Chapter Six

¹ After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased. And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. The Lord, having discoursed somewhat harshly with the Jews, since by such words He had stirred up envy and wrath in them, soothes them by His withdrawal, and departs beyond the sea of Tiberias. By “sea” he means the lake; for the gatherings of waters the divine Scripture called seas. Otherwise: He passes from place to place, testing the disposition of the multitude; for while the more sluggish remained in their own country, the more earnest followed Him. Yet observe that even those who followed did so not for the teaching, but for the bodily benefit from the miracles. For “because,” he says, “they saw the signs which he did on them that were diseased.” But those in Matthew are better and more given to wisdom; for “they were astonished,” he says, “at his doctrine, for he taught them as one having authority.” And He goes up into the mountain because of the sign about to take place. For He was not one fond of display or ostentation, to work wonders in the midst of cities; but, fleeing the vain glory of the many, He seeks quietness. And teaching us this, and at the same time wishing to commune with His disciples about certain mystical things, He seeks the mountain. For this was ever His custom; since he who would discourse of such things must be freed from all tumult, and seek a place pure of every disturbance. “Now the passover,” he says, “the feast of the Jews, was near.” And yet He goes not up, but withdraws into Galilee; for He was no longer subject to the ordinances of the law, that He should keep the legal feasts. Besides, the Jewish wickedness pursuing Him, He took occasion thence, and quietly relaxes the law, showing to them that give heed that the type has ceased now that the truth is come. And observe also the “feast of the Jews.” For it was not Christ’s feast (how should it be His, who went not up to it?), but of the Jews only.

² When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw that a great company come to him, he says to Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, says to him, There is a lad here, which has five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? Why did he say, “Jesus lifted up his eyes”? That we may learn that He did not let His eyes rove here and there, but, sitting in reflection and attention and exactness, as one discoursing with His disciples about certain more divine things, at length He lifted up His eyes and asks concerning the multitude, whence it shall be fed. He asks no other, but Philip. For this was he who had need of more teaching, who afterward says, “Show us the Father, and it suffices us.” Therefore He brings him into order from far off, and by the question leads him ever to remember the miracle. For had the sign simply happened, the wonder had not so appeared; but now He first compels him to confess the scarcity, that he may more exactly learn the greatness of the wonder about to be, and may not thereafter be able to cast out the memory of what was confessed. Therefore He says, “Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” He says this to prove Philip—that is, wishing to make manifest what faith he has. For not as ignorant Himself of Philip’s mind does He ask him, but wishing to show him to the others. For the Lord Himself knew what He was about to do. Having then proved Philip whether he has faith, and finding him still humanly disposed—yea, and finding Andrew also such. For though he imagined something loftier than Philip (for, when Philip said that “two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient,” he points to five barley loaves and two small fishes, having in mind perhaps also the wonders of the prophets, how Elisha wrought the sign with the loaves when Samaria came to the uttermost of destruction), yet Andrew also is convicted of having conceived nothing worthy of the Lord. For he says, “But what are these among so many?” For he thought that the Lord would perhaps increase the loaves, but that, had there been more, the increase would have been greater also—thinking altogether unsafely. For the Lord was able even out of things not existing to make loaves sufficient for the multitude; yet, lest the creation should seem alien to His wisdom, He uses the creation itself for the matter of His wonders; and taking the loaves as occasion, as a kind of material, He thus shapes the wonder. Let the Manichaeans be ashamed, who say that bread, and all things in the creation, are works of the evil god; and therefore, if one give them bread, they receive it not from his hands, but bid him cast it from afar off, and standing they curse the giver: “May he that sowed you be sown, may he that ground you be ground as to his flesh,” and such like things. Let them be ashamed, then, hearing that Christ the Son of the good God multiplied loaves. For if they were an evil creature, the good One would not have multiplied the evil—not to say that He Himself also ate bread. But one might ask you: Is this miracle of the loaves the same as that in Matthew? It is the same. And if there the disciples come to Him putting Him in mind concerning the multitude, that they may be sent away, while here Jesus Himself asks whence they shall be fed, one need not wonder. For it is likely that both took place: the disciples first reminding the Lord about sending away the multitudes, and Philip being asked by the Lord whence they shall be fed.

