John Chrysostom, On John

He said to the Philippians: To write the same things, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. For the earth, having received the seeds once, immediately gives back the fruits, and does not need a second sowing; but it is not so with our soul, but it is a great thing for one who has often sown and shown much care, to be able at least once to receive the fruit. For first, what is said settles with difficulty in the mind, because much hardness underlies it, and it is choked with countless thorns, and there are many who plot against and snatch away the seeds. Then when it is fixed and rooted, it needs again the same diligence, so that it may come to maturity, and having come, may remain unharmed, and not be injured by anyone. For in the case of seeds, when the ear of corn is complete and has gained its proper strength, it easily scorns blight and drought and all other things; but it is not so with doctrines, but even after the whole has been perfectly worked, often one storm coming on and a surge of difficulties attacking, and the plotting of men skilled in deceit, and various other temptations being brought to bear, have ruined it. These things have not been said by us without a purpose, but so that when you hear John saying the same things, you may not condemn him for babbling, nor think him to be superfluous and burdensome. For he wished to be heard after speaking once; but since not many paid attention to what was said from the 59.114 beginning because of their deep slumber, he awakens them again with a second voice. Consider: He said, that He who comes after me, has become before me; and that He is not worthy to loose the strap of His sandal; and, that He baptizes in the Holy Spirit and fire; and that he has seen the Spirit descending like a dove and remaining on Him; and he has testified that this is the Son of God; no one paid attention nor asked, nor said: Why do you say these things? and about whom? and for what reason? He said again, Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. Not even so did he touch their insensibility. For this reason, therefore, he is compelled to say the same things again, as if softening some hard and unyielding ground by fallowing, and with the word as with a plow rousing up the compressed mind, so as to cast the seeds into the depth. For this very reason he does not make his discourse long, because he was eager for one thing only, to bring them and join them to Christ. For he knew that having accepted this and been persuaded, they would no longer need one to testify to Him; which indeed also happened. For if the Samaritans say to the woman after hearing Him, We no longer believe because of your speaking; for we ourselves know that this is the Savior of the world, the Christ; much more would the disciples have been won over sooner, which indeed also happened. For having come and heard for one evening, they no longer returned to John, but were so nailed to Him, that they took up John's ministry, and themselves preached Him. For this man, it says, finds his own brother Simon, and says to him: We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And consider that for me too, how, when 59.115 he said, He who comes after me, has become before me, and, that I am not worthy to loose the strap of His sandal, he won no one; but when he spoke about the economy, and brought his word to a humbler level, then the disciples followed. And not only this is it possible to see, but also that the many are not so drawn, when something great and lofty is said about God, as when it is good and loving and comes for the salvation of the men who hear. At any rate, they heard that He takes away the sin of the world, and immediately they ran to him. For if it is possible to wash away our offenses, for what reason, he says, do we delay? He is present who will free us without toils; how then is it not of the utmost folly to put off the gift? Let the catechumens hear, who put off their own salvation to their last breaths. Again John was standing, it says, and says: Behold the Lamb

