[1780] lit. "overflow."
[1781] auta
[1782] auta, i.e. higher sayings.
[1783] al. "have passed to perfection," al. "have passed from low-mindedness."
[1784] tauta
[1785] al. "have been held."
[1786] "so I do," N.T.
[1787] al. "I speak nothing."
[1788] al. "caused."
[1789] a pesobei
[1790] al. "not to reckon."
[1791] or, "because."
[1792] al. for when we are persuaded from the actions that the men are offended at high sayings, and when He saith Himself, that "on this account I speak in a lowly way, lest they should be offended," who will yet suspect, &c.
[1793] al. "to look to."
[1794] al. and the maliciousness of the hearers, and its being continually said in the Old (Covenant), "The Lord thy God is One Lord."
[1795] al. "hath no cause at all that is specious."
[1796] "My Father," N.T.
[1797] al. "now to show that," &c.
[1798] al. "if."
[1799] al. "put not on."
[1800] al. "enduring mean things."
[1801] al. "greatness."
[1802] al. "admired."
[1803] al. "to enter on the passage itself."
[1804] rh open
[1805] al. "upon."
[1806] al. some mss. add, "for Thou doest all things, whatsoever I will, He saith."
[1807] al. "meaner."
[1808] al. again, "why look ye," &c., "we also," &c.
[1809] al. but He even saith the contrary "because," &c.
[1810] al. so then the "hearing Me always" meaneth, &c.
[1811] i.e. a mere superiority of the Father.
[1812] i.e. to use prayer.
[1813] Ver. 44. "And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin." N.T. "Jesus saith unto them, Loose him." N.T.
[1814] al. "walk."
[1815] Ver. 45-47. "Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on Him. But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done. Then gathered the Chief Priests and Pharisees a council." N.T.
[1816] al. "are coming."
[1817] N.T. "All men will believe on Him, and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation."
[1818] al. "which they mean to say?"
[1819] al. "see."
[1820] al. "us about a kingdom."
[1821] al. "exhibit."
[1822] al. "plain."
[1823] al. "did He surround Himself with."
[1824] sobountas
[1825] a po pathous tou eauton. Sav. reads to p. tou he
[1826] al. "vainglory."
[1827] al. "the roads and the sea are beset."
[1828] eisekomase
[1829] al. "misfortune."
[1830] al. "not the common."
[1831] proxenousa
Homily LXV.
John xi. 49, 50
"And one of them, Caiaphas, being the High Priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, nor consider that it is expedient that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not," &c.
[1.] "The heathen are stuck fast in the destruction which they made; in the trap which they hid is their foot taken." ( Ps. ix. 15 , LXX.) This hath been the case with the Jews. They said that they would kill Jesus, lest the Romans should come and take away their place and nation; and when they had killed Him, these things happened unto them, and when they had done that by doing which they thought to escape, they yet did not escape. He who was slain is in Heaven, and they who slew have for their portion hell. Yet they did not consider these things; but what? "They desired," It saith, "from that day forth to kill Him" ( ver. 53 ), for they said, "The Romans will come, and will take away our nation; and a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being High Priest that year, said," (being more shameless than the rest,) "Ye know nothing." What the others made matter of doubt, and put forth in the way of deliberation, this man cried aloud, shamelessly, openly, audaciously. For what saith he? "Ye know nothing, nor consider that it is expedient that one man should die, and that the whole nation perish not."
Ver. 51. "And this spake he not of himself, but being High Priest he prophesied." [1832]
Seest thou how great is the force of the High Priest's authority? or, since he had in any wise been deemed worthy of the High Priesthood, although unworthy thereof, he prophesied, not knowing what he said; and the grace merely made use of his mouth, but touched not his accursed heart. Indeed many others have foretold things to come, although unworthy to do so, as Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh, Balaam; and the reason of all is evident. But what he saith is of this kind. "Ye still sit quiet, ye give heed but carelessly to this matter, and know not how to despise one man's safety for the sake of the community." See how great is the power of the Spirit; from an evil imagination It was able to bring forth words full of marvelous prophecy. The Evangelist calleth the Gentiles "children of God," from what was about to be: as also Christ Himself saith, "Other sheep I have" ( c. x. 16 ), so calling them from what should afterwards come to pass.
But what is, "being High Priest that year"? This matter as well as the rest had become corrupt; for from the time that offices became matters of purchase, they were no longer priests for the whole period of their lives, but for a year. Notwithstanding, even in this state of things the Spirit was still present. But when they lifted up their hands against Christ, then It left them, and removed to the Apostles. This the rending of the veil declared, and the voice of Christ which said, "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate." ( Matt. xxiii. 38.) And Josephus, who lived a short time after, saith, that certain Angels who yet remained with them, (to see) if they would alter their ways, left them. [1833] While the vineyard stood, all things [1834] went on; but when they had slain the Heir, no longer so, but they perished. And God having taken it from the Jews, as a glorious garment from an unprofitable son, gave it to right-minded servants of the Gentiles, leaving the others desolate and naked. It was, moreover, no small thing that even an enemy should prophesy this. This might draw over others also. For in respect of his [1835] will, matters fell out contrariwise, since, [1836] when He died, the faithful were on this account delivered from the punishment to come. What meaneth, "That He might gather together those near and those afar off" ( ver. 52 )? He made them one Body. The dweller in Rome deemeth the Indians a member of himself. What is equal to this "gathering together"? And the Head of all is Christ.
