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JOHN i. 6.
"There was a man sent from God, whose name was John."
1. HAVING in the introduction spoken to us things of urgent
importance concerning God the Word, (the Evangelist) proceeding on
his road, and in order, afterwards comes to the herald of the Word,
his namesake John. And now that thou hearest that he was "sent from
God," do not for the future imagine that any of the words spoken by
him are mere man's words; for all that he utters is not his own, but
is of Him who sent him. Wherefore he is called "messenger" (Mal.
iii. 1), for the excellence of a messenger is, that he say nothing
of his own. But the expression "was," in this place is not
significative of his coming into existence, but refers to his office of
messenger; for "'there was' a man sent from God," is used instead
of "a man 'was sent' from God."
How then do some say, that the expression, "being in the form of
God" (Phil. ii. 6) is not used of His invariable likeness to
the Father, because no article is added? For observe, that the
article is nowhere added here. Are these words then not spoken of the
Father? What then shall we say to the prophet who says, that,
"Behold, I send My messenger before Thy face, who shall prepare
Thy way" (Mal. iii. 1, as found in Mark i. 2)? for the
expressions "My" and "Thy" declare two Persons.
Ver. 7. "The same came for a witness, to bear witness of that
Light."
What is this, perhaps one may say, the servant bear witness to his
Master? When then you see Him not only witnessed to by His
servant, but even coming to him, and with Jews baptized by him, will
you not be still more astonished and perplexed? Yet you ought not to
be troubled nor confused, but amazed at such unspeakable goodness.
Though if any still continue bewildered s and confused, He will say
to such art one what He said to John, "Suffer it to be so now for
thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness" (Matt. iii.
15); and, if any be still further troubled, again He will say to
him too what he said to the Jews, "But I receive not testimony from
man." (c. v. 34.) If now he needs not this witness, why was
John sent from God? Not as though He required his testimony
--this were extremest blasphemy. Why then? John himself informs
us, when he says, "That all men through him might believe."
And Christ also, after having said that "I receive not testimony
from man" (c. v. 34), in order that He may not seem to the
foolish to clash with Himself, by declaring at one time "There is
another that beareth witness of Me and I know that his witness is
true" (c. v. 32) (for He pointed to John;) and at another,
"I receive not testimony from man" (c. v. 34); He immediately
adds the solution of the doubt, "But these things I say" for your
own sake, "that ye might be saved." As though He had said, that
"I am God, and the really-Begotten Son of God, and am of that
Simple and Blessed Essence, I need none to witness to Me; and
even though none would do so, yet am not I by this anything diminished
in My Essence; but because I care for the salvation of the many, I
have descended to such humility as to commit the witness of Me to a
man." For by reason of the groveling nature and infirmity of the
Jews, the faith in Him would in this way be more easily received,
and more palatable. As then He clothed Himself with flesh, that he
might not, by encountering men with the unveiled Godhead, destroy
them all; so He sent forth a man for His herald, that those who
heard might at the hearing of a kindred voice approach more readily.
For (to prove) that He had no need of that (herald's) testimony,
it would have sufficed that He should only have shown Himself who He
was in His unveiled Essence, and have confounded them all. But this
He did not for the reason I have before mentioned. He would have
annihilated all, since none could have endured the encounter of that
unapproachable light. Wherefore, as I said, He put on flesh, and
entrusted the witness (of Himself) to one of our fellow-servants,
since He arranged all for the salvation of men, looking not only to
His own honor, but also to what might be readily received by, and be
profitable to, His hearers. Which He glanced at when He said,
"These things I say" for your sake, "that ye might be saved."
(c. v. 34.) And the Evangelist using the same language as his
Master, after saying, "to bear witness of that Light," adds,
"That all men through Him might believe." All but saying, Think
not that the reason why John the Baptist came to bear witness, was
that he might add aught to the trustworthiness of his Master. No;
(He came,) that by his means beings of his own class might believe.
For it is clear from what follows, that he used this expression in his
anxiety to remove this suspicion beforehand, since he adds, Ver.
8. "He was not that Light."
Now if he did not introduce this as setting himself against this
suspicion, then the expression is absolutely superfluous, and
tautology rather than elucidation of his teaching. For why, after
having said that he "was sent to bear witness of that Light," does
he again say, "He was not that Light"? (He says it,) not
loosely or without reason; but, because, for the most part, among
ourselves, the person witnessing is held to be greater, and generally
more trustworthy than the person witnessed of; therefore, that none
might suspect this in the case of John, at once from the very
beginning he removes this evil suspicion, and having torn it up by the
roots, shows who this is that bears witness, and who is He who is
witnessed of, and what an interval there is between the witnessed of,
and the bearer of witness. And after having done this, and shown His
incomparable superiority, he afterwards proceeds fearlessly to the
narrative which remains; and after carefully removing whatever strange
(ideas) might secretly harbor in the minds of the simpler sort, so
instills into all easily and without impediment the word of doctrine in
its proper order.
Let us pray then, that henceforth with the revelation of these
thoughts and rightness of doctrine, we may have also a pure life and
bright conversation, since these things profit nothing unless good
works be present with us. For though we have all faith and all
knowledge of the Scriptures, yet if we be naked and destitute of the
protection derived from (holy) living, there is nothing to hinder us
from being hurried into the fire of hell, and burning for ever in the
unquenchable flame. For as they who have done good shall rise to life
everlasting, so they who have dared the contrary shall rise to
everlasting punishment, which never has an end. Let us then manifest
all eagerness not to mar the gain which accrues to us from a right faith
by the vileness of our actions, but becoming well-pleasing to Him by
these also, boldly to look on Christ. No happiness can be equal to
this. And may it come to pass, that we all having obtained what has
been mentioned, may do all to the glory of God; to whom, with the
Only-Begotten Son and the Holy Ghost, be glory for ever and
ever. Amen.
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