Chapter Seven

¹ And Jesus walked after these things in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him. Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at hand. His brethren therefore said to him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that your disciples also may see the works that you do. For there is no man that does any thing in secret, and he himself seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world. For neither did his brethren believe in him. He withdraws because of the murderous Jews, not as fearing death; for it was in His power to walk even in the midst of them and suffer nothing. But had He always done such things, it would not have been believed that He had become man, but it would have seemed a phantasm. Wherefore now He withdraws, confirming and making sure the human nature, and putting to shame all those who say that He was incarnate in appearance—Manes, Marcion, and Basilides, and the like. And at another time again, being in the midst of them that thirst for murder and rave against Him, He remains unharmed, and shows the marks of the Godhead, putting to shame Paul of Samosata, and persuading all that He was not a mere man, but was also God. He withdraws, then, into Galilee now. For since the time of the passion was not yet come, it was vain and superfluous to dwell in the midst of His enemies, and to become to them an occasion of ever greater frenzy. “Now it was,” he says, “the feast of tabernacles.” It is worth while to speak about the feasts kept by the Jews. For there were three: one, that of the Passover, which they kept as having passed over out of Egypt, and which was the first among them; the second, Pentecost, which they kept as having been delivered from the evils in the wilderness, and having entered into the land of promise, and tasted then for the first time of the corn-fruit; wherefore also in this feast they brought sheaves as firstfruits. The third, the feast of tabernacles, which they kept as a thanksgiving for the gathering-in of the fruits in the month called September among the Romans. For then they gave thanks to the Lord, as having gathered in all the fruits. Wherefore also they pitched tents, that is, booths, and rejoiced, as living in the fields. Whence also certain of David’s psalms, bearing the inscription “For the winepresses,” some say were composed for this feast by David. For then they filled their winepresses, gathering the vintage, and giving thanks over these, and they used psalms and the other things that pertain to thanksgiving. Such is the eighth psalm. Wherefore also in it the prophet makes mention of the good things given by God to man. And these things were also a dark figure: the Passover, our passing over from unbelief to faith; Pentecost, our entrance into the Church as into another land of promise, when, namely, we also eat bread, partaking of the divine mysteries. For not at once upon believing and passing over from unbelief do we straightway also eat of the bread; but one must first be baptized, and become worthy to stand with the baptized in the Church, and then partake of the bread. And the feast of tabernacles is the resurrection, when all the fruits of our deeds are accomplished, and our tabernacles, dissolved through death, are again pitched together. There are also other more divine accounts concerning these feasts, which it is not now the time to tell; for we ever choose what is more profitable for the many. There being, then, a feast of the Jews called the feast of tabernacles, since His brethren saw Him not preparing to go up, envying Him they say, “Depart hence, and go there, that your disciples also”—that is, the multitudes that follow you—“may see the things you do.” For he speaks not of the twelve, but of those who otherwise followed Him. And His brethren—the sons of Joseph, namely—charge Him with two passions, cowardice and love of glory. Wherefore also they say, “For no man does any thing in secret”—which is of cowardice—“and himself seeks to be in open”—which is of love of glory. “If you do these things, show,” they say, “yourself to the world.” And here they darkly hint that, “Neither have we a good opinion of the things done by you. For if you do these things as good, show yourself; but if you hide them, it is manifest that, doing evil, you hide.” And wherefore, having narrated nothing else in the five months but the sign concerning the loaves, and the discourse with them that ate, and then were thankless toward the Lord, did the evangelist leap over the rest, saying, “Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at hand”? For that he passed over in silence the works of five intervening months is plain from hence. For when He wrought the wonder of the loaves, it was the Passover, which was kept in the month called March among the Romans, called the first month among them; and now it is the feast of tabernacles, which is held about our September. Why, then, did the evangelist do this? Because it was not possible to recount everything. And besides, the evangelists were earnest to tell those things over which any blame or contradiction followed from the Jews. And it is worthy to marvel at their love of truth, how they are not ashamed to tell those things which seem to bring some dishonour upon the Teacher. Passing over, then, many wonders and words of the Lord, the evangelist narrates the unbelief of the brethren, and what they reproachfully cast at Him. And whence had they so great unbelief? From their purpose and from envy; for kinship is wont somehow ever to be envious. Yet consider, that having so great unbelief toward Him before the cross, when they both saw Him glorious, and bore witness to no dishonour concerning Him, the apostles afterward saw Him risen. For else they would not have received full assurance of His resurrection. […]

