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

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. Moreover, he commands him to wash off the clay, so that the clay might not become a pretext for the unbelieving and ill-disposed Jews to slander the miracle, as if the earth possessed some natural power for the formation of eyes. And he spits and thus prepares the clay, but does not mix the earth with other water, so that it might not seem to them that he contributed nothing to the miracle, but that it was entirely of the clay and the water in Siloam; therefore, removing every defense and cutting off all wickedness, He both makes the clay and commands him to wash, and makes it with spittle, and in this way He constitutes and forms the nature of the eyes. 64 Jo 9, 15 Note what it says here; for the gospel writes that the Pharisees asked him how he received his sight. But the question "how were your eyes opened" was not asked by the Pharisees, but before them the crowd asked it in this way. Then they brought him also to the Pharisees, when they asked how he received his sight. 65 Jo 9, 41 For if you did not see, He says, and had your own eyes as witnesses of the miracles being performed, your condemnation would have been written more lightly; but now that you see, you render yourselves without excuse. But He says: but now you say, 'We see'. Clearly they themselves say that they see, but in truth they do not see. For how is it possible to truly see, when some, seeing the eyes of the blind being opened, lepers being cleansed, demons being cast out, not only do not believe, but also blaspheme; for this is not to see, but to be in a much worse state than those who are blind. 66 Jo 10, 7 The old scripture might fittingly be the door; for through it one is led into the knowledge of Christ and the observance of the legal commandments. But even more so might the door be Christ and His gospel; for through Him it is possible to enter into the most accurate knowledge of God and to achieve the perfection of the virtues. Therefore Christ entered through the door as a man and a shepherd, either Moses as one ministering or the Father as one approving opening to Him the wealth of the fold; for "of myself," He says, "I do nothing." And through the teaching of the scriptures He gathered many sheep. Again, He Himself has become the door of the new, and those who enter through Him and His evangelical teaching are also established as shepherds and increase the flock of rational sheep. 