 24), to them(1) He gave no clear answer, 
but to this woman He said plainly, that HE IS. For the woman was more fair-minded 
than the Jews; they did not enquire to learn, but always to mock at Him, for had 
they desired to learn, the teaching which was by His words, and by the 
Scriptures, and by His miracles would have been sufficient. The woman, on the 
contrary, said what she said from an impartial judgment and a simple mind, as is 
plain from what she did afterwards; for she both heard and believed, and 
netted(2) others also, and in every circumstance we may observe the carefulness 
and faith of the woman.

    Ver. 27. "And upon this came His disciples," (very seasonably did they come 
when the teaching was finished,) "and marveled that He talked with the woman, yet 
no man said, What seekest Thou? or, Why talkest Thou with her?"

    [3.] At what did they marvel? At His want of pride and exceeding humility, 
that looked upon as He was, He endured with such lowliness of heart to talk with 
a woman poor, and a Samaritan. Still in their amazement the); did not ask Him the 
reason, so well were they taught to keep the station of disciples, so much did 
they fear and reverence Him. For although they did not as yet hold the right 
opinion concerning Him, still they gave heed unto Him as to some marvelous one, 
and paid Him much respect. Yet they frequently are seen to act confidently; as 
when John lay upon His bosom, when they came to Him and said, "Who is the 
greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?" (Matt. xviii. 1), when the sons of Zebedee 
entreated Him to set one of them on His right hand, and the other on His left. 
Why then did they not here question Him? Because since all those instances 
related to themselves, they had need to enquire into them, while what here took 
place was of no such great importance to them. And indeed John did that a long 
time after towards the very end, when He enjoyed greater confidence, and was bold 
in the love of Christ; for he it was,(3) he saith, "whom Jesus loved." What could 
equal such blessedness?

    But, beloved, let us not stop at this, the calling the Apostle blessed, but 
let us do all things that we also may be of the blessed, let us imitate the 
Evangelist, and see what it was that caused such great love. What then was it? He 
left his father, his ship, and his net, and followed Jesus. Yet this he did in 
common with his brother, and Peter, and Andrew, and the rest of the Apostles. 
What then was the special(4) thing which caused this great love? Shall we 
discover it? He saith nothing of this kind about himself, but only that he was 
beloved; as to the righteous acts for which he was beloved he has modestly been 
silent. That Jesus loved him with an especial love was clear to every one; yet 
John doth not appear conversing with or questioning Jesus privately, as Peter 
often did, and Philip, and Judas, and Thomas, except only when he desired to show 
kindness and compliance to his fellow Apostle; for when the chief(5) of the 
Apostles by beckoning constrained him, then he asked. For these two had great 
love each for the other. Thus, for instance, they are seen going up together into 
the Temple and speaking in common to the people. Yet Peter in many places(6) is 
moved, and speaks more warmly than John. And at the end he hears Christ say, 
"Peter,(7) lovest thou Me more than these?" (c. xxi. 15.) Now it is clear that he 
who loved "more than these" was also beloved. But this in his case was shown by 
loving Jesus, in the case of the other by being beloved by Jesus(8)

    What then was it which caused this especial love? To my thinking, it was that 
the man displayed great gentleness and meekness, for which reason he doth not 
appear in many places speaking openly. And how great a thing this is, is plain 
also from the case of Moses. It was this which made him such and so great as he 
was. There is nothing equal to lowliness of mind. For which cause Jesus with this 
began the Beatitudes, and when about to lay as it were the foundation and base of 
a mighty building, He placed first lowliness of mind. Without this a man cannot 
possibly be saved; though he fast, though he pray, though he give alms, if it be 
with a proud spirit, theses things are abominable, if humility be not there; 
while if it be, all these things are amiable and lovely, and are done with 
safety. Let us then be modest,(1) beloved, let us be modest; success is easy, if 
we be sober-minded. For after all what is it, O man, that exciteth thee to pride? 
Seest thou not the poverty of thy nature? the unsteadiness(2) of thy will? 
Consider thine end, consider the multitude of thy sins. But perhaps because thou 
doest many righteous deeds thou art proud. By that very pride thou shall undo 
them all. Wherefore it behoveth not so much him that has sinned a as him that 
doeth righteousness to take pains to be humble. Why so? Because the sinner is 
constrained by conscience, while the other, except he be very sober, soon caught 
up as by a blast of wind is lifted on high, and made to vanish like the Pharisee. 
Dost thou give to the poor? What thou givest is not thine, but thy Master's, 
common to thee and thy fellow- servants. For which cause thou oughtest especially 
to be humbled, in the calamities of those who are thy kindred foreseeing thine 
own, and taking knowledge of thine own nature in their cases. We ourselves 
perhaps are sprung from such ancestors; and if wealth has shifted to you, it is 
probable that it will leave you again. And after all, what is wealth? A vain(5) 
shadow, dissolving smoke, a flower of the grass, or rather something meaner than 
a flower. Why then art thou high-minded over grass? Doth not wealth fall to 
thieves, and effeminates, and harlots, and tomb-breakers? Doth this puff thee up, 
that thou hast such as these to share in thy possession? or dost thou desire 
honor? Towards gaining honor nothing is more serviceable than almsgiving. For the 
honors arising from wealth and power are compulsory, and attended with hatred, 
but these others are from the free wilt and real feeling of the honorers; and 
therefore those who pay them can never give them. Now if men show such reverence 
for the merciful, and invoke all blessings upon them, consider what return, what 
recompense they shall receive from the merciful God. Let us then seek this wealth 
which endureth forever, and never deserts(6) us, that, becoming great here and 
glorious there, we may obtain everlasting blessings, through the grace and 
lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father and the Holy 
Spirit be glory, now and ever, and world without end. Amen.


HOMILY XXXIV: JOHN iv. 28, 29.

"The woman then left her water pot, and went her way into the city, and saith to 
the men, Come, see a Man which told me all things that ever I did; is not this 
the Christ?"

    [1.] WE require much fervor and uproused zeal, for without these it is 
impossible to obtain the blessings promised to us. And to show this, Christ at 
one time saith, "Except a man take(4) up his cross and follow Me, he is not 
worthy of Me" (Matt. x. 38); at another, "I am come to send fire upon the earth, 
and what will I if it be already kindled?" (Luke xii. 49); by both these desiring 
to represent to us a disciple full of heat and fire, and prepared for every 
danger. Such an one was this woman. For so kindled was she by His words, that she 
left her water pot and the purpose for which she came, ran into the city, and 
drew all the people to Jesus. "Come," she saith, "see a Man which told me all 
things that ever I did."

    Observe her zeal and wisdom. She came to draw water, and when she had lighted 
upon the true Well, she after that despised the material one; teaching us even by 
this trifling instance when we are listening to spiritual matters to overlook the 
things of this life, and make no account of them. For what the Apostles did, 
that, after her ability, did this woman also.(7) They when they were called, left 
their nets; she of her own accord, without the command of any, leaves her water 
pot, and winged by joy(8) performs the office of Evangelists. And she calls not 
one or two, as did Andrew and Philip, but having aroused a whole city and people, 
so brought them to Him.

    Observe too how prudently she speaks; she said not, "Come and see the 
Christ," but with the same condescension(9) by which Christ had netted her she 
draws the men to Him; "Come," she saith, "see a Man who told me all that ever I 
did." She was not ashamed to say that He "told me all that ever I did." Yet she 
might have spoken otherwise, "Come, see one that prophesieth"; but when the soul 
is inflamed with holy fire, it looks then to nothing earthly, neither to glory 
nor to shame, but belongs to one thing alone, the flame which occupieth it.

    "Is not this the Christ?" Observe again here the great wisdom of the woman; 
she neither declared the fact plainly, nor was she silent, for she desired not to 
bring them in by her own assertion, but to make them to share in this opinion by 
hearing Him; which rendered her words more readily acceptable to them. Yet He had 
not told all her life to her, only from what had been said she was persuaded 
(that He was informed) as to the rest. Nor did she say, "Come, believe," but, 
"Come, see".; a gentler(1) expression than the other, and one which more 
attracted them. Seest thou the wisdom of the woman? She knew, she knew certainly 
that having but tasted that Well, they would be affected in the same manner as 
herself. Yet any one of the grosser sort would have concealed the reproof which 
Jesus had given; but she parades her own life, and brings it forward before all 
men, so as to attract and capture all.

    Ver. 31. "In the mean time His disciples asked(2) Him, saying, Master, eat." 
"Asked," here is "besought," in their native language; for seeing Him wearied 
with the journey, and the oppressive heat, they entreated Him; for their request 
concerning food proceeded not from hastiness, but from loving affection for their 
Teacher? What then saith Christ?

    Ver. 32, 33. "I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore" (saith the 
Evangelist) "said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought Him aught to 
eat?"

    Why now wonderest thou that the woman when she heard of "water," still 
imagined mere water to be meant, when even the disciples are in the same case, 
and as yet suppose nothing spiritual, but are perplexed? though they still show 
their accustomed modesty and reverence toward their Master, conversing one with 
the other, but not daring to put any question to Him. And this they do in other 
places, desiring to ask Him, but not asking. What then saith Christ?

    Ver. 34. "My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His 
work."

    He here calleth the salvation of men "meat," showing what an earnest desire 
He hath of providing for us;(3) for as we long for food, so He that we may be 
saved. And hear how in all places He revealeth not all off-hand, but first 
throweth the hearer into perplexity, in order that having begun to seek the 
meaning of what has been said, and then being perplexed and in difficulty, he may 
when what he sought appears, receive it the more readily, and be made more 
attentive to listening. For wherefore said He not at once, "My meat is to do the 
will of My Father?" (though not even this would have been clear, yet clearer than 
the other.) But what saith He? "I have meat to eat that ye know not of"; for He 
desireth, as I said, first to make them more attentive through their uncertainty, 
and by dark sayings like these to accustom them to listen to His words. But what 
is "the will of the Father"? He next speaketh of this, and explaineth.

    Ver. 35. "Say ye not, that there are yet four months, and then cometh 
harvest? Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look upon the fields, for 
they are white already to harvest."

    [2.] Behold, He again by familiar words leadeth them up to the consideration 
of greater matters; for when He spoke of "meat," He signified nothing else than 
the salvation of the men who should come to Him; and again, the "field" and the 
"harvest" signify the very same thing, the multitude of souls prepared for the 
reception of the preaching; and the "eyes" of which He speaketh are those both of 
the mind and of the body; (for they now beheld the crowd of Samaritans 
advancing;) and the readiness of their will He calleth, "fields already white." 
For as the ears of corn, when they have become white, and are ready for reaping, 
so these, He saith, are prepared and fitted for salvation.

    And wherefore instead of calling them "fields" and "harvest," did He not 
plainly say, that "the then were coming to believe and were ready to receive the 
Word, having been instructed by the Prophets; and now bringing forth fruit"? What 
mean these figures used by Him? for this He doth not here only, but through all 
the Gospel; and the Prophets also employ the same method, saying many things in a 
metaphorical manner. What then may be the cause of this? for the grace of the 
Spirit did not ordain it to be so without a reason, but why and wherefore? On two 
accounts; one, that the discourse may be more vivid, and bring what is said more 
clearly before our eyes. For the mind when it has laid hold on a familiar image 
of the matters in hand, is more aroused, and beholding them as it were in a 
picture, is occupied by them to a greater degree. This is one reason; the other 
is, that the statement may be sweetened, and that the memory of what is said may 
be more lasting. For assertion does not subdue and bring in an ordinary hearer so 
much as narration by objects, and the representation of experience.(4) Which one 
may here see most wisely effected by the parable.

    Ver. 36. "And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life 
eternal." For the fruit of an earthly harvest profiteth not to life eternal, but 
to this which is for a time 5; but the spiritual fruit to that which hath neither 
age nor death. Seest thou that the expressions are of sense, but the thoughts 
spiritual, and that by the very words themselves He divideth things earthly from 
heavenly? For when in discoursing of water He made this the peculiar property of 
the heavenly Water, that "he who drinketh it shall never thirst," so He doth here 
also when He saith," that this fruit is gathered unto eternal life."

    "That both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together."