² Then Jesus said to them, My time is not yet come: but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you; but me it hates, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. Go you up to this feast: I go not up yet to this feast; for my time is not yet full come. The brethren, envying the Lord, charge Him with cowardice and at the same time with boasting. But He, what says He to them? Does He speak harshly? Not so, but meekly. For He said not, “Who are you, that counsel and teach these things?” But what says He? “My time is not yet come”—that is, of the cross and of death; “but your time is always ready.” For you, He says, though you were ever with the Jews, they will not kill you, who emulate the same things as they; but me they will straightway wish to slay, if they see me come to the feast. Or this is to be understood otherwise also. For He that calls the mourners in the present world blessed utters things consequent now also, and able to pass over to all the saints. For there is not, He says, a time of feast for me, when I see all wickedness having its citizenship in the fulness of the Jews. For it is a time of lamentation and mourning, when truth is driven away, and the divine will is overborne. For these causes, then, there is for me no time of feast; but for you indeed, as having your citizenship in harmony with the Jews, and being attached to the world, it is not unsuitable to keep feast together with those like you. And you the world cannot hate—that is, they that mind the things of the world, as being, as has been said, like to them; but me it hates, because I reprove its works. For this becomes the cause of the hatred, reproof spoken with boldness. He sends, then, His brethren to the feast, showing that He constrains them not to abide with Him, if they will not. And consider, that to the two charges which they brought against Him—cowardice, I mean, and love of glory—He makes also two defences: against the cowardice, in saying, “I reprove the works of the world,” that is, of them that mind the things of the world; but I would not reprove, were I cowardly, as you suppose; and against the love of glory, in not constraining them to abide with Him. For if He were liable to the charge of love of glory, He would not have sent them away; since by the vainglorious and boastful it is rather earnestly sought to have many followers. Since, then, they reproached Him with these two things, fitly He withstood the two, showing their suspicion to be rotten. And the “My time is not yet full come” shows this, that the time of death and of the cross is not yet. For I must still live in the flesh, that I may both do more signs, and set forth more teachings, that I may prepare more multitudes to believe, and make the disciples firmer, both by the showing of more signs and by the teaching; that I may then cast myself upon them that rave against me.

³ When he had said these words to them, he abode still in Galilee. But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. Wherefore, having said to His brethren, “I go not up to the feast,” does He go up again? He said not once for all, “I go not up,” but, “Now”—that is, “With you.” In the beginning indeed He declined the going up, inasmuch as the Jews were boiling with wrath. But afterward, when the feast was about to be loosed, He goes up, when it was likely that their madness also had abated. And otherwise: He did nothing contrary to what He said. For He went up not to keep feast, but to teach; and not with the gladness which they that keep festival use, but secretly. And He is hidden, that He may confirm the human nature. For had He appeared, they would have raved against Him, wishing to kill Him. But He would not have permitted them to do this, inasmuch as the time of the passion was not yet come; but being in the midst of them, He would have escaped the passion, and would have seemed to be incarnate in phantasm; for this cause He flees and withdraws as man, dispensing His own affairs.

⁴ Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he? And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceives the people. However no man spoke openly of him for fear of the Jews. Out of much hatred the Jews make not mention even of His name. For they say not, “Where is Jesus?” but, “Where is he?” so even at His bare name they were vexed. And consider me also their murderousness, how they spared not even the time of the feast, but wished to hunt Him down during it; wherefore also they sought Him; so much reverence and shame did they keep about the feasts, and such were their good deeds. And there was murmuring concerning Him among the multitudes, since there were different opinions about Him; the rulers saying that “He deceives the people,” but many saying that “He is good.” And these that said He was good were of the multitude. And that this is true is plain from the evangelist’s saying, that no one dared to speak openly for fear of the Jews; for it is manifest that they who dared not speak boldly for Him, and kept silence, fearing the Jewish rulers, were of the multitude. But also the saying “He deceives the people” is a token that they who slandered Him were of the rulers. For had they been of the multitude, they would have said, “He deceives us.” But now, saying “He deceives the people,” they show that they who say these things are not of the multitude, but of the rulers. And observe me everywhere the ruling part corrupted, but the ruled remaining incorrupt; only, because they had not a manlier judgment, but were still imperfect, they were without boldness.

