Homilies
on the Gospel of John (Chrysostom)
Homily
15
John 1:18
No
man has seen God at any time; the Only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom of
the Father, He has declared Him.
1.
God will not have us listen to the words and sentences contained in the
Scriptures carelessly, but with much attention. This is why the blessed David
has prefixed in many places to his Psalms the title for understanding, and has
said, Open Thou my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Your Law.
Psalm 32:42, etc.; Psalm 119:18 And after him his son again shows that we ought
to seek out wisdom as silver, and to make merchandise of her rather than of
gold. Proverbs 2:4 and 3:14 [partially quoted]; John 5:39 And the Lord when He
exhorts the Jews to search the Scriptures, the more urges us to the enquiry,
for He would not thus have spoken if it were possible to comprehend them immediately
at the first reading. No one would ever search for what is obvious and at hand,
but for that which is wrapt in shadow, and which must be found after much
enquiry; and so to arouse us to the search He calls them hidden treasure.
Proverbs 2:4; Matthew 13:44 These words are said to us that we may not apply
ourselves to the words of the Scriptures carelessly or in a chance way, but
with great exactness. For if any one listen to what is said in them without
enquiring into the meaning, and receive all so as it is spoken, according to
the letter, he will suppose many unseemly things of God, will admit of Him that
He is a man, that He is made of brass, is wrathful, is furious, and many
opinions yet worse than these. But if he fully learn the sense that lies beneath,
he will be freed from all this unseemliness. Revelation 1:15 The very text
which now lies before us says, that God has a bosom, a thing proper to bodily
substances, yet no one is so insane as to imagine, that He who is without body
is a body. In order then that we may properly interpret the entire passage
according to its spiritual meaning, let us search it through from its
beginning.
No
man has seen God at any time. By what connection of thought does the Apostle
come to say this? After showing the exceeding greatness of the gifts of Christ,
and the infinite difference between them and those ministered by Moses, he
would add the reasonable cause of the difference. Moses, as being a servant,
was minister of lower things, but Christ being Lord and King, and the King's
Son, brought to us things far greater, being ever with the Father, and
beholding Him continually; wherefore He says, No man has seen God at any time.
What then shall we answer to the most mighty of voice, Esaias, when he says, I
saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up Isaiah 6:1; and to John
himself testifying of Him, that he said these things when he had seen His
glory? John 12:41 What also to Ezekiel? For he too beheld Him sitting above the
Cherubim. Ezekiel 1 and 10 What to Daniel? For he too says, The Ancient of days
did sit Daniel 7:9 What to Moses himself, saying, Show me Your Glory, that I
may see You so as to know You. Exodus 33:13, partly from Septuagint And Jacob
took his name from this very thing, being called Israel; for Israel is one that
sees God. And others have seen him. How then says John, No man has seen God at
any time? It is to declare, that all these were instances of (His)
condescension, not the vision of the Essence itself unveiled. For had they seen
the very Nature, they would not have beheld It under different forms, since
that is simple, without form, or parts, or bounding lines. It sits not, nor
stands, nor walks: these things belong all to bodies. But how He Is, He only
knows. And this He has declared by a certain prophet, saying, I have multiplied
visions, and used similitudes by the hands of the prophets Hosea 12:10, that
is, I have condescended, I have not appeared as I really was. For since His Son
was about to appear in very flesh, He prepared them from old time to behold the
substance of God, as far as it was possible for them to see It; but what God
really is, not only have not the prophets seen, but not even angels nor
archangels. If you ask them, you shall not hear them answering anything concerning
His Essence, but sending up, Glory to God in the Highest, on earth peace, good
will towards men. Luke 2:14 If you desire to learn something from Cherubim or
Seraphim, you shall hear the mystic song of His Holiness, and that heaven and
earth are full of His glory. Isaiah 6:3 If you enquire of the higher powers,
you shall but find that their one work is the praise of God. Praise Him, says
David, all His hosts. Psalm 148:2 But the Son only Beholds Him, and the Holy
Ghost. How can any created nature even see the Uncreated? If we are absolutely
unable clearly to discern any incorporeal power whatsoever, even though
created, as has been often proved in the case of angels, much less can we
discern the Essence which is incorporeal and uncreated. Wherefore Paul says,
Whom no man has seen, nor can see. 1 Timothy 6:16 Does then this special
attribute belong to the Father only, not to the Son? Away with the thought. It
belongs also to the Son; and to show that it does so, hear Paul declaring this
point, and saying, that He is the Image of the invisible God. Colossians 1:15
Now if He be the Image of the Invisible, He must be invisible Himself, for
otherwise He would not be an image. And wonder not that Paul says in another
place, God was manifested in the Flesh 1 Timothy 3:16; because the
manifestation took place by means of the flesh, not according to (His) Essence.