³ And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said to his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above to them that had eaten. As though the table were ready, He bade them straightway sit down. And the disciples, though before unbelieving, yet readily make the men recline. Now there was grass, it being spring. For it was the passover, he says; and this was kept in the first month of spring. And the men only are numbered by the evangelist, who follows the legal custom. For Moses also numbered the people from twenty years old and upward, making no mention at all of women; the word showing that everything manly and youthful is honourable and worthy of numbering with God. And taking the loaves He gives thanks, showing that before food one ought to give thanks to God; and at the same time, since there was a multitude, for this cause He gives thanks before the multitude, that all may be persuaded that He came according to the will of God, and that He is not an adversary of God, but refers all things to the Father. For when He works signs alone, He does nothing of this kind, though He accomplishes greater things; but when He works wonders before many, then He looks up to God. And He shows that He does this not from weakness, but for the dispensation which we have spoken of, in that He does the greater things with lordly and authoritative power. And some say that He gives thanks for this cause, that He may escape the notice of the ruler of this world until the time of His passion, and that he might not henceforth suppose Him to be God, but be deceived and ensnared, and so through the cross be put to death. And the Lord allows the loaves to abound, not for display—far from it!—but that the filling of the men might not be thought a fantasy, but that it might appear to all that they were so truly satisfied as that so much remained over; and for this cause also He commands the fragments to be gathered, that seeing these they might be the more reminded of the wonder that had been done. And one must wonder not only that they abounded, but also at the exactness of the surplus, that it was neither more nor less, but He made the baskets of the remnants equal in number to the disciples; that all might bear one, and that not even Judas might be left without a portion, but might have this wonder also as a token that his Master was God, and might be profited even thereby, though by reason of his own wickedness it turned rather to his condemnation; for Him who made such surplus, from which he himself also bore a basket, this man betrayed. For not in vain did He command the apostles to bear the baskets, but that they might ever be reminded of the wonder, as those who were to be teachers of the world. For the multitude were to reap nothing great; for straightway they forgot the wonder, so senseless were they; but the disciples were to gain no common thing. And we learn from what was done not to be faint-hearted in the straits of poverty, nor to be afraid of hospitality and giving, but to believe that even if we have one loaf, He will multiply it who made so much abound from five loaves. And by allegory: when the Lord had gone forth from Jerusalem, according to that which is said in the prophets, “I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage,” then He goes away into Galilee of the nations, taking to Himself the Gentiles; and a great multitude follows Him. And He goes up into the mountain—either into the cross, that He may draw all to Himself, or into heaven, into the glory befitting God. For having been taken up into heaven, and being glorified by us as God and not as a mere man, He is said to go up into a mountain; for the lofty thought concerning Him is a mountain. And He distributes to us, who are fallen under the five senses, the rational loaves, which are themselves also five. For to each sense He gives the suitable loaf, that is, the word; as Paul also says, “I would speak five words in the church”—those, namely, that fit the five senses to correction. Yet we cannot eat up these five words whole, but they abound also. For none of us can contain the whole words of the mystery, but the apostles bear what to us more material ones is unattainable and uneatable, as in certain baskets, in their own minds. “But the righteous shall flourish like the palm tree.”

⁴ Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone. Behold the gluttony of the multitude: when Jesus had done countless and more wonderful miracles, they marvelled not; and lo, for the sake of the food, “This,” they say, “is the prophet.” No longer do they charge Him with breaking the sabbath, no longer do they avenge the law; but so far do they honour Him for the loaves’ sake, that they not only proclaim Him a prophet, but think Him worthy of kingship also. But He flees, teaching us to despise worldly dignities. And He withdraws into the mountain Himself alone, taking none of the disciples, that He may prove their longing, and whether they cannot bear His absence.

⁵ And when even was now come, his disciples went down to the sea, and entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them. And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing near to the ship: and they were afraid. But he says to them, It is I; be not afraid. Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land where they went. The Lord indeed goes up into the mountain alone, that, as we said, He may prove the longing of the disciples, whether they seek after Him. And they wait for Him until evening, expecting that He will come; but when He came not, they endure it not, but, pricked with longing to seek Him, they enter into the ship. For not simply, nor by chance, did the evangelist mark the time, but by this showing their vehement love, that not even evening detained them. And He suffers them to be storm-tossed, that, calm coming after the surge, they might the more rejoice at what was done, and the memory of it might be stamped unforgettably upon their hearts. And He stands by them as they are tossed, and by His word both casts out their fear, and at once makes calm upon the sea, and works a double fair weather, allaying the trouble both of their souls and of the sea. And He went not up into the ship, willing to work the wonder greater. For behold three wonders: one, He walked upon the sea; second, that He laid the waves to rest; third, that immediately He made the ship to be at the land where they went, though it was far from the land when the Lord stood by it. The Jews indeed also crossed the Red Sea, Moses leading; but he did all as a servant and by praying, while this One did it with all authority. And there, the south wind blowing, the water gave way, so as to make them pass over on dry land; but here the wonder was greater. For the sea, remaining in its own nature, so bore the Master upon its back, that the prophetic word might be fulfilled, “He that walks upon the sea as upon a pavement.” Many of us also now are in the spiritual darkness, and are in danger of being drowned in the spiritual sea; but let us receive Christ, and we shall by all means be saved from the dangers; and though oftentimes some bring fears upon us—demons or men tempting us—and through fear try to shake us, let us hear Christ crying, “Be not afraid; it is I.” And what He says is this: “The fearful things pass away, wherefore be not afraid of the things that pass away. But I am—that is, I ever abide, and as God I am He that is.” Since, then, the fearful things are temporary and not truly existent, but I am—instead of, I abide and never pass away, but truly am—betray not your faith in me for the sake of things temporary. And observe with me, how not at the beginning of the danger, but at its height, Christ appears and looses the fear. For He suffers us to come into the midst of the terrors, that, having wrestled with the affliction and been pressed, we may become more approved; and that, having moved all our own power and wisdom and found it weak, we may flee to Him alone, who is able to save out of things unlooked for. For when the human mind grows weary, then salvation from God, suddenly supervening, prepares us to fly to Him alone who saves, and not to ascribe the salvation to ourselves. And if we will receive Christ into our ship also—that is, to settle Christ in our heart—straightway we shall be found in the land where we are carried. And what is this land? It is surely the land of promise, heaven, the land of the meek, and of those who are at peace from all wickedness.

