Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 2
2 Chapter I. 6–14 PL 35, 1388
It is fitting, brethren, that as far as possible we should treat of the text of Holy Scripture, and especially of the Holy Gospel, without omitting any portion, that both we ourselves may derive nourishment according to our capacity, and may minister to you from that source from which we have been nourished. Last Lord’s day, we remember, we treated of the first section; that is, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was nothing made. That which was made, in Him is life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” So far, I believe, had I advanced in the treatment of the passage: let all who were present recall what was then said; and those of you who were not present, believe me and those who chose to be present. Now therefore,—because we cannot always be repeating everything, out of justice to those who desire to hear what follows, and because repetition of the former thought is a burden to them and deprives them of what succeeds,—let those who were absent on the former occasion refrain from demanding repetition, but, together with those who were here, listen to the present exposition.
2. It goes on, “There was a man sent from God whose name was John.” Truly, brethren beloved, those things which were said before, were said regarding the ineffable divinity of Christ, and almost ineffably. For who shall comprehend “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God”? And do not allow the name word to appear mean to you, through the habit of daily words, for it is added, “and the Word was God.” This Word is He of whom yesterday we spoke much; and I trust that God was present, and that even from only thus much speaking something reached your hearts. “In the beginning was the Word.” He is the same, and is in the same manner; as He is, so He is always; He cannot be changed; that is, He is. This His name He spoke to His servant Moses: “I am that I am; and He that is hath sent me.” Who then shall comprehend this when you see that all mortal things are variable; when you see that not only do bodies vary as to their qualities, by being born, by increasing, by becoming less, by dying, but that even souls themselves through the effect of divers volitions are distended and divided; when you see that men can obtain wisdom if they apply themselves to its light and heat, and also lose wisdom if they remove themselves from it through some evil influence? When, therefore, you see that all those things are variable, what is that which is, unless that which transcends all things which are so that they are not? Who then can receive this? Or who, in what manner soever he may have applied the strength of his mind to touch that which is, can reach to that which he may in any way have touched with his mind? It is as if one were to see his native land at a distance, and the sea intervening; he sees whither he would go, but he has not the means of going. So we desire to arrive at that our stability where that which is, is, because this alone always is as it is: the sea of this world interrupts our course, even although already we see whither we go; for many do not even see whither they go. That there might be a way by which we could go, He has come from Him to whom we wished to go. And what has He done? He has appointed a tree by which we may cross the sea. For no one is able to cross the sea of this world, unless borne by the cross of Christ. Even he who is of weak eyesight sometimes embraces this cross; and he who does not see from afar whither he goes, let him not depart from it, and it will carry him over.
3. Therefore, my brethren, I would desire to have impressed this upon your hearts: if you wish to live in a pious and Christian manner, cling to Christ according to that which He became for us, that you may arrive at Him according to that which is, and according to that which was. He approached, that for us He might become this; because He became that for us, on which the weak may be borne, and cross the sea of this world and reach their native country; where there will be no need of a ship, for no sea is crossed. It is better then not to see with the mind that which is, and yet not to depart from the cross of Christ, than to see it with the mind, and despise the cross of Christ. It is good beyond this, and best of all, if it be possible, that we both see whither we ought to go, and hold fast that which carries us as we go. This they were able to do, the great minds of the mountains, who have been called mountains, whom the light of divine justice pre-eminently illuminates; they were able to do this, and saw that which is. For John seeing said, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” They saw this, and in order that they might arrive at that which they saw from afar, they did not depart from the cross of Christ, and did not despise Christ’s lowliness. But little ones who cannot understand this, who do not depart from the cross and passion and resurrection of Christ, are conducted in that same ship to that which they do not see, in which they also arrive who do see.
4. But truly there have been some philosophers of this world who have sought for the Creator by means of the creature; for He can be found by means of the creature, as the apostle plainly says, “For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and glory; so they are without excuse.” And it follows, “Because that, when they knew God;” he did not say, Because they did not know, but “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” How darkened? It follows, when he says more plainly: “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” They saw whither they must come; but ungrateful to Him who afforded them what they saw, they wished to ascribe to themselves what they saw; and having become proud, they lost what they saw, and were turned from it to idols and images, and to the worship of demons, to adore the creature and to despise the Creator. But these having been blinded did those things, and became proud, that they might be blinded: when they were proud they said that they were wise. Those, therefore, concerning whom he said, “Who, when they had known God,” saw this which John says, that by the Word of God all things were made. For these things are also found in the books of the philosophers: and that God has an only-begotten Son, by whom are all things. They were able to see that which is, but they saw it from afar: they were unwilling to hold the lowliness of Christ, in which ship they might have arrived in safety at that which they were able to see from afar and the cross of Christ appeared vile to them. The sea has to be crossed, and dost thou despise the wood? Oh, proud wisdom! thou laughest to scorn the crucified Christ; it is He whom thou dost see from afar: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.” But wherefore was He crucified? Because the wood of His humiliation was needful to thee. For thou hadst become swollen with pride, and hadst been cast out far from that fatherland; and by the waves of this world has the way been intercepted, and there is no means of passing to the fatherland unless borne by the wood. Ungrateful one! thou laughest Him to scorn who has come to thee that thou mayest return: He has become the way, and that through the sea: thence He walked in the sea to show that there is a way in the sea. But thou who art not able in any way thyself to walk in the sea, be carried in a ship, be carried by the wood: believe in the crucified One, and thou shalt arrive thither. On account of thee He was crucified, to teach thee humility; and because if He should come as God, He would not be recognized. For if He should come as God, He would not come to those who were not able to see God. For not according to His Godhead does He either come or depart; since He is everywhere present, and is contained in no place. But, according to what did He come? He appeared as a man.
