Homily XLV.

John vi. 28–30

“Then said they unto Him, What shall we do,1249   ποιῶμεν [ποιοῦμεν, G. T.].that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent. They said therefore unto Him, What sign showest thou then, that we may see and believe thee? what dost thou work?”

[1.] There is nothing worse, nothing more shameful, than gluttony; it makes the mind gross, and the soul carnal; it blinds, and permits not to see clearly. Observe, for instance, how this is the case with the Jews; for because they were intent upon gluttony, entirely occupied with worldly things, and without any spiritual thoughts, though Christ leads them on by ten thousand sayings, sharp and at the same time forbearing, even thus they arise not, but continue groveling below. For consider; He said to them, “Ye seek Me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the bread, and were filled”; He touched them by the reproof, He showed them what food they ought to seek, saying, “Labor not for the meat that perisheth”; He set before them the prize, saying, “but that which endureth unto everlasting life”; then provided a remedy for what might have been an objection, by declaring that He was sent from the Father.

What then did they? As though they had heard nothing, they said, “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” This they said, not that they might learn and do them, (as the sequel shows,) but to induce Him again to supply them with food, and desiring to persuade Him to satisfy them. What then saith Christ? “This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.” On this they asked, “What sign showest thou, that we may see and believe?”

Ver. 31. “Our fathers did eat manna in the wilderness.”

Nothing more senseless, nothing more unreasonable, than these men! While the miracle was yet in their hands,1250   al. “in their eyes.” as though none had been done, they spake after this manner, “What sign shewest thou?” and having thus spoken, they do not even allow Him the right of choosing the sign, but think to force Him to exhibit none other than such a one as was wrought in the days of their fathers; wherefore they say, “Our fathers did eat manna in the wilderness,” thinking by this to provoke Him to work such a miracle as might supply them with carnal nourishment. Else why did they mention none other of the miracles of old, though many took place in those times, both in Egypt and at the sea and in the wilderness, but only that of the manna? Was it not because they greatly desired that one by reason of the tyranny of their bellies? Ye who when ye saw His miracle called him a Prophet, and attempted to make Him a king, how is that now, as though none had been wrought, ye have become thankless and ill-minded, and ask for a sign, uttering words fit for parasites, or hungry dogs? Does the manna now seem wonderful to you? Your soul is not now1251   al. “when your soul is.” parched up.

Mark too their hypocrisy. They said not, “Moses did this sign, what doest thou?” thinking it would annoy Him; but for a while they address Him with great reverence, through expectation of food. So they neither said, “God did this, what doest thou?” that they might not seem to make Him equal with God; nor did they bring forward Moses, that they might not seem to lower Him, but put the matter in an intermediate form, “Our fathers did eat manna in the wilderness.” He indeed might have replied, “I, but now, have wrought greater wonders than did Moses, requiring no rod, having no need of prayer, but doing all of Myself; and, if ye call to remembrance the manna, see, I have given you bread.” But this was not the season for such speeches; and the one thing He earnestly desired was, to bring them to spiritual food. And observe His infinite wisdom and His manner of answering.

Ver. 32. “Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.”

Why said He not, “It was not Moses that gave it to you, but I”; but putteth God in the place of Moses, and Himself instead of manna? Because the infirmity of His hearers was great. As is seen from what followeth. For not even when He had spoken thus did He secure their attention, although He said at first, “Ye seek Me, not because ye saw the miracle, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.” ( Ver. 26 .) Now because they sought these (carnal) things, He would have corrected them by His succeeding words, yet not even so did they desist. When He promised the Samaritan woman that He would give her “the water,” He made no mention of the Father. What saith He? “If thou knewest who it is that saith unto thee, Give Me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given unto thee living water” ( c. iv. 10 ); and again, “The water which I shall give.” He referreth her not to The Father. But here He maketh mention of The Father, that thou mayest understand how great was the faith of the Samaritan woman, and how great the infirmity of the Jews.

Was then the manna not from heaven? How then is it said to be from heaven? In the same manner as Scripture speaketh of “fowls of heaven” ( Ps. viii. 8 ); and again, “The Lord thundered from heaven.” ( Ps. xviii. 13.) And He calleth that other the “true bread,” not because the miracle of the manna was false, but because it was a type, and not the very truth. But in mentioning Moses, He doth not compare Himself to him, for the Jews did not as yet prefer Him to Moses, of whom they still had a higher opinion. So that after saying, “Moses gave not,” He addeth not that “I give,” but saith that The Father, and not Moses, giveth. They, when they heard this, replied, “Give us this bread to eat”; for they yet thought that it was something material, they yet expected to gratify their appetites, and so hastily ran to Him. What doth Christ? Leading them on 1252   al. “up.” little by little, He saith,

Ver. 33. “The bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.”

Not, saith He, to Jews alone, but to all the “world,” not mere food, but “life,” another and an altered “life.” He calleth it “life,” because they all were dead in sins. Yet they still kept downward bent, saying,

Ver. 34. “Give us this bread.”

Then He, to rebuke them, because while they supposed that the food was material they ran to Him, but not when they learned that it was a spiritual kind, said,

Ver. 35, 36. “I am the bread of life; he that cometh to Me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, that ye also have seen Me, and believe Me not.”

[2.] Thus also John crieth, saying beforehand, “He speaketh that He knoweth, and testifieth that He hath seen, and no man receiveth His testimony” ( c. iii. 32 ); and again Christ Himself, “We speak that We do know, and testify that We have seen” ( c. iii. 11 ), “and ye believe not.”1253   al. “and ye receive not our witness,” as in N.T. This He doth to prevent them, and to show them that the matter doth not trouble Him, that He desireth not honor, that He is not ignorant of the secrets of their minds, nor of things present, nor of things to come.

“I am the bread of life.” Now He proceedeth to commit unto them mysteries. And first He discourseth of His Godhead, saying, “I am the bread of life.” For this is not spoken of His Body, (concerning that He saith towards the end, “And the bread which I shall give is My flesh,”) but at present it referreth to His Godhead. For That, through God the Word, is Bread, as this bread also, through the Spirit descending on it, is made Heavenly Bread. Here He useth not witnesses, as in His former address, for He had the miracle of the loaves to witness to Him, and the Jews themselves for a while pretending to believe Him; in the former case they opposed and accused Him. This is the reason why here He declareth Himself. But they, since they expected to enjoy a carnal feast, were not1254   al. “remain and are not.” disturbed until they gave up their hope. Yet not for that was Christ silent, but uttered many words of reproof. For they,1255   Ben. “But they.” who while they were eating called Him a Prophet, were here offended, and called Him the carpenter’s son; not so while they ate the loaves, then they said, “He is The Prophet,” and desired to make Him a king. Now they seemed to be indignant at His asserting that He “came down from heaven,” but in truth it was not this that caused their indignation, but the thought that they should not enjoy a material table. Had they been really indignant, they ought to have asked and enquired how He was the “bread of life,” how He had “come down from heaven”; but now they do not this, but murmur. And that it was not this which offended them is plain from another circumstance. When He said, “My Father giveth you the bread,” they exclaimed not, “Beseech Him that He give”; but what? “Give us that bread”; yet He said not, “I give,” but, “My Father giveth”; nevertheless, they, from desire of the food, thought Him worthy to be trusted to for its supply. Now how should they, who deemed Him worthy of their trust for giving, be afterward offended when they also heard that “the Father giveth”? What is the reason? It is that when they heard that they were not to eat, they again disbelieved, and put forth by way of a cloak for their disbelief, that “it was a high saying.” Wherefore He saith, “Ye have seen Me, and believe not” ( c. v. 39 ); alluding partly to His miracles, partly to the testimony from the Scriptures; “For they,” He saith, “are they which testify of Me” ( c. v. 43, 44 ); and, “I am come in My Father’s Name, and ye receive Me not”; and, “How can ye believe which receive honor of men?”1256   al. “one of another?”