⁶ The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone; (however there came other boats from Tiberias near to the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:) when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, Rabbi, when came you here? Jesus answered them and said, Truly, truly, I say to you, You seek me, not because you saw the miracles, but because you did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Jesus indeed, going on foot upon the sea, departed to the other side. But the multitudes on the morrow, seeking Him and seeing that there was one ship which had received the disciples, into which Jesus entered not, came to the thought of the wonder, and suspected that, walking on the sea, He had come to the other side. For if there had been another ship also, it had been likely to suppose that He sailed not with the disciples, but, entering into that one, crossed over. But now, there being one ship, which received the disciples alone and not the Lord, the wonder is manifest. Having thought upon these things, then, the multitudes, since they found other little ships come from the other side, embarked in those, and crossed over to Capernaum; where, finding the Lord, they fall not down before Him, nor ask to learn how He crossed, nor inquire about this sign, but thus carelessly say, “When came you here?” For they who sought to seize Him and make Him a king, finding Him, take no such counsel; but, casting out the wonder, they seek to enjoy another table such as before. Wherefore also they are reproached by the Lord. “For you seek me,” He says, “because you did eat of the loaves, and for this cause you desire me, that you may again have me as a maker of feasts.” And mark, that though convicting them, He uses not a harsh reproof. For He said not, “O slaves of the belly and gluttons,” but with meekness. For wishing to correct them, He reproves them, and at the same time, by uncovering the hidden things of their heart, He would lead them up to a greater faith. And that the reproof was for their correction is plain from what follows. For He makes to them a most profitable teaching, and says:

⁷ Labour not for the meat which perishes, but for that meat which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give to you: for him has God the Father sealed. “You indeed,” He says, “seek me for the loaves’ sake, as longing for this food; but you ought not to incline wholly to the belly, but rather to take thought for spiritual things, and not to spend all your care upon bodily food.” For this He called the meat that perishes. And since many of those who would live idly—and especially the Messalians—use this saying in defence of their idleness, it is needful to make the saying plain. For our Lord Jesus Christ said not this as wishing to cut off bodily labour and to thrust men into idleness. For idleness has taught every wickedness, and, if one must speak exactly, this is the meat that perishes: the will to live idly; since he that follows Christ must labour, that he may have to impart to others also; for this has its reward, the promise of the kingdom to come. How then, one says, did the Lord say that we ought not to labour for the meat that perishes? Cutting off the intensity of their zeal about food, and gently transferring them to spiritual things. “Yea,” one says, “but that Christ cuts off bodily labour is plain from His saying to Martha: Martha, you are careful and troubled; but one thing is needful, and Mary has chosen that good part; and again, Take no thought for the morrow.” These things they who would be fed in idleness raise as a difficulty. But we, what say we? That what was said to Martha is not about work and labour and idleness, but about knowing the time, and not spending the hour of hearing upon zeal about food. Persuading her, then, not to betray in vain the time of teaching for the sake of busying herself about the belly, He says these things. And in saying “Take no thought,” not even thus does He cast out labour. For care is one thing, and labour another. For one may both labour and take no thought. Teaching us, then, not to be nailed to the things of life, nor to make provision for the morrow’s rest, but rather wishing us to labour day by day, He says, “Take no thought for the morrow,” as if He said: “Take no thought how, having laboured to-day, you shall rest to-morrow; but having each day’s food from each day’s labour, take no thought for the morrow.” And by the meat that endures He means the mystical partaking of the Lord’s flesh, which He Himself gives us, having become Son of man, whom the Father sealed—that is, declared and confirmed that He is His Son. For Christ also declared Himself by the miracles; but since He discourses to Jews, that they be not troubled, He runs up to the Father, and says that He was sealed by Him—that is, demonstrated, witnessed to. And since the Son is the image of the Father, and a seal, and an impress, understand Him to be sealed by the Father in that He is image and seal; so that what is said is of this kind: For this manifest Son of man the Father sealed—that is, preserving toward Him all natural identity.

