Homilies on John 48.1–48.2

“After this Jesus went about in Galilee; for he did not wish to go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Tabernacles, was near.” Nothing is worse than envy and malice; so death came into the world. For when the devil saw man honored, not bearing his prosperity, he did everything to destroy him. And everywhere one can see this fruit growing from this root. So Abel was slaughtered, so David was going to be, so many others of the righteous; from this source the Jews too became Christ-killers. The evangelist showed this when he said, “After this Jesus went about in Galilee; for he did not have authority to go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him.” What do you say, blessed John? Did he not have authority, who was able to do all that he wished? who said, “Whom do you seek?” and threw them backward? who was present and not seen—did he not have authority? And how did he later come into their midst, in the middle of the temple, in the middle of the feast, when there was an assembly and his would-be murderers were present, and say these things which provoked them more? At any rate they marveled at this, saying, “Is this not the one they seek to kill? And see, he speaks openly, and they say nothing to him.” What are these riddles? Away with the thought! He did not speak so in order to be thought to speak riddles, but to show that Christ displayed both the things of the divinity and those of the humanity. For when he says that he did not have authority, he speaks as of a man, who did many things in a human way too; but when he says that he stood in their midst and they did not seize him, he clearly shows the power of the divinity. For he fled as a man and appeared as God, being truly both. For not being seized while in the midst of those plotting against him showed his invincibility and irresistibility; and withdrawing confirmed and attested the dispensation, so that neither Paul of Samosata nor Marcion, nor those sick with their diseases, might have anything to say. By this, then, he stops the mouths of all. “After this the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Tabernacles, was near.” “After this” shows nothing else than that he cut short a long interval and leapt over it. And this is clear from the following: for when he sat on the mountain, it says, the feast of the Passover was near; but here he mentions Tabernacles, and in the five months between he has narrated nothing else for us nor taught us anything but the sign of the loaves and the address to those who ate. And yet he did not stop doing signs and speaking, not by day, not in the evening, and often even by night. At any rate he came upon the disciples in this way, as all the evangelists say. Why then did they leave those things out? Because it was not possible to list everything. Besides, they have been eager to tell those things over which blame or some contradiction from the Jews was going to follow. For many things were like the others: they recorded often that he healed the sick, raised the dead, and was admired; but where they have something strange to tell, or a blame that seems to arise against him, they put these things in; as is the case now: that his brothers did not believe in him. For the thing carries no ordinary slander. And it is worth admiring their truth-loving character, how they are not ashamed to say these things which seem to bring shame on the teacher, but have even been eager to report these above the others. Now, at any rate, passing over many signs and wonders and addresses, he leapt at once to this. “For his brothers said to him,” it says, “‘Leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples too may see the works that you are doing. For no one does anything in secret if he seeks to be known openly. Show yourself to the world.’ For not even his brothers believed in him.” “And what unbelief is there here?” someone says. “For they urge him to work wonders.” Very great. For both the words and the boldness and the untimely freedom of speech belong to unbelief. For they thought that because of their kinship they could speak to him freely. And the request seems forsooth to be that of friends, but what was said was full of great bitterness; for here they reproach him with both cowardice and love of glory. To say, “No one does anything in secret,” is the language of those charging him with cowardice and at the same time suspecting the things he did; and to add, “He seeks to be known openly,” is a charge of love of glory.