Ver. 37. “All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me, and him that cometh to Me I will in nowise cast out.”

Observe how He doeth all things for the sake of them that are saved; therefore He added this, that He might not seem to be trifling and speaking these things to no purpose. But what is it that He saith, “All that the Father giveth Me shall come unto Me” ( ver. 37 ), and “I will raise it1257   Ben. “him.” up in the last day”? ( Ver. 40.) Wherefore speaketh He of the common resurrection, in which even the ungodly have a part, as though it were the peculiar gift of those who believe on Him? Because He speaketh not simply of resurrection, but of a particular kind of resurrection. For having first said, “I will not cast him out, I shall lose nothing of it,” He then speaketh of the resurrection. Since in the resurrection some are cast out,1258   Ben. “as appears from,” &c. (“Take him, and cast him into outer darkness,” Matt. xxii. 13 ,) and some are destroyed. (“Rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”) ( Matt. x. 28.) And1259   al. “So that.” the expression, “I give eternal life” ( c. x. 28 ), declareth this; for they “that have done evil shall go forth to the resurrection of damnation, and they that have done good to the resurrection of life.”1260   clauses transposed. ( c. v. 29.) This then, the resurrection to good things,1261   ἐ πὶ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς is that which He here designed. But what meaneth He by saying, “All that the Father giveth Me, shall come to Me”? He toucheth their unbelief, showing that whosoever believeth not on Him transgresseth the will of the Father. And thus He saith it not nakedly, but in a covert manner, and this He doth1262   al. “thou wilt see Him doing.” everywhere, wishing to show that unbelievers are at variance with the Father, not with Him alone. For if this is His will, and if for this He came, that He might save man,1263   al. “all the world.” those who believe not transgress His will. “When therefore,” He saith, “the Father guideth any man, there is nothing that hindereth him from coming unto Me”; and in another place, “No man can come unto Me, except the Father draw him.” ( Ver. 44.) And Paul saith, that He delivereth them up unto the Father; “When He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father.” ( 1 Cor. xv. 24 .) Now as the Father when He giveth doth so without first depriving Himself, so the Son when He delivereth up doth so without excluding Himself. He is said to deliver us up, because through Him we have access (to the Father).

[3.] And the “by whom”1264   δἰ οὗ is also applied to the Father, as when the Apostle saith, “By whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son” ( 1 Cor. i. 9 ): and,1265   al. “that is.” “By the will of the Father.” And again; “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee.” ( Matt. xvi. 17.) What He here intimateth is something of this kind,1266   al. “all but this.” that “faith in Me is no ordinary thing, but needeth an impulse1267   ῥ οπῆς from above”; and this He establisheth throughout His discourse, showing that this faith requires a noble sort of soul, and one drawn on by God.

But perhaps some one will say, “If all that the Father giveth, and whomsoever He shall draw, cometh unto Thee, if none can come unto Thee except it be given him from above, then those to whom the Father giveth not are free from any blame or charges.” These are mere words and pretenses. For we require our own deliberate choice also, because whether we will be taught is a matter of choice, and also whether we will believe. And in this place, by the “which the Father giveth Me,” He declareth nothing else than that “the believing on Me is no ordinary thing, nor one that cometh of human reasonings, but needeth a revelation from above, and a well-ordered soul to receive that revelation.” And the, “He that cometh to Me shall be saved,” meaneth that he shall be greatly cared for. “For on account of these,” He saith, “I came, and took upon Me the flesh, and entered into1268   ὑ πῆλθον the form of a servant.” Then He addeth;

Ver. 38. “I came down from heaven not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me.”

What sayest Thou? Why, is Thy will one, and His another? That none may suspect this, He explaineth it by what follows, saying;

Ver. 40. “And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life.”

Is not then this Thy will? And how sayest Thou, “I am come to send fire upon the earth, and what have I desired to see,1269   S. C. here instead of τί θέλω ; reads τί ἤθελον ἰδεῖν if that be already kindled”? ( Luke xii. 49.) For if Thou also desirest this, it is very clear that Thy will and the Father’s is one. In another place also He saith, “For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom He will.” ( c. v. 21.) But what is the will of the Father? Is it not, that not so much as one of them should perish? This Thou willest also. ( Matt. xviii. 14.) So that the will of the One differeth not from the will of the Other. So1270   In place of the passage which follows, Savile notices in the margin another reading: “Besides at a later time He said, (Luke xiii. 34 ,) ‘ How often would I have gathered thy children together, and ye would not! ’ what is it then that He saith? Nothing else but,” &c. in another place He is seen establishing yet more firmly His equality with the Father, saying, “I and My Father ‘will come, and will make Our abode with him.’” ( c. xiv. 23.) What He saith then is this; “I came not to do anything other than that which the Father willeth, I have no will of Mine own different from that of the Father, for all that is the Father’s is Mine, and all that is Mine is the Father’s.” If now the things of the Father and the Son are in common, He saith with reason, “Not that I might do Mine own will.” But here He speaketh not so, but reserveth this for the end. For, as I have said, He concealeth and veileth for a while high matters, and desireth to prove that had He even said, “This is My will,” they would have despised Him. He therefore saith, that “I co-operate with that Will,” desiring thus to startle them more; as though He had said, “What think ye? Do ye anger Me by your disbelief? Nay, ye provoke My Father.” “For this is the will of Him that sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing.” ( Ver. 39.) Here He showeth that He needeth not their service, that He came not for His own advantage,1271   al. “ministering.” but for their salvation; and not to get honor from them. Which indeed He declared in a former address, saying, “I receive not honor from men” ( c. v. 41 ); and again, “These things I say that ye may be saved.” ( c. v. 34.) Since He everywhere laboreth to persuade1272   al. “show.” them that He came for their salvation. And He saith, that He obtaineth honor to the Father, in order that He may not be suspected by them. And that it is for this reason He thus speaketh, He hath more clearly revealed by what follows. For He saith, “He that seeketh his own will1273   “that speaketh of himself,” N.T. seeketh his own glory; but He that seeketh His glory that sent Him is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.” ( c. vii. 18.) “And this is the will of the Father, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life.” ( Ver. 40.)

“And I will raise him up at the last day.” Why doth He continually dwell upon the Resurrection? Is it that men may not judge of God’s providence by present things alone; that if they enjoy not results1274   ἀ πολαύωσι here, they become not on that account desponding, but wait for the things that are to come, and that they may not, because their sins are not punished for the present, despise Him, but look for another life.

Now those men gained nothing, but let us take pains to gain by having the Resurrection continually sounded in our ears; and if we desire to be grasping, or to steal, or to do any wrong thing, let us straightway take into our thoughts that Day, let us picture to ourselves the Judgment-seat, for such reflections will check the evil impulse more strongly than any bit. Let us continually say to others,1275   al. “one to another.” and to ourselves, “There is a resurrection, and a fearful tribunal awaiteth us.” If we see any man insolent and puffed up with the good things of his world, let us make the same remark to him, and show him that all those things abide here: and if we observe another grieving and impatient, let us say the same to him, and point out to him that his sorrows shall have an end; if we see one careless and dissipated,1276   διακεχυμένον let us say the same charm over him, and show that for his carelessness he must render account. This saying is able more than any other remedy to heal our souls. For there is a Resurrection, and that Resurrection is at our doors, not afar off, nor at a distance. “For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” ( Heb. x. 37.) And again, “We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ” ( 2 Cor. v. 10 ); that is, both bad and good, the one to be shamed in sight of all, the other in sight of all to be made more glorious. For as they who judge here punish the wicked and honor the good publicly, so too will it be there, that the one sort may have the greater shame, and the other more conspicuous glory. Let us picture these things to ourselves every day. If we are ever revolving them, no care for present things will be able to sting us. 1277   al. “none of the things present and perishable will be able to occupy us.” “For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” ( 2 Cor. iv. 18.) Continually let us say to ourselves and to others,1278   al. “one to another.” “There is a Resurrection, and a Judgment, and a scrutiny of our actions”; and let as many as deem that there is such a thing as fate repeat this, and they shall straightway be delivered from the rottenness of their malady; for if there is a Resurrection, and a Judgment, there is no fate, though they bring ten thousand arguments, and choke themselves to prove it. But I am ashamed to be teaching Christians concerning the Resurrection: for he that needeth to learn that there is a Resurrection, and who hath not firmly persuaded himself that the affairs of this world go not on by fate, and without design, and as chance will have them, can be no Christian. Wherefore, I exhort and beseech you, that we cleanse ourselves from all wickedness, and do all in our power to obtain pardon and excuse in that Day.

