Homilies on John

When children are first beginning their lessons, their teachers do not give them many tasks one after another. They do not assign everything to them all at once. Instead, they often repeat the same short lessons, so that what is said may be planted easily in their minds. This also keeps them from being upset at the very beginning by the amount of material, or by finding it hard to remember. Otherwise, they may become less eager to learn what is given to them, as a kind of laziness grows from the difficulty. And I, wishing to do the same for you and to make your work easy, take little by little the food that lies on this Divine table and place it into your souls. For this reason, I will again speak about the same words, not to say the same things again, but to set before you only what still remains. Come then, let us again turn our discussion to the introduction.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God." Why, when all the other Evangelists had begun with the divine arrangement, did John only briefly hint at these things, and that in a later place? For Matthew says, "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David." And Luke also tells us at the beginning of his Gospel the events relating to Mary. In the same way, Mark dwells on the same narratives, and from that point tells us the history of the Baptist. Why then, when they began with these matters, did John briefly and later hint at them, saying, "the Word was made flesh," in John 1:14? And why, passing by everything else, His conception, His birth, His bringing up, and His growth, did he at once speak to us concerning His Eternal Generation?

I will now tell you the reason for this. The other Evangelists had focused mostly on the accounts of Christ’s coming in the flesh. Because of this, there was a danger that some people, having low and earthly minds, might stop with these teachings alone. That is what happened with Paul of Samosata. Therefore, to turn away those who were likely to fall into this love of earthly things, and to lift them up toward heaven, John rightly begins his account from above, and from Christ’s eternal existence. For while Matthew begins his account with Herod the king, Luke with Tiberius Caesar, and Mark with the baptism of John, this Apostle leaves all these things aside and rises beyond all time and age. He sends the imagination of his hearers there, to the words, "In the beginning was," not allowing the mind to stop at any point, and setting no limit, as the others did with Herod, Tiberius, and John.

And there is another thing we should especially admire. John gave himself to the higher teaching, yet he did not neglect the divine arrangement. Nor were the others, though intent on explaining this, silent about His existence before the ages. And with good reason. For it was one Spirit that moved the souls of them all, and therefore they showed great unity in their account. But you, beloved, when you have heard of the Word, do not tolerate those who say that He is a work. Nor even those who think that He is simply a word. For there are many words of God which angels carry out, but none of those words is God. They are all prophecies or commands. For in Scripture it is usual to call the laws of God His commands, and prophecies words. Therefore, when speaking of the angels, he says, "Mighty in strength, fulfilling His word," Psalm 103:20. But this Word is a Being with subsistence, proceeding without affection from the Father Himself. For this, as I said before, he has shown by the term Word. Therefore, just as the words, "In the beginning was the Word," show His eternity, so the words, "was in the beginning with God," have declared to us His co-eternity. For so that, when you hear, "In the beginning was the Word," you may not suppose Him to be eternal, and yet imagine the life of the Father to differ from His by some interval and longer duration, and so assign a beginning to the Only-Begotten, he adds, "was in the beginning with God." So eternally, even as the Father Himself. For the Father was never without the Word, but He was always God with God, yet each in His proper Person.

Then, someone asks, how does John say that He was in the world, if He was with God? Because He was both with God and also in the world. For neither the Father nor the Son is limited in any way. Since there is no end to His greatness, as Psalm 145:3 says, and His wisdom cannot be counted, as Psalm 147:5 says, it is clear that His Essence cannot have any beginning in time. You have heard, "In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth" in Genesis 1:1. What do you understand from this beginning? Clearly, that they were created before all visible things. So, regarding the Only-Begotten, when you hear that He was in the beginning, understand that He was before all intelligible things, and before the ages.

But if anyone says, “How can He be a Son and yet not be younger than the Father? Since what comes from something else must be later than that from which it comes,” we will say that, properly speaking, these are human ways of reasoning. The person who asks this question will ask other questions that are even less proper. We should not even listen to such people. For we are now speaking about God, not about human nature, which is subject to the order and necessary conclusions of such reasoning. Still, to reassure the weaker sort, we will speak even about these points.

Tell me, then: does the sun’s radiance come from the very substance of the sun itself, or from some other source? Anyone who is not deprived of basic sense must admit that it comes from the sun’s own substance. Yet although the radiance comes from the sun itself, we cannot say that it is later in time than the substance of that body, because the sun has never appeared without its rays. Now if, in the case of these visible and material bodies, we can see that something comes from something else and yet is not after the thing from which it comes, why do you refuse to believe this in the case of the invisible and ineffable Nature? The same thing happens there also, but in a way fitting for That Substance. For this is why Paul also calls Him "Brightness" in Hebrews 1:3, showing by this both that He is from Him and that He is co-eternal with Him. Again, tell me, were not all the ages, and every interval of time, created by Him? Anyone who is not deprived of basic sense must certainly admit this. Therefore there is no interval between the Son and the Father; and if there is none, then He is not after Him, but co-eternal with Him. For "before" and "after" are ideas that imply time, since without age or time no one could possibly think of these words; but God is above times and ages.

