St. John Chrysostom,
Homily 39, 40. on the Gospel of John,
2. Sunday after Pasha
John 5:17-24
My
Father works 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? Matthew 12:2 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, and by doing the same things which He did. And wherefore did
He not mention what took place at Jericho ? 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, says He, from which you 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 does the Father 'work,' who ceased on the seventh day from
all His works? let him learn the manner in which He works. What then is the
manner of His working? He cares for, He holds together all that has been made.
Therefore when you behold 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 makes His sun to rise upon the evil and the good, and sends rain
on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:45 And again; If God so clothe the
grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the fire Matthew 6:30; and speaking of the birds He
said, Your Heavenly Father feeds them.
3.
In that place 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, 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 makes 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 defends 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 brings forward the
Father. Yet the creation itself works on the Sabbath, (for the sun runs, rivers
flow, fountains bubble, women bear,) but that you may learn that He is not of
creation, He said not, Yea, I work, for creation works, but, Yea, I work, for
My Father works.
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.
And
this one may see more clearly from what He had before said, for My Father
works, and I work, is the expression of One declaring Himself equal to God. For
in these words He has marked no difference. He said not, He works, and I
minister, but, As He works, so work I; and has 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 does this very thing,
when he perceives 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 John 2:19; 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 will You rear it up in three days?
Since then He said one thing, and they imagined another, (for He spoke 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 spoke 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 spoke 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 Matthew 16:6, and they reasoned among
themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread, and He spoke 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
sets them right, but Christ Himself, speaking thus, How is it that you do not
understand, that I spoke not to you concerning bread? But here there is nothing
of the kind.
But,
says some one, to remove this very thought Christ has added,
'The
Son can do nothing of Himself.'
Man!
He does the contrary. He says this not to take away, but to confirm, 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 has 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. Philippians 2:6-7 And again, Christ Himself in another place says, I
have power to lay down My life, and I have power to take it again: and, No man
takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. John 10:18 Do you see that He
has 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 means, Can do nothing of Himself? That He can do nothing in opposition to
the Father, nothing alien from, nothing strange to Him, which is especially the
assertion of One declaring an Equality and entire agreement.
But
wherefore said He not, that He does 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
His great power; since in another place Paul says of the Father, That by two
immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie Hebrews 6:18: and
again, If we deny Him — He abides faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. 2
Timothy 2:12-13 And in truth this expression, impossible, is not declaratory of
weakness, but power, power unspeakable. For what He says is of this kind, that
that Essence admits 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 says, I can of My own Self
do nothing John 5:30, His meaning is, that it is impossible, nature admits not,
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 agrees with what is said by us, or among you. You say, 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, (to the Father,) and the fact that all is done as it were by one Will
and Power and Might. Let us then enquire of Christ Himself, and see by what He
next says whether He interprets these words according to your supposition or
according to ours. What then says He?
For
what things soever the Father does these also does the Son likewise.
Do
you see how He has taken away your assertion by the root, and confirmed what is
said by us? Since, if Christ does nothing of Himself, neither will the Father
do anything of Himself, if so be that Christ does all things in like manner to
Him. 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 does it not; extending His words to all time;
now He will, according to you, be continually learning the same things. Do you
see how exalted is the idea, and that the very humility of the expression
compels 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 learns day by day what He must do? And how can that be
true, You are the same, and Your years shall not fail? Psalm 102:27, or that
other, All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made John
1:3; if the Father does certain things, and the Son sees and imitates Him? Do
you see that from what was asserted above, and from what was said afterwards,
proof is given of His independent Power? And if He brings 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 a little in expression alone, He again leads 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. Observe, after saying, My
Father works, and I work; and after declaring Himself equal with God, He adds,
The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do. Then again
in a higher strain, What things soever the Father does, these also does the Son
likewise. Then in a lower,
The
Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that Himself does; and He will
show Him greater works than these.
Do
you see 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 utters
anything low or humbly, He puts 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 says, 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 spoke, all but saying, Wonder ye that I
have strengthened the paralyzed? You shall see greater things than these. But
He spoke not thus, but proceeded somehow in a humbler strain, in order that He
might soothe their madness. And that you may learn that shall show is not used
absolutely, listen again to what follows.
For
as the Father raises up the dead, and quickens them, even so the Son quickens
whom He will.
Yet
can do nothing of Himself is opposed to whom He will: since if He quickens whom
He will, He can do something of Himself, (for to will implies power,) but if He
can do nothing of Himself, then He can not quicken whom He will. For the
expression, as the Father raises up, shows unvarying resemblance in Power, and
whom He will, Equality of Authority. Do you see 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 says, I will raise him up at the last Day. John
6:40 And again, to show that He does it not by receiving an inward power from
above, He says, I am the Resurrection and the Life. John 11:25 Then that you
may not assert that He raises what dead He will and quickens them, but that He
does not other things in such manner, He anticipates and prevents every
objection of the kind by saying, What things soever He does, these also does
the Son likewise, thus declaring that He does all things which the Father does,
and as the Father does them; whether you speak of the raising of the dead, or
the fashioning of bodies, or the remission of sins, or any other matter
whatever, He works in like manner to Him who begot 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. For God desired that
His invisible things should be understood by the creation of this world Romans
1:20, 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. 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.
