Fragments on John

One beginning of the Word — not three causes (John 1:1–5)§1

1[John 1:1] The Word knows one beginning, not two, as the Manichaeans say, nor a first cause and a second cause and a third cause, as Plato, Basilides, Marcion, Arius, and Eunomius say. For the Father is called beginning, and the Son beginning, and the Spirit beginning, because of the co-eternity of the Trinity, not because there are three beginnings; since we also call the Father God and the Son God and the Spirit God, not as worshipping three gods, but because of the consubstantiality of the one Godhead of the three hypostases.

[John 1:1] Through this he overthrows Sabellius’s heresy by signifying the hypostases of Father and Son; for the Church does not glorify a son-fatherhood, as the Libyan myth-teller said. Sabellius, Noetus, Novatus, Paul of Samosata, and Marcellus say one hypostasis of the Trinity. He was not uttered-forth, but hypostatic, and not only hypostatic but also God. Photinus says that from the Father a Word without hypostasis, like ours, was changed into flesh. Since some heretics, hearing that the Father begot the Son, take offense and think a flowing or passion happens to the Father—such as naturally sometimes happens with thick bodies—the evangelist, anticipating their folly, from the preface called the Son Word once and twice and thrice, to present the passionlessness of the begetting; for as our word is begotten from the mind without flowing, without diminishment, and without passion (likewise also our spirit), so also is the begetting of the Son. Therefore it was also said: “My heart has belched forth a good word” (Psalm 45:1), which is God, who alone “is good.”

[John 1:2] That is: he was co-eternal with the Father, existing in the Father’s nature, having as most ancient place the nature of the one who begot him; for the beginning surpasses the ages. For the Father is called beginning of the Son only according to the “from whom”; for in cause the Father will be conceived before the Son, but not in existence contemplated before him. And everywhere he inserts the “was,” sending the Son on toward the beginningless; for he did not say he had a beginning, but “in the beginning he was” (John 1:1–2).

[John 1:3] He casts out another heresy by teaching that through the Son all things that came to be were created, not through good or evil angels, as some wrongly supposed—among them Plato, Simon, Basilides, Nicolas, Menander, the Borborian, Saturnilus, and Cerinthus. Therefore some also forbid marriage and begetting: Saturnilus and the Apostolics.

[John 1:3] The wording has emphasis that not the Son alone created all things, but also the Father and the Spirit; for whatever the Father does, he works through the Son in the Holy Spirit, and where one of the three hypostases is said to act, the remaining hypostases of the one essence are conceived with it.

[John 1:4] All things whatever the Father made through the Son were made alive from him.

[John 1:4] The Word did not come to be in a man, but in a certain way he himself, strengthening the virgin through the Spirit and dwelling in her womb, became a foundation; and in him he built the rational ensouled flesh united to him from Mary, which is life. For as he himself is life, so also is the flesh united to him, of which those who partake are made alive, freed from death and corruption and sent into the enjoyment of the unceasing goods of the age to come, which is truly life.

[John 1:4] The incarnation of the Only-begotten leads people by light toward true knowledge of God and toward every kind of virtue, through which life-giving happens, that is, the enjoyment of the goods.

[John 1:5] Darkness is the whole world by comparison with the inexpressible and unapproachable light. Yet the Son also enlightens the mind toward what must be done, and truth always prevails; falsehood does not overcome the truth. Therefore he himself also said: “I have overcome the world” (John 16:33)—meaning that I have refuted every

Light, the Baptist sent, and the Word made flesh (John 1:5–16)§2

2—wandering heresy I have refuted, and I have overcome all the passions that are adventitious, not those that are natural and necessary—which he willingly underwent, to show the truth of the incarnation, and that the natural and necessary are not base. For this reason it approached the flesh of the Word of God, not that it might be strengthened, but that in him it might be destroyed; for the shameful passions he did not undergo even in imagination. Darkness and the world are now to be understood by comparison with the inexpressible and unapproachable light.

[John 1:6] John is sent as one who has passed from the desert into the inhabited land, that he might proclaim Christ to the peoples. The Lord also was called sent, not as having moved from places to places—for the divine is unmoved—but as somehow moved from the Father’s bosom and having come to our poverty, for which he is also said to have humbled himself. So when Scripture speaks words fitting the economy, if it says that “he emptied himself” (Philippians 2:7), it signifies the self-ruling and royal—that he was incarnate willingly; but if it says that he was sent, it teaches that he was not incarnate apart from the Father. We say these things as human beings; for the will of Father and Son is one, even if we conceive the difference of the hypostases of the one Godhead and essence; thus we say that the Son alone was incarnate, not the Father, not the Spirit.

[John 1:7] For this reason John is greater than the other prophets: those proclaimed the one awaited, but this one, having seen him and been persuaded by signs that this is he, came bearing witness from what he heard and saw.

Even if John and the saints are light, they are not so as the Christ who is theologized, who is light by nature; for the saints received illumination by grace. Therefore concerning Christ he says: “He was the true light” (John 1:9).

The Lord enlightens his rational creatures from natural notions unto believing that he is God, as they infer from the beauty and good order of his creatures the excellence of his power.

[John 1:10] As God he was in the world not according to essence, but according to providence. [John 1:10] Again he pulls up the heresy of those who say that human beings and the rest are not creatures of God. Here he calls “world” only human beings, naming the world from a part—that is, those who mind the things of the world and are nailed to it, who through attachment to earthly things did not know him at all: idolaters and slaves of the passions.

[John 1:11] He is said to have come to his own inasmuch as, having been incarnate, he was made known to those who saw him with their eyes, or that he came to his own, who seemed to be his according to “from whom is the Christ according to the flesh” (Romans 9:5).

[John 1:13] There is no longer need of cattle-sacrifice as pleasing to God according to the type of the law, since the blood of Christ is sufficient for justification.

When the Word became flesh, he was not changed in essence, but having become visible through the flesh he remained having his own glory as only-begotten Son of God and Father; for the one pitching tent is other in essence from the tent. He did not say “body,” lest some say he wore a heavenly body; nor “he became man,” lest others say he took not the outer but the inner man; nor “from the Word flesh came to be,” lest others say he was changed from this into that. Flesh is also called body, but body is not in every way flesh. Therefore the Lord also said: “he who eats my flesh” (John 6:54), and elsewhere: “Handle me and see, that a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see me having” (Luke 24:39).

[John 1:14] How did we behold? Through the star of the magi, the angels, the shepherds, Anna, Simeon, Gabriel, the ineffable birth from the virgin, the Father’s voice bearing witness to him, the Spirit’s descent upon him, and countless divine signs and healings.

[John 1:16] As root of all goods and spring, giving his own goods to many, he is not diminished; yet from what he supplies and creation receives, it is clear that Christ is God. [John 1:17] In place of the grace in Adam, from which we fell, Christ through the

Grace for grace; the Baptist’s voice; Lamb of God (John 1:16–39)§3

3washing has given us indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

[John 1:18] Not only the Father is invisible, but also the Son; for even if he was seen in flesh, it was not according to the essence, which not even angels behold as it is; for many know God, but the essence no one knows. It is not the hidden body that is called invisible, but the incorporeal that is not naturally seen even by mind.

[John 1:18] Through the trustworthy person he establishes this high and more-than-human doctrine: “For who knows the things” of God and Father to speak, except the Son begotten from him and his Holy Spirit who also knows “the depths of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10–11).

That is: he spoke these things bearing witness that Jesus is the Christ, not that John himself is, as some wrongly suspected concerning him.

[John 1:23] It is a work of virtue not to be lifted up by their praises and to adorn oneself in ornaments that are not one’s own. He said: “I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness: make straight the way of the Lord,” as Isaiah the prophet said (John 1:23; Isaiah 40:3).

[John 1:23] As a voice runs before a word, so also John runs before Christ who is Word, as a voice.

[John 1:23] If Isaiah had not previously commanded me to proclaim Christ, who is Lord, I would not have dared to speak.

[John 1:24] As more exact about knowledge of the Scriptures these came, whom John gently proved to be uneducated and senseless for not knowing the passage said about him from the prophet worn smooth among them.

[John 1:25] As it seems they had such traditions from their teachers that only those were allowed to baptize—either the Christ or Elijah or the prophet.

[John 1:26] John himself is a trustworthy witness of his own, since he spoke nothing great about himself, but even called his own baptism mere water, much humbled.

[John 1:26] Until the time of the economy Christ was present in the midst of all and was unknown. And a little later: he says Christ stood in the midst and was unknown because of the wrapping of the flesh.

[John 1:29] He is a lamb as given for forgiveness of sins of those being regenerated “through washing of rebirth” (Titus 3:5); and by saying “taking away” he shows that he always takes away.

[John 1:30] Christ came to be before John as loosing “the sin of the world” and baptizing in the Holy Spirit, John’s baptism being mere water. He is called “man” as born of a woman “according to the flesh,” or because he was thirty years old (for they call a man him who has entered that time), or because he was perfect in every practical and contemplative virtue, or because he is bridegroom of every rational nature, that is of the church. As the church has the face of a woman, Christ is called man as betrothing the souls of the faithful.

[John 1:31] For the sake of proclaiming Christ and making him evident to the people John baptized.

[John 1:32] This is said by way of economy; for it is inseparable from the Son as also from the Father; for to see something of the Trinity sensibly is impossible.

[John 1:33] As living in the deserts from first age he establishes the unsuspiciousness of the witness, as having learned him through revelation.

[John 1:35] This is found the third day from when the Pharisees made their meeting with John, in which they asked him who he is.

[John 1:36] Because of the hearers’ slackness he uses the same words; for it is a teacher’s virtue to use the same so that the words may be fixed in the hearers’ souls.

[John 1:38] Since those following Christ cannot overtake him, he turns toward them condescendingly, showing them his face, that they may know that he is the one who fills “the law” and teaches the things in it.

[John 1:38] He asks not as not knowing, but calling them into conversation.

[John 1:39] This is not contrary to what was said: “the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20); for even if he remained in a house, he did not acquire his own lodging.

[John 1:45] “The one you announced to me as good news,” he says, “how is it possible that the Christ be from Nazareth, whom Scripture said would come from Bethlehem?” But there in Bethlehem he was born, and Nazareth was recorded as fatherland as reared there and living until full age.

Nathanael; Cana; the temple cleansing (John 1:47–2:16)§4

4[John 1:47] Great glory and boast it is to have from the truth itself—that is Christ—witness of a pure heart, which sees God with the mind and is led toward saving faith to run to Christ without guile, not as a Jew or as Herod.

[John 1:49] Nathanael was wholly ready. Therefore persuaded from this bare saying alone he confessed him to be the Christ, who is Son of God by nature and truth and king of the truly faithful; for still incomplete he did not call him king of creation, but only of Israel according to what was said: “And the Lord’s portion became his people Jacob, the measured inheritance of his inheritance Israel” (Deuteronomy 32:9).

[John 1:51] Sometimes simply, sometimes doubled, the Savior uses “Amen,” presenting the firmness of what is said. The word is Hebrew, declaring “so be it” that you be found faithful so as to see heaven opened and what follows. Not sensibly, he says, is it possible to see heaven opened, but only by mind that watches the angels approaching to serve Jesus. “Amen” is also said for “truly and really,” which is better here.

[John 1:51] Since Nathanael named Christ king of Israel alone, he teaches him through this that Christ was not a bare man, since somehow angels serve him.

[John 1:51] He shows through this that not by appearance but in truth he became man. Incarnate from Mary as alone sinless he preserved for himself the “according to the image” which the first man had who came to be “according to the image and according to likeness” of God (Genesis 1:26).

[John 2:2] The Lord came to the wedding that he might sanctify not only those living but also those about to be born, showing that he from the beginning ordained marriage, having given Eve to Adam, and that he might put to shame certain heretics who slander marriage.

[John 2:4] He rebukes the mother for untimely reminding a God who needs no reminder—as if to say, do not think me to be only man, but also God. The time of my manifestation has not yet come; it is not yet known who I am.

[John 2:4] He rebukes the mother for urging him toward wonder-working out of season.

[John 2:6] The metretes makes one hundred fifty xestai.

[John 2:9] He who by water waters the vine and makes it bear wine is himself the one who also now changes the water into wine.

[John 2:11] Some say this the first sign in Cana, but not first of all. Some indeed say the wedding in Cana the first sign, but first of all.

[John 2:11] He opened them a door of faith through the divine signs, revealing himself—that is, his glory and power.

[John 2:15] He cast out the things sacrificed according to law, that he might bring in spiritual worship in their place.

[John 2:16] Christ calls God his own Father as himself alone existing from him according to nature.

[John 2:16] The house of God is a house of merchandise, but not of these fleshly things that go “into the belly,” but of spiritual goods.

Nicodemus: birth from above and water and Spirit (John 3:1–13)§5

5To such people one must not entrust deep doctrines as if they were already made faithful; for those who believe because of signs are easily shifted, if some men persuade them with sophistry that the signs did not happen rightly.

[John 3:2] Nicodemus is blameworthy for wanting to be faithful in secret.

[John 3:3] Since Nicodemus came to him as to a bare man, wanting to draw him to himself he speaks things beyond man to him as one who is above in the heavens and knows what is done there and brought from there to human beings.

[John 3:3] Kingdom of God and kingdom of the heavens are the same, because the faithful has dwelling in heaven and “citizenship” (Philippians 3:20), or because such a one is mastered by God who reigns over the heavens.

[John 3:3] The one living the upper life of the angels and learning high doctrines through Christ is born from above. The one undergoing the second birth through the washing is born from above, and the one partaking of Holy Spirit. “From above” signifies rebirth through the Spirit and shows that the Spirit is from the Father’s essence; for thus, naming himself also from above, he signifies that he is from the Father’s essence.

