Homilies on John, Homily 24

“Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in Him.” [1.] Some people at that time clung to their error, while others embraced the truth. Of those who embraced it, some held on to it for a little while and then fell away again. Referring to them, Christ compared them to seeds that were not deeply planted, but had their roots at the surface of the earth; and He said they would quickly perish. The Evangelist has pointed these people out to us here, saying, “When He was in Jerusalem, at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in Him when they saw the miracles He did.” Ver. 24. “But Jesus did not entrust Himself to them.” The more mature among His disciples came to Him not only because of His miracles, but also through His teaching. The miracles attracted the more earthly-minded people, but His prophecies and teachings attracted those who reasoned better. So those won over by His teaching were more steadfast than those attracted by His miracles. Christ also called them “blessed,” saying, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” ( c. xx. 29 .) But the following passage shows that the people mentioned here were not true disciples, for it says, “Jesus did not entrust Himself to them.” Why? “Because He knew all things,” Ver. 25. “And did not need anyone to testify about man, for He knew what was in man.” The meaning is this: “He who lives in people’s hearts and enters their thoughts paid no attention to outward words. Knowing well that their enthusiasm would last only a little while, He did not trust them as mature disciples or entrust all His teachings to them as though they had already become firm believers.” Now, knowing what is in people’s hearts belongs to God alone, “who has formed hearts one by one” ( Ps. xxxiii. 15 , LXX.), for Solomon says, “You, You alone, know the hearts” ( 1 Kings viii. 39 ). He therefore needed no witnesses to learn the thoughts of His own creatures, and so He did not trust them on the strength of their merely temporary belief. People, who know neither the present nor the future, often tell everything without reserve and entrust everything to people who approach them deceitfully and will soon fall away from them. But Christ did not do this, for He knew all their secret thoughts well. There are many such people even now, who have faith in name but are unstable and easily led away. So even now Christ does not entrust Himself to them, but hides many things from them. Just as we do not trust mere acquaintances but real friends, so does Christ. Listen to what He says to His disciples: “I no longer call you servants; you are My friends.” ( c. xv. 14, 15.) Where does this come from, and why? “Because everything I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.” That is also why He gave no signs to the Jews who asked for them: they asked in order to test Him. Indeed, asking for signs is something people who put Him to the test did then and still do now. Even now some seek them and say, “Why don’t miracles happen today too?” If you are faithful as you ought to be, and love Christ as you ought to love Him, you have no need of signs; they are given to unbelievers. “Then why,” someone asks, “weren’t they given to the Jews?” They certainly were given. And if there were times when they asked and did not receive them, it was because they asked not to be freed from their unbelief, but to confirm themselves all the more in their wickedness. Chap. iii. 1, 2. “And there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus. He came to Jesus at night.” This man also appears in the middle of the Gospel, defending Christ. He says, “Our law judges no one before hearing him” ( c. vii. 51 ), and the Jews angrily replied to him, “Search and see, for no prophet comes from Galilee.” Again, after the crucifixion, he took great care over the burial of the Lord’s body: “Nicodemus also came,” says the Evangelist, “who had come to the Lord at night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds.” ( c. xix. 39.) Even at this point he was favorably disposed toward Christ, but not as he ought to have been, or with a proper understanding of Him, for he was still caught up in Jewish weakness. That is why he came at night: he was afraid to come during the day. Yet the merciful God did not reject or rebuke him for this, or deny him His instruction. Instead, He spoke with him very kindly and revealed very exalted teachings to him—cryptically, certainly, but He revealed them nonetheless. For he was far more deserving of pardon than those who acted this way out of wickedness. They have no excuse at all; but although he was liable to condemnation, he was not liable to the same degree. “Then why does the Evangelist say nothing of this kind about him?” Elsewhere he has said that “many of the rulers also believed in Him, but because of the Jews they did not confess (Him), for fear of being put out of the synagogue” ( c. xii. 42 ). Here, however, he has implied all of this by mentioning that he came “at night.” What, then, does Nicodemus say? “Rabbi, we know that You are a Teacher who has come from God, for no one can do the miracles You do unless God is with him.” [2.] Nicodemus still remains at an earthly level, still has human thoughts about Him, and speaks of Him as a Prophet, forming no great idea of Him from His miracles. “We know,” he says, “that You are a Teacher who has come from God.” “Then why do you come at night and secretly to Him who speaks the things of God, to Him who comes from God? Why don’t you speak with Him openly?” But Jesus said