    Who is "he that soweth"? Who "he that reapeth"? The Prophets are they that 
sowed but they reaped not, but the Apostles. "Yet not on this account are they 
deprived of the pleasure and recompense of their labors, but they rejoice and are 
glad with us, although they reap not with us. For harvest is not such work as 
sowing. I therefore have kept you for that in which the toil is less and the 
pleasure greater, and not for sowing because in that there is much hardship and 
toil. In harvest the return is large, the labor not so great; nay there is much 
facility."(1) By these arguments He here desireth to prove, that "the wish of the 
Prophets is, that all men should come to Me." This also the Law was engaged in 
effecting; and for this they sowed, that they might produce this fruit.(2) He 
showeth moreover that He sent them also, and that there was a very intimate 
connection between the New Covenant and the Old, and all this He effecteth at 
once by this parable. He maketh mention also of a proverbial expression generally 
circulated.

    Ver. 37. "Herein," He saith, "is that saying true, One soweth and another 
reapeth."

    These words the many used whenever one party had supplied toil and another 
had reaped the fruits; and He saith, "that the proverb is in this instance 
especially true, for the Prophets labored, and ye reap the fruits of their 
labors." He said not "the rewards," (for neither did their great labor go 
unrewarded,) but "the fruits." This also Daniel did, for he too makes mention of 
a proverb, "Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked"; and David in his lamenting 
makes mention of a similar proverb.(3) Therefore He said beforehand, "that both 
he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together." For since He was about 
to declare, that "one hath sowed and another reapeth," lest any one should deem 
that the Prophets were deprived of their reward, He asserteth something strange 
and paradoxical, such as never chanceth in sensual things, but is peculiar to 
spiritual only. For in things of sense, if it chance that one sow and another 
reap, they do not "rejoice together," but those who sowed are sad, as having 
labored for others, and those who reap alone rejoice. But here it is not so, but 
those who reap not what they sowed rejoice alike with those who reap; whence it 
is clear that they too share the reward.

    Ver. 38. "I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labors; other men 
labored, and ye are entered into their labors."

    By this He the more encourageth them; for when it seemed a very hard matter 
to go through all the world and preach the Gospel, He showeth them that it is 
even most(4) easy. The very difficult work was that other, which required great 
labor, the putting in the seed, and introducing the uninitiated soul to the 
knowledge of God. But wherefore uttereth He these sayings? It is that when He 
sendeth them to preach they may not be confounded, as though sent on a difficult 
task. "For that of the Prophets," He saith, "was the more difficult, and the fact 
witnesseth to My word, that ye are come to what is easy; because as in harvest 
time the fruits are collected with ease, and in one moment the floor is filled 
with sheaves, which await not the revolutions of the seasons, and winter, and 
spring, and rain, so it is now. The facts proclaim it aloud." While He was in the 
midst of saying these things, the Samaritans came forth, and the fruit was at 
once gathered together. On this account(6) He said, "Lift up your eyes, and look 
on the fields, that they are white." Thus He spake, and the fact was clear, and 
the words seen (true) by the event. For saith St. John,

    Ver. 39. "Many of the Samaritans of that city believed on Him for the saying 
of the woman which testified, He told me all that ever I did."

    They perceived(7) that the woman would not from favor have admired One who 
had rebuked her sins, nor to gratify another have paraded her own course of life.

    [3.] Let us then also imitate this woman, and in the case of our own sins not 
be ashamed of men, but fear, as is meet, God who now beholdeth what is done, and 
who hereafter punisheth those who do not now repent. At present we do the 
opposite of this, for we fear not Him who shall judge us, but shudder at those 
who do not in anything hurt us, and tremble at the shame which comes from them. 
Therefore in the very thing which we fear, in this do we incur punishment. For he 
who now regards only the reproach of men, but when God seeth is not ashamed to do 
anything unseemly, and who will not repent and be converted, in that day will be 
made an example, not only before one or two but in the sight of the whole world. 
For that a vast assembly is seated there to behold righteous actions as well as 
those which are not such, let the parable of the sheep and the goats teach thee, 
as also the blessed Paul when He saith "For we must all appear before the 
judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, 
according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad" (2 Cor. v. 10), and 
again, "Who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness." (1 Cor. iv. 5.) 
Hast thou done or imagined any evil thing, and dost thou hide it from man? yet 
from God thou hidest it not. But for this thou careth nothing; the eyes of men, 
these are thy fear. Think then that thou wilt not be able to escape the sight 
even of men in that day(1); for all things as in a picture shall then be set 
before our very eyes, so that each shall be self-condemned. This is clear even 
from the instance of Dives, for the poor man whom he had neglected, Lazarus I 
mean, he saw standing before his eyes, and the finger which he had often loathed, 
he intreats may become a comfort to him then. I exhort you therefore, that 
although no one see what we do, yet that each of us enter into his own 
conscience, and set reason for his judge, and bring forward his transgressions, 
and if he desire them not to be exposed to public view then in that fearful day, 
let him now heal his wounds, let him apply to them the medicines of repentance. 
For it is in the power, yea, it is in the power of one full of ten thousand 
wounds to go hence whole. For "if ye forgive," He saith, "your sins are forgiven 
unto you."(2) (Matt. vi. 14, not verbally quoted.) For as sins buried(3) in 
Baptism appear no more, so these(4) also shall disappear, if we be willing to 
repent. And repentance is the not doing the same again; for he that again puts 
his hand to the same, is like the dog that returneth to his own vomit, and like 
him in the proverb who cards wool into the fire,(5) and draws water into a cask 
full of holes. It behooves therefore to depart both in action and in thought from 
what we have dared to do, and having departed, to apply to the wounds the 
remedies which are the contraries of our sins. For instance: hast thou been 
grasping and covetous? Abstain from rapine, and apply almsgiving to the wound. 
Hast thou been a fornicator? Abstain from fornication, and apply chastity to the 
wound. Hast thou spoken ill of thy brother, and injured him? Cease finding 
fault,(6) and apply kindness. Let us thus act with respect to each point in which 
we have offended, and let us not carelessly pass by our sins, for there awaiteth 
us hereafter, there awaiteth us a season of account. Wherefore also Paul said, 
"The Lord is at hand: be careful for nothing." (Phil. iv. 5, 6.) But we perhaps 
must add the contrary of this, "The Lord is at hand, be careful." For they might 
well hear, "Be careful for nothing," living as they did in affliction, and 
labors, and trials; but they who live by rapine, or in luxury, and who shall give 
a grievous reckoning, would in reason hear not this, but that other, "The Lord is 
at hand, be careful." Since no long time now remains until the consummation, but 
the world is hastening to its end; this the wars declare, this the afflictions, 
this the earthquakes, this the love which hath waxed cold. For as the body when 
in its last gasp and near to death, draws to itself ten thousand sufferings; and 
as when a house is about to fall, many portions are wont to fall beforehand from 
the roof and walls; so is the end of the world nigh and at the very doors, and 
therefore ten thousand woes are everywhere scattered abroad. If the Lord was then 
"at hand," much more is He now "at hand." If three hundred(7) years ago, when 
those words were used, Paul called that season "the fullness of time," much more 
would he have called the present so. But perhaps for this very reason some 
disbelieve, yet they ought on this account to believe the more. For whence 
knowest thou, O man, that the end is not "at hand," and the words shortly to be 
accomplished? For as we speak of the end of the year not as being the last day, 
but also the last month, though it has thirty days; so if of so many years I call 
even four hundred years "the end," I shall not be wrong; and so at that time Paul 
spoke of the end by anticipation. Let us then set ourselves in order, let us 
delight in the fear of God; for if we live here without fear of Him, His coming 
will surprise us suddenly, when we are neither careful, nor looking for Him. As 
Christ declared when He said, "For as in the days of Noah, and as in the days of 
Lot, so shall it be at the end of this world." (Matt. xxiv. 37, not verbally 
quoted.) This also Paul declared when he said, "For when they shall say, Peace 
and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman 
with child." (1 Thess. v. 3.) What means, "as travail upon a woman with child"? 
Often have pregnant women when sporting, or at their meals, or in the bath or 
market-place, and foreseeing nothing of what was coming, been seized in a moment 
by their pains. Now since our case is like theirs, let us ever be prepared, for 
we shall not always hear these things, we shall not always have power to do them. 
"In the grave" saith David, "who shall give Thee thanks?"(1) (Ps. vi. 5.) Let us 
then repent here, that so we may find God merciful unto us in the day that is to 
come, and be enabled to enjoy abundant forgiveness; which may we all obtain, 
through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory 
and dominion now and ever, and world without end. Amen.


HOMILY XXXV: JOHN iv. 40-43.

"So when the Samaritans were come unto Him, they besought Him that He would tarry 
with them: and He abode there two days. And many more believed because of His own 
Word; and said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we 
have heard Him ourselves, and know that This is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of 
the world. Now after two days He departed thence, and went into Galilee."

    NOTHING is worse than envy and malice, nothing more mischievous than 
vainglory; it is wont to mar ten thousand good things. So the Jews, who excelled 
the Samaritans in knowledge, and had been always familiar with(2) the Prophets, 
were shown from this cause inferior to them. For these believed even on the 
testimony of the woman, and without having seen any sign, came forth beseeching 
Christ to tarry(3) with them; but the Jews, when they had beheld His wonders, not 
only did not detain Him among them, but even drove Him away, and used every means 
to cast Him forth from their land, although His very Coining(4) had been for 
their sake. The Jews expelled Him, but these even entreated Him to tarry with 
them. Was it not then rather fitting, tell me, that He should receive those who 
asked and besought Him, than that He should wait upon those who plotted against 
and repulsed Him, while to those who loved and desired to retain Him He gave not 
Himself? Surely this would not have been worthy of His tender care;(5) He 
therefore both accepted(6) them, and tarried with them two days. They desired to 
keep Him among them continually, (for this the Evangelist has shown by saying, 
that "they besought Him that He would tarry with them,") but this He endured not, 
but stayed with them only two days; and in these many more believed on Him. Yet 
there was no likelihood that these would have believed, since they had seen no 
sign, and had hostile feelings towards the Jews; but still, inasmuch as they gave 
in sincerity their judgment on His words, this stood not in their way, but they 
received a notion which surmounted their hindrances, and vied with each other to 
reverence Him the more. For, saith the Evangelist, "they said to the woman, Now 
we believe because of thy saying: for we have heard Him ourselves, and know that 
this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world." The scholars overshot their 
instructress. With good reason might they condemn the Jews, both by their 
believing on, and their receiving Him. The Jews, for whose sake He had 
contrived(7) the whole scheme,(8) continually were for stoning Him,(9) but these, 
when He was not even intending to come to them, drew Him to themselves. And they, 
even with signs, remain uncorrected; these, without signs, manifested great faith 
respecting Him, and glory in this very thing that they believe without them; 
while the others ceased not asking(10) for signs and tempting Him.

    Such need is there everywhere of an honest soul; and if truth lay hold on 
such an one, she easily masters it; or if she masters it not, this is owing not 
to any weakness of truth, but to want of candor(11) in the soul itself. Since the 
sun too, when he encounters clear eyes, easily enlightens them; if he enlightens 
them not, it is the fault of their infirmity, not of his weakness.

    Hear then what these say; "We know that this is of a truth the Christ, the 
Saviour of the world." Seest thou how they at once understood that He should draw 
the world to Him, that He came to order aright(12) our common salvation, that He 
intended not to confine His care to the Jews, but to sow His Word everywhere? The 
Jews did not so, but going about to establish their own righteousness, submitted 
not themselves to the righteousness of God; while these confess that all are 
deserving of punishment, declaring with the Apostle, that "all have sinned, and 
come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by His grace." (Rom. iii. 
23, 24.) For by saying that He was "the Saviour of the world," they showed that 
it was of a lost world,(1) and He not simply a Saviour, but one of the very 
mightiest. For many had come to "save," both Prophets and Angels(2); but this, 
saith one is the True Saviour, who affordeth the true salvation, not that which 
is but for a time. This proceeded from pure faith. And in both ways are they 
admirable; because they believed, and because they did so without signs, (whom 
Christ also calleth "blessed," saying, "Blessed are they that have not seen, and 
yet have believed,") (c. xx. 29,) and because they did so sincerely. Though they 
had heard the woman say doubtfully, "Is not this the Christ?" they did not also 
say, "we too suspect," or, "we think,"(3) but, "we know," and not merely, "we 
know," but, "we know that this is of a truth the Saviour of the world." They 
acknowledged Christ not as one of the many,(4) but as the "Saviour" indeed. Yet 
whom had they seen saved? They had but heard His words, and yet they spake as 
they would have spoken had they beheld many and great marvels. And why do not the 
Evangelists tell us these words, and that He discoursed admirably? That thou 
mayest learn that they pass by many important matters, and yet have declared the 
whole to us by the event. For He persuaded an entire people and a whole city by 
His words. When His hearers are not persuaded, then the writers are constrained 
to mention what was said, lest any one from the insensibility of the hearers 
should give a judgment against Him who addressed them.