[John 3:5] Water cleanses the body and the Spirit sanctifies the invisible soul. Water is taken in the place of a mother, and the Spirit in the place of God who forms. Sensible water is re-elemented toward divine power and sanctifies those in whom rebirth happens. Water differs from Spirit only in conception, since it is the same in activity; water is a symbol of burial and resurrection, and therefore is necessarily taken. Three immersions and three emergings happen so that we may know that by power of Father and Son and Holy Spirit all is fulfilled.

[John 3:6] The Father is spirit as God, and the Son is spirit as God; therefore the Spirit, which is God and Father, begets spirit, which is the Son and God. So Christ is consubstantial with the Father according to Godhead and consubstantial with the mother according to flesh, even if Christ is one from both, without change and without confusion. And according to the word now set out canonically by the Lord, we are reshaped through Christ as our mind is formed into spiritual quality.

[John 3:6] If Mary is rational ensouled flesh, her fruit also is consubstantial with her: rational ensouled flesh, and not a phantom or anything other than the flesh that bore—the Word’s flesh having a rational soul, in which “all the fullness of the Godhead dwelt bodily” (Colossians 2:9).

[John 3:8] One hears the voice of the Holy Spirit through the prophets.

[John 3:11] He said “our” as having in himself by nature the Father and the Spirit.

[John 3:12] He calls baptism earthly though it is divine and spiritual, because it is completed on earth toward sanctification of humans who are on earth. The birth of the washing is called earthly by comparison with the Son’s generation from the Father’s essence.

[John 3:13] From the lesser essence he names his whole self, just as from the Godhead

Son of Man lifted up; only-begotten; baptisms (John 3:13–23)§6

6he calls himself. [John 3:13] After the hypostatic union he makes common the things of flesh and of Godhead according to activities, not by change of the things from which Christ is. Descent and ascent are also activities.

[John 3:13] The Lord’s body is not heavenly; for it is subject to passions. And as being one, even with flesh, he is called Son of Man.

[John 3:14] Just as the bronze serpent was not the venomous beast but a likeness, so also the Lord’s flesh. It was flesh in truth, yet not flesh of sin, but likeness of flesh of sin.

[John 3:14] Being lifted up declares Christ becoming manifest and notable.

[John 3:16] Here again he makes the whole common, knowing no separation after the union; for when the flesh was sacrificed for the world’s life and given to death, the Son is said to have been given to death though remaining impassible as God, only his own flesh suffering what is proper when he permitted and willed.

[John 3:16] The Arians say the Son is called only-begotten because he alone came to be from God. To them one must say that some also call the sun only-begotten inasmuch as it alone is sun, yet it is no longer also a son.

[John 3:17] If Christ had come to judge the world, he would have condemned all. But first he came to save the world. He judges incidentally those who rebelled—not as Moses’ law came to condemn the world, but to save.

[John 3:18] Note that universally everyone not believing in Christ is condemned, to be handed over to punishment. Therefore these are not even led to judgment as already condemned. So also of the devil: “the ruler of this world has been judged” (John 16:11)—not only because he did not believe, but also because he tempted the Lord and “entered into Judas” (Luke 22:3) to hand him over to death.

[John 3:22] He himself did not baptize, but his disciples, since he baptized in Spirit and it was not yet time for the Spirit’s gift before the passion. He was already handing over the evangelical baptism, which differed much from John’s; for Christ baptized through the apostles’ hand, as he clearly says in what follows.

[John 3:23] Neither John’s baptism nor the disciples’ supplied the Holy Spirit, but so that they might not go around person by person proclaiming Christ, they established baptism to lead the crowds running to them toward Christ.

[John 3:23] The “water of sprinkling” that has “the ash of the heifer” (Numbers 19:9) made cleansing of involuntary sins and cleansed those from contact with the dead

Bridegroom and friend; he must increase (John 3:23–33)§7

7; but John’s baptism gave forgiveness of voluntary sins to those truly repenting, and Christ’s of all sins, and also supplied Holy Spirit and the dignity of adoption.

[John 3:25] A dispute arose economically while John still lived, so that through his voice the difference of the baptisms might appear.

[John 3:29] Christ is bridegroom and the church bride and the bridal chamber the place of baptism, where spiritual joining happens, since all is bright and full of joy and gladness. For what is more blessed than to be cleansed of sins and cleave to God and “become partaker of divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4) through sharing the Holy Spirit? These are the earnest; the more perfect things are in the future, when the bridegroom enters again and brings with him the virgin souls and the bridal door is shut and only those inside enjoy the gladness and no one enters there anymore. So as long as today’s age, or each one’s particular death, the bridal door is open to souls willing to be betrothed to Christ.

[John 3:29] Through baptism Christ betroths the church reborn. This spiritual yoke joins to God through the teaching word. The bride is a pure virgin through rightness of doctrines; she is also Christ’s wife as bearing good deeds not from herself but through Christ who sows in her—of whom none of the generated can be bridegroom, since none of them is primarily giver of goods. So every rational nature of angels and humans is bride.

[John 3:30] Neither does Christ increase nor John decrease, but like a morning star John is covered by the intelligible sun.

[John 3:30] Christ as God increases the more he is manifested; but I must remain in what I am.

[John 3:31] Saying “coming” does not signify transfer from above to below, but that always remaining in the Father above he comes by a relation of condescension to those over whom he is. So when he says coming, he speaks as about God; when he says having come, he speaks as about man, since he himself is God and man. The one who is from the Father’s root has by nature the Father’s superiority, being above all things made as their God and maker.

[John 3:32] He speaks more humanly because of the flesh; for being all-perfect by nature he knows all from himself.

[John 3:32] He did not say this as of some not persuaded, but as marveling at the madness of unbelievers.

[John 3:33] “Sealed”

Spirit without measure; Samaria road (John 3:33–4:4)§8

8means he was fully assured and has proof and seal.

[John 3:34] The Son is said to be sent from the Father either because of the enfleshed presence or because the Father, having the Son in himself, did not hide him but shone him forth from his own nature as “radiance” from light (Hebrews 1:3); for the Son has come out into his own existence even while he is in him by nature.

[John 3:34] As spring of the Spirit he gives it. He means the Spirit’s activity, which humans receive by measure; for he himself has the whole complete. The Son has the whole Spirit essentially, not partly as a creature. Therefore he himself also gives it, while the saints by entreaty make Christ supply the Spirit through them.

[John 3:35] Even if the Father loves “the world,” it is not as he loves the Son, whom he loves exceedingly because of natural generation as his own Word and wisdom and sanctification.

[John 3:35] This is fulfilled when at the time of the second presence “every knee” bends to him (Philippians 2:10), having cast off the evil they have. Here he calls hand the power which the Son has by nature and not by participation, as every good is essentially in the Father and conceived in power as the Son. He also receives as man the authority he had before the incarnation.

[John 3:36] Wrath of God is being in continual torments, which is harder than every death.

[John 4:1] Even if he knows all as God, it is also of God-fitting economy to do something at the right time and then seem to learn when there is need.

[John 4:3] Whatever subordinates do by consent of leaders who see and do not contradict or hinder, the leaders are said to do; for first saying that Jesus “baptized,” here he says that Jesus himself did not baptize, assigning the disciples’ act to him in power even if he did not do the baptism in activity. The words also fit clerics sent by bishops to synods or synodical letters or other such. Since Eutyches’ disciples who were caught about dullness after the second Ephesus synod again spoke twisted doctrines of Eutyches, Eutyches is reasonably anathematized even if he himself did not appear saying such things, as hearing his disciples speak what is not right and keeping silence; for what disciples say or do runs back to the teacher’s person. So Eli was blamed for enduring his sons’ faults as having sinned.

[John 4:4] He came there that before the passion he might benefit the nations through the evangelical proclamation.

Samaritans, living water, worship in spirit (John 4:6–25)§9

9The Samaritans were neighbors of the Jews; that is why they also drank from Jacob's spring. Though they were by race of the Medes and Persians, they claimed Jacob as their own.

[John 4:6] Since "the Word became flesh" (John 1:14), it follows that he grew weary from the hard road taken at midday. Midday is the bright season of his appearing; for he had a body like ours, composed of the same things as ours, apart only from a man's intercourse. Therefore he was subject not only to toil but also to thirst and wounds, because he let the body remain within the natural limits of humanity, lest it seem a phantom. As one Christ with his own flesh he makes the sufferings of humanity his own, though as God he remained impassible.

[John 4:7] He asks the Samaritan woman—the shadow of the law—that he may give her "living water" (John 4:10), just as he asks faith of everyone, that he may grant what is beyond speech. By this he teaches contempt for Jewish scruples, showing that "what enters the mouth does not defile a person" (Matthew 15:11).

[John 4:9] How did she perceive that he was a Jew? Either from his appearance or from his speech. [John 4:9] Because the law had said, "Do not touch what is unclean," they did not dare even to touch the flesh of foreigners, thinking they would be polluted by it.

[John 4:10] The Lord's sayings are a drink of immortality—the life-giving gift of the Spirit, by which human beings live again. [John 4:10] The gift of God is the Word's sojourn among people, which came by the Father's grace and which waters the soul.

[John 4:13] The old Scripture needs the evangelical teaching that succeeds it; for the new has no successor, since the gospel's instruction keeps flowing and lifts the one who drinks into life. [John 4:14] This is a pledge of the coming resurrection, not allowing the one who has drunk it to fall into sin that leads to death.

[John 4:16] For this reason he said to her, "Call your husband" (John 4:16): that by convicting her of lying he might show her his own deity. They say that on that mountain Abraham offered Isaac, which the Samaritan woman pointed out to the Lord; so she asks him as a prophet where one must worship.

Not that God is only in Jerusalem, but that gathered there together they may keep the appointed feasts and sacrifices in harmony. [John 4:21] He calls his own sojourn "the hour," since God, being spirit, is not bounded by place. Each person fittingly worships from his own place; for worship confined to a place is rather an insult.

[John 4:22] He said "salvation is from the Jews" (John 4:22) because he took flesh from them, or because from them the world began to know the one God through the law and the prophets. [John 4:22] By comparison, the word of truth was then practiced among Jews. He said "we worship" toward the woman's suspicion; for of those who are worshipped he is God, even if, as man by economy, he said "we worship."

[John 4:23] True worshippers in every place offer God spiritual sacrifices—that is, virtue and godliness. [John 4:23] So the law came into being for the sake of the gospel, and the condescension of the shadow was allowed for the sake of the coming truth. [John 4:23] "In spirit and truth" (John 4:23–24): by spirit he means the intelligible part of the human being, which by relation and disposition before God worships God as the angels do; worship in a place is not worship in spirit and truth.

[John 4:24] God is called spirit not as wind, but as bodiless and life-giving substance; for as we live by breathing air, so we live when God gives what supplies life. God is spirit with respect to bodiless nature. [John 4:25] From

Living water disclosed; harvest; Bethesda (John 4:25–5:4)§10

10understanding she said this; for being a Samaritan she did not know the Christ.

[John 4:26] What he did not say to Jews who asked with guile—"I am he" (John 4:26)—he said to the woman, who was simpler; and he did not set before her anything from Moses to establish what concerned him, since she was unused to Scripture, but from her own conscience alone he persuaded her.

[John 4:27] Yet no one said anything; for they knew that he does everything with measured understanding and reverence. [John 4:27] They wondered that he spoke with a foreign and poor Samaritan woman, and they also wondered at his lack of pride.

[John 4:28] It is among the most absurd things not to publish what benefits the common good.

[John 4:34] As teachers of the inhabited world he teaches the disciples to prefer God's will to any food whatever. As one desires food, so I desire the salvation of human beings.

[John 4:35] The spiritual harvest—that is, godly work—has its storing and treasure in heaven, and in the age to come unending enjoyment; for that is the time of repayment.

[John 4:37] The sower is Christ, sowing saving doctrines even when speaking through prophets; the reapers are the apostles. [John 4:37] The prophets are the sowers, even if they had much toil as the first to cast piety's seeds into human souls; for the disciples did not have so much labor when persuading people from the Scriptures.

[John 4:38] As the seed being mine even if spoken through prophets, I send you to reap. The disciples cut Greeks away from earthly things and Jews from the fleshly worships of the law and set them on the threshing floor—that is, the church—where the ear, threshed, becomes wheat that gives life to the faithful.

[John 4:40] Samaritans ask Christ to stay with them—they who are foreigners—while his kin according to the flesh, the Jews, persecuted him, because "a person's enemies are those of his own household" (Matthew 10:36).

[John 4:42] "This is the Savior" (John 4:42) stands for the Christ, as one who is going to save the whole inhabited world; he said this continually.

[John 4:43] He did not leave as one seeking honor, but sparing the citizens; for when they saw him they were angry. He who was in divine honor took flesh and underwent the most dishonorable death for our salvation.

[John 4:44] Here he calls himself the prophet proclaimed beforehand by Moses, who was also called prophet by economy though he himself, as God, is the Spirit's supplier, through whom prophets prophesied.

[John 4:48] A sign differs from a wonder: a wonder is what happens contrary to nature—opening blind eyes and raising the dead—while a sign is what is not outside nature, such as healing a sick person and the like.

[John 4:50] The day before he believed, and on the next he also heard in deed that what he believed would happen had happened; for faith is strong when it has God as fellow-worker and perfecter.

[John 5:2] It was called "Sheep Gate" because there the sheep to be slaughtered for the feast were gathered and their entrails were washed there.