⁸ Then said they to him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he has sent. They said therefore to him, What sign do you show then, that we may see, and believe you? what do you work? The Jews seek to learn the work of God, not that they may do it, but that they may seize occasions. Knowing, then, that they would be nothing profited, yet for the common benefit of the teaching He answers, and shows to them—or rather to all men—that this is the work of God, to believe on Him whom He sent. For faith in Him is a work truly sacred and perfect, and sanctifying those that have it. For exact faith becomes a guide to every good work, and good work preserves faith. For works without faith are dead, and faith also without works. And behold their thanklessness and senselessness: they who had seen so many and so great things ask again for a sign, and rather for that of the loaves whereby they were filled. As gluttons, then, they ask again for such a sign, one that contributes to their belly. And that this is true is plain from what follows.

⁹ Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Then Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world. Then said they to him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. Not in vain did we say that, as serving the belly, they sought a sign, such as was that of the loaves. Behold, then, they make mention of the manna, and of no other wonder, whether of the things in Egypt, or of those at the Red Sea. For wishing to provoke Him, that He also might do such a sign, which could feed them carnally, they make mention of the manna through excess of gluttony. What then does the boundless wisdom of God, our Lord Jesus, answer them? “Moses gave you not the bread”—that is, the true bread Moses gave you not; but all the things that then came to pass were types of the things now coming to pass. For Moses held the type of God, the true captain of the spiritual Israelites; and that bread was a type of me, who came down from the heavens, and truly feed, and am the true bread. And He calls Himself the true bread, not as though the manna were false, but since that was a type and a shadow, and not the very truth. For properly the only-begotten Son of God, become man, is the manna, the astounding word and report. For “manna” is interpreted, “What is this?” For the Hebrews, seeing it each one heaped up before his own tent, and astonished at the unwonted and strange sight, asked one another, “What is this?” The Lord, then, become man, the Son of God, is Himself the manna that astounds all, so that each in perplexity says, “What is this? How is the Son of God also Son of man? How of two contraries one person? What is this mystery?” This bread, then, being life by nature, as Son of the living Father, does its own work; for it quickens all things. As, then, the bread from the earth holds together the weak nature of the flesh, and suffers it not to be corrupted, so also Christ, by the working of the Spirit, quickens the soul, and moreover holds together the very body to incorruption. For through Christ the resurrection from the dead has been bestowed on human nature, and the incorruption of bodies. But the Jews, still inclining toward the belly, and being wholly earth, understand the things said of sensible bread, and say, “Give us this bread.” Thus, then, being foolish, they were reproved—and that not for one day nor two. And this also springs from our love of plenty about the abundance of food.

¹⁰ And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life: he that comes to me shall never hunger; and he that believes on me shall never thirst. But I said to you, That you also have seen me, and believe not. All that the Father gives me shall come to me; and him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. The Jews, as being earthly, supposing that the Lord spoke of sensible bread, and for this cause pressing on and seeking, the Lord, reproving them and showing that, so long as they suspected the food to be sensible, they ran after Him, but when they should learn that it is spiritual, they would no longer run, says, “I am the bread of life.” And He said not, “the bread of food,” but “of life.” For since all things had been deadened, the Lord quickened us through Himself, who is bread, in that we believe the leaven of the human lump to have been baked through by the fire of the Godhead. And He is bread of life, not of such common life, but of an altered life, not broken off by death. And he that believes on such bread shall never hunger, neither shall he be famished with the famine of hearing the word of God, nor thirst the spiritual thirst that comes of not having the water of baptism and the sanctification of the Spirit. For the unbaptized has thirst and much dryness, lacking the refreshing holy water; but the baptized, having the Spirit, is ever refreshed in soul by Him. And showing that faith in Him is no chance thing, but a gift of God, given by the Father to the worthy and the upright in heart, He says, “All that the Father gives me shall come to me”—that is, those shall believe on me whom the Father gives me. But you Jews, as being unworthy, are not given me by the Father; wherefore neither do you come to me, for you have not an upright heart, that God and Father, loving you, might lead you into faith in me. “Him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out”—that is, I will not destroy, but save, and prepare him to enjoy much care. For “I came down from heaven, not to do any other thing than the will of the Father.” And this He says, that they may learn that he who receives Him not is an adversary of God, opposing the will of the Father. For since they called Him an adversary of God, He turns the charge back upon them and says, if not openly, “You are the adversaries of God, who receive not Him that follows the will of the Father.” Where is Nestorius here, who says that after the resurrection Christ was made God? Do you hear not, wretched man, that He came down from heaven? And He that came down from heaven was not a mere man surely, but God. For a mere man comes not down, but, if anything, goes up into heaven, God granting this for virtue’s sake. Since, then, the Lord’s descent went before His ascent, the same both came down from heaven, as God plainly, having condescended for the incarnation; man, where He was before as God. Nestorius doted not aright, but God before the ages was made man.