    "Now after two days He departed thence and went into Galilee."

    Ver. 44. "For Jesus Himself testified that a Prophet hath no honor in his own 
country."

    Wherefore is this added? Because He departed not unto Capernaum, but into 
Galilee, and thence to Cana. For that thou mayest not enquire why He tarried not 
with His own people, but tarried with the Samaritans, the Evangelist puts the 
cause,(5) saying that they gave no heed unto Him; on this account He went not 
thither, that their condemnation might not be the greater. For I suppose that in 
this place He speaketh of Capernaum as "His country." Now, to show that there He 
received no honor, hear Him say, "And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto 
heaven, shalt be brought down to hell." (Matt. xi. 23.) He calleth it "His own 
country," because there He set forth the Word of the Dispensation, and more 
especially dwelt upon it. "What then," saith some one, "do we not see many 
admired among their kindred?" In the first place such judgments must not be 
formed from rare instances; and again, if some have been honored in their own, 
they would have been much more honored in a strange country, for familiarity is 
wont to make men easily despised.

    Ver. 45. "Then when He was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received Him, 
having seen all the things that He did at Jerusalem at the feast, for they also 
came unto the feast."

    Seest thou that these men so ill spoken of are found most to come to Him? For 
one said, "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" (c. i. 46), and 
another, "Search and look, for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet." (c. vii. 52.) 
These things they said insulting Him, because He was supposed by the many to be 
of Nazareth, and they also reproached Him with being a Samaritan; "Thou art a 
Samaritan," said one, "and hast a devil." (c. viii. 48.) Yet behold, both 
Samaritans and Galilaeans believe, to the shame of the Jews, and Samaritans are 
found better than Galilaeans, for the first received Him through the words of the 
woman, the second when they had seen the miracles which He did.

    Ver. 46. "So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where He made the water 
wine."

    The Evangelist reminds the hearer of the miracle to exalt the praise of the 
Samaritans. The men of Cana received Him by reason of the miracles which He had 
done in Jerusalem and in that place; but not so the Samaritans, they received Him 
through His teaching alone.

    That He came then "to Cana," the Evangelist has said, but he has not added 
the cause why He came.(6) Into Galilee He had come because of the envy of the 
Jews; but wherefore to Cana? At first He came, being invited to a marriage; but 
wherefore now? Methinks to confirm by His presence the faith which had been 
implanted by His miracle, and to draw them to Him the more by coming to them 
self-invited, by leaving His own country, and by preferring them.

    "And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum."

    Vet. 47. "When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he 
went unto Him and besought Him that He would come down and heal his son."

    This person certainly was of royal race, or possessed some dignity from his 
office, to which the title "noble" was attached. Some indeed think that this is 
the man mentioned by Matthew (Matt. viii. 5), but he is shown to be a different 
person, not only from his dignity, but also from his faith. That other, even when 
Christ was willing to go to him, entreats Him to tarry; this one, when He had 
made no such offer, draws Him to his house. The one saith, "I am not worthy that 
Thou shouldest come under my roof"; but this other even urges(1) Him, saying, 
"Come down ere my son die." In that instance He came down from the mountain, and 
entered into Capernaum; but here, as He came from Samaria, and went not into 
Capernaum but into Cana, this person met Him. The servant of the other was 
possessed by the palsy, this one's son by a fever.

    "And he came and besought Him that He would heal his son: for he was at the 
point of death." What saith Christ?

    Ver. 48. "Except ye see signs and wonders ye will not believe."

    Yet the very coming and beseeching Him was a mark of faith. And besides, 
after this the Evangelist witnesses to him,(2) declaring that when Jesus said, 
"Go, thy son liveth," he believed His word, and went. What then is that which He 
saith here? Either He useth the words as approving of(3) the Samaritans because 
they believed without signs; or, to touch Capernaum which was thought to be His 
own city, and of which this person was. Moreover, another man in Luke, who says, 
"Lord, I believe," said besides, "help Thou mine unbelief."(4) And so if this 
ruler also believed, yet he believed not entirely or soundly, as is clear from 
his enquiring "at what hour the fever left him," since he desired to know whether 
it did so of its own accord, or at the bidding of Christ. When therefore he knew 
that it was "yesterday at the seventh hour," then "himself believed and his whole 
house." Seest thou that he believed when his servants, not when Christ spake? 
Therefore He rebuketh the state of mind with which he had come to Him, and spoken 
as he did, (thus too He the more drew him on to belief,) because that before the 
miracle he had not believed strongly. That he came and entreated was nothing 
wonderful, for parents in their great affection are also wont to resort not only 
to physicians in whom they have confidence, but also to talk with those in whom 
they have no confidence, desiring to omit nothing whatever.(5) Indeed, that he 
came without any strong purpose(6) appears from this, that when Christ was come 
into Galilee, then he saw Him, whereas if he had firmly believed in Him, he would 
not, when his child was on the point of death, have hesitated to go into Judaea. 
Or if he was afraid, this is not to be endured either.(7) Observe how the very 
words show the weakness of the man; when he ought, after Christ had rebuked his 
state of mind, to have imagined something great concerning Him, even if he did 
not so before, listen how he drags along the ground.

    Ver. 49. "Sir," he saith, "come down ere my child die."

    As though He could not raise him after death, as though He knew not what 
state the child was in. It is for this that Christ rebuketh him and toucheth his 
conscience, to show that His miracles were wrought principally for the sake of 
the soul. For here He healeth the father, sick in mind, no less than the son, in 
order to persuade us to give heed to Him, not by reason of His miracles, but of 
His teaching. For miracles are not for the faithful, but for the unbelieving and 
the grosser sort.

    [3.] At that time then, owing to his emotion, the nobleman gave no great heed 
to the words, or to those only which related to his son,(8) yet he would 
afterwards recollect what had been said, and draw from thence the greatest 
advantage. As indeed was the case.

    But what can be the reason why in the case of the centurion He by a free 
offer undertook to come, while here though invited, He goeth not? Because in the 
former case faith had been perfected, and therefore He undertook to go, that we 
might learn the rightmindedness of the man; but here the nobleman was imperfect. 
When therefore he continually(9) urged Him, saying, "Come down," and knew not yet 
clearly that even when absent He could heal, He showeth that even this was 
possible unto Him in order that this man might gain from Jesus not going, that 
knowledge which the centurion had of himself.(10) And so when He saith," Except 
ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe," His meaning is, "Ye have not yet 
the right faith, but still feel towards Me as towards a Prophet." Therefore to 
reveal Himself and to show that he ought to have believed even without miracles, 
He said what He said also to Philip, "Believest thou(11) that the Father is in Me 
and I in the Father?(12) Or if not, believe Me for the very works' sake." (c. 
xiv. 10, 11.)

    Ver. 51-53. "And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told 
him, saying, Thy son liveth. Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to 
amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. 
So the father knew that it was at the same hour in the which Jesus said unto him, 
Thy son liveth; and himself believed, and his whole house."

    Seest thou how evident the miracle was? Not simply nor in a common way was 
the child freed from danger, but all at once, so that what took place was seen to 
be the consequence not of nature, but the working(1) of Christ. For when he had 
reached the very gates of death, as his father showed by saying, "Come down ere 
my child die"; he was all at once freed from the disease. A fact which roused the 
servants also, for they perhaps came to meet their master, not only to bring him 
the good news, but also deeming that the coming of Jesus was now superfluous, 
(for they knew that their master was gone there,) and so they met him even in the 
way. The man released froth his fear, thenceforth escaped(2) into faith, being 
desirous to show that what had been done was the result of his journey, and 
thenceforth he is ambitious of appearing not to have exerted himself(3) to no 
purpose; so he ascertained all things exactly, and "himself believed and his 
whole house." For the evidence was after this unquestionable. For they who had 
not been present nor had heard Christ speak nor known the time, when they had 
heard from their master that such and such was the time, had incontrovertible 
demonstration of His power. Wherefore they also believed.

    What now are we taught by these things? Not to wait for miracles, nor to seek 
pledges of the Power of God. I see many persons even now become more pious,(6) 
when during the sufferings of a child or the sickness of a wife they enjoy any 
comfort, yet they ought even if they obtain it not, to persist just the same in 
giving thanks, in glorifying God. Because it is the part of right-minded 
servants, and of those who feel such affection(7) and love as they ought for 
their Master, not only when pardoned, but also when scourged, to run to Him. For 
these also are effects of the tender care of God; "Whom the Lord loveth He 
chasteneth, and scourgeth," it says, "every son whom He receiveth." (Heb. xii. 
6.) When therefore a man serves Him only in the season of ease, he gives proofs 
of no great love, and loves not Christ purely. And why speak I of health, or 
abundant riches, or poverty, or disease? Shouldest thou hear of the fiery pit or 
of any other dreadful thing, not even so must thou cease from speaking good of 
thy Master, but suffer and do all things because of thy love for Him. For this is 
the part of right- minded servants and of an unswerving soul; and he who is 
disposed after this sort will easily endure the present, and obtain good(8) 
things to come, and enjoy much confidence in the presence of(9) God; which may it 
be that we all obtain through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be glory, now and ever, and 
world without end. Amen.


HOMILY XXXVI: JOHN iv. 54; V. 1.

"This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when He was come out of Judaea 
into Galilee. After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to 
Jerusalem."

    [1.] As in gold mines one skillful in what relates to them would not endure 
to overlook even the smallest vein as producing much wealth, so in the holy 
Scriptures it is impossible without loss to pass by one jot or one tittle, we 
must search into all. For they all are uttered by the Holy Spirit, and nothing 
useless(4) is written in them.

    Consider, for instance, what the Evangelist in this place saith, "This is 
again the second miracle that Jesus did, when He was come out of Judaea into 
Galilee." Even the word "second" he has added not without cause, but to exalt yet 
more the praise(5) of the Samaritans, by showing that even when a second miracle 
had been wrought, they who beheld it had not yet reached as high as those who had 
not seen one.

    "After this there was a feast of the Jews." What "feast"? Methinks that of 
Pentecost. "And Jesus went up to Jerusalem." Continually at the feasts He 
frequenteth the City, partly that He might appear to feast with them, partly that 
He might attract the multitude that was free from guile; for during these 
days(10) especially, the more simply disposed ran together more than at other 
times.

    Ver. 2, 3. "Now there is at Jerusalem a sheep pool,(11) called in the Hebrew 
tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent 
folk,(12) of halt, blind, withered, waiting for the moving of the water."

    What manner of cure is this? What mystery doth it signify to us? For these 
things are not written carelessly, or without a purpose, but as by a figure and 
type they show in outline(1) things to come, in order that what was exceedingly 
strange might not by coming unexpectedly harm among the many the power of 
faith.(2) What then is it that they show in outline? A Baptism was about to be 
given, possessing much power, and the greatest of gifts, a Baptism purging all 
sins, and making men alive instead of dead. These things then are foreshown as in 
a picture by the pool, and by many other circumstances. And first is given a 
water which purges the stains of our bodies, and those defilements which are not, 
but seem to be, as those from touching the dead,(3) those from leprosy, and other 
similar causes; under the old covenant one may see many things done by water on 
this account. However let us now proceed to the matter in hand.

