Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series • VOLUME 7
Augustine — Homilies on John & First John
SECTION 81
Chapter VII. 37-39
Chapter VII. 37-39 1. Among the dissensions and doubtings of the Jews concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, among other things which He said, by which some were confounded, others taught: "On the last day of that feast" (for it was then that these things were done) which is called the feast of tabernacles; that is, the building of …
2,397 wordsSECTION 828. Consequently, we too receive the Holy Ghost if we love the Church, if we are joined together by charity, if we rejoice in the Catholic na
8. Consequently, we too receive the Holy Ghost if we love the Church, if we are joined together by charity, if we rejoice in the Catholic name and faith. Let us believe, brethren; as much as every man loves the Church of Christ, so much has he the Holy Ghost. For the Spirit is given, as the apostle saith, "to manifestation." To …
1,093 wordsSECTION 83Chapter VII. 40-53; VIII. 1-11
Chapter VII. 40-53; VIII. 1-11 1. You remember, my beloved, that in the last discourse, by occasion of the passage of the Gospel read, we spoke to you concerning the Holy Spirit. When the Lord had invited those that believe on Him to this drinking, speaking among those who meditated to lay hold of Him, and sought to kill Him, a…
2,370 wordsSECTION 84Chapter VIII. 12
8. From both, then, men are in danger; both from hoping and despairing, from contrary things, from contrary affections. Who is deceived by hoping? He who says, God is good, God is merciful, let me do what I please, what I like; let me give loose reins to my lusts, let me gratify the desires of my soul. Why this? Because God is m…
2,259 wordsSECTION 857. Accordingly, "He that followeth me," saith He, "shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." What He has promised, He p
7. Accordingly, "He that followeth me," saith He, "shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." What He has promised, He put in a word of the future tense; for He says not has, but "shall have the light of life." Yet He does not say, He that shall follow me; but, he that does follow me. What it is our duty to d…
1,976 wordsSECTION 86Chapter VIII. 13, 14
Chapter VIII. 13, 14 1. You who were present yesterday, bear in mind that we were a long while discoursing of the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, where He says, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life;" and if we wished to go on discoursing of that light, w…
2,555 wordsSECTION 878. Behold, even lamps bear witness to the day, because of our weakness, for we cannot bear and look at the brightness of the day. In compari
8. Behold, even lamps bear witness to the day, because of our weakness, for we cannot bear and look at the brightness of the day. In comparison, indeed, with unbelievers, we Christians are even now light; as the apostle says, "For ye were once darkness, but now light in the Lord: walk as children of light:" [659] and he says els…
876 wordsSECTION 88Chapter VIII. 15-18
Chapter VIII. 15-18 1. In the four Gospels, or rather in the four books of the one Gospel, Saint John the apostle, not undeservedly in respect of his spiritual understanding compared to the eagle, has elevated his preaching higher and far more sublimely than the other three; and in this elevating of it he would have our hearts …
2,476 wordsSECTION 896. Why have I said this? For perhaps after these words one may justly say to me: Lay aside the book then. Why dost thou take in hand what ex
6. Why have I said this? For perhaps after these words one may justly say to me: Lay aside the book then. Why dost thou take in hand what exceeds thy measure? Why trust thy tongue to it? To this I reply: Many heretics abound; and God has permitted them to abound to this end, that we may not be always nourished with milk and rema…
2,349 wordsSECTION 90Chapter VIII. 19, 20
12. Let it not by any means surprise any one that He says, "My judgment is true; because I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me;" whilst He has said in another place, "The Father judgeth not any man, but all judgment hath He given to the Son." We have already discoursed on these same words of the evangelist, and we re…
2,207 wordsSECTION 917. A little before He said, "My judgment is true; because I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me:" as if He said, The reason why
7. A little before He said, "My judgment is true; because I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me:" as if He said, The reason why my judgment is true is, because I am the Son of God, because I speak the truth, because I am truth itself. Those men, understanding Him carnally, said, "Where is thy Father?" Now hear, O Ari…
1,770 wordsSECTION 92Chapter VIII. 21-25
Chapter VIII. 21-25 1. The lesson of the holy Gospel which preceded to-day's had concluded thus: that "the Lord spake, teaching in the treasury," what it pleased Him, and what you have heard; "and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour was not yet come." [688] Accordingly, on the Lord's day we made our subject of discourse what…
2,482 wordsSECTION 939. What then of us? Shall we venture to say anything on such words, "I am who am;" or rather on this, that you have heard the Lord saying, "
9. What then of us? Shall we venture to say anything on such words, "I am who am;" or rather on this, that you have heard the Lord saying, "If ye believe not that I am, ye shall die in your sins"? Shall I venture with these feeble and scarcely existing powers of mine to discuss the meaning of that which Christ the Lord hath said…
1,766 wordsSECTION 94Chapter VIII. 26, 27
