But in the middle of the feast, Jesus entered the temple and taught. And the Jews were amazed, saying, How does he know the Scriptures without studying? And Jesus answered them, saying, My teaching is not mine, but that of Him who sent me. Why did He come in the middle of the feast? In order to weaken their anger and so that they would listen to His words with great diligence and attention, when the feast did not block their ears. For at the beginning of the feast it was natural for them to be amused by the festive atmosphere. When He appeared suddenly, everyone listened to Him in general, both those who called Him good and those who called Him a deceiver; some in order to receive some benefit and marvel; others to become attached to Him and seize Him as a deceiver. What He taught, the Evangelist did not say, but that He taught something miraculous, by which He occupied them, this the Evangelist showed by saying that they were amazed that He knew the Scriptures without studying. However, although they were amazed, their evil intent did not change. For they did not marvel at the teaching, nor did they receive speech, but marveled at how He knew the Scriptures, that is, they were perplexed, amazed, what usually happens to those who are envious. For example, someone has a poor neighbor. Then, it will happen that he will repeatedly pass in expensive clothes. The envious neighbor, seeing him, said, "How did he, being very poor, dress so richly?" Where did he get such clothes? He says this not because he is surprised at the deed, but because he is consumed by envy. And he uses these words to blacken his neighbor: "Without a doubt, he says, he stole these clothes." So it is with the Jews. How, they say, does he know the Scriptures? "By the power of Beelzebub, no doubt. Though they should have better conclude from this that there was nothing human in Him; but since they did not want to admit this, He Himself answered them and taught them that His teaching was from the Father and God. Mine, he says, there is nothing. On My own behalf, contrary to God, I say nothing, but what belongs to the Father, of that I speak.

Whoever wants to do His will will know about this teaching, whether it is from God, or whether I speak from Myself. He who speaks of himself seeks glory for himself; but he who seeks glory to him who sent him is true, and there is no unrighteousness in him. Having said that My teaching is not Mine, that is, not contrary to God, but the teaching of My Father, He says that whoever does the will of God, that is, who becomes accustomed to virtue, and is not a slave to envy and is not darkened by vain hatred against Me, he will know the power of My words, whether I speak from the Father, or something alien and contrary to Him. - The will of God is done by the Goth, who delves into the Scriptures and the prophets. Such a person can learn about the teaching of the Lord, that it is from God. For the prophets do not portray the Lord as an adversary of God and speaking for Himself, but as saying and doing all things that are pleasing to God. Then he adds another argument, which is that whoever speaks of himself, that is, wants to introduce his own teaching, does it for no other reason than in order to gain glory for himself. But I do not desire to gain glory for myself, but seek the glory of Him who sent me. Why then shall I teach that which is foreign to Him? Therefore, I am true, and there is no unrighteousness in Me, that is, I will not appropriate to Myself the glory that belongs to another, which would be unjust. Therefore My teaching has both truth and righteousness. It does not arise from ambition in order to be false and unjust. For the ambitious man both lies, saying things about himself that is beyond his dignity, and does unrighteousness, arrogating to himself the glory that is not his own, and which does not belong to him in the least. But the Lord seeks glory to the Father and attributes nothing to Himself. Obviously, He is true and righteous.

When the Lord speaks loftily of His glory, then we must believe that He speaks of Himself so exalted in the greatness of His nature, because He is equal in Essence to the Father.

Did not Moses give you the law? And none of you is acting according to the law. Why do you seek to kill Me? The people answered and said, "Is not the demon in you? Who seeks to kill You? Apparently, the present words of the Lord have no connection with those previously spoken; But when we look closer, they are closely connected. He is accused of breaking the Sabbath and transgressing the law. He contrasts this with the fact that rather, "they are transgressors of the law." The law says: "Thou shalt not kill" (Exodus 20:13), and you seek to kill Me. Therefore you are transgressors of the law, and not I. Therefore you allow yourselves to do wrong, and you accuse me of transgressing the law, because I healed a man on the Sabbath. - The Lord said: "None of you walks according to the law, because all with whom He spoke sought to kill Him." - See with what meekness He speaks to them, and they, on the contrary, with offensive insolence say: the demon is in You. They are so impudent because they thought to strike Him down and frighten Him. Although Christ Himself is the Lord of Moses and the author of the law, yet, yielding to the weakness and insensitivity of the Jews, He says that the law was given by Moses. For they could not calmly hear that the law was given to them not by Moses, but by Him, the Lord of Moses and the Lord.