Perhaps some one will say, “When will be the consummation? When will be the Resurrection? See how long a time hath gone by, and nothing of the kind hath come to pass?” Yet it shall be, be sure. For those before the flood spake after this manner, and mocked at Noah, but the flood came and swept away1279   al. “seized.” all those unbelievers, but preserved him1280   al. “him only.” who believed. And the men of Lot’s time expected not that stroke from God, until those lightnings and thunderbolts came down and destroyed them all utterly. Neither in the case of these men, nor of those who lived in the time of Noah, was there any preamble1281   προοίμιον to what was about to happen, but when they were all living daintily, and drinking, and mad with wine, then came these intolerable calamities upon them. So also shall the Resurrection be; not with any preamble, but while we are in the midst of good times.1282   lit. “fair weather.” Wherefore Paul saith, “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.” ( 1 Thess. v. 3.) God hath so ordered this, that we may be always struggling, and be not confident even in time of safety. What sayest thou? Dost thou not expect that there will be a Resurrection and a Judgment? The devils confess these, and art thou shameless?1283   al. “dost thou not confess?” “Art Thou come,” they say, “to torment us before the time?” ( Matt. viii. 29 ); now they who say that there will be “torment;” are aware of the Judgment, and the reckoning, and the vengeance. Let us not then besides daring evil deeds, anger God by disbelieving the word of the Resurrection. For as in other things Christ hath been our beginning, so also hath He in this; wherefore He is called “the first-born from the dead.” ( Col. i. 18.) Now if there were no Resurrection, how could He be “the first-born,” when no one of “the dead” was to follow Him? If there were no Resurrection, how would the justice of God be preserved, when so many evil men prosper, and so many good men are afflicted and die in their affliction? Where shall each of these obtain his deserts, if so be that there is no Resurrection? No one of those who have lived aright disbelieves the Resurrection, but every day they pray and repeat that holy sentence, “Thy Kingdom come.” Who then are they that disbelieve the Resurrection? They who have unholy ways and an unclean life: as the Prophet saith, “His ways are always polluted. Thy judgments are far above out of his sight.” ( Ps. x. 5.) For a man cannot possibly live a pure life without believing in the Resurrection; since they who are conscious of no iniquity both speak of, and wish for, and believe in it, that they may receive their recompense. Let us not then anger Him, but hear Him when He saith, “Fear Him which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell” ( Matt. x. 28 ); that by that fear we may become better, and being delivered from that perdition, may be deemed worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven. Which may we all attain to, 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, now and ever and to the endless ages of eternity. Amen.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΜΕʹ. Εἶπον οὖν πρὸς αὐτόν: «Τί ποιῶμεν ἵνα ἐργαζώ μεθα τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Θεοῦ;» Εἶπεν οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς: «Τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ ἔργον τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἵνα πιστεύσητε εἰς ὃν ἀπέστειλεν ἐκεῖνος.» Εἶπον οὖν αὐτῷ: «Τί οὖν ποιεῖς σημεῖον, ἵνα ἴδωμεν καὶ πιστεύσωμέν σοι; Τί ἐργάζῃ;» αʹ. Οὐδὲν γαστριμαργίας χεῖρον, οὐδὲν αἰσχρότερον. Τοῦτο παχεῖαν ποιεῖ διάνοιαν, τοῦτο σαρκικὴν ποιεῖ ψυχὴν, τοῦτο πηροῖ, καὶ διαβλέπειν οὐκ ἀφίησιν. Ὅρα γοῦν καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν Ἰουδαίων τοῦτο γινόμενον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πρὸς γαστριμαργίαν κεχήνασι, καὶ ὅλοι τῶν βιωτικῶν ἦσαν, καὶ οὐδὲν ἐνενόουν πνευματικὸν, μυρίοις αὐτοὺς λόγοις ἐνάγει ὁ Χριστὸς καὶ κέντρον ἔχουσι καὶ φειδώ: καὶ οὐδὲ οὕτως ἀνίστανται, ἀλλ' ἔτι κάτω μένουσι κείμενοι. Σκόπει γάρ. Εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Ζητεῖτέ με, οὐχ ὅτι εἴδετε σημεῖα, ἀλλ' ὅτι ἐφάγετε ἐκ τῶν ἄρτων, καὶ ἐχορτάσθητε. Ἔπληξε διὰ τοῦ ἐλέγχου: ἔδειξεν ὁποίαν δεῖ ζητεῖν τροφὴν, εἰπών: Ἐργάζεσθε μὴ τὴν βρῶσιν τὴν ἀπολλυμένην: ἔθηκεν αὐτοῖς τὸ ἔπαθλον, εἰπών: Ἀλλὰ τὴν μένουσαν εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον: ἔπειτα τὸ προσιστάμενον αὐτοῖς