    First then, as I before said, He causeth defilements of our bodies, and 
afterwards infirmities of different kinds, to be done away by water. Because God, 
desiring to bring us nearer to faith in(4) baptism, no longer healeth defilements 
only, but diseases also. For those figures which came nearer [in time] to the 
reality, both as regarded Baptism, and the Passion, and the rest, were plainer 
than the more ancient;(5) and as the guards near the person of the prince are 
more splendid than those before,(6) so was it with the types. And "an Angel came 
down and troubled the water," and endued it with a healing power, that the Jews 
might learn that much more could the Lord of Angels heal the diseases(7) of the 
soul. Yet as here it was not simply the nature of the water that healed, (for 
then this would have always taken place,) but water joined to the operations of 
the Angel; so in our case, it is not merely the water that worketh, but when it 
hath received the grace of the Spirit, then it putteth away(9) all our sins. 
Around this pool "lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, 
withered, waiting for the moving of the water"; but then infirmity was a 
hindrance to him who desired to be healed, now each hath power to approach, for 
now it is not an Angel that troubleth, it is the Lord of Angels who worketh all. 
The sick man cannot now say, "I have no man"; he cannot say, "While I am coming 
another steppeth down before me"; though the whole world should come, the grace 
is not spent, the power is not exhausted, but remaineth equally great as it was 
before. Just as the sun's beams give light every day, yet are not exhausted, nor 
is their light made less by giving so abundant a supply; so, and much more, the 
power of the Spirit is in no way lessened by the numbers of those who enjoy it. 
And this miracle was done in order that men, learning that it is possible by 
water to heal the diseases of the body, and being exercised in this for a long 
time, might more easily believe that it can also heal the diseases of the soul.

    But why did Jesus, leaving the rest, come to one who was of thirty-eight 
years standing? And why did He ask him, "Wilt thou be made whole?" Not that He 
might learn, that was needless; but that He might show(10) the man's 
perseverance, and that we might know that it was on this account that He left the 
others and came to him. What then saith he? "Yea Lord," he saith, but "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."

    It was that we might learn these circumstances that Jesus asked, "Wilt thou 
be made whole?" and said not, "Wilt thou that I heal thee?" (for as yet the man 
had formed no exalted notions concerning Him,) but "Wilt thou be made whole?" 
Astonishing was the perseverance of the paralytic, he was of thirty and eight 
years standing, and each year hoping to be freed from his disease, he continued 
in attendance,(11) and withdrew not. Had he not been very persevering, would not 
the future,(12) if not the past, have been sufficient to lead him from the spot? 
Consider, I pray you, how watchful it was likely that the other sick men there 
would be since the time when the water was troubled was uncertain. The lame and 
halt indeed might observe it, but how did the blind see? Perhaps they learnt it 
from the clamor which arose.

    [2.] Let us be ashamed then, beloved, let us be ashamed, and groan over our 
excessive sloth. "Thirty and eight years" had that man been waiting without 
obtaining what he desired, and withdrew not. And he had failed not through any 
carelessness of his own, but through being oppressed and suffering violence from 
others, and not even thus did he grow dull;(13) while we if we have persisted for 
ten days to pray for anything and have not obtained it, are too slothful 
afterwards to employ the same zeal. And on men we wait for so long a time, 
warring and enduring hardships and performing servile ministrations, and often at 
last failing in our expectation, but on our(14) Master, from whom we are sure to 
obtain a recompense greater than our labors, (for, saith the Apostle, "Hope 
maketh not ashamed"--Rom. v. 5,) on Him we endure not to wait with becoming 
diligence. What chastisement doth this deserve! For even though we could receive 
nothing from Him, ought we not to deem the very conversing with Him continually 
the cause of(1) ten thousand blessings? "But continual prayer is a laborious 
thing." And what that belongs to virtue is not laborious? "In truth," says some 
one, "this very point is full of great difficulty, that pleasure is annexed to 
vice, and labor to virtue." And many, I think, make this a question. What then 
can be the reason?(2) God gave us at the beginning a life free from care and 
exempt from labor. We used not the gift aright, but were perverted by doing 
nothing,(3) and were banished from Paradise. On which account He made our life 
for the future one of toil, assigning as it were His reasons for this to mankind, 
and saying, "I allowed you at the beginning to lead a life of enjoyment,(4) but 
ye were rendered worse by liberty, wherefore I commanded that henceforth labor 
and sweat be laid upon you."(5) And when even this labor did not restrain us, He 
next gave us a law containing many commandments, imposing it on us like bits and 
curbs placed upon an unruly horse to restrain his prancings, just as horse 
breakers do. This is why life is laborious, because not to labor is wont to be 
our ruin. For our nature cannot bear to be doing nothing, but easily turns aside 
to wickedness. Let us suppose that the man who is temperate, and he who tightly 
performs the other virtues, has no need of labor, but that they do all things in 
their sleep, still how should we have employed our ease? Would it not have been 
for pride and boastfulness? "But wherefore," saith some one, "has great pleasure 
been attached to vice, great labor and toil to virtue?" Why, what thanks wouldest 
thou have had, and for what wouldest thou have received a reward, if the matter 
had not been one of difficulty? Even now I can show you many who naturally hate 
intercourse with women, and avoid conversation with them as impure; shall we then 
call these chaste, shall we crown these, tell me, and proclaim them victors? By 
no means. Chastity is self- restraint, and the mastering pleasures which fight, 
just as in war the trophies are most honorable when the contest is violent, not 
when no one raises a hand against us. Many are by their very nature passionless; 
shall we call these good tempered? Not at all. And so the Lord after naming three 
manners of the eunuch state, leaveth two of them uncrowned, and admitteth one 
into the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. xix. 12.) "But what need," saith one, "was 
there of wickedness?" I say this too. "What is it then which made wickedness to 
be?" What but our willful negligence? "But," saith one, "there ought to be only 
good men." Well, what is proper to the good man? Is it to watch and be sober, or 
to sleep and snore? "And why," saith one, "seemed(6) it not good that a man 
should act rightly without laboring?" Thou speakest words which become the cattle 
or gluttons, or who make their belly their god. For to prove that these are the 
words of folly, answer me this. Suppose there were a king and a general, and 
while the king was asleep or drunk, the general should endure hardship and erect 
a trophy, whose would you count the victory to be? who would enjoy the pleasure 
of what was done? Seest thou that the soul is more especially disposed towards 
those things for which she hath labored? and therefore God hath joined labors to 
virtue, wishing to make us attached to her. For this cause we admire virtue, even 
although we act not rightly ourselves, while we condemn vice even though it be 
very pleasant. And if thou sayest, "Why do we not admire those who are good by 
nature more than those who are so by choice?" we reply, Because it is just to 
prefer him that laboreth to him that laboreth not. For why is it that we labor? 
It is because thou didst not bear with moderation the not laboring. Nay more, if 
one enquire exactly, in other ways also sloth is wont to undo us, and to cause us 
much trouble. Let us, if you will, shut a man up, only, feeding and pampering 
him, not allowing him to walk nor conducting him forth to work, but let him enjoy 
table and bed, and be in luxury continually; what could be more wretched than 
such a life? "But," saith one," to work is one thing, to labor is another."(7) 
Yea, but it was in man's power then(8) to work without labor. "And is this," 
saith he, "possible?" Yea, it is possible; God even desired it, but thou 
enduredst it not. Therefore He placed thee to work in the garden, marking out 
employment, but joining with it no labor. For had man labored at the beginning, 
God would not afterwards have put labor by way of punishment. For it is possible 
to work and not to be wearied, as do the angels. To prove that they work, hear 
what David saith; "Ye that excel in strength, ye that do His word." (Ps. ciii. 
20, LXX.) Want of strength causeth much labor now, but then it was not so. For 
"he that hath entered into His rest, hath ceased," saith one, "from his works, as 
God from His" (Heb. iv. 10): not meaning here idleness, but the ceasing from 
labor. For God worketh even now, as Christ saith, "My Father worketh hitherto, 
and I work." (c. v. x 7.) Wherefore I exhort you that, laying aside all 
carelessness, you be zealous for virtue. For the pleasure of wickedness is short, 
but the pain lasting; of virtue, on the contrary, the joy grows not old, the 
labor is but for a season. Virtue even before the crowns are distributed 
animates(1) her workman, and feeds him with hopes; vice even before the time of 
vengeance punishes him who works for her, wringing and terrifying his conscience, 
and making it apt to imagine all (evils). Are not these things worse than any 
labors, than any toils? And if these things were not so, if there were pleasure, 
what could be more worthless than that pleasure? for as soon as it appears it 
flies away, withering and escaping before it has been grasped, whether you speak 
of the pleasure of beauty, or that of luxury, or that of wealth, for they cease 
not daily to decay. But when there is besides (for this pleasure) punishment and 
vengeance, what can be more miserable than those who go after it? Knowing then 
this, let us endure all for virtue, so shall we enjoy true pleasure, through the 
grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father and 
the Holy Ghost be glory, now and ever, and world without end. Amen.


HOMILY XXXVII: JOHN V. 6, 7.

"Jesus saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered Him, 
Yea, Sir, but I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the 
pool."

    [1.] GREAT is the profit of the divine Scriptures, and all-sufficient is the 
aid which comes from them. And Paul declared this when he said, "Whatsoever 
things were written aforetime, were written aforetime for our admonition upon 
whom the ends of the world are come, that we through patience and comfort of the 
Scriptures might have hope." (Rom. xv. 4, and 1 Cor. x. 11.) For the divine 
oracles are a treasury of all manner of medicines, so that whether it be needful 
to quench pride, to lull desire to sleep, to tread under foot the love of money, 
to despise pain, to inspire confidence, to gain patience, from them one may find 
abundant resource. For what man of those who struggle with long poverty or who 
are nailed to(2) a grievous disease, will not, when he reads the passage before 
us, receive much comfort? Since this man who had been paralytic for thirty and 
eight years, and who saw each year others delivered, and himself bound by his 
disease, not even so fell back and despaired, though in truth not merely 
despondency for the past, but also hopelessness for the future, was sufficient to 
over-strain(3) him. Hear now what he says, and learn the greatness of his 
sufferings.(4) For when Christ had said "Wilt thou be made whole?" "Yea, Lord," 
he saith, "but I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the 
pool." What can be more pitiable than these words? What more sad than these 
circumstances? Seest thou a heart(5) crushed through long sickness? Seest thou 
all violence subdued? He uttered no blasphemous word, nor such as we hear the 
many use in reverses, he cursed not his day, he was not angry at the question, 
nor did he say, "Art Thou come to make a mock and a jest of us, that Thou asketh 
whether I desire to be made whole?" but replied gently, and with great mildness, 
"Yea, Lord"; yet he knew not who it was that asked him, nor that He would heal 
him, but still he mildly relates all the circumstances and asks nothing further, 
as though he were speaking to a physician, and desired merely to tell the story 
of his sufferings. Perhaps he hoped that Christ might be so far useful to him as 
to put him into the water, and desired to attract Him by these words. What then 
saith Jesus?

    Ver. 8. "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk."(6)

    Now some suppose that this is the man in Matthew who was "lying on a bed" 
(Matt. ix. 2); but it is not so, as is clear in many ways. First, from his 
wanting persons to stand forward for him. That man had many to care for and to 
carry him, this man not a single one; wherefore he said, "I have no man." 
Secondly, from the manner of answering; the other uttered no word, but this man 
relates his whole case. Thirdly, from the season and the time; this man was 
healed at a feast, and on the Sabbath, that other on a different day. The places 
too were different; one was cured in a house, the other by the pool. The manner 
also of the cure was altered; there Christ said, "Thy sins be forgiven thee," but 
here He braced(1) the body first, and then cared for the soul. In that case there 
was remission of sins, (for He saith, "Thy sins be forgiven thee,") but in this, 
warning and threats to strengthen the man for the future; "Sin no more, lest a 
worse thing come unto thee." (Ver. 14.) The charges also of the Jews are 
different; here they object to Jesus, His working on the Sabbath, there they 
charge Him with blasphemy.