[John 5:3] Here the mystery of baptism was prefigured, in which every kind of sin was healed. [John 5:4] An angel coming down into the water and stirring it put healing power into them. It is unclear on what day and hour the angel came down. We say

Bethesda type; equal Son; judgment and works (John 5:4–30)§11

11on Pentecost. This was a type of the legal worship given through angels to one nation only and at one time only—at the feast's end—that is, healing advancing at the last times and not continuing into what follows.

[John 5:6] He asks not as one ignorant, but rousing him to desire to be healed.

[John 5:17] "My Father," he says, "is mine alone and no one else's"; so by what with which he holds creation together—the sun and heavens, and causes bodies to grow, he works.

[John 5:18] The one equal to the Father is especially called Son as consubstantial. Therefore the lawless Arians are laughable who deny that the Son is equal to the Father.

[John 5:21] The dead are those once unbelieving and through faith in Christ called into life. [John 5:21] Even if other rational animals received life, they cannot also give life.

[John 5:24] Those who do not come into judgment are either sent into Gehenna's fire as godless and impious, or into enjoyment of unspeakable goods—that is, true life; for this is to pass from death to life, freed from Gehenna and counted worthy of divine honors. Those who lived in the middle stand "on the right" and "on the left" (Matthew 25:33).

[John 5:24] Before the passion and resurrection, and apart from being baptized, those who received Christ's word and believed that he was the Father's Son were saved.

[John 5:27-28] Punctuate it thus, and not as some think who, after adding "and he gave him authority to execute judgment," then add "because he is Son of Man" (John 5:27). That is not right; for he is not judge because he is Son of Man, but because he is Son of God—and for that reason he is also judge. He says "Do not marvel" (John 5:28) because to those who saw him he seemed a mere man, yet what was said was greater than a man and for God alone to do. He did not say that he is Son of God, but that he is Son of Man—this he had said above—so that they might understand him as both man and God. What he means is this: not only as God does he judge, but also as one who became man and was tried in all our diseases apart from sin, and as one who sympathizes with our weaknesses and forgives the rest. Or he says this: if I raise Lazarus, do not marvel at my power from that; for I am going to raise all the dead; "all who are in the tombs" (John 5:28) means all who have died. Since bodies consumed by beasts or fire or otherwise are not laid in tombs, yet they rise; for there will be a resurrection of all humans, and these too will be numbered among those in the memorials; for those who do good and evil are not the bodies in the tombs. So nothing prevents receiving also bodies consumed by fire or otherwise.

[John 5:28] As you Jews, teaching and doing everything lawlessly by your own will—

Through both fear and honor, then, he urges the human being toward salvation. So faith alone is not enough to save unless one also has good works.

[John 5:30] Again he uses condescension because of the unbelieving. That is: nothing happens from me that the Father does not will,

One will; John's lamp; toward the mountain (John 5:30–6:6)§12

12since in the Trinity there is not another will and another, but one; the Word puts on weakness. Yet it is not so in truth, since he is equal to the Father, even if as man "under the law" (Galatians 4:4) he speaks.

[John 5:30] "I do not seek my own will" (John 5:30), as you Jews, teaching and doing everything lawlessly by your own will.

Having said that another is the one who bears witness about me, and I know that his witness is true, to show that he means John he added: "You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth" (John 5:32–33). Then, silencing them from the surplus and still speaking to their suspicion—they were about to say, If you do not receive witness from a human, why bring John's witness forward?—he showed that John's witness was not a human's witness but God's; for learning from him he said what he said. Therefore he added: "I do not receive the witness from a human" (John 5:34).

[John 5:33] John's witness is above suspicion; for he did not run to the witness self-called. He bore witness to the truth—that is, to me the Christ, who is truth.

[John 5:35] John is a lamp beside Christ's way of life, who is a sun: John shines, yet is covered by the excess of the solar light's glory; so also sun and moon in the regeneration shine, yet are so mastered by the glory of the saints' light as to seem not to shine at all. He called John a lamp as not having light from himself but from the Spirit's grace, and because when the sun has risen the lamp's need is superfluous.

[John 5:36] By "gift" he means the Father's good pleasure and understanding, or he says this because of the form of humanity.

You believed neither the prophets nor the voice brought from above nor the wonder-working of the deeds; for it belongs to simpler knowledge to say that some have seen God. These are those who have neither seen the Father's form nor heard his voice—those who did not believe in Christ, who is the Father's Word and his true form.

[John 5:40] Even if Christ wants the Jews persuaded by his teaching, he does not force free will.

As one who needs nothing, I have from myself the fullest glory and do not want human glory, but I have known you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves (John 5:41–42). [John 5:42] He said "I have known you…" showing that they did not persecute him from love of God, even if they pretended so.

[John 5:43] Even though he knows they are not persuaded and do not receive him, as God he does his own part, convicting and admonishing them. [John 5:43] The antichrist promises the glory of this life, and for that reason you believe him.

[John 5:45] A written accusation against you lies in the Mosaic books; Moses, disbelieved by you, will accuse you.

[John 6:1] He means across the lake; for Scripture's custom is to call "seas" the gatherings of waters.

[John 6:3] And because he wanted to hand something mystical to the disciples he went up onto the mountain.

[John 6:6] God also tests, calling the hearer out toward faith, that he may give

Five loaves; bread of life; sealed by the Father (John 6:6–37)§13

13him a reward for faith.

So that they may not suppose Andrew hides something for his own need, he said that a child still has five barley loaves and two fish. He said this lest he seem to be hiding what he had for some private need.

[John 6:10] He counts only the men, according to the law's custom: those who have nothing childish or womanish, but a youthful mind, whom he also feeds with the bread that strengthens the heart and fills with delight.

[John 6:11] For this reason he gives thanks: lest he seem opposed to God, and that he may teach us to give thanks when we eat; yet also as man he gives thanks, that until the passion he may escape the notice of the ruler of this age.

[John 6:13] Christ feeds the faithful through the five barley loaves, which signify the coarser teaching of the Pentateuch, and through the two fish, which are the apostolic teaching of the evangelical and apostolic proclamation.

[John 6:13] Through the sign he teaches them to take heart in him and not to lose heart in distress, or not to shrink from hospitality, but to be bold toward the good.

[John 6:27] He does not forbid working, but worrying and fretting about tomorrow, that he may dry up in advance the heresy of the Messalians and Manichaeans who use no handiwork at all.

[John 6:27] He means the intelligible, rational, and spiritual food that remains; for this helps us enjoy the goods to come, which faith in Christ procures.

[John 6:27] He means the mystical participation which the Son has given, that sanctifies soul and body, weaving the human together with what befits God.

[John 6:27] He "sealed" him—that is, anointed with the Holy Spirit the Lord's human flesh, not the Godhead; for almost all the names of the economy are taken concerning the flesh. He said this either because he is naturally formed toward the Father, that is, anointed (for those anointed are sealed), or "sealed" means the Father confirmed or undeniably disclosed the Son by his own witness; for the Son is impress and seal of the Father's essence, seen without difference as the Father.

[John 6:29] Even if he knew those people would gain nothing, still for the common benefit of the teaching he answered.

[John 6:29] It is not the one serving the shadows of the law who does God's will, but the one who believes in Christ.

[John 6:32] He did not say this as if the manna food were a lie, but because that was a type, not itself the truth. Christ is the manna who is life by nature and gives life to all things—that is, bread as feeding soul and body.

[John 6:32] Here again he calls the bread—that is, the flesh—from heaven, not because it was from heaven, but because it was united to the Word who came down from heaven; and after the union the saints speak without distinction as of one person and one hypostasis, even though they know the difference even after the union of flesh, soul, and Godhead.

[John 6:33] For he frees from sins and makes friends of God and partakers of the "divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4) and frees from Gehenna and counts the worthy of the kingdom—those who share as they ought in the flesh of the Word of God; for all these are life and food of the immortal soul.

He is bread of life not as soothing bodily hunger, but remaking the whole living being from end to end into life, through the spiritual words of which we are filled, which is life.

[John 6:35] Water and drink here mean either sanctification through the Spirit or the Holy Spirit himself.

[John 6:37] "All that the Father gives me will come to me" (John 6:37). Faith in him is no chance matter, but needs a tilt from above and a soul noble, God-minded, and grateful that receives faith, the Father's

Drawn by the Father; flesh as bread; hard saying (John 6:37–62)§14

14revelation. And "I will not cast out" (John 6:37) means this: I will not destroy, but will save and arrange for much care to be enjoyed.

[John 6:37] Faith in me, he says, is no chance thing, but needs a tilt from above so one may know what is beyond mind, even if our own zeal is also sought. As a physician the Father brings weak humans to Christ, and by economy as man he assigns what befits God to the Father, since as God Christ is able to bring them to himself.

[John 6:38] Therefore Jesus is not a bare man, but God incarnate, not deified after the resurrection; for the descent precedes the ascent.

[John 6:38] I did not come having a will of my own apart from the Father; for all that is mine is the Father's and the Father's is mine, and I came to do nothing except what the Father also wills.

[John 6:39] All humans rise, but only the faithful are counted worthy of the goods. [John 6:39] The Son gives life to the faithful by putting the Spirit's life-giving power into humans corruptible by nature and remaking them wholly into immortality.

[John 6:42] Because of his mother according to the flesh they thought it impossible that he had come down from heaven, or looking at what appeared and not considering his invisible nature they took offense.

[John 6:44] If the Father draws and God raises, great is the dignity of the faithful. He does this as God by nature.

[John 6:44] The Father draws those good by choice and leaves the wicked. The saying does not abolish what is in our power of free will, but shows that we need help; for one is drawn not unwillingly, but enjoying much alliance. The mystery concerning Christ is a good taught by God.

Even if the Father drew through the prophets' teaching, the difference is great: the first were taught through the prophets, but the faithful through the Son or the Holy Spirit. "All shall be taught by God" (John 6:45) stands for the greater number, or that God teaches all who are willing.

[John 6:45] Hearing is common; learning belongs only to those who give themselves to grace.

[John 6:46] The only Invisible appears in nature only to the Invisible. Only the Son sees the Father as existing outside all things and alone being from the Father's essence.

[John 6:50] As giving eternal life to the faithful, or as sustaining our life both now and to come. [John 6:50] For even if one tastes death, one does not remain so because of the hope of the resurrection.

[John 6:50] He calls his own flesh bread because it is eaten in the mysteries.

[John 6:52] As if the matter were contrary to nature they disbelieve; as soulish they do not understand the Lord's spiritual body. [John 6:52] He does not speak of eating flesh, but of sharing in the mysteries.

[John 6:53] You will be without share in eternal life who have not received through participation in the mysteries Jesus who is life by nature.

[John 6:53] He says these things showing that the flesh was not of a bare man, but of the Son filled with all the Godhead as one of the Trinity.

Just as sensible foods mixed into us constitute the body, so also mystical participation makes a kind of natural joining of the believer with Christ by mixing.

[John 6:57] The Son is life by nature, not having received living from another; for that is called a living being. So neither is the name living being assigned to God, nor the name life to the creation.

[John 6:58] The one who believes that the bread is given from heaven also believes that he gives eternal life. Therefore those who ate the manna did not eat the bread from heaven, from which they died.

[John 6:59] Why did he say these things in a synagogue? To teach the crowd the doctrines and that he was not opposed to God.

[John 6:60] The evangelist said "the word is hard" (John 6:60) because they heard the Lord's words too humanly. [John 6:60] Not understanding what was said, they could not bear even to ask and learn.

[John 6:62] The incarnate God himself is the Son of Man. The body itself is not called Son of Man, as Marcellus wrongly teaches when he says he came down from heaven. He teaches that he was God

Spirit and flesh; Judas; Tabernacles counsel (John 6:62–7:27)§15

15and was seen in flesh and that his flesh is life-giving.

[John 6:63] That is: they are spiritual. They have no natural sequence, but are outside such necessity. Here he calls spirit the flesh filled with the Spirit's life-giving energy; for the flesh remains flesh.

[John 6:64] Even if as God he knew they were going to disbelieve, still he speaks what benefits the common good.

[John 6:66] "Many of his disciples" (John 6:66) does not mean the Twelve.

[John 6:70-71] Knowing what would be, Jesus as God does the good and grants things worthy of wonder, yet he does not overturn our free will; for he does his own part, and it is in us to keep it. Hence one must not blame God for the benefits he gives, but those who willingly lost the gifts, as Adam, Eve, Judas, and all such. Even if I chose you, virtue and vice in humans are free. He calls devil the one clinging to the devil, made like him, and doing what pleases him.

[John 6:71] As amazed the evangelist said "one of the Twelve" (John 6:71), that the devil wars so far as to be able to snatch one of the Twelve who raised dead and drove out demons and enjoyed the Lord's life-giving and spiritual teaching.

[John 7:1] He shows the things of humanity by fleeing the Jews and convicting Marcion and Paul who said that God's Son did not truly become man.

His brothers seemed to blame him as cowardly and as doing signs in secret, wanting him as glory-loving to be in the open.

[John 7:7] Here "world" means humans who mind the things of the world.

[John 7:8] You do what you want without looking around; I do not, because I arrange each thing toward what is useful. I wait for the passion, that rising I may make my power plain to all.

It was not the same to stay at the feast's start while the Jews boiled with anger; so later, when the feast was about to end, he goes up, having done nothing contrary to what he said; for he did not go up to keep festival, but to counsel. Therefore he also went up secretly, not with the cheer festival-goers use. And in the old covenant, having said to Moses "I will not go up with you," later when Moses pleaded he promised to go with them.

[John 7:15] From the difficulty they ought to have known that he is God.