ἐθεράπευσεν, εἰπὼν ἀπὸ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἀπεστάλθαι. Τί οὖν ἐκεῖνοι; Ὥσπερ οὐδὲν ἀκηκοότες, Τί οὖν ποιῶμεν, φασὶν, ἵνα ἐργαζώμεθα τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Θεοῦ; Ταῦτα δὲ ἔλεγον, οὐχ ὥστε μαθεῖν καὶ πρᾶξαι (καὶ δείκνυσι τὰ ἑξῆς), ἀλλὰ πάλιν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν τῆς τροφῆς χορηγίαν ἄγοντες, καὶ εἰς τὸ κορέσαι αὐτοὺς προκαλέσαι ἐθέλοντες. Τί οὖν ὁ Χριστός; Τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ ἔργον τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἵνα πιστεύσητε εἰς ὃν ἀπέστειλεν ἐκεῖνος. Οἱ δὲ εἶπον: Τί σημεῖον ποιεῖς, ἵνα ἴδωμεν καὶ πιστεύσωμεν; Οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν ἔφαγον τὸ μάννα ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ. Οὐδὲν τούτων ἀναισθητότερον, οὐδὲν ἀλογώτερον. Τοῦ σημείου ὄντος ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτῶν ἔτι, ὡς οὐδενὸς γεγονότος, οὕτως ἔλεγον, Τί σημεῖον ποιεῖς; καὶ εἰπόντες, οὐδὲ αὐτῆς τῆς αἱρέσεως τοῦ σημείου κύριον ἀφιᾶσιν εἶναι, ἀλλ' εἰς ἀνάγκην αὐτὸν οἴονται μεθιστᾷν τοῦ μηδὲν ἕτερον ποιῆσαι, ἀλλ' ἢ τοιοῦτον, οἷον ἐγένετο ἐπὶ τῶν προγόνων. Διὸ δὴ καὶ λέγουσιν: Οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν ἔφαγον τὸ μάννα ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ: διὰ τούτου νομίζοντες αὐτὸν ἐρεθίζειν, ὥστε τοιοῦτον ποιῆσαι σημεῖον, ὅπερ αὐτοὺς θρέψαι δύναται σαρκικῶς. Διατί γὰρ οὐδενὸς ἑτέρου τῶν προτέρων σημείων ἐμνημόνευσαν, καίτοι γε πολλῶν γενομένων τότε, καὶ κατ' Αἴγυπτον καὶ κατὰ τὴν θάλατταν καὶ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ἀλλὰ τοῦ μάννα; ἆρ' οὐ διότι σφόδρα αὐτοῦ ἐπεθύμουν διὰ τὴν τῆς γαστρὸς τυραννίδα; Πῶς δὲ οἱ προφήτην αὐτὸν λέγοντες καὶ βασιλέα ἐπιχειροῦντες ποιεῖν, ἐπειδὴ τὸ σημεῖον εἴδετε, νῦν ὡς οὐδενὸς γενομένου ἀχάριστοι καὶ ἀγνώμονες γεγόνατε, καὶ σημεῖον αἰτεῖτε, παρασίτων καὶ κυνῶν λιμωττόντων ῥήματα ἀφιέντες; νῦν τὸ μάννα θαυμαστὸν ὑμῖν, ὅτε ἡ ψυχὴ ὑμῶν κατάξηρος; Καὶ ὅρα εἰρωνείαν. Οὐκ εἶπον, ὅτι Μωϋσῆς τόδε ἐποίησε τὸ σημεῖον, σὺ τί ποιεῖς; νομίζοντες πλήττειν αὐτόν: ἀλλὰ τέως αὐτῷ μετὰ πολλῆς διαλέγονται τῆς τιμῆς, προσδοκίᾳ τῆς τροφῆς. Ἄλλως δὲ οὔτε τοῦτο λέγουσιν, ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς τόδε ἐποίησε: Σὺ τί ποιεῖς; ἵνα μὴ δόξωσιν αὐτὸν ἐξισοῦν τῷ Θεῷ: οὔτε Μωϋσέα παράγουσιν, ἵνα μὴ δόξωσιν αὐτὸν ταπεινοῦν: ἀλλὰ μέσον αὐτὸ τεθείκασι, λέγοντες: Οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν ἔφαγον τὸ μάννα ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ. Καὶ ἐνῆν μὲν εἰπεῖν, ὅτι Μωϋσέως μείζονα ἐθαυματούργησα νῦν, οὐ ῥάβδου δεηθεὶς, οὐκ εὐχῆς χρείαν ἐσχηκὼς, ἀλλὰ πάντα ποιήσας ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ: εἰ δὲ καὶ τοῦ μάννα μέμνησθε, ἰδοὺ καὶ ἄρτον ὑμῖν παρέσχον. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἦν ὁ καιρὸς τούτων τῶν λόγων νῦν, ἀλλ' ἓν ἦν τὸ σπουδαζόμενον, ἐπὶ τὴν πνευματικὴν αὐτοὺς ἀγαγεῖν τροφήν. Καὶ ὅρα τὴν ἄπειρον σύνεσιν, πῶς ἀποκρίνεται: Οὐ Μωϋσῆς ἔδωκεν ὑμῖν τὸν ἄρτον ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ἀλλ' ὁ Πατήρ μου δίδωσιν ὑμῖν τὸν ἄρτον ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τὸν ἀληθινόν. Τί δήποτε οὖν οὐκ εἶπεν, Οὐχ ὁ Μωϋσῆς δέδωκεν, ἀλλ' ἐγώ: ἀλλ' ἀντὶ μὲν Μωϋσέως τὸν Θεὸν, ἀντὶ δὲ τοῦ μάννα ἑαυτὸν τέθεικεν; Ὅτι πολλὴ ἦν τῶν ἀκουόντων ἡ ἀσθένεια: καὶ δῆλον ἐκ τῶν ἑξῆς. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ οὕτως εἰρηκὼς, οὐδὲ οὕτως αὐτοὺς κατέσχε, καίτοι γε ἀρχόμενος ἔλεγε, Ζητεῖτέ με, οὐχ ὅτι εἴδετε σημεῖα, ἀλλ' ὅτι ἐφάγετε ἐκ τῶν ἄρτων, καὶ ἐχορτάσθητε. Καὶ ὅτι ταῦτα ζητοῦσι, καὶ διὰ τῶν ἑξῆς αὐτοὺς διωρθώσατο, καὶ οὐδὲ οὕτως ἀφίστανται. Ἀλλ' οὐχ ὅτε τῇ Σαμαρείτιδι ὑπισχνεῖτο δώσειν τὸ ὕδωρ, ἐμνημόνευσε τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἀλλ' οὕτω πως εἶπεν: Εἰ ᾔδεις τίς ἐστιν ὁ λέγων σοι, Δός μοι πιεῖν, σὺ ἂν ᾔτησας αὐτὸν, καὶ ἔδωκεν ἄν σοι ὕδωρ ζῶν: καὶ πάλιν, Τὸ ὕδωρ ὃ ἐγὼ δώσω: καὶ οὐ παραπέμπει πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ τοῦ Πατρὸς μέμνηται, ἵνα μάθῃς πόση μὲν τῆς Σαμαρείτιδος ἡ πίστις, πόση δὲ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἡ ἀσθένεια. Οὐκ ἄρα ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἦν τὸ μάννα: πῶς οὖν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ λέγεται; Ὥσπερ Πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, φησὶν ἡ Γραφή: καὶ πάλιν, Καὶ ἐβρόντησεν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ὁ Κύριος. Ἄρτον δὲ ἀληθινὸν καλεῖ ἐκεῖνον, οὐκ ἐπειδὴ ψευδὲς ἦν τὸ θαῦμα τὸ ἐπὶ τοῦ μάννα, ἀλλ' ὅτι τύπος ἦν, οὐκ αὐτοαλήθεια. Μνησθεὶς δὲ Μωϋσέως, οὐχ ἑαυτὸν ἀντέθηκεν ἐκείνῳ: οὔπω γὰρ αὐτὸν προετίμων Μωϋσέως, ἀλλ' ἔτι περὶ ἐκείνου μείζονα δόξαν εἶχον. Διὰ τοῦτο εἰπὼν, Οὐ Μωϋσῆς δέδωκεν, οὐκ ἐπήγαγεν, ὅτι Ἐγὼ δίδωμι, ἀλλ' ἀντ' αὐτοῦ τὸν Πατέρα φησὶ διδόναι. Οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες, λέγουσι πάλιν, Δὸς ἡμῖν τὸν ἄρτον τοῦτον φαγεῖν. Ἔτι γὰρ αἰσθητόν τι πρᾶγμα ἐνόμιζον εἶναι, ἔτι γαστρὸς ἀπολαύειν προσεδόκων: διὸ καὶ ταχέως προσέδραμον. Τί οὖν ὁ Χριστός; Ἀνάγων αὐτοὺς κατὰ μικρὸν, ἐπάγει. Ὁ ἄρτος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν ὁ καταβαίνων ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ζωὴν διδοὺς τῷ κόσμῳ: οὐκ Ἰουδαίοις μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάσῃ τῇ οἰκουμένῃ, φησί. Διὸ καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν ἁπλῶς τροφὴν, ἀλλὰ ζωὴν ἑτέραν τινὰ καὶ ἐνηλλαγμένην, ὥστε δηλῶσαι, ἐπειδὴ ἅπαντες ἦσαν νενεκρωμένοι. Οἱ δὲ ἔτι κάτω νεύουσι καὶ λέγουσι: Δὸς ὑμῖν τὸν ἄρτον τοῦτον. Ἐλέγχων δὲ αὐτοὺς, ὅτι ἕως μὲν αἰσθητὴν ὑπώπτευον εἶναι τὴν τράπεζαν, ἐπέτρεχον: ὅταν δὲ ἔμαθον, ὅτι πνευματική τίς ἐστιν, οὐκ ἔτι, λέγει πάλιν: Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἄρτος τῆς ζωῆς: ὁ ἐρχόμενος πρός με, οὐ μὴ πεινάσει: καὶ ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ, οὐ μὴ διψήσει πώποτε. Ἀλλ' εἶπον ὑμῖν, ὅτι καὶ ἑωράκατέ με, καὶ οὐ πιστεύετέ μοι. βʹ. Οὕτω καὶ Ἰωάννης φθέγγεται ἄνωθεν προλαβών: Ὃ οἶδε λαλεῖ, καὶ ὃ ἑώρακε μαρτυρεῖ, καὶ τὴν μαρτυρίαν αὐτοῦ οὐδεὶς λαμβάνει. Καὶ πάλιν ὁ Χριστός: Ὃ οἴδαμεν λαλοῦμεν, καὶ ὃ ἑωράκαμεν μαρτυροῦμεν, καὶ τὴν μαρτυρίαν ἡμῶν οὐ λαμβάνετε. Τοῦτο δὲ ποιεῖ, προλαμβάνων αὐτοὺς, καὶ δεικνὺς ὅτι οὐ ταράττει τὸ πρᾶγμα αὐτὸν, οὐδὲ δόξης ἐφίεται, οὐδὲ ἀγνοεῖ τὰ ἀπόῤῥητα τῆς διανοίας αὐτῶν, οὔτε τὰ παρόντα, οὔτε τὰ μέλλοντα. Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἄρτος τῆς ζωῆς. Μέλλει λοιπὸν εἰς τὴν τῶν μυστηρίων ἐμβαλεῖν παράδοσιν. Καὶ πρῶτον περὶ τῆς θεότητος αὐτοῦ διαλέγεται λέγων. Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἄρτος τῆς ζωῆς. Οὐδὲ γὰρ περὶ τοῦ σώματος τοῦτο εἴρηται (περὶ γὰρ ἐκείνου πρὸς τῷ τέλει λέγει: Καὶ ὁ ἄρτος δὲ, ὃν ἐγὼ δώσω, ἡ σάρξ μου ἐστίν): ἀλλὰ τέως περὶ τῆς θεότητος. Καὶ γὰρ ἐκείνη διὰ τὸν Θεὸν Λόγον ἄρτος ἐστίν: ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ οὗτος ὁ ἄρτος διὰ τὸ ἐπιφοιτῶν αὐτῷ Πνεῦμα ἄρτος οὐράνιος γίνεται. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ οὐ κέχρηται μάρτυσι, καθάπερ ἐπὶ τῆς προτέρας δημηγορίας: εἶχε γὰρ αὐτὸ μαρτυροῦν τὸ ἔργον τῶν ἄρτων, καὶ τέως ὑποκρινομένους αὐτῷ πείθεσθαι. Ἐκεῖ δὲ ἀντέλεγον καὶ ἐνεκάλουν: διὰ τοῦτο ἐνταῦθα καὶ ἀποφαίνεται. Οἱ δὲ ἐπειδὴ προσεδόκων ἑστιάσεως ἀπολαύσεσθαι σαρκικῆς, μένουσι, καὶ οὐ ταράττονται, ἕως ὅτε μετὰ ταῦτα ἀπέγνωσαν τῆς ἐλπίδος. Πλὴν οὐδὲ οὕτως ἐσίγησεν ὁ Χριστὸς, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλὰ ἐντρεπτικὰ λέγει. Οἱ δὲ, ἡνίκα ἤσθιον, προφήτην αὐτὸν λέγοντες, ἐνταῦθα σκανδαλίζονται, καὶ τοῦ τέκτονος καλοῦσι υἱόν: ἀλλ' οὐχ ὅτε τοὺς ἄρτους ἤσθιον, ἀλλ', Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ προφήτης, ἔλεγον, καὶ ἤθελον αὐτὸν ποιῆσαι βασιλέα. Ἐδόκουν μὲν οὖν ἀγανακτεῖν, ἐπὶ τῷ λέγειν αὐτὸν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβεβηκέναι: τὸ δὲ ἀληθὲς, οὐ τοῦτο ἦν τὸ ποιοῦν τὴν ἀγανάκτησιν, ἀλλὰ τὸ μὴ προσδοκᾷν ἀπολαύσεσθαι τραπέζης σωματικῆς. Ἐπεὶ εἰ ὄντως ἠγανάκτουν, ἐχρῆν ἐρωτᾷν καὶ πυνθάνεσθαι, πῶς ἄρτος ζωῆς ἐστι, πῶς ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβέβηκε: νῦν δὲ τοῦτο μὲν οὐ ποιοῦσι, γογγύζουσι δέ. Καὶ ὅτι οὐ τοῦτο αὐτοὺς ἐσκανδάλιζε, δῆλον ἐκεῖθεν. Εἰπόντος γὰρ ὅτι Ὁ Πατήρ μου δίδωσιν ὑμῖν τὸν ἄρτον, οὐκ εἶπον, Παρακάλεσον ἵνα δῷ: ἀλλὰ τί; Δὸς ἡμῖν τὸν ἄρτον. Καίτοι οὐκ εἶπεν, ὅτι Ἐγὼ δίδωμι, ἀλλ', ὅτι Ὁ Πατήρ μου δίδωσιν. Οἱ δὲ ἐπιθυμίᾳ τῆς τροφῆς καὶ αὐτὸν ἀξιόπιστον εἶναι ἐνόμισαν πρὸς τὴν χορηγίαν. Οἱ τοίνυν ἀξιόπιστον εἶναι νομίσαντες πρὸς τὸ δοῦναι, πῶς ἔμελλον μετὰ ταῦτα σκανδαλίζεσθαι, καὶ ταῦτα ἀκούσαντες ὅτι Ὁ Πατὴρ δίδωσι; Τί οὖν ἐστι τὸ αἴτιον; Ἐπειδὴ ἤκουσαν ὅτι φαγεῖν οὐκ ἔνι, πάλιν ἠπίστησαν, καὶ προβάλλονται δῆθεν τῆς ἀπιστίας προκάλυμμα τὸ ὑψηλὸν εἶναι τὸν λόγον. Διὰ τοῦτό φησι, Καὶ ἑωράκατέ με, καὶ οὐ πιστεύετε: τούτῳ μὲν τὰ σημεῖα αἰνιττόμενος, τούτῳ δὲ τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν Γραφῶν μαρτυρίαν. Ἐκεῖναι γάρ εἰσι, φησὶν, αἱ μαρτυροῦσαι περὶ ἐμοῦ: καὶ, Ὅτι ἦλθον ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Πατρός μου, καὶ οὐ λαμβάνετέ με: καὶ, Πῶς δύνασθε πιστεύειν, δόξαν παρὰ ἀλλήλων λαμβάνοντες; Πᾶν ὃ δίδωσί μοι ὁ Πατὴρ, πρὸς ἐμὲ ἥξει, καὶ τὸν