Commentaries on John (in catenae) 1 Jo 1, 1 In the beginning was the Word, without beginning, he says, according to time, and the Word was with God, a

 time, the impassible, that from such a father, this is of the same substance. The Father was God with whom the Son was, and the Word who was with the

 by an artistic work, as providing in that which is provided for. 9 Jo 1, 11 How did he who is always everywhere and present in the world come to his o

 Jo 1, 15 He was always first, for he is by nature God and Son of God, but I am his slave and herald. This one was indeed always first, but he comes af

 gestures of honor and great words, or rather where there is a profit of a little money, the temple or the law is nothing but where there is the great

 and little by little she progressed, so that she not only confessed [him as] Messiah and Christ, but also preached to the city and her homeland and in

 for the Father judges no one, would have given the suspicion that he himself abdicated his authority. But for this reason he places the gave, so t

 according to human opinion and judgment, his testimony is not true. Therefore the Lord also, indicating this in response to their opinion, said: 'If I

 to be instructed and to be benefited. 42 Jo 6, 6 Or testing is said instead of exercising him, stirring up his thoughts and leading him toward the

 leading us up to the teaching of the Father, you send us back again to yourself, if indeed you have seen and you are about to unfold the Father’s teac

 Declaring the multitude and magnitude of the gifts, he calls them rivers. Therefore, no one, neither of the ancient prophets nor of the disciples then

 of cities, in which he also had relatives, he did not rise up for the destruction of the angels he saw typically and iconically as they were proceedin

 For that one, he says, was a murderer from the beginning and has not stood in the truth, because there is no truth in him. And who else, he says, is s

 the clay was used for another reason than what has been said, in order to demonstrate very clearly that He Himself also formed Adam from clay. Moreove

 something humble and human about him, so that the weak hearer may not fall away or the evildoer find an occasion for wickedness, he runs back again to

 He said to the disciples concerning the Greeks who wanted to see him: that the hour has come, that the Son of Man might be glorified. 74 Jo 12, 27 To

 I did not expect that anyone would ever come to such madness and ingratitude and foulness, so as to repay his benefactor with murder and betrayal afte

 but the Jews, ending their life, were sent away to death and punishment. Therefore He says: And where I go, you cannot come. But to them He speaks thu

 you sought to see with bodily eyes, but looking at the flesh, which I willingly took up on your behalf, you have seen nothing lofty nor worthy of my d

 the discourses already being about to cease. 90 Jo 15, 9-11 I have spoken these things to you which things are these? that as the Father has loved me

 A tribunal had its beginning in that city in which the audacious act of murder was also committed. And the refutation came not through words, but thro

 to the Son. And this the blessed Paul also proclaimed, saying: according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret for long ages with this glory t

 in the Father, that is, consubstantial. Why then did He not say, 'as You, Father, are to Me and I to You,' but with the preposition? Most of all, He a

 take and kill? He said, take and judge. But were they not prepared for the murder of the Master, and were they not intoxicated with rage and envy, so

 he was about to show, leading them again through this to a higher estimation. 114 Jo 21, 17 Since he asked him a third time, making the question equal