5. Therefore, because He was so man, that the God lay hid in Him, there was sent before Him a great man, by whose testimony He might be found to be more than man. And who is this? “He was a man.” And how could that man speak the truth concerning God? “He was sent by God.” What was he called? “Whose name was John.” Wherefore did he come? “He came for a witness, that he might bear witness concerning the light, that all might believe through him.” What sort of man was he who was to bear witness concerning the light? Something great was that John, vast merit, great grace, great loftiness! Admire, by all means, admire; but as it were a mountain. But a mountain is in darkness unless it be clothed with light. Therefore only admire John that you may hear what follows, “He was not that light;” lest if, when thou thinkest the mountain to be the light, thou make shipwreck on the mountain, and find not consolation. But what oughtest thou to admire? The mountain as a mountain. But lift thyself up to Him who illuminates the mountain, which for this end was elevated that it might be the first to receive the rays, and make them known to your eyes. Therefore, “he was not that light.”
6. Wherefore then did he come? “But that he might bear witness concerning the light.” Why so? “That all might believe through him.” And concerning what light was he to bear witness? “That was the true light.” Wherefore is it added true? Because an enlightened man is also called a light; but the true light is that which enlightens. For even our eyes are called lights; and nevertheless, unless either during the night a lamp is lighted, or during the day the sun goes forth, these lights are open in vain. Thus, therefore, John was a light, but not the true light; because, if not enlightened, he would have been darkness; but, by enlightenment, he became a light. For unless he had been enlightened he would have been darkness, as all those once impious men, to whom, as believers, the apostle said, “Ye were sometimes darkness.” But now, because they had believed, what?—“but now are ye light,” he says, “in the Lord.” Unless he had added “in the Lord,” we should not have understood. “Light,” he says, “in the Lord:” darkness you were not in the Lord. “For ye were sometimes darkness,” where he did not add in the Lord. Therefore, darkness in you, light in the Lord. And thus “he was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of the light.”
7. But where is that light? “He was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” If every man that cometh, then also John. The true light, therefore, enlightened him by whom He desired Himself to be pointed out. Understand, beloved, for He came to infirm minds, to wounded hearts, to the gaze of dim-eyed souls. For this purpose had He come. And whence was the soul able to see that which perfectly is? Even as it commonly happens, that by means of some illuminated body, the sun, which we cannot see with the eyes, is known to have arisen. Because even those who have wounded eyes are able to see a wall illuminated and enlightened by the sun, or a mountain, or a tree, or anything of that sort; and, by means of another body illuminated, that arising is shown to those who are not as yet able to gaze on it. Thus, therefore all those to whom Christ came were not fit to see Him: upon John He shed the beams of His light; and by means of him confessing himself to have been irradiated and enlightened, not claiming to be one who irradiates and enlightens, He is known who enlightens, He is known who illuminates, He is known who fills. And who is it? “He who lighteth every man,” he says, “who cometh into the world.” For if man had not receded from that light, he would not have required to be illuminated; but for this reason has he to be illuminated here, because he departed from that light by which man might always have been illuminated.
8. What then? If He came hither, where was He? “He was in this world.” He was both here and came hither; He was here according to His divinity, and He came hither according to the flesh; because when He was here according to His divinity, He could not be seen by the foolish, by the blind, and the wicked. These wicked men are the darkness concerning which it was said, “The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.” Behold, both here He is now, and here He was, and here He is always; and He never departs, departs no-whither. There is need that thou have some means whereby thou mayest see that which never departs from thee; there is need that thou depart not from Him who departs no-whither; there is need that thou desert not, and thou shalt not be deserted. Do not fall, and His sun will not set to thee. If thou fallest, His sun setteth upon thee; but if thou standest, He is present with thee. But thou hast not stood: remember how thou hast fallen, how he who fell before thee cast thee down. For he cast thee down, not by violence, not by assault, but by thine own will. For hadst thou not consented unto evil, thou wouldest have stood, thou wouldest have remained enlightened. But now, because thou hast already fallen, and hast become wounded in heart,—the organ by which that light can be seen,—He came to thee such as thou mightest see; and He in such fashion manifested Himself as man, that He sought testimony from man. From man God seeks testimony, and God has man as a witness;—God has man as a witness, but on account of man: so infirm are we. By a lamp we seek the day; because John himself was called a lamp, the Lord saying, “He was a burning and a shining light; and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light: but I have greater witness than John.”