But if, in any case, you say that you have found a beginning for the Son, consider whether, by the same reasoning and argument, you are not forced to assign a beginning to the Father also—earlier, indeed, but still a beginning. For when you assign the Son a boundary and a beginning of existence, do you not then move upward from that point and say that the Father existed before it? Clearly you do. Tell me, then, what is the extent of the Father's earlier existence? Whether you say that the interval is small or great, you have still brought the Father to a beginning. For it is clear that you call it small or great by measuring the distance. Yet it would not be possible to measure it unless there were a beginning on both sides. So, as far as your argument goes, you have given the Father a beginning. And from now on, according to your reasoning, even the Father will not be without beginning. Do you see that the word spoken by the Savior is true, and that this saying shows its force everywhere? And what is that word? It is this: "He that honors not the Son, honors not the Father." John 5:23

I know that many people cannot understand what has just been said. That is why, in many places, we avoid stirring up questions based on human reasoning. Most people cannot follow such arguments, and even if they could, those arguments still have nothing firm or certain in them. For "the thoughts of mortal men are miserable, and our devices are but uncertain" (Wisdom 9:14). Still, I would like to ask our objectors what this means, which is said by the Prophet: "Before Me there was no God formed, nor is there any after Me" (Isaiah 43:10). For if the Son is younger than the Father, then how does He say, "Nor is there any after Me"? Will you take away the very existence of the Only-Begotten Himself? You must either dare to do this, or admit one Godhead with the distinct Persons of the Father and the Son.

Finally, how could the statement, "All things were made by Him," be true? For if there is an age older than He is, how can what existed before Him have been made by Him? Do you see how far this argument has carried them into boldness, once the truth has been disturbed? Why did the Evangelist not say that He was made from things that were not, as Paul says about all things when he says, "Who calls those things which are not as though they were," Romans 4:17, but instead says, "Was in the beginning"? That is the opposite of this, and for good reason. For God is neither made, nor does He have anything older than Himself. Those are ideas of the Greeks. Tell me this too: would you not say that the Creator is beyond all comparison greater than His works? Yet if what comes from things that were not is like them, where is the superiority that admits no comparison? And what do these statements mean: "I am the first and I am the last," Isaiah 44:6, and, "Before Me no other God was formed"? Isaiah 43:10 For if the Son is not of the same Essence, then there is another God. And if He is not co-eternal, then He comes after Him. And if He did not proceed from His Essence, it is clear that He was made. But if they argue that these things were said to distinguish Him from idols, why do they not allow that when He says, "the Only True God," John 17:3, that also was said to distinguish Him from idols? Besides, if this was said to distinguish Him from idols, how would you explain the whole sentence? "After Me," He says, "there is no other God." In saying this, He is not excluding the Son. He means that after Me there is no idol god, not that there is no Son. "Granted," someone says, "but what then?" And the statement, "Before Me no other God was formed," will you understand it to mean that no idol god was formed before Him, but that a Son was formed before Him? What evil spirit would say this? I do not think even Satan himself would do so.

Moreover, if He is not co-eternal with the Father, how can you say that His life is infinite? For if it had a beginning in the past, then even if it never ends, it is still not infinite. For what is infinite must be infinite in both directions. Paul also declared this when he said, "Having neither beginning of days, nor end of life," in Hebrews 7:3. By this expression, he showed that He is both without beginning and without end. For just as the one has no limit, neither does the other. In one direction there is no end; in the other, no beginning.

3. And again, since He is Life, how could there ever have been a time when He was not? Everyone must admit that Life always exists and has no beginning and no end, if It is truly Life, as indeed It is. For if there was a time when It was not, how could It be the life of others when It itself did not even exist?

Then, someone says, how does John set a beginning when he says, "In the beginning was"? Tell me, have you paid attention to the words "In the beginning" and "was," and do you not understand the phrase, "the Word was"? What then? When the Prophet says, "From everlasting to everlasting You are," in Psalm 90:2, does he say this to set limits on Him? No. He says it to declare His eternity. Now consider that the same is true here. He did not use this expression to set limits, because he did not say, "had a beginning," but, "was in the beginning." By the word "was," he leads you to the idea that the Son is without beginning. But notice, someone says, that the Father is named with the article, but the Son is named without it. What then? When the Apostle says, "The great God, and our Savior Jesus Christ," in Titus 2:13, and again, "Who is above all, God," in Romans 9:5, it is true that here he mentions the Son without the article. But he does the same with the Father also. At least in his Epistle to the Philippians, in Philippians 2:6, he says, "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God." And again, to the Romans, "Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ," in Romans 1:7. Besides, it was unnecessary for the article to be added in that place, since just before it, it was repeatedly attached to the Word. For just as, when speaking about the Father, he says, "God is Spirit," in John 4:24, and we do not deny God's spiritual nature just because the article is not joined to "Spirit," so here also, although the article is not added to the Son, the Son is not for that reason any less God. Why is that? Because by saying, "God," and again, "God," he does not show us any difference in this Godhead. He shows the opposite. For after first saying, "and the Word was God," so that no one might think the Son's Godhead was inferior, he immediately adds the marks of true Godhead. These include eternity, for he says, "He was in the beginning with God," and he also gives Him the work of Creator. For "all things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made." His Father also everywhere declares through the Prophets that this is especially a mark of His own essence. And the Prophets are constantly occupied with this kind of proof, not only by itself, but also when they argue against the honor given to idols. One says, "Let the gods perish who have not made heaven and earth," in Jeremiah 10:11. And again, "I have stretched out the heaven with My hand," in Isaiah 44:24. He says this everywhere because it shows divinity. And the Evangelist himself was not satisfied with these words only, but also calls Him Life and Light. So then, if He was always with the Father, if He Himself created all things, if He brought all things into existence, and holds all things together, for this is what he meant by "Life," if He gives light to all things, who could be so senseless as to say that the Evangelist wanted to teach an inferior divinity by the very expressions that, more than any others, are able to express equality and no difference? Let us not, then, confuse the creation with the Creator, lest we too hear it said of us that "they served the creature rather than the Creator," in Romans 1:25. For even if it is claimed that this is said about the heavens, still, by speaking of the heavens he clearly says that we must not serve the creature, because that is a heathen practice.