¹¹ And this is the Father’s will which has sent me, that of all which he has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which sees the Son, and believes on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. Continually He sets down the “The Father has given me,” that He may smite their hearts, and that they may recognise that they are unworthy of the gift of God. For if the Father gives faith in Christ as some great thing, and they have it not, it is manifest that they have fallen from the gift of God. “I, then,” He says, “will not lose those whom the Father gives me”—that is, them that believe on me; but I will raise them up, which is, I will count them worthy of a glorious resurrection. For the resurrection is twofold: the one common and general, in which all sinners rise; and the other, in which the righteous alone are taken up into the air to meet the Lord, and meet the Lord with boldness. And this resurrection Paul calls the out-resurrection, because of the lifting up from the earth. For sinners indeed rise from the tombs, but rise not out of the earth into the air; for they remain below as condemned. So that the righteous both rise and rise out, caught up in clouds to meet the Lord; but the sinners rise only. And the Lord, interpreting what is the “All that the Father has given me I will not lose,” says the same thought in other words: “That every one that sees the Son and believes may have everlasting life.” For He says nothing else than what He said above. For the “All that the Father has given me” is the same with “Every one that sees the Son and believes”; and the “I will not lose” is the same with “Has everlasting life.” And He continually makes mention of the resurrection, that He may persuade men not to circumscribe God’s providence by the things seen only, but to know that there is also another state, in which without doubt they shall enjoy the rewards of virtue; and though no requital in this life now appear, not therefore to slacken the course toward virtue.

¹² The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he says, I came down from heaven? Jesus therefore answered and said to them, Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. The Jews murmured, the Lord having said, “I am the bread,” as though deceived. For so long as they thought He spoke of sensible bread, they bore it meekly, hoping that He would give them this bread and gratify their belly; but when He revealed to them that the word was not of sensible but of spiritual bread, despairing they murmur. For whence had they the power to conceive spiritual food, and life, and resurrection? They were offended, then, at Him, seeing His mother, but hearing, “I came down from heaven.” Not conceiving, then, that the same is also God, but looking to the appearance, they murmured, as though the Lord boasted, and said, “Is not this the son of Joseph?” But the Saviour Himself answers them not, “I am not the son of Joseph”; for they could not conceive the ineffable birth from the Virgin. And if their understanding contained not the birth according to the flesh, much more the eternal birth from the Father. What, then, does He answer them? “No man can come to me, except the Father draw him.” And this He says, not taking away free will—far from it!—but showing that he who is to believe has need of much working together from God. And otherwise: the Father draws those that have aptness according to their choice; but those that have made themselves unapt He draws not to faith. For as the loadstone draws not all things to which it approaches, but only iron, so also God approaches all, but draws the more apt, and those that show some kinship toward Him. The Father, then, draws and brings to the Son, and the Son raises up, and quickens, and bestows the breath and life in good things, which is the Holy Spirit. The holy Trinity, then, benefits them that believe, and not in part the Father alone, or the Son alone; but as the nature is one, so also the energy of the benefaction is one, the Father bringing, the Son quickening, the Holy Spirit becoming as breath to them that are quickened. For everything that lives has breath also. And observe the authority of the Son: “I,” He says, “will raise up.” For He said not, “My Father will raise up,” but “I.” For He speaks not lowly throughout, but there is where He uncovers also the height of His own Godhead.