9. Therefore He showed that for the sake of men He desired to have Himself revealed by a lamp to the faith of those who believed, that by means of the same lamp His enemies might be confounded. There were enemies who tempted Him, and said, “Tell us by what authority doest thou these things?” “I also,” saith He, “will ask you one question; answer me. The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they were troubled, and said among themselves, If we shall say, From heaven, he will say unto us, Why did ye not believe him?” (Because he had borne testimony to Christ, and had said, I am not the Christ, but He. “But if we shall say, Of men, we fear the people, lest they should stone us: for they held John as a prophet.” Afraid of stoning, but fearing more to confess the truth, they answered a lie to the Truth; and “wickedness imposed a lie upon itself.” For they said, “We know not.” And the Lord, because they shut the door against themselves, by professing ignorance of what they knew, did not open to them, because they did not knock. For it is said, “Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” Not only did these not knock that it might be opened to them; but, by denying that they knew, they barred that door against themselves. And the Lord says to them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.” And they were confounded by means of John; and in them were the words fulfilled, “I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed. His enemies will I clothe with shame.”
10. “He was in the world, and the world was made by Him.” Think not that He was in the world as the earth is in the world, as the sky is in the world, as the sun is in the world, the moon and the stars, trees, cattle, and men. He was not thus in the world. But in what manner then? As the Artificer governing what He had made. For He did not make it as a carpenter makes a chest. The chest which he makes is outside the carpenter, and so it is put in another place, while being made; and although the workman is nigh, he sits in another place, and is external to that which he fashions. But God, infused into the world, fashions it; being everywhere present He fashions, and withdraweth not Himself elsewhere, nor doth He, as it were, handle from without, the matter which He fashions. By the presence of His majesty He maketh what He maketh; His presence governs what He made. Therefore was He in the world as the Maker of the world; for, “The world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not.”
11. What meaneth “the world was made by Him”? The heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things which are therein, are called the world. Again, in another signification, those who love the world are called the world. “The world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not.” Did not the heavens know their Creator, or did the angels not know their Creator, or did the stars not know their Creator, whom the demons confess? All things from all sides gave testimony. But who did not know? Those who, for their love of the world, are called the world. By loving we dwell with the heart; but because of their loving the world they deserved to be called after the name of that in which they dwelt. In the same manner as we say, This house is bad, or this house is good, we do not in calling the one bad or the other good accuse or praise the walls; but by a bad house we mean a house with bad inhabitants, and by a good house, a house with good inhabitants. In like manner we call those the world who by loving it, inhabit the world. Who are they? Those who love the world; for they dwell with their hearts in the world. For those who do not love the world in the flesh, indeed, sojourn in the world, but in their hearts they dwell in heaven, as the apostle says, “Our conversation is in heaven.” Therefore “the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not.”
12. “He came unto His own,”—because all these things were made by Him,—“and His own received Him not.” Who are they? The men whom He made. The Jews whom He at the first made to be above all nations. Because other nations worshipped idols and served demons; but that people was born of the seed of Abraham, and in an eminent sense His own, because kindred through that flesh which He deigned to assume. “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.” Did they not receive Him at all? did no one receive Him? Was there no one saved? For no one shall be saved unless he who shall have received the coming Christ.
13. But John adds: “As many as received Him.” What did He afford to them? Great benevolence! Great mercy! He was born the only Son of God, and was unwilling to remain alone. Many men, when they have not sons, in advanced age adopt a son, and thus obtain by an exercise of will what nature has denied to them: this men do. But if any one have an only son, he rejoices the more in him; because he alone will possess everything, and he will not have any one to divide with him the inheritance, so that he should be poorer. Not so God: that same only Son whom He had begotten, and by whom He created all things, He sent into this world that He might not be alone, but might have adopted brethren. For we were not born of God in the manner in which the Only-begotten was born of Him, but were adopted by His grace. For He, the Only-begotten, came to loose the sins in which we were entangled, and whose burden hindered our adoption: those whom He wished to make brethren to Himself, He Himself loosed, and made joint-heirs. For so saith the apostle, “But if a son, then an heir through God.” And again, “Heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.” He did not fear to have joint-heirs, because His heritage does not become narrow if many are possessors. Those very persons, He being possessor, become His inheritance, and He in turn becomes their inheritance. Hear in what manner they become His inheritance: “The Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten Thee. Ask of me, and I will give Thee the nations for Thine inheritance.” Hear in what manner He becomes their inheritance. He says in the Psalms: “The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup.” Let us possess Him, and let Him possess us: let Him possess us as Lord; let us possess Him as salvation, let us possess Him as light. What then did He give to them who received Him? “To them He gave power to become sons of God, even to them that believe on His name;” that they may cling to the wood and cross the sea.
14. And how are they born? Because they become sons of God and brethren of Christ, they are certainly born. For if they are not born, how can they be sons? But the sons of men are born of flesh and blood, and of the will of man, and of the embrace of wedlock. But in what manner are they born? “Who not of bloods,” as if of male and female. Bloods is not Latin; but because it is plural in Greek, the interpreter preferred so to express it, and to speak bad Latin according to the grammarian that he might make the matter plain to the understanding of the weak among his hearers. For if he had said blood in the singular number, he would not have explained what he desired; for men are born of the bloods of male and female. Let us say so, then, and not fear the ferule of grammarians, so long as we reach the solid and certain truth. He who understands it and blames it, is thankless for his having understood. “Not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man.” The apostle puts flesh for woman; because, when she was made of his rib, Adam said, “This is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh.” And the apostle saith, “He that loveth his wife loveth himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh.” Flesh, then, is put for woman, in the same manner that spirit is sometimes put for husband. Wherefore? Because the one rules, the other is ruled; the one ought to command, the other to serve. For where the flesh commands and the spirit serves, the house is turned the wrong way. What can be worse than a house where the woman has the mastery over the man? But that house is rightly ordered where the man commands and the woman obeys. In like manner that man is rightly ordered where the spirit commands and the flesh serves.