Therefore, let us not bring ourselves under this curse. This is why the Son of God came: to free us from this service. This is why He took the form of a slave: to set us free from this slavery. This is why He was spit on. This is why He was struck. This is why He endured a shameful death. I beg you, let us not make all these things useless. Let us not go back to our former unrighteousness, or rather, to an even worse unrighteousness. For serving the creature is not the same as dragging down the Creator, at least as far as it lies in us, to the low condition of the creature. For He remains what He is, as the Psalmist says, "You are the same, and Your years shall not fail." Psalm 102:27 So then, let us glorify Him as we have received from our fathers. Let us glorify Him both by our faith and by our works. For sound teaching does us no good for salvation if our life is corrupt. Let us then set our life in order according to what pleases God. Let us keep ourselves far from all uncleanness, unrighteousness, and greed, as strangers, foreigners, and aliens to the things here on earth. If anyone has much wealth and many possessions, let him use them like a traveler, knowing that, whether he wants to or not, he will soon be parted from them. If one person is wronged by another, let him not stay angry forever, no, not even for a short time. For the Apostle has not allowed us more than a single day to express anger.

He says, "Do not let the sun go down on your wrath," in Ephesians 4:26, and for good reason. It is a comfort if nothing painful happens even for such a short time. But if night comes while we are still angry, what happened becomes more serious, because the fire of our anger is increased ten thousand times by memory, and when we have time to think about it, we examine it more bitterly. Therefore, before we gain this harmful leisure and light a hotter fire, he tells us to stop the harm ahead of time and put it out. For the passion of anger is fierce, fiercer than any flame. So we need great haste to stop the flame and not let it rise high, because this sickness becomes a cause of many evils. It has overturned whole households. It has broken up long-standing friendships. It has brought about tragedies that cannot be repaired in a short moment of time. For one says, "The rule of his fury shall be his destruction," in Sirach 1:22. Let us not, then, leave such a wild beast without restraint, but in every way put a strong muzzle on it: the fear of the judgment to come. Whenever a friend hurts you, or someone in your own family provokes you, think of the sins you have committed against God, and remember that by showing kindness toward that person, you make that judgment more merciful toward yourself. "Forgive," He says, "and you shall be forgiven," in Luke 6:37. Then your anger will quickly slink away.

Besides this, consider whether there has been a time when you were being carried away into ferocity and controlled yourself, and another time when you were dragged along by that passion. Compare the two times, and from them you will gain great improvement. For tell me, when did you praise yourself? Was it when you were defeated, or when you had the mastery? In the first case, do we not strongly blame ourselves and feel ashamed, even when no one reproves us? Do not many feelings of repentance come over us, both for what we have said and done? But when we gain the mastery, are we not proud, and do we not exult like conquerors? For victory in the case of anger is not repaying evil with the same. That is utter defeat. Rather, it is bearing bad treatment and evil words meekly. To get the better is not to inflict evil, but to suffer it. Therefore, when you are angry, do not say, "Certainly I will retaliate. Certainly I will be revenged." Do not go on saying to those who urge you to gain a victory, "I will not endure that the man mock me and escape clear." He will never mock you, except when you avenge yourself. Or even if he should mock you, he will do so as a fool. Do not seek honor from fools when you conquer, but consider enough the honor that comes from men of understanding. No, why do I even set before you such a small and insignificant audience by speaking of men at all? Look up straight to God. He will praise you, and the man who is approved by Him must not seek honor from mortals. Mortal honor often arises from flattery or from hatred of others, and brings no profit. But the decision of God is free from this inequality, and brings great advantage to the man whom He approves. Let us then follow after this praise.

Do you want to learn what a great evil anger is? Stand nearby while others are quarreling in the marketplace. You cannot easily see how shameful it is in yourself, because your reason is darkened and like a drunken mind. But when you are free from that passion, and your judgment is sound, look at your own case in other people. Notice, please, the crowds gathering around, and the angry men acting shamefully in the middle like madmen. For when this passion boils up in the chest, and grows stirred up and savage, the mouth breathes fire, the eyes send out fire, the whole face swells up, the hands stretch out wildly, and the feet move in a ridiculous way. They leap at those who try to restrain them, and in their lack of awareness of all these things, they are no different from madmen. No, they are no different from wild donkeys, kicking and biting. Truly, an angry man is not a graceful one.