¹³ It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that has heard, and has learned of the Father, comes to me. Not that any man has seen the Father, save he which is of God, he has seen the Father. Truly, truly, I say to you, He that believes on me has everlasting life. He said above that “Whomever the Father draws, he comes to me”; and wishing to establish this, He refers the word to the prophets. “For it is written,” He says, “in the prophets, They shall be all taught of God”—all, that is, that are willing. For the Father is the common teacher, making known by revelation His Son to the worthy. For touching the hearts of the guileless and unmalicious, He reveals to them the Son, as He revealed Him to Peter also. He, then, that hears of the Father—that is, that receives the revelation of the Father, and becomes a true disciple of His—this man comes to me. And observe how with exactness He utters everything. For He said not, “He that hears of the Father, he comes to me,” but added, “and has learned.” For it suffices not to hear, but there must be present also the learning. What, then? Before this, in the Old Testament, were they not taught of God? They were indeed, but not thus. For here is the special thing, in the New, I mean, Testament. For then they learned the things of God through men; but now, the Only-begotten being incarnate, the knowledge comes from the Father Himself in the Holy Spirit; so that the prophetic word is fulfilled, “In your light” (the Father’s), that is, in the Spirit, “shall we see light,” which is the Son. Fitly, then, are we now all taught of God, who have received faith in Christ. And since He said, “He that hears of the Father, he comes to me,” that no one might suppose He speaks of a sensible father, He says, “Not that any has seen the Father, save he which is of God”; for the Son, truly being of Him, and begotten of Him, is properly the one Son, who also knows the Father.

¹⁴ I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. He compares with the manna the food given by Himself. “For I,” He says, “am the bread of life; but the manna, they that ate it died.” And not without cause did He add “in the wilderness,” but wishing to show that the manna lasted the fathers not even for long, but in the wilderness only, and went not in with them into the land of promise. But this bread is not such, but everlasting, so that they shall receive goods far greater than their fathers, if only they will. And how are not the things given by Christ greater? For though one taste of death, yet he lives through the hope of the resurrection. And here He plainly speaks of the mystical partaking of His body. For “the bread,” He says, “which I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” And showing His authority, that not as a servant and less than His Father was He crucified, but willingly, He says, “I will give my flesh for the life of the world.” For though He be said to be given by the Father, yet also to have given Himself—the former, that we may learn His concord with the Father; the latter, the self-authority of the Son. And mark, that the bread which is eaten by us in the mysteries is not a figure of the Lord’s flesh, but the very flesh of the Lord. For He said not, “The bread which I will give is a figure of my flesh,” but, “is my flesh.” For this bread is transformed by ineffable words, through the mystical blessing and the visitation of the Holy Spirit, into the flesh of the Lord. And let it trouble no one that the bread is believed to be flesh. For even while the Lord walked in the flesh and took to Himself the nourishment from bread, that bread which was eaten was changed into His body, and was made like to His holy flesh, and contributed to its growth and sustenance after the manner of man. Now also, then, the bread is changed into the flesh of the Lord. And how, one says, does it not appear to us as flesh, but as bread? That we be not made to loathe the eating. For if flesh appeared, we should be ill-disposed toward the partaking; but now, the Lord condescending to our weakness, the mystical food appears to us such as is our wonted food. And He gave His flesh to death for the life of the world; for having died, He loosed death. And understand me the life of the world to be—perhaps the resurrection (for the death of the Lord wrought the general resurrection for the whole race of men); and perhaps also the life in sanctification and blessedness He names the life of the world. For though not all received the sanctification and the life in the Spirit, yet the Lord gave Himself for the world; and as far as in Him lay, the world was saved, and the whole nature was sanctified, in that it received power to conquer sin, and sin fled through the one man, our Lord Jesus Christ, as also was made manifest.

¹⁵ The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. The Jews, hearing of the eating of the Lord’s flesh, disbelieve. Wherefore also they utter the word of unbelief, the “How?” For when reasonings of unbelief enter into a soul, then the “How?” enters in along with them. Therefore He also, wishing to show that this is not impossible, but exceedingly necessary, and that it is not possible otherwise to have life, says, “Except you eat my flesh,” and what follows. Thus also Nicodemus out of unbelief said, “How can a man enter into his mother’s womb?” We, then, hearing that, except we eat the flesh of the Son, we have no life, ought in the partakings of the divine mysteries to have faith unwavering, and not to seek the “How?” For the natural man—that is, he that follows human and psychic, that is, natural, reasonings—receives not the things above nature and spiritual; even as therefore he understands not the spiritual eating of the Lord’s flesh, of which they that partake not shall be without part in eternal life, as not having received Jesus who is the true life. For it is not the flesh of a mere man that is eaten, but of God, and able to deify, as commingled with Godhead. This also is meat indeed, in that it suffices not for a little time, nor is corrupted like fluid food, but is a helper of eternal life. And likewise the drinking of the Lord’s blood is drink indeed, in that it satisfies the thirst not for a season, but keeps the drinker for ever without thirst and without want; as He said also to the Samaritan woman, “He that drinks of the water that I shall give shall not thirst.” For whoever receives the grace of the Holy Spirit through the partaking of the divine mysteries, neither hungers the spiritual famine, nor thirsts the thirst such as the unbelievers do.