Jesus, continuing his speech, said to them, "I have done one thing, and you are all amazed." Moses gave you circumcision (though it is not from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man. If a man is circumcised on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you indignant at me, because I healed the whole man on the Sabbath? Do not judge by appearances, but judge with righteous judgment. That the Jews rebel against the Lord in vain, He proves this by the following conclusion. I did one thing on the Sabbath, I healed a paralytic, and because of this you are all amazed, that is, you are confused, you raise the alarm. Meanwhile, Moses himself, this lawgiver, broke the Sabbath when he commanded that every soul (man) should be circumcised on the eighth day (Lev. 12:3). For it often happened that the eighth day, on which it was necessary to be circumcised, fell on the Sabbath. Wherefore the Sabbath was broken for circumcision by Moses himself, and the Sabbath day in no way forbids a man to be circumcised; even if the eighth day is on the Sabbath, the law of Sabbath rest is left out, so that the law of circumcision may not be broken. If this is so, why are you indignant with Me and angry because I healed the whole man on the Sabbath? Though the circumcision was not from Moses, but from the fathers, yet it, which was not from Moses, violated the Sabbath law given by Moses. And on the Sabbath circumcision is not forbidden, which causes pain; but you reproach Me because I have freed man from sickness and made him healthy. "Judge not according to outward appearances," that is, judge righteously and impartially. Moses, who breaks the Sabbath by circumcision, you release from reproach; but I, who broke the Sabbath by doing good to man, you condemn. To exempt Moses from reproach, out of respect for his dignity, and to condemn Me, who is apparently inglorious, is manifest partiality.

Then some of the people of Jerusalem said, "Is this not the one whom they seek to kill?" Behold, He speaks openly, and they say nothing to Him: Have not the rulers been convinced that He is truly the Christ? But we know Him whence He comes; But Christ, when He comes, no one will know where He comes from. It is not simply and not in vain that it is added: "some of the people of Jerusalem," but in order to show that all those who have been vouchsafed great miracles above all others are more worthy of pity. For how pitiful are they not when they have seen the great sign of His Divinity, and yet still allow falsehood in the judgment of Him? If they had wished, they would have seen a great sign in the fact that He spoke boldly in the midst of His enemies, and yet suffered nothing from them; but they would not know in this sign His power. - They wonder if the rulers have not made sure that He is truly the Christ. And they do not stop at this thought, but draw the following conclusion: from whence Christ will come, no one knows. But whence He comes, we know. This means that this is not Christ. "But see how malice contradicts itself. Their leaders, when Herod asked them, said that Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea (Matt. 2:4, 5); and they say that no one knows where Christ comes from. Do you see the contradiction? - And again in another place they say: "We know that God spoke to Moses, but whence He comes, we do not know" (John 9:29). Do you see how fierce are those who speak? We know and we don't know. Is there anything like this frenzy? But they had one thing in mind, not to believe. Therefore, when it was profitable for them, they said, "We know," and when it was not profitable, they asserted that we did not know. Thus, the contradiction arises from their malice. - Some will ask: on what basis do they say that no one will know about Christ, where He comes from? For if they did not have any testimony in the Scriptures or a firm tradition, they would speak so clearly in spite of the scribes, who clearly told Herod that Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea, and those who in another place say that Christ would come from the village of Bethlehem (John 7:42). What should I answer? Both spoke thus on the basis of the prophets. Those who said that Christ was born in Bethlehem and that He was from the village of David, evidently, as Matthew also notes, had as their basis the testimony of the prophet Micah, who says: "And thou, Bethlehem, the land of Judah, is in no way less than the governors of Judah; for from thee shall come forth a Leader, who shall shepherd my people Israel" (Micah 5:2; Matt. 2:4-6). And those who said that no one knew where Christ would come from also based their thought on the testimony of the prophets. Micah himself (5:2) says that "His departures are from the beginning, from the days of the world," which clearly means the uncertainty of His departure or birth. For Him Who has proceeds from the beginning and from the days of the world, no man can know. Men are in time, and He is from the days of the world and from the beginning. How then does the temporal know the eternal? Isaiah also says: "Who can explain His generation" (53:8)? Based on this, they said that no one knew about Christ where He came from. For they did not understand that the Lord Jesus had two natures, and that whence He came from by bodily birth from a Virgin, namely from Bethlehem, this was known, and of His incorporeal and ineffable birth from the Father before all ages it is said that His birth is beyond all explanation. Therefore these Jerusalemites speak of bodily birth, and say that they know whence He comes; but they do not speak of the pre-eternal Birth, by which no one knows Christ, whence He comes. Therefore, not knowing that He is of two natures, and is known by the one and not by the other, they say that He is not the Christ.