Then, after this extremely ridiculous behavior, they go home and come to themselves. Then they have greater pain and much fear, as they think about who was present when they were angry. For like raving men, they did not know who was standing by at the time. But when they return to their right mind, then they think, "Were they friends? Were they foes and enemies who looked on?" And they are afraid about both alike. They fear the first, because they will condemn them and bring them more shame. They fear the others, because they will rejoice over it. And if they have even exchanged blows, then their fear is even more pressing. They fear that something very grievous may happen to the one who suffered. They fear that a fever may follow and bring on death, or that a painful swelling may rise and put him in danger of the worst. Then they say, "What need had I of fighting and violence and quarreling? Let such things perish." Then they curse the miserable business that caused them to begin. And the more foolish blame wicked spirits and an evil hour for what has been done. But these things are not from an evil hour, for there is no such thing as an evil hour, nor from a wicked spirit, but from the wickedness of those captured by the passion. They draw the spirits to themselves and bring on themselves all terrible things. But someone says, "The heart swells and is stung by insults." I know it. And that is why I admire those who master this dreadful wild beast. Yet it is possible, if we are willing, to beat back the passion. For why is it that when our rulers insult us, we do not feel it? It is because fear counterbalances the passion and frightens us away from it, and does not allow it to spring up at all. And why also do our servants, though insulted by us in ten thousand ways, bear everything in silence? Because they too have the same restraint laid upon them. And do not think only of the fear of God, but think that it is even God Himself who then insults you, who tells you to be silent, and then you will bear all things meekly, and say to the aggressor, "How can I be angry with you? There is another who restrains both my hand and my tongue." And that saying will be a suggestion of sound wisdom, both to yourself and to him. Even now we bear unbearable things on account of men, and often say to those who have insulted us, "Such a one insulted me, not you." Shall we not use the same caution in the case of God? How else can we hope for pardon? Let us say to our soul, "It is God who holds our hands, who now insults us. Let us not be stubborn. Let not God be less honored by us than men." Did you shudder at the word? I wish you would shudder not only at the word, but at the deed. For God has commanded us, when struck, not only to endure it, but even to offer ourselves to suffer something worse. And we oppose Him with such force that we not only refuse to offer ourselves to suffer evil, but even avenge ourselves. No, we are often the first to attack, and think we are disgraced if we do not do the same in return. Yes, and the evil is this: when completely defeated, we think ourselves conquerors. And when we are lying underneath and receiving ten thousand blows from the devil, then we imagine that we are mastering him. Let us then, I urge you, understand what the nature of this victory is, and let us pursue this kind of victory. To suffer evil is to receive the crown. If then we wish to be proclaimed victors by God, let us not in these contests keep the laws of heathen games, but those of God, and let us learn to bear all things with longsuffering. For so we may get the better of our opponents, and obtain both present and promised good things, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom be glory, power, and honor to the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and world without end. Amen.

At the beginning of the history and writings of the Old Testament, Moses speaks to us about things we can sense, and he lists them in detail. For he says, "In the beginning, God made the heaven and the earth," and then he adds that light was created, and a second heaven, and the stars, and the different kinds of living creatures, and, so that we do not delay by going through each part, everything else. But this Evangelist, cutting all that short, includes both these things and the things above them in a single sentence. He does this for a good reason: these things were already known to his hearers, and he is hurrying on to a greater subject. He has ordered his whole treatise for this purpose: to speak not about the works, but about the Creator, and about Him who made them all. Therefore Moses, though he chose the lesser part of creation to describe, for he said nothing to us about the invisible powers, spends time on these things. But John, hurrying to rise up to the Creator Himself, passes by both these things and the things on which Moses was silent, and sums them up in one short statement: "All things were made by Him." And so that you may not think he is speaking only of the things mentioned by Moses, he adds that "without Him was not anything made that was made." That is, among created things, not even one thing, whether visible or intelligible, came into being without the power of the Son.

For we will not place the period after the words “not anything,” as the heretics do. They do this because they want to make the Spirit a created being. So they read it, “What was made, in Him was Life.” But then what is said becomes unclear and makes no sense. First, this was not the place to mention the Spirit. And if John wanted to do that, why did he say it in such an unclear way? For how is it obvious that this statement refers to the Spirit? Besides, if we follow this argument, we will find not that the Spirit was created, but that the Son Himself was created by Himself. But wake yourselves up, so that what is being said does not slip past you. Come, let us read it for a little while in their way, because then its absurdity will be clearer to us. “What was made, in Him was Life.” They say that the Spirit is called Life. But this Life is also found to be Light, for he adds, “And the Life was the Light of men,” John 1:4. Therefore, according to them, “the Light of men” here means the Spirit. Well then, when he goes on to say that “There was a man sent from God, to bear witness of that Light,” verses 6 and 7, they must also claim that this is spoken of the Spirit. For the one whom he earlier called the Word, as he continues he calls God, and Life, and Light. He says that this Word was Life, and that this Life was Light. If this Word was Life, and if this Word and this Life became flesh, then the Life, that is, the Word, was made flesh, and “we beheld Its glory, the glory as of the Only-Begotten of the Father.” If then they say that the Spirit is here called Life, consider what strange results will follow. It will be the Spirit, not the Son, that was made flesh. The Spirit will be the Only-Begotten Son.