¹⁶ He that eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, dwells in me, and I in him. As the living Father has sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eats me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eats of this bread shall live for ever. Here we learn the mystery of the partaking. For he that eats and drinks the flesh and blood of the Lord abides in the Lord Himself, and the Lord in him. For a strange and inexpressible commingling comes to pass, so that God is in us and we in God. Do you hear not the awful hearing? We eat not a mere God (for He is intangible and incorporeal, and to be grasped neither by eyes nor by teeth), nor again the flesh of a mere man (for it could profit nothing); but since God united to Himself the flesh according to the ineffable commingling, the flesh also is life-giving—not that it has passed over into the nature of God (far from it!), but according to the likeness of red-hot iron, which both remains iron and shows the energy of the fire; so then also the flesh of the Lord, remaining flesh, is life-giving, as the flesh of God the Word. “As, then,” He says, “I live by the Father”—that is, as begotten of the Father, who is life—so also he that eats me shall live by me, being commingled, as it were transelemented into me, who am mighty to quicken. And when you hear, “I live,” think not that He lives by participation of life; for so would God be called a living creature; but it is not so. For neither is God named a living creature, nor shall life be called a created thing. And continually He turns up and down the “Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness,” to persuade the hearers that, if it was possible in forty years, without harvest and sowing, for men to be fed and for their life to be sustained, much more now will the Lord sustain our spiritual life by the better bread, His flesh, which was constituted without seed of man from the virgin earth. And everywhere He makes mention of life, and the oftener brings in this name, since nothing is so sweet to men as this thing. And you, then, can not only according to the mystical partaking eat and drink the flesh and blood of the Master, but also after another manner. For one eats the flesh when he walks by the practical life; for the flesh is hard to work, as the practical life also is toilsome; and one drinks the blood, as wine that gladdens the heart, who is contemplative; for contemplation is the more toilless, since drinking also is more toilless than eating.

¹⁷ These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said to them, Does this offend you? What and if you shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? Wherefore did He teach in the synagogue? At once wishing to catch the multitude, and at once showing that He is not contrary to the law that is read in the synagogues. And why did He bring forth such words into the midst, though about to profit none, but rather to offend many? For even His disciples, having heard, said, “This is an hard saying; who can hear it?” What, then, is the gain from these words? Even very much and great. For since they continually made mention of bodily food, and brought the manna forward into the midst, He, showing them that all those things were types and shadow, but the things now spoken by Him are the truth, for this cause says these things, and makes mention of spiritual food, that He may persuade them in some measure to look up from the things sensible, and to despise the types and the shadow, but to run to the truth. But they, being able to conceive nothing above sense, neither are bettered, but rather leap away and say, “This is an hard saying”—instead of “rough, unacceptable.” For how, being carnal, could one receive spiritual food, and bread coming down from heaven, and flesh eaten? And when you hear that His disciples leaped away, think not of the true disciples, but of those who followed Him in the rank of disciples, and were fashioned in appearance only as being taught by Him. For even among the disciples there were some who, as compared with the multitude, were called His disciples; for they remained with Him a longer time than the multitudes; but as examined against His true disciples, they were of no worth, having believed on Him for a season, and out of a cold, so to speak, warmth. And behold their senselessness. For when they ought to ask and learn the things they knew not, they leap away, and take nothing spiritually, but all according to the appearance. For since they heard “flesh,” they thought that He compels them to become flesh-eaters and blood-drinkers. But we that understand spiritually are not flesh-eaters, and are rather sanctified through such food. And wishing to show them that, as God, nothing of the things in their hearts escapes Him, He says, “Does this offend you? What and if you see me ascending into heaven, the manifest Son of man, where I was before as God?” For the same ascends as man, where He was before as God. And this He said, that He might lead them away from supposing Him to be the son of Joseph. For he that believed that He was in heaven before, will surely believe also that He is not the son of Joseph, but of God; and henceforth will be persuaded by the things spoken by Him. And hearing that the Son of man was in heaven before, think not that the body came down from heaven (for this is the raving of Marcellus the heresiarch and of Apollinarius); but since one and the same was Son of man and God the Word, it is so said, inasmuch as He was before in heaven as God.

¹⁸ It is the spirit that quickens; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak to you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. Since, as we have often said, taking the things spoken by Christ carnally, they were offended, He says: To understand spiritually the things spoken by me, this it is that profits; but the flesh—that is, to receive them carnally—profits nothing, but becomes an occasion of offence. So indeed they, hearing carnally the things spoken by Christ, were offended. He adds, therefore, that “The words which I speak are spirit”—that is, are spiritual, and are life, having nothing carnal, and procuring life eternal. And showing the dignity of the Godhead—I mean the revealing of the hidden things—He says to them that “There are some of you that believe not.” And in saying “some,” He excepted the disciples. And the evangelist, wishing to show us that before the foundation of the world He knew all things, says that “From the beginning Jesus knew who they were that believed not,” and moreover the wickedness of the betrayer; which was a mark of God, who knows all things before they come to pass.

