Homilies on the Gospel of John — Source paragraphs and footnotes

Date uncertain | John Chrysostom

Such an one was John, who regarded not the multitude, nor opinion, nor anything else belonging to men, but trod all this beneath his feet, and proclaimed to all with becoming freedom the things respecting Christ. And therefore the Evangelist marks the very place, to show the boldness of the loud-voiced herald. For it was not in a house, not in a corner, not in the wilderness, but in the midst of the multitude, after that he had occupied Jordan, when all that were baptized by him were present, (for the Jews came upon him as he was baptizing,) there it was that he proclaimed aloud that wonderful confession concerning Christ, full of those sublime and great and mysterious doctrines, and that he was not worthy to unloose the latchet of His shoe. Wherefore he saith, “These things were done in Bethany,” or, as all the more correct copies have it, “in Bethabara.” For Bethany was not “beyond Jordan,” nor bordering on the wilderness, but somewhere nigh to Jerusalem.

Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 17, source paragraph 5 · Original source

Date uncertain | John Chrysostom

He marks the places also for another reason. Since he was not about to relate matters of old date, but such as had come to pass but a little time before, he makes those who were present and had beheld, witnesses of his words, and supplies proof from the places themselves. For confident that nothing was added by himself to what was said, but that he simply and with truth described things as they were, he draws a testimony from the places, which, as I said, would be no common demonstration of his veracity.

Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 17, source paragraph 6 · Original source

Date uncertain | John Chrysostom

[2.] Seest thou here also how he interprets the word “before”? for having called Him “Lamb,” and that He “taketh away the sin of the world,” then he saith that “He is preferred before me, for He was before me”; declaring that this is the “before,” the taking upon Him the sins of the world, “and the baptizing with the Holy Ghost.” “For my coming had no farther object than to proclaim the common Benefactor of the world, and to afford the baptism of water; but His was to cleanse all men, and to give them the power of the Comforter.” “He is preferred before me,” that is to say, has appeared brighter than I, because “He was before me.” Let those who have admitted the madness of Paul of Samosata be ashamed when they withstand so manifest a truth.

Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 17, source paragraph 11 · Original source

Date uncertain | John Chrysostom

Here he renders his testimony free from suspicion, by showing that it was not from human friendship, but had been caused by divine revelation. “I knew Him not,” he saith. How then couldest thou be a trustworthy witness? How shalt thou teach others, while thou thyself art ignorant? He did not say “I know Him not,” but, “I knew Him not”; so that in this way he would be shown most trustworthy; for why should he have shown favor to one of whom he was ignorant?

Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 17, source paragraph 13 · Original source

Date uncertain | John Chrysostom

He then did not need baptism, nor had that laver any other object than to prepare for all others a way to faith on Christ. For he did not say, “that I might cleanse those who are baptized,” or, “that I might deliver them from their sins,” but, “that He should be made manifest unto lsrael.” “And why, tell me, could he not without baptism have preached and brought the multitudes to Him?” But in this way it would not have been by any means easy. For they would not so all have run together, if the preaching had been without the baptism; they would not by the comparison have learned His superiority. For the multitude came together not to hear his words, but for what? To be “baptized, confessing their sins.” But when they came, they were taught the matters concerning Christ, and the difference of His baptism. Yet even this of John was of greater dignity than the Jewish, and therefore all ran to it; yet even so it was imperfect.

Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 17, source paragraph 15 · Original source

Date uncertain | John Chrysostom

“How then didst thou know Him?” “By the descent of the Spirit,” he saith. But again, lest any one should suppose that he was in need of the Spirit as we are, hear how he removes the suspicion, by showing that the descent of the Spirit was only to declare Christ. For having said, “And I knew Him not,” he adds, “But He that sent me to baptize with water the Same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on Him, the same is He which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.” ( Ver. 33.)

Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 17, source paragraph 16 · Original source

Date uncertain | John Chrysostom

Ver. 32–34. “And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from the heaven like a dove, and It abode upon Him. And I knew Him not: but He that sent me to baptize with water, the Same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, the same is He which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.”

Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 17, source paragraph 18 · Original source

Date uncertain | John Chrysostom

[3.] Hence it remains clear to us, that the miracles which they say belong to Christ’s childhood, are false, and the inventions of certain who bring them into notice. For if He had begun from His early age to work wonders, neither could John have been ignorant of Him, nor would the multitude have needed a teacher to make Him known. But now he says, that for this he is come, “that He might be made manifest to Israel”; and for this reason he said again, “I have need to be baptized of Thee.” Afterwards, as having gained more exact knowledge of Him, he proclaimed Him to the multitude, saying, “This is He of whom I said, After me cometh a Man which is preferred before me.” For “He who sent me to baptize with water,” and sent me for this end, “that He should be made manifest to Israel,” Himself revealed Him even before the descent of the Spirit. Wherefore even before He came, John said, “One cometh after me who is preferred before me.” He knew Him not before he came to Jordan and baptized all men, but when He was about to be baptized, then he knew Him; and this from the Father revealing Him to the Prophet, and the Spirit showing Him when He was being baptized to the Jews, for whose sake indeed the descent of the Spirit took place. For that the witness of John might not be despised who said, that “He was before me,” and that “He baptizeth with the Spirit,” and that “He judgeth the world,” the Father utters a Voice proclaiming the Son, and the Spirit descends, directing that Voice to the Head of Jesus. For since one was baptizing, the other receiving baptism, the Spirit comes to correct the idea which some of those present might form, that the words were spoken of John. So that when he says, “I knew Him not,” he speaks of former time, not that near to His baptism. Otherwise how could he have forbidden Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized of Thee”? How could he have said such words concerning Him?

Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 17, source paragraph 21 · Original source

Date uncertain | John Chrysostom

Where did he “bear record that this is the Son of God?” he called Him indeed “Lamb,” and said that He should “baptize with the Spirit,” but nowhere did he say of Him, “Son of God.” But the other Evangelists do not write that He said anything after the baptism, but having been silent as to the time intervening, they mention the miracles of Christ which were done after John’s captivity, whence we may reasonably conjecture that these and many others are omitted. And this our Evangelist himself has declared, at the end of his narrative. For they were so far from inventing anything great concerning Him, that the things which seem to bring reproach, these they have all with one voice and with all exactness set down, and you will not find one of them omitting one of such circumstances; but of the miracles, part some have left for the others to relate, part all have passed over in silence.

Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 17, source paragraph 24 · Original source

Date uncertain | John Chrysostom

I say not this without cause, but to answer the shamelessness of the heathen. For this is a sufficient proof of their truth-loving disposition, and that they say nothing for favor. And thus as well as in other ways you may arm yourselves for trial of argument with them. But take heed. Strange were it that the physician, or the shoemaker, or the weaver, in short all artists, should be able each to contend correctly for his own art, but that one calling himself Christian should not be able to give a reason for his own faith; yet those things if overlooked bring only loss to men’s property, these if neglected destroy our very souls. Yet such is our wretched disposition, that we give all our care to the former, and the things which are necessary, and which are the groundwork of our salvation, as though of little worth, we despise.

Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 17, source paragraph 25 · Original source

Date uncertain | John Chrysostom

[4.] That it is which prevents the heathen from quickly deriding his own error. For when they, though established in a lie, use every means to conceal the shamefulness of their opinions, while we, the servants of the truth, cannot even open our mouths, how can they help condemning the great weakness of our doctrine? how can they help suspecting our religion to be fraud and folly? how shall they not blaspheme Christ as a deceiver, and a cheat, who used the folly of the many to further his fraud? And we are to blame for this blasphemy, because we will not be wakeful in arguments for godliness, but deem these things superfluous, and care only for the things of earth. He who admires a dancer or a charioteer, or one who contends with beasts, uses every exertion and contrivance not to come off worst in any disputes concerning him, and they string together long panegyrics, as they compose their defense against those who find fault with them, and cast sneers without number at their opponents: but when arguments for Christianity are proposed, they all hang their heads, and scratch themselves, and gape, and retire at length the objects of contempt.

Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 17, source paragraph 26 · Original source

Date uncertain | John Chrysostom

“The next day he seeth Jesus coming to him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 17, source paragraph 7 · Original source

Date uncertain | John Chrysostom

Ver. 30. “This is He of whom I said, He that cometh after me is preferred before me.”

Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 17, source paragraph 10 · Original source

Date uncertain | John Chrysostom

“But that He should be made manifest unto Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.”

Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 17, source paragraph 14 · Original source

1889 (historical edition copyright; physical printing year uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

al. “how then doth he this? adding and saying.”

Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 17, editorial note cite_note-1 · Original source

1889 (historical edition copyright; physical printing year uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

or, “of any other man.”

Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 17, editorial note cite_note-4 · Original source

1889 (historical edition copyright; physical printing year uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

al. “were thought worthy.”

Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 17, editorial note cite_note-9 · Original source

1889 (historical edition copyright; physical printing year uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

al. “have made room for others.”

Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 17, editorial note cite_note-12 · Original source

Date uncertain | John Chrysostom

Ver. 31. “And I knew Him not,” he saith.

Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 17, source paragraph 12 · Original source

Date uncertain | John Chrysostom

“And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.”

Complete source paragraph · Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 17, source paragraph 23 · Original source