    Consider now, I pray you, the exceeding wisdom of God. He raised not up the 
man at once, but first maketh him familiar by questioning, making way for the 
coming faith; nor doth He only raise, but biddeth him "take up his bed," so as to 
confirm the miracle that had been wrought, and that none might suppose what was 
done to be illusion or a piece of acting. For he would not, unless his limbs had 
been firmly and thoroughly compacted, have been able to carry his bed. And this 
Christ often doth, effectually silencing those who would fain be insolent. So in 
the case of the loaves, that no one might assert that the men had been merely(2) 
satisfied, and that what was done was an illusion, He caused that there should be 
many relics of the loaves. So to the leper that was cleansed He said, "Go, show 
thyself to the priest" (Matt. viii. 4); at once providing most certain proof of 
the cleansing, and stopping the shameless mouths of those who asserted that He 
was legislating in opposition to God. This also He did in like manner in the case 
of the wine; for He did not merely show it to them, but also caused it to be 
borne to the governor of the feast, in order that one who knew nothing of what 
had been done, by his confession might bear to Him unsuspected testimony; 
wherefore the Evangelist saith, that the ruler of the feast "knew not whence it 
was," thus showing the impartiality of his testimony. And in another place, when 
He raised the dead, He said, "Give ye him to eat";(3) supplying this proof of a 
real resurrection, and by these means persuading even the foolish that He was no 
deceiver, no dealer in illusions,(4) but that He had come for the salvation of 
the common nature of mankind.

    [2.] But why did not Jesus require faith of this man, as He did in the case 
of others, saying, "Believest thou that I am able to do this?"(5) It was because 
the man did not yet clearly know who He was; and it is not before, but after the 
working of miracles that He is seen so doing. For persons who had beheld His 
power exerted on others would reasonably have this said to them, while of those 
who had not yet learned who He was, but who were to know afterwards by means of 
signs, it is after the miracles that faith is required. And therefore Matthew 
doth not introduce Christ as having said this at the beginning of His miracles, 
but when He had healed many, to the two blind men only.

    Observe however in this way the faith of the paralytic. When he had heard,(6) 
"Take up thy bed and walk," he did not mock, nor say, "What can this mean? An 
Angel cometh down and troubleth the water, and healeth only one, and dost Thou, a 
man, by a bare command and word hope to be able to do greater things than Angels? 
This is mere vanity, boasting, mockery." But he neither said nor imagined 
anything like this, but at once he heard and arose, and becoming whole, was not 
disobedient to Him that gave the command;(7) for immediately he was made whole, 
and "took up his bed, and walked." What followed was even far more admirable. 
That he believed at first, when no one troubled him, was not so marvelous, but 
that afterwards, when the Jews were full of madness and pressed upon him on all 
sides, accusing(8) and besieging him and saying, "It is not lawful for thee to 
take up thy bed," that then he gave no heed to(9) their madness, but most boldly 
in the midst of the assembly(10) proclaimed his Benefactor and silenced their 
shameless tongues, this, I say, was an act of great courage. For when the Jews 
arose against him, and said in a reproachful and insolent manner to him,

    Ver. 10. "It is the Sabbath day, it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed"; 
hear what he saith:

    Ver. 11. "He that made me whole, the Same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and 
walk."

    All but saying, "Ye are silly and mad who bid me not to take Him for my 
Teacher who has delivered me from a long and grievous malady, and not to obey 
whatever He may command."(11) Had he chosen to act in an unfair manner, he might 
have spoke differently, as thus, "I do not this of my own will, but at the 
bidding of another; if this be a matter of blame, blame him who gave the order, 
and I will set down the bed." And he might have concealed the cure, for he well 
knew that they were vexed not so much at the breaking of the Sabbath, as at the 
curing of his infirmity. Yet he neither concealed this, nor said that, nor asked 
for pardon, but with loud voice confessed and proclaimed the benefit. Thus did 
the paralytic; but consider how unfairly they acted. For they said not, "Who is 
it that hath made thee whole?" on this point they were silent, but kept on 
bringing forward the seeming transgression.

    Vet. 12, 13. "What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed and 
walk? And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed Himself 
away,(1) a multitude being in that place."

    And why did Jesus conceal Himself? First that while He was absent, the 
testimony of the man might be unsuspected, for he who now felt himself whole was 
a credible witness of the benefit. And in the next place, that He might not cause 
the fury of the Jews to be yet more inflamed, for the very sight of one whom they 
envy is wont to kindle not a small spark in malicious persons. On this account He 
retired, and left the deed by itself to plead its cause among them, that He might 
not say anything in person respecting Himself, but that they might do so who had 
been healed, and with them also the accusers. Even these last for a while testify 
to the miracle, for they said not, "Wherefore hast thou commanded these things to 
be done on the Sabbath day?" but, "Wherefore doest thou these things on the 
Sabbath day?" not being displeased at the transgression, but envious at the 
restoration of the paralytic. Yet in respect of human labor, what the paralytic 
did was rather a work, for the other(2) was a saying and a word. Here then He 
commandeth another to break the Sabbath, but elsewhere He doth the same Himself, 
mixing clay and anointing a man's eyes (c. 9); yet He cloth these things not 
transgressing, but going beyond the Law. And on this we shall hereafter speak. 
For He cloth not, when accused by the Jews respecting the Sabbath, always defend 
Himself in the same terms, and this we must carefully observe.

    [3.] But let us consider awhile how great an evil is envy, how it disables 
the eyes of the soul to the endangering his salvation who is possessed by it. For 
as madmen often thrust their swords against their own bodies, so also malicious 
persons looking only to one thing, the injury(3) of him they envy, care not for 
their own salvation. Men like these are worse than wild beasts; they when wanting 
food, or having first been provoked by us, arm themselves against us; but these 
men when they have received kindness, have often repaid their benefactors as 
though they had wronged them. Worse than wild beasts are they, like the devils, 
or perhaps worse than even those; for they against us indeed have unceasing 
hostility, but do not plot against those of their own nature, (and so by this 
Jesus silenced the Jews when the said that He cast out devils by Beelzebub,) but 
these men neither respect their common nature, nor spare their own selves. For 
before they vex those whom they envy they vex their own souls, filling them with 
all manner of trouble and despondency, fruitlessly and in vain. For wherefore 
grievest thou, O man, at the prosperity of thy neighbor? We ought to grieve at 
the ills we suffer, not because we see others in good repute. Wherefore this sin 
is stripped of all excuse. The fornicator may allege his lust, the thief his 
poverty, the man-slayer his passion, frigid excuses and unreasonable, still they 
have these to allege. But what reason, tell me, wilt thou name? None other at 
all, but that of intense wickedness. If we are commanded to love our enemies, 
what punishment shall we suffer if we hate our very friends? And if he who loveth 
those that love him will be in no better a state than the heathen, what excuse, 
what palliation shall he have who injures those that have done him no wrong? Hear 
Paul, what he saith, "Though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, 
it profiteth me nothing" (1 Cor. xiii. 3); now it is clear to every one that 
where envy and malice are, there charity is not. This feeling is worse than 
fornication and adultery, for these go no farther than him who doeth them, but 
the tyranny of envy hath overturned entire Churches, and hath destroyed the whole 
world. Envy is the mother of murder. Through this Cain slew Abel his brother; 
through this Esau (would have slain) Jacob, and his brethren Joseph, through this 
the devil all mankind. Thou indeed now killest not, but thou dost many things 
worse than murder, desiring that thy brother may act unseemly, laying snares for 
him on all sides, paralyzing his labors on the side of virtue, grieving that he 
pleaseth the Master of the world. Yet thou warrest not with thy brother, but with 
Him whom he serves, Him thou insultest when thou preferest thy glory to His. And 
what is in truth worst of all, is that this sin seems to be an unimportant one, 
while in fact it is more grievous than any other; for though thou showest mercy 
and watchest and fastest, thou art more accursed than any if thou enviest thy 
brother. As is clear from this circumstance also. A man of the Corinthians was 
once guilty of adultery, yet he was charged with his sin and soon restored to 
righteousness; Cain envied Abel; but he was not healed, and although God Himself 
continually charmed(4) the wound, he became more pained and wave-tossed, and was 
hurried on to murder. Thus this passion is worse than that other, and doth not 
easily permit itself to be cured except we give heed. Let us then by all means 
tear it up by the roots, considering this, that as we offend God when we waste 
with envy at other men's blessings, so when we rejoice with them we are well 
pleasing to Him, and render ourselves partakers of the good things laid up for 
the righteous. Therefore Paul exhorteth us to "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, 
and weep with them that weep" (Rom. xii. 15), that on either hand we may reap 
great profit.

    Considering then that even when we labor not, by rejoicing with him that 
laboreth, we become sharers of his crown, let us cast aside all envy, and implant 
charity in our souls, that by applauding those of our brethren who are well 
pleasing unto God, we may obtain both present and future good things, through the 
grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom and with whom, to the 
Father and the Holy Ghost, be glory, now and ever, world without end. Amen.


HOMILY XXXVIII: JOHN v. 14.

"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."

    [1.] A FEARFUL thing is sin, fearful, and the ruin of the soul, and the 
mischief oftentimes through its excess has overflowed and attacked men's bodies 
also. For since for the most part when the soul is diseased we feel no pain, but 
if the body receive though but a little hurt, we use every exertion to free it 
from its infirmity, because we are sensible of the infirmity,(1) therefore God 
oftentimes punisheth the body for the transgressions of the soul, so that by 
means of the scourging of the inferior part, the better part also may receive 
some healing. Thus too among the Corinthians Paul restored the adulterer, 
checking the disease of the soul by the destruction of the flesh, and having 
applied the knife to the body, so repressed the evil (1 Cor. v. 5); like some 
excellent physician employing external cautery for dropsy or spleen, when they 
refuse to yield to internal remedies. This also Christ did in the case of the 
paralytic; as He showed when He said, "Behold, thou art made whole; sin no more, 
lest a worse thing come unto thee."

    Now what do we learn from this? First, that his disease had been produced by 
his sins; secondly, that the accounts of hell fire are to be believed; thirdly, 
that the punishment is long, nay endless. Where now are those who say, "I 
murdered in an hour, I committed adultery in a little moment of time, and am I 
eternally punished?" For behold this man had not sinned for so many years as he 
suffered, for he had spent a whole lifetime in the length of his punishment; and 
sins are not judged by time, but by the nature of the transgressions. Besides 
this, we may see(2) another thing, that though we have suffered severely for 
former sins, if we afterwards fall into the same, we shall suffer much more 
severely. And with good reason; for he who is not made better even by punishment, 
is afterwards led as insensible and a despiser to still heavier chastisement. The 
fault should of itself be sufficient to check and to render more sober the man 
who once has slipped, but when not even the addition of punishment effects this, 
he naturally requires more bitter torments.(3) Now if even in this world when 
after punishment(4) we fall into the same sins, we are chastised yet more 
severely then before, ought we not when after sinning we have not been punished 
at all, to be then(5) very exceedingly afraid and to tremble, as being about to 
endure something irreparable? "And wherefore," saith some one, "are not all thus 
punished? for we see many bad men well in body, vigorous, and enjoying great 
prosperity." But let us not be confident, let us mourn for them in this case most 
of all, since their having suffered nothing here, helps them on" to a severer 
vengeance hereafter.(7) As Paul declares when he saith, "But now that we are 
judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the 
world" (1 Cor. xi. 32); for the punishments here are for warning, there for 
vengeance.

    "What then," saith one, "do all diseases proceed from sin?" Not all, but most 
of them; and some proceed from different kinds of loose living,(8) since 
gluttony, intemperance, and sloth, produce such like sufferings. But the one rule 
we have to observe, is to bear every stroke thankfully; for they are sent because 
of our sins, as in the Kings we see one attacked by gout (1 Kings xv. 23); they 
are sent also to make us approved, as the Lord saith to Job, "Thinkest thou that 
I have spoken to thee, save that thou mightest appear righteous?" (Job xl. 8, 
LXX.)