15. These, then, “were born not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” But that men might be born of God, God was first born of them. For Christ is God, and Christ was born of men. It was only a mother, indeed, that He sought upon earth; because He had already a Father in heaven: He by whom we were to be created was born of God, and He by whom we were to be re-created was born of a woman. Marvel not, then, O man, that thou art made a son by grace, that thou art born of God according to His Word. The Word Himself first chose to be born of man, that thou mightest be born of God unto salvation, and say to thyself, Not without reason did God wish to be born of man, but because He counted me of some importance, that He might make me immortal, and for me be born as a mortal man. When, therefore, he had said, “born of God,” lest we should, as it were, be filled with amazement and trembling at such grace, at grace so great as to exceed belief that men are born of God, as if assuring thee, he says, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” Why, then, dost thou marvel that men are born of God? Consider God Himself born of men: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.”
16. But because “the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,” by His very nativity he made an eye-salve to cleanse the eyes of our heart, and to enable us to see His majesty by means of His humility. Therefore “the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us:” He healed our eyes; and what follows? “And we beheld His glory.” His glory can no one see unless healed by the humility of His flesh. Wherefore were we not able to see? Consider, then, dearly beloved, and see what I say. There had dashed into man’s eye, as it were, dust, earth; it had wounded the eye, and it could not see the light: that wounded eye is anointed; by earth it was wounded, and earth is applied to it for healing. For all eye-salves and medicines are derived from the earth alone. By dust thou wert blinded, and by dust thou art healed: flesh, then, had wounded thee, flesh heals thee. The soul had become carnal by consenting to the affections of the flesh; thus had the eye of the heart been blinded. “The Word was made flesh:” that Physician made for thee an eye-salve. And as He thus came by flesh to extinguish the vices of the flesh, and by death to slay death; therefore did this take place in thee, that, as “the Word became flesh,” thou mayest be able to say, “And we beheld His glory.” What sort of glory? Such as He became as Son of man? That was His humility, not His glory. But to what is the sight of man brought when cured by means of flesh? “We beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Of grace and truth we shall speak more fully in another place in this same Gospel, if the Lord vouchsafe us opportunity. Let these things suffice for the present, and be ye edified in Christ: be ye comforted in faith, and watch in good works, and see that ye do not depart from the wood by which ye may cross the sea.
Bonum est, fratres, ut textum divinarum Scripturarum, et maxime sancti Evangelii, nullum locum praetermittentes pertractemus, ut possumus; et pro nostra capacitate pascamur, et ministremus vobis unde et nos pascimur. Capitulum primum praeterito die dominico tractatum esse meminimus, id est, « In principio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum, et Deus erat Verbum: hoc erat in principio apud Deum. Omnia per ipsum facta sunt, et sine ipso factum est nihil. Quod factum est, in illo vita est; et vita erat lux hominum; et lux in tenebris lucet, et tenebrae eam non comprehenderunt. » Huc usque tractatum esse credo: recordamini omnes qui adfuistis; et qui non adfuistis, credite nobis, et his qui adesse voluerunt. Nunc ergo quia non possumus semper omnia replicare, propter eos qui hoc volunt audire quod sequitur, et oneri est illis si repetantur priora cum defraudatione posteriorum; dignentur et qui non aderant non praeterita exigere, sed cum his qui aderant et nunc audire praesentia.
Sequitur, Fuit homo missus a Deo, cui nomen erat Joannes. Et enim ea quae dicta sunt superius, fratres charissimi, de divinitate Christi dicta sunt ineffabili, et prope ineffabiliter. Quis enim capiet, In principio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum? Et ne vilescat tibi nomen Verbi, per consuetudinem quotidianorum verborum, Et Deus erat Verbum. Hoc Verbum idipsum est, unde hesterno die multum locuti sumus: et praestiterit Dominus, ut vel tantum loquendo aliquid ad corda vestra perduxerimus. In principio erat Verbum. Idipsum est, eodem modo est; sicut est, semper sic est; mutari non potest: hoc est est. Quod nomen suum dixit famulo suo Moysi: Ego sum qui sum; et, Misit me qui est . Quis ergo hoc capiet, cum videatis omnia mortalia mutabilia; cum videatis non solum corpora variari per qualitates, nascendo, crescendo, deficiendo, moriendo, sed etiam ipsas animas per affectum diversarum voluntatum distendi atque discindi: cum videatis homines et percipere posse sapientiam, si se illius luci et calori admoverint; et amittere posse sapientiam, si inde malo affectu recesserint? Cum videatis ergo ista omnia esse mutabilia; quid est quod est, nisi quod transcendit omnia quae sic sunt ut non sint? Quis ergo hoc capiat? Aut quis, quomodocumque intenderit vires mentis suae, ut attingat quomodo potest id quod est, ad id quod utcumque mente attigerit, possit pervenire? Sic est enim tanquam videat quisque de longe patriam, et mare interjaceat; videt quo eat, sed non habet qua eat. Sic ad illam stabilitatem nostram ubi quod est est, quia hoc solum semper sic est ut est, volumus pervenire; interjacet mare hujus saeculi qua imus, etsi jam videmus quo imus: nam multi nec quo eant vident. Ut ergo esset et qua iremus, venit inde ad quem ire volebamus. Et quid fecit? Instituit lignum quo mare transeamus. Nemo enim potest transire mare hujus saeculi, nisi cruce Christi portatus. Hanc crucem aliquando amplectitur et infirmus oculis: et qui non videt longe quo eat, non ab illa recedat, et ipsa illum perducet.