nothing like this to him, nor did He rebuke him. For the Prophet says, “He will not break a bruised reed, and He will not put out a smoking flax wick; He will not quarrel or cry out” ( Isa. xlii. 2, 3; as quoted Matt. xii. 19, 20 ). And again He Himself says, “I did not come to condemn the world, but to save the world.” ( c. xii. 47.) “No one can do these miracles unless God is with him.” Here Nicodemus still speaks like the heretics, saying that He has a power working within Him and needs the help of others to do what He did. What, then, does Christ say? Notice how far He accommodates Himself to him. For a time He held back from saying, “I do not need the help of others, but do everything by My own power, for I am the Very Son of God and have the same power as My Father,” because this would have been too much for His listener. For I repeat now what I am always saying: for a time, Christ wanted less to reveal His own Dignity than to persuade people that He did nothing contrary to His Father. That is why in many places He speaks as though His power were limited, but does not act that way. For when He performs a miracle, He does everything with power, saying, “I am willing; be clean.” ( Matt. viii. 3.) “Talitha, get up.” ( Mark v. 41 ; not verbally quoted.) “Stretch out your hand.” ( Mark iii. 5.) “Your sins are forgiven.” ( Matt. ix. 2.) “Peace, be still.” ( Mark iv. 39.) “Pick up your bed and go to your house.” ( Matt. ix. 6.) “You foul spirit, I tell you, come out of him.” ( Mark ix. 25 ; not verbally quoted.) “Let it be done for you just as you wish.” ( Matt. xv. 28.) “If anyone says (aught) to you, say, The Lord needs him.” ( Mark xi. 3.) “Today you will be with Me in Paradise.” ( Luke xxiii. 43 .) “You have heard that it was said by those of ancient times, You shall not kill; but I tell you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause will be liable to judgment.” ( Matt. v. 21, 22.) “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of people.” ( Mark i. 17.) Everywhere we see that His authority is great, for in His actions no one could find fault with what was done. How could they? If His words had not come true or been fulfilled as He commanded, anyone might have said they were the commands of a madman. But since they did come true, the actual fulfillment shut people’s mouths even against their will. As for His teaching, however, they could often insolently accuse Him of madness. So now, in Nicodemus’s case, He says nothing openly, but through obscure sayings leads him up from his low thoughts, teaching him that He has enough power in Himself to perform miracles, for He was begotten by His Father Perfect and All-sufficient, without any imperfection. But let us see how He does this. Nicodemus says, “Rabbi, we know that You are a Teacher who has come from God, for no one can do the miracles You do unless God is with him.” He thought he had said something great when he spoke this way about Christ. What, then, does Christ say? To show that Nicodemus had not yet even set foot on the threshold of right knowledge or stood on the porch, but was still wandering somewhere outside the palace—both he and anyone else who would say the same—and that he had not so much as glanced toward true knowledge when he held such an opinion of the Only-Begotten, what does He say? Ver. 3. “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a person is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” That is, “Unless you are born again and receive the right teachings, you are wandering somewhere outside and are far from the Kingdom of heaven.” But He does not speak as plainly as this. To make the saying less hard to bear, He does not direct it plainly at him, but speaks in general terms: “Unless a person is born again.” He is almost saying, “Both you and anyone else who may hold such opinions about Me are somewhere outside the Kingdom.” If He had not spoken with the desire to establish this, His answer would have corresponded to what had been said. Now, if these words had been addressed to the Jews, they would have ridiculed Him and left; but here too Nicodemus shows his desire to learn. This is also why Christ speaks obscurely in many places: He wants to stir His listeners to ask questions and make them more attentive. For what is said plainly often slips past the listener, while what is obscure makes him more active and eager. Now what He says is something like this: “If you are not born again, if you do not share in the Spirit through the washing of Regeneration, you cannot have a right understanding of Me, for the opinion you hold is not spiritual, but carnal.” ( Tit. iii. 5.) But He did not put it this way, because He did not want to overwhelm someone who had brought what he could and spoken to the best of his ability. Instead, He leads him to greater knowledge without his realizing it, saying, “Unless a person is born again.” Some understand the word “again” here to mean “from heaven,” others “from the beginning.” “It is impossible,” Christ says, “for someone who is not born this way to see the Kingdom of God.” In saying this He points to Himself and declares that there is another kind of sight besides natural sight, and that we need other eyes to see Christ. Having heard this, Ver. 4. “Nicodemus says, How can a man be born when he is old?” You call Him “Master” and say He has “come from God,” and yet you do not accept His words, but speak to your Teacher in a way that expresses great uncertainty? For “How?” is the doubting question of people who have no firm belief, but are still earthly-minded. That is