Fragments on John 36–54

It is worth inquiring how the Savior said that he had spoken earthly things, having taught about the kingdom of God and the birth from above, and about the Holy Spirit [and being born of him]. For none of these is earthly, but each is heavenly. To this it might be said that Jesus did not say, “If I have told you the things of earth,” but “earthly things,” calling earthly the things that can exist and be understood by men still living on earth. For they are not earthly by their own nature, but, being heavenly, they have been given to men by the gift of God. [And that the things (given) to those on earth (are from above, James shows, saying): “Every good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” And this he said having learned it from the Savior, who said: “The Father will give from heaven good things to those who ask him.”] Then, since of the things supplied by God some can be brought within reach of those who know in part, and others (belong) to those who have attained perfection in the age to come, when that which is in part will be done away when the perfect has come, it is said most fittingly: “How, if I tell you heavenly things, will you believe?” For he who does not believe the partial will not believe the perfect either.

The (making of the) serpent was commanded by God, so that those led by Moses might know that, as they were being killed by the venomous creatures for having disbelieved God, who had promised them the land, so they would be saved by gazing at the serpent that was lifted up, because of God who commanded this to be done. For it was not the nature of the object made, but the one who commanded them to make it, who provided them the cause of salvation. And the intelligible serpents too subjected men to death through sins, injecting into them the venom of their own wickedness. And when there had been much death against souls (and this is the death that follows sin), God, being entreated, was pleased that his own Son should be lifted up, so that all who look to him through faith might be freed from the harm of the intelligible serpents and have eternal life. And eternal life is not the common life which belongs also to the other animals, but that which comes about from faith and the rest of virtue.

From the present text too one can refute those who say that the name “Son” applies only to the one from Mary, and not to God the Word. [For see, the Son of God is the one who was sent into the world. But what was sent into the world was not what was taken from the Virgin (for this was constituted here, born of her), but the one who is God the Word in truth and the true light. For concerning him those make supplication to God who say: “Send out your light and your truth,” and again it is written: “God sent out his word and healed them.”]

… Jesus having come now to judge the world, adducing what follows next: “And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world.” And in this very Gospel Jesus says: “For judgment I have come into the world.” The difficulty raised must be solved. Even if Jesus, having come, does both, judging the world and saving it, yet the one is for the sake of the other. For he has come into the world for judgment in order to save it (for he does not save in order to judge). And just as a physician comes to a sick man in order to heal him; for this is the end of the physician's visit, even if other things happen, such as cutting or burning; for the cutting and the burning are not for their own sake, but for healing. Next after these: “He who believes in him is not judged.” For he who through faith has attained perfect salvation is not subject to judgment. But he who has not believed, being self-condemned, has already been judged.

“And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light.” For if the light had not come into the world, those who did not do good things could have pleaded ignorance of them [as those who practice vices would have a kind of defense, saying that they did not know them to be evil]. But since the light has come into the world, every misguided defense being banished, there will be a judgment examining the actions and the mind of each; so that those who loved the light will be accepted and attain the kingdom of God, having themselves become light from their love for it through good works and a true mind, so as to hate the darkness (and this is vice and impiety), while those who turned away from virtue and from God, its giver, will experience eternal punishments; since, being eager to have evil works, they hated the light, which convicts their base works by making them manifest. “For everyone who does evil hates the light,” not wishing to come to it at all, “lest his works be convicted” as evil, wishing to hide them so as not to be condemned by others. But even if this man hates the light, still the worker of the truth comes to the light, wishing the works that he does to be made manifest, that they are done in God. [He said well “he who does (πράσσων) evil” and “he who does (ποιῶν) the truth,” saying neither “he who did” nor “he who has done.” For it is possible both for one who has done evil to depart from vice and to look toward the good, and for one who professes to rejoice in the truth to incline sometimes to the worse. Therefore he said “does” in the present. For neither can one disposed toward vice rejoice in the good, and the lover of the truth surely …] the light must be taken not locally but actively, everyone who acts according to virtue coming to it. For the base man, working vice, refuses to be with the light; for good and evil, light and darkness, cannot exist together. [And the same in these matters: since some of the heretics think that some are by nature in darkness and love it, attend to what has been said, that each of them is in darkness by choice and loves it. “For men,” it says, “loved the darkness rather than the light, for their works were evil.” For it is not because of the darkness that they have evil works; but because they have evil works they love the darkness. And again, it is not by not coming to the light that they do evil; but by doing evil they do not come to the light. [It is in our power to do evil or to love the light and do the truth.]]