[2] But consider the power of Christ. For from among these who said these words came the first bishop of Jerusalem, the blessed James, about whom Paul too says, “I saw none of the other apostles except James the brother of the Lord.” And Judas too is said to have become admirable. And yet these were present at Cana too, when the wine was made; but they gained nothing for the time being. From where, then, came such great unbelief in them? From an evil mind and envy; for a kinsman who excels is somehow wont to be envied by those who are not such. And whom do they mean here by disciples? The crowd that followed him, not the twelve. What then does Christ say? See how gently he answered. He did not say, “Who are you to advise and teach these things?” but what? “My time has not yet come.” Here it seems to me he hints at something else too. For perhaps, showing that they were even going to betray him, he says, “My time has not yet come,” that is, the time of the cross and of death. Why then do you press before the time to have me killed? “But your time is always ready.” As if he said: Even if you are always with the Jews, they will not kill you, since you are zealous for the same things as they; but me they will wish to kill at once. So for you it is always time to be with them, since you are in no danger; but for me the time is when the time of the cross comes, when I must die. And that this is what he means is clear from what he adds: “The world cannot hate you.” For how could it hate those who wish the same things and run after the same things? “But it hates me, because I testify about it that its works are evil”—that is, because I touch and reprove it, for this reason I am hated. Let us learn from this to master anger and not to be indignant, even if those who advise us are of low station. For if Christ bore meekly unbelievers advising him, advising what they ought not, and advising not from a good intention, what pardon shall we obtain, who are earth and ashes, if we are vexed with those who advise us, even if those who do so are a little lower in station, thinking it unworthy of ourselves? See, at any rate, with what meekness he repels the accusation. For when they said, “Show yourself to the world,” he says, “The world cannot hate you, but me the world hates,” removing their accusation. For I am so far, he says, from seeking glory from men that I do not cease reproving them, and that knowing that hatred is born from this and death prepared. “And where did he reprove?” someone says. When did he stop doing so? Did he not say, “Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you, Moses”; and, “I know you, that you do not have the love of God”; and, “How can you believe, [receiving] glory from men and not seeking the glory that comes from the only God?” Did you see how he showed in everything that it was his outspoken reproof that caused the hatred toward him, not the breaking of the Sabbath? And why does he send them to the feast, saying, “Go up to the feast; I am not going up yet”? Showing that he said these things not needing them nor wishing to be flattered, but allowing them to do the Jewish things. “How then,” someone says, “did he go up, if he said, ‘I am not going up’?” But he said “now,” that is, with you. “Because my time is not yet fulfilled.” And yet he was going to be crucified at the next Passover. How then did he too not go up? For if he did not go up because his time had not yet come, he ought not to have gone up at all. But he did not go up for this, to suffer, but to teach them. And why secretly? For he could have gone up openly and been in their midst and checked their disorderly impulse, as he often did. But he did not wish to do this continually. For if he had gone up openly and again blinded them, he would have made his divinity shine out more, which was not yet fitting, and would have revealed it more. But since they thought his staying was cowardice, he shows the opposite: that it was a matter of courage and of dispensation, and that, foreknowing the time at which he would suffer, when it at last arrived he would then above all wish to go up to Jerusalem. It seems to me that by saying, “Go up yourselves,” he means this: Do not think that I compel you to stay with me unwillingly; and by adding, “My time is not yet fulfilled,” he makes it clear that signs had to be done and addresses spoken, so that more crowds might believe and the disciples become firmer, seeing the boldness of their teacher and what he suffered.

[3] Let us learn, then, from what has been said, his gentleness and meekness—“Learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart”—and let us cast out all bitterness. If someone lifts himself up against us, let us become humble; if someone is insolent, [let us serve him; if anyone bites and devours us with mockery, let us not be overcome, lest in defending] ourselves we destroy ourselves. For anger is a wild beast, a sharp and hot beast. Let us then sing over ourselves the charms from the divine Scripture, and say, “You are earth and ashes,” and, “Why are earth and ashes proud?” and, “The sway of his anger is his downfall,” and, “A wrathful man is not [seemly]” [...]; nothing is uglier [than an angry face]. And if the face is so, much more the soul. For as when mud is stirred up a foul smell is wont to arise, so when the soul is troubled by anger there will be great unseemliness and unpleasantness. “But I cannot bear the insult from my enemies,” someone says. Why? Tell me. If it is true, you ought to have been pricked even before he spoke, and be grateful to him for the reproofs; if it is false, despise it. [He called you poor? Laugh. He called you a fool?] Mourn for him then. For “whoever says to his brother, ‘Fool,’ will be liable to the Gehenna of fire.” When he insults you, then, consider the punishment he incurs, and not only will you have no anger, but you will even shed tears. For no one is provoked at one in a fever or with an inflammation, but pities all such people and weeps. For such is a soul in anger. But if you wish to avenge yourself, be silent, and you have given him a mortal blow. If you join insult to insult, you have kindled the fire. “But those present condemn weakness,” someone says, “if we keep silent.” They will not condemn weakness, but will admire you for wisdom. And if you are stung, you have insulted yourself; and by being stung, you force people to think what was said true. Why, tell me, does the rich man laugh on being called poor? Is it not because he is not conscious of poverty? So too we, if we rather laugh at insults, shall give the greatest proof that we are not conscious of what is said. Besides, how long shall we fear the reckonings of men? How long shall we despise our common Master, and be nailed to the flesh? “For where there is strife and divisions among you, are you not fleshly?” Let us become spiritual, then, and bridle this terrible beast. Between anger and madness there is no difference; it is a temporary demon, or rather worse than being possessed. For the possessed man might enjoy pardon; but the angry man will deserve countless punishments, carrying himself willingly to the pits of destruction, and even before the Gehenna to come already paying the penalty here, bringing an unceasing commotion and a tempest that is never stilled into the thoughts of the soul all night and all day. So that we may free ourselves both from the punishment in the present and from the retribution in the future, let us cast out this passion and show all meekness and gentleness, so that we may find rest for our souls both here and in the kingdom of heaven; which may we all obtain, by the grace and love for humankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom be glory to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, now and always and to the ages of ages. Amen.