[John 7:16] Because of extreme likeness he calls his teaching the Father's, or because he himself is the Father's "wisdom" through which the Father speaks all things, or also as man by economy he assigns the teaching to the Father because of the Jews' unbelief. He says he was sent because of the flesh, or as Word from mind—that is, from the Father—or as "radiance" from the sun (Hebrews 1:3).

[John 7:18] That is: privately and separately; for I would not speak otherwise than according to the Father's will.

[John 7:18] What concerns himself he is silent about by economy because of the Jews' readiness to take offense and for blamelessness, and he proclaims the Father's glory. He weaves this argument so they may know he does not seek glory.

[John 7:19] Being Lord of Moses and of the law, because of the Jews' weakness he somehow alienates himself from the law by calling it Moses'; for they could not hear that he was God by nature, nor the deep mystery of the economy.

[John 7:23] Why are you troubled? For healing the paralytic did not loose the Sabbath; not healing did. When, he says, a person receives a sign that causes pain, no one is angry that the law is loosed; yet here, when a whole person has been healed, you are vexed as if lawlessness occurred.

[John 7:24] If you do not blame those who circumcise or sacrifice or fight on the Sabbath, do not blame me either; for this is nothing other than respect of persons.

[John 7:25] The crowd convicts the Jews who want to kill him and deny it—lying—while Christ speaks truth about himself.

[John 7:26-27] You say well that when the Christ comes no one knows where he is from; for the true God from whom I am

Unknown origin; living water; light of the world (John 7:27–8:16)§16

16has been unknown to you, he says, and it is no wonder if you do not know me, that I am the Christ, since you do not know the one from whom I am.

Those were saying about the Jerusalemites, "Have they not known that this is the Christ?" while they themselves held the opposite and said, "We know this man, that he is from earth and is 'son of the carpenter,' but as for the Christ, we do not know him."

[John 7:29] He is visible to me alone, since I am God by nature and not of created nature, who know the Father only by thoughts as they can. But his Son contemplates the whole Begetter in himself and paints the Begetter's essence in his own nature, and so knows him as cannot be said; for the things concerning God are inexpressible.

[John 7:30] From this we learn that he suffered willingly and was not seized by Jewish greed. By hour he means the timely outcome of the affairs.

[John 7:32] By what they murmured they appear accepting Christ and wanting to split from the leaders. Sensing this, the leaders sent to seize him for this alone—that he was believed to be the Christ—so that they might destroy him.

[John 7:37] When all were running together and about to go home, then he teaches, that they may have his words as provision for the way.

[John 7:37] I drag no one by force, but the one who has much eagerness. He spoke thus to teach that those who run to faith ought to have the thirsting ones' desire, who when they drink find rest.

[John 7:37] Since the law calls the seventh a "holy convocation," following old custom the evangelist also called it great.

[John 7:38] The faithful will receive as faith's repayment abundant goods, and will have such a gift from the Holy Spirit that they not only rejoice themselves but also share the Spirit's grace with others, so that those too no longer thirst for knowledge of the truth.

[John 7:39] He does not refer the saying to the hypostasis, but to the Spirit's energy, which came after Christ's resurrection.

They said well that the Christ must be from David's seed and from Bethlehem. They err because of Nazareth, where he was raised, though he was born in Bethlehem from the virgin of David.

[John 8:12] He shows that he is the one of whom it was proclaimed beforehand, "I have set you as a light for the nations" (Isaiah 49:6), and not one of the prophets but Lord.

[John 8:12] He called himself the light, not that the light is in me, lest someone cut the one Christ into a duality of sons; for there is one Christ Son both before flesh and after flesh, and one and only true Son from God and Father, and when he became man human nature is not set in a part; for the body is his own, and to cut Christ after the incarnation into two sons or two natures (for it is the same) is blasphemous.

[John 8:14] If they had known that he was God's Son and came down from heaven, they would not have taken offense because of the visible body. "I am God," he says, "and I witness to myself worthily; but you do not know me for this reason, because you want to understand nothing except what appears." He did not say "I am God," but "where I come from," mixing lowly with high. "You do not know where I come from and where I go"; for they were willfully wicked and pretended not to know.

[John 8:15] Looking at my appearing body you judge my affairs wrongly.

[John 8:15] For I did not come for these things, since it is not a time of judgment; if I wanted to judge, you are among the condemned. "I did not come" now "to judge the world" but to save (John 12:47).

[John 8:16] He says this toward the hearers' suspicion—that is, my judgment is the Father's, and I do not judge otherwise than the Father, nor the Father otherwise than the Son. He did not say this as weak about judging, but that with the Son the Father is going to judge those who disbelieve the one sent from him.

Two witnesses; true freedom begun (John 8:17–35)§17

17He wants to show not only that he and the Father are two, but also that they are of the same essence. If Father and Son were one person according to Sabellius, he would have seemed to bring the law's witness against himself.

[John 8:17-19] We should not take this simply as said of humans; for it is not because there are two that the witness is true; nor are there two when the one witnesses to himself. He says this for no other reason than to show himself consubstantial with the Father and through himself to show again that he needs no other witness, and lest someone think it was taken for the sake of number, he shows the authority: having said "the witness of two men is true," he added, "I am the one who bears witness about myself," and what I am I will not refuse to say; for I witness that "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12). And if I do not seem trustworthy, since I am alone and have witnessed to myself, I will take the Father as voting with my words by the deeds; for he works wonders with me, as you see, and works together. Not understanding this, the wretched supposed these things were said about the father reckoned according to flesh. Therefore talking nonsense they said, "Where is your father?"—that is, insulting him as not knowing his father, as if from adultery, they said "Where is your father?"

[John 8:19] Thinking Joseph was his father they said this, or they reproach him as born of a virgin and not knowing his own father.

[John 8:19] If you suspect my Father to be a human, then you do not know me either. But since the lovers of learning through knowledge of Jesus understand the Father, the Father is characterized in the Son as in his own image. Therefore the Son is equal to the Father. Saying that you do not know my Father and me, he teaches that he was neither of Joseph, whom they knew, nor did they ask for the account concerning his incarnation.

So then they laid hands on him when he himself allowed. He was teaching in the temple as a teacher, which stung them greatly. And no one seized him, because it was not yet the time in which he willed to suffer.

[John 8:21] You will remain outside the goods of the kingdom, unable to ascend into the heavens, since you did not receive the one who came from above.

[John 8:23] By "world" here he means fleshly thoughts, saying that he himself is not of the world.

[John 8:24] The unbeliever of necessity departs having "the old man," whom if he does not put to death through faith, he will die in him and depart to give account for former sins.

[John 8:28] Even if I loose the Sabbath, it does not displease the Father.

[John 8:28] From the signs that were going to happen at the time of the passion you will know that I am the Christ. From the signs that happened at the time of the passion they might have known that he was the Christ.

[John 8:28] When you destroy me and seem to be rid of me, then you will know that I am Son of God—from the signs, from the resurrection, from your capture.

He speaks thus because of the hearers' weakness—that is, I am not opposed to the Father because of the indistinguishability of essence. Since I am consubstantial with the Father, I do nothing that the Father does not do; for he also works on the Sabbath as I do, and what he speaks I speak, and in vain you accuse me as opposed to God. Lest by saying "the one who sent me" they conceive diminution, he says "he is with me," saying both because of the Godhead and because of the economy of the incarnation.

[John 8:32] Sacrifices and sprinklings never freed from sins, but those who perform the worship in spirit through faith in Christ are freed, no longer ranked among slaves but among sons.

[John 8:34] Each sin, taking the soul captive as it were, makes it a slave of the passion.

[John 8:35] The one who does not remain into the

True freedom; devil's lie; keep the word (John 8:35–51)§18

18age and always stays the same is a slave by nature and can free neither himself nor another; for all things are slaves of the Creator; but the Son remains into the age always the same as God by nature.

[John 8:36] Here he hints at the cleansing of sin, which God alone gives, which is true freedom and no other; those others have freedom only as far as the name.

[John 8:42] If you loved me, that was a sign that you were from God; for if love leads into adoption, how can you be numbered among God's sons when you do not love me who remake into my own form the one who believes in him, or because he is God by nature and Son of God. Yet those who live piously call God Father without blame.

[John 8:42] "I came forth" signifies the unspoken and beginningless begetting from the Father; "I have come" the passage into this world with flesh.

[John 8:42] By the Father's good pleasure, he says, I was incarnate and came into the world to speak to you the things from the Father.

[John 8:43] "You cannot" stands for "you will not" imagine anything great.

[John 8:44] He said this not because the devil caused them to be, but to become wicked, which happens from ways; as in brief the mind of the saying means this. Even if it is unclear, more fittingly the devil would be named your father, the man-killer who has a liar as father.

He calls Cain father of the Jews, who first among humans became leader of envy and murder and lie and deceit after Satan, whose son he would justly also be called; like him are the Jews and everyone who imitates them. Therefore it is no wonder that I too am Son of the true God who speaks true things, and you must believe me who speak true things. This one through disobedience killed Adam and through him the rest of humans.

[John 8:44] He first begot the lie, saying other things instead of other things to Eve.

[John 8:46] He said this that he might shame them even from the purity of his life: you have nothing to charge against what was done or said by me. He did not say this expecting to be convicted, but declaring that God, being unchangeable, cannot fall into sin; for every sin passes by turning from the better to the base.

[John 8:47] He calls the faithful from God not according to essence, but according to receiving from him the pattern of piety and being made akin to him from virtue and lawful life. And "hears" is not with sense ears but with the soul's assents.

[John 8:47] He shows that they did not believe him for this reason: not because they attended to him as opposed to God, but because they were alien to God.

[John 8:48] They call demon-possessed the one who commands demons, from boundless madness. Likely they also called him a Samaritan, even if the evangelist did not mention it later.

[John 8:48] They called the Lord a Samaritan as indifferent about the legal commands and loosing the Sabbath; for the Samaritans do not Judaize exactly.

[John 8:49] Here he is insulted and bears it gently, teaching us to overlook insults against ourselves. But where they said God was their "Father," he strikes them hard, training us to avenge what concerns God.

[John 8:50] Even if I through humility overlook my own honor, yet the Father seeks my glory and honor.

[John 8:50] If I sought glory, I would not, "being in the form of God," have taken "a slave's form" (Philippians 2:6–7) and humbled myself for your salvation, nor would I have overlooked insults against me, but would have exacted penalties at once. Now you sin against God and Father, the sin ascending to him; for nothing at all stands between Father and Son, as far as identity of essence, even while each exists as contemplated on his own.

[John 8:51] Here he hints not only at faith but also seeks the pure life which the one who keeps this word makes.

[John 8:51] He does not mean fleshly death, which we all undergo, but that as God he did not reckon the death which as God he could easily overturn; for here he names death the being punished through the age; and life is also the unceasing enjoyment.

[John 8:51] By age he means the coming one, which is properly called age as having no end, where no one dies any longer after the resurrection given through Christ

Abraham's day; blind man; sheepfold door (John 8:51–10:4)§19

19given to all, where indeed what is made alive, even if it dies, does not die to God.

[John 8:52] That is: those who heard God's word died, and those who hear your word will not die?

[John 8:55] For only the Son knows the Father naturally and knowingly—or rather the Trinity knows itself. To say "I know him" is not boast; to say one does not know is a lie; for you, saying you know him, lie.

[John 8:56] He shows them alien to Abraham even in this, since in what that one rejoiced these grieve.

[John 8:56] He seems to mean the day of the cross, which was prefigured in the ram's slaughter and Isaac's offering. Therefore he did not come unwilling to the passion, if indeed he praises the one who rejoiced at the cross's passion.

The Jews' saying is senseless; for he was speaking to them about his own eternity, while they talked as to one just beginning to be; and the Lord said Abraham saw my day, but they took the opposite, that he himself saw Abraham.

[John 8:58] He was before all, but he mentioned only Abraham because the talk was about him.

[John 8:58] Of Abraham he set "came to be," because what has come to be also perishes; of himself "I am," as eternal and better than corruption.

[John 9:2] This question is mistaken; neither does anyone sin before being born who does not exist at all, nor is another punished for another.

He called himself light of the world as enlightening the faithful's souls and because he was about to open the eyes of the one "blind from birth" (John 9:1).

[John 9:6] He spat on the ground and made clay from the spittle and anointed the clay on the blind man's eyes, wanting to show through the clay that he himself is the one who also fashioned Adam from clay; for to say "I am the one who did this" seemed offensive to the hearers. But being shown through the work, this no longer stood in the way. Therefore not simply, but in that manner, he crafted the eyes; and he not only formed and opened but also granted seeing, which is proof that he also ensouled Adam with the soul; for if that is not active, an eye, even if finished, would never see.

[John 9:11] This looks toward an image of those from the nations once blind, now enlightened and teaching Israel Christ's power.

From extreme impiety they preferred the Sabbath to his divine power and blaspheming said that this man is not from God. [John 9:16] For Christ, having anointed the clay with one finger on the Sabbath, is charged, while they with a whole hand loosing animals and leading them to drink and pulling up sheep fallen into a pit are not accused.

[John 9:33] Not as a respecter of persons—God forbid—but as just and lover of the just, God works wonders through the saints, not through those who sin.

[John 9:34] Foolish are the Jews who bid God be glorified because of the wonder, yet condemn the one who did God's work.

[John 9:35] He asks not as ignorant; for he knew that he believed, since he had contended against Jews, but showing that he greatly delights in his believing, he teaches that the one who believes in Jesus does not believe as in one human among us, but as in God become man; for thus the mystery concerning Christ is full.

[John 9:39] That is: unto greater punishment; for those who condemned him as a sinner are themselves condemned as sinners.

