Homily XXVIII.

John iii. 17

“For God sent not His Son711   [εἰς τὸν κόσμον, G. T.]to condemn the world, but to save the world.”712   ἵ να σωθῆ ὁ κόσμος δἰ αὐτοῦ, Γ. Τ.

[1.] Many of the more careless sort of persons, using the lovingkindness of God to increase the magnitude of their sins and the excess of their disregard, speak in this way, “There is no hell, there is no future punishment, God forgives us all sins.” To stop whose mouths a wise man says, “Say not, His mercy is great, He will be pacified for the multitude of my sins; for mercy and wrath come from Him, and His indignation resteth upon sinners” ( Ecclus. v. 6 ): and again, “As His mercy is great, so is His correction also.” ( Ecclus. xvi. 12.) “Where then,” saith one, “is His lovingkindness, if we shall receive for our sins according to our deserts?” That we shall indeed receive “according to our deserts,” hear both the Prophet and Paul declare; one says, “Thou shalt render to every man according to his work” ( Ps. lxii. 12 , LXX.); the other, “Who will render to every man according to his work.” ( Rom. ii. 6.) And yet we may see that even so the lovingkindness of God is great; in dividing our existence713   τὰ ἡμέτερα into two periods,714   αἰωνας the present life and that which is to come, and making the first to be an appointment of trial, the second a place of crowning, even in this He hath shown great lovingkindness.

“How and in what way?” Because when we had committed many and grievous sins, and had not ceased from youth to extreme old age to defile our souls with ten thousand evil deeds, for none of these sins did He demand from us a reckoning, but granted us remission of them by the washing715   or, “laver.” of Regeneration, and freely gave us Righteousness and Sanctification. “What then,” says one, “if a man who from his earliest age has been deemed worthy of the mysteries, after this commits ten thousand sins?” Such an one deserves a severer punishment. For we do not pay the same penalties for the same sins, if we do wrong after Initiation.716   μυσταγωγίαν And this Paul declares, saying, “He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses; of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” ( Heb. x. 28, 29.) Such an one then is worthy of severer punishment.717   Morel. “he then will be more severely punished who has sinned after grace.” Yet even for him God hath opened doors of repentance, and hath granted him many means for the washing away his transgressions, if he will. Think then what proofs of lovingkindness these are; by Grace to remit sins, and not to punish him who after grace has sinned and deserves punishment, but to give him a season and appointed space for his clearing.718   προθεσμίαν ἀπολογίας For all these reasons Christ said to Nicodemus, “God sent not His Son to condemn the world, but to save the world.”

For there are two Advents of Christ, that which has been, and that which is to be; and the two are not for the same purpose; the first came to pass not that He might search into our actions, but that He might remit; the object of the second will be not to remit, but to enquire. Therefore of the first He saith, “I came not to condemn the world, but to save the world” ( c. iii. 17 ); but of the second, “When the Son shall have come in the glory of His Father,719   τῇ δοξῇ αὐτοῦ. G. T. He shall set the sheep on His right hand, and the goats on His left.” ( Matt. xxv. 31, 46.) And they shall go, these into life; and these into eternal punishment. Yet His former coming was for judgment, according to the rule of justice. Why? Because before His coming there was a law of nature, and the prophets, and moreover a written Law, and doctrine, and ten thousand promises, and manifestations of signs, and chastisements, and vengeances, and many other things which might have set men right, and it followed that for all these things He would demand account; but, because He is merciful, He for a while pardons instead of making enquiry. For had He done so, all would at once have been hurried to perdition. For “all,” it saith, “have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” ( Rom. iii. 23.) Seest thou the unspeakable excess of His lovingkindness?

Ver. 18. “He that believeth on the Son,720   εἰς αὐτὸν, G. T. is not judged;721   or, “condemned,” E.V. but he that believeth not, is judged already.”

Yet if He “came not to judge the world,” how is “he that believeth not judged already,” if the time of “judgment” has not yet arrived? He either means this, that the very fact of disbelieving without repentance is a punishment, (for to be without the light, contains in itself a very severe punishment,) or he announces beforehand what shall be. For as the murderer, though he be not as yet condemned by the decision of the judge, is still condemned by the nature of the thing, so is it with the unbeliever. Since Adam also died on the day that he ate of the tree; for so ran the decree, “In the day that ye eat of the tree, ye shall die” ( Gen. ii. 17 , LXX.); yet he lived. How then “died” he? By the decree; by the very nature of the thing; for he who has rendered himself liable to punishment, is under its penalty, and if for a while not actually so, yet he is by the sentence.

Lest any one on hearing, “I came not to judge the world,” should imagine that he might sin unpunished, and should so become more careless, Christ stops722   lit. “walls off.” such disregard by saying, “is judged already”; and because the “judgment” was future and not yet at hand, He brings near the dread of vengeance, and describes the punishment as already come. And this is itself a mark of great lovingkindness, that He not only gives His Son, but even delays the time of judgment, that they who have sinned, and they who believe not, may have power to wash away their transgressions.

“He that believeth on the Son, is not judged.” He that “believeth,” not he that is over-curious: he that “believeth,” not the busybody. But what if his life be unclean, and his deeds evil? It is of such as these especially that Paul declares, that they are not true believers at all: “They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him.” ( Tit. i. 16.) But here Christ saith, that such an one is not “judged” in this one particular; for his works indeed he shall suffer a severer punishment, but having believed once, he is not chastised for unbelief.

[2.] Seest thou how having commenced His discourse with fearful things, He has concluded it again with the very same? for at first He saith, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God”: and here again, “He that believeth not on the Son, is judged already.” “Think not,” He saith, “that the delay advantageth at all the guilty, except he repent, for he that hath not believed, shall be in no better state than those who are already condemned and under punishment.”

Ver. 19. “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light.”

