John Chrysostom, On John

in a humble way. For he did not say, "This is the only-begotten Son of God;" but what? "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has been made before me, for he was before me.'" For just as mother birds do not immediately nor in one day teach their young to fly completely, but now lead them out just so far as to get outside the nest, and now, having first let them rest, urge them to flight again, and on the next day add another much longer one, and so gently and little by little they bring them to the proper height; in the same way the blessed John did not immediately lead the Jews to the high things, but for the time being taught them to fly a little from the earth, saying that Christ was greater than him. For not even this was a small thing for the time being, that those hearing from one so marvelous, I mean John, and so renowned, and to whom all were running, and whom they thought to be an angel, might be able to believe that one who had not yet appeared nor worked miracles was greater. For the time being, therefore, he was eager to establish this in the minds of his hearers, that the one witnessed to is greater than the one witnessing, he who came after is greater than he who came first, he who has not yet appeared is greater than he who is well-known and renowned. And see how prudently he introduces the testimony. For he not only points him out when he has appeared, but also proclaims him before he has appeared. For the phrase, "This is he of whom I said," indicates this. Just as Matthew therefore also says, that when all were coming to him he said: "I baptize you with water; but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose." For what reason, then, did he do this even before he appeared? So that the testimony might be readily received when he appeared, the mind of the hearers having already been prepossessed by the things said about him, and that the humble attire might in no way detract from it. For if, having heard nothing at all, 59.89 they had seen Christ himself, and at the same time as the sight had received the testimony of words so marvelous and great, the humbleness of his appearance would have immediately stood in the way of the greatness of the things said. For Christ was clothed in an appearance so humble and common to all, that even Samaritan women, and prostitutes, and tax collectors dared to approach and converse with him with much boldness. 3. Therefore, as I said, if they had both heard these words and seen him at the same time, they would have ridiculed the testimony of John. But now, hearing often before Christ appeared, and being stimulated by the things said about him, they experienced the opposite, not rejecting the teaching of the words because of the appearance of the one witnessed to, but from faith in what had already been said, they thought him to be even more glorious. But, "He who comes after me," is he who preaches after me, not he who was born after me. Matthew at any rate hints at this, saying, "A man comes after me;" not speaking of his birth from Mary, but of his coming with respect to the preaching. For if he were speaking of his birth, he would not have said, "He comes," but, "He came;" for he had been born when these things were said. What then is, "He has been made before me"? More glorious, more honorable. For do not think, because I came first preaching, that from this I am greater than he; for I am much less, and so much less as not to be worthy to be counted in the rank of a slave. For this is, "He has been made before me;" which Matthew, indicating in another way, said, "I am not worthy to loose the strap of his sandal." That "He has been made before me" is not said concerning his coming into being is clear from the addition. For if he wished to say this, the added phrase, "For he was before me," was superfluous. For who is so foolish and senseless as not to know that he who was made before him, was before him? For if it is concerning his pre-eternal existence, nothing else is being said, but that "He who comes after me, has been made before me." Otherwise such a thing is also incomprehensible, and the reason is randomly thrown in.