[John 10:1] A thief is the one who by force snatches honor not given him, which he cannot receive unless one who believes in Christ—or a thief is the one who does not use the teaching authorized from the Scriptures but comes through another unauthorized way. Therefore he also said "from elsewhere," that he might signify the scribes who teach "human commandments" (Mark 7:7) and transgress the law.

[John 10:1] When the faithful hear from right teachers the divine teachings of the Scriptures, they receive them as some food; but as many as call Christ a deceiver have been cast out of the order of the sheep.

[John 10:4] Though shepherds customarily walk behind the sheep, this one walks in front of the sheep, showing that he

Door, shepherd, other sheep (John 10:4–27)§20

20guides all toward the truth.

[John 10:5] By strangers he means those around Theudas, whose hearers were scattered, and the other false christs.

[John 10:6] He calls the saying a proverb because through one saying two matters' meanings are understood.

[John 10:7] As God, knowing they did not understand, he clarifies the saying to them from the start, that they may still be benefited.

[John 10:7-8] He is door as shutting in the sheep and keeping thieves out and convicting them; or because only through faith in him we enter toward the Father and are made his own; or because through him we come to rule peoples; or because he receives the worthy into the holy court and shuts entrance to the unworthy.

[John 10:8] Saying "all" the Lord does not mean the holy prophets but those pretending to be good and slipping into ruling peoples, whom those under them did not endure—or he means the false christs or those around Theudas.

[John 10:9] The faithful are sent on through Christ as through a door into eternal life.

[John 10:9] Pasture is the divine teachings which the faithful enjoy. The Word of God is a door leading into knowledge of God; and those who enter through him become outside the world.

[John 10:9] By pasture he means security, which happened for the apostles, who as lords of the inhabited world went in and out and no one could cast them out.

[John 10:10] By "more abundantly" he means the kingdom of the heavens, which he calls life because the name is familiar to them; hinting at the resurrection he said the abundance. Or the abundance means participation in the Spirit, which only the saints enjoy, though all rise commonly, wicked and good; for only the saints are changed into glory. Here he speaks about the saving passion into which he came willingly.

[John 10:10] When all had been slaughtered and destroyed, Christ came to save and give life.

[John 10:12] He names hireling neglecting the sheep each of the people's rulers, since they did nothing for the peoples' benefit but used them as foreigners; for they were not their own, therefore they were not grieved at the peoples' destruction.

We do not know God otherwise unless first we are known from him. Therefore he also set that first; for first he was made akin to us by becoming man, and so we too to him.

[John 10:14] "I am the shepherd" he said because of those who disbelieved; for not all the sheep heard him, but those known from him and knowing him.

[John 10:15] Through identity of nature as consubstantial with the Father I know him and am known by him.

[John 10:15] From laying down his own soul that they may be saved he establishes himself as good shepherd and not a deceiver such as those around Theudas; for he offered himself as ransom for all.

[John 10:15] Saying "I lay down" he showed that he suffered willingly.

[John 10:16] He said this because of those who disbelieved; for not all the sheep heard him, but those known from him and knowing him.

[John 10:16] All are sheep, yet because of difference of mind he says they are not of this fold, which is the world.

[John 10:16] He shows that when the Pharisees are cast out he was going as God to rule the nations and lead all into knowledge of God, Jews and Greeks, the one proclaimed beforehand by Moses and many prophets as going to do this.

[John 10:17] He says he is loved because of the virtuous deed. Clearly virtue is to die for impiety. He speaks lowly because of the incarnation; for he did not now begin to be loved by the Father.

[John 10:18] The command declares the concord with the Father, even if he speaks lowly. And the command is to die for the world.

Since what was said was beyond human, they called him demon-possessed. And by being silent when he heard these things the Lord taught us to bear insults against ourselves gently.

[John 10:25] Even if he did not say himself plainly Christ, yet by calling himself light, shepherd, way, he signified this; for with these names Scripture is accustomed to call the Christ.

[John 10:27] Since Judas also was one of those given to the Son and fell into wickedness, humans are shown not evil by nature and essence, but

One hand; sanctified Son; Lazarus illness (John 10:27–11:4)§21

21turning willingly.

Proof of the Lord's sheep is readiness to hear; of strangers, disobedience. For hearing here means obeying what is said, and following means imitation through deeds. He says he gives life, which he also calls eternal: living in cheer and unbroken blessedness. And to perish into the age means to be subject to unceasing torments. By his hand he means the power and authority from which no one can snatch those who follow him. And even if as God by nature he himself gives from himself, yet as man he is also said to receive. He says this not as if through the Father's power alone no one snatches them because he himself is insufficient to keep them, but so they may not call him opposed to God; for he said beforehand that no one snatches them from my hand, and showing that this hand is one, he says it is sometimes his and sometimes the Father's; for he himself is the Father's right hand. Then lest through these words someone think the Son less than the Father, he added next: "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30)—clearly according to the power which he also calls hand.

[John 10:30] Signifying that Father and Son are not one according to hypostasis, he said "I and the Father"; for they are one in essence, in the power which he also calls hand, sometimes his and sometimes the Father's.

[John 10:32] The works are not mine alone but of the whole Godhead; for the Father does all things through the Son in the Holy Spirit, and he teaches us to be moderate and not boast if we receive something from God.

[John 10:33] Not knowing that the Son was not going to sojourn with bare Godhead but incarnate "from David's seed" (Romans 1:3), they called the right confession blasphemy.

[John 10:34] If Israelites, filthy humans who received this by grace, are not charged, how is the one who has this by nature rebuked?

[John 10:36] The Son is said to be sanctified because he was sent to be slaughtered for the world's salvation; for holy are the things set apart to God for sacrifice.

Since seeing the essence is impossible, from equality of works he presents the indistinguishability of power, through which he says the Father is known from himself and he himself from the Father.

[John 10:38] "I am in the Father and the Father is seen in me" according to identity of nature and essence; for one is the definition of nature, even if we conceive the holy Trinity in distinct existences; for the Father is not Son or Spirit nor the reverse, even if they are not in separation because of their mutual communion and equality; for even among us the begetter's essence is known and in the begotten the father according to the account of essence, yet because we are separated by bodies, we the many are no longer "one."

[John 10:39] From how easily he escapes them even against their will, it is shown that he would not have been caught unless willing.

[John 10:40] He came there to remind the crowds of what John said about him. Those who cross the mystical Jordan are carried toward God, just as Christ, having crossed the Jordan, came into the church of the nations and remained there.

[John 11:2] This is not the woman Matthew and Luke mention; for those were prostitutes, whom Christ endured through goodness.

[John 11:2] She did this to wipe a blessing from the holy flesh.

[John 11:4] It is not toward lasting death, but for only four days. Since he rose not long after, looking to the end of the affair we say

Lazarus raised; tears and cry (John 11:4–44)§22

22the illness is not toward death. Raising Lazarus from sickness was not of such glory and wonder as raising him from the dead.

[John 11:6] For this reason he stayed, that Lazarus might die and be buried and the Jews might not say he raised one who had only swooned.

[John 11:7] For this reason he foretells, lest when he suddenly goes there they be troubled.

"They are seeking to stone you" and what follows they said as not yet perfected and thinking that he also suffered unwillingly, so that he said this: "Are there not twelve hours" and what follows (John 11:9).

[John 11:9] Just as the day is unstable, shifting from hour to hour, so also is human opinion—that is, the Jews'. If the one who walks in day does not stumble, how would I who enlighten all undergo the things of the ill-advised?

[John 11:15] He speaks as to one living when he says "let us go"; for to him Lazarus lived as God.

[John 11:16] Lest we appear without affection, let us hasten to our friend's salvation, overlooking Jewish plots.

[John 11:25] The Lord called himself life, not a living being; for a living being is receptive of life, but life is what supplies living, as wisdom and the wise: the one receives, the other gives.

[John 11:31] If this had not happened by God's economy, the evangelist would not have mentioned it; it happened so that even unwilling they might come and witness the sign.

[John 11:33] Christ, grieved and seeing grief moved in himself and the flesh nodding toward tears, rebukes the flesh by the Holy Spirit's power, which, not bearing the movement of the Godhead united to it, trembles and masters the grief; for it was not fitting for the one who brings the hope of resurrection to weep over a dead man.

[John 11:34] As one without love of display he said this and pretends not to know, because of the lowliness of human nature—he who knows all as God—that he might draw many to the place.

[John 11:34] He asks not as ignorant, he who knew this from a long distance, but so that on the pretext of pointing out the place they may come and see the sign.

[John 11:35] Sympathizing with those who wept, he wept—not for the one he was about to raise.

[John 11:38] Again he rebukes the passion, that we may learn that he became man without change as we are.

[John 11:39] Because of the excess of the wonder Martha somehow again disbelieves.

[John 11:40] In things beyond nature God's glory appears. Because of the hearers' weakness he says the Father's glory; because of freedom from vanity he did not say "you will see my glory" but the Father's.

[John 11:41] Being equal to the Father he thanks him, that we may give thanks to the one above ourselves. This is said among friends and equals.

[John 11:43] As if the soul were far off he calls with a cry, not as if it were in the tomb, as the Greeks' children mythologize. The Lord's cry was a type of the "great trumpet" that will sound in the common resurrection. The command is God-befitting and royal.

[John 11:44] So also the universal resurrection is going to happen "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye" (1 Corinthians 15:52). And it is almost a similar sign of the

Council; Caiaphas; withdrawal (John 11:44–55)§23

23resurrection: that with hands and feet and eyes bound he came out walking. By the loosing they witnessed that it was not a phantom but Lazarus.

From this it is clear that not all the Jews around Mary saw Lazarus's resurrection, but some of them, who also believed in Christ. The rest, hearing from those who had seen, went down to the Pharisees, stirring them against him as one who had dared something unholy; for they accused him as having ordered the buried to be dug up. Then he says they gathered a council against him and reasoned, saying: If we leave him thus, all will believe in him and the Romans will come upon us on suspicion of tyranny and will destroy our city. These things, even if they said them from envy, also came out when they did not expect it, when they crucified him.

[John 11:46] They accused him as having dared something unholy—as ordering the buried to turn back. After so many proofs they spoke as of a bare man, not knowing that he was the Christ, maker of the signs.

[John 11:48] If, they say, those who believe in him make him king, the Romans will come upon us as having tyrannized and will strip us of everything. To avoid undergoing the terrible things they said he should be destroyed. And when they murdered him, the grievous things came out against them.

[John 11:49] When priesthoods became purchasable, priests no longer served for their whole lifetime nor by lineage, but the Romans gave it to whom they wished, succeeding them when they wished.

With a mouth speaking only, not with the Holy Spirit's grace touching his heart, the gift of foretelling was given him for the honor of the priesthood, not as to a prophet. Prophesying benefits no one. It fits against those who do not believe rightly yet foretell some things, who if they say on the day of judgment to the Lord, "Lord, did we not prophesy in your name," will hear that "I never knew you" (Matthew 7:22–23). So one must not be led astray from this; for prophecy is not a fruit of good works by which we recognize the saints, but wholly the Spirit's work, even if it speaks through human instruments—that is, human tongues.

[John 11:52] Christ underwent death for the common salvation of all.

[John 11:52] The evangelist calls children of God the faithful from the nations who were "far" and have become "near" into "one body," having Christ as one head (Ephesians 2:13–16). He proclaims beforehand what he does not know, glorifying Christ by necessity as also Balaam did.

[John 11:54] He withdraws for the Jews' condemnation, not from cowardice, and teaches us at the peak of anger not to throw ourselves into dangers. He fled waiting for the fitting time of the passion and sparing their salvation.

[John 11:55] Those who had sinned voluntary or involuntary faults did not keep the Passover unless they had been purified

Bethany anointing; palms; nations' colt (John 12:1–16)§24

24with the customary purification.

[John 12:1-2] But Lazarus did not die at once after appearing; he lived on eating and drinking and doing the usual things, which the evangelist said as marveling.

[John 12:1-4] Martha is seen as practical virtue, Mary as spiritual contemplation. Others take Martha as the old covenant, which prepares the Lord's table through the testimony of the old things, established by doctrines concerning Christ, and Mary as evangelical instruction, which anointing the Lord's feet with myrrh—that is, his economy upon the earth—filled the whole earth with fragrance, which is the house of all humanity. Others understand Martha as the Jews' synagogue wanting to serve God through fleshly things, and Mary as the church from the nations offering spiritual sacrifices and fragrant faith to God and wiping the blessing from his flesh through mystical participation.

[John 12:3] For in the rank of fragrance the knowledge of Christ was going to fill the world.

[John 12:5] Judas blames that she brought myrrh and not silver, not knowing what is truly good; for the gift-bearing toward God ought to be preferred to the poor.

[John 12:6] The Lord endured him stealing, lest he say that for love of money and want I made the betrayal. Judas was a temple robber, stealing money dedicated to God.

[John 12:7] Toward conviction of the senseless Judas he mentioned the burial. What he means is this: wait a little and I will go away. He speaks in defense of the woman, lest he seem to prefer himself to the poor.

Saying "leave her" he convicts Judas's hypocrisy as blaming things worthy of praise. And since the myrrh's expense was not for luxury but for mystical need, he apologizes for Mary, even if she did not know the economy of the mystery. And by mentioning burial he shames Judas, that for shameful gain he was going to betray the teacher.

When there is need of spiritual liturgy or hymnody, one must not leave these and go off about beneficence, but after these liturgies.

[John 12:10] They almost made a charge against the man because he had suffered well.

As to one who had conquered death they met him with palms; for David's prophecy is fulfilled through this.