Besides, Paul shows that He is invisible, not only to men, but also to the
powers above, for after saying, was manifested in the Flesh, he adds, was seen of
angels.
2.
So that even to angels He then became visible, when He put on the Flesh; but
before that time they did not so behold Him, because even to them His Essence
was invisible.
How
then, asks some one, did Christ say, 'Despise not one of these little ones, for
I tell you, that their angels do always behold the face of My Father which is
in heaven'? Matthew 18:10 Hath then God a face, and is He bounded by the
heavens? Who so mad as to assert this? What then is the meaning of the words?
As when He says, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God Matthew
5:8, He means that intellectual vision which is possible to us, and the having
God in the thoughts; so in the case of angels, we must understand that by
reason of their pure and sleepless nature they do nothing else, but always
image to themselves God. And therefore Christ says, that No man knows the
Father, save the Son. Matthew 10:27 What then, are we all in ignorance? God
forbid; but none knows Him as the Son knows Him. As then many have seen Him in
the mode of vision permitted to them, but no one has beheld His Essence, so
many of us know God, but what His substance can be none knows, save only He
that was begotten of Him. For by knowledge He here means an exact idea and
comprehension, such as the Father has of the Son. As the Father knows Me, even
so know I the Father. John 10:15
Observe,
therefore, with what fullness the Evangelist speaks; for having said that no
man has seen God at any time, he does not go on to say, that the Son who has
seen, has declared Him, but adds something beyond seeing by the words, Who is
in the bosom of the Father; because, to dwell in the bosom is far more than to
see. For he that merely sees has not an in every way exact knowledge of the
object, but he that dwells in the bosom can be ignorant of nothing. Now lest
when you hear that none knows the Father, save the Son, you should assert that
although He knows the Father more than all, yet He knows not how great He is,
the Evangelist says that He dwells in the bosom of the Father; and Christ
Himself declares, that He knows Him as much as the Father knows the Son. Ask
therefore the gainsayer, Tell me, does the Father know the Son? And if he be not
mad, he will certainly answer Yes. Then ask again; Does He see and know Him
with exact vision and knowledge? Does He know clearly what He Is? He will
certainly confess this also. From this next collect the exact comprehension the
Son has of the Father. For He says, As the Father knows me, even so know I the
Father John 10:15; and in another place, Not that any man has seen the Father,
save He which is of God. John 6:46 Wherefore, as I said, the Evangelist
mentions the bosom, to show all this to us by that one word; that great is the
affinity and nearness of the Essence, that the knowledge is nowise different,
that the power is equal. For the Father would not have in His bosom one of
another essence, nor would He have dared, had He been one among many servants,
to live in the bosom of his Lord, for this belongs only to a true Son, to one
who has much confidence towards His Father, and who is in nothing inferior to
Him.
Would
you learn also His eternity? Hear what Moses says concerning the Father. When
he asked what he was commanded to answer should the Jews enquire of him, Who it
was that had sent him, he heard these words: Say, I AM has sent me. Exodus 3:14
Now the expression I AM, is significative of Being ever, and Being without
beginning, of Being really and absolutely. And this also the expression, Was in
the beginning, declares, being indicative of Being ever; so that John uses this
word to show that the Son Is from everlasting to everlasting in the bosom of
the Father. For that you may not from the sameness of name, suppose that He is
some one of those who are made sons by grace, first, the article is added,
distinguishing Him from those by grace. But if this does not content you, if
you still look earthwards, hear a name more absolute than this, Only-Begotten.