Itaque, fratres mei, hoc insinuaverim cordibus vestris: si vultis pie et christiane vivere, haerete Christo secundum id quod pro nobis factus est, ut perveniatis ad eum secundum id quod est, et secundum id quod erat. Accessit, ut pro nobis hoc fieret ; quia hoc pro nobis factus est, ubi portentur infirmi, et mare saeculi transeant, et perveniant ad patriam; ubi jam navi non opus erit, quia nullum mare transitur. Melius est ergo non videre mente id quod est, et tamen a Christi cruce non recedere, quam videre illud mente, et crucem Christi contemnere. Bonum est super hoc et optimum, si fieri potest, ut et videatur quo eundum sit, et teneatur quo portetur qui pergit. Hoc potuerunt mentes magnae montium, qui montes dicti sunt, quos maxime illustrat lumen justitiae: potuerunt, et viderunt illud quod est. Nam videns Joannes dicebat, In principio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum, et Deus erat Verbum. Viderunt hoc, et ut pervenirent ad id quod videbant de longe, a cruce Christi non recesserunt, et humilitatem Christi non contempserunt. Parvuli vero qui hoc non possunt intelligere, non recedentes a cruce et passione et resurrectione Christi, in ipsa navi perducuntur ad id quod non vident, in qua navi perveniunt et illi qui vident.
At vero quidam philosophi hujus mundi exstiterunt, et inquisierunt Creatorem per creaturam: quia potest inveniri per creaturam, evidenter dicente Apostolo, Invisibilia enim ejus, a constitutione mundi, per ea quae facta sunt, intellecta conspiciuntur; sempiterna quoque virtus ejus et divinitas, ut sint inexcusabiles. Et sequitur, Quia cum cognovissent Deum: non dixit, Quia non cognoverunt; sed, Quia cum cognovissent Deum, non sicut Deum glorificaverunt, aut gratias egerunt; sed evanuerunt in cogitationibus suis, et obscuratum est insipiens cor eorum. Unde obscuratum? Sequitur, et dicit apertius: Dicentes enim se esse sapientes, stulti facti sunt . Viderunt quo veniendum esset: sed ingrati ei qui illis praestitit quod viderunt, sibi voluerunt tribuere quod viderunt; et facti superbi amiserunt quod videbant, et conversi sunt inde ad idola et simulacra et ad culturas daemoniorum, adorare creaturam, et contemnere Creatorem. Sed jam isti elisi ista fecerunt: ut autem eliderentur, superbierunt; cum autem superbirent, sapientes se esse dixerunt. Hi ergo de quibus dixit, Qui cum cognovissent Deum, viderunt hoc quod dicit Joannes, quia per Verbum Dei facta sunt omnia. Nam inveniuntur et ista in libris philosophorum: et quia unigenitum Filium habet Deus, per quem sunt omnia. Illud potuerunt videre quod est, sed viderunt de longe: noluerunt tenere humilitatem Christi, in qua navi securi pervenirent ad id quod longe videre potuerunt; et sorduit eis crux Christi. Mare transeundum est, et lignum contemnis? O sapientia superba! irrides crucifixum Christum; ipse est quem longe vidisti: In principio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum. Sed quare crucifixus est? Quia lignum tibi humilitatis ejus necessarium erat. Superbia enim tumueras, et longe ab illa patria projectus eras; et fluctibus hujus saeculi interrupta est via, et qua transeatur ad patriam non est, nisi ligno porteris. Ingrate, irrides eum qui ad te venit ut redeas! Ipse factus est via, et hoc per mare: inde in mari ambulavit , ut ostenderet esse in mari viam. Sed tu, qui quomodo ipse ambulare in mari non potes, navi portare, ligno portare: crede in crucifixum, et poteris pervenire. Propter te crucifixus est, ut humilitatem doceret; et quia si sic veniret ut Deus, non agnosceretur. Si enim sic veniret ut Deus, non veniret eis qui videre Deum non poterant. Non enim secundum id quod Deus est, aut venit, aut discedit; cum sit ubique praesens, et nullo loco contineatur. Sed secundum quid venit? Quod apparuit homo.