according to human opinion and judgment, his testimony is not true. Therefore the Lord also, indicating this in response to their opinion, said: 'If I alone,' He says, 'testify about myself.' Perhaps it was possible for us, according to human suspicions, to disbelieve the testimony as not being true. 'But now,' He says, 'even your pretext itself has been cut off; for I do not testify about myself alone, but also that one, whom you, having supposed to be trustworthy, brought the question to,' so that both from bringing John forward for testimony and from saying 'you have sent' it is clearly shown, that in response to their opinion and weakness He thus uttered the word, and what is added: 'But I do not receive testimony from man, but I have said these things,' that is, 'for this reason I brought John forward to you for testimony, so that you might be saved,' clearly presented the aforesaid meaning, that in response to their opinion and weakness He used these words thus. 36 Jo 5, 32-33 'And I know that his testimony is true' instead of 'and I know that not even by you would it be denied that his testimony is true, unless perhaps you fight with yourselves; for you, having supposed him to be trustworthy, sent asking him.' 'And he testified to the truth,' 'to the truth,' He says, because even before the testimony of John He was Truth-itself and did not need the testimony of others. 'Therefore I know,' He says, 'if you are of a good mind, that to you also his testimony is true.' 37 Jo 5, 36-39 As a consequence of what has been said He sets down the 'you have neither heard His voice nor seen His form' and what follows. But the 'you have seen.' is to be understood as He also says further on, 'he who has seen me has seen the Father,' instead of 'you do not have a right opinion and a conception worthy of God concerning Him, even if you pretend to vindicate Him.' But how is it a consequence? Since He said, 'The Father who sent me, He has testified about me' and 'the works which the Father has given me to do, these testify about me,' and you do not believe even so, it is clear that, as it seems, He says, 'you have neither heard His voice,' not even that, when He said, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,' nor do you rightly reckon anything concerning His blessed and impassible and all-powerful nature; for otherwise, having rightly judged the works which I do to be of that authority and power alone, you would not have blasphemed me, His Son who does the same things as the Father, as an adversary of God. You see how it is said as a consequence. But the 'you have never heard' He does not say 'now,' but not even when He spoke to Moses; For how could they, who immediately made a calf and after these things received the admonitions and myriads of times committed fornication into idolatry? Therefore truly neither then nor now have you heard His voice nor have you kept the right and undistorted opinion about Him in your heart and for this reason you do not have the oracles foretold of old concerning the Son abiding in you, nor the testimony now spoken by the Father, but if you should wish, even at some late time, to look up to the truth and learn, that these things were long ago proclaimed concerning me, search the scriptures; for lest I seem to you, in saying this also, to say unprofitable things, does it not seem to you also that in them you find life. 38 Jo 5, 41-42 'If you do not receive glory from men, why do you say these things?' 'For your sake,' He says, 'that you may turn and be saved; for I see you to have completely revolted from the love of God, because you reject me who have come in His name; for how is it possible to say that one loves God and the Father, but to send away and hate the one who has come from Him?' 39 Jo 5, 43 That is, you do not pay attention with right judgment concerning God, but whatever seems to you without judgment, to this you are carried, flocking together, when you ought not, by being enslaved to a vain prejudice, to fail and fall short of the right opinion concerning God, but, having received and held this firmly in yourselves, to thrust away and send away empty opinions. 40 Jo 5, 44 'receiving glory from one another' instead of 'seeking to please one another.' 41 Jo 6, 6 testing him, not so that He himself might learn; for He Himself knew him exactly, He who knows all things before their creation, but so that Philip