    But why is it that in the case of these paralytics Christ bringeth forward 
their sins? For He saith also to him in Matthew who lay on a bed, "Son, be of 
good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee" (Matt. ix. 2): and to this man, "Behold, 
thou art made whole; sin no more."(1) I know that some slander this paralytic, 
asserting that he was an accuser of Christ, and that therefore this speech was 
addressed to him; what then shall we say of the other in Matthew, who heard 
nearly the same words? For Christ saith to him also, "Thy sins be forgiven thee." 
Whence it is clear, that neither was this man thus addressed on the account which 
they allege. And this we may see more clearly from what follows;(2) for, saith 
the Evangelist, "Afterward Jesus findeth him in the Temple," which is an 
indication of his great piety; for he departed not into the market places and 
walks, nor gave himself up to luxury and ease, but remained in the Temple, 
although about to sustain so violent an attack and to be harassed by all 
there.(3) Yet none of these things persuaded him to depart from the Temple. 
Moreover Christ having found him, even after he had conversed with the Jews, 
implied nothing of the kind. For had He desired to charge him with this, He would 
have said to him, "Art thou again attempting the same sins as before, art thou 
not made better by thy cure?" Yet He said nothing of the kind, but merely 
secureth him for the future.

    [2.] Why then, when He had cured the halt and maimed, did He not in any 
instance make mention of the like? Methinks that the diseases of these (the 
paralytic) arose from acts of sin, those of the others from natural infirmity. Or 
if this be not so, then by means of these men, and by the words spoken to them, 
He hath spoken to the rest also. For since this disease is more grievous than any 
other, by the greater He correcteth also the less. And as when He had healed a 
certain other He charged him to give glory to God, addressing this exhortation 
not to him only but through him to all, so He addresseth to these, and by these 
to all the rest of mankind, that exhortation and advice which was given to them 
by word of mouth. Besides this we may also say, that Jesus perceived great 
endurance in his soul, and addressed the exhortation to him as to one who was 
able to receive His command, keeping him to health both by the benefit, and by 
the fear of future ills.

    And observe the absence of boasting. He said not, "Behold, I have made thee 
whole," but, "Thou art made whole; sin no more." And again, not, "lest I punish 
thee," but, "lest a worse thing come unto thee"; putting both expressions not 
personally,(4) and showing that the cure was rather of grace than of merit. For 
He declared not to him that he was delivered after suffering the deserved amount 
of punishment, but that through lovingkindness he was made whole. Had this not 
been the case, He would have said, "Behold, thou hast suffered a sufficient 
punishment for thy sins, be thou steadfast for the future." But now He spake not 
so, but how? "Behold, thou art made whole; sin no more." Let us continually 
repeat these words to ourselves, and if after having been chastised we have been 
delivered, let each say to himself, "Behold, thou art made whole; sin no more." 
But if we suffer not punishment though continuing in the same courses, let us use 
for our charm that word of the Apostle, "The goodness of God leadeth [us] to 
repentance, but after [our] hardness and impenitent heart, [we] treasure up unto 
[ourselves] wrath." (Rom. ii. 4, 5.)

    And not only by strengthening a the sick man's body, but also in another way, 
did He afford him a strong proof of His Divinity; for by saying, "Sin no more," 
He showed that He knew all the transgressions that had formerly been committed by 
him; and by this He would gain his belief as to the future.

    Ver. 15. "The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus that had made 
him whole."

    Again observe him continuing in the same right feeling. He saith not, "This 
is he who said, Take up thy bed," but when they continually advanced this seeming 
charge, he continually puts forward the defense, again declaring his Healer, and 
seeking to attract and attach others to Him. For he was not so unfeeling as after 
such a benefit and charge to betray his Benefactor, and to speak as he did with 
an evil intention. Had he been a wild beast, had he been something unlike a man 
and of stone, the benefit and the fear would have been enough to restrain him, 
since, having the threat lodged within, he would have dreaded lest he should 
suffer "a worse thing," having already received the greatest pledges(6) of the 
power of his Physician. Besides, had he wished to slander Him, he would have said 
nothing about his own cure, but would have mentioned and urged against Him the 
breach of the Sabbath. But this is not the case, surely it is not; the words are 
words of great boldness and candor; he procaims his Benefactor no less than the 
blind man did. For what said he? "He made clay, and anointed mine eyes" (c. ix. 
6); and so this man of whom we now speak, "It is Jesus who made me whole."

    Ver. 16. "Therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay Him, 
because He had done these things on the Sabbath day." What then saith Christ?

    Ver. 17. "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work."

    When there was need to make excuse for the Disciples, He brought forward 
David their fellow-servant, saying, "Have ye not read what David did when he was 
an hungered?" (Matt. xii. 2.) But when excuse was to be made for Himself, He 
betook Himself to the Father, showing in two ways His Equality, by calling God 
His Father peculiarly,(1) and by doing the same things which He did. "And 
wherefore did He not mention what took place at Jericho(2)?" Because He wished to 
raise them up from earth that they might no longer attend to Him as to a man, but 
as to God, and as to one who ought to legislate: since had He not been The Very 
Son and of the same Essence, the defense would have been worse than the charge. 
For if a viceroy who had altered a royal law should, when charged with so doing, 
excuse himself in this manner, and say, "Yea, for the king also has annulled 
laws," he would not be able to escape, but would thus increase the weight of the 
charge. But in this instance, since the dignity is equal, the defense is made 
perfect on most secure grounds. "From the charges," saith He, "from which ye 
absolve God, absolve Me also." And therefore He said first, "My Father," that He 
might persuade them even against their will to allow to Him the same, through 
reverence of His clearly asserted Sonship.

    If any one say, "And how doth the Father 'work,' who ceased on the seventh 
day from all His works?" let him learn the manner in which He "worketh." What 
then is the manner of His working? He careth for, He holdeth(3) together all that 
hath been made. Therefore when thou beholdest the sun rising and the moon running 
in her path, the lakes, and fountains, and rivers, and rains, the course of 
nature in the seeds and in our own bodies and those of irrational beings, and all 
the rest by means of which this universe is made up, then learn the ceaseless 
working of the Father. "For He maketh His sun to rise upon the evil and the good, 
and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." (Matt. v. 45.) And again; "If 
God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into 
the fire(4) " (Matt. vi. 30); and speaking of the birds He said, "Your Heavenly 
Father feedeth them."

    [3.] In that place(5) then He did all on the Sabbath day by words only, and 
added nothing more, but refuted their charges by what was done in the Temple and 
from their own practice. But here where He commanded a work to be done, the 
taking up a bed, (a thing of no great importance as regarded the miracle,(6) 
though by it He showed one point, a manifest violation of the Sabbath,) He leads 
up His discourse to something greater, desiring the more to awe them by reference 
to the dignity of the Father, and to lead them up to higher thought. Therefore 
when His discourse is concerning the Sabbath, He maketh not His defense as man 
only, or as God only, but sometimes in one way, sometimes in the other; because 
He desired to persuade them both of the condescension of the Dispensation, and 
the Dignity of His Godhead. Therefore He now defendeth Himself as God, since had 
He always conversed with them merely as a man, they would have continued in the 
same low condition. Wherefore that this may not be, He bringeth forward the 
Father. Yet the creation itself "worketh" on the Sabbath, (for the sun runneth, 
rivers flow, fountains bubble, women bear,) but that thou mayest learn that He is 
not of creation, He said not, "Yea, I work, for creation worketh," but, "Yea, I 
work, for My Father worketh."

    Ver. 18. "Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He not only 
had broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was His Father, making Himself 
equal with God."

    And this he asserted not by words merely, but by deeds, for not in speech 
alone, but also yet oftener by actions He declared it. Why so? Because they might 
object to His words and charge Him with arrogance, but when they saw the truth of 
His actions proved by results, and His power proclaimed by works, after that they 
could say nothing against Him.

    But they who Will not receive these words in a right mind assert, that 
"Christ made not Himself equal to God, but that the Jews suspected this." Come 
then let us go over what has been said from the beginning. Tell me, did the Jews 
persecute Him, or did they not? It is clear to every one that they did. Did they 
persecute Him for this or for something else? It is again allowed that it was for 
this. Did He then break the Sabbath, or did He not? Against the fact that He did, 
no one can have anything to say. Did He call God His Father, or did He not call 
Him so? This too is true. Then the rest also follows by the same consequence; for 
as to call God His Father, to break the Sabbath, and to be persecuted by the Jews 
for the former and more especially for the latter reason, belonged not to a false 
imagination, but to actual fact, so to make Himself equal to God was a 
declaration of the same meaning.(1)

    And this one may see more clearly from what He had before said, for "My 
Father worketh and I work," is the expression of One declaring Himself equal to 
God. For in these words He has marked(2) no difference. He said not, "He worketh, 
and I minister," but, "As He worketh, so work I"; and hath declared absolute 
Equality. But if He had not wished to establish this, and the Jews had supposed 
so without reason, He would not have allowed their minds to be deceived, but 
would have corrected this. Besides, the Evangelist would not have been silent on 
the subject, but would have plainly said that the Jews supposed so, but that 
Jesus did not make Himself equal to God. As in another place he doth this very 
thing, when he perceiveth that something was said in one way, and understood in 
another; as, "Destroy this Temple," said Christ, "and in three days I will raise 
It up" (c. ii. 19); speaking of His Flesh. But the Jews, not understanding this, 
and supposing that the words were spoken of the Jewish Temple, said, "Forty and 
six years was this temple in building, and wilt Thou rear it up in three days?" 
Since then He said one thing, and they imagined another, (for He spake of His 
Flesh, and they thought that the words were spoken of their Temple,) the 
Evangelist remarking on this, or rather correcting their imagination, goes on to 
say, "But He spake of the Temple of His Body." So that here also, if Christ had 
not made Himself equal with God, had not wished to establish this, and yet the 
Jews had imagined that He did, the writer would here also have corrected their 
supposition, and would have said, "The Jews thought that He made Himself equal to 
God, but indeed He spake not of equality." And this is done not in this place 
only, nor by this Evangelist only, but again elsewhere another Evangelist is seen 
to do the same. For when Christ warned His disciples, saying, "Beware of the 
leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees" (Matt. xvi. 6), and they reasoned among 
themselves, saying, "It is because we have taken no bread," and He spake of one 
thing, calling their doctrine "leaven," but the disciples imagined another, 
supposing that the words were said of bread; it is not now the Evangelist who 
setteth them right, but Christ Himself, speaking thus, "How is it that ye do not 
understand, that I spake not to you concerning bread?" But here there is nothing 
of the kind.

    "But," saith some one, "to remove this very thought Christ has added,

    Ver. 19. "'The Son can do nothing of Him self.'"

    Man! He doth the contrary. He saith this not to take away, but to confirm,(3) 
His Equality. But attend carefully, for this is no common question. The 
expression "of Himself" is found in many places of Scripture, with reference both 
to Christ and to the Holy Ghost, and we must learn the force of the expression, 
that we may not fall into the greatest errors; for if one take it separately by 
itself in the way in which it is obvious to take it, consider how great an 
absurdity will follow. He said not that He could do some things of Himself and 
that others He could not, but universally,

    [4.] "The Son can do nothing of Himself." I ask then my opponent, "Can the 
Son do nothing of Himself, tell me?" If he reply. "that He can do nothing," we 
will say, that He hath done of Himself the very greatest of all goods. As Paul 
cries aloud, saying, "Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be 
equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of 
a servant." (Phil. ii. 6, 7.) And again, Christ Himself in another place saith, 
"I have power to lay down My life, and I have power to take it again": and, "No 
man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself." (c. x. 18.) Seest thou that 
He hath power over life and death, and that He wrought of Himself so mighty a 
Dispensation? And why speak I concerning Christ, when even we, than whom nothing 
can be meaner, do many things of ourselves? Of ourselves we choose vice, of 
ourselves we go after virtue, and if we do it not of ourselves, and not having 
power, we shall neither suffer hell if we do wrong, nor enjoy the Kingdom if we 
do right.

    What then meaneth, "Can do nothing of Himself"? That He can do nothing in 
opposition to the Father, nothing alien from, nothing strange to Him,(4) which is 
especially the assertion of One declaring an Equality and entire agreement.