If even after this you still look below, I will not refuse, says he, (St.
John,) to apply to God a term belonging to man, I mean the word 'bosom,' only
suspect nothing degrading. Do you see the lovingkindness and carefulness of the
Lord? God applies to Himself unworthy expressions, that even so you may see
through them, and have some great and lofty thought of Him; and do you tarry
below? For tell me, wherefore is that gross and carnal word bosom employed in
this place? Is it that we may suppose God to be a body? Away, he by no means
says so. Why then is it spoken? For if by it neither the genuineness of the Son
is established, nor that God is not a body, the word, because it serves no
purpose, is superfluously thrown in. Why then is it spoken? For I shall not
desist from asking you this question. Is it not very plain, that it is for no
other reason but that by it we might understand the genuineness of the
Only-Begotten, and His Co-eternity with the Father?
3.
He has declared Him, says John. What has he declared? That no man has seen God
at any time? That God is one? But this all the other prophets testify, and
Moses continually exclaims, The Lord your God is one Lord Deuteronomy 6:4; and
Esaias, Before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
Isaiah 43:10 What more then have we learned from the Son which is in the bosom
of the Father? What from the Only-Begotten? In the first place, these very
words were uttered by His working; in the next place, we have received a
teaching that is far clearer, and learned that God is a spirit, and they that
worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth John 4:24; and again, that
it is impossible to see God; that no man knows Him, save the Son Matthew 11:27;
that He is the Father of the true and Only-Begotten; and all other things that
are told us of Him. But the word has declared shows the plainer and clearer
teaching which He gave not to the Jews only but to all the world, and
established. To the prophets not even all the Jews gave heed, but to the
Only-Begotten Son of God all the world yielded and obeyed. So the declaration
in this place shows the greater clearness of His teaching, and therefore also
He is called Word, and Angel of great Counsel.
Since
then we have been vouchsafed a larger and more perfect teaching, God having no
longer spoken by the prophets, but having in these last days spoken to us by
His Son Hebrews 1:1, let us show forth a conversation far higher than theirs,
and suitable to the honor bestowed on us. Strange would it be that He should
have so far lowered Himself, as to choose to speak to us no longer by His
servants, but by His own mouth, and yet we should show forth nothing more than
those of old. They had Moses for their teacher, we, Moses' Lord. Let us then
exhibit a heavenly wisdom worthy of this honor, and let us have nothing to do
with earth. It was for this that He brought His teaching from heaven above,
that He might remove our thoughts there, that we might be imitators of our
Teacher according to our power. But how may we become imitators of Christ? By
acting in everything for the common good, and not merely seeking our own. For
even Christ, says Paul, pleased not Himself, but as it is written, The
reproaches of them that reproached You fell on Me. Romans 15:3; Psalm 69:9 Let
no one therefore seek his own. In truth, a man (really) seeks his own good when
he looks to that of his neighbor. What is their good is ours; we are one body,
and parts and limbs one of another. Let us not then be as though we were rent
asunder. Let no one say, such a person is no friend of mine, nor relation, nor
neighbor, I have nought to do with him, how shall I approach, how address him?
Though he be neither relation nor friend, yet he is a man, who shares the same
nature with you, owns the same Lord, is your fellow-servant, and
fellow-sojourner, for he is born in the same world. And if besides he partakes
of the same faith, behold he has also become a member of you: for what
friendship could work such union, as the relationship of faith? And our
intimacy one with another must not be such nearness only as friends ought to
show to friends, but such as is between limb and limb, because no man can
possibly discover any intimacy greater than this sort of friendship and
fellowship. As then you cannot say, Whence arises my intimacy and connection
with this limb? (that would be ridiculous;) so neither can you say so in the
case of your brother. We are all baptized into one body 1 Corinthians 12:13,
says Paul. Wherefore into one body? That we be not rent asunder, but preserve
the just proportions of that one body by our intercourse and friendship one
with another.