εἰς ἀνθρωπίνην ὑπόληψιν καὶ κρίσιν, οὐκ ἔστιν ἀληθὴς αὐτοῦ ἡ μαρτυρία. τοῦτο οὖν καὶ ὁ κύριος πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνων ὑπόληψιν δηλῶν ἔλεγεν· ἐὰν ἐγὼ μόνος, φησίν, μαρτυρῶ περὶ ἐμαυτοῦ. ἴσως ἐξῆν ἡμῖν κατὰ τὰς ἀνθρωπίνους ὑπονοίας ἀπιστεῖν τῇ μαρτυρίᾳ ὡς μὴ οὔσῃ ἀληθινῇ. νῦν δέ, φησίν, καὶ αὐτὴ ὑμῶν ἡ πρόφασις διακέκοπται· οὐ γὰρ μόνος ἐγὼ περὶ ἐμαυτοῦ μαρτυρῶ, ἀλλὰ κἀκεῖνος, ὃν ὑμεῖς ἀξιόπιστον ὑπειληφότες τὴν ἐρώτησιν προσηγάγετε, ὥστε καὶ ἐκ τοῦ τὸν Ἰωάννην παράγειν μαρτυρίαν καὶ ἐκ τοῦ εἰπεῖν ὑμεῖς ἀπεστάλκατε σαφῶς δείκνυται, ὅτι πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνων ὑπόληψιν καὶ ἀσθένειαν οὕτω τὸν λόγον προήνεγκεν, καὶ τὸ ἐπαγόμενον δέ· ἐγὼ δὲ οὐ παρὰ ἀνθρώπου τὴν μαρτυρίαν λαμβάνω, ταῦτα δὲ εἶπον, τοῦτ' ἔστι διὰ τοῦτο τὸν Ἰωάννην προέφερον ὑμῖν εἰς μαρτυρίαν, ἵνα ὑμεῖς σωθῆτε, τρανῶς τὴν εἰρημένην παρέστησεν ἔννοιαν, ὅτι πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνων ὑπόληψιν καὶ ἀσθένειαν οὕτω τοῖς λόγοις ἐχρήσατο. 36 Jo 5, 32-33 Καὶ οἶδα ὅτι ἀληθής ἐστιν ἡ μαρτυρία αὐτοῦ ἀντὶ τοῦ καὶ οἶδα ὅτι οὐκ ἂν οὐδ' ὑμῖν ἀρνηθείη ὡς ἀληθής ἐστιν ἡ μαρτυρία αὐτοῦ, ἂν ἄρα μὴ ἑαυτοῖς μάχησθε· ὑμεῖς γὰρ ἀξιόπιστον αὐτὸν ὑπειληφότες ἀπεστείλατε ἐρωτῶντες αὐτόν. καὶ αὐτὸς ἐμαρτύρησε τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, τῇ ἀληθείᾳ δέ, φησίν, ὅτι καὶ πρὸ τῆς Ἰωάννου μαρτυρίας αὐτοαλήθεια ἦν καὶ τῆς ἑτέρων οὐκ ἐδεῖτο μαρτυρίας. οὐκοῦν οἶδα, φησίν, ἂν εὐγνωμονῆτε, ὅτι καὶ ὑμῖν ἀληθής ἐστιν ἡ μαρτυρία αὐτοῦ. 37 Jo 5, 36-39 Ὡς ἀκόλουθον τοῖς εἰρημένοις τίθησι τὸ οὔτε φωνὴν αὐτοῦ ἀκηκόατε οὔτε εἶδος αὐτοῦ ἑωράκατε καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. τὸ δὲ ἑωράκατε. ὡς καὶ προϊών φησιν ἐκληπτέον ὁ ἑωρακὼς ἐμὲ ἑώρακεν τὸν πατέρα ἀντὶ τοῦ οὐκ ἔχετε ὀρθὴν δόξαν καὶ ὑπόληψιν θεοπρεπῆ περὶ αὐτοῦ, κἂν αὐτὸν ἐκδικεῖν σχηματίζησθε. πῶς δὲ ὡς ἀκόλουθον; ἐπειδὴ εἶπεν, ὅτι ὁ πέμψας με πατήρ, αὐτὸς μεμαρτύρηκεν περὶ ἐμοῦ καὶ ὅτι τὰ ἔργα, ἃ ἔδωκέν μοι ποιεῖν ὁ πατήρ, ἐκεῖνα μαρτυρεῖ περὶ ἐμοῦ, ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐδ' οὕτω πιστεύετε, δῆλον ὅτι, ὡς ἔοικεν, φησὶν οὔτε φωνὴν αὐτοῦ ἀκηκόατε, οὐδὲ τήν, ὅτε ἔλεγεν οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν ᾧ εὐδόκησα, οὐδὲ περὶ τῆς μακαρίας αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπαθοῦς καὶ παντοκρατορικῆς φύσεως οὐδὲν ὀρθὸν ὑπολογίζεσθε· ἢ γὰρ ἂν τὰ ἔργα, ἃ ἐγὼ ποιῶ, ἐκείνης μόνης τῆς αὐθεντίας καὶ ἐξουσίας ὀρθῶς κρίναντες εἶναι οὐκ ἂν ἐμὲ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ τὰ αὐτὰ πράττοντα τῷ πατρὶ ἀντίθεον ἐβλασφημεῖτε. ὁρᾶς πῶς ὡς ἀκόλουθον εἴρηται. τὸ δὲ οὐδέποτε ἀκηκόατε οὐ νῦν φησιν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ὅτε τῷ Μωυσῇ ἐλάλει· πῶς γὰρ οἵ γε παραυτίκα μοσχοποιήσαντες καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα δεξάμενοι τὰς νουθεσίας καὶ μυριάκις εἰς εἰδωλολατρείαν ἐκπορνεύσαντες; διὸ ἀληθῶς οὔτε τότε οὔτε νῦν οὔτε φωνὴν αὐτοῦ ἀκηκόατε οὔτε τὴν περὶ αὐτὸν ὀρθὴν δόξαν καὶ ἀδιάστροφον ἐν καρδίᾳ ἐφυλάξατε καὶ διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ τοὺς πάλαι περὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ προρρηθέντας χρησμοὺς ἔχετε μένοντας ἐν ὑμῖν οὔτε τὴν νῦν εἰρημένην τῷ πατρὶ μαρτυρίαν, ἀλλ' εἰ βούλοισθε, κἂν γοῦν ὀψέ ποτε, διαβλέψαι πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν καὶ μαθεῖν, ὅτι πάλαι ταῦτα προκατήγγελται περὶ ἐμοῦ, ἐρευνᾶτε τὰς γραφάς· μὴ γὰρ κἀνταῦθα λέγων δοκῶ ὑμῖν ἀσύμφορα λέγειν, οὐχὶ καὶ ὑμῖν δοκεῖ ἐν αὐτοῖς ζωὴν εὑρίσκειν. 38 Jo 5, 41-42 Εἰ δόξαν παρὰ ἀνθρώπων οὐ λαμβάνεις, διὰ τί λέγεις ταῦτα; δι' ὑμᾶς φησιν, ἵνα ἐπιστραφῆτε καὶ σωθῆτε· θεωρῶ γὰρ ὑμᾶς παντάπασιν τῆς πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἀγάπης ἀπανεστηκότας, ὅτι ἐμὲ τὸν ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ παραγεγονότα ἀπωθεῖσθε· πῶς γὰρ ἔνι λέγειν ἀγαπᾶν τὸν θεὸν καὶ πατέρα, τὸν δὲ ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἐληλυθότα ἀποπέμπεσθαι καὶ μισεῖν; 39 Jo 5, 43 Τοῦτ' ἔστιν οὐ τῇ ὀρθῇ κρίσει περὶ θεοῦ προσέχετε, ἀλλὰ ἅπερ ἂν ἀκρίτως ὑμῖν νομισθῇ, εἰς τοῦτο φέρεσθε συρρέοντες, δέον μὴ προλήψει ματαίᾳ δουλεύοντας τῆς περὶ θεὸν ὀρθῆς δόξης διαπίπτειν καὶ ἀποσφάλλεσθαι, ἀλλὰ ταύτην ἑδραίως ἐν ἑαυτοῖς λαβόντας καὶ ἔχοντας τὰς κενὰς ὑπολήψεις διωθεῖσθαι καὶ ἀποπέμπεσθαι. 40 Jo 5, 44 ∆όξαν παρ' ἀλλήλων λαμβάνοντες ἀντὶ τοῦ ἀρέσκειν ἀλλήλους ζητοῦντες. 41 Jo 6, 6 Πειράζων ἐκεῖνον, οὐχ ὥστε αὐτὸς μαθεῖν· αὐτὸς γὰρ ᾔδει αὐτὸν ἀκριβῶς ὁ πάντα εἰδὼς πρὶν γενέσεως αὐτῶν, ἀλλ' ὥστε τὸν Φίλιππον