¹⁹ And he said, Therefore said I to you, that no man can come to me, except it were given to him of my Father. From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus to the twelve, Will you also go away? Often we have said that, when you hear that the Father gives faith in the Son, think not that the Father benefits some by lot and others not—for this were of one that does injustice—but believe that the Father benefits those, and gives them the gift of faith, with whom their own choice works together. For he that is not worked together with by his own choice, neither, though taken up by God, is profited. What I mean is this: God gives to all, but some both receive, and use well that which is given, and, keeping it, show the gift of God; while others receive indeed, but, losing what is given, appear to have received nothing. When, then, the evangelist says that “Except it were given to one of the Father, he cannot come to the Son,” he says this: that he comes to the Son to whom the Father will give—that is, by whom the gift come to him from God should be kept. Many of the disciples, then, went back—that is, having cut themselves off from the Teacher, they advanced not to progress, but went backward, that is, to unbelief; for in truth he that cuts himself off from Christ goes backward, while he that, according to Paul, cleaves to the Lord ever reaches forth to the things before. And He, showing that He has need of none, nor of their service or attendance, says to them, “Will you also go away?” And wherefore did He not rather praise the twelve, as not being carried away with the rest? At once keeping the dignity befitting a teacher, and at once showing to us also that by this manner one may rather draw men. For had He praised them, they might have suffered something human, and boasted, supposing that they did Him a favour by following. But to show that He has no need of their following was rather able to hold them, as being benefited rather than benefiting, and receiving a favour rather than giving one. And consider how prudently He spoke. For He said not, “Depart”—for this had been of one thrusting them away—but He asks, “Will you go away?” which made them lords of following or not; showing that He would not have them follow Him out of shame toward Him, but with thankfulness for the following.

²⁰ Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? you have the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that you are that Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spoke of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve. Peter, being tender-hearted and brotherly, answers in behalf of the whole choir. For he said not, “Lord, to whom shall I go?” and “I have known and believed,” but, “To whom shall we go?” and what follows. And he says that the Lord has the words of eternal life, since he had heard Him saying that “Him that believes on me I will raise up, and he shall have eternal life.” For already these had received the resurrection, and all the teaching. So that it was not the words that offended, but the inattention and sloth and thanklessness of the hearers. For these twelve also heard the same things, and yet were not offended, but remained. What, then, does Christ? Does He praise Peter, as elsewhere He did this? By no means, lest He should seem to flatter him for his remaining with Him. But what says He to Peter? “I indeed chose you twelve, yet not even you are all worthy of the choice, but one of you is a devil.” And this is to be understood in two ways. Either that, “Even now he slanders all that is mine, and accepts none of these things,” or that, “He will betray me.” For indeed such Judas showed himself, slandering the Lord to the Jews, and carrying out His mysteries to them; even as David also says of him, “He went forth, and spoke thereof together.” And the Lord says these things to Peter, correcting him. For since Peter said, “We have both known and believed,” “Think not this,” He says; “for you are not all faithful, neither have you all known me.” And observe me the Lord, how, while yet far off checking the wickedness of the betrayer and reining it back, He says these things; knowing indeed that it would profit nothing, yet doing His own part; and neither did He make him manifest, nor suffer him altogether to escape notice—the one, lest, made shameless, he should become more contentious; the other, lest he should work his daring deed without fear, as supposing himself to escape notice. And from this we learn also this, that God is not wont to make men good by necessity and force, neither does His choosing constrain our will, nor compel that which is evil to become good. But the choosing comes from God, who exhorts us to the good and spreads out before us His own goodness; while in our purpose and choice it lies to be saved and to walk worthily of the choosing, or the contrary. And marvel that the devil wars so mightily as to be able to snatch away one of the twelve—of them that raised the dead, and wrought wonders, and enjoyed the spiritual and life-giving teaching of the Lord. And where, henceforth, is there hope of salvation for us, who of our own will from youth have enslaved ourselves to wickedness? Wherefore the evangelist also, as marvelling, said the, “Being one of the twelve.” For “though,” he says, “he was of this holy choir, yet by his evil purpose he was found unworthy”; so self-changing a creature is man. And henceforth let the Manichaeans be gone. For we are not evil by nature; for else it would always have been working in him; but there was a time when he was holy. By choice, then, are the evil things chosen.