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

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 the place. As we say: the kingdom of the Romans and king of Egypt. 123 For it comes only upon those who are diligent and have faith and virtue; but it is far away from the wicked who are estranged. One must not understand "far away" and "near" in a spatial sense, but in relation to the vessels † of his illuminations being purified; or not. And "it blows where it wills" shows that the spirit is a substance. For some think it is an energy of God, not having its own hypostasis. Therefore the apostle also, having enumerated the gifts of the Spirit, added: "But the one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each as he wills." But also that which is said in Acts: "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us"; and again, "For as they were fasting," it says, "and ministering to the Lord, the Holy Spirit said: 'Set apart for me Paul and Barnabas for the work to which I have called them.'" And the prophet Agabus says, "Thus says the Holy Spirit: 'The man to whom this belt belongs, they will bind'" and so on. 124 For this seems to apply to those who are neither excessively wicked nor perfect in virtue, that deceiving both, it is possible to see them loving the darkness more, from the fact that they do its works. For men, being of free will and obligated to accept the light and flee the darkness, do the opposite: they accept the darkness, and flee the light. One must not understand "loved more" comparatively, them loving the darkness in relation to the light; for they did not love the light at all, having hated it, because their understanding is sound. For those who do evil hate the light, and if they hate the light, they do not love the darkness comparatively. Similar is also the statement of the apostle concerning wicked men, that they would be "lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God." And in the Psalms: "The wicked one loved evil more than goodness, injustice more than speaking justice." 125 The bride is the soul of man, which from itself is generative of none of the good things; but if she is by nature receptive from another in the manner of a woman, she gives birth to practical and intellectual virtues. And the bridegroom, the sower of her good things, is none other than Christ Jesus, the one witnessed to and baptized by me; and that one is the friend who stands by him with firm assent and having a steadfast faith in him. For no one of those who happen to be with Jesus himself is shaken. Thus also Moses, having lived according to virtue, heard God saying: "But as for you, stand here with me"; for God does not stand with us, but we with him, as he offers to us the immovable stance that comes from him. 126 The one not having a heavenly mindset but being earthly is said to be of dust and