Fragments on the Gospel of John (in the catenae) 1 Positing him as the Creator of all things, he predicates the name of the Word of him. For since, in

 but by the good pleasure of God, he willed that creation should exist. This wisdom, therefore, willed to assume a creative relation to the things that

 again overtakes the light. And that I might change the theorem to something clearer, the light is the truth but when falsehood and all deceit, that i

 but having come to him with scientific proof and articulated understanding, they believe in him and call upon him. Whence Jesus, after the great progr

 But First must be understood instead of Before. However, what he says is something like this: Jesus, being before me and prior to me, came behind

 it is accomplished by choice, then that which is from God comes to pass, and this is the giving of grace for grace from God. 12 But the law was given

 he sees by applying his own mind, just as we are said to see visible things by a glance of the eyes. But God is also seen by those to whom He judges t

 and hiding his power for proceeding toward the dispensation. Since, therefore, it is not possible for any human to show a demonstration of the manner

 a more solid body. But if this were so, the opening of the heavens would not <have> come under sight, for neither is the Holy Spirit which descended f

 he says confidently, from Nazareth is indeed the one who was found and truly he is good. To whom Philip said: “Come and see” the found Jesus, wishing

 having been cast upon it, it seemed to be thought that all things came from water〛. 30 They believed is said instead of They were confirmed. For h

 For to know certain people from their actions and words is possible even for a mere man. But Jesus, not being a mere man, but God become man, knows al

 is grieved at the loss of pleasant things, does not cling with steadfastness to the agreeable things that are present. He wants us, therefore, to be s

 saying we may signify it through the ones being ruled, declaring it either from the place † when of the earth [of him] or of the inhabited world we an

 of wild beasts, having disbelieved God, who promised them the land, thus will they be saved by gazing at the uplifted serpent because of God who comma

 that the one who has done evil should depart from evil † but look to the good and that the one who professes to rejoice in the truth should at some t

 of the only sower of good things. He is none other than Jesus, of whom you have said you baptize, who has been testified to by me, to whom you say all

 by the prophets, in the last «of the days has spoken to us, who live during the visitation

 John. He came for a witness, to bear witness «of the Light».〛 For if the prophets before John also spoke from the earth, how do they bear witness conc

 to come to a woman. 53 But perhaps someone might inquire into the reason why Jews do not associate with Samaritans, which it is possible to find in th

 it must be said, from which Jacob along with his sons was drinking spiritually, and from it were drinking also

 and being lovers of the word, they considered that it was then the time for food and supposed that perhaps just as to Daniel in Babylon by the command

 human nature is not able. But since such a discourse does not come to men bare of matter and bodily examples, for this reason Jesus spits on the groun

 For since there are differences of signs, so that, as the apostle says, both the one in the law and the lawless one, whom the lord consumes with the b

 God, being asked for things by sinners on the basis of works, does not listen. 71 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him, he sai

 of the sensible it is no longer possible to hear about the bodily... when “Jesus answered and said to her: If you knew the gift of God and who it is

 Aenon, near Salem. Aenon is interpreted as Eye of torment and Salem He who is ascending. Therefore, those who receive the second ransom are now mo

 Jesus to the one who had died. For your sakes, he says, I am glad, those of you believing from learning that he died when I was not with him, and so t

 waits at home to receive him, as one capable of his visit. And she would not have gone out of her own house, unless she had heard her sister saying: “

 outcome is uncertain. But for an allegorical interpretation, it must be said that 〚Jesus formerly walked openly among the Jews through the prophets, b

 to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance so from the one who has not, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from

 able to believe 〚because their eyes had been blinded by the evil one〛 it was not impossible for them to believe by approaching Jesus 〚and saying: Son

 the sun, the light that does not set and is without evening, having come to the world and through wonders both befitting God and beyond reason having

 you see that I have.”〛 And concerning how it is said to him, “Do not be unbelieving, but believing,” and concerning the name of Thomas, such things mi

