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

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 of David, have mercy on us," and asking to receive their sight〛. But concerning the fact that the text in the Gospel is not stated by the prophet in the exact same words, it is not surprising, since those who ministered the oracles of the new testament did this in many places, as we have also observed in other instances. Nevertheless, the sayings of Isaiah are equivalent to those found in the Gospel. 93 And this too must be understood in the preceding passage, that two things are said about the Savior. First, that which also comes first, for believing in him is first; and second, that which also comes second in order; for this is what is beyond believing, which is to behold the Word, and in beholding the Word to behold the Father. Believing extends to the multitude of those who come to piety, but beholding the Word and understanding the Father in him no longer extends to all believers but only to the pure in heart. Thus I also understand "He who has seen me has seen the Father." For he who directs the power of sight in his physical eyes to the body of Jesus [both] has not seen his Father and God. But I think that it also required time and discipline to see Jesus in this way, and seeing the Son, to behold also the Father. Therefore, when Philip said, "Show us the Father, and it is enough for us," Jesus said, "Have I been with you so long, and you have not known me? He who has seen me has seen the Father." But pay attention, if you can, to the difference between believing and beholding, and understand the reason why "And he who beholds me beholds him who sent me" is not said in the same way as "He who believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me," nor is "He who believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me" said in a way similar to "He who beholds me beholds him who sent me." For one who believes in the Son believes not in the Son but in the God and Father of all. But one who beholds the Word and Wisdom and Truth beholds not only these, but also the Father. And I think that to demonstrate the greatness of the mystery being declared, first in believing in the Son, and second in beholding him, before "He who believes in me and beholds me," it is said, "But Jesus cried out and said;" for great was the mystical voice concerning these things. That it is possible to believe in the theory and not to behold it, the evangelist will make clear, saying: "Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, 'If you abide in my word, you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'" For pay careful attention that he says to those who have believed, as not yet having known the truth but only having believed in it, "If you abide in my word, you will know the truth." 94 For the true light shone when the Savior of the world arrived; but they did not wish to gaze upon it, nor to walk in the luminous splendor of his teachings. Therefore, darkness consequently overtook them, exacting punishment for the wickedness that had previously possessed them. And this might reasonably be called being blinded and hardened. And just as for one who wishes to walk in the light, knowing where he is going follows, so for one who does not wish to walk in the light, being one who walks in darkness and wretchedly travels the path of the blind and hardened follows. And it has also been said before how the lightning flash of the Lord's and Savior's teaching exposed the blind and hardened; the Jews, and it made the pre-existing corruption and lack of sight in the eyes of their souls more manifest and obvious. For just as the perceptible sun, sending forth brilliant rays, exposes those with diseased eyes, so also the intelligible