⁵ Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knows this man letters, having never learned? Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. Why did He go up about the midst of the feast? That He might slacken their wrath, and at the same time that they might hear with leisure and attention the things spoken by Him, the feast no longer stopping their ears. For in the beginning of the feast it was likely that they were distracted about the things of the feast. Appearing, then, suddenly to them, all heard simply—both they that called Him good and they that called Him a deceiver: the one, to gain something and to marvel; the other, to lay hold of Him, and to seize Him as a deceiver. What He taught, the evangelist said not; but that He said certain marvellous things, by which He held them and changed their opinions into wonder, he showed by saying that “They marvelled, How knows he letters, having never learned.” Yet though they marvelled, not even thus was their judgment freed from wickedness. For they marvelled not at the teaching, nor received the things spoken, but they marvelled how He knew letters—that is, they were in perplexity, were astonished, which the envious are wont to suffer. As, for example: a man has a poor neighbour, and then perchance he often comes by a more costly garment; the envious neighbour, seeing this, says, “How is this man so costly clad, being most poor? Whence such a garment?” And he says this, not as truly marvelling, but burning with envy, and using such words for the slander of his neighbour: “Surely,” he says, “he stole the garments.” So then also the Jews: “How knows this man letters? Surely by Beelzebub.” And yet they ought rather from this to have considered that there was nothing human in Him. But since they would not confess this, He answers them, teaching them that the teaching is from the Father and God. “For nothing is mine,” He says, “nor do I speak anything of myself as an adversary of God, but whatever may be the Father’s, these are my words also.”

⁶ If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. He that speaks of himself seeks his own glory: but he that seeks his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. Having said, “My doctrine is not mine”—that is, not contrary to God, but is the Father’s—He says that “If any man do the will of God”—that is, if any man lay claim to virtue, and serve not envy, nor be darkened by the vain envy toward me—he shall know the power of my words, whether I speak the things of the Father, or certain strange and altered things. And he also does the will of God who searches the Scriptures and the prophets. Such a one, then, is able to know concerning the Lord’s teaching, that it is from God. For the prophets bring not in the Lord as an adversary of God and speaking of Himself, but as speaking and doing all the things that seem good to God. Then He brings also another reasoning, saying, “He that speaks of himself”—that is, he that wishes to set up his own teaching—does this for no other cause than to snatch some glory to himself thereby. But if I, He says, wish not to reap my own glory, but seek the glory of him that sent me, for what cause should I wish to teach other things? I am, then, true, and there is no unrighteousness in me—that is, I snatch not a glory belonging to another; for this is unrighteousness. So that my teaching has both truth and righteousness together. For it comes not of boasting, that it should have both the false and the unjust. For the boaster both lies, in that he says concerning himself things above his worth, and does injustice, in that he snatches a glory belonging to another and nowise befitting him. But the Lord, since He sought the things of the Father, and boasted nothing concerning Himself, is altogether both true and just. And in many places we have said, and now also we say, that when the Lord appears to say certain lowly things, we must not suppose that He utters these as being less than the Father according to nature, but because He would not be thought an adversary of God, and because of the weakness of the hearers, and because He was clothed with flesh, and because He teaches us to be moderate, and to say nothing great concerning ourselves. But when He utters lofty things, and concerning His own glory, we must believe that, as being in truth equal to the Father, He utters these lofty things, because of the greatness of His own nature.

⁷ Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keeps the law? Why go you about to kill me? The people answered and said, You have a devil: who goes about to kill you? It appears indeed that this which He now says preserves no connection with what went before; but to us that consider well, it is exceedingly consequent. For since they charged Him with loosing the sabbath and dissolving the law, against this He sets Himself, showing them rather to be transgressors of the law. For the law says, “You shall not kill”; but you seek to kill. So that you dissolve the law, not I. Leaving, then, the condemning of yourselves, you charge me as transgressing the law, because I healed a man on the sabbath. And the “None of you keeps the law” He said, because all to whom He spoke sought to kill Him. And observe, how He indeed discourses to them with a meek voice, but they insolently and with audacity say, “You have a devil”; for therefore they insult Him, thinking to confound and frighten Him beforehand. And He says that Moses gave the law, though He Himself was Moses’ Lord, and the giver of the law, because of the weakness and senselessness of the Jews. For how would they have borne to hear that it was not Moses who gave them the law, but that He Himself, Moses’ Master and Lord, was the giver of it?