Quia ergo sic erat homo, ut lateret in illo Deus, missus est ante illum magnus homo, per cujus testimonium inveniretur plus quam homo. Et quis est hic? Fuit homo. Et quomodo posset iste verum de Deo dicere? Missus a Deo. Quid vocabatur? Cui nomen erat Joannes. Quare venit? Hic venit in testimonium, ut testimonium perhiberet de lumine, ut omnes crederent per illum. Qualis iste qui testimonium perhiberet de lumine? Magnum aliquid iste Joannes, ingens meritum, magna gratia, magna celsitudo! Mirare, plane mirare; sed tanquam montem. Mons autem in tenebris est, nisi luce vestiatur. Ergo tantum mirare Joannem, ut audias quod sequitur, Non erat ille lumen: ne cum montem putas lumen esse, naufragium in monte facias, non solatium invenias. Sed quid debes mirari? Montem tanquam montem. Erige autem te ad illum qui illuminat montem, qui ad hoc erectus est, ut prior radios excipiat, et oculis tuis nuntiet. Ergo, non erat ille lumen.
Quare igitur venit? Sed ut testimonium perhiberet de lumine. Utquid hoc? Ut omnes crederent per illum. Et de quo lumine testimonium perhiberet? Erat lux vera. Quare additum est, vera? Quia et homo illuminatus dicitur lux; sed vera lux illa est quae illuminat. Nam et oculi nostri dicuntur lumina; et tamen nisi aut per noctem lucerna accendatur, aut per diem sol exeat, lumina ista sine causa patent. Sic ergo et Joannes erat lux, sed non vera lux: quia non illuminatus, tenebrae; sed illuminatione factus est lux. Nisi autem illuminaretur, tenebrae erat, sicut omnes impii, quibus jam credentibus dixit Apostolus, Fuistis aliquando tenebrae. Modo autem quia crediderant, quid? Nunc autem lux, inquit, in Domino . Nisi adderet, in Domino, non intelligeremus. Lux, inquit, in Domino: tenebrae non in Domino eratis. Fuistis enim aliquando tenebrae: ibi non addidit, in Domino. Ergo tenebrae in vobis, lux in Domino. Sic et ille non erat lux, sed ut testimonium perhiberet de lumine.
Ubi autem est ipsa lux? Erat lux vera, quae illuminat omnem hominem venientem in hunc mundum. Si omnem hominem venientem, et ipsum Joannem. Ipse ergo illuminabat, a quo se demonstrari volebat. Intelligat Charitas vestra: veniebat enim ad mentes infirmas, ad corda saucia, ad aciem animae lippientis. Ad hoc venerat. Et unde posset anima videre quod perfecte est? Quomodo plerumque fit ut in aliquo corpore radiato cognoscatur ortus esse sol, quem oculis videre non possumus. Quia et qui saucios habent oculos, idonei sunt videre parietem illuminatum et illustratum a sole, vel montem vel arborem, aut aliquid hujusmodi idonei sunt videre; et in alio illustrato demonstratur illis ortus ille, cui videndo adhuc minus idoneam aciem gerunt. Sic ergo illi omnes ad quos Christus venerat, minus idonei erant eum videre: radiavit Joannem; et per illum confitentem se radiatum ac se illuminatum esse, non qui radiaret et illuminaret, cognitus est ille qui illuminat, cognitus est ille qui illustrat, cognitus est qui implet. Et quis est? Qui illuminat, inquit, omnem hominem venientem in mundum. Nam si illinc non recederet, non esset illuminandus: sed ideo hic illuminandus, quia illinc recessit, ubi homo semper poterat esse illuminatus.
Quid ergo? Si venit huc, ubi erat? In hoc mundo erat. Et hic erat, et huc venit: hic erat per divinitatem; huc venit per carnem: quia cum hic esset per divinitatem, ab stultis et caecis et iniquis videri non poterat. Ipsi iniqui tenebrae sunt de quibus dictum est, Lux lucet in tenebris, et tenebrae eam non comprehenderunt . Ecce hic est et modo, et hic erat, et semper hic est; et nunquam recedit, nusquam recedit. Opus est ut habeas unde videas quod tibi nunquam recedit; opus est ut tu non recedas ab eo qui nusquam recedit; opus est ut tu non deseras, et non desereris. Noli cadere, et non tibi occidet. Si tu feceris casum, ille tibi facit occasum: si autem tu stas, praesens est tibi. Sed non stetisti: recordare unde cecideris, unde te dejecit qui prior te cecidit. Dejecit enim te, non vi, non impulsu, sed voluntate tua. Si enim malo non consentires, stares, illuminatus maneres. Modo autem quia jam cecidisti, et factus es saucius corde, unde videri illa lux potest, venit ad te talis qualem posses videre; et talem se hominem praebuit, ut ab homine quaereret testimonium. Ab homine quaerit testimonium Deus, et Deus testem habet hominem; habet Deus testem hominem, sed propter hominem: tam infirmi sumus! Per lucernam quaerimus diem: quia lucerna dictus est ipse Joannes, Domino dicente: Ille erat lucerna ardens et lucens, et vos voluistis exsultare ad horam in lumine ejus; ego autem habeo testimonium majus Joanne
Ergo ostendit quia propter homines voluit per lucernam demonstrari ad fidem credentium, ut per ipsam lucernam inimici ejus confunderentur. Illi enim inimici qui illum tentabant, et dicebant, Dic nobis, In qua potestate ista facis? Interrogabo vos et ego, inquit, unum sermonem: dicite mihi, baptismus Joannis unde est? de coelo, an ab hominibus? Et turbati sunt, et dixerunt apud semetipsos, Si dixerimus de coelo; dicturus est nobis, Quare ergo non credidistis illi? (quia ille Christo perhibuerat testimonium, et dixerat, Non sum ego Christus, sed ille ). Si autem ex hominibus dixerimus esse, timemus populum ne lapidet nos; quia tanquam prophetam habebant Joannem. Timentes lapidationem, sed plus timentes veritatis confessionem, responderunt mendacium veritati; et mentita est iniquitas sibi . Dixerunt enim: Nescimus. Et Dominus, quia ipsi contra se clauserant, negando se scire quod noverant, nec ipse illis aperuit, quia non pulsaverunt. Dictum est enim: Pulsate, et aperietur vobis . Non solum autem illi non pulsaverunt, ut aperiretur; sed negando, ostium ipsum contra se obstruxerunt. Et ait eis Dominus: Nec ego dico vobis in qua potestate ista facio . Et confusi sunt per Joannem; impletumque in illis est, Paravi lucernam Christo meo; inimicos ejus induam confusione .