[Since it is written, “Men loved the darkness rather than the light,” we must inquire whether, loving both, they loved the darkness more and the light less; which also seems to have a place in the case of men neither very base nor perfect in virtue. But I think that this is not what is shown, that loving both they love the darkness more, or the light more; but the meaning is this: men, being free, in that they have a free choice, and owing to accept the light and flee the darkness, have done the reverse, those who have evil works, so as to love the darkness and not the light at all. And we must not understand comparatively that they loved the darkness more than the light; for they did not love it at all, having hated it. And that this understanding is right is shown from the passage itself. For he says that they loved the darkness rather than the light for this reason, since doing base things they hate the light; and if they hate it, they do not love the darkness comparatively. To this you will also refer what is written by the apostle about evil men, that they would be “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” For in this phrase too it is shown that, loving pleasure only and not God, they are called lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. And in the Psalms too it is written of a base man: “You loved evil more than goodness.” For it is not that, loving both, he loved evil more.]

We must understand with good sense “all are coming to him” as “many,” and “A man can receive nothing of himself unless it has been given from heaven,” that is: A man cannot have a divine gift unless it has been given to him from heaven. And the gifts from God are given to those prepared by faith and virtue to receive them. Learn, then, that even if I, having received from the Son of God, have the baptizing with water for repentance, I fall far short of the one who gave it to me. And that I say these things not now but before, I have you as witnesses of what I said to those who asked whether I am the Christ. For you were present when I said that I am the forerunner of the Christ, and not the Christ himself. And let no one stumble at “A man can receive nothing” as though it were not rightly said.

The rational essence, of which the soul of man too is a part, is of itself productive of none of the goods, even if it is receptive of them. It is of a nature, then, to bring forth from another, in the manner of a woman, the practical and intellectual virtues that it can bear. Therefore I shall call it a bride, not of any chance one, but only of the sower of goods. And he is no other than Jesus, of whom you have said that he baptizes, who has been borne witness to by me, to whom you say all are coming. If, then, you too wish to bring forth goods, go to him. For you are part of the bride, being … of the essence of rational beings. Yet, even if he is the bridegroom, I am his friend, being a servant of his will, and I have as my aim to present to him those whom I instruct. Even if, then, you have become my disciples, … and I exhort you, having the time to be joined to the perfect teacher, to go over to him; as I myself also pray to be his hearer; for I rejoice hearing his voice. Therefore it is our joy too when those who formerly attended me take up so great an intellectual habit as to contain (the teaching) taught by him to the worthy … being king and almighty. And if he is above all, clearly he is above me too; hence he must increase, and I must decrease. [In this sense must be taken also what was written by Paul to the Corinthians, which has this construction: “I betrothed you to one husband, to present a pure virgin to Christ,” calling the whole church the bride, being a pure virgin because of the rightness of doctrines and morals. And writing to another church, the same apostle, having mentioned Adam and the woman, adds: “This mystery is great; but I speak with reference to Christ and the church,” so that, as those became parents of all men, so Christ and the church are begetters of all good works, thoughts and words.] Of the bridegroom, then, as interpreted, John is the friend, standing by him with firm assent, through having steadfast faith in him; and standing so, he rejoices with joy because of the bridegroom's voice. Hence he adds next: “This, then, my joy is fulfilled,” all going away to Jesus. For I have come to bear witness to him, so that all may believe in him through me; hence he must increase, and I decrease. And this must be attended to. For the Savior does not increase by taking anything to himself, nor does John decrease by losing anything; for each remains the same. But what is said is understood thus. The morning star, rising before the sun in order to accustom the eyes to look at a greater light, has a fixed size. It appears greater than the sun at the first glance of sight; but as the sun gradually appears, the morning star decreases, not losing anything of its own size, but by comparison with the sunlight that has appeared. So too John is great in fullness of holiness. Jesus came after him, as said before; he was baptized; he was borne witness to by him. After the economy of these things, the divinity of Jesus having been shown, the one is shown to be the servant, the other the master.

… that he is above all. But those who have a material mind bear the image of the earthy man, who also speak from the earth. Therefore, if they ever profess teaching, they have the wisdom of which James writes, earthly, unspiritual, demonic. Of such Isaiah too writes, as being from the earth and speaking from it … [of God the Word, who comes from above, being above all and speaking what he has seen and heard. But the prophets too, having the Word that comes from above to them, speak heavenly and divine things, which they saw with the mind and heard with the ears of the inner man. For each of them will say … Solomon speaks more plainly about this, saying: “My words have been spoken by God.” Therefore it is written: “In many parts and in many ways God spoke of old to the fathers in the prophets; in the last of the days he has spoken to us,” who live at the time of his coming, “in a Son.”] Indeed, what he had seen and heard he spoke to men by way of teaching. And these things fit the economy; for it is not consistent to take them of the divinity.