    But wherefore said He not, that "He doeth nothing contrary," instead of, "He 
cannot do"? It was that from this again He might show the invariableness and 
exactness of the Equality, for the expression imputes not weakness to Him, but 
even shows(5) His great power; since in another place Paul saith of the Father, 
"That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie" (Heb. 
vi. 18): and again, "If we deny Him--He abideth faithful," for "He cannot deny 
Himself." (2 Tim. ii. 12, 13.) And in truth this expression, "impossible," is not 
declaratory of weakness, but power, power unspeakable. For what He saith is of 
this kind, that "that Essence admitteth not such things as these." For just as 
when we also say, "it is impossible for God to do wrong," we do not impute to Him 
any weakness, but confess in Him an unutterable power; so when He also saith, "I 
can of Mine own Self do nothing" (v. 30), His meaning is, that "it is impossible, 
nature admits not,(1) that I should do anything contrary to the Father." And that 
you may learn that this is really what is said, let us, going over what follows, 
see whether Christ agreeth with what is said by us, or among you. Thou sayest, 
that the expression does away with His Power and His proper Authority, and shows 
His might to be but weak; but I say, that this proves His Equality, His unvarying 
Likeness,(2) (to the Father,) and the fact that all is done as it were by one 
Will(3) and Power and Might. Let us then enquire of Christ Himself, and see by 
what He next saith whether He interpreteth these words according to thy 
supposition or according to ours. What then saith He?

    "For what things soever the Father(4) doeth these also doeth the Son 
likewise."

    Seest thou how He hath taken away you assertion by the root, and confirmed 
what is said by us? since, if Christ doeth nothing of Himself, neither will the 
Father do anything of Himself, if so be that Christ doeth all things in like 
manner to Him.(5) If this be not the case, another strange conclusion will 
follow. For He said not, that "whatsoever things He saw the Father do, He did," 
but, "except He see the Father doing anything, He doeth it not"; extending His 
words to all time; now He will, according to you, be continually learning the 
same things. Seest thou how exalted is the idea, and that the very humility of 
the expression compelleth even the most shameless and unwilling to avoid 
groveling thoughts, and such as are unsuited to His dignity? For who so wretched 
and miserable as to assert, that the Son learneth day by day what He must do? and 
how can that be true, "Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not fail"? (Ps. 
cii. 27), or that other, "All things were made by Him, and without Him was not 
anything made" (c. i. 3); if the Father doeth certain things, and the Son seeth 
and imitateth Him? Seest thou that from what was asserted above, and from what 
was said afterwards, proof is given of His independent Power? and if He bringeth 
forward some expressions in lowly manner, marvel not, for since they persecuted 
Him when they had heard His exalted sayings, and deemed Him to be an enemy of 
God, sinking(6) a little in expression alone, He again leadeth His discourse up 
to the sublimer doctrines, then in turn to the lower, varying His teaching that 
it might be easy of acceptance even to the indisposed.(7) Observe, after saying, 
"My Father worketh, and I work"; and after declaring Himself equal with God, He 
addeth, "The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do." 
Then again in a higher strain, "What things soever the Father doeth, these also 
doeth the Son likewise." Then in a lower,

    Ver. 20. "The Father loveth the Son, and showeth Him all things that Himself 
doeth; and He will show Him greater works than these."

    Seest thou how great is the humility of this? And with reason; for what I 
said before, what I shall not cease to say, I will now repeat, that when He 
uttereth anything low or humbly, He putteth it in excess, that the very poverty 
of the expression may persuade even the indisposed to receive the notions with 
pious understanding. Since, if it be not so, see how absurd a thing is asserted, 
making the trial from the words themselves For when He saith, "And shall show Him 
greater works than these," He will be found not to have yet learned many things, 
which cannot be said even of the Apostles; for they when they had once received 
the grace of the Spirit, in a moment both knew and were able to do all things 
which it was needful that they should know and have power to do, while Christ 
will be found to have not yet learned many things which He needed to know. And 
what can be more absurd than this?

    What then is His meaning? It was because He had strengthened the paralytic, 
and was about to raise the dead, that He thus spake, all but saying, "Wonder ye 
that I have strengthened the paralyzed? Ye shall see greater things than these." 
But He spake not thus, but proceeded somehow in a humbler strain, in order that 
He might soothe(8) their madness. And that thou mayest learn that "shall show" is 
not used absolutely, listen again to what followeth.

    Ver. 21. "For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them, even so 
the Son quickeneth whom He will."

    Yet "can do nothing of Himself" is opposed to "whom He will": since if He 
quickeneth "whom He will," He can do something "of Himself," (for to "will" 
implies power,) but if He "can do nothing of Himself," then He cannot "quicken 
whom He will." For the expression, "as the Father raiseth up," showeth unvarying 
resemblance in Power, and "whom He will," Equality of Authority. Seest thou 
therefore that "cannot do anything of Himself" is the expression of One not 
taking away His (own) authority, but declaring the unvarying resemblance of His 
Power and Will (to those of the Father)? In this sense also understand the words, 
"shall show to Him"; for in another place He saith, "I will raise him up at the 
last Day." (c. vi. 40.) And again, to show that He doth it not by receiving an 
inward power(1) from above, He saith, "I am the Resurrection and the Life." (c. 
xi. 25.) Then that thou mayest not assert that He raiseth what dead He will and 
quickeneth them, but that He doth not other things in such manner, He 
anticipateth and preventeth every objection of the kind by saying, "What things 
soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise," thus declaring that He doeth 
all things which the Father doeth, and as the Father doeth them; whether thou 
speakest of the raising of the dead, or the fashioning(2) of bodies, or the 
remission of sins, or any other matter whatever, He worketh in like manner to Him 
who begat Him.

    [5.] But men careless of their salvation give heed to none of these things; 
so great an evil is it to be in love with precedence. This has been the mother of 
heresies, this has confirmed the impiety of the heathen.(3) For God desired that 
His invisible things should be understood by the creation of this world (Rom. i. 
20), but they having left these and refused to come by this mode of teaching, cut 
out for themselves another way, and so were cast out from the true.(4) And the 
Jews believed not because they received honor from one another, and sought not 
the honor which is from God. But let us, beloved, avoid this disease exceedingly 
and with all earnestness; for though we have ten thousand good qualities, this 
plague of vainglory is sufficient to bring them all to nought. (c. v. 44.) If 
therefore we desire praise, let us seek the praise which is from God, for the 
praise of men of what kind soever it be, as soon as it has appeared has perished, 
or if it perish not, brings to us no profit, and often proceeds from a corrupt 
judgment. And what is there to be admired in the honor which is from men? which 
young dancers enjoy, and abandoned women, and covetous and rapacious men? But he 
who is approved of God, is approved not with these, but with those holy men the 
Prophets and Apostles, who have shown forth an angelic life. If we feel any 
desire to lead multitudes about with us or be looked at by them, let us consider 
the matter apart by itself, and we shall find that it is utterly worthless. In 
fine, if thou art fond of crowds, draw to thyself the host of angels, and become 
terrible to the devils, then shalt thou care nothing for mortal things, but shalt 
tread all that is splendid underfoot as mire and clay; and shall clearly see that 
nothing so fits a soul for shame as the passion for glory; for it cannot, it 
cannot be, that the man who desires this should live the crucified life, as on 
the other hand it is not possible that the man who hath trodden this underfoot 
should not tread down most other passions; for he who masters this will get the 
better of envy and covetousness, and all the grievous maladies. "And how," saith 
some one, "shall we get the better of it?" If we look to the other glory which is 
from heaven, and from which this kind strives to cast us out. For that heavenly 
glory both makes us honored here, and passes with us into the life which is to 
come, and delivers us from all fleshly slavery which we now most miserably serve, 
giving up ourselves entirely to earth and the things of earth. For if you go into 
the forum, if you enter into a house, into the streets, into the soldiers' 
quarters, into inns, taverns, ships, islands, palaces, courts of justice, council 
chambers, you shall everywhere find anxiety for things present and belonging to 
this life, and each man laboring for these things, whether gone or coming, 
traveling or staying at home, voyaging, tilling lands, in the fields, in the 
cities, in a word, all. What hope then of salvation have we, when inhabiting 
God's earth we care not for the things of God, when bidden to be aliens from 
earthly things we are aliens from heaven and citizens of earth? What can be worse 
than this insensibility, when hearing each day of the Judgment and of the 
Kingdom, we imitate the men in the days of Noah, and those of Sodom, waiting to 
learn all by actual experience? Yet for this purpose were all those things 
written, that if any one believe not that which is to come, he may, from what has 
already been, get certain proof of what shall be. Considering therefore these 
things, both the past and the future, let us at least take breath a little from 
this hard slavery, and make some account of our souls also,(5) that we may obtain 
both present and future blessings; through the grace and lovingkindness of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be glory, now and 
ever, and world without end. Amen.


HOMILY XXXIX: JOHN v. 23, 24.

"For My Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son; that 
all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father."

    [1.] BELOVED, we need great diligence in all things, for we shall render 
account of and undergo a strict enquiry both of words and works. Our interests 
stop not with what now is, but a certain other condition of life shall receive us 
after this, and we shall be brought before a fearful tribunal. "For we must 
appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things 
done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." (2 
Cor. v. 10.) Let us ever bear in mind this tribunal, that we may thus be enabled 
at all times to continue in virtue; for as he who has cast out from his soul that 
day, rushes like a horse that has burst his bridle to precipices, (for "his ways 
are always defiled" (1)--Ps. x. 5,) and then assigning the reason the Psalmist 
hath added, "He putteth Thy judgments far away out of his sight";) so he that 
always retains this fear will walk soberly. "Remember," saith one, "thy last 
things, and thou shalt never do amiss." (Ecclus. vii. 40.) For He who now hath 
remitted our sins, will then sin in judgment; He who hath died for our sake will 
then appear again to judge all mankind.(2) "Unto them that look for Him," saith 
the Apostle, "shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation." (Heb. 
ix. 28.) Wherefore in this place also He saith, "My Father judgeth no man, but 
hath committed all judgment unto the Son; that all men should honor the Son; even 
as they honor the Father."

    "Shall we then," saith some one, "also call Him Father?" Away with the 
thought. He useth the word "Son" that we may honor Him still remaining a Son, as 
we honor the Father; but he who calleth Him "Father" doth not honor the Son as 
the Father, but has confounded the whole. Moreover as men are not so much brought 
to by being benefited as by being punished, on this account He hath spoken thus 
terribly,(3) that even fear may draw them to honor Him. And when He saith "all," 
His meaning is this, that He hath power to punish and to honor, and doeth either 
as He will.(4) The expression "hath given," is used that thou mayest not suppose 
Him not to have been Begotten, and so think that there are two Fathers. For all 
that the Father is, this the Son is also,(5) Begotten, and remaining a Son. And 
that thou mayest learn that "hath given" is the same as "hath begotten," hear 
this very thing declared by another place. "As," saith Christ, "the Father hath 
life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself." (Ver. 26.) 
"What then? Did he first beget and then give Him life? For he who giveth, giveth 
to something which is. Was He then begotten without life?" Not even the devils 
could imagine this for it is very foolish as well as impious. As then "hath given 
life" is "hath begotten Him who is Life," so, "hath given judgment" is "hath 
begotten Him who shall be Judge."

    That thou mayest not when thou hearest that He hath the Father for His cause 
imagine any difference(6) of essence or inferiority of honor, He cometh to judge 
thee, by this proving His Equality.(7) For He who hath authority to punish and to 
honor whom He will, hath the same Power with the Father. Since, if this be not 
the case, if having been begotten He afterwards received the honor, how came it 
that He was afterwards [thus] honored, by what mode of advancement reached He so 
far as to receive and be appointed to this dignity? Are ye not ashamed thus 
impudently to apply to that Pure Nature which admitteth of no addition these 
carnal and mean imaginations?