 emphatic. For one who proclaims great doctrines, according to the meaning, as is fitting, utters them with a great voice. 116 And has become should

 named it from the reigning God. For indeed among us in common usage, his kingdom is sometimes signified from the one who reigns, and sometimes from th

 and the mere sight of the one envied casts no small spark into the envious.] 130 [For this reason he would have mingled with us .... and becoming for

 risen from the dead. We acknowledge him as head according to the prefiguration of his resurrection, of whom we are members in part and a body through

that the one who has done evil should depart from evil † but look to the good; and that the one who professes to rejoice in the truth should at some time incline to the worse. For this reason he said 'doing' and 'practicing'. For it is not possible for one disposed to evil to rejoice in the good, and the lover of truth is entirely a desirer of good things.〛 But 'coming' and 'not coming' to the light must be understood not locally but in terms of activity, since everyone who acts according to virtue comes to it. For the wicked man, practicing evil, declines to be with the light; for good and evil cannot coexist,

light and darkness; 〚and in these, light and the good are the same, as are darkness and evil〛. But since those from the heresies think that some are in darkness by nature and love it, pay attention to what has been said, that each of them is in darkness by choice and loves it; «For,» he says, «men loved † darkness rather than the light,» for their works were evil. For they do not have evil works because they are darkness; but because they have evil works, they love the darkness. And again, it is not because they do not come to the light that they do evil things; but because they do evil things, they do not come

to the light. 〚But it is up to us to do evil things or to love the light and do the truth.〛 43 〚Since it is written, «Men loved darkness more than the light,» it must be investigated whether, loving both, they loved the darkness more and the light less; which also seems to have a place in the case of men who are neither excessively wicked nor perfect in virtue. But I think this is not what is meant—that loving both they love the darkness more, or love the light more—but that the meaning is of this sort: men, being self-determining, by having free choice, though obligated to accept the light and flee the darkness, have done the opposite, those who have evil works, so as to love the darkness, but in no way the light. But one must not hear comparatively that they have loved the darkness more than the light; for they did not love it at all, having hated it. And that this understanding is correct is shown from the text itself. For he says they loved the darkness rather than the light for this reason: because, doing evil things, they hate the light. But if they hate it, they do not love the darkness comparatively. To this point you will also take what is written by the Apostle about evil men, that they were «lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God». For in this phrase it is also indicated that loving only pleasure but not God they are called lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. And in the Psalms it is also written about a certain wicked person: «You have loved wickedness more than goodness». For loving both, he did not love wickedness more.〛 44 One must reasonably hear «All are coming to him» instead of «Many», and «A man can receive nothing from himself, unless it has been given from heaven»; that is, A man cannot have any divine gift, unless it has been given to him from heaven. But the gifts from God are given to those prepared by faith and virtue to receive them. Learn therefore that even if I, having received from the Son of God the ability to baptize with water for repentance, am far inferior to the one who gave it to me. And that I say these things not now but before, I have you as witnesses of what I said to those who asked if I am the Christ. For you were present when I said that I am the forerunner of the Christ, and not the Christ himself. But let no one be scandalized by the phrase «A man can receive nothing» as if it were not spoken correctly. 45 The rational substance, of which the soul of man is also a part, is of itself productive of none of the good things, even if it is receptive of them. Therefore, this substance, in the manner of a woman, is by nature able to bear from another the practical and intellectual virtues which it can bring forth. For this reason I will call it a bride, not of just anyone but

ποιήσαντα τὸ κακὸν ἀποστῆναι μὲν τῆς κακίας † ἰδεῖν δὲ πρὸς τὸ καλόν· καὶ τὸν τῇ ἀλη θείᾳ χαίρειν ἐπαγγελλόμενον νεῦσαί ποτε πρὸς τὸ χεῖρον. διὸ εἶπε τὸ «Πράσσων» καὶ τὸ «Ποιῶν». οὔτε γὰρ ἔνεστι περὶ τὴν κακίαν διακείμενον χαίρειν τῷ