Those who read the passage that way will fall into a very strange conclusion, if not this one, then another while trying to avoid it. If they allow that these words are spoken about the Son, and yet do not stop or read the text as we do, then they will claim that the Son created Himself. For if the Word was Life, and what was made in Him was Life, then according to that reading, He is created in Himself and through Himself. Then, after a few words in between, he added, "And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only-Begotten of the Father" in John 1:14. See, according to the reading of those who make these claims, the Holy Spirit is also found to be an only-begotten Son, because it is about Him that this whole statement is spoken. See how, when a word turns away from the truth, it is twisted into error and produces strange results!

Then someone says, "What then? Is not the Spirit Light?" It is Light. But in this place, there is no mention of the Spirit. For even God the Father is called Spirit, that is, incorporeal. Yet God the Father is not necessarily meant wherever the word Spirit is mentioned. And why are you surprised if we say this about the Father? We could not even say about the Comforter that wherever Spirit is mentioned, the Comforter is necessarily meant, even though this is His most distinctive name. Still, the Comforter is not always meant wherever Spirit is mentioned. In the same way, Christ is called "the power of God" in 1 Corinthians 1:24, and "the wisdom of God." Yet Christ is not always meant wherever the power and the wisdom of God are mentioned. So in this passage, although the Spirit does give Light, the Evangelist is not speaking about the Spirit here.

After we have shut them out from these strange opinions, those who make every effort to resist the truth still say, while holding to the same reading, "Whatever came into existence by him was life," because, as one says, "whatever came into existence was life." What then do you say about the punishment of the men of Sodom, the flood, hell fire, and ten thousand other things like these? But, one says, we are speaking about the material creation. Well, these also belong completely to the material creation. But so that we may refute their argument even more fully, we will ask them, Tell me, is wood life? Is stone life? Are these things, which are lifeless and motionless, life? No. And is man absolutely life? Who would say that? He is not life in its pure form, but is capable of receiving life.

2. Look here again at another absurdity. By following the same chain of conclusions, we can push their argument to the point where, even from this, you may see their foolishness. In this way, they claim things that are not at all fitting for the Spirit. After being forced away from their other position, they apply to human beings the things they earlier thought were rightly spoken of the Spirit. However, let us examine the reading itself in this way also. The creature is now called life. Therefore, according to them, the same creature is also light, and John came to bear witness about it. Why then is John not also light? He says that he was not that light, in John 1:8, and yet he belonged to created things. So how is he not light? How was he in the world, and how was the world made by him, as John 1:10 says? Was the creature in the creature, and was the creature made by the creature? And how did the world not know him? How did the creature not know the creature? But "as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God," in John 1:12. But enough of laughter. For the rest, I leave it to you to strike at these monstrous arguments, so that we may not seem to have chosen to stir up laughter for its own sake and waste time for no reason. For if these things are said neither of the Spirit, and it has been shown that they are not, nor of anything created, and yet they still keep to the same reading, then a conclusion stranger than any we mentioned before will follow: that the Son made Himself. For if the Son is the true Light, and this Light was Life, and this Life was made in Him, this must be the result according to their own reading. Let us therefore give up this reading and come to the recognized reading and explanation.

And what is that? It is to end the sentence at “was made,” and to begin the next sentence with, “In Him was Life.” What the Evangelist is saying is this: “Without Him nothing was made that was made.” In other words, he says that whatever created thing was made was not made without Him. Do you see how, by this short addition, he has corrected all the troubling difficulties? For when he says, “without Him was not anything made,” and then adds, “that was made,” he includes things that can be known by the mind, but he excludes the Spirit. For after he had said that all things were made by Him, and that without Him nothing was made, he needed this addition, so that no one would say, “If all things were made by Him, then the Spirit also was made.” He replies, “I stated that whatever was made was made by Him, even if it is invisible, or without a body, or in the heavens.” For this reason, I did not say simply, “all things,” but, “whatever was made,” that is, “created things.” But the Spirit is uncreated.

Do you see how exact his teaching is? He referred to the creation of material things, because Moses had taught about these before him. Then he leads us on from there to higher things, meaning the immaterial and the invisible, and he excludes the Holy Spirit from all creation. So Paul also, inspired by the same grace, said, "For by Him were all things created." Colossians 1:16 Notice here again the same precision. For the same Spirit moved this soul also. He did this so that no one would exclude any created things from the works of God because they are invisible, and also so that no one would confuse the Comforter with them. After going through the things that can be sensed and are known to everyone, he also lists the things in the heavens, saying, "Whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers." For the word "whether," added to each one, shows us this and nothing else: that by Him all things were made, and without Him not one thing was made that was made.