Then Jesus cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, "And you know me, and you know where I come from; and I have not come of myself, but he who sent me is true, whom you do not know. I know Him because I am of Him, and He sent Me. Since they said that they knew Him whence He was, not for any other purpose, but to show that He was of the earth and the son of a woodworker, therefore He leads them up to heaven, saying, "You also know Me, and you know whence I am," that is, although you hide it in your malice, yet you know that I am from heaven. For if My Father is from there, it is evident that I Myself am from there, and that I am sent from Him who is true. For the True One would not want to send a deceiver and a liar. But you do not know Him who sent Me, you do not acknowledge Him by your works. For even in knowledge there is ignorance, as the Apostle Paul says: they say that they know God. But by works they deny (Titus 1:16). And you, Jews, do not know My Father, because of your evil deeds and very evil intention. And I know Him. For neither evil intent nor works contrary to Him hinder Me from knowing Him. - I am from Him, that is, from Him, not from another essence, not alien to Him. - And He sent Me. Here two natures in Christ are clearly indicated: with the words: "I am of Him" - the Divine Being, and with the words: "And He sent Me" - human. For the Son of God is called the Messenger, as well as the Servant of God, according to humanity.

And they sought to seize Him, but no one laid hands on Him, because His hour had not yet come. And many of the people believed in Him, and spoke; when Christ comes, will He do more signs than He has done? The Evangelist, showing that they were invisibly restrained and that He suffered voluntarily, says that they sought to seize Him, and yet no one laid a hand on Him. - "His hour has not yet come" - this is said not because He is subject to the conditions of the time, but because He creates everything at a convenient and appropriate time and hour. When He considered it opportune to suffer, that is, the proper and convenient time came, then He gave Himself over to the crucifiers. For He creates and builds all things in proper and convenient times. In due time it was necessary to give the Law; its time for the prophets and the Gospel. Thus, the name "hour" indicates the special wisdom and providence of the Savior. - And many believed in Him, saying, Will Christ do more signs than this One has done? They speak of the wine in Cana, of the son of the courtier, of the paralytic, of the loaves, and in general of all the other signs, which, because of the multitude, the Evangelists did not mention by name. However, if you hear that many believed, then their faith was not true, but such as is characteristic of the common people, who easily change their thoughts.

When the Pharisees heard such talk about Him among the people, the Pharisees and the chief priests sent ministers to seize Him. And Jesus said to them, "I will not be long with you, and I will go to Him who sent Me; you will seek me, and you will not find me; and where I am, there you cannot come. And the Jews said among themselves, Whither will he go, so that we shall not find him? Does He not want to go into the Hellenic diaspora and teach the Greeks? What is the meaning of these words, which He said: "You will seek Me, and you will not find Me, and where I am, there you cannot come"? In their conversations, the people showed a kind of good disposition and something resembling faith in the Lord, and as if they wished to separate themselves from their leaders. They, noticing this, sent to seize the Lord for the only reason that they began to recognize Him as Christ. They sent, and did not go themselves, because they were afraid of the people, lest they cause a revolt. For this reason they send ministers, and thus protect themselves from the danger that may follow, and they are sacrificed to the fury of the people. In this way, they observe their benefits everywhere. - And the Lord pronounces words full of humility: "I will not be with you for a long time." Why do you, he says, strive for My departure, why do you persecute Me? Be patient a little while, and I will be taken, even though you do not wish to seize me. "I'm with you." Though you persecute and persecute, but I am with you: I build and speak what is for your good and salvation. And I will "go to Him that sent Me." Here He frightens them by insulting Him who sent Him. For those who bring dishonor to the Messenger evidently offend the Sender. By the word "I will go" He indicates the voluntary acceptance of death. Showing that His death will not be the same as that of everyone in general, He says: "Where I go, there you cannot come." For if His death had been common and similar to the death of the majority, and He had to remain dead, He would not have said that you cannot come. For we all come to a common death. But, as I said, to show that His death is not like everyone else's, He says that you cannot come where I will be. By saying, "Ye shall seek me, and ye shall not find me," shows that they will desire him. When did they seek Him? Luke said that many women wept for Him (23:27). Probably, many others have experienced this feeling; and especially when the city was destroyed, they remembered Christ and His miracles, and desired His presence (Luke 17:22). He spoke about all this in order to attract and win them over to His side. - Since the ministers have come with the intention of taking Him, He shows that He knows the reason for their coming, He knows that they want to kill Him; therefore He foretells them of His death, that a little while He will go to the Father. And predicting death is also a great and not human thing. Wherefore David also saith, Lord! let me know my end" (Psalm 38:5). - The Jews spoke; does He not want to go into the Hellenic diaspora? Behold, they have changed a little and softened by His words. This is evident from the question: does He not want to go into the Hellenic diaspora? For if it were not so, they would say, "Do you want to go? We wish it, we are happy about it." But there is nothing of the sort; but, no matter how much they want not to be deprived of Him, they ask where He wants to go? This is also evident from the words that He wants to go to the Hellenic diaspora and teach them. They did not say that they wanted to deceive them, but to teach. They called the pagans scattered, because they are scattered everywhere. For the Jews of old did not mingle with them, but when they were gathered together in one place, in Palestine, they reproached the Gentiles for being scattered everywhere, which afterwards turned on themselves. For the Jews themselves have become a dispersion.

