|
JOHN vii. 1, 2.
"After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He would not walk
in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill Him. Now the Jews'
feast of tabernacles was at hand."
1. Nothing is worse than envy and malice; through these death
entered into the world. For when the devil saw man honored, he
endured not his prosperity, but used every means to destroy him.
(Wisd. ii. 24.) And from the same root one may everywhere see
this same fruit produced. Thus Abel was slain; thus David, with
many other just men, was like to have been so; from this also the
Jews became Christ-slayers. And declaring this the Evangelist
said, "After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He had not
power to walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill Him."
What sayest thou, O blessed John? Had not He "power," who was
able to do all that He would? He that said, "Whom seek ye?"
(c. xviii. 6) and cast them backward?He who was present, yet not
seen (c. xxi. 4), had not He "power"? How then afterwards did
He come among them in the midst of the temple, in the midst of the
feast, when there was an assembly, when they that longed for murder
were present, and utter those sayings which enraged them yet the more?
Yea, this at least men marveled at, saying, "Is not this He,
whom they seek to kill?And, lo, He speaketh boldly, and they say
nothing unto Him." (Vet. 25, 26.) What mean these
riddles? Away with the word! The Evangelist spake not so that he
might be supposed to utter riddles, but to make it plain that He
showeth proofs both of His Godhead and His Manhood. For when he
saith, that "He had not power," he speaketh of Him as a man,
doing many things after the manner of men; but when he saith, that He
stood in the midst of them, and they seized Him not, he showeth to us
the power of the Godhead, (as man He fled, as God He appeared,)
and in both cases he speaks truly. To be in the midst of those who
were plotting against Him, and yet not be seized by them, showed His
unrivaled and irresistible nature; to yield strengthened and
authenticated the Dispensation, that neither Paul of Samosata, nor
Marcion, nor those affected with their maladies, might have anything
to say.By this then he stoppeth all their mouths.
"After these things was the Jews' feast of tabernacles." The
words, "after these things," mean only, that the writer has here
been concise, and has passed over a long interval of time, as is clear
from this circumstance. When Christ sat on the mountain, he saith,
that it was the feast of the Passover; while here the writer mentions
the "feast of tabernacles," and during the five months hath neither
related or taught us anything else, except the miracle of the loaves,
and the sermon made to those who ate them. Yet He ceased not to work
miracles, and to converse, both in the day, and in the evening, and
oftentimes at night; at least, it was thus that He presided over His
disciples, as all the Evangelists tell us. Why then have they
omitted that interval? Because it was impossible to recount everything
fully, and moreover, because they were anxious to mention those points
which were followed by any fault-finding or gainsaying of the Jews.
There were many circumstances like those which here are omitted; for
that He raised the dead, healed the sick, and was admired, they have
frequently recorded; but when they have anything uncommon to tell,
when they have to describe any charge seemingly put forth against Him,
these things they set down; such as this now, that "His brethren
believed Him not." For a circumstance like this brings with it no
slight suspicion, and it is worth our while to admire their
truth-loving disposition, how they are not ashamed to relate things
which seem to bring disgrace upon their Teacher, but have been even
more anxious to report these than other matters. For instance, the
writer having passed by many signs and wonders and sermons, has sprung
at once to this.
Ver. 3-5. For, saith he, "His brethren said unto Him,
Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that Thy disciples also may see
the works that Thou doest; for there is no man that doeth anything in
secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. Show thyself to
the world. For neither did His brethren believe in Him."
2. What unbelief, saith some one, is here?They exhort Him to
work miracles. It is great deed; for of unbelief come their words,
and their insolence, and their unseasonable freedom of speech. For
they thought, that owing to their relationship, it was lawful for them
to address Him boldly. And their request seems forsooth to be that of
friends, but the words were those of great maliciousness. For in this
place they reproach Him with cowardice and vainglory: since to say,
"no man doeth anything in secret," is the expression of persons
charging Him with cowardice, and suspecting the things done by Him as
being not really done; and to add, that "he seeketh to be known,"
was to accuse Him of vainglory. But observe, I pray you, the power
of Christ. Of those who said these things, one became first Bishop
of Jerusalem, the blessed James, of whom Paul saith, "Other of
the Apostles saw I none, save James, the Lord's brother"
(Gal. i. 19); and Judas also is said to have been a marvelous
man. And yet these persons had been present also at Cana, when the
wine was made, but as yet they profited nothing. Whence then had they
so great unbelief? From their evil mind, and from envy; for
superiority among kindred is wont somehow to be envied by such as are
not alike exalted. But who are those that they call disciples
here?The crowd that followed Him, not the twelve. What then saith
Christ?Observe how mildly He answered; He said not, "Who are ye
that counsel and instruct Me thus?" but, Ver. 6. "My time is
not yet come."
He here seemeth to me to hint at something other than He expresseth;
perhaps in their envy they designed to deliver Him up to the Jews;
and pointing out this to them, He saith, "My time is not yet
come," that is, "the time of the Cross and the Death, why then
hasten ye to slay Me before the time?"
"But your time is always ready."
As though He had said, "Though ye be ever with the Jews, they
will not slay you who desire the same things with them; but Me they
will straightway wish to kill. So that it is ever your time to be with
them without danger, but My time is when the season of the Cross is
at hand, when I must die." For that this was His meaning, He
showed by what followed.
Ver. 7. "The world cannot hate you;" (how should it hate those
who desire, and who run for the same objects as itself?) "but Me it
hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil."
"That is, because I upbraid and rebuke it, therefore I am
hated." From this let us learn to master our anger, and not to give
way to unworthy passion, though they be mean men who give us counsel.