In mundo erat, et mundus per eum factus est. Ne putes quia sic erat in mundo, quomodo in mundo est terra, in mundo est coelum, in mundo est sol, luna et stellae, in mundo arbores, pecora, homines. Non sic iste in mundo erat. Sed quomodo erat? Quomodo artifex, regens quod fecit. Non enim sic fecit, quomodo facit faber. Forinsecus est arca quam facit, et illa in alio loco posita est, cum fabricatur; et quamvis juxta sit, ipse alio loco sedet qui fabricat, et extrinsecus est ad illud quod fabricat: Deus autem mundo infusus fabricat, ubique positus fabricat, et non recedit aliquo, non extrinsecus quasi versat molem quam fabricat. Praesentia majestatis facit quod facit; praesentia sua gubernat quod fecit. Sic ergo erat in mundo, quomodo per quem mundus factus est. Per ipsum enim mundus factus est, et mundus eum non cognovit.
Quid est, mundus factus est per ipsum? Coelum, terra, mare et omnia quae in eis sunt, mundus dicitur. Iterum alia significatione, dilectores mundi mundus dicuntur. Mundus per ipsum factus est, et mundus eum non cognovit. Num enim coeli non cognoverunt Creatorem suum, aut Angeli non cognoverunt Creatorem suum, aut non cognoverunt Creatorem suum sidera, quem confitentur daemonia? Omnia undique testimonium perhibuerunt. Sed qui non cognoverunt? Qui amando mundum dicti sunt mundus. Amando enim habitamus corde: amando autem, hoc appellari meruerunt quod ille ubi habitabant. Quomodo dicimus, Mala est illa domus; aut, Bona est illa domus: non in illa quam dicimus malam, parietes accusamus; aut in illa quam dicimus bonam, parietes laudamus: sed malam domum, inhabitantes malos; et bonam domum, inhabitantes bonos. Sic et mundum, qui inhabitant amando mundum. Qui sunt? Qui diligunt mundum: ipsi enim corde habitant in mundo. Nam qui non diligunt mundum, carne versantur in mundo; sed corde inhabitant coelum, sicut Apostolus dicit: Nostra autem conversatio in coelis est . Ergo mundus per eum factus est, et mundus eum non cognovit.
In sua propria venit: quia omnia ista per eum facta sunt. Et sui eum non receperunt. Qui sui? Homines quos fecit. Judaei quos primitus fecit super omnes gentes esse. Quia aliae gentes idola adorabant, et daemonibus serviebant; ille autem populus natus erat de semine Abrahae: et ipsi maxime sui; quia et per carnem quam suscipere dignatus est, cognati. In sua propria venit, et sui eum non receperunt. Non receperunt omnino, nullus recepit? Nullus ergo salvus factus est? Nemo enim salvus fiet, nisi qui Christum receperit venientem.
Sed addidit: Quotquot autem receperunt eum. Quid eis praestitit? Magna benevolentia! Magna misericordia! Unicus natus est, et noluit manere unus. Multi homines cum filios non habuerint, peracta aetate adoptant sibi; et voluntate faciunt quod natura non potuerunt: hoc faciunt homines. Si autem aliquis habeat filium unicum, gaudet ad illum magis; quia solus omnia possessurus est, et non habebit qui cum eo dividat haereditatem, ut pauperior remaneat. Non sic Deus: Unicum eumdem ipsum quem genuerat, et per quem cuncta creaverat, misit in hunc mundum, ut non esset unus, sed fratres haberet adoptatos. Non enim nos nati sumus de Deo, quomodo ille Unigenitus, sed adoptati per gratiam ipsius. Ille enim venit Unigenitus solvere peccata, quibus peccatis implicabamur, ne adoptaret nos propter impedimentum eorum: quos sibi fratres facere volebat, ipse solvit, et fecit cohaeredes. Sic enim dicit Apostolus, Si autem filius, et haeres per Deum : et iterum, Haeredes quidem Dei, cohaeredes autem Christi . Non timuit ille habere cohaeredes; quia haereditas ejus non fit angusta, si multi possederint. Illi ipsi certe illo possidente fiunt haereditas ipsius, et ipse vicissim fit haereditas ipsorum. Audi quomodo ipsi fiant haereditas ipsius: Dominus dixit ad me, Filius meus es tu; ego hodie genui te. Postula a me, et dabo tibi gentes haereditatem tuam . Ille quomodo fit haereditas eorum? Dicit in Psalmo: Dominus pars haereditatis meae et calicis mei . Et nos illum possideamus, et ipse nos possideat: ille nos possideat, sicut Dominus; nos illum possideamus sicut salutem, nos possideamus sicut lucem. Quid ergo dedit his qui receperunt illum? Dedit eis potestatem filios Dei fieri, his qui credunt in nomine ejus: ut teneant lignum, et mare transeant.