“And no one receives his testimony,” although many have received his testimony, [as John himself again adds, saying: “He who received his testimony has set his seal that God is true.”] But how can it be true, when some receive his testimony, that “no one receives his testimony”? The difficulty must be solved thus. Jesus, having come from above and speaking what he heard and saw, speaks a most lofty and very great testimony about the Father and himself; and no one receives this testimony as he himself speaks it, because the hearers, who have a beginning of receiving, fall far short of the greatness of the testimony. Nevertheless, even if no one is able to receive his testimony in that way, still it is possible to receive it as far as those who are just coming to faith can receive it. Hence “he who received his testimony” does not conflict with no one having received it, since it is not received in the other way … those who also, from having received the testimony of Jesus, set their seal with firm assent that God is true, having learned that the one sent by him speaks the words of God; since he is not from the earth, nor does he speak from it. [For God does not give the Spirit by measure.]

For even if wise men who had God spoke the words of God, still they had the Spirit in part, as God says: “I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh.” But the Savior, sent to speak the words of God, does not give the Spirit in part. For he does not, having received it himself, provide it to others; but, sent from above and being above all, he gives it, being its source. But we shall also interpret “no one receives his testimony” otherwise. For since one who searches the Scriptures finds that they bear witness about Christ, none of the Jews who read the Scriptures without examination received the testimony [about him]; only (he received it), and everyone who can say, “(We have found him) of whom Moses wrote in the law, and the prophets,” … the testimony, and sets his seal that God is true, who promised the gospel beforehand through the prophets. And it is said also in another … and of this scripture, that the one sent (does) not (give) by measure, so as to provide sparingly and in part and to a few, but abundantly and richly to all who are found worthy to receive.

Since the heretics who twist their mind through everything, dividing the divinity, and therefore saying that the Old Testament is of one God and the New of another, [saying the Old Testament is of one God, whom they call world-maker, and the New of another, whom they call Father of Christ,] say that John said of himself and of the other prophets “He who is from the earth speaks from the earth,” but of Christ and his apostles “He whom God has sent speaks his words,” they must be refuted as teaching this falsely, or rather impiously. [For the Baptist himself says of himself: “He who sent me (to baptize with water said to me): He on whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” If, then, the one who sent him to baptize is the Father, whose Son Christ is, how does he speak from the earth when he says what he heard from the Father of Christ? At the same time the evangelist too writes about him: “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came for testimony, to bear witness” … (if the prophets) spoke from the earth, how do they bear witness about Christ? As the Savior said about their Scriptures: “These are they that bear witness about me.”]

For how should not God, who hates all evil, love (the Son), concerning whom it is written: “I am God, who loves righteousness and hates robberies from injustice”? And God hates the forms of evil in which the sinner rejoices. He loves, then, the Son as the provider of virtue; he loves the Son, being loved by the Son, the word “love” again being heard in a more human way, yet not so understood. For if God loves righteousness, he does not love it as the righteous man does. … he longs for the Son, who is Word and truth and wisdom and sanctification. But the saying can also represent the intimacy of the Father with the Son. For it is a natural law for those who beget to love those they beget. And as among men there is a natural disposition toward children, but it comes about in another way toward those otherwise loved, so too God loves the world as God, but the Son as Father. Therefore it is not said “God,” but “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.” And this must be taken faithfully and prudently. For if all things came to be through him, all things are under his hand according to the account of creation and providence; but these things went away through sin, so as to be outside the hand that sheltered them. For their salvation, then, the Father gives them into the hand of the Son, not granting an addition to the Son, but improvement to them. For he gives them as to a teacher and physician, so that, having made them free of ignorance and disease, that is, of vice, he may have them sheltered and ruled by him, now having them under his active and provident hand. And what follows shows the truth of this understanding: “He who believes in the Son has eternal life.” For if he who believes in the Son has eternal life, having been given into his hand, he is given for his own salvation and improvement, but not so that the Son should have something more. And when is the giving of all things into the hand of the Son fulfilled, if not when every knee shall bow to him, of things in heaven and on earth and under the earth?

In many places of the Scriptures the punishments against the base are called God's wrath, as in what was said by Moses about the Egyptians: “You sent out your wrath, and it consumed them like stubble.” [And Paul writes about the Jews: “But wrath has come upon them to the end,” calling wrath the God-sent punishments that came upon them. And to him who despises his kindness and long-suffering he says: “But according to your hardness and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath.”] For we must not think that what is called his wrath is a passion of God. For how can there be passion in the impassible? But since God, being unchangeable, does not suffer, what is called his wrath must be interpreted according to what has been said.