For if Christ meekly bore with unbelievers counseling Him, when
their counsel was improper and not from any good intention, what pardon
shall we obtain, who being but dust and ashes, yet are annoyed with
those who counsel us, and deem that we are unworthily treated,
although the persons who do this may be but a little humbler than
ourselves? Observe in this instance how He repelleth their accusation
with all gentleness; for when they say, "Show Thyself to the
world," He replieth, "The world cannot hate you, but Me the
world hateth"; thus removing their accusation. "So far," He
saith, "am I from seeking honor from men, that I cease not to
reprove them, and this when I know that by this course hatred is
produced against and death prepared for Me." "And where," asketh
some one, "did He rebuke men? " When did He ever cease to do so?
Did He not say, "Think not that I will accuse you to the Father?
There is one that accuseth you, even Moses." (c. v. 45.)
And again; "I know you, that ye have not the love of God in
Thou": and "How can ye believe who receive honor from men, and
seek not the honor that cometh from God only?" Seest thou how He
hath everywhere shown, that it was the open rebuke, not the violation
of the Sabbath, which caused the hatred against Him?
And wherefore doth He send them to the feast, saying, Ver. 8.
"Go ye up to the feast: I go not up yet"?
To show that He said these things not as needing them, or desiring to
be flattered by them, but permitting them to do what pertained to
Jews. "How then," saith some one, "went He up after saying, '
I go not up '?" He said not, once for all, "I go not up,"
but, "now," that is, "not with you."
"For My time is not yet fulfilled."
And yet He was about to be crucified at the coming Passover. "How
then went He not up also? for if He went not up because the time was
not yet come, He ought not to have gone up at all." But He went
not up for this purpose, that He might suffer, but that He might
instruct them. "But wherefore secretly? since He might by going
openly both have been amidst them, and have restrained their unruly
impulses as He often did." It was because He would not do this
continually. Since had He gone up openly, and again blinded them,
He would have made His Godhead to shine through in a greater degree,
which at present behooved not, but He rather concealed it. And since
they thought that His remaining was from cowardice, He showeth them
the contrary, and that it was from confidence, and a dispensation,
and that knowing beforehand the time when He should suffer, He
would, when it should at length be at hand, be most desirous of going
up to Jerusalem. And methinks by saying, "Go ye up," He meant,
"Think not that I compel you to stay with Me against your will,"
and this addition of, "My time is not yet fully come," is the
expression of one declaring that miracles must be wrought and sermons
spoken, so that greater multitudes might believe, and the disciples be
made more steadfast by seeing the boldness and the sufferings of their
Master.
3. Learn we then, from what hath been said, His kindness and
gentleness; "Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of heart"
(Matt. xi. 29); and let us cast away all bitterness. If any
exalt himself against us, let us be humble; if any be bold, let us
wait upon him; if any bite and devour us with mocks and jests, let us
not be overcome; lest in defending ourselves we destroy ourselves.
For wrath is a wild beast, a wild beast keen and angry. Let us then
repeat to ourselves soothing charms drawn from the holy Scripture, and
say, "Thou art earth and ashes." "Why is earth and ashes
proud?" (Ecclus. x. 9), and, "The sway of his fury shall be
his destruction" (Ecclus. i. 22): and, "The wrathful man is
not comely" (Prov. xi. 25, LXX.); for there is nothing
more shameful, nothing uglier than a visage inflamed with anger. As
when you stir up mud there is an ill savor, so when a soul is disturbed
by passion there is great indecency and unpleasantness. "But,"
saith some one, "I endure not insult from mine enemies."
Wherefore? tell me. If the charge be true, then thou oughtest,
even before the affront, to have been pricked at heart, and thank
thine enemy for his rebukes; if it be false, despise it.
He hath called thee poor, laugh at him; he hath called thee
base-born and foolish, then mourn for him; for "He that saith to
his brother, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." (Matt.
V. 22.) Whenever therefore one insults thee, consider the
punishment that he undergoeth; then shalt thou not only not be angry,
but shall even shed tears for him. For no man is wroth with one in a
fever or inflammation, but pities and weeps for all such; and such a
thing is a soul that is angry. Nay, if even thou desire to avenge
thyself, hold thy peace, and thou hast dealt thine enemy a mortal
blow; while if thou addest reviling to reviling, thou hast kindled a
fire. "But," saith some one, "the bystanders accuse us of
weakness if we hold our peace." No, they will not condemn your
weakness, but admire you for your wisdom. Moreover, if you are stung
by insolence, you become insolent; and being stung, compel men to
think that what hath been said of you is true. Wherefore, tell me,
doth a rich man laugh when he is called poor? Is it not because he is
conscious that he is not poor? if therefore we will laugh at insults,
we shall afford the strongest proof that we are not conscious of the
faults alleged. Besides, how long are we to dread the accounts we
render to men? how long are we to despise our common Lord, and be
nailed to the flesh? "For whereas there is among you strife, and
envying, and divisions, are ye not carnal?" (1 Cor. iii. 3.)
Let us then become spiritual, and bridle this dreadful wild beast.
Anger differs nothing from madness, it is a temporary devil, or
rather it is a thing worse than having a devil; for one that hath a
devil may be excused, but the angry man deserves ten thousand
punishments, voluntarily casting himself into the pit of destruction,
and before the hell which is to come suffering punishment from this
already, by bringing a certain restless turmoil and never silent storm
of fury, through all the night and through all the day, upon the
reasonings of his soul. Let us therefore, that we may deliver
ourselves from the punishment here and the vengeance hereafter, cast
out this passion, and show forth all meekness and gentleness, that we
may find rest for our souls both here and in the Kingdom of Heaven.
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 Spirit be glory, now and ever and world without end.
Amen.
|
|
