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.

And they said to him, Are you not also of Galilee? Consider and see that there is no prophet coming from Galilee. And they all went home.

CHAPTER EIGHT

And Jesus went up to the Mount of Olives. And in the morning he came to the temple again, and all the people went to Him. He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman who had been taken in adultery, and having placed her in the midst, they said to Him, "Teacher! this woman was taken in adultery; and Moses commanded us in the law to stone such people. What do you say? And they said these things, tempting Him, that they might find something to accuse Him. But Jesus, bending low, wrote with his finger on the ground, paying no attention to them. And when they continued to question him, he lifted himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to cast a stone at her." And again, bending low, he wrote on the ground. And they, hearing this and being rebuked by their conscience, began to depart one by one, from the elder to the last; and only Jesus remained, and the woman standing in the middle. Jesus, having risen up and seeing no one but the woman, said to her, "Woman! Where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you? She answered: "No one, Lord! Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more. Again Jesus spoke to the people, and said to them, I am the light of the world; whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. When Nicodemus very wisely denounced the Pharisees for their unlawful disposition, they, vexed, with rudeness and even brutality, said to him: "And are you not from Galilee?" He said that a person should not be accused without trial and investigation. No doubt in answer to this they had to prove that they were accusing Jesus, not without trial, but lawfully, that they had sent ministers to seize him, and that they were doing everything as they ought to do. And what do they say? "And art thou not of Galilee?" Do you see what inconsistency there is in the words? Then, making him look ignorant, they say: "Consider and you will see that the prophet did not come from Galilee," that is, go and learn, since you have not yet learned that the prophet did not come from Galilee. They say so, ridiculing him as ignorant. But, O Pharisees! What did Nicodemus say? He did not say that Jesus was a prophet, but that he should not kill Him without trial. How, then, did he say this, and you answer that to another? - Since they constantly reproached Christ with Galilee, and took Him for one of the prophets, He shows them that He is not one of the prophets. I, he says, am the Light of the world, light in the proper sense, not prophetic, that is, incomplete and weak, but true light, not limited to the borders of Galilee or Palestine, but the Light of the world and the Lord of all men; I am the One of Whom the prophet said: "I have made Thee the light of the Gentiles" (Isaiah 42:6). You can also use this saying against Nestorius. For the Lord did not say, In me is the light of the world, but, I am the light of the world. Whoever was seen as a Man, was the Son of God Himself, and the light of the world, and not, as Nestorius idlely said, as the Son of God dwelt in a simple man. No! The Son of Mary and God, as it is said, was one. "Whosoever follows me," he says, "shall not walk in darkness," that is, he shall not remain in error, but shall be freed from error and darkness. At the same time, he approves of Nicodemus and the ministers as acting directly and therefore in the light, and hints to the Pharisees that they are in error and darkness and are secretly building snares.

Then the Pharisees said to Him, "Thou bearest witness of Thyself; Thy testimony is not true. Jesus answered and said to them, "If I bear witness of myself, my testimony is true, because I know whence I have come, and whither I am going; but you do not know whence I am and whither I am going. When He said, "I am the light of the world," He is accused of bearing witness to Himself. O madness! He constantly testifies about Himself from the Scriptures, and they accuse Him of bearing witness to Himself. For this reason He also answers them according to their wickedness. Let it be that I bear witness to myself; - although in fact it is not so, but I have three witnesses - My Father, My works and the Scriptures, as it was said above (5:33. 36. 37. 39). Let us suppose that I bear witness to myself. But if I bear witness to myself, my testimony is true, because I know that I am the Son of God, and not a mere man, but one who comes from above, and God. How is My testimony false, when I am God, and therefore worthy of faith? God is undoubtedly worthy of faith in the witness of Himself. Moreover, I will go to the true God. How, then, shall I lie, intending to go to the Truth?

You judge according to the flesh; I don't judge anyone. And if I judge, then My judgment is true, because I am not alone, but I am also the Father who sent Me. I, he says, as God and Who came from above, bear witness to the truth about Myself; but you look only at the things that are seen, and as I am in the flesh, you take Me for mere flesh, and not for God and Him who came from God. "You judge according to the flesh," that is, erroneously. As it is said of him who lives according to the flesh that he lives wickedly, so it must be said of him who judges according to the flesh that he is an unrighteous judge. Then, as if someone would say: If we, Jews, judge unjustly, why do you not punish, why do you not condemn? And He says: I have not come to judge. I do not judge anyone now; but if I judge, my judgment is true, and if I wanted to judge, you would be condemned. Now you remain without condemnation, not because I cannot condemn you, but because now is not the time, since I reserve condemnation against you until the Second Coming. So in another place He says: "I have not come to judge the world, but to save it" (John 12:47). And that He is the Judge of all, listen to the true lips: "The Father hath given all judgment unto the Son" (John 5:22). Therefore, when you hear: I judge no one, then understand these words not about the future Coming, but about the first. Having said, "I am not alone, but also My Father is with Me," He declared, "I am not the only one who condemns you, but also the Father." For I do not judge otherwise, and the Father judges otherwise, but as I judge so He and He do, and as He so do I.

