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87 {3Jο 3, 17}3If Christ had come to judge the world, he would have condemned everyone. but primarily he came to save the world. but he judges incidentally those who have apostatized, not as the law of Moses came to condemn the world, but to save. 89 {3Jο 3, 18}3It should be noted that universally everyone who does not believe in Christ is condemned, to be given over to punishment. Therefore, these are not even brought to judgment, as having already been condemned. Thus also it must be understood of the devil, «that the ruler of this world is judged» not only because he himself did not believe, but also because he tempted the Lord and «entered into Judas» that he might hand him over to death. 91 {3Jο 3, 22}3He himself was not baptizing, but his disciples, since he himself was baptizing in spirit and it was not yet the time for the giving of the Spirit before the passion. Therefore, he was delivering the evangelical baptism, which had a great difference from that of John; for Christ was baptizing through the hand of the apostles, as he clearly says in what follows. 92 {3Jο 3, 23}3Neither the baptism of John nor that of the disciples provided the Holy Spirit, but, so that they might not go around preaching Christ to each one individually, they established the baptism, in order to lead the crowds running to them toward Christ. 93 {3Jο 3, 23}3The «water of sprinkling» which had «the ash of the heifer» performed a cleansing of involuntary sins and cleansed those from contact with the dead; but the baptism of John provided forgiveness of voluntary sins also to those who genuinely repent, while that of Christ for all sins, and it also provided the Holy Spirit and worthiness of adoption as sons. 94 {3Jο 3, 25}3Economically a dispute arose while John was still living, so that through his voice the difference between the baptisms might be made manifest. 95 {3Jο 3, 29}3The bridegroom is Christ and the church is the bride, and the bridal chamber is the place of baptism, where the spiritual union takes place, since all things are bright and full of joy and gladness. For what is more blessed than to be cleansed of sins and to be joined to God and «to become a partaker of the divine nature» through the participation of the Holy Spirit; for these things are the «pledge,» but the more perfect things are in the future, when the bridegroom, entering again, brings in with him the virgin souls and the door of the bridal chamber is shut, and only those who are inside enjoy the gladness and no one enters there any longer. Therefore, as long as today is the present age, or until each one's own death, the door of the bridal chamber stands open for souls wishing to be wedded to Christ. 