Since he truly had a body made up of the same things as all human bodies, his body too was necessarily subject to the common sufferings, I mean not only wounds and the like, but also the weariness that comes from very intense [and continuous] movement. For at the midday hour, when the sun scorches, having completed a long journey, he took on more weariness, the moisture of his body being consumed by the blaze of the heat; for it was the sixth hour of the day. Wishing to rest from this weariness, he sat by the spring that was in the aforesaid field of Joseph, at the same time providing for the benefit of the woman who was about to come to draw water from the spring.

Perhaps someone might seek the reason why Jews do not associate with Samaritans; which one can find in the third and fourth books of Kingdoms, and also in the second of Chronicles … they did not dare to touch even the flesh of foreigners, thinking that they were defiled by this. And perhaps someone will say, objecting to “His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food”: If in the desert he fed five thousand and four thousand together with a multitude of women and a great number of children, once from five and once from seven loaves, what great thing was it to provide food for the disciples without their going into the city to buy it, Jesus supplying it by his own power? To this it must be said that Jesus, having become man, if he had done everything as God in truth, … his divinity was overshadowed. Hence, if ever there was need of a miracle, he fed many from a little, not so much for the sake of satisfying them as of making manifest his divine power. But when it was not very urgent to provide abundance of food from nothing, the disciples went off to buy bread. For if, Jesus doing these things to show his humanity and to make manifest his divinity, [many stumbled at the gospel, some supposing that he was a man in appearance, others (that he was a mere) man,] how much more, if nothing had been done and written with exactness about the manifestation of his divinity and humanity, would those have been deceived who do not read the history about these things exactly and prudently?

The Samaritan woman made the greatest effort to exalt the opinions of the Samaritans above the customs and doctrines of the Jews and to set them higher. Therefore, when the Savior promised to give living water, she retorted, “Are you greater than our father Jacob?” But the Savior, who knows how to dispense all things wisely, knowing that to exalt the things of the Jews and to say “greater” would at once strike the woman's mind, which as yet imagined nothing higher than sensible things, stores this up in silence, and by other words, no less able to establish it but smoothing her hearing, makes her mind more apt. For he does not himself bring in the comparison and the difference in glory, but leaves the woman to reckon, from what will be said, the surpassing extent of his superiority. “For whoever drinks of this water,” he says, “will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.” And see the wisdom and power of the words. That “he will thirst again” he said as needing no proof from elsewhere, for he had the woman as a witness of her own accord; but “he will never thirst” he brought in, raising her by the greatness of the promise. By both he leads her to the consideration of a more divine conception, all but saying: If you hold Jacob in greater honor and as a marvelous achievement, because he provided you with water from which whoever drinks returns again to the same thirst, what must you reckon him to be who is able to provide water that does not soothe a bodily thirst for a short time, but can become in the one who drinks a spring of ever-flowing water, and supply streams of salvation, which water those who draw from them and secure eternal life? For as water cures thirst and cleanses the defilement on the outside of the body, so too the intellectual and heavenly streams of Jesus' teaching, and the more divine conception of him, heal the thirst that comes from unbelief and cleanse the soul of the filth with which the defilement of sins and the gloomy reasoning of impious opinions had soiled it.

The well of Jacob must be said, for allegory, to be the writing of Moses, from which Jacob together with his sons drank spiritually, his flocks too drinking from it, [which were Jacob's flocks,] the flocks being taken, for allegory, as those who have steadiness and gentleness without reason; and these must also be said properly to be the herds and sheep of Jacob.

If, then, the law given through Moses is the water, how did Jesus say that whoever drinks of it will thirst again? It must be said that the law was given to men, not for living by it always, but until a certain time, so that the drinking of the well interpreted (allegorically) lasts until the showing of a greater water. For the precepts of the law were laid down until the time of reformation. Therefore whoever drinks of the water of the law will thirst again, having a desire for the drink of the gospel. [To this you will refer what is said in Isaiah: “Drink this first, act quickly.” For if it were not possible to drink something after that, it would not have been said, “Drink this first.”] And since the gospel succeeds the law, whoever drinks the teaching of the law will thirst again, so as to (drink) also that of the gospel; … from it will not thirst for ever. [“For heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away,” said Jesus.] For he says that whoever drinks this water acquires in himself a spring, not of ordinary water, but of water leaping up to eternal life. Which water, leaping up to life, lifts up and raises to life the one who has it, as a spring in himself.