⁸ Jesus answered and said to them, I have done one work, and you all marvel. Moses therefore gave to you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and you on the sabbath day circumcise a man. If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are you angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day? Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. From a certain syllogism He shows them raving against Him in vain, saying: “I have done one work on the sabbath, the raising up of the paralytic, and you all marvel for this”—instead of, “You are troubled, you are in tumult.” And yet Moses himself, that very lawgiver, loosed the sabbath, in that he commanded every soul to be circumcised on the eighth day. For it often befell that the eighth day, on which it was necessary to be circumcised, was a sabbath. So that, if the sabbath was loosed by Moses himself for circumcision’s sake, and the sabbath day hinders not a man from being circumcised, but, even though the eighth day chance to be a sabbath, the law concerning the rest of the sabbath is loosed, that the law of circumcision be not broken; if, then, these things are so, why are you angry and wroth with me, because on the sabbath I made a man whole and entire? And yet circumcision was not of Moses, but of the fathers; yet nevertheless this, though it was not of Moses, loosed the law concerning the sabbath laid down by Moses. And circumcision, though it works pain, is not hindered by the sabbath; but I, having freed a man from pain and made him whole, am I slandered? “Judge not according to the appearance”—instead of, “Vote justly and without respect of persons.” Set not Moses, who looses the sabbath through circumcision, outside of blame, and condemn me, and that for having loosed the sabbath to a man’s benefit. For that you set Moses outside of blame because of the dignity of his person is plain.

⁹ Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill? But, lo, he speaks boldly, and they say nothing to him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ? However we know this man whence he is: but when Christ comes, no man knows whence he is. Not simply and in vain is added the “Some of them of Jerusalem,” but that he may show that they who had most enjoyed the great signs, these were the most wretched of all. For how are they not wretched, who, having seen a great sign of His Godhead, are still corrupt in judgment? For they had a great sign, had they been willing—His speaking with boldness in the midst of them that raved against Him, and suffering nothing by them. But they would not from this sign recognise His power. And they doubt, saying, “Do the rulers indeed know that this is truly the Christ?” And not even on this opinion do they abide, but reason thus: “Of the Christ no man knows whence he comes; but this man we know whence he is; therefore this is not the Christ.” And yet behold the wickedness, how it contradicts even itself. Their rulers, when asked by Herod, say that the Christ is born in Bethlehem of Judaea; but these say that no man knows the Christ, whence he is. Do you see the contradiction of voice? And again elsewhere they say, “We know that God spoke to Moses; but as for this man, we know not whence he is.” Saw you the words of madmen? “We know,” and, “We know not.” What is equal to this madness? For they looked to one thing only, not to be persuaded. Wherefore, when it was to their advantage, they said, “We know”; and when again it was not to their advantage, they maintained, “We know not.” Of their wickedness, then, is so great a contradiction of voice. And one might inquire, whence moved do these say that “When Christ comes, no man knows whence he is”? For unless they had some testimony from the Scriptures, or sure traditions, they would not have spoken things so manifestly contrary to the scribes in Herod’s time, who said openly that “In Bethlehem of Judaea he is born”; and again to those who say that “Out of Bethlehem the village the Christ comes.” What, then, is to be said? That both spoke these things from the prophets. For both they that say He is born in Bethlehem and is of the village of David, and they that say no man knows whence He is, manifestly had the prophet Micah as witness, saying, as Matthew also says, “And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, are not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of you shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.” And these again that say that no man knows the Christ, whence he comes, had the prophets as witnesses of such an opinion; and Micah himself saying that “His goings forth are from the beginning, from the days of eternity”; which shows His going forth, that is, His generation, to be unknown. For Him that has His goings forth, that is, His generation, from the beginning and from the days of eternity, no man of men could know. For men are in time, but He is from the days of eternity and from the beginning; and how should he that is under time know the eternal? But Isaiah also says, “And his generation who shall declare?” Persuaded, then, from these things, they said that “No man knows the Christ, whence he is.” For they considered not that the Lord Jesus, being twofold, according to His birth in the flesh from the Virgin was known whence He is, that He is from Bethlehem; but according to the incorporeal and more ineffable generation from the Father before all the ages, is said to have a generation above all declaration. These men of Jerusalem, then, confess that they know the birth in the flesh, and whence it is; but the birth before the ages, according to which no man knows the Christ whence he is, they confess not. Wherefore, not reckoning that, being twofold, the one is known and the other not, they say that He is not the Christ.

