John Chrysostom, On John

If you love Christ as you ought to love, you have no need of signs; for these are given to unbelievers. How then were they not given to the Jews, he says? Indeed they were given; but if there was any time they asked and did not receive, it was because they did not ask for these things to be freed from their unbelief, but rather to confirm their own wickedness. And there was a man of the Pharisees, Nicodemus by name, a ruler of the Jews; he came to him by night. This man also appears in the middle of the Gospel making an argument on behalf of Christ; for he says: Our law does not judge anyone, unless it first hears. At this the Jews also were displeased, saying: Search and see that no prophet has been raised from Galilee. And after the cross he took great care of the burial of the Lord's body. For Nicodemus also came, he says, the one who came to the Lord by night, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes of about a hundred pounds. And now he was disposed toward Christ, but not as he ought, nor with the proper understanding, but was still held by the Jewish weakness. For this reason he also came by night, being afraid to do this by day. But the philanthropic God did not push him away even so, nor did he convict him, nor did he deprive him of his teaching, but he even converses with him with great gentleness, and opens to him doctrines that are exceedingly lofty, enigmatically, it is true, but he opens them nonetheless, For this man was much more worthy of pardon than those who did this out of wickedness. For they are beyond all defense; but this man, while he himself was liable to condemnation, was not so to such a degree. How then did the evangelist say nothing of the sort about him? Indeed he said elsewhere that many even of the rulers believed in him; but because of the Jews they did not confess it, so that they might not be put out of the synagogue; but here he hinted at the whole thing by his coming at night. What then does this man say? Rabbi, we know that you have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him. 2. Nicodemus is still crawling on the ground, still has a human thought about him, and speaks as of a prophet, imagining nothing great from the signs. We know, he says, that you have come from God as a teacher. Why then do you come by night and secretly to the one who speaks the things of God? To the one who has come from there? Why do you not speak with boldness? But Jesus did not say this, nor did he convict him; For a bruised reed, he says, he will not break, and a smoking flax he will not quench. And again he himself, He will not quarrel, 59.145 he says, nor cry out; and again, I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. No one can do these signs, unless God is with him. He, however, still speaks according to the heretics, saying that he was energized and in need of the help of others to do the things which he did. What then of Christ? See the excess of condescension; he did not say, I have no need of the help of others, but, I do all things with authority; for I am the true Son of God, and of the same power as the one who begot me; but for the time being he refrained, because it was jarring to the hearer. For what I always say, I will also say now, that what Christ was concerned with was not so much for the time being to reveal his own worth, as to persuade them that he did nothing in opposition to the Father. For this reason in his words he often appears moderate, but in his deeds he does not act so. For when he works miracles, he does all things with authority, saying: I will, be cleansed. Talitha, arise. Stretch out your hand. Your sins are forgiven you. Be quiet, be muzzled. Take up your pallet, and go to your house. I say to you, evil demon, come out of him. Let it be to you as you wish. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, The Lord has need of it. Today you will be with me in paradise. You have heard that it was said to the ancients, You shall not murder; but I say to you, that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men. And everywhere