ἐρχόμενον πρός με, οὐ μὴ ἐκβάλω ἔξω. Ὅρα πῶς πάντα ποιεῖ διὰ τοὺς σωζομένους. Διὰ δὴ τοῦτο καὶ ἐπήγαγεν, ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ περιεργάζεσθαι, καὶ εἰκῆ ταῦτα λέγειν. Τί δέ ἐστιν ὅ φησι; Πᾶν ὃ δίδωσί μοι ὁ Πατὴρ, πρὸς ἐμὲ ἥξει, καὶ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ. Τίνος δὲ ἕνεκεν καὶ τῆς κοινῆς ἀναστάσεως, ἧς καὶ ἀσεβεῖς μετέχουσιν, ὡς ἐξαιρέτου δώρου μέμνηται τῶν πιστευόντων εἰς αὐτόν; Ὅτι οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἀναστάσεως μέμνηται, ἀλλὰ τῆς τοιᾶσδε ἀναστάσεως. Πρότερον γὰρ εἰπὼν, Οὐ μὴ ἐκβάλω αὐτὸν, καὶ, Οὐ μὴ ἀπολέσω ἐξ αὐτοῦ, τότε εἶπε τὴν ἀνάστασιν. Ἐν γὰρ τῇ ἀναστάσει οἱ μὲν ἐκβάλλονται, ὡς ἔστι μαθεῖν ἐκ τοῦ, Ἄρατε αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐκβάλετε αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ σκότος τὸ ἐξώτερον: οἱ δὲ ἀπόλλυνται, ὡς καὶ αὐτὸ δείκνυται ἐκ τοῦ, Φοβήθητε δὲ μᾶλλον τὸν δυνάμενον καὶ ψυχὴν καὶ σῶμα ἐν γεέννῃ ἀπολέσαι. Ὥστε τὸ, Ζωὴν αἰώνιον δίδωμι, τοῦτο δηλοῖ: Ἐκπορεύσονται γὰρ οἱ μὲν τὰ φαῦλα πράξαντες εἰς ἀνάστασιν κρίσεως, οἱ δὲ τὰ ἀγαθὰ, εἰς ἀνάστασιν ζωῆς. Ταύτην τοίνυν τὴν ἀνάστασιν ἐδήλωσεν ἐνταῦθα τὴν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς. Τί δὲ βούλεται δεῖξαι διὰ τοῦ λέγειν. Πᾶν ὃ δίδωσί μοι ὁ Πατὴρ, πρὸς ἐμὲ ἥξει; Καθάπτεται τῆς ἀπιστίας αὐτῶν, καὶ δείκνυσιν ὅτι ὁ μὴ πιστεύων αὐτῷ, τὸ θέλημα παραβαίνει τοῦ Πατρός. Καὶ οὕτω μὲν αὐτὸ γυμνῶς οὐ φησὶν, ὑφειμένως δέ: καὶ πανταχοῦ τοῦτο ποιοῦντα ὄψει αὐτὸν, θέλοντα δεῖξαι καὶ τῷ Πατρὶ προσκεκρουκότας τοὺς ἀπιστοῦντας, οὐκ αὐτῷ μόνῳ. Εἰ γὰρ θέλημα αὐτοῦ τοῦτό ἐστι, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἦλθεν, ἵνα σώσῃ πάντα τὸν κόσμον, οἱ μὴ πιστεύοντες, τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ παραβαίνουσιν. Ὅταν οὖν, φησὶν, ὁ Πατὴρ ὁδηγῇ τινα, οὐδέν ἐστι τὸ κωλύον αὐτὸν ἐλθεῖν πρός με. Τοῦτο καὶ προϊὼν λέγει, Οὐδεὶς δύναται ἐλθεῖν πρός με, ἐὰν μὴ ὁ Πατὴρ ἑλκύσῃ αὐτόν. Ὁ δὲ Παῦλος εἶπεν, ὅτι αὐτὸς παραδίδωσιν αὐτοὺς τῷ Πατρί: Ὅταν γὰρ παραδῷ τὴν βασιλείαν τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρί. Ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ διδοὺς ὁ Πατὴρ, οὐκ ἀποστερῶν ἑαυτὸν πρότερον τοῦτο ποιεῖ: οὕτω καὶ παραδιδοὺς ὁ Υἱὸς, οὐκ ἐκβάλλων ἑαυτὸν τοῦτο ποιεῖ. Λέγεται δὲ παραδιδόναι, ὅτι δι' αὐτοῦ τὴν προσαγωγὴν ἐσχήκαμεν. γʹ. Τὸ δὲ, Δι' οὗ, τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Πατρὸς εἴρηται, ὥσπερ ὅταν λέγῃ: Δι' οὗ ἐκλήθητε εἰς κοινωνίαν τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ: τουτέστι, διὰ τοῦ θελήματος τοῦ Πατρός: καὶ πάλιν, Μακάριος εἶ, Σίμων Βὰρ Ἰωνᾶ, ὅτι σὰρξ καὶ αἷμα οὐκ ἀπεκάλυψέ σοι. Ὃ δὲ αἰνίττεται ἐνταῦθα, μονονουχὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν: Οὐ τὸ τυχὸν πρᾶγμα ἡ πίστις ἡ εἰς ἐμὲ, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἄνωθεν δεῖται ῥοπῆς. Καὶ τοῦτο δι' ὅλου κατασκευάζει τοῦ λόγου, δεικνὺς ὅτι ψυχῆς γενναίας τινὸς ὄντως καὶ τῆς παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐφελκομένης αὕτη δεῖται ἡ πίστις. Ἀλλ' ἴσως ἐρεῖ τίς: Εἰ πᾶν ὃ δίδωσιν ὁ Πατὴρ, ἔρχεται πρὸς σὲ, καὶ οὓς ἂν ἑλκύσῃ, καὶ οὐδεὶς δύναται ἐλθεῖν πρὸς σὲ, ἐὰν μὴ ᾖ δεδομένον αὐτῷ ἄνωθεν, πάσης αἰτίας εἰσὶν καὶ ἐγκλημάτων ἀπηλλαγμένοι οἷς οὐ δίδωσιν ὁ Πατήρ. Λόγοι ταῦτα ψιλοὶ καὶ πρόφασις: Δεόμεθα γὰρ καὶ τῆς οἴκοθεν προαιρέσεως: τὸ γὰρ διδάσκεσθαι, προαιρέσεώς ἐστι, καὶ τὸ πιστεύειν. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ οὐδὲν ἄλλο ἐμφαίνει διὰ τοῦ, Ὃ δίδωσί μοι ὁ Πατὴρ, ἀλλ' ἢ ὅτι Οὐ τὸ τυχὸν πρᾶγμά ἐστι τὸ πιστεῦσαι εἰς ἐμὲ, οὐδὲ λογισμῶν ἀνθρωπίνων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ἄνωθεν ἀποκαλύψεως δεῖ, καὶ ψυχῆς εὐγνωμόνως δεχομένης τὴν ἀποκάλυψιν. Καὶ τὸ, Ὁ ἐρχόμενος δὲ πρός με, σωθήσεται, τοῦτο δηλοῖ: Ἐπιμελείας ἀπολαύσεται πολλῆς. Ὑπὲρ γὰρ τούτων καὶ παρεγενόμην, φησὶ, καὶ σάρκα ἀνέλαβον, καὶ τὴν τοῦ δούλου μορφὴν ὑπῆλθον. Εἶτα ἐπήγαγε, Κατέβην, οὐχ ἵνα τὸ ἐμὸν θέλημα ποιῶ, ἀλλὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με. Τί λέγεις; ἕτερον γὰρ τὸ σὸν, καὶ ἕτερον τὸ ἐκείνου; Ἵνα οὖν μὴ τοῦτό τις ὑποπτεύσῃ, τῇ ἐπαγωγῇ θεραπεύει αὐτὸ, λέγων: Τοῦτο δέ ἐστι τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ θεωρῶν τὸν Υἱὸν, καὶ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν, ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον. Τοῦτο οὖν οὐκ ἔστι σὸν θέλημα; Καὶ πῶς οὖν ἀλλαχοῦ λέγεις: Πῦρ ἦλθον βαλεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ τί ἤθελον, εἰ ἤδη ἀνήφθη; Εἰ δὲ καὶ σὺ τοῦτο θέλεις, εὔδηλον ὅτι ἓν θέλημα: καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ φησιν: Ὥσπερ ὁ Πατὴρ ἐγείρει τοὺς νεκροὺς καὶ ζωοποιεῖ, οὕτω καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς οὓς θέλει ζωοποιεῖ. Τί οὖν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Πατρός; ἆρ' οὐχ ἵνα μὴ ἀπόληται ἐξ αὐτῶν μηδὲ εἷς; Τοῦτο δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς θέλεις. Οὐ τοίνυν ἕτερον μὲν ἐκεῖνο, ἕτερον δὲ τοῦτο. Οὕτω καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ φαίνεται τὸ πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα ἴσον ἔτι βεβαιότερον παριστῶν τῷ λέγειν: Ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἐλευσόμεθα, καὶ μονὴν παρ' αὐτῷ ποιήσομεν. Ὃ οὖν λέγει, τοῦτό ἐστιν: Οὐκ ἄλλο τι πράξων ἦλθον, ἢ τοῦτο ὅπερ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ βούλεται: οὐκ ἴδιόν τι ἐμὸν παρὰ τὸ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἔχων θέλημα: πάντα γὰρ τὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐμά ἐστι, καὶ τὰ ἐμὰ ἐκείνου. Εἰ τοίνυν κοινὰ τὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, εἰκότως φησίν: Οὐχ ἵνα τὸ ἐμὸν θέλημα ποιῶ. Ἀλλ' οὕτω μὲν ἐνταῦθα οὐκ εἶπεν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τῷ τέλει τοῦτο τηρεῖ. Τὰ γὰρ ὑψηλὰ, ὅπερ ἔφην, τέως ἐγκρύπτει, καὶ συσκιάζει, καὶ βούλεται δεῖξαι ὅτι εἰ εἶπεν, ὅτι Τὸ θέλημα τὸ ἐμὸν τοῦτό ἐστι, κατεφρόνησαν ἄν. Λέγει τοίνυν, ὅτι Καὶ ἐγὼ ἐκείνῳ συμπράττω τῷ θελήματι, βουλόμενος αὐτοὺς μᾶλλον πλῆξαι, ὡσανεὶ ἔλεγε: Τί νομίζετε; ὅτι ἐμὲ παροργίζετε ἀπιστοῦντες; Τὸν Πατέρα μὲν οὖν τὸν ἐμὸν παροξύνετε: Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με, ἵνα πᾶν ὃ δέδωκέ μοι, μὴ ἀπολέσω ἐξ αὐτοῦ. Δείκνυσιν ἐνταῦθα οὐκ αὐτὸν δεόμενον τῆς αὐτῶν θεραπείας, οὐδὲ δι' οἰκείαν χρείαν παραγενόμενον, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν ἐκείνων σωτηρίαν, οὐ διὰ τὴν παρ' αὐτῶν τιμήν. Ὅπερ καὶ ἐν τῇ προτέρᾳ δημηγορίᾳ φησὶν, ὅτι Δόξαν παρὰ ἀνθρώπων οὐ λαμβάνω: καὶ πάλιν: Ταῦτα λέγω, ἵνα ὑμεῖς σωθῆτε. Ἄνω γὰρ καὶ κάτω τοῦτο σπουδάζει δεῖξαι, ὅτι διὰ τὴν ἐκείνων σωτηρίαν παρεγένετο. Λέγει δὲ καὶ τῷ Πατρὶ δόξαν παρασκευάζειν, ὥστε ἀνύποπτος δόξαι. Καὶ ὅτι διὰ τοῦτο οὕτως εἶπε, διὰ τῶν ἑξῆς τοῦτο σαφέστερον ἀπεκάλυψεν. Ὁ γὰρ ζητῶν, φησὶ, τὸ θέλημα τὸ ἑαυτοῦ, τὴν δόξαν τὴν ἰδίαν ζητεῖ: ὁ δὲ ζητῶν τὴν δόξαν τοῦ πέμψαντος αὐτὸν, ἀληθής ἐστι, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀδικία ἐν αὐτῷ. Τοῦτο δέ ἐστι τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ θεωρῶν τὸν Υἱὸν, καὶ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν, ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον, καὶ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ. Τί δήποτε συνεχῶς ἄνω καὶ κάτω στρέφει τὴν ἀνάστασιν; Ἵνα μὴ τοῖς παροῦσι πράγμασι κρίνωσι μόνον τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ πρόνοιαν: ἵνα κἂν ἐνταῦθα μὴ ἀπολαύωσι, μὴ διὰ τοῦτο ὑπτιώτεροι γένωνται, ἀλλὰ τὰ μέλλοντα ἐλπίζωσι, καὶ ἵνα μὴ διὰ τὸ μὴ κολάζεσθαι πρὸς τὸ παρὸν, αὐτοῦ καταφρονῶσιν, ἀλλ' ἑτέραν προσδοκῶσι ζωήν. δʹ. Ἀλλ' εἰ καὶ ἐκεῖνοι οὐδὲν ἐκέρδαναν, ἡμεῖς κερδᾶναι σπουδάσωμεν ἐκ τοῦ συνεχῶς περὶ ἀναστάσεως διαλέγεσθαι. Κἂν πλεονεκτῆσαι βουληθῶμεν, κἂν ἁρπάσαι, κἂν ἄτοπόν τι πρᾶξαι, εὐθέως τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην εἰς νοῦν λαμβάνωμεν, καὶ τὸ δικαστήριον ὑπογράφωμεν: καὶ παντὸς χαλινοῦ σφοδρότερον καθέξει τὴν ὁρμὴν τὴν ἄτοπον ὁ λογισμὸς οὗτος. Καὶ λέγωμεν πρὸς ἄλλους τε ἀεὶ καὶ πρὸς ἑαυτούς: ἀνάστασίς ἐστι, καὶ δικαστήριον ἡμᾶς μένει φοβερόν. Κἂν ἴδωμέν τινα γαυρούμενον, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς παροῦσιν ἀγαθοῖς φλεγμαίνοντα, τὸ αὐτὸ ἐπιλέγωμεν, ἐμφαίνοντες ὅτι πάντα ἐνταῦθα μένει: κἂν ἕτερον ἀλγοῦντα ἴδωμεν καὶ ἀποδυσπετοῦντα, καὶ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον τὸ αὐτὸ φθεγγώμεθα, δηλοῦντες ὅτι τέλος ἕξει τὰ λυπηρά. Κἂν ῥᾳθυμοῦντα καὶ διακεχυμένον, τὸ αὐτὸ πάλιν ἐπᾴδωμεν, δηλοῦντες ὅτι ἀνάγκη, τῆς ῥᾳθυμίας εὐθύνας διδόναι. Ἱκανὸν τοῦτο τὸ ῥῆμα παντὸς φαρμάκου μᾶλλον τὴν ἡμετέραν θεραπεῦσαι ψυχήν. Καὶ γάρ ἐστιν ἀνάστασις, καὶ ἀνάστασις ἐπὶ θύραις, οὐ μακρὰν οὐδὲ πόῤῥω. Ἔτι γὰρ μικρὸν, φησὶ Παῦλος, ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἥξει, καὶ οὐ χρονιεῖ: καὶ πάλιν, Πάντας ἡμᾶς φανερωθῆναι δεῖ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ βήματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ: τουτέστι, καὶ πονηροὺς καὶ ἀγαθοὺς, ἵνα κἀκεῖνοι ἐπὶ πάντων αἰσχύνωνται, καὶ οὗτοι πάλιν ἐπὶ πάντων λαμπρότεροι γένωνται. Καθάπερ γὰρ οἱ ἐνταῦθα δικάζοντες καὶ πονηροὺς κολάζουσι, καὶ ἀγαθοὺς τιμῶσι δημοσίᾳ: οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐκεῖ γίνεται: ὥστε τοῖς μὲν τὴν αἰσχύνην μείζω, τοῖς δὲ τὴν λαμπρότητα γενέσθαι περιφανεστέραν. Ταῦτα τοίνυν καθ' ἑκάστην ὑπογράφωμεν ἑαυτοῖς τὴν ἡμέραν. Ταῦτα ἂν ἀεὶ στρέφωμεν, οὐδὲν ἡμᾶς τῶν παρόντων καὶ ἐπικήρων κατασχεῖν δυνήσεται πραγμάτων. Τὰ γὰρ βλεπόμενα, πρόσκαιρα: τὰ δὲ μὴ βλεπόμενα, αἰώνια. Συνεχῶς τοίνυν καὶ πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς φθεγγώμεθα, καὶ πρὸς ἀλλήλους: Ἀνάστασίς ἐστι, καὶ κρίσις, καὶ εὐθῦναι τῶν πεπραγμένων. Καὶ ὅσοι νομίζουσιν εἱμαρμένην εἶναι, τοῦτο λεγέτωσαν, καὶ εὐθέως ἀπαλλαγήσονται τῆς σηπεδόνος τοῦ νοσήματος. Εἰ γὰρ ἀνάστασίς ἐστι καὶ κρίσις, οὐκ ἔστιν εἱμαρμένη, κἂν μυρία φιλονεικῶσι καὶ ἀποπνίγωνται. Ἀλλὰ γὰρ αἰσχύνομαι Χριστιανοὺς περὶ ἀναστάσεως διδάσκων. Ὁ γὰρ δεόμενος μαθεῖν ὅτι ἔστιν ἀνάστασις, καὶ μὴ σφόδρα πεπεικὼς ἑαυτὸν, ὅτι οὐκ ἀνάγκῃ, καὶ ἁπλῶς, καὶ ὡς ἔτυχε, τὰ πράγματα φέρεται, οὐκ ἂν εἴη Χριστιανός. Διὰ τοῦτο, παρακαλῶ καὶ δέομαι, πάντων τῶν πονηρῶν ἑαυτοὺς ἐκκαθάρωμεν, καὶ πάντα πράξωμεν, ὥστε συγγνώμης τυχεῖν καὶ ἀπολογίας κατὰ τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην. Ἀλλ' ἴσως ἐρεῖ τις: Καὶ πότε συντέλεια; πότε δὲ ἀνάστασις ἔσται; ἰδοὺ πόσος γέγονε χρόνος, καὶ οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον συνέβη; Ἀλλ' ἔσται, πιστεύσατε. Καὶ γὰρ οἱ πρὸ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ τοιαῦτα ἔλεγον, καὶ κατεγέλων τοῦ Νῶε: ἀλλ' ἦλθεν ὁ κατακλυσμὸς, καὶ παρέσυρε τούτους μὲν ἅπαντας ἀπιστοῦντας, ἐκεῖνον δὲ διέσωσε μόνον τὸν πιστεύσαντα. Καὶ οἱ ἐπὶ τοῦ Λὼτ οὐ προσεδόκων τὴν θεήλατον πληγὴν ἐκείνην, ἕως οἱ πρηστῆρες ἐκεῖνοι, καὶ κεραυνοὶ, κατενεχθέντες ἅπαντας ἠφάνισαν. Καὶ οὔτε ἐπὶ τούτων, οὔτε ἐπὶ τῶν κατὰ τὸν Νῶε ἐγένετο προοίμιον τῶν μελλόντων συμβήσεσθαι: ἀλλὰ τρυφώντων, μεθυόντων, ἐμπαροινούντων ἁπάντων, οὕτως ἐκεῖνα γέγονε τὰ ἀφόρητα. Οὕτω καὶ ἡ ἀνάστασις ἔσται, οὐ μετὰ προοιμίων τινῶν, ἀλλ' ἐν μέσαις ὄντων ἡμῶν εὐημερίαις. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Παῦλός φησιν: Ὅταν δὲ λέγωσιν, εἰρήνη καὶ ἀσφάλεια, τότε αἰφνίδιος αὐτοῖς ἐφίσταται ὄλεθρος, ὥσπερ ἡ ὠδὶν τῇ ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσῃ, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐκφύγωσι. Τοῦτο δὲ οὕτως ᾠκονόμησεν ὁ Θεὸς, ἵνα διὰ παντὸς ὦμεν ἐναγώνιοι, καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ἀσφαλείᾳ μὴ θαῤῥῶμεν. Τί λέγεις; οὐ προσδοκᾷς τὴν ἀνάστασιν ἔσεσθαι καὶ κρίσιν; δαίμονες ὁμολογοῦσι ταῦτα, καὶ σὺ οὐχ ὁμολογεῖς; Ἦλθες γὰρ, φησὶν, ὧδε πρὸ καιροῦ βασανίσαι ἡμᾶς. Οἱ δὲ βάσανον ἔσεσθαι λέγοντες, καὶ κρίσιν ἴσασι, καὶ εὐθύνας, καὶ τιμωρίας. Μὴ τοίνυν παροξύνωμεν τὸν Θεὸν πρὸς τὸ φαῦλα τολμᾷν, καὶ ἀπιστοῦντες τῷ τῆς ἀναστάσεως λόγῳ. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἦρξεν ἡμῶν ὁ Χριστὸς, οὕτω καὶ ἐν τούτῳ. Καὶ γὰρ πρωτότοκος διὰ τοῦτο λέγεται ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν. Εἰ δὲ μὴ ἀνάστασις ἦν, πῶς ἔμελλε πρωτότοκος ἔσεσθαι, μηδενὸς αὐτῷ τῶν νεκρῶν ἑπομένου; Εἰ μὴ ἀνάστασις ἦν, ποῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ δίκαιον σωθήσεται, τοσούτων μὲν πονηρῶν εὐημερούντων, τοσούτων δὲ ἀγαθῶν θλιβομένων, καὶ ἐν τῇ θλίψει τὸν βίον καταλυόντων; Ποῦ γὰρ τὰ κατ' ἀξίαν ἕκαστος ἀπολήψεται τούτων, εἴ γε ἀνάστασις μὴ ἔστιν; Οὐδεὶς τῶν ὀρθῶς βεβιωκότων τῇ ἀναστάσει διαπιστεῖ, ἀλλὰ καθ' ἑκάστην εὔχονται τὴν ἡμέραν, τὴν ῥῆσιν ἐκείνην τὴν ἁγίαν λέγοντες: Ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου. Τίνες οὖν εἰσιν οἱ τῇ ἀναστάσει διαπιστοῦντες; Οἱ βεβήλους ἔχοντες τὰς ὁδοὺς καὶ ἀκάθαρτον τὸν βίον, καθάπερ ὁ Προφήτης φησί: Βεβηλοῦνται αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτοῦ ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ: ἀνταναιρεῖται τὰ κρίματά σου ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ. Οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν, οὐκ ἔστιν ἄνθρωπον βίον ἔχειν καθαρὸν, ἀναστάσει διαπιστοῦντα: ὡς οἵ γε μηδὲν συνειδότες ἑαυτοῖς πονηρὸν, καὶ λέγουσι, καὶ βούλονται, καὶ πιστεύουσιν ὥστε τὴν ἀνταπόδοσιν λαβεῖν. Μὴ τοίνυν αὐτὸν παροξύνωμεν, ἀλλ' ἀκούωμεν αὐτοῦ λέγοντος, ὅτι Φοβήθητε τὸν δυνάμενον καὶ ψυχὴν καὶ σῶμα ἀπολέσαι ἐν γεέννῃ: ἵνα διὰ τοῦ φόβου γενώμεθα βελτίους, καὶ τῆς ἀπωλείας ταύτης ἀπαλλαγέντες, καταξιωθῶμεν τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν: ἧς γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, δι' οὗ καὶ μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἡ δόξα, σὺν τῷ προσκυνητῷ καὶ παναγίῳ καὶ ζωοποιῷ αὐτοῦ Πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς ἀτελευτήτους αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.