¹⁰ Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, You both know me, and you know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom you know not. But I know him: for I am from him, and he has sent me. Since they said, “We know this man, whence he is,” for no other cause than wishing to show that He is of the earth, and that He is a carpenter’s son, for this cause He leads them up to heaven, saying, “You both know me, and you know whence I am”—that is, Though through wickedness you conceal it, yet you know whence I am, that I am from heaven. For since my Father is thence, it is manifest that I also am thence, and that I was sent from Him who is true. And since He is true, I also should be true, and no deceiver. For the true one would not have wished to send a deceiver and a liar. But this One that sent me, you indeed know not, but are ignorant with the ignorance that is through works. For, as Paul says, there is an ignorance in knowledge. They confess, he says, that they know God, but in works they deny Him. And you, then, the Jews, know not my Father because of your evil works and your most wicked judgment. But I know Him. For neither evil judgment, nor works displeasing to Him, hinder me from the knowledge of Him. For I am from Him—that is, of Him, not of another essence, nor alien to Him—and He has sent me. And observe here the two natures of Christ made plain: by the “I am from him,” the essence of the Godhead; and by the “And he has sent me,” the human nature; for He is called an apostle according to the human nature, even as the Son of God is also called a servant.

¹¹ Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come. And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ comes, will he do more miracles than these which this man has done? The evangelist, showing that they were invisibly held back, and that He suffered willingly, and not from inability, says that “They sought to take him, and no man laid hands on him.” And the “His hour was not yet come” he said, not that He was subject to times, but that He does all things in their hour, and in the fitting and befitting season. For when He reckoned that to suffer was seasonable—namely, according to the fair and fitting time—then He yielded Himself to them that crucified Him. For He does and dispenses all things in fair and fitting seasons. For example: the law had to be given, but in the fitting season; the prophets likewise, and the Gospel. The name, then, of “hour” indicates the exactness of the wisdom and the providence of the Saviour. And many believed on Him, saying, “Will the Christ do more signs than this man has done?” And they speak concerning the wine in Cana, the nobleman’s son, the paralytic, the loaves, and simply all the other things, which not even the evangelists, because of their multitude, make mention of by name. Yet though you hear that many believed, their faith was not exact, but such as is likely to be of a common throng, shifted now this way, now that, in their opinions.

¹² The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him. Then said Jesus to them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go to him that sent me. You shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, there you cannot come. Then said the Jews among themselves, Where will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go to the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles? What manner of saying is this that he said, You shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, there you cannot come? By the things over which the multitude murmured, he showed that they had a kindlier disposition, and a certain partial faith toward the Lord, and that they wished to be severed from the rulers; which the rulers perceiving, sent to seize Him, for this only, that He was believed to be Christ. And they sent, but came not themselves, fearing the multitude, lest they should make some commotion; wherefore they send the officers, withdrawing themselves from the danger that might perhaps befall, but giving up those to the wrath of the multitude; thus everywhere they looked to their own interest. But the Lord utters words full of lowliness: “Yet a little while am I with you.” Why, He says, are you earnest that I depart? Why do you persecute? Wait a little while, and even against your will I will not suffer myself to be held. And observe also the “I am with you”—that is, Though you persecute, though you drive me out, I am with you; that is, I dispense the things that are for your good, and speak the things that are to salvation. “And I go to him that sent me.” Here also He affrights them, as those about to offend Him that sent Him. For they that dishonour the sent, it is plain offend Him that sent. And in saying “I go,” He showed the willingness of His death. And showing that His end shall not be such as the common one, He says that “Where I go, there you cannot come.” For if His end were common and like to that of the many, and He were to remain in death, He would not have said, “You cannot come”; for all of us depart to the common death. Wishing, then, to show what He said—that His death is not such as the common one—He says, “Where I go, you cannot come.” And the saying “You shall seek me, and shall not find me” shows that He shall be longed for by them. And when did they seek Him? Luke said that many women bewailed Him; and it is likely that many others also suffered this; but also, when the city was being taken, that they remembered Christ and His wonders, and sought His presence. And all these things He said, wishing to draw them and to bend them down. For since the officers came, wishing to seize Him, He shows that He knows the cause of their coming, and that they wish to slay Him. Wherefore He foretells them His own death, that it is short, and that He goes to the Father. And to foretell His death was a great thing and not human. Wherefore David also says, “Lord, make me to know mine end.” And the Jews said, “Will he go to the dispersion of the Greeks?” Observe how they suffered something and were bent down toward the things spoken by Him; and this is plain from their asking, “Will he go to the dispersion of the Greeks?” For if it were not so, they would have said, “Will you depart? We pray for this, we welcome this.” But now nothing of the kind, but as though in agony lest they be deprived of Him, they seek where He is about to depart. And this is plain also from their saying that “He is about to go to the Greeks, and to teach them.” For they said not, “He is about to deceive them,” but, “to teach.” And they called the Gentiles “the dispersion,” as being scattered in every place. For the Jews of old mingled not with them, but, gathered in one place, in Palestine, they reproached the Gentiles as being everywhere scattered; which was turned back upon themselves afterward; for the Hebrews themselves have rather become a dispersion.