And it is written in your law that the testimony of two men is true (Deuteronomy 19:15). I bear witness to myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness to me. Let the Arians and Eunomites, who do not acknowledge the Son to be of one essence with the Father, say here: If He were not of one essence, how would He dare to say: I have the same testimony and certainty as the Father? As two men bear witness to something, and their testimony is true, it is evident that their certainty is the same. So here He proves that His own testimony is in no way inferior to the testimony of the Father. For listen to the authority with which He speaks further: I myself bear witness of myself, and the Father beareth witness of me. Do you see the equality of authority, and how He presents Himself as certain as the Father? He would not have dared to say this, if He had been inferior to the Father in dignity and had not been His equal and consubstantial. For if He had wanted to show that He was inferior to the Father in any way, and less than Him, He would not have numbered Himself with the Father, nor would He have compared His testimony with the testimony of the Father, but, being a slave, as heretics blaspheme, He would have turned to one of His fellow servants, and would have made him a witness, for example, of John or Moses; and in general, if He had desired such testimonies, He would have found many of them. But now He wants to show His consubstantiality with the Father, and therefore He counts Himself among the Father. If in other places He brings John, Moses, and the prophets as witnesses about Himself, then do not be surprised at this. He does this in an adaptive way to the concept of the listeners. They placed John and Moses above Him; wherefore He gives the testimony of those whom they considered glorious and great. They had a lofty concept of God and the Father. For what else did they glorify if not God? Therefore now He also brings Himself as a witness, God Who is above all. And since He compares Himself with such an infallible and unfalse Witness, it is very evident that He has the same importance and authority as the Father. And those who call Him a slave and in all things less than the Father should be put to shame.

Then they said to Him, "Where is Thy Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither Me nor My Father; if you had known me, you would have known my Father also. These are the words Jesus spoke at the treasury when He was teaching in the temple; and no man took him, because his hour had not yet come. Since they asked Him about the Father in the form of a temptation, and not with the aim of knowing the truth, He does not deign them to answer, but says: "You know neither Me nor My Father," that is, you cannot know my Father without Me. Though you think that you worship God, but because you do not believe that He is the Father to Me, the true Son, it is of no use to you. You don't know Him as you ought to know. Otherwise, you would know and revere Me as well. And since now you do not know and do not revere Me, you do not know Him either, and do not give Him honor, although you think the opposite. And that you do not know Me is not the fault of someone else, but of yourselves. Do you hear, O wicked one, who subordinates the Son to the Father? If He were not of one essence with the Father, how would He say that if you knew Me, you would know the Father? For if, in your opinion, the Son is a creature, how does he who knows the creature know God also? Whoever knows the essence of the angel does not yet know the Essence of God. But if he who knows the Son also knows the Father, then the Son is truly one and the same Being with the Father. Will you assert that those who know creation also know God? Nohow. For many and even all see and know creation, but no one sees or knows God. - "These are the words that Jesus spoke at the treasury when he taught in the temple." Thus He behaved boldly! And yet, those who breathed murder against Him, having Him in their hands, did not dare to take Him. And at the same time they did not understand that the work of truly divine power was that He, surrounded by enemies, remained unharmed and inviolable among them, whereas before the Passover they sought Him and lay in wait for Him. Whom they sought when He was not there, and against Whom, even in His absence, they raged, when He is in the midst of a snare, they cannot take. And in all this they do not acknowledge His power, because, he says, His hour has not yet come, that is, the appointed time of His death has not yet come, in which He wanted to give Himself up for it. For even then they could not have done anything to Him, if there had not come a certain time, which He Himself had appointed for Himself. The crucifixion was not a matter of impotence, but of permission; for He permitted when He willed. They had long desired to kill Him, but were restrained by the invisible bonds of His power. For He needed to remain alive in the flesh longer, in order to benefit people more by performing greater miracles and teaching greater teaching. - Some think that the Jews said to the Lord, "Where is Thy Father?" in insult and reproach. Since His pretended father Joseph was poor, the Jews say with the words, "Where is Thy Father," as it were: "Thy Father is unknown and of low birth," why then dost Thou constantly remind us of him?