Let
us not then despise one another, lest we be neglectful of ourselves. For no man
ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it. Ephesians 5:29
And therefore God has given to us but one habitation, this earth, has
distributed all things equally, has lighted one sun for us all, has spread
above us one roof, the sky, made one table, the earth, bear food for us. And
another table has He given far better than this, yet that too is one, (those
who share our mysteries understand my words,) one manner of birth He has
bestowed on all, the spiritual, we all have one country, that in the heavens,
of the same cup drink we all. He has not bestowed on the rich man a gift more
abundant and more honorable, and on the poor one more mean and small, but He
has called all alike. He has given carnal things with equal regard to all, and
spiritual in like manner. Whence then proceeds the great inequality of
conditions in life? From the avarice and pride of the wealthy. But let not,
brethren, let not this any longer be; and when matters of universal interest
and more pressing necessity bring us together, let us not be divided by things
earthly and insignificant: I mean, by wealth and poverty, by bodily
relationship, by enmity and friendship; for all these things are a shadow, nay
less substantial than a shadow, to those who possess the bond of charity from
above. Let us then preserve this unbroken, and none of those evil spirits will
be able to enter in, who cause division in so perfect union; to which may we
all attain by 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, and
world without end. Amen.
Homily
16 on the Gospel of John
John
1:19
And
this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from
Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you?
1.
A dreadful thing is envy, beloved, a dreadful thing and a pernicious, to the
enviers, not to the envied. For it harms and wastes them first, like some
mortal venom deeply seated in their souls; and if by chance it injure its
objects, the harm it does is small and trifling, and such as brings greater
gain than loss. Indeed not in the case of envy only, but in every other, it is
not he that has suffered, but he that has done the wrong, who receives injury.
For had not this been so, Paul would not have enjoined the disciples rather to
endure wrong than to inflict it, when he says, Why do you not rather take
wrong? Why do you not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? 1 Corinthians
6:7 Well he knew, that destruction ever follows, not the injured party, but the
injuring. All this I have said, by reason of the envy of the Jews. Because
those who had flocked from the cities to John, and had condemned their own
sins, and caused themselves to be baptized, repenting as it were after Baptism,
send to ask him, Who are you? Of a truth they were the offspring of vipers,
serpents, and even worse if possible than this. O evil and adulterous and
perverse generation, after having been baptized, do you then become vainly
curious, and question about the Baptist? What folly can be greater than this of
yours? How was it that you came forth? That you confessed your sins, that you
ran to the Baptist? How was it that you asked him what you must do? When in all
this you were acting unreasonably, since you knew not the principle and purpose
of his coming. Yet of this the blessed John said nothing, nor does he charge or
reproach them with it, but answers them with all gentleness.
It
is worth while to learn why he did thus. It was, that their wickedness might be
manifest and plain to all men. Often did John testify of Christ to the Jews,
and when he baptized them he continually made mention of Him to his company,
and said, I indeed baptize you with water, but there comes One after me who is
mightier than I; He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.
Matthew 3:11 With regard to him they were affected by a human feeling; for,
tremblingly attentive to the opinion of the world, and looking to the outward
appearance 2 Corinthians 10:7, they deemed it an unworthy thing that he should
be subject to Christ. Since there were many things that pointed out John for an
illustrious person. In the first place, his distinguished and noble descent;
for he was the son of a chief priest. Then his conversation, his austere mode
of life, his contempt of all human things; for despising dress and table, and
house and food itself, he had passed his former time in the desert. In the case
of Christ all was the contrary of this. His family was mean, (as they often
objected to Him, saying, Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother
called Mary? And his brethren James and Joses?) Matthew 13:55; and that which
was supposed to be His country was held in such evil repute, that even
Nathanael said, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? John 1:46 His
mode of living was ordinary, and His garments not better than those of the
many. For He was not girt with a leathern girdle, nor was His raiment of hair,
nor did He eat honey and locusts. But He fared like all others, and was present
at the feasts of wicked men and publicans, that He might draw them to Him.