¹³ In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come to me, and drink. He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. The first day of the feast and the last—that is, the seventh—they named “great,” since the law also called the seventh day of the feast “a holy convocation.” Following this, then, the evangelist also names the last day “great.” Fitly, then, on the last day He discourses to the multitudes, giving them, as it were, certain provisions for the way as they were about to depart home. For to discourse to them on the intervening days, given up to luxury, was unseasonable; for neither would they have given heed. And Jesus cried, at once that He might be heard, and at once showing His boldness, and that He feared no one. What, then, says He? “He that believes on me, as the scripture has said”; for here one must place a stop, then from another beginning must read the “Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” For since many believed from the signs, showing that one ought not so to believe from the signs as from the Scriptures (for the corrected faith is from the Scriptures), for this cause He says, “He that believes on me, as the scripture has said”—that is, As the Scripture witnesses concerning me, that I am Son of God, that I am Creator, that I am Lord of all, that I am Saviour of the world. For many seemed to believe, but not as the Scripture said, but as they followed their own heresies; such are all the heretics. And He said that “rivers” flow out of the belly of him that so believes, naming the heart figuratively “belly”; as David also, “And your law in the midst of my belly”—that is, of my heart. And He said that “rivers” flow, and not “a river,” of living water, hinting at the ungrudging grace and the abundance of the Spirit. For such is the Spirit: into whatever soul it enters, and in whomever it is settled, it makes it gush forth more ungrudgingly than every fountain. And one might learn how rivers flow out of the belly of him that believes according to the Scriptures, if he consider the tongue of Peter, and the rush of Paul, by whom all were swept along as by certain rivers.

¹⁴ (But this spoke he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) The evangelist, interpreting who are the rivers of living water, says that “This he spoke concerning the Spirit, which they that believe were about to receive. For the Holy Ghost was not yet,” he says. But here one might inquire: How does the evangelist say that the Holy Ghost was not yet—given, that is? And yet the prophets spoke by the Spirit; and the apostles, how then wrought they the healings? We say, then, that the prophets spoke by the Spirit confessedly, but this grace was contracted, and withdrew from the earth. So that, though it wrought in the times of the prophets, yet then, because of the unworthiness of the people—when, I mean, Christ walked in the flesh—prophecy dwelt not in the land, nor did the grace overlook their holy things and the temple. Since, then, at that time the energy of the Spirit was not, but was about to be given, for this cause he says that “The Holy Ghost was not yet”—that is, having its citizenship among the Jews, and appearing through the energies. And the apostles wrought the wonders not in the Spirit, but in the authority of the Lord. For hear also the Gospel, what it says, that, being about to send them, He gave them authority, but not the Holy Ghost. So that whatever wonders they did, they did not by the Spirit, but by the authority and name of the Lord. But when He rose from the tomb, then He said to them, “Receive you the Holy Ghost”; and at Pentecost the Holy Ghost came upon them. And besides, even if the power of the Spirit was in the prophets, and in the apostles before the cross, yet not thus as after the ascension—abundant, namely, and ungrudging, so as to be compared even to rivers. So that fitly the evangelist said that “The Holy Ghost was not yet”—that is, not so abundantly poured out as afterward; since before the cross it was indeed, but not so abundantly. For Jesus was not yet glorified, the evangelist here naming the cross “glory.” For through the cross He cast down the tyrant, and reigned. The cross, then, not yet being fixed, nor sin being cursed, nor our nature in Christ having conquered the world, and been reconciled to God, fitly the abundant grace of the Spirit was not given. For we had first to become friends of God, which was accomplished through the cross, and then so to receive the gift of God; as also in worldly matters, one first becomes the king’s friend, then receives the gifts. Thanks, then, be to God, who lavished on us so great grace as not even on the prophets. For the prophets indeed had grace of the Spirit, but imparted it not to others; but the apostles filled tens of thousands.