What He saith, is of this kind: “they are punished, because they would not leave the darkness, and hasten to the light.” And hence He goes on to deprive them of all excuse for the future: “Had I come,” saith He, “to punish and to exact account of their deeds, they might have been able to say, ‘this is why we started away from thee,’ but now I am come to free them from darkness, and to bring them to the light; who then could pity one who will not come from darkness unto light? When they have no charge to bring against us, but have received ten thousand benefits, they start away from us.” And this charge He hath brought in another place, where He saith, “They hated Me without a cause” ( John xv. 25 ): and again, “If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin.” ( John xv. 22.) For he who in the absence of light sitteth in darkness, may perchance receive pardon; but one who after it is come abides by the darkness, produces against himself a certain proof of a perverse and contentious disposition. Next, because His assertion would seem incredible to most, (for none would prefer “darkness to light,”) He adds the cause of such a feeling in them. What is that?

Ver. 19, 20. “Because,” He saith, “their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.”

Yet he came not to judge or to enquire, but to pardon and remit transgressions, and to grant salvation through faith. How then fled they?723   Morel. “therefore they fled to their own hurt.” Had He come and sat in His Judgment seat, what He said might have seemed reasonable; for he that is conscious to himself of evil deeds, is wont to fly his judge. But, on the contrary, they who have transgressed even run to one who is pardoning. If therefore He came to pardon, those would naturally most hasten to Him who were conscious to themselves of many transgressions; and indeed this was the case with many, for even publicans and sinners sat at meat with Jesus. What then is this which He saith? He saith this of those who choose always to remain in wickedness. He indeed came, that He might forgive men’s former sins, and secure them against those to come; but since there are some so relaxed,724   lit “flaccid.” so powerless for the toils of virtue, that they desire to abide by wickedness till their latest breath, and never cease from it, He speaks in this place reflecting725   ἐ πισκώπτων upon these. “For since,” He saith, “the profession of Christianity requires besides right doctrine a sound conversation also, they fear to come over to us, because they like not to show forth a righteous life. Him that lives in heathenism none would blame, because with gods such as he has, and with rites as foul and ridiculous as his gods, he shows forth actions that suit his doctrines; but those who belong to the True God, if they live a careless life, have all men to call them to account, and to accuse them. So greatly do even its enemies admire the truth.” Observe, then, how exactly He layeth down what He saith. His expression is, not “He that hath done evil cometh not to the light,” but “he that doeth it always, he that desireth always to roll himself in the mire of sin, he will not subject himself to My laws, but chooses to stay without, and to commit fornication without fear, and to do all other forbidden things. For if he comes to Me, he becomes manifest as a thief in the light, and therefore he avoids My dominion.” For instance, even now one may hear many heathen say, “that they cannot come to our faith, because they cannot leave off drunkenness and fornication, and the like disorders.”

“Well,” says some one, “but are there no Christians that do evil, and heathens that live discreetly?”726   ἐ ν φιλοσοφίᾳ That there are Christians who do evil, I know; but whether there are heathens who live a righteous life, I do not yet know assuredly. For do not speak to me of those who by nature are good and orderly, (this is not virtue,) but tell me of the man who can endure the exceeding violence of his passions and (yet) be temperate.727   φιλοσοφοῦντα You cannot. For if the promise of a Kingdom, and the threat of hell, and so much other provision,728   al. “doctrine.” can scarcely keep men in virtue, they will hardly go after virtue who believe in none of these things. Or, if any pretend to do so, they do it for show; and he who doth so for show, will not, when he may escape observation, refrain from indulging his evil desires. However, that we may not seem to any to be contentious, let us grant that there are right livers among the heathen; for neither doth this go against my argument, since I spoke of that which occurs in general, not of what happens rarely.

And observe how in another way He deprives them of all excuse, when He saith that, “the light came into the world.” “Did they seek it themselves,” He saith, “did they toil, did they labor to find it? The light itself came to them, and not even so would they hasten to it.” And if there be some Christians who live wickedly, I would argue that He doth not say this of those who have been Christians from the beginning, and who have inherited true religion from their forefathers, (although even these for the most part have been shaken from729   παρεσαλεύθησαν right doctrine by their evil life,) yet still I think that He doth not now speak concerning these, but concerning the heathen and the Jews who ought to have come730   al. “shifted themselves.” to the right faith. For He showeth that no man living in error would choose to come to the truth unless he before had planned731   ὑ πογράψας. al. ἐ πιγράψας for himself a righteous life, and that none would remain in unbelief unless he had previously chosen always to be wicked.

Do not tell me that a man is temperate, and does not rob; these things by themselves are not virtue. For what advantageth it, if a man has these things, and yet is the slave of vainglory, and remains in his error, from fear of the company of his friends? This is not right living. The slave of a reputation732   or, “glory.” is no less a sinner than the fornicator; nay, he worketh more and more grievous deeds than he. But tell me of any one that is free from all passions and from all iniquity, and who remains among the heathen. Thou canst not do so; for even those among them who have boasted great things, and who have, as they say,733   or, “thou sayest.” mastered avarice or gluttony, have been, most of all men, the slaves of reputation,734   or, “glory.” and this is the cause of all evils. Thus it is that the Jews also have continued Jews; for which cause Christ rebuked them and said, “How can ye believe, which receive honor from men?” ( c. v. 44.)