καλῷ, καὶ ὁ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐραστὴς πάντως ἐστὶ τῶν καλῶν ἐπιθυμητής.〛 τὸ δὲ ἔρχεσθαι καὶ μὴ ἔρχεσθαι πρὸς τὸ φῶς οὐ τοπικῶς ἀλλ' ἐνεργητικῶς ἐκλαβεῖν δεῖ, ἐρχομένου πρὸς αὐτὸ παντὸς τοῦ κατ' ἀρετὴν πράττοντος. ὁ γὰρ φαῦλος, ἐνεργῶν τὴν κακίαν, παραιτεῖται φωτὶ συνεῖναι· ἀσυνύπαρκτα γὰρ τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ τὸ κακόν,

τὸ φῶς καὶ τὸ σκότος· 〚ταὐτὸν δὲ ἐν τούτοις τὸ φῶς καὶ τὸ ἀγαθόν, τὸ σκότος καὶ τὸ κακόν〛. ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ οἱ ἀπὸ τῶν αἱρέσεων οἴονται φύσει τινὰς εἶναι ἐν σκότει καὶ ἀγαπᾶν αὐτό, ἐπίστησον τοῖς εἰρημένοις ὅτι αὐτῶν ἕκαστος προαιρέσει ἐν σκότει ἐστὶ καὶ ἀγαπᾷ αὐτό· «Ἠγάπησαν, γάρ φησιν, οἱ ἄνθρωποι † τὸ «σκότος μᾶλλον ἢ τὸ φῶς», ἦν γὰρ αὐτῶν πονηρὰ τὰ ἔργα. οὐ γὰρ διὰ τὸ σκότος εἶναι πονηρὰ ἔχουσιν ἔργα· ἀλλ' ὅτι πονηρὰ ἔχουσιν ἔργα, τὸ σκότος ἀγαπῶσι. καὶ πάλιν οὐ τῷ μὴ ἔρχεσθαι πρὸς τὸ φῶς φαῦλα πράττουσιν· ἀλλὰ τῷ φαῦλα πράττειν οὐκ ἔρχονται

πρὸς τὸ φῶς. 〚ἐφ' ἡμῖν δὲ τὸ πράττειν τὰ φαῦλα ἢ τὸ φῶς ἀγα πᾶν καὶ ποιεῖν τὴν ἀλήθειαν.〛 43 〚Ἐπειδὴ γέγραπται· «Ἠγάπησαν μᾶλλον οἱ ἄνθρωποι τὸ σκότος «ἢ τὸ φῶς» ζητητέον εἰ ἀμφότερα ἀγαπήσαντες μᾶλλον τὸ σκότος ἠγάπησαν, ἧττον δὲ τὸ φῶς· ὃ καὶ δοκεῖ χώραν ἔχειν ἐπὶ τῶν μήτε ἄγαν φαύλων ἀνθρώπων μήτε κατὰ τὴν ἀρετὴν τελείων. νομίζω δὲ μὴ τοῦτο δηλοῦσθαι, τὸ ἀμφότερα αὐτοὺς ἀγαπῶντας μᾶλλον τὸ σκότος ἀγαπᾶν, ἢ μᾶλλον τὸ φῶς ἀγαπᾶν, ἀλλὰ τοιαύτην εἶναι τὴν διάνοιαν· αὐτεξούσιοι ὄντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι, τῷ προαίρεσιν ἐλευθέραν ἔχειν, ὀφείλοντες τὸ φῶς ἀποδέχεσθαι καὶ τὸ σκότος φεύγειν ἀνάπαλιν πεποιήκασιν οἱ ἔχοντες ἔργα πονηρά, ὡς τὸ σκότος ἀγαπῆσαι, μηδα μῶς δὲ τὸ φῶς. συγκριτικῶς δὲ ἀκούειν οὐ χρὴ τοῦ πλεῖον ἠγαπη κέναι αὐτοὺς τὸ σκότος ὑπὲρ τὸ φῶς· οὐδ' ὅλως γὰρ αὐτὸ ἠγάπη σαν, μισήσαντες αὐτό. καὶ ὅτι αὕτη ἡ νόησις ὀρθῶς ἔχει ἐξ αὐτοῦ τοῦ προκειμένου παρίσταται. διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἠγαπηκέναι τὸ σκότος λέγει ἢ τὸ φῶς, ἐπείπερ φαῦλα πράσσοντες μισοῦσι τὸ φῶς. εἰ δὲ μισοῦσιν αὐτό, οὐ συγκριτικῶς ἀγαπῶσι τὸ σκότος. εἰς τοῦτο λήψει καὶ τὸ γραφόμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀποστόλου περὶ τῶν πονηρῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὡς εἶεν «φιλήδονοι μᾶλλον ἢ φιλόθεοι». καὶ ἐν ταύτῃ γὰρ τῇ λέξει δηλοῦται ὅτι μόνην τὴν ἡδονὴν ἀλλ' οὐ θεὸν φιλοῦντες μᾶλλον φιλήδονοι ἢ φιλόθεοι εἴρηνται. καὶ ἐν Ψαλμοῖς δὲ περὶ φαύ λου τινὸς γέγραπται· «Ἠγάπησας κακίαν ὑπὲρ ἀγαθωσύνην». οὐ γὰρ ἀμφότερα ἀγαπῶν