to bear the image of the one of dust. Therefore also if ever he professes to have wisdom, it is earthly, unspiritual, demonic, as James the apostle says. 127 Again we hear of "loving" in a more human way. But it is a natural law; one way <towards> the things begotten, and another way somehow towards things loved in a different manner. For if God loves justice, <he loves as God>, as he himself says: "I am a God who loves justice and hates robbery out of injustice." For he does not love it as a man, in order to have it in himself and to do something according to it. But the Father loves the Son both as truth, wisdom, and sanctification, as David says: "For behold, you have loved truth." And he loves the Son insofar as he is Father, not insofar as he is God, but he loves the world insofar as he is God and its creator, but not insofar as he is Father. 128 It is also possible to speak allegorically: Jacob's well is the teaching of Moses through the law. And his sons and his cattle drank from it, the twelve patriarchs and the peoples born from them. but one who drinks from this spring thirsts again. That is, after some time passes, they thirst for these things and come to the evangelical and saving and unceasing teaching. "For heaven and earth will pass away," as the Savior says, "but my words will not pass away." 129 [For he knows

τοῦ βασιλεύοντος θεοῦ ὠνόμασε. καὶ γὰρ καὶ παρ' ἡμῖν ἐν τῇ συνηθείᾳ ὁτὲ μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ βασιλεύοντος, ὁτὲ δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ τόπου ἡ αὐτοῦ βασιλεία σημαί νεται. ὥς φαμεν· ἡ τῶν Ῥωμαίων βασιλεία καὶ Αἰγύπτου βασιλεύς. 123 Τοῖς γὰρ σπουδαίοις καὶ πίστιν καὶ ἀρετὴν ἔχουσι μόνοις ἐκεί νοις ἐπιφοιτᾷ· τῶν δὲ φαύλων ἀπαλλοτριουμένων μακρὰν ὑπάρχει. οὐ τοπικῶς δὲ τὸ «μακρὰν» καὶ «ἐγγὺς» ἀκούειν δεῖ, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὰ δοχεῖα † τούτου ἐλλάμψεων κεκαθαρμένων· εἴτε καὶ μή· τὸ δὲ «Ὅπου «θέλει πνεῖ» δείκνυσι οὐσίαν εἶναι τὸ πνεῦμα. τινὲς γὰρ οἴονται ἐνέργειαν εἶναι θεοῦ, μὴ ἔχον ἰδίαν ὑπόστασιν. διὸ καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος ἀπαριθμησάμενος τὰ τοῦ πνεύματος χαρίσματα ἐπήνεγκεν· «Ταῦτα «δὲ ἐνεργεῖ τὸ ἓν καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα, διαιροῦν ἑκάστῳ ὡς βούλεται». ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ «Ἔδοξε δὲ τῷ ἁγίῳ πνεύματι καὶ ἡμῖν» ἐν ταῖς Πράξε σιν εἰρημένον· καὶ πάλιν «Νηστευόντων, γάρ φησιν, καὶ λειτουργούν «των τῷ κυρίῳ εἶπεν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον· ἀφορίσατέ μοι τὸν Παῦλον «καὶ τὸν Βαρνάβαν εἰς τὸ ἔργον ὃ προσκέκλημαι αὐτούς». ὁ δὲ προ φήτης Ἄγαβός φησι «Τάδε λέγει τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον· τοῦ ἀνδρός, «οὗ ἐστιν ἡ ζώνη αὕτη, δήσουσι» καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. 