Which thing the Jews not understanding reproached Him with, as He also says
Himself, The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a
gluttonous man and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. Matthew
11:19 When then John continually sent them from himself to Jesus, who seemed to
them a meaner person, being ashamed and vexed at this, and wishing rather to
have him for their teacher, they did not dare to say so plainly, but send to
him, thinking by their flattery to induce him to confess that he was the
Christ. They do not therefore send to him mean men, as in the case of Christ,
for when they wished to lay hold on Him, they sent servants, and then
Herodians, and the like, but in this instance, priests and Levites, and not
merely priests, but those from Jerusalem, that is, the more honorable; for the
Evangelist did not notice this without a cause. And they send to ask, Who are
you? Yet the manner of his birth was well known to all, so that all said, What
manner of child shall this be? Luke 1:66; and the report had gone forth into
all the hill country. And afterwards when he came to Jordan, all the cities
were set on the wing, and came to him from Jerusalem, and from all Judæa, to be
baptized. Why then do they now ask? Not because they did not know him, (how
could that be, when he had been made manifest in so many ways?) but because
they wished to bring him to do that which I have mentioned.
2.
Hear then how this blessed person answered to the intention with which they
asked the question, not to the question itself. When they said, Who are you? he
did not at once give them what would have been the direct answer, I am the
voice of one crying in the wilderness. But what did he? He removed the
suspicion they had formed; for, says the Evangelist, being asked, Who are you?
John
1:20
He
confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
Observe
the wisdom of the Evangelist. He mentions this for the third time, to set forth
the excellency of the Baptist, and their wickedness and folly. And Luke also
says, that when the multitudes supposed him to be the Christ, he again removes
their suspicion. This is the part of an honest servant, not only not to take to
himself his master's honor, but also to reject it when given to him by the
many. But the multitudes arrived at this supposition from simplicity and
ignorance; these questioned him from an ill intention, which I have mentioned,
expecting, as I said, to draw him over to their purpose by their flattery. Had
they not expected this, they would not have proceeded immediately to another
question, but would have been angry with him for having given them an answer
foreign to their enquiry, and would have said, Why, did we suppose that? Did we
come to ask you that? But now as taken and detected in the fact, they proceed
to another question, and say,
John
1:21
What
then? Are you Elias? And he says, I am not.
For
they expected that Elias also would come, as Christ declares; for when His
disciples enquired, How then do the scribes say that Elias must first come?
Matthew 17:10 He replied, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.
Then they ask, Are you that prophet? And he answered, No. Matthew 17:10 Yet
surely he was a prophet. Wherefore then does he deny it? Because again he looks
to the intention of his questioners. For they expected that some special
prophet should come, because Moses said, The Lord your God will raise up unto
you a Prophet of your brethren like me, unto Him shall you harken. Deuteronomy
18:15 Now this was Christ. Wherefore they do not say, Are you a prophet?
meaning thereby one of the ordinary prophets; but the expression, Are you the
prophet? with the addition of the article, means, Are you that Prophet who was
foretold by Moses? and therefore he denied not that he was a prophet, but that
he was that Prophet.
John
1:22
Then
said they unto him, Who are you? That we may give an answer to them that sent
us. What do you say of yourself?
Observe
them pressing him more vehemently, urging him, repeating their questions, and
not desisting; while he first kindly removes false opinions concerning himself,
and then sets before them one which is true. For, says he,
John
1:23
I
am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the
Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
When
he had spoken some high and lofty words concerning Christ, as if (replying) to
their opinion, he immediately betook himself to the Prophet to draw from thence
confirmation of his assertion.
John
1:24-25
And
[says the Evangelist] they who were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked
him, and said unto him, Why do you baptize then, if you be not that Christ,
neither Elias, neither that Prophet?