why Sarah laughed when she had said, “How?” And many others, after asking this question, have fallen away from the faith. [3.] This is also how heretics persist in their heresy: they frequently ask this question, some saying, “How was He begotten?” and others, “How was He made flesh?” They subject that Infinite Essence to the weakness of their own reasoning. Knowing this, we ought to avoid this inappropriate curiosity, for those who investigate these matters will fall away from the right faith without learning the “How.” This is why Nicodemus, in doubt, asks how this can happen (for he understood that the words spoken referred to himself). He is confused, dizzy, and bewildered, having come to Him as to a man and hearing words beyond human words, such as no one had ever heard before. For a time the sublimity of these sayings stirs him, but he is still in darkness and unstable, carried in every direction and continually falling away from the faith. That is why he keeps trying to prove the impossibility, to prompt Him to teach more clearly. “Can a man,” he says, “enter his mother’s womb and be born?” Do you see how someone who submits spiritual things to his own reasoning speaks ridiculously, seems to be fooling around or drunk, when he pries into what has been said beyond what God sees fit to reveal and refuses the submission of faith? Nicodemus heard about spiritual Birth, yet did not understand it spiritually, but dragged the words down to the low level of the flesh and made such a great and exalted teaching depend on what follows from physical nature. So he invents absurdities and ridiculous difficulties. That is why Paul said, “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit.” ( 1 Cor. ii. 14.) Yet even in this he maintained his reverence for Christ, for he did not mock what had been said, but, thinking it impossible, kept silent. There were two difficulties: a Birth of this kind and the Kingdom. For among the Jews, neither the name of the Kingdom nor a Birth like this had ever been heard of. But for a time he stops at the first, which astonished him most. Knowing this, then, let us not investigate the things of God through reasoning, bring heavenly matters under the rules of earthly consequences, or subject them to the necessities of nature. Instead, let us think of everything reverently, believing as the Scriptures have said. For the meddling, curious person gains nothing, and besides failing to find what he seeks, he will suffer extreme punishment. You have heard that (the Son) was begotten by (the Father): believe what you have heard. But do not ask “How?” and so do away with the Generation; that would be extreme folly. For this man, on hearing of a Generation—not that indescribable Generation, but this one that comes through grace—formed no great idea of it, but thought of it only in human and earthly terms, and was therefore left in darkness and doubt. What punishment, then, must those deserve who pry curiously into that most awe-inspiring Generation, which transcends all reason and intellect? For nothing causes such dizziness as human reasoning, whose words are all earthly and which cannot bear to be enlightened from above. Earthly lines of reasoning are full of mud, and so we need streams from heaven, so that when the mud has settled, the clearer part may rise and mingle with the heavenly teachings. This happens when we offer an honest soul and an upright life. For the intellect can certainly be darkened not only by inappropriate curiosity, but also by corrupt conduct. That is why Paul said to the Corinthians, “I fed you milk and not solid food, for until now you have been unable to take it, and even now you are still unable, for you are still carnal. For while there is envy, strife, and division among you, are you not carnal?” ( 1 Cor. iii. 2.) In the Epistle to the Hebrews as well, and in many places, we can see Paul declaring that this is the cause of evil doctrines. For the soul ruled by passions cannot see anything great or noble, but suffers terribly impaired vision, as though darkened by a kind of film. Let us cleanse ourselves, then; let us kindle the light of knowledge; let us not sow among thorns. You know what the thorns are even without our telling you, for you have often heard Christ call the cares of this present life and the deceitfulness of riches by this name. ( Matt. xiii. 22.) And with good reason. For just as thorns bear no fruit, neither do these things; just as thorns tear those who handle them, so do these passions; just as thorns readily catch fire and are hated by the farmer, so too are the things of the world; just as wild beasts, snakes, and scorpions hide among thorns, so they hide in the deceitfulness of riches. But let us kindle the fire of the Spirit, so that we may burn up the thorns, drive away the beasts, and clear the field for the farmer. After cleansing it, let us water it with the streams of the Spirit. Let us plant the fruitful olive, that most beneficial of trees, evergreen, light-giving, nourishing, and wholesome. Almsgiving has all these qualities and is like a seal upon those who possess it. Even death, when it comes, does not make this plant wither. It stands forever, enlightening the mind, feeding the sinews of the soul, and making its strength greater. And if we always possess it, we will be able to see the Bridegroom with confidence and enter the bridal chamber. May we all reach it through the grace and loving kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ. May glory be to the Father and the Holy Spirit with Him, forever and ever. Amen.