The donkey is a type of the nations, whom the Lord, being unclean, made subject. The colt is a type of the nations, whom the Lord, sitting, leads up into the "Jerusalem above," of which the earthly is a type. He calls them a colt because they were untrained in the faith according to piety.

[John 12:16] For this reason they did not know, lest they take offense if, being king, he is going to suffer such things, and because they could not at once contain the knowledge of the kingdom.

And not using the law they went up to worship toward the law as toward something venerable

Hour for the nations; grain, glory, and light (John 12:21–38)§25

25…place because of the miracles that happened among the Jews. [John 12:21] So then it is time for the disciples to pass over to the nations, even if at the beginning they did not do this, so that the Jews might not take offense.

[John 12:24] He calls glory the resurrection, after which he was glorified as Son of God.

[John 12:24] Do not be troubled if I die; for then the proclamation grows all the more and those from the nations believe. And do not disbelieve; for this also happens in the grain. When I suffer and die, I rise with greater glory; for all are going to believe in me as God.

[John 12:25] The one who has despised life in this world acquires the incorruptible in the age to come. That one loves his own soul and loses it who does its illicit desires; but the one who hates and saves it is the one who does not obey it when it commands what is illicit.

[John 12:28] Through the resurrection from the dead. And he calls glory the cross, through which human beings came to know the Father’s name.

[John 12:28] The Son was always conspicuous in wonders, having the Father as fellow-worker, and he glorifies him again through the sign at his death; for as man he was raised through the Father, even if as God by nature the Son raised himself.

[John 12:28] How the voice was arranged is not ours to say; for the Father did not speak as having a body, as some heretics have tried to claim.

[John 12:29] To the crowd the voice was indistinct; but perhaps because it was made known to the disciples through Christ, the Jews ought to have understood that it was the Father who answered back in the way he knows; for Jesus did not ask that thunder happen.

[John 12:31] Through faith or unbelief—some being made God’s own, others being set as enemies—all humanity is judged through me, saying to the devil as in a courtroom: granted that you murdered the other human beings as sinners, why also the Lord? The time of the advent is a judgment of the world, since Christ is about to justify human beings and free them from the devil’s greed, not to condemn them now; for Christ’s death justifies all humanity against the devil who wronged the world, when the judgment takes place.

[John 12:32] By saying “all,” he also signifies those from the nations. And he draws them as ones held by a tyrant and unable to flee of themselves—which elsewhere he calls a snatching. And let someone say, How did he also prevail over you? Not only because I rise, but also because I draw all to believe in me, that I am God, not a mere man.

[John 12:33] He showed that he suffered willingly and knowing that he was not only dying but also by what manner; the evangelist named the cross death.

[John 12:34] The Jews do not understand that Christ is slaughtered as a sheep, yet rising he remains forever, dying no longer.

[John 12:35] He calls light the evangelical teaching, and darkness ignorance or the condemnation of the ungodly. He himself is the light. And he speaks of a time both the season before the passion and the whole of the present life, by love of humanity urging them toward faith.

[John 12:36] Those who walk in light become sons of light. And if above he called the faithful sons of God, nothing follows from this; for Father and Son have one operation.

[John 12:36] The way of salvation is faith into Christ, which makes sons of light—that is, of the Father; for the Son is light and the Father is, as of one nature.

[John 12:36] Knowing as God that they were angry, he withdrew, giving time to test what had been spoken to them, not out of fear.

[John 12:37-38] Let no one say: Why then did Christ come, knowing that they would not believe? For it must be said: so that the Jews might not have a pretext for unbelief, since the prophets also spoke knowing that they were not persuaded.

[John 12:38] They were not forced by Isaiah’s prophecy into refusing to be persuaded, but because

Hardened hearts; image of the Father; foot-washing begins (John 12:38–13:8)§26

26they were obstinate they disobeyed. The Jews murdered the Lord through their own ill will, not so that they might fulfill the prophecies; for if it were so they would have been irreligious in that way.

[John 12:38] God did not harden them, but allowed them to do what they wished. And they had the hardening from unbelief. Yet it was impossible that God’s foreknowledge, which foresaw the unbelief, not come out—not as compelling. Those unable to believe do not have a nature opposing belief, but a bad choice. Therefore the devil darkens them and God does not hinder.

[John 12:39] For this reason the prophets foretell, so that the sober may flee the devil’s pits; for “they could not” stands in place of “they would not”; and elsewhere too we understand power as choice.

[John 12:40] God did not harden their heart; for if he had, he would not have required of them an account, since he even forgives voluntary faults, but hands over the obstinate, blinded by the devil, to passions and a “depraved mind” (Romans 1:28); for while they were such, it was not just that they know the depth of the mystery—those who had shut the eyes of their mind.

[John 12:45] Being image of the Father he shows the Father through himself. Through this he signifies the indistinguishability of essence, showing the consubstantial; for the divine is incorporeal. These things signify likeness.

[John 12:45] Because of the hearers’ weakness he speaks as man. When I am honored, do not think you honor a man; for through me the Father is honored.

[John 12:46] As the Father is light, so also the Son. Therefore Paul, wanting to show the great resemblance, calls the Son “radiance” of the Father (Hebrews 1:3): just as light appearing makes both itself clear and the things seen, so the Son, being light and having come, made both himself and the Father known to us.

The aim of the present coming was not to judge but to save the faithful. And so as not to give them occasion for unbelief, he refers the cause of unbelief toward him up to the Father.

[John 12:48] For the word of his humility condemns them. The Son himself is going to judge the disobedient, not the word; for he speaks enigmatically. On the day of judgment the word that called us to salvation punishes those who disobeyed.

[John 12:49] Being Word of the Father he himself interprets what is in the Father and makes it manifest. Therefore he also says he has received a commandment; for so among us too word publishes what is in the mind.

[John 12:49] He says he does these things as from the Father, since the Jews saw him reshaping the shadow of the law toward the more spiritual.

[John 12:50] Saying this he did not abolish his own authority, but shows that nothing alien to the Father is in the Son. I utter nothing contrary to the Father, nor as mine alone, but as common.

[John 13:1] He foreknew the passion; therefore it must be said that he came willingly to suffer; for he would not unwillingly have endured so insulting a death. He calls hour the Passover feast at which he suffered; he calls his death a passing.

[John 13:1] He loved them even before the Passover, having become man; but when he also handed himself over to die, then he perfectly showed his love toward human beings. Not only Jews but also others he has as his own as Creator. He calls his own all who are in the world.

[John 13:2] He calls tradition the salvation of the faithful, which he himself also hands over in turn to the Father, because he was begotten from the Father’s essence.

[John 13:2] As astonished the evangelist says that he washed the feet of the one who had set himself to hand him over to death. On the fifth day the supper; on the fourth Judas agreed to betray Christ; therefore he said the devil had already cast into the heart that Judas should betray him.

[John 13:6] Through the touch he was cleansing their feet for readiness of the gospel. And he also leads them into humility.

[John 13:7] When I am taken up, he says, then from the Spirit’s grace you will learn what is happening.

[John 13:8] If you do not accept the lesson of humility, you have no share with me—that is, unless someone washes off the filth of sin through Christ’s grace, he does not

Peter, Judas, and mutual glory (John 13:8–33)§27

27attain life nor enjoy the kingdom of the heavens.

[John 13:9] Having at first spoken against it through humility, now through excess of reverence Peter says something superfluous—both from fierce love.

[John 13:11] They were clean, enlightened by the teaching and freed from Jewish error and having cast off all wickedness by being with Christ. And by witnessing purity to the others he proves unclean the one who is not clean.

[John 13:13] By saying “I am” he showed that he is God by nature and teacher.

[John 13:14] Not because they were filthy did he wash them, but to teach them to be moderate. The basin does not hold the rank of a bath nor lighten sins, but leads toward perfect virtue.

[John 13:15] Not only in word but also in deed he gave the example of perfect humility.

[John 13:17] It is not knowing virtue that is to be emulated, but working it; for knowing and not doing brings greater punishment. Knowing happens to belong to many; doing does not belong to all. Therefore he said: blessed are you if you do them.

[John 13:18] Judas was not compelled to betray so that the Spirit’s words might come out—which is full of every blasphemy—but so that we may know that Scripture spoke about that one whom we see having done what was foretold. And if the Lord chose Judas and he transgressed, nothing follows from this; for he chose him while he was good, and he was changed like Adam and Saul; for God does not abolish free will, but allows each to act as he wishes, so that the wicked may be punished and the virtuous crowned.

[John 13:26] Through the morsel the Lord fulfilled the prophecy that says: “He who eats my bread has lifted up his heel against me” (Psalm 41:9; John 13:18).

[John 13:27] On the fourth day Satan cast into Judas that he should betray the Lord, and he spoke this to the Jews on the fifth toward evening. When he saw Judas wanting to betray the Lord in deed and hurrying to it, then he entered into him. So casting in is one thing and entering into him another, just as striking someone with the hand from outside is one thing and giving him an opening and thrusting the sword in is another.

[John 13:27] The evangelist calls the devil’s entrance the confirming of Judas to do what is pleasing to the devil. When God made him plain and set him apart, then the devil sprang upon him because of his measureless shamelessness.

He does not say this as commanding, but as reproaching the one he let do what he wished, since he did not want to be corrected. Since this is settled for you, hasten to the plot against me; for suffering does not grieve me.

[John 13:27] The morsel given him in the order of a blessing was not the cause of Judas’s apostasy, but the unchangeable wickedness after the exposure. Therefore the enemy also sprang in as into an ungated city.

[John 13:28] Since perhaps John said it to him secretly and he heard, no one knew; for if they had known, perhaps they would even have killed him—or because they were in turmoil, not knowing what was in Judas’s heart, they did not understand what was said.

[John 13:29] If someone says how the one fed from others’ means, who did not allow the disciples to carry a bag or purse, had a money-box, it must be said that this happened only for the sake of the poor.

[John 13:31] Even if the Son does all things, yet through what he does he ascribes them to the Father and glorifies the Father.

[John 13:31] Christ, as having put death to death through his own death, was glorified; he teaches that enduring what is shameful for God’s sake is glory.

[John 13:31] The Father was glorified in the Son, since it became known whose Father he is. So also the Son is glorified as having such a begetter.

[John 13:32] Through himself the Father will glorify the Son, and at once—that is, on the cross, when the sun was darkened, the rocks were split, and after fifty days the Spirit descending made the Son plain to all.

[John 13:33] They were seeking him as one who loves and as a teacher.

[John 13:33] He said this to human beings because of their unbelief; for with the disciples he was and is always present, and because after the resurrection they also

New commandment; Peter’s denial; way, truth, life (John 13:33–14:11)§28

28saw him and ate with him.

[John 13:34] New is the form of this commandment, and beyond the law is loving the neighbor more than oneself. I do not want you to love those to whom you owe, but those to whom you do not owe; for I too die for you, to whom I owe nothing.

Not from the signs you do will you be known as my disciples—for that belongs wholly to grace from above—but from loving one another and having concord and giving yourselves.

[John 13:35] Christ is a son of love, who is love according to nature, being love itself by nature and fruit of love, not having the good of love as something acquired.

[John 13:36] Because of weakness he forbids Peter to follow him, yet later promises because of boldness. Since he too was going to be crucified as Christ was, he foretells what will happen to him alone.

[John 13:37] Peter has become a type for us of asking teachers what we do not know.

[John 13:37] Disbelieving somewhat what was said, Peter inquires, and so also promises to die for him.

[John 13:38] Since you do not want to be persuaded that what I say cannot fail to happen, you will know it in the denial. And he underwent this not because Christ led him into it, but because he left him bare, so that he might not be lifted into arrogance.

[John 13:38] Let no one say that Peter denied because Christ said so; for he did not lay necessity on him so that he should come to denial, but as God he foretells to the disciple what was altogether going to be. And the denial did not come from an unbelieving soul, but from weakness.

[John 13:38] Not all of you are going to deny, he says; Peter’s denial will be wiped out through repentance and confession.

[John 14:2] If the place in which you are going to be with me had not long ago been prepared for you, I would have gone away and prepared a place for you.

[John 14:3] There is no need to ascend for the sake of preparing a place for you, but so that I may make you a pasture of ascent where the angels’ dwelling is, which was impassable to all flesh. When therefore I do this, coming “in the regeneration” (Matthew 19:28) I take you with myself, that you may be where I am.

[John 14:6] He is way because through him they were coming and he himself was Lord of leading up to the Father. Truth because of truthfulness, that these things will altogether be. And life, because not even death itself, he says, will be able to hinder you from coming.

[John 14:6] He is way through the practical, truth as true definition of the faith, life as raising us and leading into incorruption and freeing from the ancient curse.

[John 14:7] Here he calls sight the knowledge according to mind. Therefore the one who contemplates the Son not in bare essence but clothed in flesh knows his equal Father in all things. Knowledge shows contemplation through notions; vision shows assurance through God-befitting works.

[John 14:8] As knowing the Son exactly he said this, thinking perhaps he could see God with the eyes.

[John 14:9] Nothing else, he says, is the Son except what the Father is while remaining Son; for even if you happen to say, Philip, that I know you, that you are Son, yet you have not recognized me, that having the whole Father in myself I remain again being Son.

[John 14:9] From what the Son has done both before incarnation and after incarnation, his infinite strength appears to the mind as “in a mirror” (1 Corinthians 13:12).

[John 14:9] The wording signifies the extreme resemblance and equality. Therefore, lest someone fall into Sabellius’s heresy by dividing the hypostases, he adds saying: the one who has seen me has seen the Father. And this he makes clear through knowledge. He says these things about the invisible essence of himself and of the Father; for it is not possible to see the divine with fleshly eyes. Therefore he said: the one who has seen me has seen the Father—not that he himself is the Father, but that through the extreme resemblance the one who sees the Son sees the Father; for each is self-subsistent.