τὸ ταπεινὸν ἔχουσα. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν, Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁ μονογενής· ἀλλὰ τί; Οὗτος ἦν ὃν εἶπον, ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος, ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν. Καθάπερ γὰρ αἱ μητέρες τῶν ὀρνίθων τοὺς νεοττοὺς οὐκ εὐθέως οὐδὲ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ τὴν πτῆσιν ἐκδιδάσκουσιν ἅπασαν, ἀλλὰ νῦν μὲν τοσοῦτον ἐξάγουσιν ὅσον ἔξω γενέσθαι τῆς καλιᾶς, νῦν δὲ αὐτοὺς ἀναπαύσασαι πρῶτον, προσβιβάζουσι τῇ πτήσει πάλιν, καὶ τῇ μετὰ ταύτην ἡμέρᾳ ἑτέραν πολλῷ πλείονα προστιθέασι, καὶ οὕτως ἠρέμα καὶ κατὰ μικρὸν ἐπὶ τὸ προσῆκον ἄγουσιν ὕψος· τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον καὶ ὁ μακάριος Ἰωάννης οὐκ εὐθέως ἐπὶ τὰ ὑψηλὰ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους ἤγαγεν, ἀλλὰ τέως μικρὸν τῆς γῆς ἀναπτῆναι ἐδίδαξεν, εἰπὼν, ὅτι αὐτοῦ κρείττων ἦν ὁ Χριστός. Οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδὲ τοῦτο μικρὸν ἦν τέως, τὸ τοὺς ἀκούοντας τοῦ οὕτω θαυμασίου, τοῦ Ἰωάννου λέγω, καὶ περιφανοῦς, καὶ πρὸς ὃν ἅπαντες ἔτρεχον, καὶ ὃν ἄγγελον ἐνόμιζον εἶναι, τὸν οὐδέπω φανέντα οὐδὲ θαυματουργήσαντα, δυνηθῆναι πιστεῦσαι κρείττονα εἶναι. Τέως οὖν τοῦτο κατορθῶσαι ἐσπούδαζεν ἐν ταῖς τῶν ἀκροατῶν διανοίαις, ὅτι τοῦ μαρτυροῦντος ὁ μαρτυρούμενος μείζων, τοῦ παραγενομένου πρώτου ὁ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐλθὼν, τοῦ δήλου καὶ περιφανοῦς ὁ μηδέπω φανείς. Καὶ ὅρα πῶς συνετῶς εἰσάγει τὴν μαρτυρίαν. Οὐ γὰρ φανέντα μόνον ἐπιδείκνυσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὶν ἢ φανῆναι ἀνακηρύττει. Τὸ γὰρ, Οὗτός ἐστιν ὃν εἶπον, τοῦτο δηλοῦντός ἐστιν· ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ Ματθαῖος λέγει, ὅτι πάντων ἐρχομένων πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔλεγεν· Ἐγὼ μὲν ὑμᾶς βαπτίζω ἐν ὕδατι· ὁ δὲ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος, ἰσχυρότερός μου ἐστὶν, οὗ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς λῦσαι τὸν ἱμάντα τοῦ ὑποδήματος. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν καὶ πρὸ τοῦ φανῆναι τοῦτο ἐποίησεν; Ἵνα εὐπαράδεκτος ἡ μαρτυρία γένηται φανέντος, τῆς διανοίας ἤδη τῶν ἀκουσάντων προκατασχεθείσης τοῖς περὶ αὐτοῦ λεχθεῖσι, καὶ μηδὲν τῆς εὐτελοῦς περιβολῆς λυμαινομένης αὐτῇ. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ μηδὲν μηδ' ὅλως ἀκούσαντες 59.89 εἶδον τὸν Χριστὸν αὐτὸν, καὶ ὁμοῦ μετὰ τῆς θέας καὶ τὴν τῶν λόγων μαρτυρίαν ἐδέξαντο τὴν οὕτω θαυμαστὴν καὶ μεγάλην, εὐθέως ἂν τὸ τοῦ σχήματος εὐτελὲς προσέστη τῷ μεγέθει τῶν λεγομένων. Οὕτω γὰρ εὐτελὲς περιέκειτο σχῆμα καὶ κοινὸν ἅπασιν ὁ Χριστὸς, ὡς καὶ Σαμαρείτιδας γυναῖκας, καὶ πόρνας, καὶ τελώνας μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἀδείας θαῤῥεῖν αὐτῷ προσιέναι καὶ διαλέγεσθαι. γʹ. Ὅπερ οὖν ἔφην, εἰ ὁμοῦ καὶ τῶν ῥημάτων τούτων ἤκουσαν, καὶ αὐτὸν ἐθεάσαντο, κἂν κατεγέλασαν τῆς μαρτυρίας τοῦ Ἰωάννου. Νῦν δὲ πρὶν ἢ φανῆναι τὸν Χριστὸν πολλάκις ἀκούοντες, καὶ ἐρεθιζόμενοι τοῖς λεγομένοις περὶ αὐτοῦ, τοὐναντίον ἔπασχον, οὐ τὴν τῶν ῥημάτων διδασκαλίαν ἀπὸ τῆς ὄψεως τοῦ μαρτυρηθέντος ἐκβάλλοντες, ἀλλὰ ἀπὸ τῆς πίστεως τῶν ἤδη λεχθέντων καὶ αὐτὸν λαμπρότερον εἶναι νομίζοντες. Τὸ δὲ, Ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος, ὁ μετ' ἐμὲ κηρύσσων, οὐχ ὁ μετ' ἐμὲ γενόμενός ἐστι. Τοῦτο γοῦν καὶ ὁ Ματθαῖος αἰνίττεται λέγων, Ὀπίσω μου ἔρχεται ἀνήρ· οὐ περὶ τῆς ἐκ Μαρίας γεννήσεως αὐτοῦ λέγων, ἀλλὰ περὶ τῆς παρουσίας τῆς κατὰ τὸ κήρυγμα. Εἰ γὰρ περὶ τῆς γεννήσεως ἔλεγεν, οὐκ ἂν εἶπεν, Ἔρχεται, ἀλλ', Ἦλθε· γεγεννημένος γὰρ ἦν ὅτε ταῦτα ἐλέγετο. Τί οὖν ἐστι τὸ, Ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονε; Λαμπρότερος, ἐντιμότερος. Μὴ γὰρ, ἐπειδὴ πρῶτος ἦλθον κηρύττων ἐγὼ, ἀπὸ τούτου μείζονα ἐκείνου με εἶναι νομίσητε· πολὺ γὰρ ἐλάττων ἐγὼ, καὶ τοσοῦτον ἐλάττων, ὡς μηδὲ εἰς δούλου τάξιν ἄξιος εἶναι καταλέγεσθαι. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ, Ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν· ὅπερ ἑτέρως παραδηλῶν ὁ Ματθαῖος, ἔλεγεν. Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς λῦσαι τὸν ἱμάντα τοῦ ὑποδήματος αὐτοῦ. Ὅτι δὲ οὐδὲ τὸ, Ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονε, περὶ τῆς εἰς τὸ εἶναι παρόδου εἴρηται, διὰ τῆς ἐπαγωγῆς δῆλόν ἐστιν. Εἰ γὰρ τοῦτο ἐβούλετο εἰπεῖν, περιττὸν τὸ ἐπαγόμενον ἦν τὸ, Ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν. Τίς γὰρ οὕτως ἠλίθιος καὶ ἀνόητος, ὡς ἀγνοῆσαι ὅτι ὁ ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ γενόμενος, πρῶτος αὐτοῦ ἦν; Εἰ γὰρ περὶ ὑπάρξεως τῆς προαιωνίου, οὐδὲν ἕτερόν ἐστι τὸ λεγόμενον, ἀλλ' ἢ, ὅτι Ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος, ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν. Ἄλλως δὲ καὶ ἀπερινόητον τὸ τοιοῦτον, καὶ ἡ αἰτία εἰκῆ προσέῤῥιπται.