124 Τοῦτο γὰρ δοκεῖ ἐπὶ τῶν μήτε ἄγαν φαύλων μήτε κατ' ἀρετὴν τελείων ὅτι τὰ ἀμφότερα ἀπατῶντας μᾶλλον τὸ σκότος ἀγαπᾶν αὐ τοὺς ἔστιν ἰδεῖν, ἐκ τοῦ τὰ ἔργα τούτου ποιεῖν. αὐτεξούσιοι γὰρ ὄντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι καὶ ὀφείλοντες τὸ φῶς ἀποδέχεσθαι καὶ τὸ σκότος φεύγειν, τοὐναντίον ποιοῦσι· τὸ μὲν σκότος ἀποδέχονται, φεύγουσι δὲ τὸ φῶς. οὐ συγκριτικῶς δὲ ἀκούειν δεῖ τὸ πλεῖον ἠγαπηκέναι, αὐτοὺς τὸ σκότος πρὸς τὸ φῶς· οὐδ' ὅλως γὰρ ἠγάπησαν τὸ φῶς τοῦτο μισήσαντες, ὅτι ἡ νόησις αὐτῶν ὀρθῶς ἔχει. οἱ γὰρ φαῦλα πράσσον τες μισοῦσι τὸ φῶς, εἰ δὲ μισοῦσι τὸ φῶς, οὐ συγκριτικῶς ἀγαπῶσι τὸ σκότος. ὅμοιόν ἐστιν καὶ τὸ τοῦ ἀποστόλου περὶ τῶν πονηρῶν ἀνθρώπων ὡς «φιλήδονοι μᾶλλον εἶεν ἢ φιλόθεοι». καὶ ἐν Ψαλμοῖς· «Ὁ φαῦλος ἠγάπησε κακίαν μᾶλλον ὑπὲρ ἀγαθοσύνην, ἀδικίαν ὑπὲρ «τοῦ λαλῆσαι δικαιοσύνην». 125 Νύμφη ἐστὶν ἡ ἀνθρώπου ψυχή, ἥτις ἐξ ἑαυτῆς οὐδενός ἐστι τῶν ἀγαθῶν γεννητική· εἰ δὲ δεκτικὴ πέφυκεν αὕτη γυναικὸς τρόπῳ ἐξ ἄλλου, γεννᾷ ἀρετὰς πρακτικάς τε καὶ διανοητικάς. νυμφίος δὲ ὁ ταύτης σπορεὺς τῶν ἀγαθῶν οὐκ ἄλλος ἢ ὁ χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς ὁ ὑπ' ἐμοῦ μαρτυρούμενος καὶ βαπτιζόμενος· φίλος δὲ ἐκεῖνος ἐστὶν ὁ ἑστη κὼς παρ' αὐτῷ τῇ βεβαίᾳ συγκαταθέσει καὶ παγίαν ἔχων τὴν εἰς αὐτὸν πίστιν. οὐδεὶς γὰρ τῶν παρ' αὐτῷ τῷ Ἰησοῦ τυγχανόντων κλονεῖται. οὕτω καὶ Μωσῆς κατ' ἀρετὴν βιοὺς ἤκουσε τοῦ θεοῦ λέγοντος· «Σὺ δὲ αὐτὸς στῆθι μετ' ἐμοῦ»· οὐ γὰρ ὁ θεὸς μεθ' ἡμῶν ἵσταται, ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς μετ' αὐτοῦ, ὀρέγοντος ἡμῖν τὴν παρ' αὐτοῦ ἀμετακίνητον στάσιν. 126 Ὁ μὴ ἐπουράνιον ἔχων τὸ φρόνημα ἀλλ' ἐπίγειος ὢν λέγεται χοϊκὸς καὶ τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ χοϊκοῦ φορεῖν. διὸ καὶ εἴ ποτε σοφίαν ἐπαγγέλλεται ἔχειν, ἐπίγειός ἐστιν ψυχικὴ δαιμονιώδης, καθώς φησι Ἰάκωβος ὁ ἀπόστολος. 127 Τὸ ἀγαπᾶν ἀνθρωπινώτερον πάλιν ἀκούομεν. νόμος δέ ἐστι φυσικός· ἄλλος μὲν <πρὸς> τὰ γεννώμενα, ἄλλος δέ πως πρὸς τὰ ἑτέρως ἀγαπώμενα. εἰ γὰρ δικαιοσύνην ἀγαπᾷ ὁ θεός, <ἀγαπᾷ ὡς θεός>, ὥς φησιν αὐτός· «Ἐγὼ θεὸς ἀγαπῶν δικαιοσύνην καὶ μισῶν ἅρπαγμα ἐξ ἀδικίας». οὐ γὰρ ὡς ἄνθρωπος ἀγαπᾷ ταύτην ἐπὶ τὸ ἔχειν αὐτὴν ἐν ἑαυτῷ καὶ ποιεῖν τι κατ' αὐτήν. ἀγαπᾷ δὲ τὸν υἱὸν ὁ πατὴρ καὶ ὡς ἀλήθειαν σοφίαν καὶ ἁγιασμόν, ὥς φησιν ∆αβίδ· «Ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἀλήθειαν ἠγάπησας». καὶ ἀγαπᾷ μὲν τὸν υἱὸν καθ' ὃ πατήρ, οὐ καθ' ὃ θεός, ἀγαπᾷ δὲ τὸν κόσμον καθ' ὃ θεὸς καὶ τούτου δημιουργός, οὐ καθ' ὃ δὲ πατήρ. 128 Ἔστιν δὲ καὶ ἀλληγορικῶς εἰπεῖν· φρέαρ μὲν Ἰακὼβ τὴν τοῦ Μωσέως διὰ νόμου διδασκαλίαν. ἔπινον δὲ ἀπ' αὐτοῦ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ θρέμματα αὐτοῦ οἱ δώδεκα πατριάρχαι καὶ οἱ ἐξ αὐτῶν λαοὶ γεγεννημένοι. ταύτης δὲ τῆς πηγῆς πίνοντα πάλιν ταύτης διψᾶν. ἤγουν καιροῦ τινος προϊόντος διψᾶν αὐτὰ καὶ ἔρχεσθαι ἐπὶ τὴν εὐ αγγελικὴν καὶ σωτήριον καὶ ἀδιάδοχον διδασκαλίαν. «καὶ ὁ οὐρανὸς «γὰρ καὶ ἡ γῆ παρελεύσεται, ὥς φησι ὁ σωτήρ, οἱ δὲ λόγοι μου οὐ μὴ «παρέλθωσιν». 129 [Οἶδε γὰρ