Ver. 53. "From that day forth the Jews [1837] took counsel to put Him to death."
And, in truth, had sought to do so before; for the Evangelist saith, "Therefore the Jews sought to kill Him" ( c. v. 18 ); and, "Why seek ye to kill Me?" ( c. vii. 19.) But then they only sought, now they ratified their determination, and treated the action as their business.
Ver. 54. "But Jesus walked no more openly in Jewry." [1838]
[2.] Again He saveth Himself in a human manner, and this He doth continually. But I have mentioned the reason for which He often departed and withdrew. And at this time He dwelt in Ephratah, near the wilderness, and there He tarried with His disciples. How thinkest thou that those disciples were confounded when they beheld Him saving Himself after the manner of a man? After this no man followed Him. For since the Feast was nigh, all were running to Jerusalem; but they, [1839] at a time when all others were rejoicing and holding solemn assembly, hide themselves, and are in danger. Yet still they tarried with Him. For they hid themselves in Galilee, at the time of the Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles; and after this again during the Feast, they only of all were with their Master in flight and concealment, manifesting their good will to Him. Hence Luke recordeth that He said, "I abode with you in temptations"; [1840] and this He said, showing that they were strengthened by His influence. [1841]
Ver. 55. [1842] "And many went up from the country to purify themselves."
Ver. 57. "And the High Priests and Pharisees had commanded that they should lay hands on Him."
A marvelous purification, with a murderous will, with homicidal intentions, and bloodstained hands!
Ver. 56. "And they said, Think ye that he will not come to the feast?"
By means of the Passover they plotted against Him, and made the time of feasting a time of murder, that is, He there would fall into their hands, because the season summoned Him. What impiety! When they needed greater carefulness, and to forgive those who had been taken for the worst offenses, then they attempted to ensnare One who had done no wrong. Yet by acting thus they had already not only profited nothing, but become ridiculous. For this end coming among them continually He escapeth, and restraineth them when they take counsel [1843] to kill Him, and maketh them to be in perplexity, desiring to prick them by the display of His power; that when they took Him, they might know that what had been done was done, not by their power, but by His permission. For not even at that time could they take Him, and this though Bethany was near; and when they did take Him, He cast them backwards.
Ch. xii. ver. 1, 2. "Then six days before the Passover He came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, and feasted with them; and Martha served, but Lazarus sat at meat." [1844]
This was a proof of the genuineness of his resurrection, that after many days he both lived and ate. "And Martha ministered"; whence it is clear that the meal was in her house, for they received Jesus as loving and beloved. Some, however, say, that it took place in the house of another. Mary did not minister, for she was a disciple. Here again she acted in the more spiritual manner. For she did not minister as being invited, nor did she afford her services to all alike. But she directeth [1845] the honor to Him alone, and approacheth Him not as a man, but as a God. On this account she poured out the ointment, [1846] and wiped (His feet) with the hairs of her head, which was the action of one who did not entertain the same opinion concerning Him as did others; yet Judas rebuked her, under the pretense forsooth of carefulness. What then saith Christ? "She hath done a good work for My burying." [1847] But why did He not expose the disciple in the case of the woman, nor say to him what the Evangelist hath declared, that on account of his own thieving he rebuked her? In His abundant longsuffering He wished to bring him to a better mind. [1848] For because He knew that he was a traitor, He from the beginning often rebuked him, saying, "Not all believe," and, "One of you is a devil." ( c. vi. 64.) He showed them that He knew him to be a traitor, yet He did not openly rebuke him, but bare with him, desiring to recall him. How then saith another Evangelist, that all the disciples used these words? ( Matt. xxvi. 70.) All used them, and so did he, but the others not with like purpose. And if any one ask why He put the bag of the poor in the hands of a thief, and made him steward who was a lover of money, we would reply, that God knoweth the secret reason; but that, if we may say something by conjecture, it was that He might cut off from him all excuse. For he could not say that he did this thing [1849] from love of money, (for he had in the bag sufficient to allay his desire,) but from excessive wickedness which Christ wished to restrain, using much condescension towards him. Wherefore He did not even rebuke him as stealing, although aware of it, stopping the way to his wicked desire, and taking from him all excuse. "Let her alone," He saith, "for against the day of My burying hath she done [1850] this." Again, He maketh mention of the traitor in speaking of His burial. But him the reproof reacheth not, nor doth the expression soften [1851] him, though sufficient to inspire him with pity: as if He had said, "I am burdensome and troublesome, but wait a little while, and I shall depart." This too he intended in saying,
Ver. 8. "But Me ye have not always." [1852]
But none of these things turned back [1853] that savage madman; yet in truth Jesus said and did far more than this, He washed his feet that night, made him a sharer in the table and the salt, a thing which is wont to restrain even the souls of robbers, and spake other words, enough to melt a stone, and this, not long before, but on the very day, in order that not even time might cause it to be forgotten. But he stood out against all.