67 Jo 10, 14 I know my own, that is, I guard and care for and do all things for their salvation. And why? Or clearly because of His ineffable mercy and unsearchable love for mankind. And He Himself, through much goodness, also assigns to us the reason for our being known by Him, at once uplifting and encouraging, and at the same time showing that he who is to enjoy the impulse from above must not be idle nor lax, but be watchful and acknowledge the benefactor through works and zeal and faith. Therefore He says: I know my own, because I am also known by my own. "I know," as has been said, means I guard and care for, and "I am known" means I am acknowledged by them as creator and master, and they offer the worship that is due from faithful servants. 68 Jo 10, 14-15 See the difference of knowledge and the different meaning of the word. "I know my own," "I am known by my own," have different meanings of knowledge. Such also is "that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus whom you have sent," again "as the Father knows me and I know the Father"; for here it denotes comprehension and scientific knowledge, and the "as" denotes the unchangeable and in all respects similar knowledge of the Father and of the Son. The Father knows the Son as consubstantial knows consubstantial, and the Son likewise knows the Father as consubstantial knows consubstantial. And there are many other meanings of the word "knowledge" to be observed in the divine scripture. And since He said "I lay down my life for the sheep" and that He is a shepherd and such things

ἄλλο παρελήφθη ὁ πηλὸς ἢ ὅπερ εἴρηται, ἵνα λίαν παραστήσῃ, ὅτι αὐτὸς ἔπλασεν καὶ τὸν Ἀδὰμ ἀπὸ πηλοῦ. ἔτι δὲ ἀπονίψασθαι κελεύει τὸν πηλόν, ἵνα μὴ τοῖς ἀπίστοις καὶ κακογνώμοσιν Ἰουδαίοις εἰς διαβολὴν τοῦ θαύματος πρόφασις γένηται ὁ πηλὸς ὡς τῆς γῆς ἐχούσης δύναμίν τινα φυσικὴν εἰς διάπλασιν ὀφθαλμῶν. πτύει δὲ καὶ οὕτω κατασκευάζει τὸν πηλόν, ἀλλ' οὐχὶ ἑτέρῳ ὕδατι διαζυμοῖ τὴν γῆν, ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ αὐτοῖς μηδὲν ἀντεισενεγκεῖν τῷ θαύματι, ἀλλ' ὅλον εἶναι τοῦ πηλοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἐν τῷ Σιλωὰμ ὕδατος· πᾶσαν οὖν ἀπολογίαν ἀναιρῶν καὶ πονηρίαν περικόπτων καὶ πηλὸν ποιεῖ καὶ ἀπονίψασθαι κελεύει καὶ διὰ τοῦ πτύσματος ποιεῖ καὶ οὕτως ὑφιστᾷ καὶ διαπλάττει τὴν φύσιν τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν. 64 Jo 9, 15 Σημείωσαι τί λέγει ἐνταῦθα· τὸ γὰρ εὐαγγέλιον γράφει, ὅτι ἠρώτων αὐτὸν οἱ Φαρισαῖοι πῶς ἀνέβλεψεν. τὸ δὲ πῶς ἠνεῴχθησάν Σου οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ οὐχ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι, ἀλλὰ πρὸ τούτων τὸ πλῆθος ἠρώτησεν οὕτως. εἶτα ἤγαγον αὐτὸν καὶ πρὸς τοὺς Φαρισαίους, ὅτε ἐκεῖνοι ἠρώτησαν πῶς ἀνέβλεψεν. 65 Jo 9, 41 Εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἐβλέπετε, φησίν, καὶ τοὺς οἰκείους ὀφθαλμοὺς εἴχετε τῶν τελουμένων θαυμάτων μάρτυρας, κουφότερον ἂν ὑμῖν τὸ κατάκριμα ἐπεγράφετο· νῦν δὲ βλέποντες ἀναπολογήτους ἑαυτοὺς παριστάνετε. αὐτὸς δέ φησιν· νῦν δὲ λέγετε ὅτι βλέπομεν δηλονότι αὐτοὶ μὲν λέγουσιν, ὅτι βλέπουσιν, τῇ δὲ ἀληθείᾳ οὐ βλέπουσιν· πῶς γὰρ ἔστιν ἀληθῶς βλέπειν, ὅταν τινὲς ὁρῶντες τυφλῶν ὀφθαλμοὺς ἀνοιγομένους, λεπροὺς καθαιρομένους, δαιμόνια διωκόμενα οὐ μόνον οὐ πιστεύουσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ βλασφημοῦσιν· τοῦτο γὰρ οὐκ ἔστι βλέπειν, ἀλλὰ πολλῷ χεῖρον τῶν τυφλωττόντων διακεῖσθαι. 