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John xii. 42, 43.
"Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on Him; but
because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should
he put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than
the praise of God."
1. It is necessary for us to avoid alike all the passions which
corrupt the soul, but most especially those, which from themselves
generate numerous sins. I mean such as the love of money. It is in
truth of itself a dreadful malady, but it becomes much more grievous,
because it is the root and mother of all mischiefs. Such also is
vainglory. See, for instance, how these men were broken off from the
faith through their love of honor. "Many," it saith, "of the
chief rulers also believed on Him, but because of the Jews they did
not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue." As
He said also to them before, "How can ye believe which receive honor
one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only?"
(c. v. 44.) So then they were not rulers, but slaves in the
utmost slavery. However, this fear was afterwards done away, for
nowhere during the time of the Apostles do we find them possessed by
this feeling, since in their time both rulers and priests believed.
The grace of the Spirit having come, made them all firmer than
adamant. Since therefore this was what hindered them from believing at
this time, hear what He saith.
Ver. 44. "He that believeth on Me, believeth not on Me, but
on Him that sent Me."
As though He had said, "Why fear ye to believe on Me? Faith
passeth to the Father through Me, as doth also unbelief." See how
in ever) way He showeth the unvaryingness of His Essence. He said
not, He that believeth "Me," lest any should assert that He spake
concerning His words; this might have been said in the case of mere
men, for he that believeth the Apostles, believeth not them, but
God. But that thou mightest learn that He speaketh here of the
belief on His Essence, He said not, "He that believeth My
words," but, "He that believeth on Me." "And wherefore,"
saith some one, "hath He nowhere said conversely, He that believeth
on the Father, believeth not on the Father but on Me?" Because
they would have replied, "Lo, we believe on the Father, but we
believe not on thee." Their disposition was as yet too infirm.
Anyhow, conversing with the disciples, He did speak thus: "Ye
believe on the Father, believe also on Me" (c. xiv. 1); but
seeing that these then were too weak to hear such words, He leadeth
them in another way, showing that it is not possible to believe on the
Father, without believing on Him. And that thou mayest not deem
that the words are spoken as of man, He addeth, Ver. 45. "He
that seeth Me, seeth Him that sent Me."
What then! Is God a body? By no means. The "seeing" of which
He here speaketh is that of the mind, thence showing the
Consubstantiality. And what is, "He that believeth on Me"? It
is as though one should say, "He that taketh water from the river,
taketh it not from the river but from the fountain"; or rather this
image is too weak, when compared with the matter before us.
Ver. 46. "I am come a light into the world."
For since the Father is called by this name everywhere both in the
Old (Testament) and in the New, Christ useth the same name also;
therefore Paul also calleth Him, "Brightness" (Heb. i. 3),
having learnt to do so from this source. And He showeth here His
close relationship with the Father, and that there is no separation
between them, if so be that He saith that faith on Him is not on
Him, but passeth on to the Father. And He called Himself
"light," because He delivereth from error, and dissolveth mental
darkness.
Ver. 47. "If any man hear not Me, and believe not, I judge
him not, for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world."
2. For lest they should think, that for want of power He passed by
the despisers, therefore spake He the, "I came not to judge the
world." Then, in order that they might not in this way be made more
negligent, when they bad learned that "he that believeth is saved,
and he that disbelieveth is punished," see how He hath also set
before them a fearful court of judgment, by going on to say, Ver.
48. "He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath
One to judge him."
"If the Father judgeth no man, and thou art not come to judge the
world, who judgeth him?" "The word that I have spoken, the same
shall judge him." For since they said, "He is not from God,"
He saith this, that, "they shall not then be able to say these
things, but the words which I have spoken now, shall be in place of
an accuser, convicting them, and cutting off all excuse." "And the
word which I have spoken." What manner of word?
Ver. 49. "For I have not spoken of Myself, but the Father
which sent Me, He gave Me a commandment what I should say, and
what I should speak." And other such like.
Surely these things were said for their sakes, that they might have no
pretense of excuse. Since if this were not the case, what shall He
have more than Isaiah? for he too saith the very same thing, "The
Lord God giveth me the tongue of the learned, that I should know
when I ought to speak a word." (Isa. 1. 4, LXX.) What
more than Jeremiah? for he too when he was sent was inspired.
(Jer. i. 9.) What then Ezekiel? for he too, after eating the
roll, so spake. (Ezek. iii. 1.) Otherwise also, they who were
about to hear what He said shall be found to be causes of His
knowledge. For if when He was sent, He then received commandment
what He should say, thou wilt then argue that before He was sent He
knew not. And what more impious than these assertions? if (that is)
one take the words of Christ in this sense, and understand not the
cause of their lowliness? Yet Paul saith, that both he and those who
were made disciples knew "what was that good and acceptable and perfect
will of God" (Rom. xii. 2), and did the Son not know until He
had received commandment? How can this be reasonable? Seest thou not
that He bringeth His expressions to an excess of humility, that He
may both draw those men over, and silence those who should come after.
This is why He uttereth words befitting a mere man, that even so He
may force us to fly the meanness of the sayings, as being conscious
that the words belong not to His Nature, but are suited to the
infirmity of the hearers.
Ver. 50. "And I know that His commandment is life everlasting;
whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto Me, so
I speak."