96 {3Jο 3, 29}3Through baptism Christ weds the church which has been reborn. And this spiritual union through the teaching word joins one to God. The bride is a pure virgin because of the orthodoxy of her doctrines, she is also the wife of Christ, as she brings forth good actions not from herself, but through Christ who sows the seed in her, of whom no one among mortals can be the bridegroom, since originally none of them is a giver of good things. Therefore, every rational nature of both angels and men is a bride. 97 {3Jο 3, 30}3Neither does Christ increase nor John decrease, but like the morning star John is covered by the intelligible sun. 98 {3Jο 3, 30}3Christ as God increases more and more by being revealed, but it is necessary for me to remain in what I am. 99 {3Jο 3, 31}3Saying 'coming' does not signify a transition from the things above to the things below, but that while always remaining with the Father above, by a relation of condescension he comes to those over whom he is. Therefore when he says 'coming', he speaks as of God, but when he says 'having come', he speaks as of a man, since he is both God and man. He who is from the root of the Father has by nature the Father's pre-eminence, being above all created things as their God and maker. 100 {3Jο 3, 32}3He speaks in a more human way because of the flesh; for being all-perfect by nature, he knows all things from himself. 101 {3Jο 3, 32}3He said this not as if some were not persuaded, but as if marveling at the folly of the unbelievers. 102 {3Jο 3, 33}3'He has set his seal' means 'he was fully persuaded' and has proof and a seal. 103 {3Jο 3, 34}3To have been sent

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87 {3Jο 3, 17}3Εἰ ἐπὶ τὸ κρῖναι τὸν κόσμον ἐληλύθει ὁ Χριστός, πάντας κατέκρινεν. ἀλλὰ προηγουμένως ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸ σῶσαι τὸν κόσμον. κρίνει δὲ κατὰ τὸ συμβεβηκὸς τοὺς ἀποστατήσαντας οὐχ ὡς ὁ Μωυσέως νόμος ἦλθε κατακρῖναι τὸν κόσμον, ἀλλὰ σῶσαι. 89 {3Jο 3, 18}3Σημειωτέον ὅτι καθολικῶς πᾶς ὁ μὴ πιστεύων εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν κατά κριτός ἐστι τῇ κολάσει ἀποδοθησόμενος. οὐκοῦν οὐδὲ ἄγονται οὗτοι εἰς κρίσιν ὡς ἤδη κατακριθέντες. οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ διαβόλου νοητέον, «ὅτι ὁ ἄρχων τοῦ κόσμου τούτου κέκριται» οὐ μόνον, ὅτι αὐτὸς οὐκ ἐπίστευσεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπείρασε τὸν κύριον καὶ «εἰς τὸν Ἰούδαν εἰσῆλθεν» ἵνα παραδῷ αὐτὸν εἰς θάνατον. 91 {3Jο 3, 22}3Οὐκ αὐτὸς ἐβάπτιζεν, ἀλλ' οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ, ἐπείπερ αὐτὸς ἐν πνεύματι ἐβάπτιζε καὶ οὔπω ἦν καιρὸς τῆς τοῦ πνεύματος δόσεως πρὸ τοῦ πάθους.τὸ εὐαγγελικὸν λοιπὸν παρεδίδου βάπτισμα, ὅπερ πολλὴν εἶχεν διαφορὰν πρὸς τὸ Ἰωάννου· ὁ γὰρ Χριστὸς διὰ τῆς τῶν ἀποστόλων χειρὸς ἐβάπτιζεν ὡς σαφῶς ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς λέγει. 92 {3Jο 3, 23}3Οὔτε τὸ Ἰωάννου βάπτισμα οὔτε τὸ τῶν μαθητῶν παρεῖχε τὸ πνεῦμα ἅγιον, ἀλλ' ἵνα μὴ τὸν καθ' ἕκαστον περιϊόντες κηρύττωσι τὸν Χριστόν, συνέ στησαν τὸ βάπτισμα, ἵνα τοὺς προστρέχοντας ὄχλους ἀγάγωσι πρὸς τὸν Χριστόν. 