But if you think that the phrase "by" is a sign of inferiority, as if it makes Christ only an instrument, listen to him say, "You, Lord, in the beginning have laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands." Psalm 102:25 He says about the Son what is said about the Father as Creator. He would not have said this unless he believed that the Son is also Creator, and yet not subject to anyone. And if the phrase "by Him" is used here, it is for no other reason than to keep anyone from thinking that the Son is Unbegotten. For that, as Creator, He is in no way inferior to the Father, hear it from the Son Himself, where He says, "As the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom He will." John 5:21 If, then, the Old Testament says of the Son, "You, Lord, in the beginning have laid the foundation of the earth," then His title as Creator is clear. But if you say that the Prophet spoke this about the Father, and that Paul applied to the Son what was said about the Father, even then the conclusion is the same. For Paul would not have judged that the same words fit the Son unless he had been fully convinced that there is equality of honor between the Father and the Son. It would have been the greatest rashness to apply what belongs to an incomparable Nature to a nature that is inferior to it and falls short of it. But the Son is not inferior to the Essence of the Father, nor does He fall short of it. Therefore Paul has not only dared to use these words about Him, but others like them as well. For the phrase "from Whom," which you claim properly belongs only to the Father, he also uses about the Son, when he says, "from whom all the body, by joints and bands, being nourished and knit together, grows with the growth of God." Colossians 2:19

And he is not satisfied with this alone. He also silences you in another way, by applying to the Father the phrase "by whom," which you say is a sign of inferiority. For he says, "God is faithful, by whom you were called to the fellowship of His Son," in 1 Corinthians 1:9. And again, "By His will," in 1 Corinthians 1:1, and so on. And in another place, "For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things," in Romans 11:36. Nor is the phrase "from whom" given only to the Son, but also to the Spirit. For the angel said to Joseph, "Do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost," in Matthew 1:20. In the same way, the Prophet does not think it improper to apply to the Father the phrase "in whom," which belongs to the Spirit, when he says, "In God we shall do valiantly," in Psalm 60:12. And Paul says, "Making request, if by any means now at last I might have a prosperous journey, in the will of God, to come to you," in Romans 1:10. And again he uses it of Christ, saying, "In Christ Jesus," in Romans 6:11 and 23, and elsewhere. In short, we may often and constantly find these phrases exchanged with one another. This would not have happened unless the same Essence was the subject in every case. And so that you may not think that the words, "All things were made by Him," are here spoken about His miracles, for the other Evangelists have spoken about those, he goes on to say, "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him." But not the Spirit, for this is not one of the created things, but of those above all creation.

Let us now pay attention to what comes next. After John has spoken about the work of creation, saying, “All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made,” he goes on to speak about His providence when he says, “In Him was Life.” So that no one may doubt how so many and such great things were made by Him, he adds that “In Him was Life.” For just as with a fountain, which is the source of the great depths, no matter how much water you draw from it, you do not lessen the fountain, so also with the power of the Only-Begotten: no matter how much you believe has been brought into being and made by it, it has not become any less. Or, to use a more familiar example, I will use the example of light, which the Apostle himself added at once, saying, “And the Life was the Light.” Then, just as light, no matter how many thousands upon thousands it may shine on, suffers no loss of its own brightness, so also God, before beginning His work and after completing it, remains equally unfailing. He is not diminished at all, nor wearied by the greatness of creation. No, even if there were need for ten thousand, or even an infinite number of such worlds to be created, He remains the same, sufficient for them all not only to produce them, but also to govern them after their creation. For the word “Life” here refers not only to the act of creation, but also to the providence concerned with preserving the things that were created. It also states beforehand the doctrine of the resurrection, and is the beginning of this wonderful good news. Since when life has come to be in us, the power of death is destroyed. And when light has shone on us, there is no longer darkness. Instead, life always remains in us, and death cannot overcome it. So what is said of the Father may also be said absolutely of Him, that “In Him we live and move and have our being.” Colossians 1:16-17 As Paul has shown when he says, “By Him were all things created, and by Him all things consist.” For this reason He has also been called Root and Foundation.

But when you hear that "In Him was Life," do not imagine that He is a compound being. Later, John also says about the Father, "As the Father has life in Himself, so He has given to the Son also to have life" in John 5:26. Now you would not say, because of this statement, that the Father is made of parts. So you cannot say that about the Son either. In another place, he says that "God is Light" in 1 John 1:5. Elsewhere it says that He "dwells in unapproachable light" in 1 Timothy 6:16. Yet these expressions are not used so that we would think He has a compound nature. Rather, they are used so that, little by little, we may be led up to the highest teachings. Since one of the common people could not easily have understood how His life was Life itself in person, he first used that lower expression. Then afterward he leads those who have been trained in this way to the higher teaching. For the One who said that the Father "has given Him," that is, the Son, "to have life" in John 5:26, also says in another place, "I am the Life" in John 14:6, and in another, "I am the Light" in John 8:12. And tell me, what is the nature of this light? This kind of light is not perceived by the bodily senses, but by the mind. It gives light to the soul itself. And since Christ would later say that "No one can come to Me unless the Father draws him" in John 6:44, the Apostle has here answered an objection ahead of time and declared that it is He, the Son, who gives light, as in John 1:9. So even if you hear a statement like this about the Father, you should not say that it belongs to the Father alone, but to the Son also. For He says, "All things that the Father has are Mine" in John 16:15.