Chapter VIII. 26, 27 1. The words of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He had addressed to the Jews, so regulating His discourse that the blind saw not, and believers' eyes were opened, are these, which have been read to-day from the holy Gospel: "Then said the Jews, Who art thou?" Because the Lord had said before, "If ye believe no…
2,238 wordsSECTION 95Chapter VIII. 28-32
8. I see I must speak more plainly. And, not to detain you long, let me treat only of this point to-day. When I have finished what, with God's help, I wish to say, my discourse shall close. I have said this, then, to enlist your attention. Every soul, as being a thing, is mutable; and although a great creature, yet a creature; t…
2,735 wordsSECTION 966. Thus then He spoke to the Jews, and added, "And He that sent me is with me." He had already said this also before, but of this important
6. Thus then He spoke to the Jews, and added, "And He that sent me is with me." He had already said this also before, but of this important point He is constantly reminding them,--"He sent me," and "He is with me." If then, O Lord, He is with Thee, not so much hath the One been sent by the other, but ye Both have come. And yet, …
2,080 wordsSECTION 97Chapter VIII. 31-36
Chapter VIII. 31-36 1. Of what follows of the previous lesson, and has been read publicly to us to-day from the holy Gospel, I then deferred speaking, because I had already said much, and of that liberty into which the grace of the Saviour calleth us it was needful to treat in no cursory or negligent way. Of this, by the Lord's…
2,378 wordsSECTION 987. With efficacious merit does He deliver from this bondage of sin, who saith in the psalms: "I am become as a man without help, free among
7. With efficacious merit does He deliver from this bondage of sin, who saith in the psalms: "I am become as a man without help, free among the dead." [752] For He only was free, because He had no sin. For He Himself says in the Gospel, "Behold, the prince of this world cometh," meaning the devil about to come in the persons of …
2,469 wordsSECTION 99Chapter VIII. 37-47
13. What then is that full and perfect liberty in the Lord Jesus, who said, "If the Son shall make you free, then shall ye be free indeed;" and when shall it be a full and perfect liberty? When enmities are no more; when "death, the last enemy, shall be destroyed." "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal …
2,422 wordsSECTION 1009. "Why," He says, "do ye not understand my speech? Even because ye cannot hear my word." And so they could not understand, because they cou
9. "Why," He says, "do ye not understand my speech? Even because ye cannot hear my word." And so they could not understand, because they could not hear. And whence could they not hear, but just because they refused to be set right by believing? And why so? "Ye are of your father the devil." How long do ye keep speaking of a fath…
2,291 wordsSECTION 101Chapter VIII. 48-59
16. Therefore came the Lord God to man as a sinner. Thou hast heard the two names, both man and sinner. As man, he is of God; as a sinner, he is not of God. Let the moral evil [786] in man be distinguished from his nature. Let that nature be owned, to the praise of the Creator; let the evil be acknowledged, that the physician ma…
2,494 wordsSECTION 10210. But what sayest Thou, O Lord, of Thyself? "Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death." Ye say, "
10. But what sayest Thou, O Lord, of Thyself? "Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death." Ye say, "Thou hast a devil." I call you to life: keep my word and ye shall not die. They heard, "He shall never see death who keepeth my word," and were angry, because already dead in that death from…
2,367 wordsSECTION 103Chapter IX
[787] Samaria, Hebrew smrvn, literally, "a keep," from smr to keep, to guard; hence, according to Augustin, "Samaritan," smrny, a keeper, a guardian.--Tr. [788] Ps. cxxi. 4. [789] Ps. cxxvii. 1. [790] Mysterium. [791] Luke x. 30-37. [792] Chap. v. 22. [793] Jas. i. 13. [794] Deut. xiii. 3. [795] 1 John iv. 18. [796] Ps.…
2,317 wordsSECTION 1047. "When He had thus spoken, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and He spread the clay upon his eyes, and said unto him, G
7. "When He had thus spoken, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and He spread the clay upon his eyes, and said unto him, Go and wash in the pool of Siloam (which is, by interpretation, Sent). He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing." As these words are clear, we may pass them over. 8. "The neigh…
2,202 wordsSECTION 105Chapter X. 1-10
[827] Gen. i. 4, 5. [828] Acts ii. 1, 6. [829] Acts iii. 6-8. [830] Acts v. 15. [831] Chap. xiv. 12. [832] Chap. xv. 5. [833] Matt. xxii. 13. [834] Matt. xxviii. 28. [835] Matt. xxv. 34, 41. [836] Matt. xvi. 27. [837] Luke xvi. 24-28. [838] Lev. xxiii. 8. [839] Tract. xx. 2. [840] Chap. viii. 34. [841] Matt. xiii. …
2,784 wordsSECTION 10610. Why is it, then, that I have said, This is a more important point? What is there about it obscure and difficult to understand? Listen, I
10. Why is it, then, that I have said, This is a more important point? What is there about it obscure and difficult to understand? Listen, I beseech you. See, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself came and preached. Much more surely was that the Shepherd's voice which was uttered by the very mouth of the Shepherd. For if the Shepherd's …
2,761 wordsSECTION 107Chapter X. 11-13
[846] Chap. ix. 39-41. [847] Or, "substance:" Alius, non aliud. [848] Ver. 38, unum; lit. "one thing or substance." [849] Bishop of Sirmium, who published his heretical opinions about A.D. 343. [850] 2 Tim. ii. 19. [851] Isa. vii. 9, according to the Septuagint, which, however, can hardly be said here to give the meaning of…
2,841 wordsSECTION 1087. We have seen who the hireling is also. Who, but the devil, is the wolf? And what was said of the hireling? "When he seeth the wolf coming