“And why, pray, did He not speak on these matters with Nathanael, to whom He testified of the truth, nor extend His discourse to any length?” Because even he came not with such zeal as did Nicodemus. For Nicodemus made this his work,735   i.e. his one great object. and the season which others used for rest he made a season for hearing; but Nathanael came at the instance of another. Yet not even him did Jesus entirely pass by, for to him He saith, “Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” ( c. i. 51.) But to Nicodemus He spake not so, but conversed with him on the Dispensation and on eternal life, addressing each differently and suitably to the condition of his will. It was sufficient for Nathanael, because he knew the writings of the prophets, and was not so timid either, to hear only thus far; but because Nicodemus was as yet possessed by fear, Christ did not indeed clearly reveal to him the whole, but shook his mind so as to cast out fear by fear, declaring that he who did not believe was being judged,736   κρίνεσθαι and that unbelief proceeded from an evil conscience. For since he made great account of honor from men, more than he did of the punishment; (“Many,” saith the Evangelist, “of the rulers believed on Him, but because of the Jews they did not confess”— c. xii. 42 ;) on this point Christ toucheth him, saying, “It cannot be that he who believeth not on Me disbelieveth for any other cause save that he liveth an unclean life.” Farther on He saith, “I am the Light” ( c. viii. 12 ), but here, “the Light came into the world”; for at the beginning He spoke somewhat darkly, but afterwards more clearly. Yet even so the man was kept back by regard for the opinion of the many, and therefore could not endure to speak boldly as he ought.

