John Chrysostom, On John

to come to Me, unless the Father draws him, for this reason the evangelist, anticipating this, said here that He is the one who enlightens, so that if you should hear any such thing about the Father, you may not say it belongs to the Father 59.58 alone, but also to the Son. For all things, He says, that My Father has are Mine. First, then, he taught us concerning the creation; then he speaks also of the spiritual goods which He provided for us when He came, and the evangelist alluded to them in one phrase, saying: And the life was the light of men. And he did not say, It was the light of the Jews, but universally, Of men. For not only Jews, but also Gentiles came to this knowledge, and this light was set before all in common. But for what reason did he not also add the angels, but said, Of men? Because his discourse is now concerning this nature, and to these He came evangelizing the good things. And the light shines in the darkness. He calls darkness both death and error. For this sensible light does not shine in the darkness, but apart from it. But the preaching shone forth while error was prevailing, and made it disappear. And being in death Himself, He so overcame it as to lead up even those who were already held fast by it. Since, therefore, neither death nor error overcame Him, but He is bright everywhere, and shines with His own power; for this reason he says: And the darkness did not overcome it. For it is unconquerable, not abiding in souls that do not wish to be enlightened. 4. But if it has not taken all, let this not trouble you; for God brings us to Himself not by necessity and force, but by will and choice. Do not then shut the doors to this light, and you will enjoy much delight. But this light comes through faith, and having come, it then shines with great abundance upon the one who has received it; and if you offer it a pure life, it remains continually dwelling within; For he who loves Me, He says, will keep My commandments, and I and the Father will come to him, and make Our abode with him. Just as, then, it is not possible to enjoy a sunbeam as one ought, without opening one's eyes; so neither is it possible to partake of this brightness abundantly, without widely opening the eye of the soul, and making it sharp-sighted in every way. And how does this happen? When we have cleansed the soul from all passions. For sin is darkness, and a deep darkness; and this is clear from the fact that it is done unconsciously and secretly. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light; and, The things done in secret, it is a shame even to speak of. Therefore, just as in darkness one knows neither friend nor foe, but is ignorant of the natures of all things; so also in sin. For the man who wishes to be covetous does not distinguish the friend from the enemy; and the envious man sees even the one who is very close to him as an enemy; and the plotter is likewise at war with all? and simply, everyone who commits sin is in no way different from the drunk and the mad, in not recognizing the nature of things. And just as at night, wood, and lead, and iron, and silver, and gold, and precious stones, we see all alike, when the light that distinguishes them is not present; so also he who has an impure life does not know the virtue of temperance, nor the beauty of philosophy. For in 59.59 darkness, as I have already said, even if precious stones are lying about, they do not show their beauty, not because of their own nature, but because of the ignorance of those who see them. But not only does this terrible thing happen to us who are in sins, but also that we live with constant fear; and just as those who walk through a moonless night tremble, even if no one is there to frighten them; so also those who work sin have no courage, even if no one is convicting them, but they fear all things, and are suspicious, being pricked by their conscience, and all things are full of dread and agony for them, they look around at everything, they fear everything. Let us flee, therefore, so painful a life. For even after the

