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Homilies on the Gospel of John — Source paragraphs and footnotes
Homily 30
11 complete historical source paragraphs and 7 editorial footnotes. Author and edition credits are shown for each record; original wording is retained.
English translation and editorial credits: G. T. Stupart.
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It behooves us therefore to explore all carefully. For the words of the Scriptures are our spiritual weapons; but if we know not how to fit those weapons and to arm our scholars rightly, they keep indeed their proper power, but cannot help those who receive them. For let us suppose there to be a strong corselet, and helm, and shield, and spear; and let one take this armor and put the corselet upon his feet, the helmet over his eyes instead of on his head, let him not put the shield before his breast, but perversely tie it to his legs: will he be able to gain any advantage from the armor? will he not rather be harmed? It is plain to any one that he will. Yet not on account of the weakness of the weapons, but on account of the unskillfulness of the man who knows not how to use them well. So with the Scriptures, if we confound their order; they will even so retain their proper force, yet will do us no good. Although I am always telling you this both in private and in public, I effect nothing, but see you all your time nailed to the things of this life, and not so much as dreaming of spiritual matters. Therefore our lives are careless, and we who strive for truth have but little power, and are become a laughing stock to Greeks and Jews and Heretics. Had ye been careless in other matters, and exhibited in this place the same indifference as elsewhere, not even so could your doings have been defended; but now in matters of this life, every one of you, artisan and politician alike, is keener than a sword, while in necessary and spiritual things we are duller than any; making by-work business, and not deeming that which we ought to have esteemed more pressing than any business, to be by-work even. Know ye not that the Scriptures were written not for the first of mankind alone, but for our sakes also? Hearest thou not Paul say, that “they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come; that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope”? ( 1 Cor. x. 11; Rom. xv. 4 .) I know that I speak in vain, yet will I not cease to speak, for thus I shall clear myself before God, though there be none to hear me. He that speaketh to them that give heed hath this at least to cheer his speech, the persuasion of his hearers; but he that speaks continually and is not listened to, and yet ceaseth not to speak, may be worthy of greater honor than the other, because he fulfills the will of God, even though none give heed unto him, to the best of his power. Still, though our reward will be greater owing to your disobedience, we rather desire that it be diminished, and that your salvation be advanced, thinking that your being well approved of is a great reward. And we now say this not to make our discourse painful and burdensome to you, but to show to you the grief which we feel by reason of your indifference. God grant that we may be all of us delivered from this, that we may cling to spiritual zeal and obtain the blessings of heaven, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father and the Holy Ghost be glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
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[1.] A dreadful thing is the love of glory, dreadful and full of many evils; it is a thorn hard to be extracted, a wild beast untamable and many headed, arming itself against those that feed it; for as the worm eats through the wood from which it is born, as rust wastes the iron whence it comes forth, and moths the fleeces, so vainglory destroys the soul which nourishes it; and therefore we need great diligence to remove the passion. Observe here how long a charm John uses over the disciples affected by it, and can scarcely pacify them. For he softens them with other words besides those already mentioned. And what are these others? “He that cometh from above,” he saith, “is above all; he that is of the earth, is earthly, and speaketh of the earth.” Since you make much ado with my testimony, and in this way say that I am more worthy of credit than He, you needs must know this, that it is impossible for One who cometh from heaven to have His credit strengthened by one that inhabiteth earth.
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[1.] A dreadful thing is the love of glory, dreadful and full of many evils; it is a thorn hard to be extracted, a wild beast untamable and many headed, arming itself against those that feed it; for as the worm eats through the wood from which it is born, as rust wastes the iron whence it comes forth, and moths the fleeces, so vainglory destroys the soul which nourishes it; and therefore we need great diligence to remove the passion. Observe here how long a charm John uses over the disciples affected by it, and can scarcely pacify them. For he softens them with other words besides those already mentioned. And what are these others? “He that cometh from above,” he saith, “is above all; he that is of the earth, is earthly, and speaketh of the earth.” Since you make much ado with my testimony, and in this way say that I am more worthy of credit than He, you needs must know this, that it is impossible for One who cometh from heaven to have His credit strengthened by one that inhabiteth earth.
