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

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 said to him: Do you believe in the Son of Man? Since the Jews cast him out from them because of his boldness for the Savior, for this reason Jesus found him. If the Savior has come to seek and to save that which was lost, and the goal for the one seeking is the finding of the one sought, it is clear that one must not hear "Having found him" simply. For it was especially necessary for him to be found then when he was cast out by those who did not accept the testimony about Jesus. For having become outside of them, he has become suitable for being found. But one must also hear more wisely "Jesus heard that they had cast him out"; since having heard such a thing, he finds the one about whom he heard worthy of his hearing. And having found him, he asked the one who was found, Do you believe in the one who found you, the Son of Man? And perhaps the one who is beginning believes in the Son of Man, but the one who is advancing ascends also to believing in the Son of God; so that he might say: Even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him no longer according to the flesh only, but also as Son of God. But how does he who knows all things ask? And see if to this you will say, citing "The Lord knows those who are his" and "I do not know you"? For one is not worthy of being known immediately upon being found, according to "But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by him." But after the introduction, there is need of progress, so that one may be seen and known by God. For this reason the Savior, asking him, says: "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" But since he was not yet able to say, I believe, but as one not knowing, he answered and said, "Who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him?" Therefore he was on the border, so to speak, of unbelief and faith. For this reason the Savior says to him: "You have both seen him, and he who is speaking with you is he." 72 For such a tradition and opinion prevailed among the Jews; whence also the disciples asked Jesus: "Did this man sin, or his parents?" But the Lord declared, saying, "Neither this man nor his parents," about which it has been said in the preceding parts. 73 One must not hear cursorily that "You have seen" refers to past time, while "He who is speaking with you" refers to the present, that he who was seen is the same as the one now speaking with him, citing: "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father." For many, having seen him, did not know him. Therefore, he has truly seen him who is enlightened in the eyes of his soul by God himself. Therefore the man who was once blind, having benefited from both—from seeing and from the word—not only said, "I believe, Lord," but also worshiped him. Considering no less also the drama of the stoning, since he also attempts to allegorize this, he speaks falsely against the evangelical letter, saying, "Not at all have we found in searching in the preceding parts that the Jews took up stones to stone him." Then after a little he says: For if they took them up again, they took them up before. 74 If they took them up again, they took them up before. If then it does not escape us that this is written, it is necessary to seek the reason for the addition of "Again." But I think that he who speaks evil of someone casts a stone at the one being slandered. And they spoke evil of him in the parts above, when also "a division occurred among the Jews because of his words." Therefore, having again taken up the weight of blasphemous words, in the manner of stones being thrown at him, they rushed to stone him with slander. For this reason Wisdom says: "He who throws a stone on high throws it on his own head." For he is said to throw a stone on high who speaks injustice on high. And you will find in the divine scripture a mixture of the historical, as it were, with the gymnastic, and especially in John. For observe in the discourse with the Samaritan woman how "Jesus sat on a well" is a narrative as about a physical well and a body