7. We have seen who the hireling is also. Who, but the devil, is the wolf? And what was said of the hireling? "When he seeth the wolf coming, he fleeth: but the sheep are not his own, and he careth not for the sheep." Was the Apostle Paul such an one? Certainly not. Was Peter such an one? Far from it. Was such the character of t…
930 wordsSECTION 109Chapter X. 14-21
Chapter X. 14-21 1. Those of you who hear the word of our God, not only with willingness, but also with attention, doubtless remember our promise. Indeed the same gospel lesson has also been read to-day which was read last Lord's day; because, having lingered over certain closely related topics, we could not discuss all that we…
2,351 wordsSECTION 1107. Hear also what follows. "Therefore doth my Father love me," He saith, "because I lay down my life, that I might take it again." What is t
7. Hear also what follows. "Therefore doth my Father love me," He saith, "because I lay down my life, that I might take it again." What is this that He says? "Therefore doth my Father love me:" because I die, that I may rise again. [919] For the "I" is uttered with special emphasis: "Because I lay down," He saith, "I lay down my…
2,256 wordsSECTION 11112. If, then, the flesh laid down its life, how did Christ lay down His life? For the flesh is not Christ. Certainly in this way, that Chris
12. If, then, the flesh laid down its life, how did Christ lay down His life? For the flesh is not Christ. Certainly in this way, that Christ is both flesh, and soul, and the Word; and yet these three things are not three Christs, but one. Ask thine own human nature, and from thyself ascend to what is above thee, and which, if n…
1,513 wordsSECTION 112Chapter X. 22-42
Chapter X. 22-42 1. As I have already charged you, beloved, you ought steadfastly to bear in mind that Saint John the evangelist would not have us be always nourished with milk, but fed with solid food. Still, whoever is hardly able as yet to partake of the solid food of God's word, let him find nourishment in the milk of faith…
2,253 wordsSECTION 1138. But that there may be no more room for hesitation, hear what follows: "I and my Father are one." Up to this point the Jews were able to b
8. But that there may be no more room for hesitation, hear what follows: "I and my Father are one." Up to this point the Jews were able to bear Him; they heard, "I and my Father are one," and they bore it no longer; and hardened in their own way, they had recourse to stones. "They took up stones to stone Him." The Lord, because …
1,664 wordsSECTION 114Chapter XI. 1-54
Chapter XI. 1-54 1. Among all the miracles wrought by our Lord Jesus Christ, the resurrection of Lazarus holds a foremost place in preaching. But if we consider attentively who did it, our duty is to rejoice rather than to wonder. A man was raised up by Him who made man: for He is the only One of the Father, by whom, as you kno…
2,315 wordsSECTION 1158. And now see how the disciples were terrified at His words. "The disciples say unto Him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone Thee, an
8. And now see how the disciples were terrified at His words. "The disciples say unto Him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone Thee, and goest Thou thither again? Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? "What means such an answer? They said to Him, "The Jews of late sought to stone Thee, and goest Thou thithe…
2,344 wordsSECTION 11614. "Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again." This was ambiguous. For He said not, Even now I will raise thy brother; but, "Thy
14. "Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again." This was ambiguous. For He said not, Even now I will raise thy brother; but, "Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto Him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection, at the last day." Of that resurrection I am sure, but uncertain about this. "Jesus saith…
2,288 wordsSECTION 11723. "Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto Him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been [dead] four days. [997] Jesus
23. "Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto Him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been [dead] four days. [997] Jesus saith unto her, Have I not said unto thee, that, if thou believest, thou shalt see the glory of God?" What does He mean by this, "thou shalt see the glory of God"? That He can raise to life…
1,833 wordsSECTION 118Chapter XI. 55-57; XII
Chapter XI. 55-57; XII 1. Yesterday's lesson in the holy Gospel, on which we spake as the Lord enabled us, is followed by to-day's, on which we purpose to speak in the same spirit of dependence. Some passages in the Scriptures are so clear as to require a hearer rather than an expounder: over such we need not tarry, that we may…
2,253 wordsSECTION 11910. Look now, and learn that this Judas did not become perverted only at the time when he yielded to the bribery of the Jews and betrayed hi
10. Look now, and learn that this Judas did not become perverted only at the time when he yielded to the bribery of the Jews and betrayed his Lord. For not a few, inattentive to the Gospel, suppose that Judas only perished when he accepted money from the Jews to betray the Lord. It was not then that he perished, but he was alrea…
1,838 wordsSECTION 120Chapter XII. 12-26
Chapter XII. 12-26 1. After our Lord's raising of one to life, who had been four days dead, to the utter amazement of the Jews, some of whom believed on seeing it, and others perished in their envy, because of that sweet savor which is unto life to some, and to others unto death; [1027] after He had sat down to meat with Lazaru…
2,246 wordsSource & rights
Historical text source: Christian Classics Ethereal Library. The downloaded text itself records Public Domain.