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Ver. 31, 32. “He that cometh from above is above all. And what He hath heard He speaketh, and what He hath seen He testifieth; and no man receiveth His testimony.”
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Having uttered something great and sublime concerning Him, he again brings down his discourse to a humbler strain. For the expression, “what He hath heard and seen,” is suited rather to a mere man. What He knew He knew not from having learned it by sight, or from having heard it, but He included the whole in His Nature, having come forth perfect from the Bosom of His Father, and needing none to teach Him. For, “As the Father,” He saith, “knoweth Me, even so know I the Father.” ( c. x. 15.) What then means, “He speaketh that He hath heard, and testifieth that He hath seen”? Since by these senses we gain correct knowledge of everything, and are deemed worthy of credit when we teach on matters which our eyes have embraced and our ears have taken in, as not in such cases inventing or speaking falsehoods, John desiring here to establish this point, said, “What He hath heard and seen”: that is, “nothing that cometh from Him is false, but all is true.” Thus we when we are making curious enquiry into anything, often ask, “Didst thou hear it?” “Didst thou see it?” And if this be proved, the testimony is indubitable, and so when Christ Himself saith, “As I hear, I judge” ( c. v. 30 ); and, “What I have heard from My Father, that I speak” ( c. xv. 15 ); and, “We speak that We have seen” ( c. iii. 11 ); and whatsoever other sayings He uttereth of the kind, are uttered not that we might imagine that He saith what He doth being taught of any, (it were extreme folly to think this,) but in order that nothing of what is said may be suspected by the shameless Jews. For because they had not yet a right opinion concerning Him, He continually betakes Himself to His Father, and hence makes His sayings credible.
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Having uttered something great and sublime concerning Him, he again brings down his discourse to a humbler strain. For the expression, “what He hath heard and seen,” is suited rather to a mere man. What He knew He knew not from having learned it by sight, or from having heard it, but He included the whole in His Nature, having come forth perfect from the Bosom of His Father, and needing none to teach Him. For, “As the Father,” He saith, “knoweth Me, even so know I the Father.” ( c. x. 15.) What then means, “He speaketh that He hath heard, and testifieth that He hath seen”? Since by these senses we gain correct knowledge of everything, and are deemed worthy of credit when we teach on matters which our eyes have embraced and our ears have taken in, as not in such cases inventing or speaking falsehoods, John desiring here to establish this point, said, “What He hath heard and seen”: that is, “nothing that cometh from Him is false, but all is true.” Thus we when we are making curious enquiry into anything, often ask, “Didst thou hear it?” “Didst thou see it?” And if this be proved, the testimony is indubitable, and so when Christ Himself saith, “As I hear, I judge” ( c. v. 30 ); and, “What I have heard from My Father, that I speak” ( c. xv. 15 ); and, “We speak that We have seen” ( c. iii. 11 ); and whatsoever other sayings He uttereth of the kind, are uttered not that we might imagine that He saith what He doth being taught of any, (it were extreme folly to think this,) but in order that nothing of what is said may be suspected by the shameless Jews. For because they had not yet a right opinion concerning Him, He continually betakes Himself to His Father, and hence makes His sayings credible.
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Here he touches his own disciples, as not being likely for a time to be firm believers. And that they did not even after this believe in Him, is clear from what is said afterwards; for John even when dwelling in prison sent them thence to Christ, that he might the more bind them to Him. Yet even then they scarcely believed, to which Christ alluded when He said, “And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in Me.” ( Matt. xi. 6 .) And therefore now he said, “And no man receiveth His testimony,” to make sure his own disciples; all but saying, “Do not, because for a time few shall believe on Him, therefore deem that His words are false; for, ‘He speaketh that He hath seen.’” Moreover he saith this to touch also the insensibility of the Jews. A charge which the Evangelist at commencing brought against them, saying, “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.” For this is no reproach against Him, but an accusation of those who received Him not. ( c. i. 11.)