¹⁵ Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet. Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Has not the scripture said, That Christ comes of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? So there was a division among the people because of him. Put to shame by the boldness of His words, certain of the multitude—not of the rulers (for the rulers ever, through envy, opposed)—confess that “This is the prophet, the expected one.” Others, as being an unlearned and inconsiderate multitude, said that “He is the Christ”; not understanding that He Himself is, and that the Christ and the prophet are not one and another. But the more thankless said, “Does the Christ come out of Galilee? but out of Bethlehem and of the seed of David.” And this they said with a malignant judgment, and not like Nathanael. For he, as learned in the law and exact, said, “Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Wherefore also the Lord praised him, as saying this not malignantly, but according to legal exactness. But these say it deceitfully, that the Christ comes not out of Galilee. For they seem indeed to know that Jesus is of Bethlehem, though He was brought up in Galilee; but out of envy not to be willing to confess the birth from Bethlehem, but to surname Him a Galilean. But grant that they were ignorant of His being from Bethlehem; the “of the seed of David,” how did they doubt it? For was it not manifest that Mary drew her descent from David? From this, then, it is plain that they said these things malignantly. And a division arose in the multitude, not among the rulers. For the rulers were of one mind, not to receive Him as Christ.

¹⁶ And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him. Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said to them, Why have you not brought him? The officers answered, Never man spoke like this man. The more moderate in wickedness opposed the glory of Christ in words only; but the more shameless wished also to lay hands on Him; yet nevertheless they were invisibly fettered, the divine power holding them; and not even by this wonder were they pricked. Truly did David say concerning these, “They were divided, and were not pricked.” But the officers that were sent to bring Him—let us see what they answer to the Pharisees, as being very right-minded. For the Pharisees, who seemed to be wiser, and read the Scriptures, and saw the wonders, rave against the Lord, and ask after the manner of robbers, “Why have you not brought him?” But these, even without signs, were persuaded by the teaching alone; so well-disposed were they toward the good. And that they were caught not by signs, but by the teaching, which is the greater thing, is plain from hence. For they said not, “Never man so wrought wonders,” but, “so spoke”; so well-knit were they and quick to receive the word of salvation. And one must marvel not only at their understanding, but also at their boldness. For they cowered not before the wrath of the Pharisees, nor, as officers, drew back, and said the things pleasing to their rulers, but they bear witness to the truth. Whom all that attend upon rulers ought to imitate, and not to obey them in whatever they may unjustly command; as also came to pass in the case of Saul. For when he commanded the priests of God to be slain unlawfully, they that stood by him were not persuaded to do it.

¹⁷ Then answered them the Pharisees, Are you also deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? But this people who knows not the law are cursed. Nicodemus says to them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) Does our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he does? Wherefore do the Pharisees deal with the officers not wrathfully, but meekly and gently, saying thus, “Are you also deceived?” Because they feared lest these too should be wholly severed off, and join themselves to Christ. Wherefore the more mildly and the more flatteringly they say to them, “Are you also”—you that are forsooth wiser than the rest, and abide with us that are learned in the law—“deceived?” And they try to persuade them from a token very senselessly: “For has,” say they, “any of the rulers believed on him?” And yet whose is the charge? Christ’s, or theirs that believed not? For surely those are to be condemned that believed not. And they call the multitude “cursed,” because it believed; themselves being worthy of ten thousand curses, unbelieving, and to others authors of unbelief. Wherefore does the evangelist note concerning Nicodemus that he came by night to Jesus, and that he was one of them? That he may show them to be lying. For since they said, “Has any of the rulers believed on him?” he shows that in this also they lie. For lo, Nicodemus, being a ruler, and one of them, believed on Christ. How, then, does Nicodemus discourse with them? “Does our law,” says he, “condemn the man, except it first hear him?” He shows, then, from hence, that they neither read the law, nor did the things of the law, though they prided themselves greatly on legal matters. For if the law commands no man to be slain without judgment, but these set themselves to this before hearing, they are manifest transgressors of the law. And in saying, “And know what he does,” he intimated that there is need not of a bare hearing, but of an exceedingly exact one, so as to know what one must do, and not thus to condemn without knowledge. […]

¹⁸ They answered and said to him, Are you also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee arises no prophet.