Et quomodo illi nascuntur? Isti quia filii Dei fiunt et fratres Christi, utique nascuntur. Nam si non nascuntur, filii quomodo esse possunt? Sed filii hominum nascuntur ex carne et sanguine, et ex voluntate viri, et ex complexu conjugii. Illi autem quomodo ei nascuntur? Qui non ex sanguinibus: tanquam maris et feminae. Sanguina non est latinum: sed quia graece positum est pluraliter, maluit ille qui interpretabatur sic ponere, et quasi minus latine loqui secundum grammaticos, et tamen explicare veritatem secundum auditum infirmorum. Si enim diceret sanguinem singulari numero, non explicaret quod volebat: ex sanguinibus enim homines nascuntur maris et feminae. Dicamus ergo, non timeamus ferulas grammaticorum; dum tamen ad veritatem solidam et certiorem perveniamus. Reprehendit qui intelligit, ingratus quia intellexit. Non ex sanguinibus, neque ex voluntate carnis, neque ex voluntate viri. Carnem pro femina posuit: quia de costa cum facta esset, Adam dixit, Hoc nunc os de ossibus meis, et caro de carne mea ; et Apostolus ait, Qui diligit uxorem suam, seipsum diligit; nemo enim unquam carnem suam odio habet . Ponitur ergo caro pro uxore, quomodo et aliquando spiritus pro marito. Quare? Quia ille regit, haec regitur: ille imperare debet, ista servire. Nam ubi caro imperat, et spiritus servit, perversa domus est. Quid pejus domo, ubi femina habet imperium super virum? Recta autem domus, ubi vir imperat, femina obtemperat. Rectus ergo ipse homo, ubi spiritus imperat, caro servit.
Hi ergo non ex voluntate carnis, neque ex voluntate viri, sed ex Deo nati sunt. Ut autem homines nascerentur ex Deo, primo ex ipsis natus est Deus. Christus enim Deus, et Christus natus ex hominibus. Non quaesivit quidem nisi matrem in terra, quia jam patrem habebat in coelo: natus ex Deo, per quem efficeremur; et natus ex femina, per quem reficeremur. Noli ergo mirari, o homo, quia efficeris filius per gratiam, quia nasceris ex Deo secundum Verbum ejus. Prius ipsum Verbum voluit nasci ex homine, ut tu securus nascereris ex Deo, et diceres tibi: Non sine causa Deus nasci ex homine voluit, nisi quia alicujus momenti me existimavit, ut immortalem me faceret, et pro me mortaliter nasceretur. Ideo cum dixisset, ex Deo nati sunt; quasi ne miraremur, et exhorreremus tantam gratiam, ut nobis incredibile videretur quia homines ex Deo nati sunt, quasi securum te faciens, ait: Et Verbum caro factum est, et habitavit in nobis. Quid ergo miraris quia homines ex Deo nascuntur? Attende ipsum Deum natum ex hominibus: Et Verbum caro factum est, et habitavit in nobis.
Quia vero Verbum caro factum est, et habitavit in nobis, ipsa nativitate collyrium fecit, unde tergerentur oculi cordis nostri, et possemus videre majestatem ejus per ejus humilitatem. Ideo factum est Verbum caro, et habitavit in nobis; sanavit oculos nostros: et quid sequitur? Et vidimus gloriam ejus. Gloriam ejus nemo posset videre, nisi carnis humilitate sanaretur. Unde non poteramus videre? Intendat ergo Charitas vestra, et videte quod dico. Irruerat homini quasi pulvis in oculum, irruerat terra, sauciaverat oculum, videre non poterat lucem: oculus iste sauciatus inungitur; terra sauciatus erat, et terra illuc mittitur ut sanetur. Omnia enim collyria et medicamenta nihil sunt nisi de terra. De pulvere caecatus es, de pulvere sanaris: ergo caro te caecaverat, caro te sanat. Carnalis enim anima facta erat consentiendo affectibus carnalibus; inde fuerat oculus cordis caecatus. Verbum caro factum est: medicus iste tibi fecit collyrium. Et quoniam sic venit ut de carne vitia carnis exstingueret, et de morte occideret mortem; ideo factum est in te, ut quoniam Verbum caro factum est, tu possis dicere, Et vidimus gloriam ejus. Qualem gloriam? Qualis factus est filius hominis? Illa humilitas ipsius est, non gloria ipsius. Sed quo perducta est acies hominis, curata per carnem? Vidimus, inquit, gloriam ejus, gloriam quasi Unigeniti a Patre, plenum gratia et veritate. De gratia et veritate alio loco uberius in ipso Evangelio, si Dominus dignatus fuerit donare, tractabimus. Haec nunc sufficiant, et aedificamini in Christo, et confortamini in fide, et vigilate in bonis operibus: et a ligno nolite recedere, per quod possitis mare transire.