|
JOHN vi. 26, 27.
"Jesus answered them, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Ye seek Me, not because ye saw the miracles but because ye did eat of
the loaves and were filled. Labor not for the meat which perisheth,
but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life."
1. The mild and gentle is not always useful, but there are times
when the teacher needs sharper language. For if the disciple be dull
and gross, then, in order to touch his dullness to the quick, we must
rouse him with a goad. And this the Son of God hath done in the
present as well as in many other cases. For when the crowds had come
and found Jesus, and were flattering Him, and saying," Master,
when camest Thou hither?" to show that He desireth not honor from
men, but looketh to one thing only, their salvation, He answereth
them sharply, wishing to correct them not in this way only, but also
by revealing and exposing their thoughts. For what saith He?
"Verily, verily, I say unto you," (speaking positively and with
a confirmation,) "Ye seek Me, not because ye saw miracles, but
because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled." He chideth and
reproveth them by these words, yet doth not so abruptly or violently,
but very sparingly. For He saith not, "O ye gluttons and
belly-slaves, I have wrought so many wonders, and ye never have
either followed Me, or marveled at My doings"; but mildly and
gently somewhat in this manner; "Ye seek Me, not because ye saw
miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled";
speaking not only of the past, but also of the present miracle. "It
was not," He saith, "the miracle of the loaves that astonished
you, but the being filled." And that He said not this of them by
conjecture they straightway showed, for on this account they came the
second time, as being about to enjoy the same (food) as before.
Wherefore they said, "Our fathers did eat manna in the
wilderness." Again they draw Him to (the subject of) carnal food,
which was the chief accusation and charge against them. But He
stoppeth not at rebukes, but addeth instruction also, saying,
"Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which
endureth unto everlasting life."
"Which the Son of Man giveth unto you; for Him hath God the
Father sealed."
What He saith, is of this kind: "Make ye no account of this
earthly, but of that spiritual food." But since some of those who
desire to live in doing nothing have abused this speech, as though
Christ would entirely abolish working, it is seasonable to say
somewhat to them. For they slander, so to speak, all Christianity,
and cause it to be ridiculed on the score of idleness. First however,
we must mention that saying of Paul. What saith he? "Remember the
Lord, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive."
(Acts xx. 35.) Now how can it be possible for him to give who
hath not? How then saith Jesus to Martha, "Thou art careful and
troubled about many things, but one thing is needful, and Mary hath
chosen that good part"? (Luke x. 41, 42); and again,
"Take no thought for the morrow." (Matt. vi. 34.) For it is
necessary now to resolve all these questions, not only that we may
check men if they would be idle, but also that the oracles of God may
not appear to bring in what is contradictory.
Now Paul in another place saith, "But we beseech you, brethren,
that ye increase more and more, that ye study to be quiet, and to do
your own business; that ye may walk honestly toward them that are
without" (1 Thess. iv. 10, 11, 12); and again; "Let
him that stole, steal no more; but rather let him labor, working.
with his own hands, that he may have to give to him that needeth."
(Eph. iv. 28.) Here the Apostle bids not simply "work," but
to work so vigorously and laboriously, as to have thereby somewhat to
give to others. And in another place the same saith again; "These
hands have ministered to my necessities, and to them that were with
me." (Acts xx. 34.) And writing to the Corinthians he said,
"What is my reward then? Verily, that when I preach the Gospel,
I may make the Gospel of Christ without charge." (1 Cor. ix.
18.) And when he was in that city, he abode with Aquila and
Priscilla, "and wrought, for by their occupation they were
tentmakers." (Acts xviii. 3.)