Fly we then vainglory, for this is a passion more tyrannical than any. Hence spring covetousness and love of wealth, hence hatred and wars and strifes; for he that desires more than he has, will never be able to stop, and he desires from no other cause, but only from his love of vainglory. For tell me, why do so many encircle themselves with multitudes of eunuchs, and herds of slaves, and much show? Not because they need it, but that they may make those who meet them witnesses of this unseasonable display. If then we cut this off, we shall slay together with the head the other members also of wickedness, and there will be nothing to hinder us from dwelling on earth as though it were heaven. Nor doth this vice merely thrust its captives into wickedness, but is even co-existent737   παρυφέστηκε with their virtues, and when it is unable entirely to cast us out of these, it still causeth us much damage in the very exercise of them, forcing us to undergo the toil, and depriving us of the fruit. For he that with an eye to this, fasts, and prays, and shows mercy, has his reward. What can be more pitiable than a loss like this, that it should befall man to bewail738   κόπτεσθαι himself uselessly and in vain, and to become an object of ridicule, and to lose the glory from above? Since he that aims at both cannot obtain both. It is indeed possible to obtain both, when we desire not both, but one only, that from heaven; but he cannot obtain both, who longs for both. Wherefore if we wish to attain to glory, let us flee from human glory, and desire that only which cometh from God; so shall we obtain both the one and the other; which may we all enjoy, through the grace and loving kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom and with whom, to the Father and the Holy Ghost, be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΗʹ. Οὐ γὰρ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν Υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, ἵνα κρίνῃ τὸν κόσμον, ἀλλ' ἵνα σώσῃ τὸν κόσμον. αʹ. Πολλοὶ τῶν ῥᾳθυμοτέρων εἰς ἁμαρτημάτων μέγεθος καὶ ὀλιγωρίας ὑπερβολὴν τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ κεχρημένοι φιλανθρωπίᾳ, ταῦτα φθέγγονται τὰ ῥήματα: Οὐκ ἔστι γέεννα, οὐκ ἔστι κόλασις, πάντα ὁ Θεὸς ἀφίησιν ἡμῖν τὰ ἁμαρτήματα Οὕσπερ ἐπιστομίζων σοφός τις ἀνήρ φησι: Μὴ εἴπῃς, Ὁ οἰκτιρμὸς αὐτοῦ πολὺς, τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν μου ἐξιλάσεται: ὅτι ἔλεος καὶ ὀργὴ παρ' αὐτῷ, καὶ ἐπὶ ἁμαρτωλοὺς καταπαύσει ὁ θυμὸς αὐτοῦ: καὶ πάλιν, Κατὰ τὸ πολὺ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ, πολὺς καὶ ὁ ἔλεγχος αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ποῦ, φησὶ, τὰ τῆς φιλανθρωπίας, εἰ τὰ κατ' ἀξίαν ἀποληψόμεθα τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων; Ὅτι μὲν τὰ κατ' ἀξίαν ἀποληψόμεθα, ἄκουε καὶ τοῦ Προφήτου καὶ τοῦ Παύλου λέγοντος: τοῦ μὲν, ὅτι Σὺ ἀποδώσεις ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ: τοῦ δὲ, Ὃς ἀποδώσει ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὸ ἔργον αὐτοῦ. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ οὕτω πολλὴ ἡ φιλανθρωπία τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τοῦτο ἐντεῦθεν δῆλον. Εἰς γὰρ δύο ζωῆς αἰῶνας τὰ ἡμέτερα διελὼν ὁ Θεὸς τούτους, τὸν παρόντα καὶ τὸν μέλλοντα βίον, καὶ τὸν μὲν ἐν ἀγώνων τάξει, τὸν δὲ ἐν χώρᾳ στεφάνων ποιήσας εἶναι, πολλὴν κἀντεῦθεν τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν ἐπεδείξατο. Πῶς καὶ τίνι τρόπῳ; Ὅτι πράξαντος πολλὰ καὶ χαλεπὰ ἁμαρτήματα, καὶ οὐ διαλιπόντας ἀπὸ νεότητος εἰς ἔσχατον γῆρας μυρίοις τὴν ψυχὴν καταῤῥυπαίνειν ἑαυτῶν κακοῖς, οὐδενὸς τούτων ἀπῄτησεν εὐθύνας ἡμᾶς τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων, ἀλλ' ἔδωκεν αὐτῶν ἄφεσιν διὰ λουτροῦ παλιγγενεσίας, καὶ δικαιοσύνην καὶ ἁγιασμὸν ἐχαρίσατο. Τί οὖν, φησὶν, ἂν ἐκ πρώτης ἡλικίας μυστηρίων καταξιωθείς τις μετὰ ταῦτα μυρία ἁμάρτῃ; Ὁ τοιοῦτος λοιπὸν μείζονος κολάσεως ἄξιος. Τῶν γὰρ αὐτῶν ἁμαρτημάτων οὐ τὰς αὐτὰς τίννυμεν δίκας, ἀλλὰ πολλῷ χαλεπωτέρας, ὅταν μετὰ μυσταγωγίαν πλημμελήσωμεν. Καὶ δηλοῖ Παῦλος οὕτω λέγων: Ἀθετήσας τις νόμον Μωϋσέως, χωρὶς οἰκτιρμῶν ἐπὶ δυσὶ καὶ τρισὶ μάρτυσιν ἀποθνήσκει: πόσῳ δοκεῖτε χείρονος ἀξιωθήσεται τιμωρίας ὁ τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ καταπατήσας, καὶ τὸ αἷμα τῆς διαθήκης κοινὸν ἡγησάμενος, καὶ τὴν χάριν τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐνυβρίσας; Μείζονος οὖν ἔσται κολάσεως ἄξιος ὁ τοιοῦτος. Πλὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τούτῳ μετανοίας ἀνέῳξε θύρας, καὶ πολλοῖς τρόποις ἔδωκεν ἀπονίψασθαι τὰ πεπλημμελημένα, ἂν ἐθέλῃ. Ἐννόησον οὖν ἡλίκα ταῦτα φιλανθρωπίας δείγματα, τὸ καὶ χάριτι ἀφεῖναι, καὶ μετὰ τὴν χάριν τὸν ἁμαρτόντα καὶ ἄξιον ὄντα κολάσεως μὴ κολάζειν, ἀλλὰ διδόναι καιρὸν καὶ προθεσμίαν ἀπολογίας αὐτῷ. Διὰ ταῦτα πάντα ὁ Χριστὸς πρὸς τὸν Νικόδημον ἔλεγεν: Οὐκ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν Υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, ἵνα κρίνῃ τὸν κόσμον, ἀλλ' ἵνα σώσῃ τὸν κόσμον. Δύο γάρ εἰσιν αἱ τοῦ Χριστοῦ παρουσίαι: ἡ ἤδη γεγενημένη, καὶ ἡ μέλλουσα: οὐκ ἐπὶ τοῖς αὐτοῖς δὲ αἱ δύο, ἀλλ' ἡ μὲν προτέρα γέγονεν, οὐχ ἵνα ἐξετάσῃ τὰ πεπραγμένα ἡμῖν, ἀλλ' ἵνα ἀφῇ ἡ δὲ δευτέρα, οὐχ ἵνα ἀφῇ, ἀλλ' ἵνα ἐξετάσῃ. Διὰ τοῦτο περὶ μὲν τῆς προτέρας φησίν: Οὐκ ἦλθον ἵνα κρίνω τὸν κόσμον, ἀλλ' ἵνα σώσω τὸν κόσμον: περὶ δὲ τῆς δευτέρας, Ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ ὁ Υἱὸς ἐν τῇ δόξῃ τοῦ Πατρὸς αὐτοῦ, στήσει τὰ μὲν πρόβατα ἐκ δεξιῶν, καὶ τὰ ἐρίφια ἐξ εὐωνύμων. Καὶ ἀπελεύσονται οἱ μὲν εἰς ζωὴν, οἱ δὲ εἰς κόλασιν αἰώνιον. Καίτοι γε καὶ ἡ προτέρα παρουσία κρίσεως ἦν κατὰ τὸν τοῦ δικαίου λόγον. Διατί; Ὅτι πρὸ τῆς αὐτοῦ παρουσίας νόμος ἦν φυσικὸς, καὶ προφῆται, καὶ γραπτὸς πάλιν νόμος, καὶ διδασκαλία, καὶ μυρίαι ἐπαγγελίαι, καὶ σημείων ἐπιδείξεις, καὶ κολάσεις καὶ τιμωρίαι, καὶ πολλὰ ἕτερα τὰ διορθοῦν δυνάμενα: καὶ ἀκόλουθον ἦν τούτων πάντων ἀπαιτῆσαι εὐθύνας: ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ φιλάνθρωπός ἐστιν, οὐ ποιεῖται ἐξέτασιν, ἀλλὰ συγχώρησιν τέως. Ἐπεὶ εἰ τοῦτο ἐποίησεν, ἅπαντες ἂν ἀθρόον ἀνηρπάσθησαν: Πάντες γὰρ ἥμαρτον, φησὶν, καὶ ὑστεροῦνται τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ. Εἶδες φιλανθρωπίας ἄφατον ὑπερβολήν; Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς τὸν Υἱὸν, οὐ κρίνεται: ὁ δὲ μὴ πιστεύων, ἤδη κέκριται. Καὶ μὴν εἰ μὴ διὰ τοῦτο ἦλθεν, ἵνα κρίνῃ τὸν κόσμον, πῶς ὁ μὴ πιστεύων ἤδη κέκριται, εἰ μηδέπω πάρεστι τῆς κρίσεως ὁ καιρός; Ἢ τοῦτο οὖν φησιν, ὅτι αὐτὸ τὸ ἀπιστεῖν ἀμετανόητα, κόλασίς ἐστι: τὸ γὰρ ἐκτὸς εἶναι τοῦ φωτὸς, καὶ κατ' αὐτὸ μεγίστην ἔχει τὴν τιμωρίαν: ἢ τὸ μέλλον προαναφωνεῖ. Καθάπερ γὰρ ὁ φονεύων, κἂν μὴ τῇ ψήφῳ τοῦ κρίνοντος καταδικασθῇ, τῇ τοῦ πράγματος καταδεδίκασται φύσει, οὕτω καὶ ὁ ἄπιστος. Ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ Ἀδὰμ ᾗ ἡμέρᾳ ἔφαγεν ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου, ἀπέθανεν. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ἡ ἀπόφασις εἶχεν: Ἧ| ἂν ἡμέρᾳ φάγητε ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου, φησὶν, ἀποθανεῖσθε. Καίτοι γε ἔζη. Πῶς οὖν ἀπέθανε; Τῇ ἀποφάσει καὶ τῇ τοῦ πράγματος φύσει. Ὁ γὰρ ὑπεύθυνον ἑαυτὸν τῇ κολάσει ποιήσας, ὑπὸ τὴν τιμωρίαν ἐστὶ, κἂν μὴ τῷ πράγματι τέως, ἀλλὰ τῇ ψήφῳ. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ ἀκούσας τις, ὅτι Οὐκ ἦλθον ἵνα κρίνω τὸν κόσμον, ἀτιμωρητὶ νομίσῃ ἁμαρτάνειν, καὶ ῥᾳθυμότερος γένηται, καὶ ταύτην ἀποτειχίζει τὴν ὀλιγωρίαν, λέγων, Ἤδη κέκριται. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἔμελλεν ἡ κρίσις, καὶ οὔπω παρῆν, ἐγγὺς ἄγει τὸν φόβον τῆς τιμωρίας, καὶ δείκνυσιν ἤδη τὴν κόλασιν. Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ αὐτὸ πολλῆς φιλανθρωπίας ἐστὶ, τὸ μὴ μόνον δοῦναι τὸν Υἱὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν τῆς κρίσεως ἀναβάλλεσθαι καιρὸν, ἵνα γένηται ἐξουσία τοῖς ἡμαρτηκόσι καὶ τοῖς ἀπιστοῦσιν ἀπονίψασθαι τὰ πεπλημμελημένα. Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς τὸν Υἱὸν, οὐ κρίνεται: ὁ πιστεύων, οὐχ ὁ περιεργαζόμενος: ὁ πιστεύων, οὐχ ὁ πολυπραγμονῶν. Τί οὖν, ἂν ἀκάθαρτον βίον ἔχῃ καὶ πράξεις οὐκ ἀγαθάς; Μάλιστα μὲν τοὺς τοιούτους οὐδὲ γνησίους εἶναι πιστοὺς ὁ Παῦλός φησι: Θεὸν γὰρ ὁμολογοῦσιν εἰδέναι, τοῖς δὲ ἔργοις ἀρνοῦνται. Πλὴν ἐνταῦθα ἐκεῖνό φησιν, ὅτι κατ' αὐτὸ τοῦτο οὐ κρίνεται, ἀλλὰ τῶν μὲν ἔργων χαλεπωτέραν δώσει δίκην, ἀπιστίας δὲ ἕνεκα οὐ κολάζεται διὰ τὸ πιστεῦσαι ἅπαξ. βʹ. Ὁρᾷς πῶς ἀπὸ φοβερῶν ἀρξάμενος, εἰς αὐτὰ δὴ ταῦτα πάλιν κατέληξεν; Ἀρχόμενος μὲν γὰρ ἔλεγεν, Ἐὰν μή τις γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ Πνεύματος, οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθῃ εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ: ἐνταῦθα δὲ πάλιν, ὅτι Ὁ μὴ πιστεύων εἰς τὸν Υἱὸν, ἤδη κέκριται τουτέστι, μὴ νομίσῃς τὴν ἀναβολὴν ὠφελεῖν τι τὸν ὑπεύθυνον ἤδη γεγενημένον, ἐὰν μὴ μεταβάληται. Τῶν γὰρ ἤδη καταδικασθέντων καὶ κολαζομένων οὐδὲν ἄμεινον διακείσεται ὁ μὴ πιστεύσας. Αὕτη δέ ἐστιν ἡ κρίσις, ὅτι ἦλθε τὸ φῶς εἰς τὸν κόσμον, καὶ ἠγάπησαν οἱ ἄνθρωποι μᾶλλον τὸ σκότος ἢ τὸ φῶς. Ὃ δὲ λέγει, τοιοῦτόν ἐστι: Διὰ τοῦτο κολάζονται, ὅτι σκότος ἀφεῖναι καὶ φωτὶ προσδραμεῖν οὐκ ἠβουλήθησαν. Ἐνταῦθα λοιπὸν καὶ ἀπολογίας αὐτοὺς ἀποστερεῖ πάσης. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἦλθον κολάζων, φησὶ, καὶ ἀπαιτῶν εὐθύνας τῶν πεπραγμένων, εἶχον εἰπεῖν ὅτι διὰ τοῦτο ἀπεπηδήσαμεν. Νῦν δὲ ἦλθον ἀπαλλάξαι σκότους, καὶ πρὸς φῶς ἀγαγεῖν. Τίς οὖν τὸν μὴ βουλόμενον ἀπὸ σκότους φωτὶ προσελθεῖν ἐλεήσειεν ἄν; Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἔχοντες ἡμῖν ἐγκαλεῖν, ἀλλὰ μυρία εὐεργετούμενοι, φησὶν, ἀποπηδῶσιν ἡμῶν. Τοῦτο καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ ἐγκαλῶν αὐτοῖς ἔλεγεν, Ἐμίσησάν με δωρεάν: καὶ πάλιν, Εἰ μὴ ἦλθον καὶ ἐλάλησα αὐτοῖς, ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ εἶχον. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἐν ἀπουσίᾳ φωτὸς ἐν σκότει καθήμενος, ἴσως ἂν συγγνώμην σχοίη: ὁ δὲ μετὰ τὴν παρουσίαν αὐτῷ τῷ σκότει προσεδρεύων, διεστραμμένης γνώμης καὶ φιλονείκου τεκμήριον ἐπιφέρει καθ' ἑαυτοῦ. Εἶτα ἐπειδὴ ἐδόκει τὸ εἰρημένον ἄπιστον εἶναι τοῖς πολλοῖς (οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἂν σκότος προτιμήσειε φωτὸς), τίθησι καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν ἀφ' ἧς τοῦτο ἔπαθον. Τίς οὖν ἐστιν αὕτη; Ἦν γὰρ αὐτῶν, φησὶ, πονηρὰ τὰ ἔργα. Πᾶς δὲ ὁ τὰ φαῦλα πράσσων, μισεῖ τὸ φῶς, καὶ οὐκ ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸ φῶς, ἵνα μὴ φανερωθῇ αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔργα. Καὶ μὴν οὐ κρίνων οὐδὲ ἐξετάζων ἦλθεν, ἀλλὰ συγχωρῶν καὶ ἀφιεὶς τὰ πλημμεληθέντα, καὶ ἀπὸ πίστεως σωτηρίαν διδούς. Πῶς οὖν ἔφυγον; Εἰ μὲν γὰρ εἰς δικαστήριον ἐλθὼν ἐκάθισεν, εἶχέ τινα λόγον τὸ εἰρημένον: ὁ γὰρ πονηρὰ συνειδὼς ἑαυτῷ, τὸν δικάζοντα φεύγειν εἴωθε: τῷ δὲ συγχωροῦντι καὶ προστρέχουσιν οἱ πεπλημμεληκότες. Εἰ τοίνυν συγχωρῶν ἦλθε, τούτους μάλιστα προσδραμεῖν εἰκὸς ἦν, τοὺς πολλὰ συνειδότας ἑαυτοῖς ἁμαρτήματα: ὅπερ οὖν καὶ ἐπὶ πολλῶν γέγονε. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τελῶναι καὶ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἐλθόντες, συνανέκειντο τῷ Ἰησοῦ. Τί οὖν ἐστι τὸ λεγόμενον; Περὶ τῶν αἱρουμένων διαπαντὸς ἐν κακίᾳ μένειν ταῦτα λέγει. Αὐτὸς μὲν γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο ἦλθεν, ἵνα τὰ μὲν πρότερα ἀφῇ ἁμαρτήματα, πρὸς δὲ τὰ μέλλοντα ἀσφαλίσηται. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τινές εἰσιν οὕτω χαῦνοι καὶ διαλελυμένοι πρὸς τοὺς τῆς ἀρετῆς πόνους, ὡς εἰς ἐσχάτας ἀναπνοὰς βούλεσθαι προσεδρεύειν τῇ πονηρίᾳ, καὶ μηδέποτε αὐτῆς ἀφίστασθαι, τούτους ἐπισκώπτων ἐνταῦθα δηλοῖ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ Χριστιανισμὸς καὶ τὸ τῆς τῶν δογμάτων ὀρθότητος καὶ πολιτείαν ὑγιαίνουσαν ἀπαιτεῖ, δεδοίκασι, φησὶ, μεταθέσθαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ἐπειδὴ μὴ βούλονται βίον ὀρθὸν ἐπιδείξασθαι. Τὸν μὲν γὰρ ἐν Ἑλληνισμῷ ζῶντα οὐδεὶς ἂν διελέγξειεν. Ὁ γὰρ θεοὺς τοιούτους ἔχων, καὶ ἑορτὰς ὁμοίως τοῖς θεοῖς αἰσχρὰς καὶ καταγελάστους, ἄξια τῶν δογμάτων καὶ τὰ ἔργα ἐπιδείκνυται: οἱ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ῥᾳθύμως ζῶντες, ἅπαντας εὐθύνοντας ἔχουσι καὶ κατηγόρους: τοσοῦτον καὶ παρὰ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς τῆς ἀληθείας ἐστὶ τὸ θαῦμα. Ὅρα τοίνυν πῶς μετὰ ἀκριβείας τίθησιν ὅ φησιν. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν, ὁ φαῦλα πράξας οὐκ ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸ φῶς: ἀλλ', ὁ πράσσων ἀεὶ, τουτέστιν, ὁ ἀεὶ βουλόμενος ἐγκαλινδεῖσθαι τῷ τῆς ἁμαρτίας βορβόρῳ, οὐ βούλεται τοῖς νόμοις ἑαυτὸν ὑποβάλλειν τοῖς ἐμοῖς, ἀλλ' ἔξω μένων πορνεύει μετὰ ἀδείας, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα πράττει τὰ κεκωλυμένα. Ἐνταῦθα γὰρ ἐλθὼν, ὡς ἐν φωτὶ κλέπτης, κατάδηλος γίνεται. Διὰ ταῦτα τὴν ἀρχὴν φεύγει τὴν ἐμήν. Πολλῶν γοῦν ἔστιν ἀκοῦσαι καὶ νῦν Ἑλλήνων λεγόντων, διὰ τοῦτο μὴ δύνασθαι πρὸς τὴν πίστιν τὴν ἡμετέραν προσελθεῖν, διὰ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι μέθης, καὶ πορνείας, καὶ τῶν τοιούτων ἀφίστασθαι πλημμελημάτων. Τί οὖν; φησίν: οὐκ εἰσὶ, καὶ Χριστιανοὶ τὰ φαῦλα πράσσοντες, καὶ Ἕλληνες ἐν φιλοσοφίᾳ ζῶντες; Χριστιανοὶ μὲν ὅτι φαῦλα πράσσοντές εἰσιν, οἶδα κἀγώ: εἰ δὲ καὶ Ἕλληνες ὀρθῶς βιοῦντες, τοῦτο οὐκ ἔτι οἶδα σαφῶς. Μὴ γάρ μοι τοὺς ἀπὸ φύσεως εἴπῃς ἐπιεικεῖς καὶ κοσμίους: οὐ γάρ ἐστι τοῦτο ἀρετή: ἀλλ' εἰπὲ τὸν πολλὴν ἀπὸ τῶν παθῶν ὑπομένοντα βίαν καὶ φιλοσοφοῦντα. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἂν ἔχοις. Εἰ γὰρ βασιλείας ἐπαγγελία, καὶ γεέννης ἀπειλὴ, καὶ ἄλλη διδασκαλία τοσαύτη, μόλις κατέχουσι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐν ἀρετῇ: σχολῇ γ' ἂν οἱ περὶ μηδενὸς πεπεισμένοι τούτων μετέλθοιεν ἀρετήν. Εἰ δέ τινες καὶ ὑποκρίνονται, δόξης ἕνεκεν τοῦτο ποιοῦσιν: ὁ δὲ δόξης ἕνεκα τοῦτο ποιῶν, ὅταν ἐξῇ λαθεῖν, οὐ φείσεται τοῦ χρήσασθαι ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις ταῖς πονηραῖς. Πλὴν ἀλλ' ἵνα μὴ δόξωμέν τισιν εἶναι φιλόνεικοι, συγχωρήσωμεν ὀρθῶς βιοῦντας εἶναι ἐν Ἕλλησιν: οὐδέποτε γὰρ τοῦτο ἐναντιοῦται τῷ λόγῳ: Τὸ γὰρ ἐπὶ πολὺ συμβαῖνον εἶπεν, οὐ τὸ σπανιάκις γινόμενον. γʹ. Ὅρα δὲ πῶς καὶ ἑτέρωθεν ἀποστερεῖ πάσης ἀπολογίας αὐτοὺς, εἰπὼν, ὅτι Ἦλθε τὸ φῶς εἰς τὸν κόσμον. Μὴ γὰρ αὐτοὶ, φησὶν, αὐτὸ ἐζήτησαν; μὴ γὰρ ἔκαμον; μὴ γὰρ ἐπόνησαν ἵνα εὕρωσιν; Αὐτὸ τὸ φῶς ἦλθε πρὸς αὐτοὺς, καὶ οὐδὲ οὕτω προσέδραμον. Πλὴν ἐπεί τινας καὶ παρὰ Χριστιανοῖς εἶναι πονηρῶς βιοῦντας, ἐκεῖνο ἂν εἴποιμεν, ὅτι οὐ περὶ τῶν ἐξ ἀρχῆς γενομένων Χριστιανῶν, καὶ ἐκ προγόνων διαδεξαμένων τὴν εὐσέβειαν τοῦτο λέγει: εἰ καὶ τὰ μάλιστα καὶ οὗτοι πολλάκις ἀπὸ βίου πονηροῦ ἐκ τῆς τῶν δογμάτων ἀκριβείας παρεσαλεύθησαν: ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐ περὶ τούτων αὐτὸν οἶμαι νῦν λέγειν, ἀλλὰ περὶ τῶν ἐξ Ἑλλήνων ἢ Ἰουδαίων ὀφειλόντων πρὸς τὴν ὀρθὴν μεταθέσθαι πίστιν. Δείκνυσι γὰρ ὅτι οὐδεὶς ἂν ἕλοιτο ἐν πλάνῃ ζῶν ἐπὶ τὴν πίστιν ἐλθεῖν, μὴ πρότερον ἐπιγράψας ἑαυτῷ βίον ὀρθόν: καὶ οὐδεὶς ἂν ἐν ἀπιστίᾳ μείνειε, μὴ πρότερον ἑλόμενος διαπαντὸς εἶναι κακός. Μὴ γάρ μοι τοῦτο εἴπῃς, ὅτι σωφρονεῖ, καὶ οὐχ ἁρπάζει: οὐ γὰρ δὴ ταῦτα μόνα ἐστὶν ἀρετή. Τί γὰρ ὄφελος, ὅταν ταῦτα μὲν ἔχῃ, δόξης δὲ ᾖ δοῦλος κενῆς, καὶ φίλων ἑταιρίαν αἰσχυνόμενος ἐπὶ τῆς πλάνης μένῃ; Τοῦτο γὰρ οὐκ ἔστιν ὀρθῶς βιοῦν. Ὁ δόξης δοῦλος τοῦ πορνεύοντος οὐκ ἐλάττων ἐστίν: οὗτος πολλῷ πλείονα καὶ χαλεπώτερα ἐργάζεται κακὰ ἐκείνου. Ἀλλ' εἰπέ μοί τινα πάντων ἀπηλλαγμένον τῶν παθῶν, καὶ πάσης κακίας ἐλεύθερον, καὶ μένοντα παρ' Ἕλλησιν. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἂν ἔχοις. Καὶ γὰρ οἱ τὰ μεγάλα παρ' αὐτοῖς κομπάσαντες, καὶ χρημάτων καὶ γαστρὸς περιγενόμενοι, καθώς φασι, δόξῃ μάλιστα πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἐδουλώθησαν: ὃ πάντων αἴτιόν ἐστι τῶν κακῶν. Οὕτω καὶ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι μεμενήκασιν. Διὸ καὶ ἐγκαλῶν αὐτοῖς ἔλεγε: Πῶς δύνασθε πιστεύειν, δόξαν παρὰ ἀνθρώπων λαμβάνοντες; Καὶ τί δήποτε τῷ Ναθαναὴλ, ᾧ καὶ ἀλήθειαν ἐμαρτύρησεν, οὐ διελέχθη περὶ τούτων, οὐδὲ ἐξέτεινε λόγον μακρόν; Ὅτι οὐδὲ ἐκεῖνος μετὰ τοσαύτης παρεγένετο σπουδῆς. Οὗτος μὲν γὰρ τοῦτο ἔργον ἐτίθετο, καὶ ὃν ἄλλοι καιρὸν ἀναπαύσεως εἶχον, τοῦτον οὗτος καιρὸν ἀκροάσεως ἐποιεῖτο. Ἐκεῖνος δὲ παρ' ἑτέρου πεισθεὶς ἀφίκετο: πλὴν οὐδὲ ἐκεῖνον παρέδραμε: πρὸς γὰρ ἐκεῖνόν φησιν: Ἀπάρτι ὄψεσθε τοὺς οὐρανοὺς ἀνεῳγμένους, καὶ τοὺς ἀγγέλους τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀναβαίνοντας καὶ καταβαίνοντας. Τούτῳ δὲ τούτων μὲν οὐδὲν εἶπε, περὶ δὲ τῆς οἰκονομίας καὶ τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς διαλέγεται, διαφόρως ἑκάστῳ πρὸς τὴν ὑποκειμένην προαίρεσιν φθεγγόμενος. Ἐκείνῳ μὲν γὰρ, ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὰ τῶν προφητῶν ἠπίστατο καὶ οὐδὲ δειλὸς οὕτως ἦν, ἤρκει τοσοῦτον ἀκοῦσαι μόνον: οὗτος δὲ ἐπειδὴ δειλίᾳ ἔτι κατείχετο, σαφῶς μὲν αὐτῷ τὸ πᾶν οὐκ ἐξεκάλυψε, κατέσεισε δὲ αὐτοῦ τὴν γνώμην, ὥστε φόβῳ φόβον ἐκβαλεῖν, τόν τε μὴ πιστεύοντα λέγων κρίνεσθαι, καὶ τὸ μὴ πιστεύειν ἀπὸ πονηρᾶς γίνεσθαι συνειδήσεως. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ καὶ τῆς παρὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων δόξης πολὺν ἐποιεῖτο λόγον, καὶ ταύτης μᾶλλον ἢ τῆς κολάσεως (Πολλοὶ γὰρ, φησὶ, τῶν ἀρχόντων ἐπίστευον εἰς αὐτὸν, διὰ δὲ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους οὐχ ὡμολόγουν), καὶ ἀπὸ ταύτης αὐτοῦ καθάπτεται, καὶ δείκνυσι δι' ὧν λέγει, ὅτι οὐκ ἔνεστι τὸν ἐμοὶ μὴ πιστεύοντα δι' ἄλλο τι μὴ πιστεύειν, ἀλλ' ἢ διὰ τὸ βίον ἀκάθαρτον ἔχειν. Καὶ προϊὼν μέν φησιν: Ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ φῶς: ἐνταῦθα δὲ, Ἦλθε τὸ φῶς εἰς τὸν κόσμον. Ἐν γὰρ προοιμίοις συνεσκιασμένως μᾶλλον ἐφθέγγετο: προϊὼν δὲ, σαφέστερον. Ἀλλ' ὅμως ὑπὸ τῆς δόξης ὁ ἄνθρωπος κατείχετο τῆς τῶν πολλῶν: διὸ καὶ οὐδὲ παῤῥησιάζεσθαι ἠνείχετο ὡς ἐχρῆν. Φεύγωμεν τοίνυν τὴν κενὴν δόξαν: τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι πάντων τὸ πάθος τυραννικώτερον. Ἐντεῦθεν πλεονεξία καὶ χρημάτων ἔρως: ἐντεῦθεν μῖσος καὶ πόλεμοι καὶ μάχαι. Ὁ γὰρ τοῦ πλείονος ἐρῶν, οὐδαμοῦ στῆναι δυνήσεται. Ἐρᾷ δὲ οὐδαμόθεν ἄλλοθεν, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τοῦ δόξης ἐρᾷν κενῆς. Τίνος γὰρ ἕνεκεν, εἰπέ μοι, πλῆθος εὐνούχων, καὶ ἀνδραπόδων ἀγέλας, καὶ πολλὴν οἱ πολλοὶ περιβάλλονται φαντασίαν; Οὐ χρείας ἕνεκεν, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ τοῦ μάρτυρας ἔχειν τῆς ἀκαίρου ταύτης φαντασίας τοὺς ἀπαντῶντας. Ἂν τοίνυν ταύτην ἀποτέμωμεν, μετὰ τῆς κεφαλῆς καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῆς κακίας ἀνελοῦμεν μέλη, καὶ οὐδὲν τὸ κωλῦσον ἔσται τὴν γῆν ἡμᾶς οἰκεῖν ὡς τὸν οὐρανόν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ πρὸς κακίαν μόνον ὠθεῖ τοὺς ἁλόντας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ταῖς ἀρεταῖς παρυφέστηκε: καὶ ὅταν ἡμᾶς ἐκεῖθεν ἐκβαλεῖν μὴ δυνηθῇ, ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ἀρετῇ πολλὴν τὴν ζημίαν ἐργάζεται, τοὺς μὲν πόνους ὑποστῆναι ἀναγκάζουσα, τῶν δὲ καρπῶν ἀποστεροῦσα. Ὁ γὰρ πρὸς ταύτην βλέπων, καὶ νηστεύων, καὶ εὐχόμενος, καὶ ἐλεῶν, ἀπέχει τὸν μισθὸν αὐτοῦ. Τί ταύτης τῆς ζημίας ἐλεεινότερον γένοιτ' ἂν, ἀλλ' ἢ ὅταν συμβαίνῃ κόπτεσθαι εἰκῆ καὶ μάτην, καὶ καταγέλαστον γίνεσθαι, καὶ τῆς ἄνωθεν ἐκπίπτειν δόξης; Οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν ἀμφοτέρων ἐφιέμενον, ἀμφοτέρων τυχεῖν. Τυχεῖν μὲν γὰρ ἔστιν ἀμφοτέρων, ὅταν δὴ μὴ ἀμφοτέρων, ἀλλὰ τῆς μιᾶς ἐπιθυμῶμεν τῆς ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν: ἀμφοτέρων δὲ ἐρῶντα οὐκ ἔστιν ἀμφοτέρων τυχεῖν. Διόπερ εἰ βουλόμεθα δόξης ἐπιτυγχάνειν, φεύγωμεν τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην δόξαν, καὶ τῆς παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ μόνης ἐπιθυμῶμεν. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ταύτης κἀκείνης ἐπιτευξόμεθα: ἧς γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἀπολαῦσαι. χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, δι' οὗ καὶ μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἡ δόξα, ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.