μᾶλλον τὴν κακίαν ἠγάπησεν.〛 44 Εὐγνωμόνως δεῖ ἀκούειν τὸ «Πάντες ἔρχονται πρὸς αὐτόν» ἀντὶ τοῦ «Πολλοί», καὶ τὸ «Οὐ δύναται ἄνθρωπος ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ λαμ «βάνειν οὐδέν, ἐὰν μὴ ᾖ δεδόμενον ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ»· τουτέστιν Οὐ δύναται ἄνθρωπος ἔχειν τι χάρισμα θεῖον, ἐὰν μὴ ᾖ δοθὲν αὐτῷ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. δίδοται δὲ τὰ ἐκ θεοῦ χαρίσματα τοῖς πίστει καὶ ἀρετῇ πρὸς τὸ λαβεῖν αὐτὰ παρεσκευασμένοις. μάθετε τοίνυν ὡς κἂν ἐγὼ λαβὼν παρὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ ἔχω τὸ βαπτίζειν δι' ὕδατος εἰς με τάνοιαν, πολὺ ἀπολείπομαι τοῦ δεδωκότος μοι αὐτό. καὶ ὅτι οὐ νῦν ἀλλὰ πρότερον ταῦτα λέγω, ὑμᾶς ἔχω μάρτυρας ὧν εἶπον τοῖς ἐρω τήσασιν εἰ ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ χριστός. παρῆτε γὰρ λέγοντός μου ὡς τοῦ χριστοῦ πρόδρομός εἰμι, καὶ οὐκ αὐτὸς ὁ χριστός. μὴ προσκοπτέτω δέ τις ὡς οὐκ ὀρθῶς εἰρημένῳ τῷ «Οὐ δύναται ἄνθρωπος λαμβάνειν «οὐδέν». 45 Ἡ λογικὴ οὐσία, ἧς μέρος ἐστὶ καὶ ἡ ἀνθρώπου ψυχή, ἐξ ἑαυτῆς οὐδενός ἐστι τῶν ἀγαθῶν γεννητική, εἰ καὶ δεκτική ἐστι τούτων. αὕτη τοιγαροῦν γυναικὸς τρόπῳ ἐξ ἄλλου γεννᾶν πέφυκεν ἃς δύνα ται τίκτειν ἀρετὰς πρακτικάς τε καὶ διανοητικάς. διὸ νύμφην αὐτὴν ἐρῶ, οὐ τοῦ τυχόντος ἀλλὰ