ἐλθεῖν πρός με, ἐὰν μὴ ὁ Πατὴρ ἑλκύσῃ αὐτὸν, διὰ τοῦτο προλαβὼν ἐνταῦθα ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς ἔφησεν, ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ φωτίζων, ἵνα κἂν περὶ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἀκούσῃς τι τοιοῦτον, μὴ τοῦ Πατρὸς εἶναι 59.58 λέγῃς αὐτὸ μόνου, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ. Πάντα γὰρ, φησὶν, ὅσα ἔχει ὁ Πατήρ μου, ἐμά ἐστι. Πρῶτον μὲν οὖν περὶ τῆς δημιουργίας ἡμᾶς ἐδίδαξεν· ἔπειτα λέγει καὶ τὰ κατὰ ψυχὴν ἀγαθὰ, ἅπερ παρέσχεν ἡμῖν ἐλθὼν, καὶ δι' ἑνὸς ῥήματος ᾐνίξατο αὐτὰ ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς, εἰπών· Καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἦν τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἦν τὸ φῶς τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ἀλλὰ καθόλου, Τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Οὐδὲ γὰρ Ἰουδαῖοι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ Ἕλληνες πρὸς ταύτην ἦλθον τὴν γνῶσιν, καὶ κοινὸν ἅπασι προὔκειτο τοῦτο τὸ φῶς. Τίνος δὲ ἕνεκεν οὐχὶ καὶ τοὺς ἀγγέλους προσέθηκεν, ἀλλὰ Τῶν ἀνθρώπων, εἶπεν; Ὅτι νῦν αὐτῷ περὶ τῆς φύσεως ταύτης ὁ λόγος ἐστὶ, καὶ τούτοις ἦλθεν εὐαγγελιζόμενος τὰ ἀγαθά. Καὶ τὸ φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει. Σκοτίαν καὶ τὸν θάνατον καὶ τὴν πλάνην φησί. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ φῶς τοῦτο τὸ αἰσθητὸν οὐκ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει, ἀλλ' ἐκείνης χωρίς. Τὸ δὲ κήρυγμα μεταξὺ τῆς πλάνης κρατούσης ἔλαμψε, κἀκείνην ἠφάνισε. Καὶ ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ γενόμενος αὐτὸς, οὕτως αὐτοῦ περιεγένετο, ὡς καὶ τοὺς ἤδη προκατεχομένους ἀναγαγεῖν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν οὔτε ὁ θάνατος αὐτοῦ περιεγένετο, οὔτε ἡ πλάνη, ἀλλ' ἔστι φαιδρὸν πανταχοῦ, καὶ λάμπει μετὰ τῆς οἰκείας ἰσχύος· διὰ τοῦτό φησι· Καὶ ἡ σκοτία αὐτὸ οὐ κατέλαβε. Καὶ γάρ ἐστιν ἀκαταγώνιστον, οὐκ ἐμφιλοχωροῦν ταῖς μὴ φωτισθῆναι βουλομέναις ψυχαῖς. δʹ. Εἰ δὲ μὴ πάντας εἷλε, μή σε τοῦτο θορυβείτω· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀνάγκῃ καὶ βίᾳ, ἀλλὰ βουλήσει καὶ γνώμῃ προσάγεται ἡμᾶς ὁ Θεός. Μὴ δὴ τὰς θύρας ἀποκλείσῃς τῷ φωτὶ τούτῳ, καὶ πολλῆς ἀπολαύσῃ τῆς τρυφῆς. Παραγίνεται δὲ τοῦτο τὸ φῶς διὰ πίστεως, καὶ παραγενόμενον καταλάμπει λοιπὸν μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς δαψιλείας τὸν ὑποδεξάμενον· κἂν βίον αὐτῷ παρέχῃς καθαρὸν, μένει διηνεκῶς ἐνοικῶν ἔνδον· Ὁ γὰρ ἀγαπῶν με, τὰς ἐντολάς μου τηρήσει, καὶ ἐλευσόμεθα ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ πρὸς αὐτὸν φησὶ, καὶ μονὴν παρ' αὐτῷ ποιησόμεθα. Ὥσπερ οὖν ἡλιακῆς ἀκτῖνος ἀπολαύειν ὡς χρὴ οὐκ ἔνι, μὴ διανοίγοντα τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς· οὕτως οὐδὲ ταύτης μετασχεῖν τῆς λαμπρότητος δαψιλῶς, μὴ σφόδρα ἀναπετάσαντα τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς ὄμμα, καὶ ὀξυδερκὲς αὐτὸ πάντοθεν κατασκευάσαντα. Πῶς δὲ γίνεται τοῦτο; Ὅταν πάντων ἐκκαθάρωμεν τῶν παθῶν τὴν ψυχήν. Ἡ γὰρ ἁμαρτία σκότος ἐστὶ, καὶ σκότος βαθύ· καὶ δῆλον ἐκ τοῦ ἀσυνειδότως καὶ λανθανόντως πράσσειν αὐτήν. Πᾶς γὰρ ὁ τὰ φαῦλα πράσσων, μισεῖ τὸ φῶς, καὶ οὐκ ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸ φῶς· καὶ, Τὰ κρυφῇ γινόμενα, αἰσχρόν ἐστι καὶ λέγειν. Καθάπερ οὖν ἐν σκότῳ, οὐ φίλον, οὐκ ἐχθρόν τις οἶδεν, ἀλλὰ πάσας ἀγνοεῖ τῶν πραγμάτων τὰς φύσεις· οὕτω καὶ ἐν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ πλεονεκτῆσαι βουλόμενος, οὐ διαιρεῖ τὸν φίλον ἀπὸ τοῦ πολεμίου· καὶ ὁ βασκαίνων, καὶ τὸν σφόδρα ᾠκειωμένον ὡς ἐχθρὸν ὁρᾷ· καὶ ὁ ἐπιβουλεύων ὁμοίως πρὸς πάντας ἐκπεπολέμωται; καὶ ἁπλῶς ἅπας ὁ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ποιῶν, τῶν μεθυόντων οὐδὲν διενήνοχε καὶ μαινομένων, πρὸς τὸ τῶν πραγμάτων μὴ ἐπιγνῶναι τὴν φύσιν. Καὶ καθάπερ ἐν νυκτὶ, καὶ ξύλον, καὶ μόλυβδον, καὶ σίδηρον, καὶ ἄργυρον, καὶ χρυσὸν, καὶ λίθον τίμιον, πάντα ὁμοίως ὁρῶμεν, τοῦ διακρίνοντος αὐτὰ φωτὸς οὐ παρόντος· οὕτω καὶ ὁ βίον ἀκάθαρτον ἔχων, οὐκ οἶδε τῆς σωφροσύνης τὴν ἀρετὴν, οὐ τῆς φιλοσοφίας τὸ κάλλος. Ἐν 59.59 γὰρ σκότῳ, καθάπερ ἔφθην εἰπὼν, κἂν λίθοι κέωνται τίμιοι, τὸ κάλλος οὐκ ἐμφαίνουσιν, οὐ παρὰ τὴν οἰκείαν φύσιν, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τὴν ἄγνοιαν τῶν ὁρώντων. Οὐ τοῦτο δὲ μόνον ἡμῖν τὸ δεινὸν τοῖς ἐν ἁμαρτίαις οὖσι συμβαίνει, ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ φόβῳ συζῶμεν διηνεκεῖ· καὶ καθάπερ οἱ διὰ νυκτὸς ἀσελήνου βαδίζοντες τρέμουσι, κἂν μηδεὶς ὁ φοβῶν παρῇ· οὕτω καὶ οἱ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐργαζόμενοι, θαῤῥεῖν οὐκ ἔχουσι, κἂν μηδεὶς ὁ ἐλέγχων ᾖ, ἀλλὰ πάντα δεδοίκασι, καὶ ὑποπτεύουσιν, ὑπὸ τοῦ συνειδότος κεντούμενοι, καὶ πάντα αὐτοῖς δέους καὶ ἀγωνίας ἐστὶ μεστὰ, πάντα περιβλέπονται, πάντα φοβοῦνται. Φύγωμεν τοίνυν τὴν οὕτως ὀδυνηρὰν ζωήν. Καὶ γὰρ μετὰ τὴν