Do
you see not without reason I said that they wished to bring him to this? And
the reason why they did not at first say so was, lest they should be detected
by all men. And then when he said, I am not the Christ, they, being desirous to
conceal what they were plotting within, go on to Elias, and that Prophet. But when
he said that he was not one of these either, after that, in their perplexity,
they cast aside the mask, and without any disguise show clearly their
treacherous intention, saying, Why do you baptize then, if you be not that
Christ? And then again, wishing to throw some obscurity over the thing, they
add the others also, Elias, and that Prophet. For when they were not able to
trip him by their flattery, they thought that by an accusation they could
compel him to say the thing that was not.
What
folly, what insolence, what ill-timed officiousness! You were sent to learn who
and whence he might be, not to lay down laws for him also. This too was the
conduct of men who would compel him to confess himself to be the Christ. Still
not even now is he angry, nor does he, as might have been expected, say to them
anything of this sort, Do you give orders and make laws for me? but again shows
great gentleness towards them.
John
1:26-27
I
baptize with water: but there stands one among you, whom you know not; He it is,
who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not
worthy to unloose.
3.
What could the Jews have left to say to this? For even from this the accusation
against them cannot be evaded, the decision against them admits not of pardon,
they have given sentence against themselves. How? In what way? They deemed John
worthy of credit, and so truthful, that they might believe him not only when he
testified of others, but also when he spoke concerning himself. For had they
not been so disposed, they would not have sent to learn from him what related
to himself. Because you know that the only persons whom we believe, especially
when speaking of themselves, are those whom we suppose to be more veracious
than any others. And it is not this alone which closes their mouths, but also
the disposition with which they had approached him; for they came forth to him
at first with great eagerness, even though afterwards they altered. Both which
things Christ declared, when He said, He was a burning (and a shining) light,
and you were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. Moreover, his answer
made him yet more worthy of credit. For (Christ) says, He that seeks not his
own glory, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. Now this man sought
it not, but refers the Jews to another. And those who were sent were of the
most trustworthy among them, and of the highest rank, so that they could have
in no way any refuge or excuse, for the unbelief which they exhibited towards
Christ. Wherefore did you not receive the things spoken concerning Him by John?
You sent men who held the first rank among you, you enquired by them, you heard
what the Baptist answered, they manifested all possible officiousness, sought
into every point, named all the persons you suspected him to be; and yet most
publicly and plainly he confessed that he was neither Christ, nor Elias nor
that Prophet. Nor did he stop even there, but also informed them who he was,
and spoke of the nature of his own baptism, that it was but a slight and mean
thing, nothing more than some water, and told of the superiority of the Baptism
given by Christ; he also cited Esaias the prophet, testifying of old very long
ago, and calling Christ Lord Isaiah 40:3, but giving him the names of minister
and servant. What after this ought they to have done? Ought they not to have
believed on Him who was witnessed of, to have worshipped Him, to have confessed
Him to be God? For the character and heavenly wisdom of the witness showed that
his testimony proceeded, not from flattery, but from truth; which is plain also
from this, that no man prefers his neighbor to himself, nor, when he may
lawfully give honor to himself, will yield it up to another, especially when it
is so great as that of which we speak. So that John would not have renounced
this testimony (as belonging) to Christ, had He not been God. For though he
might have rejected it for himself as being too great for his own nature, yet
he would not have assigned it to another nature that was beneath it.
But
there stands One among you, whom you know not. Reasonable it was that Christ
should mingle among the people as one of the many, because everywhere He taught
men not to be puffed up and boastful. And in this place by knowledge the
Baptist means a perfect acquaintance with Him, who and whence He was. And
immediately next to this he puts, Who comes after me; all but saying, Think not
that all is contained in my baptism, for had that been perfect, Another would
not have arisen after me to offer you a different One, but this of mine is a
preparation and a clearing the way for that other. Mine is but a shadow and
image, but One must come who shall add to this the reality. So that His very
coming 'after me' especially declares His dignity: for had the first been
perfect, no place would have been required for a second. Is before me, is more
honorable, brighter. And then, lest they should imagine that His superiority
was found by comparison, desiring to establish His incomparableness, he says,
Whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose; that is, who is not simply
before me, but before me in such a way, that I am not worthy to be numbered
among the meanest of His servants. For to loose the shoe is the office of
humblest service.