John 5:44 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 you are fond of crowds, draw to
yourself the host of angels, and become terrible to the devils, then shall you
care nothing for mortal things, but shall 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 has 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, says 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, 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 39 on the Gospel of John
For My Father judges no
man, but has 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 has done, whether it be good or bad. 2 Corinthians 5:10 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 Psalm 10:5) and then assigning the reason the Psalmist has added, He
puts Your judgments far away out of his sight;) so he that always retains this
fear will walk soberly. Remember, says one, your last things, and you shall
never do amiss. Sirach 7:40 For He who now has remitted our sins, will then sin
in judgment; He who has died for our sake will then appear again to judge all
mankind. Unto them that look for Him, says the Apostle, shall He appear the
second time without sin unto salvation. Hebrews 9:28 Wherefore in this place
also He says, My Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment unto the
Son; that all men should honor the Son; even as they honor the Father.
Shall we then, says some
one, also call Him Father? Away with the thought. He uses the word Son that we
may honor Him still remaining a Son, as we honor the Father; but he who calls
Him Father does 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 has spoken thus terribly, that even fear may draw
them to honor Him. And when He says all, His meaning is this, that He has power
to punish and to honor, and does either as He will. The expression has given,
is used that you may 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,
Begotten, and remaining a Son. And that you may learn that has given is the same
as has begotten, hear this very thing declared by another place. As, says
Christ, the Father has life in Himself, so has He given to the Son to have life
in Himself. John 5:26 What then? Did he first beget and then give Him life? For
he who gives, gives 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 has given life is has begotten Him who is Life, so, has given
judgment is has begotten Him who shall be Judge.
That you may not when you
hear that He has the Father for His cause imagine any difference of essence or
inferiority of honor, He comes to judge you, by this proving His Equality. For
He who has authority to punish and to honor whom He will, has 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 admits of no addition these carnal and mean imaginations?
Why then, says some one,
does Christ so speak? That His words may be readily received, and to clear the
way for sublime sayings; therefore He mixes these with those, and those with
these. And observe how (He does it); for it is good to see this from the
beginning. He said, My Father works, and I work John 5:17, etc.: declaring by
this their Equality and Equal honor. But they sought to kill Him. What does He
then? He lowers His form of speech indeed, and puts the same meaning when He
says, The Son can do nothing of Himself. Then again He raises His discourse to
high matters, saying, What things soever the Father does, these also does the
Son likewise. Then He returns to what is lower, For the Father loves the Son,
and shows Him all things that Himself does; and He will show Him greater things
than these. Then He rises higher, For as the Father raises up the dead and
quickens them, even so the Son quickens whom He will. After this again He joins
the high and the low together, For neither does the Father judge any one, but
has given all judgment to the Son; then rises again, That all men should honor
the Son, even as they honor the Father. Do you see how He varies 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, has, when he says anything
mean and low, this reasonable excuse, that he does it for some prudential
purpose; but if one who ought to speak meanly of himself says anything great,
on what account does he utter words which surpass his nature? This is not for
any purpose at all, but an act of extreme impiety.
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 you might be saved. For when He left His
own witness, and betook Himself to that of John, (a thing unworthy of His
greatness,) He puts the reason of such lowliness of language, and says, These
things I say that you might be saved. And ye who assert that He has not the
same authority and power with Him who begot Him, what can you say when you hear
Him utter words by which He declares His Authority and Power and Glory equal in
respect of the Father? Wherefore, if He be as you assert very inferior, does He
claim the same honor? Nor does He stop even here, but goes on to say,
He that honors not the Son
honors not the Father which has sent Him. Do you see how the honor of the Son
is connected with that of the Father? What of that? says one. We see the same
in the case of the Apostles; 'He,' says Christ, 'who receives you receives Me.'
Matthew 10:40 But in that place He speaks so, because He makes the concerns of
His servants His own; here, because the Essence and the Glory is One (with that
of the Father). Therefore it is not said of the Apostles that they may honor,
but rightly He says, He that honors not the Son honors 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, 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 honors not the Son honors not the
Father, you might understand that the honor is the same. For He says not
merely, he that honors not the Son, but he that honors Him not so as I have
said honors not the Father.
And how, says one, can he
that sends and he that is sent be of the same essence? Again, you bring 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, and not fall
into the error 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; for they said,
This man is not of God John 9:16, This man has 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
you might suppose that expression to be any lessening of His greatness, but in
order to stop their mouths. And for this cause also He constantly betakes
Himself to the Father, interposing moreover mention of His own high Parentage.
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
mingles and blends 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 denotes change of place— but God is everywhere present. Wherefore then
says He that He was sent? He speaks in an earthly way, declaring His unanimity
with the Father. At least He shapes His succeeding words with a desire to
effect this.
Verily, verily, I say unto
you, He that hears My word, and believes in Him that sent Me, has everlasting
life.
Do you see how continually
He puts 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 hears My words, and believes in 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
spoke after this manner, much more would they have done so then. It was on this
account that at that later period they said to Him, Abraham is dead, and the
prophets are dead, how sayest Thou, If a man keep My saying, he shall never
taste of death? John 8:52 In order therefore that they may not here also become
furious, see what He says, He that hears My word, and believes in Him that sent
Me, has 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, has everlasting life, He adds,
And comes not into
judgment, but is passed from death unto life.
By these two things He
makes His discourse acceptable; first, because it is the Father who is believed
on, and then, because the believer enjoys many blessings. And the comes not
into judgment means, is not punished, for He speaks not of death here, but of
death eternal, as also of the other life which is deathless.