First, the Evangelist taught us about creation. After that, he tells us about the blessings for the soul that Christ gave us by His coming. He described these briefly and somewhat indirectly in one sentence when he says, "And the Life was the Light of men." John 1:4 He does not say, "was the light of the Jews," but, in a universal way, "of men." For not only the Jews, but the Greeks also, came to this knowledge, and this light was a gift offered to all. Why did he not add, "Angels," but say, "of men"? Because at present his discussion is about human nature, and it was to human beings that he came, bringing glad tidings of good things.

And the light shines in darkness. John 1:5 He calls death and error darkness. The light we see with our senses does not shine in darkness, but outside it. But the preaching of Christ has shone in the middle of widespread error and made that error disappear. And by enduring death, He has so completely overcome death that He has brought back those who were already held by it. Since death did not overcome it, nor did error, since it is bright everywhere and shines by its own power, therefore he says,

And the darkness did not comprehend it. For it cannot be overcome, and will not dwell in souls that do not want to be enlightened.

But do not let it trouble you that it did not take everyone. For God does not bring us to Himself by necessity and force, but by will and consent. Therefore, do not shut your doors against this light, and you will enjoy great happiness. But this light comes by faith, and when it has come, it gives abundant light to the one who has received it. And if you show a pure life, fit for it, it remains dwelling within you continually. For He says, "He that loves Me will keep My commandments; and I and My Father will come to him, and make Our abode with him." John 14:23. So then, just as no one can rightly enjoy the sunlight unless he opens his eyes, so also no one can greatly share in this splendor unless he has opened wide the eye of the soul and made it keen to see in every way.

But how does this happen? It happens when we cleanse the soul from all its passions. For sin is darkness, and deep darkness. This is clear because people do it without awareness and in secret. For, "everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light." John 3:20 And, "It is a shame even to speak of the things they do in secret." Ephesians 5:12 For just as, in darkness, a man knows neither friend nor enemy, and cannot tell the nature of things, so it is also in sin. The person who wants more gain makes no difference between friend and enemy. The envious person looks with hostile eyes even at the man with whom he is very close. And the one who plots is in deadly conflict with everyone alike. In short, when it comes to knowing the true nature of things, the person who commits sin is no better than people who are drunk or insane. And just as at night wood, lead, iron, silver, gold, and precious stones all seem alike to us because there is no light to show their differences, so the person who lives an impure life knows neither the excellence of self-control nor the beauty of philosophy. For in darkness, as I said before, even if precious stones are set out, they do not show their brightness. This is not because of their own nature, but because the viewers are unable to discern it. Nor is this the only evil that happens to us when we are in sin. There is also this: we live in constant fear. And just as men walking on a night with no moon tremble, even when no one is there to frighten them, so those who do evil cannot have confidence, even when no one is there to accuse them. They are afraid of everything and suspicious of everything, because their conscience keeps stabbing them. Everything is full of fear and distress to them. They look around at everything and are terrified by everything. So let us flee a life so painful, especially since after this pain comes death, a deathless death. For the punishment in that place will have no end. And in this life, those who sin are no better than madmen, because they dream of things that do not exist. They think they are rich when they are not rich. They think they are enjoying themselves when they are not enjoying anything. Nor do they rightly see the deception until they are freed from the madness and have shaken off the sleep. Therefore Paul urges everyone to be sober and to keep watch, and Christ also commands the same. For the person who is sober and awake, even if he is caught by sin, quickly strikes it off. But the person who sleeps and is out of his right mind does not even notice that he is being held prisoner by it.

So then, let us not sleep. This is not the time for night, but for day. Therefore let us walk properly, as in the day, as Romans 13:13 says. Nothing is more disgraceful than sin. In terms of shamefulness, it is not as bad to go around naked as it is to live in sin and do wrong. That is not so blameworthy, since it might even be caused by poverty. But nothing is more shameful and less honorable than a sinner. Think about those who come into the court because of extortion or cheating. How low and ridiculous they seem to everyone because of their complete shamelessness, their lies, and their boldness. But we are so pitiable and miserable that we cannot bear to wear our clothing badly or crooked. In fact, if we see another person like that, we straighten him out. And yet, though we and all our neighbors are walking on our heads, we do not even notice it. For tell me, what can be more shameful than a man going in to a prostitute? What is more contemptible than a rude man, a foul-mouthed man, or an envious man? Why then do these things not seem as disgraceful as walking naked? Simply because of habit. No one has ever willingly chosen to go naked. But all people are constantly daring to do these other things without any fear. Yet if someone came into an assembly of angels, where nothing like this has ever happened, he would clearly see how ridiculous such behavior is. And why do I speak of an assembly of angels? Even in the royal palaces among us, if someone brought in a prostitute and enjoyed her there, or was overcome with too much wine, or did any other shameful thing like that, he would suffer severe punishment. But if it is intolerable for people to dare such things in palaces, then much more, when the King is present everywhere and sees what is done, if we dare to do them, we will receive the most severe punishment. Therefore, I urge you, let us show great gentleness and great purity in our lives, because we have a King who continually sees all our actions. Then, so that this light may always shine on us richly, let us gladly receive these bright rays. For in this way we will enjoy both the good things of the present and the good things to come, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him, and with him, be glory to the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

There was a man sent from God whose name was John.