[John 14:11] Having by nature in his own nature the Father’s own things through the consubstantial; for the Son essentially encompasses the Father and is in him through the consubstantial. He says this, that he does not

Another Paraclete; mutual indwelling (John 14:16–23)§29

29…is a creature—the Son—but consubstantial with the Father. By saying “another” he shows the difference of the hypostases, and by saying “as me” the kinship of essence. And he says he asks the Father because they are incomplete, since somehow he himself sends him—which the apostles gave to the faithful by laying on of hands. Nor is the Spirit sent as if displaced, but he who is everywhere stands over them with authority; yet he said this showing the time of the presence; for unless Christ were sacrificed and sin loosed, the Spirit would not have come upon the faithful. And by economy, as man giving reverence to the Father, he said “I will ask.” And he called him another because he is self-subsistent, not because he is alien to the Father or the Son; for he works those things which the Son does, so that the Spirit seems to be the Son himself. Therefore he is also called Spirit of truth, which is Christ. Paraclete is the name of both the Son and the Spirit as giving us comfort and as interceding for us with the Father; for this name produces comfort and does not signify a different essence of Spirit and Father.

[John 14:17] By saying “remains” he taught that not even after death does the Spirit depart, just as a quality of the Godhead comes to be in you and remains always in the saints, whenever through virtue and purity they are eager to keep the grace in themselves.

[John 14:17] That is: the worldly, who conceive nothing outside what is seen, cannot receive what is incorporeal and invisible; “receive” he said—that is, they can neither contemplate nor so know.

He never left them empty of his providence, yet he also appeared to them after the resurrection. Since when he came he called them “little children,” when about to depart he said orphans.

[John 14:19] Because he was going to appear only to them after the resurrection, he said “a little” to all. He calls a little time the span until the second coming; for even a long time is little to God. But you the saints will know me through the Spirit’s indwelling, not those who love the world’s things.

[John 14:19] An earnest of the coming life, which you are to receive, is my resurrection. He says the disciples live not only the present life but the coming one.

When he rose from the dead and they obtained the Holy Spirit, they received knowledge that the Son, having the same power as the Father, is not split from him because of the unity of essence, and is always with them helping them. I, being life by nature, joined myself to the Father who is by nature and life itself. And I also joined you to the Father through the co-dwelling of the Holy Spirit, making you “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4); for I am in the Father naturally as his fruit, and you in me inasmuch as I became man, and I in you through the Spirit’s indwelling.

After the resurrection those who believe rightly will know perfectly; for now “we know in part” (1 Corinthians 13:9), that just as the Son is consubstantial with the Father, so also there is one will of both.

Lest we suppose that all without distinction will enjoy such a gift even if some are not good, he immediately coupled to the word the person of those who love him. These would be those who have learned to live

Love, peace, and the true vine begins (John 14:23–15:1)§30

30best; and by having and keeping his commandments he shows that not all may obtain such a gift, but the good; for after the resurrection those who believed rightly and lived perfectly will know perfectly the glory of the Godhead. Such people, he says, the Father will love, and the Son also will love, to whom the authority and power of the Godhead will be perfectly manifested.

[John 14:22] As a lover of the good, Judas wanted all the good to enjoy the vision of God.

[John 14:23] The Father is in the Son naturally, but in us relatively; and when we hear of union of Father and Son we understand the natural, but when union of God and human beings, we understand the relative that comes to the saints from faith and the communion from partaking of the Spirit. And by speaking in the plural he destroys Sabellius’s heresy that says one hypostasis and one person of Father and Son.

[John 14:23] He teaches that only to the disciples exceptionally and beyond reason will the illumination be, for those who keep the commandments.

[John 14:24] He seems to say the word is his and not his, because he speaks nothing outside the Father as his own, but what seems good to him—my word and the Father’s is common.

[John 14:26] Therefore those around Montanus who came after two hundred years were not the first to obtain the Spirit; for what could the Spirit remind them of that they had not heard at all from Christ?

[John 14:26] Do not take my absence hard; for when the Spirit comes he will be a provider of great goods to you, teaching you the security of my words and comforting you from the afflictions that press you. When the Spirit comes you will learn many things you do not know, and he will recall what I said.

[John 14:27] Do not be troubled hearing that I am about to suffer; for there is much gain from this.

[John 14:27] The world’s peace is where it also happens for evil; but Christ’s peace persuades not only to be at peace with those outside but also with yourselves, so that the flesh may not rebel against the soul.

You ought, hearing that I go to the Father, to take courage and not be grieved.

[John 14:28] He calls return the time of the resurrection. The Father’s being greater does not make him of another essence, as the heretics say. When he was on earth as man he said the Father is greater. He says this because of the appearing body, since insofar as he is God he is not less than the Father, nor is he led up into the heavens—he who fills all things and is inseparable from the Father.

[John 14:30] With the passion standing there is no longer need of words.

[John 14:31] Dying willingly for love toward God—which has no harm—since the Father who loves him would not have wanted this otherwise.

[John 15:1] Christ is the root, and without

Vine and branches; love unto death (John 15:1–15)§31

31faith into him and the power from him no one can do anything—which the Father does not cultivate as needing no care, but the branches. And branches of Christ are the faithful united to him through the Holy Spirit’s indwelling and become “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4), who also receive care from the Father. And Christ as root holds the faithful together and makes them alive through the Holy Spirit; for salvation did not come from one person but from the divine Trinity.

[John 15:2] The believer is a branch of the intelligible vine, which is Christ, and gains nothing from faith alone, but there is need also of virtuous works which come through cleansings.

[John 15:2] Those who cling “to the Lord” and do not live worthily of him are punished, but the pious living bear much fruit. If we have faith but not works, he casts out as dead and fruitless branches, cutting. Or fruitless branches are the Jews.

He says these things about the trials they were going to endure, which made them more proven. Those living piously bear much fruit.

[John 15:4] Even if someone is united to Christ through sanctification in the Spirit, still he needs also to hold to perfect love and follow him; for the one cut off from Christ through not having perfect sanctification and love cannot do any good.

[John 15:4] Because fruit-bearing is impossible except for those fixed to him alone, he calls himself vine as those empowered by him

[John 15:5] And he himself, not less than the Father, contributes to the disciples’ care.

That is: the Father rejoices when you remain in me. Through what you do the Father is praised.

[John 15:8] This makes Christ’s disciples and bears much fruit: serving God spiritually, passing by the letter.

[John 15:9] It is in us to love God; for he does not force our free will.

[John 15:10] For one must not only believe but also do the commandments.

As teacher of the inhabited world Christ hands these things to them: that love is the sum of the virtues, his commandment is to die for friends and to love friends more than yourselves.

[John 15:13] He shows that his departure was not of hatred but of love; for I die for you.

[John 15:14] Through virtue, having surpassed the measure of slaves, they became friends. And he raises slaves up to glory beyond nature if they willingly do what is pleasing to God.

[John 15:15] That is: as much as they needed to hear; and what he says enigmatically is this: that not as

Hatred of the world; Spirit convicts (John 15:15–16:12)§32

32to slaves did I tell you the secrets, but as to friends and sharers of the goods.

[John 15:16] The Son gives what is asked in place of the Father, so that we may know that the Son was not less than the Father.

[John 15:18] This is for us; for you suffer this because of me. Therefore do not ache or take it hard; for you are not better than I.

[John 15:18] If the wicked loved you—that is, the world—clearly you too would be wicked.

[John 15:19] The one who despises the world’s things, even if he is from the world, is said not to be from the world.

If I suffered all things for slaves, when you the slaves suffer the like for the Master, you ought not to take it heavily. If you suffer things like mine, do not be troubled; for so you become sharers of my sufferings. Even if they do this toward my insult, yet through me they also insult the Father.

I omitted nothing, he says, of what tends to the Jews’ benefit, neither in words nor in works, of which no one saw the like.

[John 15:25] And through the prophet he showed that the hatred against him was irrational. The Jews’ wickedness fulfilled what was prophesied.

[John 16:1] So that you may know that as God by nature I know all things, I foretell what will be, and so that you may believe that I can free you from the dangers brought upon you.

[John 16:2] So great will be the madness of those who kill you—not only Jews but also Gentiles and heretics—that they think slaughtering you is a power of God-loving worship.

[John 16:4] So that what is said may not be dimmed by time, they were silent about teaching virtue according to piety.

[John 16:6] Under fear and grief they were beside themselves and silent.

[John 16:7] Unless I suffer, the Spirit who is cause of every good gift does not come upon you.

[John 16:8] So great is the power of the Holy Spirit’s descent that then the sin of those who have offended against me will be made plain. As many as after the Holy Spirit’s descent did not believe in Christ remained in their own sins; the one who did not believe in the sinless one is condemned as a sinner.

[John 16:11] He was condemned as having killed through the Jews the Christ who is sinless, since he was making excuses saying that Adam did not die through me but because he sinned. And since after the passion healings happen through the Holy Spirit, through the deeds the devil’s overthrow is shown.

[John 16:12] Unjust is the one who did not believe in the righteous one taken up into the heavens for his righteousness and become unseen to human beings. Slack, because though Satan was crushed he still would not conquer him.

Spirit of truth; sorrow to joy; high-priestly prayer (John 16:12–17:3)§33

33That is: he speaks in agreement with me; for the Spirit is not lacking; being self-subsistent as consubstantial with Father and Son he knows all things and has power of himself to act.

[John 16:13] When the Spirit teaches you, then you will be able to leave the legal types and make the worship “in spirit and truth” (John 4:23–24). The Spirit is not greater than the Son, he says. Therefore he will speak nothing from himself, but what he hears; for what I say, that one also will say. The Spirit will teach human beings the things of the Son’s Godhead and glory and of equality with the Father. He does not fail to speak from weakness; he said this because of the exact harmony of the Trinity.

[John 16:14] As the Son naturally has the Father’s things through the consubstantial, he said that the Spirit’s own things are also his, as the things of the Trinity are common.

[John 16:16] So as not to grieve the disciples, he also did not say “I die,” but “you do not see me.”

[John 16:18] Under grief they did not understand, and that he was departing they knew, but how he would come they did not know; for they were ignorant of the resurrection before the outcome.

Since being deeply grieved they did not want to hear about his death, wanting to fix this doctrine in them he said “you will weep”; after the grief there will be joy.

[John 16:21] The reward of your grief will be joy, as also for the woman in labor the joy from childbirth after the grief. Since when he died it appeared to them to pass from grief into joy, he used the example of the woman giving birth.

[John 16:22] Since you will be persuaded that as God I rose and die no longer, even if with the flesh I go up into heaven.

[John 16:25] He means the time of the resurrection.

[John 16:25] For as in proverbs Christ speaks these things as one going on to say; for it cannot be understood according to the letter. And that one asks and receives who asks what is profitable for bettering souls. He calls proverb the unclear and veiled word. Because of their infancy he speaks in a shaded way. But when you advance, then I unveil to you the Father’s glory. After the resurrection I will speak clearly to you the things about the Father. When you receive the Spirit, then you will receive clear knowledge about Son and Father.

[John 16:26] He can as God give, yet as already saying “I ask” he stayed with the word by economy as man.

[John 16:28] From the essence, he says, I came out from the Father, being indivisibly in the Father and having the Father self-subsistently in myself. Neither when he became man, left behind by the Father, is he said to have come into the world, nor when he was taken up with the flesh was he left behind by the world; for he is God filling all things.

[John 16:32] The “now you believe” he says more humanly; for insofar as I am God, I am in God and Father naturally and without interval. He said this by condescension, since the disciples wanted to hear this.

[John 16:33] Christ appeared better and more powerful than every worldly sin and also gives the faithful to conquer. Or that Christ, having come to be from us insofar as man, appeared better than death and corruption and the grace passes over to us. And so we ought to take courage that we will receive, since as man he conquered and we seem in him to have conquered; for if as God he conquered, it is nothing toward us.

[John 17:1] He calls hour the fitting time of the passion, at which he judged to suffer—as also he said about the wine—not the hypostasis-less fate.

[John 17:1] Through the form of prayer he trains us in trials to pray and take refuge in God.

[John 17:2] So that the hearers may not take offense, by economy he says “what you have given me.”

[John 17:3] It must be noted that right faith is the true life that grants its own goods to those who believe. He says he was sent not as from necessity serving the Father’s will

Keeping the name; sanctify them; arrest begins (John 17:3–18:4)§34

34as the angels do, but as being his power.

[John 17:4] He is said to glorify the Father having done all things unto incarnation, or that the Father’s power is made known through his Son, if he speaks as man; for through what the saints accomplish, God is glorified.

[John 17:10] Nothing is the Father’s that is not the Son’s and the reverse. Through my equality with you I am glorified by everyone.

[John 17:11] By economy as man he speaks of God’s name having been given him, having it by nature as God and Son.

[John 17:12] He did not drag them by necessity. Therefore Judas also perished through voluntary obstinacy; not only Judas but many others also perished, not with Christ; for as far as it lay with him, no one perished. He was called son of perdition as awaiting like a birth the day of perdition.

[John 17:12] According to idiom Scripture sets as a cause things that happen from the outcome. Judas, having learned what was foretold, ought not to have betrayed Christ. And if someone says how he perished while Christ was keeping them, it must be said that he does not keep the base but lets them free to do what they wish, yet keeps and empowers the good because human choice is not enough to keep a person.

[John 17:13] He says these things so they may not lose heart but rather rejoice that he goes to the Father.