And on the last great day of the feast Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "Whosoever thirst, let him come to me and drink." Whoever believes in Me, as it is said in the Scriptures, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water (Isaiah 12:3; Joel 3:18). The first day of the feast and the last or seventh day were called great, because the Law also called the last day of the feast deliberate, holy (Lev. 23:35, 36). Following this, the Evangelist also calls the last day great. - He justly addresses the people on the last day and thus as if bids them farewell on their way back home. For it would be inopportune to speak to those who gave themselves up to amusement in the middle of the day. They wouldn't listen. - Jesus shouted aloud, partly to be heard, partly to show boldness that He fears no one. What does He say? "Whosoever believeth on me, as the Scripture says." Here one must stop, then read again: "Rivers shall flow out of his belly." Many believed because of the signs. He shows that one must believe not so much on the basis of miracles as on the basis of Scripture. For the right faith is from the Scriptures. Therefore He says: Whoever believes in Me, "as it is said in the Scriptures," that is, as the Scriptures bear witness of Me, namely, that I am the Son of God, the Creator, the Lord of all, the Savior of the world. For many seem to have believed, not as the Scriptures say, but as they wished. Such are all heretics. "He said that such a believer would have rivers flowing from his belly. He calls the heart the womb in a figurative sense, as David did: "And Thy law is in my heart" (Psalm 39:9). "He said that the 'rivers' of living water would flow, not the river. This indicates the abundance and generosity of the grace of the Spirit. For the Spirit is such that into whose soul He enters and is established in it, He causes it to flow more abundantly than any source. As the believer, according to the Scriptures, has rivers flowing from his belly, everyone can know this when he pays attention to the tongue of Peter, to the impetuosity of Paul, and to the wisdom of Stephen. Nothing stopped their words, but they carried everyone after them, like rivers, with their irrepressible current.

He said this about the Spirit, Whom those who believe in Him had to receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet upon them, because Jesus was not yet glorified. The Evangelist, explaining what rivers of living water are, says that He said this about the Spirit, Whom those who believe in Him had to receive; for there was not yet the Holy Spirit. Here another will ask: how does the Evangelist say that there was no Holy Spirit, that is, it was given? Did not the prophets speak by the Spirit? And how did the apostles perform miracles? Answer. Surely, the prophets spoke by the Spirit. But this grace ceased, departed from the earth. Though it was active in the time of the prophets, yet at the time when Christ was working in the flesh, for the unworthiness of the people, prophecy did not appear, and grace was not present in the sanctuary and in their temple. And since the action of the Spirit did not exist then, and it still had to be given, therefore he says that the Holy Spirit did not yet exist, that is, He did not dwell among the Jews and did not manifest Himself in actions. As for the apostles, they performed miracles not by the Spirit, but by the power of the Lord. For listen to what the Gospel says. Intending to send them, He gave them "authority" and not the Holy Spirit (Matt. 10:1; Lk. 10:19). Why, no matter how many miracles they performed, they did them not by the Spirit, but by the power and name of the Lord. When He rose from the tomb, He said to them, "Receive ye the Holy Spirit" (John 20:22). And at Pentecost the Holy Spirit descended upon them (Acts 2:4). And in other words: the power of the Spirit was in the prophets and apostles even before the Cross, but not in the same way as after the ascension, that is, it was not so generous and abundant as to be compared with rivers. For this reason the Evangelist rightly said that the Holy Spirit had not yet existed, that is, it was poured out in such abundance as later. Although He was before the Cross, He was not in abundance, because Jesus was not yet glorified. Here the Evangelist calls the Cross glory, because the Lord overthrew the tormentor with the Cross and reigned. Therefore, when neither the Cross had been erected, nor sin had been abolished, nor our nature in Christ had overcome the world and been reconciled to God, it was natural that the abundant grace of the Spirit had not been granted. For it was necessary for us first to become friends of God, and this was accomplished through the Cross, and only then to receive the gift of God, just as in worldly life a person first becomes a friend of the king, and then receives gifts. Thanksgiving, then, be to God, Who has poured out upon us such abundant grace as even the prophets did not have. For the prophets had the grace of the Spirit, but did not give it to others, but the apostles filled with it an innumerable multitude of people.