How, then, do some people say that the phrase "being in the form of God" in Philippians 2:6 is not used of His unchanging likeness to the Father, because no article is added? Notice that the article is not added anywhere here. Are these words, then, not spoken of the Father? What, then, shall we say to the prophet who says, "Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who shall prepare Your way" in Malachi 3:1, as found in Mark 1:2? For the words "My" and "Your" show two Persons.

He came as a witness, to testify about that Light.

What is this? Perhaps someone may say, "Does the servant bear witness to his Master?" Then when you see Him not only being testified to by His servant, but even coming to him, and being baptized by him among the Jews, will you not be even more astonished and puzzled? Yet you should not be troubled or confused, but amazed at such unspeakable goodness. But if anyone still remains bewildered and confused, He will say to that person what He said to John: "Let it be so now, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness," Matthew 3:15. And if anyone is still more troubled, He will again say to him also what He said to the Jews: "But I do not receive testimony from man," John 5:34. If He does not need this witness, why was John sent from God? Not because He needed John's testimony. That would be the greatest blasphemy. Why then? John himself tells us, when he says,

So that all people might believe through him.

Christ also said, "I do not receive testimony from man," in John 5:34. He said this so that foolish people would not think He was contradicting Himself. At one time He said, "There is another who bears witness about Me, and I know that his witness is true," in John 5:32; He was speaking about John. But at another time He said, "I do not receive testimony from man," in John 5:34. So He immediately gives the answer to this difficulty: "But I say these things for your sake, that you may be saved." It is as if He had said, "Because I am God, and the truly begotten Son of God, and belong to that simple and blessed Essence, I need no one to bear witness about Me. Even if no one did, My Essence would not be diminished at all. But because I care for the salvation of many, I have come down to such humility as to entrust the witness about Me to a man." Because of the low-minded condition and weakness of the Jews, faith in Him would be accepted more easily this way, and would be easier for them to receive. In the same way, He clothed Himself with flesh so that He would not destroy everyone by meeting human beings with His Godhead uncovered. So He also sent out a man as His herald, so that those who heard might come more readily when they heard a voice like their own. To show that He had no need of that herald's testimony, it would have been enough for Him simply to show Himself as He is in His uncovered Essence, and He would have overwhelmed them all. But He did not do this for the reason I mentioned before. He would have destroyed them all, since no one could have endured meeting that unapproachable light. Therefore, as I said, He put on flesh and entrusted the witness about Himself to one of our fellow servants, since He arranged everything for the salvation of men. He was looking not only to His own honor, but also to what could be readily received by His hearers and would profit them. He pointed to this when He said, "These things I say for your sake, that you may be saved," in John 5:34. And the Evangelist, using the same language as his Master, after saying, "to bear witness of that Light," adds,

"That all people might believe through him." It is almost as if he were saying, "Do not think that John the Baptist came to bear witness because he could add anything to his Master's trustworthiness." No. He came so that, through him, beings of his own kind might believe. For what follows makes this clear. He used this wording because he was eager to remove this suspicion ahead of time, since he adds,

He was not that Light.

Now, if he did not say this to guard against that suspicion, then the statement is completely unnecessary. It would be repetition rather than an explanation of his teaching. For why, after saying that he was sent to bear witness of that Light, does he say again, "He was not that Light"? He did not say this casually or without reason. Rather, because among us, for the most part, the person who gives witness is considered greater, and generally more trustworthy, than the person spoken of. So, to keep anyone from thinking this about John, he removes this harmful suspicion at once, from the very beginning. He pulls it up by the roots, and shows who it is that bears witness, and who He is that is witnessed of, and how great the distance is between the One witnessed of and the one who bears witness. After doing this and showing His incomparable superiority, he then goes on without fear to the rest of the narrative. And after carefully removing whatever strange ideas might secretly remain in the minds of the simpler people, he then plants the word of teaching in everyone easily, without hindrance, and in its proper order.

Let us pray, then, that from now on, along with the understanding of these thoughts and sound doctrine, we may also have a pure life and upright conduct, since these things are of no benefit unless good works are also present in us. For even if we have all faith and all knowledge of the Scriptures, if we are bare and without the protection that comes from holy living, nothing can keep us from being thrown into the fire of hell and burning forever in the unquenchable flame. For just as those who have done good will rise to everlasting life, so those who have dared to do the opposite will rise to everlasting punishment, which never ends. Let us, then, show all eagerness not to ruin the gain that comes to us from right faith by the vileness of our actions, but by these also becoming pleasing to Him, to look on Christ with boldness. No happiness can equal this. And may it happen that all of us, having obtained what has been mentioned, may do everything for the glory of God, to whom, with the Only-Begotten Son and the Holy Spirit, be glory forever and ever. Amen.