These passages show a yet more decided opposition as to the letter; we
must therefore now bring forward the solution. What then must be our
reply? That to "take no thought," doth not mean "not to work,"
but "not to be nailed to the things of this life"; that is, to take
no care for tomorrow's ease, but to deem that superfluous. For a man
may do no work, and (yet) lay up treasure for the morrow; and a than
may work, yet be careful for nothing; for carefulness and work are not
the same thing; it is not as trusting to his work that a man worketh,
but, "that he may impart to him that needeth." And that too which
was said to Martha refers not to works and working, but to this, that
it is our duty to know the right season, and not to spend on carnal
things the time proper for listening. Thus Christ spake not the words
as urging her to "idleness," but to rivet her to listening. "I
came," saith He, "to teach you needful things, but thou art
anxious about a meal. Dost thou desire to receive Me, and to provide
for Me a costly table? Provide another sort of entertainment, by
giving me a ready hearing, and by imitating thy sister's longing for
instruction." He said not this to forbid her hospitality, (away
with the thought! how could that be?) but to show that she ought not
in the season for listening be busy about other matters. For to say,
"Labor not for the meat that perisheth," is not the expression of
one implying that we ought to be idle; (in fact, this most especially
is "meat that perisheth," for idleness is wont to teach all
wickedness;) but that we ought to work, and to impart. This is meat
that never perisheth; but if any be idle and gluttonous, and careth
for luxury, that man worketh for "the meat that perisheth." So
too, if a man by his labor should feed Christ, and give Him drink,
and clothe Him, who so senseless and react as to say that such an one
labors for the meat that perisheth, when there is for this the promise
of the kingdom that is to come, and of those good things? This meat
endureth forever. But at that time, since the multitudes made no
account of filth, nor sought to learn who it was that did these
things, and by what power, but desired one thing only, to fill their
bellies without working; Christ with good reason called such food,
"meat that perisheth." "I fed," He saith, "your bodies, that
after this ye might seek that other food which endureth, which
nourisheth the soul; but ye again run after that which is earthy.
Therefore ye do not understand that I lead you not to this imperfect
food, but to that which giveth not temporal but eternal life, which
nourisheth not the body but the soul." Then when He had uttered such
great words concerning Himself, and had said that He would give this
food, in order that what was spoken might not stand in their way, to
make His saying credible He attributeth the supply to the Father.
For after saying, "Which the Son of Man shall give you"; He
addeth, "Him hath God the Father sealed," that is, "hath sent
Him for this purpose, that He might bring the food to you." The
saying also admits of another interpretation; for in another place
Christ saith, "He that heareth My words, hath set to his seal that
God is true" (c. iii. 33), that is, hath "showed forth
undeniably." Which indeed the expression seems to me to hint at even
in this place, for
"the Father hath sealed," is nothing else than "hath declared,"
"hath revealed by His testimony." He in fact declared Himself
too, but since He was speaking to Jews, He brought forward the
testimony of the Father.
2. Learn we then, beloved, to ask of God the things which it is
meet for us to ask of Him. For those Other things, those, I
mean, which belong to this life, whichever way they may fall out, can
do us no injury; for if we be rich, it is here only that we shall
enjoy our luxury; and if we fall into poverty, we shall suffer nothing
terrible. For neither the splendors nor the pains of the present life
have much power in respect either of despondency or pleasure, they are
contemptible, and slip away very swiftly. Wherefore they are called
"a way," with reason, because they pass away, and by their very
nature do not long endured but the things which are to come endure
eternally, both those of punishment and those of the Kingdom. Let us
then in regard of these things use much diligence to avoid the first and
to choose the last. For what is the advantage of this world's
luxury? Today it is, and tomorrow it is not; today a bright flower,
tomorrow scattered dust; today a burning fire, tomorrow smouldering
ashes. But spiritual things are not so, they ever remain shining and
blooming, and becoming brighter every day. That wealth never
perishes, never departs, never ceases, never brings with it care or
envy or blame, destroys not the body, corrupts not the soul, is
without ill will, heaps not up malice; all which things attend on the
other kind of wealth. That honor lifts not men into folly, doth not
make them puffed up, never ceases nor is dimmed. Again, the rest and
delight of heaven endureth continually, ever being immovable and
immortal, one cannot find its end or limit. This life then let us
desire, for if we do so we shall make no account of present things,
but shall despise and mock at them all, and though one should bid us
enter into kingly halls, we shall not while we have this hope choose to
do so; yet nothing (earthly) seems more near to happiness than such a
permission; but to those who are possessed by love of heaven, even
this seems little and mean, and worthy of no account. Nothing which
comes to an end is to be much desired; whatever ceases, and today is
and tomorrow is not, even though it be very great, yet seems to be
very little and contemptible. Then let us not cling to fleeting things
which slip away and depart, but to those which are enduring and
immovable. To which may 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.
|
|