66 Jo 10, 7 Θύρα μὲν εἰκότως ἂν εἴη ἡ παλαιὰ γραφή· δι' αὐτῆς γὰρ εἰσάγεταί τις εἰς τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ τὴν τήρησιν τῶν νομικῶν ἐντολῶν. θύρα δὲ μᾶλλον ἔτι ἂν εἴη ὁ Χριστὸς καὶ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον αὐτοῦ· δι' αὐτοῦ γὰρ εἰς τὴν ἀκριβεστάτην θεογνωσίαν ἔστιν εἰσελθεῖν καὶ τὴν τῶν ἀρετῶν κατορθῶσαι τελειότητα. εἰσῆλθεν οὖν διὰ τῆς θύρας ὡς ἄνθρωπος καὶ ποιμὴν ὁ Χριστὸς ἀνοίξαντος αὐτῷ τὸν πλοῦτον τῆς αὐλῆς εἴτε τοῦ Μωυσέως ὡς ὑπηρετουμένου εἴτε τοῦ πατρὸς ὡς συνευδοκοῦντος· ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ γάρ, φησίν, οὐδὲν ποιῶ. καὶ διὰ τῆς τῶν γραφῶν διδασκαλίας πολλὰ συνήγαγεν πρόβατα. πάλιν αὐτὸς γέγονεν θύρα τῆς καινῆς καὶ οἱ δι' αὐτοῦ εἰσιόντες καὶ τῆς εὐαγγελικῆς διδαχῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ ποιμένες ἀποκαθίστανται καὶ τὴν τῶν λογικῶν προβάτων ἀγέλην πληθύνουσιν. 67 Jo 10, 14 Γινώσκω τὰ ἐμὰ τοῦτ' ἔστιν φρουρῶ καὶ περιέπω καὶ πάντα εἰς τὴν αὐτῶν σωτηρίαν πράττω. διὰ τί δέ; ἢ δηλονότι διὰ τὸ ἄφατον ἔλεος αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν ἀνεξιχνίαστον φιλανθρωπίαν. αὐτὸς δὲ καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν τοῦ γινώσκεσθαι ἡμᾶς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ διὰ πολλὴν ἀγαθότητα καὶ ἡμῖν ἀνατίθησι καὶ ἅμα μὲν ἐπαίρων καὶ ψυχαγωγῶν, ἅμα δὲ δεικνύς, ὅτι δεῖ τὸν μέλλοντα τῆς ἄνωθεν ἀπολαύειν ῥοπῆς μὴ ἀργὸν μηδὲ ἀναπεπταμένον εἶναι, ἀλλ' ἐγρηγορέναι τε καὶ ἐπιγινώσκειν διὰ τῶν ἔργων καὶ τῆς σπουδῆς καὶ τῆς πίστεως τὸν εὐεργέτην. διό φησιν· γινώσκω τὰ ἐμὰ ὅτι καὶ γινώσκομαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἐμῶν. γινώσκω μέν, ὡς εἴρηται, ἀντὶ τοῦ φρουρῶ καὶ περιέπω, γινώσκομαι δὲ οἷον ἐπιγινώσκομαι ὑπ' αὐτῶν, ὅτι δημιουργὸς καὶ δεσπότης καὶ τὴν ὀφειλομένην παρὰ πιστῶν θεραπόντων κατατίθενται λατρείαν. 68 Jo 10, 14-15 Ὅρα γνώσεως διαφορὰν καὶ διάφορον τοῦ ὀνόματος σημασίαν. γινώσκω τὰ ἐμά, γινώσκομαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἐμῶν, ἄλλο καὶ ἄλλο σημαινόμενον γνώσεως. τοιοῦτον καὶ τὸ ἵνα γινώσκωσιν σὲ τὸν μόνον ἀληθινὸν θεὸν καὶ ὃν ἀπέστειλας ἸηΣοῦν, πάλιν καθὼς γινώσκει με ὁ πατὴρ κἀγὼ γινώσκω τὸν πατέρα· ἐνταῦθα γὰρ τὴν κατάληψιν καὶ ἐπιστήμην δηλοῖ, τὸ δὲ καθὼς τὸ ἀπαράλλακτον καὶ κατὰ πάντα ὅμοιον τῆς πατρικῆς καὶ τῆς τοῦ υἱοῦ γνώσεως δηλοῖ. ὁ πατὴρ γινώσκει τὸν υἱὸν ὡς ὁμοούσιος ὁμοούσιον καὶ ὁ υἱὸς ὡσαύτως γινώσκει τὸν πατέρα ὡς ὁμοούσιον ὁμοούσιος. καὶ ἄλλα δὲ πλεῖστά ἐστι τοῦ τῆς γνώσεως ὀνόματος συνιδεῖν ἐν τῇ θείᾳ γραφῇ τὰ σημαινόμενα. ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἶπεν τὴν ψυχήν μου τίθημι ὑπὲρ τῶν προβάτων καὶ ὅτι ποιμήν ἐστι καὶ τοιαῦτά