Now
if John was not worthy to unloose the latchet Matthew 11:11, John, than whom
among them that are born of women there has not risen a greater, where shall we
rank ourselves? If he who was equal to, or rather greater than, all the world,
(for says Paul, the world was not worthy of them Hebrews 11:38 declares himself
not worthy to be reckoned even among the meanest of those who should minister
unto Him, what shall we say, who are full of ten thousand sins, and are as far
from the excellence of John, as earth from heaven.
4.
He then says that he himself is not worthy so much as to unloose the latchet of
His shoe; while the enemies of the truth are mad with such a madness, as to
assert that they are worthy to know Him even as He knows Himself. What is worse
than such insanity, what more frenzied than such arrogance? Well has a wise man
said, The beginning of pride is not to know the Lord.
The
devil would not have been brought down and become a devil, not being a devil
before, had he not been sick of this disease. This it was that cast him out
from that confidence, this sent him to the pit of fire, this was the cause of
all his woes. For it is enough of itself to destroy every excellence of the
soul, whether it find almsgiving, or prayer, or fasting, or anything. For, says
the Evangelist, That which is highly esteemed among men is impure before the
Lord. Luke 16:15 — not quoted exactly Therefore it is not only fornication or
adultery that are wont to defile those who practice them, but pride also, and
that far more than those vices. Why? Because fornication though it is an
unpardonable sin, yet a man may plead the desire; but pride cannot possibly
find any cause or pretext of any sort whatever by which to obtain so much as a
shadow of excuse; it is nothing but a distortion and most grievous disease of
the soul, produced from no other source but folly. For there is nothing more
foolish than a proud man, though he be surrounded with wealth, though he
possess much of the wisdom of this world, though he be set in royal place,
though he bear about with all things that among men appear desirable.
For
if the man who is proud of things really good is wretched and miserable, and
loses the reward of all those things, must not he who is exalted by things that
are nought, and puffs himself up because of a shadow or the flower of the
grass, (for such is this world's glory,) be more ridiculous than any, when he
does just as some poor needy man might do, pining all his time with hunger, yet
if ever he should chance one night to see a dream of good fortune, filled with
conceit because of it?
O
wretched and miserable! When your soul is perishing by a most grievous disease,
when you are poor with utter poverty, are you high-minded because you have such
and such a number of talents of gold? Because you have a multitude of slaves
and cattle? Yet these are not yours; and if you dost not believe my words,
learn from the experience of those who have gone before you. And if you are so
drunken, that you can not be instructed even from what has befallen others,
wait a little, and you shall know by what befalls yourself that these things
avail you nothing, when gasping for life, and master not of a single hour, not
even of a little moment, you shall unwillingly leave them to those who are
about you, and these perhaps those whom you would not. For many have not been
permitted even to give directions concerning them, but have departed suddenly,
desiring to enjoy them, but not permitted, dragged from them, and forced to
yield them up to others, giving place by compulsion to those to whom they would
not. That this be not our case, let us, while we are yet in strength and
health, send forward our riches hence to our own city, for thus only and in no
other way shall we be able to enjoy them; so shall we lay them up in a place
inviolate and safe. For there is nothing, there is nothing there that can take
them from us; no death, no attested wills, no successors to inheritances, no
false informations, no plottings against us, but he who has departed hence
bearing away great wealth with him may enjoy it there for ever. Who then is so
wretched as not to desire to revel in riches which are his own throughout? Let
us then transfer our wealth, and remove it there. We shall not need for such a
removal asses, or camels, or carriages, or ships, (God has relieved even us
from this difficulty,) but we only want the poor, the lame, the crippled, the
infirm. These are entrusted with this transfer, these convey our riches to
heaven, these introduce the masters of such wealth as this to the inheritance
of goods everlasting. Which may it be that we all attain 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, and world without end. Amen.