[John 17:14] When he says they are “from the world,” he means nature. When he says they are not, he says it because of guilelessness, as he also was. And the “as” here is not of exact indistinguishability. What he says is this: they have become heaven-citizens and have nothing in common with the earth; for the difference of natures is great, that he is God by nature and they are human beings.

[John 17:17] Since the disciples were going to do something like what Christ did, he says they need sanctification through the Spirit, so that they may be able to run through the inhabited world unhindered by the evil one.

[John 17:17-18] Not only for the disciples but also for all the faithful Christ asks that the grace given through the Holy Spirit be given—the grace that reshapes the human being into the divine image. And this union does not happen according to essence or according to hypostasis, but according to the agreement of faith, by which the faithful knew that the Son was incarnate by the Father’s good pleasure; for this is being sent.

[John 17:19] All sacrifices are called holy as brought to God. And he said “in truth” because sanctification through the sheep was in type—or that I also dedicate them to you as an offering—or that when the head was sacrificed this happened—or that they also presented “their bodies” as a “living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1)—or also that without death he made them a sacrifice by being slaughtered for them.

[John 17:21] When they are counted worthy of the unity spoken of, then they know that you sent me.

[John 17:22] He calls glory that of signs and doctrines and like-mindedness. Being himself the giver, because of the hearers he shapes the request. And as man he is said to receive what belongs to him by nature; and he means the Spirit’s grace.

[John 17:24] Through what he says—the one who gave and the one who received—he shows the hypostases of Father and Son. And again by saying he himself was before the world he refutes the heretics who say that from Mary’s times Christ had his beginning, as having the glory before the world. He said before the foundation of the world; for “you have given me” is of condescension. And he did not say that they may share his glory, but that they may behold it, which is the faithful’s greatest rest and glory.

To persuade the disciples that he came willingly to the passion, he went away to a place known to Judas, so that he might not escape notice and did not shut himself in as in a prison.

[John 18:4] He asks not as not knowing, but so that we may know that even when present he was not seen or recognized except when he wished. And as knowing all things he did and

Arrest, Peter’s sword, and Pilate (John 18:4–19:8)§35

35spoke everything calmly, and neither from the voice did Judas or the rest recognize him, except when he wished.

Because of the disciples’ weaknesses he puts them outside trials as God; he always keeps the disciples, only letting Judas perish by preferential wickedness.

[John 18:10] as he wished to die for the teacher, he did this. Peter, taking courage from what Jesus did, himself also did this. And let no one accuse Peter as a murderer, since he did this not defending himself but the teacher; yet they were still incomplete. Through the type he shows that the Jews will be empty of every right hearing.

[John 18:12] Binding him they fulfilled Isaiah’s word: “Let us bind the righteous” (Isaiah 3:10 LXX sense). The Lord was bound so that he might free us from devilish bonds.

John went in with Jesus among the crowd unrecognized, and then as known he spoke to the doorkeeper and brought Peter in.

[John 18:19] He asked what he taught his own disciples, asked him whether he agrees with what is through Moses or introduces another teaching and what his disciples are persuaded of, so that if he finds him opposing Moses’ things he may hand them also over to the Jews as God-fighters.

He exposes him pretending not to know things spoken in the open. And if he taught all things openly, the secret things said about him by some are not acceptable. Ask the servants who earlier marveled at the teaching and now are arresting me.

And without being ordered the servant struck Christ, since Christ himself hinted saying “see, these know”—those who once heard and praised—and wanting to free himself from the suspicion that he was among those not marveling, he himself did this; for he would not have spoken something fitting so as to be moved from this to strike him. He exposes the servant wronging him not only because he simply struck him, but because having earlier marveled he now without finding fault dishonored him.

[John 18:25] When the evil one shook Peter he was defeated of his promise.

They did not kill him themselves as being under Romans, so that they might not be punished by Pilate.

[John 18:28] Honoring the type they did not enter—that is, a sheep; for they were going to sacrifice the Passover according to the law that had no force among them. Or he calls Passover the whole feast, or that it was preparation day, when also the old Passover happened.

Without cause they declared that he had justly been handed over; they call a reasonable cause their arresting him, as if they err in doing nothing unjust. If your law also punishes the guiltless, judge him yourselves. Clear proof that the Lord suffered willingly: from what, knowing, he foretold that he was going to be handed over to the nations to be crucified.

[John 18:31] As having fallen from rule—for they were under Romans—they said this. Or it is not permitted to crucify him; for so they wished, that they might also parade the manner of his end. Or that he calls himself king and the charge is public and it belongs to you to put him to death.

He says these things wanting to free him.

[John 18:36] The angels were quiet while their king was insulted, understanding the economy of Christ’s presence.

[John 18:36] He looses Pilate’s anxiety persuading that he is not a rebel but king of heaven and earth. Therefore Pilate is without defense, not as killing him as a blasphemer but as a favor to the Jews.

[John 18:37] For this I became man and was born from Mary, that driving falsehood and the devil from the world I may show the divine nature reigning over all.

He did not make himself Son of God, but as Son of God he made himself man, remaining unchangeably as

Cross, death, side, and burial (John 19:7–39)§36

36he was God; for what the Jews said was also impossible, so that from this too their inconsistency and falsehood are shown. Therefore also as a light idolater Pilate, seized without discernment, was afraid.

[John 19:11] Even if you are a ruler, yet finding no fault against me you could not condemn me, unless I willingly by the Father’s good pleasure led myself to suffer.

[John 19:14] For in that very feast they killed him.

[John 19:14] The evangelist marked the hour because of the resurrection that happened on the third day. The fine scribe, instead of the gamma letter which signifies the third, wrote the marked sign which the Alexandrians call Gabex, which shows the sixth, having much likeness to each other. And through the scribal error the disagreement happened; for instead of third hour he wrote sixth.

[John 19:18] Through being crucified in the midst of two robbers the Scripture was fulfilled that says “and he was numbered with the lawless” (Isaiah 53:12). These are a type of the two peoples who are condemned through their sins—or that those who cling to Christ ought to crucify themselves as dying to the former way of life, yet living in newness according to the gospel.

[John 19:19] Not finding what to say against him Pilate wrote this, so that he too might not be thought a robber. He publicly proclaimed him king and that the Jews killed their king, writing to mock the Jews. This is “the handwriting” which the sentence against Adam nailed to the cross, which the devil holding led all human beings into death as none wholly doing what seems good to God—and dying for us on the wood he freed us.

[John 19:30] The Jews’ impiety reached its end, and he willingly endured the death according to the flesh and bowed the head because the flesh’s tones were dissolving.

[John 19:30] He bowed the head; for it was not nailed, and then he expired; for he was Lord of all, though custom has first expiring and then bowing the head. The Jews’ impiety reached its end, and he willingly endured the death according to the flesh and bowed the head because the flesh’s tones had been dissolved. The end shows the separation of the soul from the body.

They pretend to honor the day and ask a favor so that the men may die more quickly. They ask so that another Scripture may again be fulfilled that says a bone of him will not be crushed.

[John 19:34] One of the soldiers, disbelieving whether he had died, pierced his side.

[John 19:34] The blood shows redemption and the water sanctification. Through water the church is born again and through blood and flesh she is fed.

The evangelist confirms that he himself is the Christ proclaimed beforehand through the Scriptures; for the deeds came out in agreement with what was said about him. Bone is understood as the taut and unbreakable of the mystical word. And since the sheep bore the image of the Lamb of God, one is fed the head of Christ by taking the things about his theology, the feet by being taught the things about his incarnate economy, and the inwards the hidden doctrines; for each of the doctrines about Christ has a hidden and mystical word. Since therefore bone is understood as the taut of the mystery, those who fittingly and harmoniously hold the mystery about Christ—a bone of him will not be crushed. When he comes to judge, then they will see him and mourn.

Those who feared to approach Jesus openly now, with Jews watching, ask for the body. This one was not of the Twelve but of the seventy, and as the Jews’ rage was quenched he approached without fear. And so raw were the Jews that not even the locals endured to bury his body, but the one from

New tomb; empty cloths; resurrection hour (John 19:41–20:9)§37

Mary at the tomb; peace; Spirit given (John 20:10–23)§38

Thomas; catch of fish; come and breakfast (John 20:22–21:13)§39

39dead and whatever is more perfect.

Through what he breathed and gave spirit, he showed that it is consubstantial with him and not alien and proceeding through him from the Father, which nerved them to do what is pleasing to God and to know the power of the mystery according to God. And the breathing made the renewal for humanity and taking again the “according to the image” which Adam had before the transgression. And saying he sends, he sent ahead of time to confirm that this will be for all at the appointed time.

And Thomas, though absent, obtained the Spirit’s grace through the breathing; for upon the whole choir of the apostles the Lord poured out the grace.

Beyond measure Thomas, busying himself through thinking it impossible, is charged. Therefore he did not say only “unless I see,” but “unless I handle,” lest what is seen be a phantom. Hearing then from the disciples that he took a lance wound, he was persuaded even without seeing, but as beyond reason he disbelieved the resurrection. He said it not so much as disbelieving as grieving that he too was not counted worthy of the sight. And by economy Thomas disbelieved, so that through him we all may know that the crucified body rose; for by seeking to see the wounds about the flesh, he was seeking whether that very flesh rose.

For the shock of the signs almost draws even the unwilling who see toward faith.

He shows himself having wounds and allows him to handle him; for by condescension he so appeared to Thomas though freed of every thickness of body and become light, so that he might be persuaded that it was the same crucified body. And from using Thomas’s words he shows that even when Thomas was saying these things he was present. And even if bodies are raised incorruptible and lacking nothing in the new resurrection, yet so that no word of unbelief may remain, as Thomas sought to see, so he showed; and not only Thomas but also the angels ignorant of the economy of the incarnation and saying: “Who is this who comes from Edom” and again: “What are these wounds in the midst of your hands?” teaching he says: “with which I was struck in the house of my beloved” (Zechariah 13:6).

The whole contemplation of this section is as follows. Those before the disciples passing the time in darkness of demonic error caught nothing or very few, which is in place of nothing; nor those worshipping in types and shadow, where they themselves despising the law obeyed human commandments; but also the throng of the nations was un-netted, not receiving the divine lessons. But when the “sun of righteousness” (Malachi 4:2) came, hungering for humans’ salvation, he found nothing edible among humans and says to cast the evangelical word, which is the right teaching, compared with which the law and the prophets are understood as left; and by the grace of the one who commanded they drew many; for the wonder upon this surpasses the apostles’ strength.

[John 21:11] Peter draws the spiritual net with the others, bringing the catch to Christ. And the hundred are understood as the fullness of the nations, the fifty as the race from Israel saved according to election, and the three invent the showing of the holy Trinity, to whose glory the life of the faithful caught is understood conjoined.

[John 21:12] “Come, breakfast” has a riddle in the word: that after the toils rest and food and enjoyment will succeed the saints.

[John 21:13] He did not pray now breaking the bread, showing that

Peter restored; beloved disciple; world’s books (John 21:13–25)§40

40the beginning was an act of condescension. And he does the human things before the passion. And if Luke said that he also “ate,” not as still needing the flesh but for demonstration of the resurrection.

Wanting to rekindle him from the despondency after the denial he asks him, and through the three questions and confessions he wipes out the three voices of the denial and through words he sets right the faults that happened in words. And from this a custom has come that three confessions be required of those about to be baptized.

[John 21:17] He asks him a third time not as not knowing—for how, also the one who foretold his passion?—but to show that he cares greatly for the oversight of his sheep and that Peter loved him greatly.

[John 21:19] This signifies the death through the cross, which he underwent unwillingly, even if for the hoped-for things he was put to death willingly. Some from this thought that Peter suffered unwillingly, but it is not so; rather he wanted to suffer, yet did not want to be crucified, lest he seem among the simpler to have been counted worthy of the same honor as the Master. Therefore he teaches him not to be troubled; for this form is not of choice but brought on by others.

He said this wanting to cut off the untimely sympathy they had toward each other; for if they were not separated from each other, the inhabited world would have suffered the greatest loss. And he did not say “he does not die,” but “if I want him to remain”—that is: a work was entrusted to you, do this, care for your own; for what do you want, if I do not wish to send him with you but that he remain here?

[John 21:23] The disciples received the Lord’s word as a decision that he will not die, which he did not say. But what he said, speaking in riddle, he said the long-livedness of his life; for in the times he died without punishment.

As having spoken without falsehood he bears witness to himself the truth. Therefore in many places naming himself indefinitely here he plainly signifies himself; for he himself is the one who wrote the gospel. One loved by God would not have been able to lie, therefore do not doubt; for the truth would not have loved him loosening the truth.

One must refuse to speak the things better than all writing in books, which not even the world itself can contain because of the greatness of contemplations. If all were written, no human would suffice for acquiring the books. For this it was not written, so as not to overpass the memory of the hearers. Or if all were written, the books would be numberless and no one could know all. Or if someone wants to present the greatness of what happened, neither the world nor human hearing contains them. Some say that those living worldly cannot contain hearing the God-signs according to what was said in the beginning: “and the world did not know him” (John 1:10), as also the Lord himself said that “not all contain this word” (Matthew 19:11).

[John 21:25] Many and numberless are the God-signs and from many these were taken that can perfectly benefit.

[John 21:25] So many are the things done and said by the Savior that all libraries would be full, he says I think, of books containing the histories of the Lord’s works and the words upon them, if one were going to write all according to each.

[John 21:25] We understand the name of the world differently. And it is possible according to one meaning to present the truthfulness of the word and to refute the rashness of those who mindlessly mock the God-breathed words of the evangelists.