Homilies on John, Homily 84

“For this purpose I was born, and for this reason I came into the world: to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My Voice.” [1.] Patient endurance is a wonderful thing; it places the soul in a quiet harbor, freeing it from tossing waves and evil spirits. Christ has taught us this everywhere, but especially now, when He is put on trial, dragged around, and led from place to place. When He was brought to Annas, He answered very gently, and He said something to the servant who struck Him that could bring down all his insolence. From there He went to Caiaphas, then to Pilate, spending the whole night in these scenes, and throughout it all He displayed His own gentleness. When they said He was a criminal but could not prove it, He stood silent. But when He was questioned about the Kingdom, He spoke to Pilate, teaching him and leading him into higher matters. But why did Pilate question Him privately, after going into the judgment hall, instead of in their presence? He suspected something great about Him and wanted to learn everything accurately, without interference from the Jews. Then, when he said, “What have you done?” Jesus gave no answer on that point. But He answered about what Pilate most wanted to hear, namely His Kingdom, saying, “My Kingdom is not of this world.” That is, “I am indeed a King, but not the kind you suspect. I am far more glorious.” Through these words and those that follow, He declared that He had done no evil. For someone who says, “For this purpose I was born, and for this reason I came into the world: to bear witness to the truth,” shows that He has done no evil. Then, when He says, “Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice,” He draws him on in this way and persuades him to listen to His words. “For if,” He says, “anyone is truthful and desires these things, he will certainly hear Me.” In fact, He so captivated him with these few words that he said, Ver. 38. “What is truth?” But for the moment he turns to the urgent matter, since he knew this question needed time and wanted to rescue Him from the violence of the Jews. So he went out, and what did he say? “I find no fault in him.” Consider how wisely he acted. He did not say, “Since he has sinned and deserves death, forgive him because of the Feast.” Instead, after first clearing Him of all guilt, he asks them for something more: if they were unwilling to release Him as innocent, they should still forgive Him as guilty because of the occasion. So he added, Ver. 39, 40. “You have a custom that I should release one person to you at the Passover”; then, trying to persuade them, “Do you therefore want me to release the king of the Jews? Then they all shouted, Not this man, but Barabbas.” What an accursed decision! They demand people whose behavior resembles their own and let the guilty go, but tell him to punish the innocent. This had long been their custom. But throughout these events, observe the Lord’s loving kindness. Pilate had Him flogged, perhaps hoping to exhaust and soothe the fury of the Jews. When his earlier measures had failed to save Him, he was anxious to stop the evil at this point, so he had Him flogged and allowed what happened—the robe and crown to be put on Him—to ease their anger. That is also why he brought Him out to them wearing the crown ( ver. 5 ), so that, seeing the insult He had suffered, they might recover a little from their rage and vomit out their venom. “And how would the soldiers have done this without their ruler’s command?” To please the Jews. After all, their first nighttime expedition had not been at his command either, but to please the Jews; they would dare anything for money. But He, even after so many things of this kind had been done to Him, stood silent, just as He had during the questioning, and gave no answer. Do not simply hear these things; keep them constantly in your mind. When you see the King of the world and of all Angels mocked by the soldiers in words and actions, silently enduring everything, imitate Him in your own actions. For after Pilate had called Him the King of the Jews, and they had now dressed Him in the clothing of mockery, Pilate brought Him out and said, Ver. 4, 5. “I find no fault in him. So He came out, wearing the crown.” But even this did not quench their rage. They shouted, Ver. 6. “Crucify him, crucify him.” Then Pilate, seeing that everything had been in vain, said, “Take him yourselves and crucify him.” This makes it clear that he had allowed what had happened earlier because of their madness. “For I,” he says, “find no fault in him.” [2.] See how many ways the judge defends Him, continually clearing Him of the charges. But none of these things shamed the dogs into abandoning their purpose. For “Take him yourselves and crucify him” is the statement of someone clearing himself of guilt and pushing them toward an action they were not permitted to perform. They had brought Him so that the deed would be done by the governor’s decision, but the opposite happened: the governor’s decision acquitted Him instead of condemning Him. Then, because they were ashamed, Ver. 7. “We have,” they said, “a law, and according to our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.” “Then why, when the judge said, ‘Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law,’ did you reply, ‘We are not allowed to put anyone to death,’ while here you appeal to the law? And consider the charge: ‘He made himself the Son of God.’ Tell me, is it grounds for an accusation that He who performed the deeds of the Son of God should call Himself the Son of God?” What, then, does Christ do? While they were having this discussion with each other, He remained silent, fulfilling the Prophet’s words, “He does not open his mouth: in His humiliation His judgment was taken away.” ( Isa. liii. 7, 8 , LXX.) Then Pilate becomes alarmed when he hears from them that He made Himself the Son of God. He fears that the claim might be true and that he might appear to be doing wrong. But these men, who had learned this from both His deeds and His words, did not tremble. Instead, they are putting Him to death for the very reasons they should have worshiped Him. Because of this, Pilate no longer asks Him, “What have you done?” Shaken by fear, he begins questioning Him again, saying, “Are you the Christ?” But He gave no answer. For this man had heard, “For this purpose I was born, and for this I came,” and, “My Kingdom is not of this world.” Yet when he should have opposed His enemies and rescued Him, he did not, but supported the fury of the Jews. Then, silenced on every other point, they turn their outcry into a political charge, saying, “Anyone who makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.” ( Ver. 12.) Pilate should therefore have investigated carefully whether He had sought royal power and taken steps to drive Caesar from the kingdom. But he makes no careful investigation, and so Christ gave him no answer, because He knew that he was asking all these questions without any serious intent. Besides, since His works bore witness to Him, He would not seek to prevail through words or prepare a defense, showing that He had come to this situation voluntarily. When He was silent, Pilate says, Ver. 10. “Don’t You know that I have the power to crucify You?” Do you see how he condemned himself beforehand? For “if everything rests with you, why don’t you release Him when you have found no fault in Him?” Then, after Pilate had pronounced sentence against himself, He says, Ver. 11. “The one who handed Me over to you has the greater sin.” This shows that he too was guilty of sin. Then, to bring down his pride and arrogance, He says, “You would have no power unless it had been given to you.” This shows that it did not happen merely in the ordinary course of events, but was accomplished mystically. Then, so that when you hear “Unless it had been given to you,” you will not think Pilate was free from all blame, He said for this very reason, “Therefore the one who handed Me over to you has the greater sin.” “And yet, if it was given, neither he nor they could be charged with anything.” “Your objection is pointless, because ‘given’ here means ‘allowed,’ as though He had said, ‘He has permitted these things to happen, but that does not clear you of the wickedness.’” His words filled Pilate with awe and offered a clear defense. Because of this, Pilate tried to release Him, but they shouted again, saying, Ver. 12. “If you let this man go, you are not Caesar’s friend.” For when charges drawn from their own law gained them nothing, they wickedly turned to outside laws, saying, “Everyone who makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.” And where has this Man appeared as a tyrant? What proof can you give? The purple robe? The crown? The clothing? The soldiers? Didn’t He always walk without attendants except His twelve disciples, following a humble way of life in every respect—in food, clothing, and lodging? But what shamelessness and what ill-timed cowardice! Pilate, thinking he would now put himself in danger if he ignored these words, comes out as though to investigate the matter (for his “sitting down” indicated this), but without making any investigation, he handed Him over to them, hoping to shame them. To prove that this was his purpose, listen to what he says. Ver. 14, 15. “Look at your king!” But when they said, “Crucify him,” he added again, “Should I crucify your king?” But they shouted, “We have no king but Caesar.” They willingly subjected themselves to punishment. That is also why God gave them up: they were the first to cast themselves out of His providence and care. Since they rejected His sovereignty with one voice, He allowed them to fall by their own votes. Still, what had been said should have been enough to calm their rage. But they feared that, if He were released, He would draw the crowds again, and they did everything they could to prevent this. The love of power is a dreadful thing, dreadful and capable of destroying the soul. It was because of this that they had never listened to Him. Yet Pilate, after only a few words, wanted to let Him go, while they kept pressing, saying, “Crucify him.” And why did they insist on killing Him in this way? It was a shameful death. Fearing that He might be remembered afterward, they wanted to subject Him to the accursed punishment, not knowing that obstacles exalt the truth. To prove that they suspected this, listen to what they say: “We have heard that that deceiver said, After three days I will rise again” ( Matt. xxvii. 