Many of the people, hearing these words, said: He is definitely a prophet. Others said, "This is Christ." And some said, "Will Christ come from Galilee?" Does not the Scripture say that Christ will come from the seed of David and from Bethlehem, from the place where David was? And so there was a strife among the people about Him. Ashamed by the boldness of speech, some of the people, and not of the rulers (for the rulers have always been against Him out of envy), confess that He is the Prophet whom they expect; others, among the unlearned and unreasonable, said that He was the Christ, not understanding that Christ and that Prophet were one and the same person, and not different. The more foolish say that Christ will not come from Galilee, but from Bethlehem and from the seed of David. But they did so with malicious intent, not like Nathanael. And he said, "Can there be any good thing from Nazareth" (John 1:46), but he spoke as a man versed and precise in the Law. For this reason the Lord also praised him, since he did not speak this with evil intent, but out of an exact knowledge of the Law. And these cunning say that Christ will not come from Galilee. They might have known that Jesus was from Bethlehem, although he had been brought up in Galilee; but out of envy they do not want to acknowledge His origin from Bethlehem, but call Him a Galilean. Even if they did not know that He was from Bethlehem. But how can they not know that He is of the seed of David? For Mary evidently descended from David. Hence it is revealed that they spoke so maliciously. - The strife took place among the people, and not among the rulers, because the rulers held on to one thought, so as not to take Him for Christ.

Some of them wanted to seize Him; but no one laid hands on Him. So the ministers returned to the chief priests and the Pharisees, and these said to them, Why did you not bring him? The ministers answered, "Never did a man speak like this man." Those who were more moderate in malice resisted the glory of Christ only in words, and the more shameless wanted to lay hands on them. However, the divine power invisibly restrained them. However, this miracle did not amaze them either. David rightly said of them: "They reproached and did not cease" (Psalm 34:15). Let us see what the servants who are sent to bring Him answer to the Pharisees. They are very sensible. The Pharisees considered themselves wise, read the Scriptures and saw miracles, but they rebelled against the Lord and, like robbers, asked: Why did you not bring Him? And the ministers were convinced by one doctrine, without signs. Thus they were inclined to good. And that they were captivated not by signs, but by one doctrine (which is more important), this is evident from the following. They did not say, "Never did man work miracles" in this way, but, "He did not speak in this way." So they were ready and quick to receive the word of salvation. But one must marvel not only at their prudence, but also at their boldness. They do not fear the fury of the Pharisees, nor do they humiliate themselves as ministers, nor do they speak to please their superiors, but bear witness to the truth. They should be imitated by all who are under the authority of the rulers, and not listen to them when they command anything unjust, as happened in the time of Saul. Contrary to the law, he ordered the priests of God to be put to death, but those who were present did not obey and did not do according to his will (1 Samuel 22:17).

And the Pharisees said unto them, Have ye also been deceived? Did any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believe in Him? But this people are ignorant of the law, they are cursed. Nicodemus, who came to Him by night, being one of them, said to them, "Does our law judge a man, if they do not first hear him and know what he is doing? Why do the Pharisees address the ministers not with anger, but with meekness, and say so softly: "Are you also offended?" Because they were afraid that they would not completely separate themselves from them and cling to Christ. Wherefore they say to them very meekly and affectionately: Have you also been offended, who are wiser than the rest, and are always with us, who are experienced in the law? Then they try to convince them by example, but very unwisely. Did any of the rulers, they say, believe in Him? But who is to blame? Christ or those who did not believe? Without a doubt, those who do not believe are subject to condemnation. - The people are called cursed because they believed, while they themselves are worthy of innumerable curses both for their unbelief and for hindering others from believing. - Why does the Evangelist remark about Nicodemus that he came to Jesus at night and that he is one of them? In order to discover their lies. They said that none of the rulers believed in Him; and he shows that they are lying in this case as well. For here is Nicodemus and the ruler, and one of them, and he believed in Christ. - What does Nicodemus notice to them? He says, "Does our law condemn a man without hearing him first?" By this he shows that they did not read the law, nor did they fulfill its requirements, although they dreamed much of legality. For if the Law does not command that anyone should be killed without prior judgment, and they had zeal for it without hearing it first, then they are evidently transgressors of the Law. He also said, "And if they do not know what he is doing." By this he showed that it is necessary to listen not simply, but very attentively, in order to learn how to act, and not to condemn in this way without ascertaining the matter.