Φιλιππησίοις ἔλεγε· Τὰ αὐτὰ γράφειν, ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐκ ὀκνηρὸν, ὑμῖν δὲ ἀσφαλές. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ γῆ τὰ σπέρματα παραλαβοῦσα ἅπαξ, εὐθέως ἀποδίδωσι τοὺς καρποὺς, καὶ οὐ δεῖται δευτέρας καταβολῆς· ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς ψυχῆς τῆς ἡμετέρας οὐχ οὕτως, ἀλλ' ἀγαπητὸν πολλάκις σπείραντα καὶ πολλὴν ἐπιδειξάμενον ἐπιμέλειαν, ἅπαξ γοῦν δυνηθῆναι τὸν καρπὸν ἀπολαβεῖν. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ δυσκόλως ἐνιζάνει τῇ διανοίᾳ τὰ λεγόμενα, διὰ τὸ πολλὴν μὲν ὑποκεῖσθαι τὴν σκληρότητα, μυρίαις δὲ συνέχεσθαι ταῖς ἀκάνθαις, καὶ πολλοὺς εἶναι τοὺς ἐπιβουλεύοντας καὶ τὰ σπέρματα διαρπάζοντας. Ἔπειτα ὅταν παγῇ καὶ ῥιζωθῇ, τῆς αὐτῆς πάλιν δεῖται σπουδῆς, ὥστε πρὸς ἀκμὴν ἐλθεῖν αὐτὰ, καὶ ἐλθόντα μεῖναι ἀσινῆ, καὶ μηδὲν παραβλαβῆναι παρὰ μηδενός. Ἐπὶ μὲν γὰρ τῶν σπερμάτων, ὅταν ὁ στάχυς ἀπαρτισθῇ καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν ἰσχὺν ἀπολάβῃ, καὶ ἐρυσίβης καὶ αὐχμοῦ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων εὐκόλως καταφρονεῖ· ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν δογμάτων οὐχ οὕτως, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ τὸ τελείως ἐργασθῆναι τὸ πᾶν, πολλάκις ἐπελθὼν χειμὼν εἷς καὶ κλυδώνιον, δυσκολίας προσβαλούσης, καὶ ἀνθρώπων ἀπατᾷν εἰδότων ἐπιβουλευσάντων, καὶ ἑτέρων πειρασμῶν ποικίλων ἐπενεχθέντων, ἐλυμήνατο. Ταῦτα δὲ ἡμῖν οὐχ ἁπλῶς εἴρηται, ἀλλ' ἵνα ὅταν ἀκούσῃς τοῦ Ἰωάννου τὰ αὐτὰ φθεγγομένου, μὴ φλυαρίας καταγνῷς, μηδὲ περιττόν τινα εἶναι νομίσῃς καὶ φορτικόν. Ἐβούλετο μὲν γὰρ ἅπαξ εἰπὼν ἀκουσθῆναι· ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐ πολλοὶ τοῖς λεγομένοις προσεῖχον ἐξ ἀρ 59.114 χῆς διὰ τὸν πολὺν ὕπνον, καὶ δευτέρᾳ πάλιν αὐτοὺς ἀφυπνίζει φωνῇ. Σκόπει δέ· Εἶπεν, ὅτι Ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος, ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονε· καὶ ὅτι Οὐχ ἱκανός ἐστι λῦσαι τὸν ἱμάντα τοῦ ὑποδήματος αὐτοῦ· καὶ, ὅτι Αὐτὸς βαπτίζει ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ καὶ πυρί· καὶ ὅτι τὸ Πνεῦμα τεθέαται καταβαῖνον ὡσεὶ περιστερὰν καὶ μένον ἐπ' αὐτόν· καὶ μεμαρτύρηκεν, ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ· οὐδεὶς προσέσχεν οὐδὲ ἠρώτησεν, οὐδὲ εἶπε· Τί ταῦτα λέγεις; καὶ ὑπὲρ τίνος; καὶ διατί; Εἶπε πάλιν, Ἴδε ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ αἴρων τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου. Οὐδὲ οὕτω καθήψατο τῆς ἀναισθησίας αὐτῶν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο λοιπὸν ἀναγκάζεται τὰ αὐτὰ λέγειν πάλιν, καθάπερ τινὰ σκληρὰν καὶ ἀνένδοτον γῆν τῇ νεώσει μαλάττων, καὶ τῷ λόγῳ οἷόν τινι ἀρότρῳ πεπιλημένην ἀνεγείρων τὴν διάνοιαν, ὥστε εἰς τὸ βάθος τὰ σπέρματα καταβαλεῖν. ∆ιὰ δὴ τοῦτο οὐδὲ μακρὸν ποιεῖ τὸν λόγον, ὅτι ἓν μόνον ἐσπούδαζε, προσαγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς καὶ κολλῆσαι τῷ Χριστῷ. Ἤδει γὰρ ὅτι τοῦτο καταδεξάμενοι καὶ πεισθέντες, οὐ δεήσονται τοῦ μαρτυρήσοντος αὐτῷ λοιπόν· ὅπερ οὖν καὶ γέγονεν. Εἰ γὰρ οἱ Σαμαρεῖται λέγουσι μετὰ τὴν ἀκρόασιν αὐτοῦ τῇ γυναικὶ, Οὐκ ἔτι διὰ τὴν σὴν λαλιὰν πιστεύομεν· αὐτοὶ γὰρ οἴδαμεν ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Σωτὴρ τοῦ κόσμου, ὁ Χριστός· πολλῷ μᾶλλον οἱ μαθηταὶ τάχιον ἐχειρώθησαν ἂν, ὃ δὴ καὶ γέγονεν. Ἐλθόντες γὰρ καὶ ἀκούσαντες μίαν ἑσπέραν, οὐκ ἔτι πρὸς Ἰωάννην ὑπέστρεψαν, ἀλλ' οὕτως αὐτῷ προσηλώθησαν, ὥστε τὴν Ἰωάννου διακονίαν ἀναδέξασθαι, καὶ αὐτοὶ κηρύττειν αὐτόν. Εὑρίσκει γὰρ οὗτος, φησὶ, τὸν ἀδελφὸν τὸν ἴδιον Σίμωνα, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Εὑρήκαμεν τὸν Μεσσίαν, ὅ ἐστι μεθερμηνευόμενον, ὁ Χριστός. Θέα δέ μοι κἀκεῖνο, πῶς, ὅτε μὲν 59.115 ἔλεγεν, Ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος, ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονε, καὶ, ὅτι Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς λῦσαι τὸν ἱμάντα τοῦ ὑποδήματος αὐτοῦ, οὐδένα εἷλεν· ὅτε δὲ περὶ τῆς οἰκονομίας διελέχθη, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ ταπεινότερον τὸν λόγον ἤγαγε, τότε ἠκολούθησαν οἱ μαθηταί. Οὐ τοῦτο δὲ μόνον ἔστι κατιδεῖν, ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ οὐχ οὕτως οἱ πολλοὶ προσάγονται, ὅταν τι μέγα καὶ ὑψηλὸν περὶ Θεοῦ λέγηται, ὡς ὅταν χρηστὸν καὶ φιλάνθρωπον καὶ εἰς τὴν τῶν ἀκουόντων ἀνθρώπων σωτηρίαν ἧκον. Ἤκουσαν γοῦν ὅτι αἴρει τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου, καὶ εὐθέως ἐπέδραμον. Εἰ γὰρ ἔστιν ἀπολούσασθαι τὰ ἐγκλήματα, τίνος ἕνεκεν, φησὶν, ἀναβαλλόμεθα; πάρεστιν ὁ χωρὶς πόνων ἐλευθερώσων ἡμᾶς· πῶς οὖν οὐκ ἐσχάτης ἀνοίας ὑπερτίθεσθαι τὴν δωρεάν; Ἀκουέτωσαν οἱ κατηχούμενοι, καὶ πρὸς ἐσχάτας ἀναπνοὰς τὴν οἰκείαν ἀναβαλλόμενοι σωτηρίαν. Πάλιν εἱστήκει, φησὶν, ὁ Ἰωάννης καὶ λέγει· Ἴδε ὁ ἀμνὸς