Seest thou the humility of the words? For he that hath received a
commandment is not his own master. Yet He saith, "As the Father
raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth
whom He will." (c. v. 21.) Hath He then power to quicken
whom He will, and to say what He will hath He not power? What He
intendeth then by the words is this; "The action hath not natural
possibility, that He should speak one set of words, and I should
utter another." "And I know that His commandment is life
everlasting." He said this to those that called Him a deceiver, and
asserted that He had come to do hurt. But when He saith, "I judge
not," He showeth that He is not the cause of the perdition of these
men. By this He all but plainly testifies, when about to remove
from, and to be no more with, them, that "I converse with you,
speaking nothing as of Myself, but all as from the Father." And
for this cause He confined His discourse to them to humble
expressions, that He might say, "Even until the end did I utter
this, My last word, to them." What word was that? "As the
Father said unto Me, so I speak." "Had I been opposed to God
I should have said the contrary, that I speak nothing of what is
pleasing to God, so as to attract the honor to Myself, but now I
have so referred all things to Him, as to call nothing My own. Why
then do ye not believe Me when I say that 'I have received a
commandment,' and when I so vehemently remove your evil suspicion
respecting rivalry? For as it is impossible for those who have
received a commandment to do or say anything but what their senders
wish, as long as they fulfill the commandment, and do not forge
anything; so neither is it possible for Me to say or do anything
except as My Father willeth. For what I do He doeth, because He
is with Me, and 'the Father hath not left Me alone.' " (c.
viii. 29.) Seest thou how everywhere He showeth Himself
connected with Him who begat Him, and that there is no separation?
For when He saith, "I am not come of Myself," He saith it not,
as depriving Himself of power, but as taking away all alienation or
opposition. For if men are masters of themselves, much more the
Only-begotten Son. And to show that this is true, hear what Paul
saith, "He emptied Himself, and gave Himself for us." (Phil.
ii. 7.) But, as I said, a terrible thing is vainglory, very
terrible (Eph. v. 2); for this made these men not to believe,
and others to believe ill, so that the things which were said for the
sake of those men, through lovingkindness, they turned to impiety.
3. Let us then ever flee this monster: various and manifold it is,
and everywhere sheds its peculiar venom, in wealth, in luxury, in
beauty of person. Through this we everywhere go beyond needful use;
through this arises extravagance in garments, and a great swarm of
domestics; through this the needful use is every where despised, in
our houses, our garments, our table; and extravagance prevails.
Wilt thou enjoy glory? Do alms-deeds, then shall Angels praise
thee, then shall God receive thee. Now the admiration goes no
farther than the goldsmiths and weavers, and thou departest without a
crown, often seeing that thou receivest curses. But if thou put not
these things about thy body, but expend them in feeding the poor,
great will be the applause from all sides, great the praise. Then
shall thou have them, when thou givest them to others; when thou
keepest them to thyself, then thou hast them not. For a house is a
faithless treasury, but a sure treasury are the hands of the poor.
Why adornest thou thy body, while thy soul is neglected, possessed by
uncleanness? Why bestowest thou not so much thought on thy soul, as
thy body? Thou oughtest to bestow greater; but anyhow, beloved, we
ought to bestow equal care upon it. For tell me, if any one asked
thee which thou wouldest choose, that thy body should be fresh and of
good habit and surpassing in beauty, and wear mean raiment, or having
the body deformed and full of diseases, to wear gold and finery;
wouldest thou not much prefer to have beauty depending on the nature of
thy person, than on the raiment with which thou art clothed? And wilt
thou choose this in the case of thy body, but the contrary in the case
of thy soul; and, when thou hast that ugly and unsightly and black,
dost thou think to gain anything from golden ornaments? What madness
is this! Shift this adorning within, put these necklaces about thy
soul. The things that are put about thy body help neither to its
health nor to its beauty, for it will not make black white, nor what
is ugly either beautiful or good looking. But if thou put them about
thy soul, thou shalt soon make it white instead of black, instead of
ugly and unsightly, thou shalt make it beautiful and well-favored.
The words are not mine, but those of the Lord Himself, who saith,
"Though thy sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow"
(Isa. i. 18, LXX.); and, "Give alms--and all things
shall be clean unto you" (Luke xi. 41); and by such a
disposition thou shalt beautify not thyself only, but thy husband.
For they if they see you putting off these outward ornaments, will
have no great need of expense, and not having it, they will abstain
from all covetousness, and will be more inclined to give alms, and ye
too will be able boldly to give them fitting counsel. At present ye
are deprived of all such authority. For with what mouth will ye speak
of these things? with what eyes will ye look your husbands in the
face, asking money for alms, when ye spend most upon the covering of
your bodies? Then wilt thou be able boldly to speak with thy husband
concerning alms-giving, when thou layest aside thine ornaments of
gold. Even if thou accomplish nothing, thou hast fulfilled all thy
part; but I should rather say, that it is impossible that the wife
should not gain the husband, when she speaks by the very actions.
"For what knowest thou, O woman, whether thou shalt save thy
husband?" (1 Cor. vii. 16.) As then now thou shall give
account both for thyself and for him, so if thou put off all this
vanity thou shall have a double crown, wearing thy crown and triumphing
with thy husband through those unalloyed ages, and enjoying the
everlasting good things, which may we all obtain, through the grace
and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for
ever and ever. Amen.
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