John
1:28-29
These
things were done in Bethany beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next
day he sees Jesus coming unto him, and says, Behold the Lamb of God, which
takes away the sin of the world.
1.
A great virtue is boldness and freedom of speech, and the making all things
second in importance to the confessing of Christ; so great and admirable, that
the Only-begotten Son of God proclaims such an one in the presence of the
Father. Luke 12:8 Yet the recompense is more than just, for you confess upon
earth, He in heaven, thou in the presence of men, He before the Father and all
the angels.
Such
an one was John, who regarded not the multitude, nor opinion, nor anything else
belonging to men, but trod all this beneath his feet, and proclaimed to all
with becoming freedom the things respecting Christ. And therefore the
Evangelist marks the very place, to show the boldness of the loud-voiced
herald. For it was not in a house, not in a corner, not in the wilderness, but
in the midst of the multitude, after that he had occupied Jordan, when all that
were baptized by him were present, (for the Jews came upon him as he was
baptizing,) there it was that he proclaimed aloud that wonderful confession
concerning Christ, full of those sublime and great and mysterious doctrines,
and that he was not worthy to unloose the latchet of His shoe. Wherefore he
says, These things were done in Bethany, or, as all the more correct copies
have it, in Bethabara. For Bethany was not beyond Jordan, nor bordering on the
wilderness, but somewhere near to Jerusalem.
He
marks the places also for another reason. Since he was not about to relate
matters of old date, but such as had come to pass but a little time before, he
makes those who were present and had beheld, witnesses of his words, and
supplies proof from the places themselves. For confident that nothing was added
by himself to what was said, but that he simply and with truth described things
as they were, he draws a testimony from the places, which, as I said, would be
no common demonstration of his veracity.
The
next day he sees Jesus coming to him, and says, Behold the Lamb of God, which
takes away the sin of the world.
The
Evangelists distributed the periods among them; and Matthew having cut short
his notice of the time before John the Baptist was bound, hastens to that which
follows, while the Evangelist John not only does not cut short this period, but
dwells most on it. Matthew, after the return of Jesus from the wilderness, saying
nothing of the intermediate circumstances, as what John spoke, and what the
Jews sent and said, and having cut short all the rest, passes immediately to
the prison. For, says he, Jesus having heard that John was betrayed, departed
thence. Matthew 14:13 But John does not so. He is silent as to the journey into
the wilderness, as having been described by Matthew; but he relates what
followed the descent from the mountain, and after having gone through many
circumstances, adds, For John was not yet cast into prison. John 3:24
And
wherefore, says one, does Jesus now come to him? Why does he come not merely
once, but this second time also? For Matthew says that His coming was necessary
on account of Baptism: since Jesus adds, that thus it becomes us to fulfill all
righteousness. Matthew 3:15 But John says that He came again after Baptism, and
declares it in this place, for, I saw, says he, the Spirit descending from
heaven like a dove, and It abode upon Him. Wherefore then did He come to
John? For He came not casually, but went expressly to him. John, says the
Evangelist, sees Jesus coming unto him. Then wherefore comes He? In order that
since John had baptized Him with many (others), no one might suppose that He
had hastened to John for the same reason as the rest to confess sins, and to
wash in the river unto repentance. For this He comes, to give John an
opportunity of setting this opinion right again, for by saying, Behold the Lamb
of God, that takes away the sin of the world, he removes the whole suspicion.
For very plain it is that One so pure as to be able to wash away the sins of
others, does not come to confess sins, but to give opportunity to that
marvelous herald to impress what he had said more definitely on those who had
heard his former words, and to add others besides. The word Behold is used,
because many had been seeking Him by reason of what had been said, and for a
long time. For this cause, pointing Him out when present, he said, Behold, this
is He so long sought, this is the Lamb. He calls Him Lamb, to remind the Jews
of the prophecy of Isaiah, and of the shadow under the law of Moses, that he
may the better lead them from the type to the reality. That Lamb of Moses took
not at once away the sin of any one; but this took away the sin of all the
world; for when it was in danger of perishing, He quickly delivered it from the
wrath of God.