63 ). That is why they caused all this turmoil, turning things upside down, so that they might ruin what would happen afterward. And the disorderly people, corrupted by their rulers, kept shouting, “Crucify him!” [3.] But let us not simply read about these things; let us keep them in mind: the crown of thorns, the robe, the reed, the blows, the slap on the cheek, the spitting, the mockery. Constant reflection on these things is enough to bring down all anger. If we are mocked, if we suffer injustice, let us still say, “The servant is not greater than his Lord” ( c. xiii. 16 ). And let us recall the words the Jews spoke in their madness: “You are a Samaritan and have a demon” ( c. viii. 48 ), and, “He casts out demons by Beelzebub.” ( Luke xi. 15.) For He endured all these things so that we might follow in His footsteps and endure those mockeries that trouble us more than any other kind of insult. Yet He not only endured these things; He even did everything He could to save those who did them and rescue them from the punishment appointed for them. For He also sent the Apostles for their salvation. You hear them saying, “We know that you did it through ignorance” ( Acts iii. 17 ), and drawing them to repentance in this way. Let us imitate this too, for nothing makes God so favorable toward us as loving our enemies and doing good to those who mistreat us. When someone insults you, look beyond him to the devil who moves him. Pour out all your anger against the devil, but pity the person he moves. For if lying comes from the devil, anger without a cause comes from him all the more. When you see someone ridiculing another person, consider that the devil moves him, because mockery does not belong to Christians. For someone who has been commanded to mourn and has heard, “Woe to you who laugh” ( Luke vi. 25 ), and who then insults, jokes, and gets carried away, calls for our sorrow, not our reproach, since Christ too was troubled when He thought of Judas. Let us therefore put all these things into practice in our actions. For if we do not act rightly in these matters, we have come into the world for nothing and in vain. Or rather, we have come to our own harm. Faith is not enough to bring people into the Kingdom; indeed, in this way it can condemn those who lead an evil life most severely. For the one “who knew his Lord’s will and did not do it will be beaten with many lashes” ( Luke xii. 47 ); and again, “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have had no sin.” ( c. xv. 22.) What excuse, then, will we have, when we have been placed inside the palace, judged worthy to stoop down and enter the sanctuary, and allowed to share in the Mysteries that release us from sins, yet are worse than the Greeks, who have shared in none of these things? For if they have shown so much true wisdom for the sake of empty glory, how much more should we pursue every virtue because it pleases God? But as things stand, we do not even despise wealth, while they have often disregarded their own lives, and in wars have given up their children because of their madness over demons, despising natural affection for the sake of their demons. Yet we do not even despise money for Christ’s sake, or anger for the sake of God’s will. Instead, we burn with passion and are no better off than people with a fever. Just as they burn all over when their illness takes hold, so we, suffocating as though in a fire, can set no limit to desire, increasing both anger and greed. That is why I am ashamed and astonished when I see men among the Greeks despising riches, while everyone among us is mad for them. For even if we could find some who despise riches, we would find that other vices have taken them captive—passion or envy. It is hard to discover true wisdom without a blemish. The reason is that we are not earnest about getting our remedies from the Scriptures. We do not devote ourselves to those Scriptures with remorse, sorrow, and groaning, but carelessly, whenever we happen to have free time. So when worldly affairs come rushing in, they overwhelm everything and destroy whatever benefit there may have been. For if someone has a wound and applies a dressing but does not secure it tightly, allowing it to fall off and exposing the sore to moisture, dust, heat, and ten thousand other things that can irritate it, he will gain no benefit. This is not because the remedies do not work, but because of his own carelessness. The same thing regularly happens to us when we pay little attention to the divine words but give ourselves wholly and constantly to the things of this life. In this way all the seed is choked, and everything becomes unfruitful. To keep this from happening, let us give a little careful attention, let us look up to heaven, let us bend down toward the tombs and coffins of the dead. For the same end awaits us, and often we too will have to depart before evening. Let us prepare, then, for this expedition. We need many supplies for the journey, for the heat there is great, the drought is great, and the solitude is great. Once there, we cannot rest at an inn or buy anything if we have not brought everything from here. Listen, at least, to what the virgins say: “Go to those who sell” ( Matt. xxv. 9 ); but those who went found nothing. Listen to what Abraham says: “A gulf between us and you.” ( Luke xvi. 26.) Listen to what Ezekiel says about that day: Noah, Job, and Daniel will certainly not rescue their sons. ( Ezek. xiv. 14.) But may we never hear these words. Instead, may we take from here enough provisions for our journey to eternal life and look confidently upon our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, dominion, and honor, now and forever, for ages without end. Amen.