δυναμένους πι στεύειν 〚διὰ τὸ τετυφλῶσθαι αὐτῶν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ὑπὸ τοῦ πο νηροῦ〛 οὐκ ἀδύνατον ἦν πιστεῦσαι προσελθόντας τῷ Ἰησοῦ 〚καὶ εἰ πόντας· «Υἱὲ ∆αβίδ, ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς» καὶ ἀξιώσαντας ἀναβλέψαι〛. περὶ δὲ τοῦ μὴ αὐταῖς λέξεσιν εἰρῆσθαι παρὰ τῷ προφήτῃ τὸ κείμενον ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ οὐ θαυμαστόν, πολλαχοῦ τοῦτο ποιησάντων τῶν διακονησαμένων τὰ τῆς καινῆς διαθήκης λόγια, ὡς καὶ ἐν ἄλλοις τετηρήκαμεν. πλὴν ἰσοδυναμεῖ τὰ τοῦ Ἡσαίου ῥητὰ τοῖς ἐγκειμένοις ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ. 93 Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ ἐν τῇ προκειμένῃ λέξει κατανοητέον, ὅτι δύο πράγματα λέγεται περὶ τοῦ σωτῆρος. πρότερον μὲν ὃ καὶ πρότερον γίνεται, πρότερον γὰρ τὸ πιστεύειν εἰς αὐτόν· δεύτερον δὲ ὃ καὶ δεύτερον ὁδῷ παραγίνεται· τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ ὑπὲρ τὸ πιστεύειν, ὅπερ ἐστὶ θεωρεῖν τὸν λόγον, καὶ ἐν τῷ θεωρεῖν τὸν λόγον θεωρεῖν τὸν πατέρα. φθάνει δὲ τὸ μὲν πιστεύειν καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν προσερχομένων τῇ θεοσεβείᾳ, τὸ δὲ θεωρεῖν τὸν λόγον καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ τὸν πατέρα κατανοεῖν οὐκέτι ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς πιστεύοντας ἀλλ' ἐπὶ μόνους τοὺς καθαροὺς τῇ καρδίᾳ. οὕτως δὲ ἀκούω καὶ τοῦ «Ὁ ἑωρακὼς ἐμὲ ἑώρακε τὸν πατέρα». οὐ γὰρ ὁ προσβάλλων τὴν ἐν τοῖς σωματικοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ὁρατικὴν δύναμιν τῷ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ [τῷ τε] σώματι ἑώρακε τὸν πατέρα καὶ θεὸν αὐτοῦ. οἶμαι δὲ ὅτι καὶ ἐδεῖτο χρόνου καὶ συνασκήσεως ἵν' οὕτως ἴδῃ τὸν Ἰησοῦν, καὶ ὁρῶν τὸν υἱὸν θεωρήσῃ καὶ τὸν πατέρα. διόπερ εἰπόντι τῷ Φι λίππῳ· «∆εῖξον ἡμῖν τὸν πατέρα καὶ ἀρκεῖ ἡμῖν» εἶπεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς· «Τοσούτῳ χρόνῳ μεθ' ὑμῶν εἰμι καὶ οὐκ ἔγνωκάς με; ὁ ἑωρακὼς «ἐμὲ ἑώρακε τὸν πατέρα». πρόσχες δὲ εἰ δύνασαι τῇ διαφορᾷ τοῦ πιστεύειν καὶ τοῦ θεωρεῖν ἐνιδὼν συνεῖναι καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν δι' ἣν οὔτε ὁμοίως τῷ «Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ οὐ πιστεύει εἰς ἐμὲ ἀλλ' εἰς «τὸν πέμψαντά με» εἴρηται τὸ «Καὶ ὁ θεωρῶν ἐμὲ θεωρεῖ τὸν πέμ «ψαντά με» οὔτε παραπλησίως τῷ «Ὁ θεωρῶν ἐμὲ θεωρεῖ τὸν πέμ «ψαντά με» λέλεκται τὸ «Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ οὐ πιστεύει εἰς ἐμὲ «ἀλλ' εἰς τὸν πέμψαντά με». πιστεύων μὲν γὰρ εἰς τὸν υἱὸν οὐκ εἰς τὸν υἱὸν ἀλλ' εἰς τὸν πατέρα τῶν ὅλων πιστεύει θεόν. θεωρῶν δέ τις τὸν λόγον καὶ τὴν σοφίαν καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν οὐχὶ θεωρεῖ ταύτην μόνην ἀλλὰ καὶ πατέρα. οἶμαι δὲ ὅτι εἰς παράστασιν τοῦ μέγα εἶναι τὸ δηλούμενον μυστήριον, πρῶτον μὲν ἐν τῷ πιστεύειν εἰς τὸν υἱόν, δεύτερον δὲ ἐν τῷ θεωρεῖν αὐτόν, λέλεκται πρὸ τοῦ «Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ καὶ θεωρῶν ἐμέ» τὸ «Ἰησοῦς δὲ ἔκραξε καὶ «εἶπε»· μεγάλη γὰρ ἡ περὶ τούτων ἦν μυστικὴ φωνή. ὅτι δὲ δυνα τὸν πιστεύειν τῇ θεωρίᾳ καὶ μὴ θεωρεῖν αὐτῇ δῆλον ποιήσει ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς λέγων· «Ἔλεγεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς πρὸς τοὺς πεπιστευκότας «αὐτῷ Ἰουδαίους· Ἐὰν μείνητε ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῷ ἐμῷ, γνώσεσθε τὴν «ἀλήθειαν, καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια ἐλευθερώσει ὑμᾶς». πρόσχες γὰρ ἐπι μελῶς ὅτι τοῖς πεπιστευκόσι λέγει ὡς μηδέπω ἐπεγνωκόσι τὴν ἀλή θειαν ἀλλὰ μόνον αὐτῇ πεπιστευκόσι τὸ «Ἐὰν μείνητε ἐν τῷ λόγῳ «τῷ ἐμῷ, γνώσεσθε τὴν ἀλήθειαν». 94 Ἔλαμψε μὲν γὰρ τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν παραγεγονὼς ὁ τοῦ κόσ μου σωτήρ· οἳ δὲ οὐκ ἠθέλησαν ἐνατενίσαι πρὸς αὐτὸ οὐδὲ τῇ σε λασφόρῳ αἴγλῃ τῶν δογμάτων αὐτοῦ περιπατεῖν. διὸ ἀκολούθως αὐτοὺς κατέλαβεν ἡ σκοτία δίκην ἀπαιτοῦσα τῆς προκατασχούσης αὐτοὺς μοχθηρίας. καὶ τοῦτο λέγοιτ' ἂν τετυφλῶσθαι καὶ πεπω ρῶσθαι εἰκότως. καὶ ὥσπερ τῷ θελήσαντι περιπατεῖν ἐν τῷ φωτὶ ἕπεται καὶ τὸ εἰδέναι ποῦ ὑπάγει, οὕτως τῷ μὴ θελήσαντι περιπα τεῖν ἐν τῷ φωτὶ συνακολουθεῖ τὸ βαδίζοντα ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ εἶναι καὶ τυφλῶν καὶ πεπωρωμένων ὁδὸν ἀθλίως ἐξανύειν. προείρηται δὲ καὶ ὡς τῆς δεσποτικῆς καὶ σωτηρίου διδασκαλίας ἡ ἀστραπὴ τυφλοὺς καὶ πεπωρωμένους ἐστηλίτευσε· τοὺς Ἰουδαίους, καὶ τὴν πρὶν ἐνοῦσαν τοῖς ψυχικοῖς αὐτῶν ὄμμασι λύμην καὶ ἀβλεψίαν ἐμφανεστέραν τε καὶ κατάδηλον ἐποίησε μᾶλλον. ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ αἰσθητὸς ἥλιος λαμ πρὰς ἐναφιεὶς τὰς ἀκτῖνας ἐλέγχει τοὺς νοσοῦντας τὰ ὄμματα, οὕτω καὶ ὁ νοητὸς