John Chrysostom, On John

spending the evening with as much soberness as we do at dawn, or rather, with much more (for in our case, often the remnants of the evening meal left behind disturb the soul, but he did not weigh down his vessel with any of these things); it was fitting that even late in the afternoon he would speak of such things. Then he also tarried in the desert by the Jordan, where all went to be baptized with great trembling, caring little for worldly things at that time; since they also persevered with Christ for three days, and were without food. For this is the mark of a vehement preacher and a diligent husbandman, not to depart until he sees the planted word has taken hold. Why then did he not go about all Judea preaching him, but stood by the river, waiting for him to come and to show him when he had arrived? Because he wished that to come to pass through his works; but the thing he was eager for was, for the time being, only to make him known, and to persuade some to hear of eternal life. But he leaves to him the greater testimony, that which is through his works, just as he himself says: I do not receive testimony from man; for the works which the Father has given me, these are they that testify of me. See, then, how this was more effective. For when he had cast in a small spark, at once the flame rose to a great height. For those who before this paid no heed to what was said, afterwards say: All things that John said were true. 59.117 3. Moreover, if he had gone about saying these things, what was happening would have seemed to be from some human eagerness, and the preaching would have been full of suspicion. And his two disciples heard, and they followed him. And yet he had other disciples, but they not only did not follow, but were also disposed jealously toward him; For, Rabbi, he says, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, he is baptizing, and all are coming to him. And again these are seen complaining: Why do we fast, and your disciples do not fast? But those who were better than the others suffered nothing of the sort, but as soon as they heard, they followed. And they followed, not as though despising their teacher, but as being especially persuaded by him, and furnishing the greatest proof that they did this by a right judgment of reasoning. For they did not do it when urged, which would have been suspicious, but because he only foretold what was to come, that he would baptize in the Holy Spirit, they followed him. Therefore they did not desert their teacher, but wished to learn what more he brought than John. And see their eagerness combined with reverence. For they did not immediately go up and question Jesus about necessary and most important matters, nor in public in the presence of all, simply and randomly, but they were eager to converse with him in private. For they knew that their teacher's words were not of humility, but of truth. Andrew, he says, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who had heard John, and followed him. For what reason, then, did he not make known the name of the other? Some say it was because he who followed was the one writing; but others say it was not so, but that that man was not one of the distinguished. It was not necessary, therefore, to say anything more than what was necessary. For what profit is there in learning his name, since he does not even give the names of the seventy-two? This can also be seen in Paul: For we have sent with him, he says, the brother who in many things is often diligent, whose praise is in the Gospel. But he mentions Andrew for another reason as well. What reason is that? So that, when you hear that Simon, having heard with him, Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men, did not doubt at this paradoxical promise, you might learn that his brother had already laid the foundations of the faith. But Jesus, turning and seeing them following, says to them: What are you seeking? From this we are taught that God does not anticipate our wishes with his gifts; but when we begin, when we supply the will, then he himself also gives us many opportunities for salvation. What

ἑσπέραν μετὰ τοσαύτης διάγων νήψεως, μεθ' ὅσης ἡμεῖς ὑπὸ τὴν ἕω, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ μετὰ πολλῷ πλείονος (ἐπὶ μὲν γὰρ ἡμῶν πολλάκις τῆς ἑσπερινῆς τροφῆς λείψανα ἐναπολειφθέντα, φαντάζει τὴν ψυχὴν, ἐκεῖνος δὲ οὐδενὶ τούτων τὸ πλοῖον ἐβάρυνεν)· εἰκότως καὶ δείλης ὀψίας περὶ τοιούτων ἐφθέγγετο. Ἔπειτα καὶ ἐν ἐρήμῳ διέτριβε παρὰ τὸν Ἰορδάνην, ἔνθα πάντες μετὰ πολλοῦ τοῦ τρόμου πρὸς τὸ βάπτισμα ἀπήντων, τῶν βιωτικῶν βραχὺ φροντίζοντες τότε· ἐπεὶ καὶ τῷ Χριστῷ τρεῖς ἡμέρας προσεκαρτέρησαν, καὶ ἦσαν ἄσιτοι. Τοῦτο γὰρ σφοδροῦ κήρυκος καὶ ἐπιμελοῦς γεωργοῦ, μὴ πρότερον ἀποστῆναι, ἕως ἂν ἴδῃ κατασχεθέντα τὸν φυτευθέντα λόγον. Τί δήποτε δὲ οὐ περιῆλθε πανταχοῦ τῆς Ἰουδαίας κηρύσσων αὐτὸν, ἀλλ' εἱστήκει παρὰ τὸν ποταμὸν, περιμένων ἐλθεῖν αὐτὸν καὶ δεῖξαι παραγενόμενον; Ὅτι διὰ τῶν ἔργων ἐκεῖνο γενέσθαι ἐβούλετο· τὸ δὲ σπουδαζόμενον, γνώριμον τέως ποιῆσαι μόνον, καὶ πεῖσαί τινας ἀκοῦσαι τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς. Τὴν δὲ μείζονα αὐτῷ καταλιμπάνει μαρτυρίαν τὴν διὰ τῶν ἔργων, καθάπερ καὶ αὐτός φησιν· Ἐγὼ οὐ παρὰ ἀνθρώπου λαμβάνω τὴν μαρτυρίαν· τὰ γὰρ ἔργα ἃ ἔδωκέ μοι ὁ Πατὴρ, ταῦτά ἐστι τὰ μαρτυροῦντα περὶ ἐμοῦ. Ὅρα γοῦν πῶς τοῦτο ἐνεργέστερον ἦν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ μικρὸν ἐνέβαλε σπινθῆρα, ἀθρόως ἡ πυρὰ πρὸς τὸ ὕψος ᾔρετο. Οἱ γὰρ πρὸ τούτου μηδὲ προσέχοντες τοῖς λεγομένοις, ὕστερον λέγουσι· Πάντα ὅσα εἶπεν Ἰωάννης, ἀληθῆ ἐστιν. 59.117 γʹ. Ἄλλως δὲ καὶ εἰ περινοστῶν ταῦτα ἔλεγεν, ἔδοξεν ἂν ἐκ σπουδῆς τινος ἀνθρωπίνης γίνεσθαι τὰ γινόμενα, καὶ ὑποψίας ἦν μεστὸν τὸ κήρυγμα. Καὶ ἤκουσαν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ οἱ δύο, καὶ ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ. Καίτοι γε καὶ ἕτεροι ἦσαν αὐτῷ μαθηταὶ, ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνοι οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἠκολούθησαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ζηλοτύπως πρὸς αὐτὸν διετέθησαν· Ῥαββὶ γὰρ, φησὶν, ὃς ἦν μετὰ σοῦ πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, ᾧ σὺ μεμαρτύρηκας, ἴδε οὗτος βαπτίζει, καὶ πάντες ἔρχονται πρὸς αὐτόν. Καὶ πάλιν οὗτοι φαίνονται ἐγκαλοῦντες· ∆ιατί ἡμεῖς νηστεύομεν, καὶ οἱ μαθηταί σου οὐ νηστεύουσιν; Ἀλλ' οἱ τῶν ἄλλων βελτίους οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον ἔπαθον, ἀλλ' ὁμοῦ τε ἤκουσαν καὶ ἠκολούθησαν. Ἠκολούθησαν δὲ, οὐχ ὡς τοῦ διδασκάλου καταφρονήσαντες, ἀλλ' ὡς αὐτῷ μάλιστα πεισθέντες, καὶ δεῖγμα μέγιστον τοῦ κρίσει λογισμῶν ὀρθῇ τοῦτο ποιεῖν ἐξενεγκόντες. Οὐδὲ γὰρ παρακληθέντες αὐτὸ ἐποίησαν, ὅπερ ὕποπτον ἦν, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ προεῖπε μόνον τὸ μέλλον, ὅτι βαπτίσει ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ, ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ. Οὐ τοίνυν ἀπέστησαν τοῦ διδασκάλου, ἀλλ' ἐβουλήθησαν μαθεῖν, τί πλέον φέρει τοῦ Ἰωάννου. Καὶ ὅρα τὴν σπουδὴν μετὰ αἰδοῦς γινομένην. Οὐδὲ γὰρ εὐθέως προσελθόντες ἐπηρώτησαν τὸν Ἰησοῦν ὑπὲρ ἀναγκαίων καὶ μεγίστων πραγμάτων, οὐδὲ δημοσίᾳ παρόντων ἁπάντων ἁπλῶς καὶ ὡς ἔτυχεν, ἀλλ' ἰδίᾳ διαλεχθῆναι αὐτῷ ἐσπούδαζον. Ἤδεισαν γὰρ οὐ ταπεινοφροσύνης, ἀλλ' ἀληθείας ὄντα τοῦ διδασκάλου τὰ ῥήματα. Ἦν Ἀνδρέας, φησὶν, ὁ ἀδελφὸς Σίμωνος Πέτρου, εἷς ἐκ τῶν δύο τῶν ἀκουσάντων Ἰωάννου, καὶ ἀκολουθησάντων αὐτῷ. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν καὶ τὸ τοῦ ἑτέρου οὐκ ἐγνώρισεν ὄνομα; Τινές φασι διὰ τὸ αὐτὸν εἶναι τὸν γράφοντα τὸν ἠκολουθηκότα· τινὲς δὲ οὐχ οὕτως, ἀλλ' ὅτι ἐκεῖνος οὐχὶ τῶν ἐπισήμων ἦν. Οὐδὲν οὖν πλέον τῶν ἀναγκαίων λέγειν ἐχρῆν. Τί γὰρ ὄφελος ἐκ τοῦ μαθεῖν ἐκείνου τὴν προσηγορίαν, ἐπεὶ οὐδὲ τῶν ἑβδομήκοντα δύο λέγει τὰ ὀνόματα; Τοῦτο καὶ παρὰ Παύλῳ ἔστιν ἰδεῖν Συνεπέμψαμεν γὰρ αὐτῷ, φησὶ, τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἐν πολλοῖς πολλάκις σπουδαῖον ὄντα, οὗ ὁ ἔπαινος ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ. Τοῦ δὲ Ἀνδρέου μέμνηται καὶ δι' ἑτέραν αἰτίαν. Ποίαν δὴ ταύτην; Ἵνα, ὅταν ἀκούσῃς ὅτι Σίμων ἀκούσας μετ' αὐτοῦ, ∆εῦτε ὀπίσω μου, καὶ ποιήσω ὑμᾶς ἁλιεῖς ἀνθρώπων, οὐ διηπόρησε πρὸς τὴν παράδοξον ταύτην ὑπόσχεσιν, μάθῃς ὅτι τὰς ἀρχὰς τῆς πίστεως ὁ ἀδελφὸς ἤδη προκατεβάλλετο. Στραφεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτοὺς ἀκολουθοῦντας, λέγει αὐτοῖς· Τί ζητεῖτε; Ἐντεῦθεν παιδευόμεθα, ὅτι οὐ φθάνει τὰς βουλήσεις ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς ταῖς δωρεαῖς· ἀλλ' ὅταν ἡμεῖς ἀρξώμεθα, ὅταν τὸ θέλειν παράσχωμεν, τότε καὶ αὐτὸς πολλὰς δίδωσιν ἡμῖν τῆς σωτηρίας τὰς ἀφορμάς. Τί