ἔργων ἀξιούμενος ὁ θεὸς ὑπὸ ἁμαρτωλῶν οὐκ ἀκούει. 71 Ἤκουσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὅτι ἐξέβαλον αὐτὸν ἔξω, καὶ εὑρὼν αὐτὸν εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Σὺ πιστεύεις εἰς τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώ που ; Ἐπεὶ ἐξέβαλον αὐτὸν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἔξω ἀπ' αὐτῶν διὰ τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ σωτῆρι παρρησίαν, διὰ τοῦτο εὗρεν αὐτὸν ὁ Ἰησοῦς. εἰ ἐπὶ τὸ ζητῆσαι καὶ σῶσαι τὸ ἀπολωλὸς ἐλήλυθεν ὁ σωτήρ, τέλος δὲ τῷ ζητοῦντί ἐστιν ἡ εὕρεσις τοῦ ζητουμένου, δῆλον ὅτι οὐχ ἁπλῶς γε ἀκουστέον τὸ «Εὑρὼν αὐτόν». καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸν τότε μάλιστα ἐχρῆν εὑρίσκεσθαι ὅτε ἐξεβλήθη ὑπὸ τῶν μὴ παραδεξαμένων τὴν περὶ Ἰησοῦ μαρτυρίαν. ἐκείνων γὰρ ἔξω γενόμενος ἐπιτήδειος πρὸς τὸ εὑρεθῆναι γεγένηται. συνετώτερον δὲ ἀκουστέον καὶ τὸ «Ἤκουσεν ὁ «Ἰησοῦς ὅτι ἐξέβαλον αὐτὸν ἔξω»· ἐπεὶ ἀκούσας τὸ τοιοῦτον τῆς ἀκοῆς αὐτοῦ ἄξιον εὑρίσκει τὸν περὶ οὗ ἤκουσεν. εὑρὼν δὲ αὐτὸν ἠρώτα τὸν εὑρεθέντα Σὺ πιστεύεις εἰς τὸν εὑρόντα υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου; καὶ τάχα ὁ μὲν ἀρχόμενος πιστεύει εἰς τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, ὁ δὲ διαβαίνων ἀναβαίνει καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ πιστεῦσαι εἰς τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ· ὥστ' ἂν εἰπεῖν αὐτόν· Εἰ καὶ Χριστόν ποτε κατὰ σάρκα ἔγνωμεν, ἀλλὰ νῦν αὐτὸν οὐκέτι γινώσκομεν κατὰ σάρκα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ. πῶς δὲ ἐρωτᾷ ὁ πάντα εἰδώς; καὶ ὅρα εἰ πρὸς τοῦτο φήσεις, παρατιθέμενος τὸ «Ἔγνω Κύριος τοὺς ὄντας αὐτοῦ» καὶ τὸ «Οὐκ οἶδα ὑμᾶς»; οὐ γὰρ ἅμα τῷ εὑρεθῆναί τις ἄξιός ἐστι τοῦ γινώσκεσθαι κατὰ τὸ «Νῦν δὲ γνόντες θεόν, μᾶλλον δὲ γνωσθέντες «ὑπ' αὐτοῦ». ἀλλὰ μετὰ τὴν εἰσαγωγὴν προκοπῆς δεῖ, ἵν' ὀφθῇ τις καὶ γνωσθῇ τῷ θεῷ. διὰ τοῦτο ἐρωτῶν αὐτὸν ὁ σωτήρ φησι· «Σὺ «πιστεύεις εἰς τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου;» ἐπεὶ δὲ οὐδέπω ἐδύνατο λέγειν ὅτι Πιστεύω, ἀλλ' ὡς ἀγνοῶν ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπε τὸ «Τίς ἐστι, «Κύριε, ἵνα πιστεύω εἰς αὐτόν;» ἐν μεθορίῳ τοίνυν ὑπῆρχεν, ἵν' οὕτως εἴπω, ἀπιστίας καὶ πίστεως. διὰ τοῦτό φησι πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ σωτήρ· «Καὶ ἑώρακας αὐτὸν καὶ ὁ λαλῶν μετά σου ἐκεῖνός ἐστιν». 72 Τοιαύτη γὰρ παράδοσις καὶ δόξα παρὰ Ἰουδαίοις ἐκράτει· ὅθεν καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ ἠρώτων τὸν Ἰησοῦν· «Οὗτος ἥμαρτεν ἢ οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ;» ἀλλ' ἀπεφήνατο λέγων ὁ κύριος ὅτι «Οὔτε οὗτος οὔτε οἱ «γονεῖς αὐτοῦ», περὶ οὗ ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν εἴρηται. 73 Οὐ παρέργως ἀκουστέον τοῦ μὲν «Ἑώρακας» ἐπὶ τὸν παρελθόντα χρόνον ἀναφερομένου, τοῦ δὲ «Ὁ λαλῶν μετά σου» ἐπὶ τὸν ἐνεστη κότα, ὅτι ἐκεῖνος ὁ ἑωραμένος ὁ αὐτός ἐστι τῷ νῦν λαλοῦντι μετ' αὐτοῦ, παρατιθέμενον· «Τοσούτῳ χρόνῳ μεθ' ὑμῶν εἰμι καὶ οὐκ «ἔγνωκάς με, Φίλιππε; ὁ ἑωρακὼς ἐμὲ ἑώρακε τὸν πατέρα». πολλοὶ γὰρ ἑωρακότες αὐτὸν οὐκ ἔγνωσαν αὐτόν. ἑώρακεν οὖν κυρίως αὐτὸν ὁ τοῖς τῆς ψυχῆς ὀφθαλμοῖς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ φωτιζόμενος. ἀπὸ ἀμφοτέρων τοίνυν ὠφεληθεὶς ὁ ποτὲ τυφλός, ἀπό τε τοῦ ὁρᾶν καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ λόγου, οὐ μόνον εἶπε· «Πιστεύω, Κύριε», ἀλλὰ καὶ προσε κύνησεν αὐτῷ. Οὐκ ἔλαττον δὲ καὶ τὸ τῆς λιθοβολίας δρᾶμα θεωρῶν, ἐπειδὴ καὶ τοῦτο πειρᾶται τροπολογῆσαι τοῦ εὐαγγελικοῦ καταψεύδεται γράμματος Οὐ πάνυ τι , λέγων, εὕραμεν ζητήσαν τες ἐν τοῖς πρὸ τούτου ὅτι ἐβάστασαν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι λίθους, ἵνα λιθάσωσιν αὐτόν . εἶτα μετ' ὀλίγα φησίν· Εἰ γὰρ πάλιν ἐβάστασαν πρότερον ἐβάστασαν . 74 Εἰ πάλιν ἐβάστασαν πρότερον ἐβάστασαν. εἴπερ οὖν μὴ λανθάνει ἡμᾶς τοῦτο γεγραμμένον, ἀναγκαῖον ζητῆσαι τὴν αἰτίαν τῆς προσθή κης τοῦ «Πάλιν». οἶμαι δὲ ὅτι ὁ κακῶς λέγων τινὰ λίθον ἐπὶ τὸν κακολογούμενον βάλλει. κακῶς δὲ αὐτὸν ἔλεγον ἐν τοῖς ἀνωτέρω, ὅτε καὶ «σχίσμα ἐγένετο ἐν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις διὰ τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ». πάλιν οὖν τὸ βάρος τῶν δυσφήμων βαστάσαντες λόγων τρόπον ἀφιεμένων ἐπ' αὐτὸν λίθων ὥρμησαν ἐπὶ τὸ λιθάσαι αὐτὸν τῇ κα κολογίᾳ. διὰ τοῦτό φησιν ἡ σοφία· «Ὁ βάλλων λίθον εἰς ὕψος ἐπὶ «τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ βάλλει». βάλλειν γὰρ λίθον εἰς ὕψος λέγεται ὁ ἀδικίαν εἰς ὕψος λαλῶν. εὑρήσεις δὲ ἐν τῇ θείᾳ γραφῇ μίγμα τοῦ ὡσ ὰν ἱστορικοῦ πρὸς τὸ γυμναστικόν, καὶ μάλιστα παρὰ τῷ Ἰωάννῃ. τήρει γὰρ ἐν τῇ πρὸς τὴν Σαμαρεῖτιν διαλέξει πῶς τὸ μὲν «Ἐκαθέζετο «ἐπὶ πηγῆς ὁ Ἰησοῦς» ἀπαγγελία ἐστὶν ὡς περὶ σωματικῆς πηγῆς καὶ σώματος