93 {3Jο 3, 23}3Τὸ «ὕδωρ τοῦ ῥαντισμοῦ» τὸ ἔχον «τὴν σποδὸν τῆς δαμάλεως» καθα ρισμὸν ἐποίει ἀκουσίων ἁμαρτημάτων καὶ τοὺς ἀπὸ ἁφῆς νεκρῶν ἐκάθαιρεν· Ἰωάννου δὲ τὸ βάπτισμα τοῖς γνησίως μετανοοῦσι καὶ τῶν ἑκουσίων παρεῖ χεν ἄφεσιν, τὸ δὲ τοῦ Χριστοῦ πάντων τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ πνεῦμα ἅγιον παρεῖχε καὶ υἱοθεσίας ἀξίαν. 94 {3Jο 3, 25}3Οἰκονομικῶς ζήτησις γέγονεν ἔτι ζῶντος Ἰωάννου, ἵνα διὰ τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ ἡ τῶν βαπτισμάτων διαφορὰ φανῇ. 95 {3Jο 3, 29}3Νυμφίος ἐστὶν ὁ Χριστὸς καὶ ἡ ἐκκλησία νύμφη καὶ ὁ νυμφὼν ὁ τόπος τοῦ βαπτίσματος, ἔνθα γίνεται ἡ πνευματικὴ συνάφεια, ἐπειδὴ πάντα φαιδρὰ καὶ χαρᾶς ἀνάμεστα καὶ εὐφροσύνης. τί γὰρ μακαριώτερον τοῦ καθαρισθῆναι ἁμαρτιῶν καὶ κολληθῆναι θεῷ καὶ «κοινωνὸν γενέσθαι θείας φύσεως» διὰ τῆς τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος μετουσίας· ταῦτα γὰρ ὁ «ἀρραβών», τὰ δὲ τελειότερα ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι, ὅτε πάλιν εἰσελθὼν ὁ νυμφίος εἰσάγει σὺν αὐτῷ τὰς παρθένους ψυχὰς καὶ κλείεται ἡ θύρα τοῦ νυμφῶνος καὶ μόνοι οἱ ὄντες ἔσω τῆς εὐφροσύνης ἀπολαύουσι καὶ οὐκέτι οὐδεὶς εἰσέρχεται ἐκεῖ. ἕως ὅπου οὖν σήμερον ὁ παρὼν αἰών, ἢ ὁ ἰδικὸς ἑκάστου θάνατος ἢ ἡ θύρα τοῦ νυμφῶνος ἀνέῳκται ταῖς βουλο μέναις ψυχαῖς νυμφευθῆναι Χριστῷ. 96 {3Jο 3, 29}3∆ιὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος νυμφεύεται ὁ Χριστὸς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἀναγεννηθεῖσαν. ἡ δὲ συζυγία αὕτη ἡ πνευματικὴ διὰ τοῦ διδασκαλικοῦ λόγου συνάπτει θεῷ. παρθένος ἐστὶν ἁγνὴ ἡ νύμφη διὰ τὴν τῶν δογμάτων ὀρθότητα, ἡ αὐτὴ καὶ γυνή ἐστι τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὡς ἀγαθὰς γεννῶσα πράξεις οὐκ ἀφ' ἑαυτῆς, ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦ ἐνσπείροντος ἐν αὐτῇ Χριστοῦ, ἧς οὐδεὶς τῶν γεννητῶν δύναται εἶναι νυμφίος, ἐπείπερ πρωτοτύπως οὐδεὶς αὐτῶν ἐστι δοτὴρ ἀγαθῶν. πᾶσα οὖν λογικὴ φύσις ἀγγέλων τε καὶ ἀνθρώπων νύμφη ἐστίν. 97 {3Jο 3, 30}3Οὔτε ὁ Χριστὸς αὔξει οὔτε Ἰωάννης ἐλαττοῦται, ἀλλὰ δίκην ἑωσφόρου ὁ Ἰωάννης ὑπὸ τοῦ νοητοῦ ἡλίου σκέπεται. 98 {3Jο 3, 30}3Ὁ Χριστὸς ὡς θεὸς ἐπὶ πλεῖον αὔξει φανερούμενος, ἐμὲ δὲ δεῖ μένειν ἐν οἷς εἰμι. 99 {3Jο 3, 31}3Εἰπὼν ἐρχόμενος οὐ μετάβασιν σημαίνει τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ἄνω πρὸς τὰ κάτω, ἀλλ' ὅτι ἀεὶ μένων ἐν πατρὶ ἄνω συγκαταβάσεως σχέσει ἔρχεται πρὸς τούτους, ὧν ἐπάνω ἐστίν. ὅτε οὖν λέγει ἐρχόμενον, ὡς περὶ θεοῦ λέγει, ὅταν δὲ λέγει ἐλθόντα, ὡς περὶ ἀνθρώπου λαλεῖ, ἐπειδὴ θεός ἐστι καὶ ἄνθρωπος δ' αὐτός. ὁ ὢν ἐκ τῆς ῥίζης τοῦ πατρὸς ἔχει φυσικῶς τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς ὑπεροχὴν ἐπάνω πάντων ὢν τῶν πεποιημένων ὡς θεὸς αὐτῶν καὶ ποιητής. 100 {3Jο 3, 32}3Ἀνθρωπινώτερον λαλεῖ διὰ τὴν σάρκα· τῇ γὰρ φύσει παντέλειος ὢν πάντα ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ οἶδεν. 101 {3Jο 3, 32}3Οὐχ ὡς μὴ πεισθέντων τινῶν τοῦτο εἶπεν, ἀλλ' ὡς ἀποθαυμαζόντων τὴν τῶν ἀπιστούντων ἀπόνοιαν. 102 {3Jο 3, 33}3Τὸ ἐσφράγισεν ἀντὶ τοῦ ἐπληροφορήθη καὶ ἔχει ἀπόδειξιν καὶ σφραγῖδα. 103 {3Jο 3, 34}3Ἀπεστάλθαι