    "Why then," saith some one, "doth Christ so speak?" That His words may be 
readily received, and to clear the way for sublime sayings; therefore He mixeth 
these with those, and those with these. And observe how (He doth it); for it is 
good to see this from the beginning. He said, "My Father worketh, and I work" (c. 
v. 17, &c.): declaring by this their Equality and Equal honor. But they "sought 
to kill Him." What doth He then? He lowereth His form of speech indeed, and 
putteth the same meaning when He saith, "The Son can do nothing of Himself." Then 
again He raiseth His discourse to high matters, saying, "What things soever the 
Father doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." Then He returneth to what is 
lower, "For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth Him all things that Himself 
doeth; and He will show Him greater things than these." Then He riseth higher, 
"For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them, even so the Son 
quickeneth whom He will." After this again He joineth the high and the low 
together, "For neither doth the Father judge any one, but hath given all judgment 
to the Son"; then riseth again, "That all men should honor the Son, even as they 
honor the Father." Seest thou how He varieth the discourse, weaving it both of 
high and low words and expressions, in order that it might be acceptable to the 
men of that time, and that those who should come after might receive no injury, 
gaining from the higher part a right opinion of the rest? For if this be not the 
case, if these sayings were not uttered through condescension, wherefore were the 
high expressions added? Because one who is entitled to utter great words 
concerning himself, hath, when he saith anything mean and low, this reasonable 
excuse, that he doth it for some prudential purpose;(1) but if one who ought to 
speak meanly of himself saith anything great, on what account doth he utter words 
which surpass his nature? This is not for any purpose at all, but an act of 
extreme impiety.(2)

    [2.] We are therefore able to assign a reason for the lowly expressions, a 
reason sufficient and becoming to God, namely, His condescension, His teaching us 
to be moderate, and the salvation which is thus wrought for us. To declare which 
He said Himself in another place, "These things I say that ye might be saved." 
For when He left His own witness, and betook Himself to that of John, (a thing 
unworthy of His greatness,) He putteth the reason of such lowliness of language, 
and saith, "These things I say that ye might be saved." And ye who assert that He 
hath not the same authority and power with Him who begot Him, what can ye say 
when ye hear Him utter words by which He declareth His Authority and Power and 
Glory equal in respect of the Father? Wherefore, if He be as ye assert very 
inferior, doth He claim the same honor? Nor doth He stop even here, but goeth on 
to say,

    "He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent Him." 
Seest thou how the honor of the Son is connected with that of the Father? "What 
of that?" saith one. "We see the same in the case of the Apostles; 'He,' saith 
Christ, 'who receiveth you receiveth Me.'" (Matt. x. 40.) But in that place He 
speaketh so, because He maketh the concerns of His servants His own; here, 
because the Essence and the Glory is One (with that of the Father). Therefore(3) 
it is not said of the Apostles." that they may honor," but rightly He saith, "He 
that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father." For where there are two 
kings, if one is insulted the other is insulted also, and especially when he that 
is insulted is a son. He is insulted even when one of his soldiers is maltreated; 
not in the same way as in this case, but as it were in the person of another,(4) 
while here it is as it were in his own. Wherefore He beforehand said, "That they 
should honor the Son even as they honor the Father," in order that when He should 
say, "He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father," thou mightest 
understand that the honor is the same. For He saith not merely, "he that honoreth 
not the Son," but "he that honoreth Him not so as I have said" "honoreth not the 
Father."

    "And how," saith one, "can he that sendeth and he that is sent be of the same 
essence?" Again, thou bringest down the argument to carnal things, and perceivest 
not that all this has been said for no other purpose, but that we might know Him 
to be The Cause,(5) and not fall into the error(6) of Sabellius, and that in this 
manner the infirmity of the Jews might be healed, so that He might not be deemed 
an enemy of God;(7) for they said, "This man is not of God" (c. ix. 16), "This 
man hath not come from God." Now to remove this suspicion, high sayings did not 
contribute so much as the lowly, and therefore continually and everywhere He said 
that He had been "sent"; not that thou mightest suppose that expression to be(8) 
any lessening of His greatness, but in order to stop their mouths. And for this 
cause also He constantly betaketh Himself to the Father, interposing moreover 
mention of His own high Parentage.(9) For had He said all in proportion to His 
dignity, the Jews would not have received His words, since because of a few such 
expressions. they persecuted and oftentimes stoned Him; and if looking wholly to 
them He had used none but low expressions, many in after times might have been 
harmed. Wherefore He mingleth and blendeth(10) His teaching, both by these lowly 
sayings stopping, as I said, the mouths of the Jews, and also by expressions 
suited to His dignity banishing from men of sense any mean notion of what He had 
said, and proving that such a notion did not in any wise apply to Him at all.

    The expression "having been sent" denoteth change of place--but God is 
everywhere present. Wherefore then saith He that He was "sent"? He speaketh in an 
earthly(1) way,(2) declaring His unanimity with the Father. At least He shapeth 
His succeeding words with a desire to effect this.

    Ver. 24. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and 
believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life."

    Seest thou how continually He putteth the same thing to cure that feeling of 
suspicion, both in this place and in what follows by fear and by promises of 
blessings removing their jealousy of Him, and then again condescending greatly in 
words? For He said not, "he that heareth My words, and believeth on Me," since 
they would have certainly deemed that to be pride, and a superfluous pomp of 
words; because, if after a very long time, and ten thousand miracles, they 
suspected this when He spake after this manner, much more would they have done so 
then. It was on this account that at that later period(3) they said to Him, 
"Abraham is dead, and the prophets are dead, how sayest Thou,(4) If a man keep My 
saying, he shall never taste of death?" (c. viii. 52.) In order therefore that 
they may not here also become furious, see what He saith, "He that heareth My 
word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life." This had no 
small effect in making His discourse acceptable, when they learned that those who 
hear Him believe in the Father also; for after having received this with 
readiness, they would more easily receive the rest. So that the very speaking in 
a humble manner contributed and led the way to higher things; for after saying, 
"hath everlasting life," He addeth,

    "And cometh not into judgment, but is passed from death unto life."

    By these two things He maketh His discourse acceptable; first, because it is 
the Father who is believed on, and then, because the believer enjoyeth many 
blessings. And the "cometh not into judgment" meaneth, "is not punished," for He 
speaketh not of death "here," but of death eternal, as also of the other "life" 
which is deathless.

    Ver. 25. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour cometh, and now is, when 
the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that have heard shall 
live."

    Having said the words, He speaketh also of the proof by deeds.(5) For when He 
had said, "As the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them, even so the Son 
quickeneth whom He will," that the thing may not seem to be mere boasting and 
pride, He affordeth proof(6) by works, saying, "The hour cometh"; then, that thou 
mayest not deem that the time is long, He addeth, "and now is, when the dead 
shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that have heard shall live." 
Seest thou here His absolute and unutterable authority? For as it shall be in the 
Resurrection, even so, He saith, it shall be "now." Then too when we hear His 
voice commanding us we are raised; for, saith the Apostle, "at the command of God 
the dead shall arise."(7) "And whence," perhaps some one will ask, "is it clear 
that the words are not mere boast?" From what He hath added, "and now is"; 
because had His promises referred only to some future time, His discourse would 
have been suspected by them, but now He supplieth them with a proof: "While I," 
saith He, "am tarrying among you, this thing shall come to pass"; and He would 
not, had He not possessed the power, have promised for that time, lest through 
the promise He should incur the greater ridicule. Then too He addeth an argument 
demonstrative of His assertions, saying,

    Ver. 26. "For as the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son 
to have life in Himself."

    [3.] Seest thou that this declareth a perfect likeness save in one(8) point, 
which is the One being a Father, and the Other a Son? for the expression "hath 
given," merely introduceth this distinction, but declareth that all the rest is 
equal and exactly alike. Whence it is clear that the Son doeth all things with as 
much authority and power as the Father, and that He is not empowered from some 
other source, for He "hath life" so as the Father hath. And on this. account, 
what comes after is straightway added, that from this we may understand the other 
also. What is this then? It is,

    Ver. 27. "Hath given Him authority to execute judgment also."

    And wherefore doth He continually(9) dwell upon "resurrection" and 
"judgment"? For He saith, "As the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them, 
even so the Son quickeneth whom He will": and again, "the Father judgeth no man, 
but hath committed all judgment to the Son": and again, "As the Father hath life 
in Himself so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself"; and again, "They 
that have heard [the Voice of the Son of God] shall live"; and here again, "Hath 
given to Him authority to execute judgment." Wherefore doth He dwell on these 
things continually? I mean, on "judgment," and "life," and "resurrection"? It is 
because these subjects are able most of any to attract even the obstinate hearer.

For the man who is persuaded that he shall both rise again and shall give account 
to Christ(1) of his transgressions, even though he have seen no other sign, yet 
having admitted this, will surely run to Him to propitiate his Judge.

    "That He is the Son of Man (v. 28), marvel not at this."

    Paul of Samosata rendereth it not so; but how? "Hath given Him authority to 
execute judgment, 'because' He is the Son of Man."(2) Now the passage thus read 
is inconsequent, for He did not receive judgment "because" He was man, (since 
then what hindered all men from being judges,) but because He is the Son of that 
Ineffable Essence, therefore is He Judge. So we must read, "That He is the Son of 
Man, marvel not at this." For when what He said seemed to the hearers 
inconsistent, and they deemed Him nothing more than mere man while His words were 
greater than suited man yea, or even angel, and were proper to God only, to solve 
this objection He addeth,

    Ver. 28, 29. "Marvel not [that He is the Son of Man,(3)] for the hour is 
coming in the which they(4) that are in the tombs shall hear His voice and shall 
go forth, they that have done good to the resurrection of life, and they that 
have done evil to the resurrection of judgment."

    And wherefore said He not, "Marvel not that He is the Son of Man, for He is 
also the Son of God," but rather mentioned the "resurrection"? He did indeed put 
this above, by saying, "shall hear the Voice of the Son of God." And if here He 
is silent on the matter, wonder not; for after mentioning a work which was proper 
to God, He then permitteth His hearers to collect from it that He was God, and 
the Son of God. For had this been continually asserted by Himself, it would at 
that time have offended them but when proved by the argument of miracles it 
rendered His doctrine less burdensome. So they who put together syllogisms, when 
having laid down their premises(5) they have fairly(6) proved the point in 
question, frequently do not draw the conclusion themselves, but to render their 
hearers more fairly disposed, and to make their victory more evident, cause the 
opponent himself to give the verdict, so that the by-standers may the rather 
agree with them when their opponents decide in their favor. When therefore He 
mentioned the resurrection of Lazarus, He spake not of the Judgment (for it was 
not for this that Lazarus arose); but when He spake generally He also added, that 
"they that have done good shall go forth unto the resurrection of life, and they 
that have done evil unto the resurrection of judgment." Thus also John led on his 
hearers by speaking of the Judgment, and that "he that believeth not on the Son, 
shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him" (c. iii. 36): so too 
Himself led on Nicodemus: "He that believeth on the Son," He said to him, "is not 
judged, but he that believeth not is judged already" (c. iii. 18); and so here He 
mentioneth the Judgment-seat(7) and the punishment which shall follow upon evil 
deeds. For because He had said above, "He that heareth My words and believeth on 
Him that sent Me," "is not judged," lest any one should imagine that this alone 
is sufficient for salvation, He addeth also the result of man's life,(8) 
declaring that "they which have done good shall come forth unto the resurrection 
of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of judgment." Since 
then He had said that all the world should render account to Him, and that all at 
His Voice should rise again, a thing new and strange and even now disbelieved by 
many who seem to have believed, not to say by the Jews at that time, hear how He 
goeth to prove it, again condescending to the infirmity of His hearers.

    Ver. 30. "I can of Mine own self do nothing; as I hear I judge, and My 
judgment is just, because I seek not Mine own will, but the will of Him(9) which 
sent Me."

    Although He had but lately given no trifling proof of the Resurrection by 
bracing(10) the paralytic; on which account also He had not spoken of the 
Resurrection before He had done what fell little short of resurrection. And the 
Judgment He hinted at after He had braced the body, by saying, "Behold, thou art 
made whole, sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee"; yet still He 
proclaimed beforehand the resurrection of Lazarus and of the world. And when He 
had spoken of these two, that of Lazarus which should come to pass almost 
immediately, and that of the inhabited world which should be long after, He 
confirmeth the first by the paralytic and by the nearness of the time, saying, 
"The hour cometh and now is"; the other by the raising of Lazarus, by what had 
already come to pass bringing before their sight what had not yet done so. And 
this we may observe Him do everywhere, putting (forth) two or three predictions, 
and always confirming the future by the past.

    [4.] Yet after saying and doing so much, since they still were very weak(11) 
He is not content, but by other expressions calms their disputations temper,(12) 
saying,