φιλεῖς τὸν Χριστὸν, ὡς φιλεῖν δεῖ, οὐ χρείαν ἔχεις σημείων· ταῦτα γὰρ τοῖς ἀπίστοις δίδοται. Πῶς οὖν Ἰουδαίοις οὐκ ἐδόθη, φησί; Μάλιστα μὲν ἐδόθη· εἰ δὲ ἔστιν ὅπου καὶ αἰτοῦντες οὐκ ἔλαβον, ἐπειδὴ οὐχ ὑπὲρ τοῦ τῆς ἀπιστίας ἀπαλλαγῆναι ταῦτα ᾔτουν, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ τοῦ μᾶλλον αὐτῶν βεβαιῶσαι τὴν πονηρίαν. Καὶ ἦν ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τῶν Φαρισαίων, Νικόδημος ὄνομα αὐτῷ, ἄρχων τῶν Ἰουδαίων· οὗτος ἦλθε πρὸς αὐτὸν νυκτός. Οὗτος καὶ ἐν μέσῳ τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ φαίνεται τὸν ὑπὲρ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ποιούμενος λόγον· λέγει γάρ· Ὁ νόμος ἡμῶν οὐδένα κρίνει, ἐὰν μὴ πρότερον ἀκούσῃ. Πρὸς τοῦτον καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι δυσχεραίνουσι λέγοντες· Ἐρώτησον καὶ ἴδε ὅτι προφήτης ἐκ τῆς Γαλιλαίας οὐκ ἐγήγερται. Καὶ μετὰ τὸν σταυρὸν δὲ πολλὴν τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν τῆς ταφῆς τοῦ ∆εσποτικοῦ σώματος πεποίηται. Ἦλθε γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ Νικόδημος ὁ ἐλθὼν πρὸς τὸν Κύριον νυκτὸς, φέρων μίγμα μύρου καὶ ἀλόης ὡς λίτρας ἑκατόν. Καὶ νῦν δὲ διέκειτο μὲν περὶ τὸν Χριστὸν, οὐχ ὡς ἐχρῆν δὲ, οὔτε μετὰ διανοίας τῆς προσηκούσης, ἀλλ' ἔτι ὑπὸ τῆς Ἰουδαϊκῆς κατείχετο ἀσθενείας. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ νυκτὸς ἦλθε, δεδοικὼς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τοῦτο ποιῆσαι. Ἀλλ' ὁ φιλάνθρωπος Θεὸς οὐδὲ οὕτως αὐτὸν ἀπώσατο, οὐδὲ διήλεγξεν, οὐδὲ τῆς αὐτοῦ διδασκαλίας ἀπεστέρησεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς αὐτῷ τῆς ἐπιεικείας διαλέγεται, καὶ δόγματα αὐτῷ παρανοίγει τὰ σφόδρα ὑψηλὰ, αἰνιγματωδῶς μὲν, παρανοίγει δὲ ὅμως, Πολλῷ γὰρ μᾶλλον οὗτος συγγνώμης ἄξιος ἦν τῶν διὰ πονηρίαν τοῦτο ποιούντων. Ἐκεῖνοι μὲν γὰρ πάσης εἰσὶν ἀπολογίας ἐκτός· οὗτος δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς καταγνώσεως μὲν ὑπεύθυνος ἦν, οὐ μὴν τοσαύτης. Πῶς οὖν ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον εἶπε περὶ αὐτοῦ; Εἶπε μὲν οὖν ἀλλαχοῦ, ὅτι καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἀρχόντων πολλοὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτόν· διὰ δὲ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους οὐχ ὡμολόγουν, ἵνα μὴ ἀποσυνάγωγοι γένωνται· ἐνταῦθα δὲ τὸ πᾶν διὰ τῆς κατὰ τὴν νύκτα παρουσίας ᾐνίξατο. Τί οὖν οὗτός φησι; Ῥαββὶ, οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἀπὸ Θεοῦ ἐλήλυθας διδάσκαλος· οὐδεὶς γὰρ ταῦτα τὰ σημεῖα δύναται ποιῆσαι, ἃ σὺ ποιεῖς, ἐὰν μὴ ᾖ ὁ Θεὸς μετ' αὐτοῦ. βʹ. Ἔτι κάτω στρέφεται ὁ Νικόδημος, ἔτι ἀνθρωπίνην ἔχει περὶ αὐτοῦ διάνοιαν, καὶ ὡς περὶ προφήτου διαλέγεται, οὐδὲν μέγα ἀπὸ τῶν σημείων φανταζόμενος. Οἴδαμεν, φησὶν, ὅτι ἀπὸ Θεοῦ ἐλήλυθας διδάσκαλος. Τί οὖν νυκτὸς ἔρχῃ καὶ λανθάνων πρὸς τὸν τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ λέγοντα; πρὸς τὸν ἐκεῖθεν ἥκοντα; τί μὴ μετὰ παῤῥησίας διαλέγῃ; Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τοῦτο εἶπεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, οὐδὲ διήλεγξεν αὐτόν· Κάλαμον γὰρ συντετριμμένον οὐ κατεάξει, φησὶν, καὶ λίνον τυφώμενον οὐ σβέσει. Καὶ αὐτὸς πάλιν, Οὐκ ἐρίσει, 59.145 φησὶν, οὐδὲ κράξει· καὶ πάλιν, Οὐκ ἦλθον ἵνα κρίνω τὸν κόσμον, ἀλλ' ἵνα σώσω τὸν κόσμον. Οὐδεὶς δύναται ταῦτα τὰ σημεῖα ποιεῖν, ἐὰν μὴ ᾖ ὁ Θεὸς μετ' αὐτοῦ. Ἐκεῖνος μέντοι ἔτι κατὰ τοὺς αἱρετικοὺς φθέγγεται, ἐνεργούμενον αὐτὸν καὶ τῆς ἑτέρων βοηθείας δεόμενον ταῦτα πράττειν, ἅπερ ἔπραττε, λέγων. Τί οὖν ὁ Χριστός; Ὅρα συγκαταβάσεως ὑπερβολήν· οὐκ εἶπε μὲν, ὅτι Οὐδὲν δέομαι τῆς ἑτέρων βοηθείας, ἀλλὰ, Μετ' ἐξουσίας πάντα πράττω· καὶ γὰρ Υἱός εἰμι γνήσιος τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς τῷ γεγεννηκότι δυνάμεως· παρῃτήσατο δὲ τέως διὰ τὸ πρόσαντες εἶναι τῷ ἀκούοντι. Ὅπερ γὰρ ἀεὶ λέγω, τοῦτο καὶ νῦν ἐρῶ, ὅτι τὸ σπουδαζόμενον ἦν τῷ Χριστῷ οὐχ οὕτω τέως τὴν ἀξίαν ἐκκαλύψαι τὴν ἑαυτοῦ, ὡς τὸ πεῖσαι ὅτι οὐδὲν ἐξ ἐναντίας ἔπραττε τῷ Πατρί. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἐν μὲν τοῖς ῥήμασι πολλαχοῦ μετριάζων φαίνεται, ἐν δὲ τοῖς πράγμασιν οὐχ οὕτω ποιῶν. Ὅταν γὰρ θαυματουργῇ, μετ' ἐξουσίας πάντα ποιεῖ, λέγων· Θέλω, καθαρίσθητι. Ταλιθὰ, ἀνάστηθι. Ἔκτεινον τὴν χεῖρα. Ἀφέωνταί σοι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι. Σιώπα, πεφίμωσο. Ἆρον τὸν κράββατόν σου, καὶ ὕπαγε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν. σου Σοὶ λέγω, τὸ πονηρὸν δαιμόνιον, ἔξελθε ἀπ' αὐτοῦ. Γενηθήτω σοι ὡς θέλεις. Ἄν τις ὑμῖν εἴπῃ τι, ἐρεῖτε, τι Ὁ Κύριος αὐτοῦ χρείαν ἔχει. Σήμερον μετ' ἐμοῦ ἔσῃ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ. Ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐῤῥέθη τοῖς ἀρχαίοις, Οὐ φονεύσεις· ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν, ὅτι ὁ ὀργιζόμενος τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ εἰκῆ, ἔνοχος ἔσται τῇ κρίσει. ∆εῦτε ὀπίσω μου, καὶ ποιήσω ὑμᾶς ἁλιεῖς ἀνθρώπων. Καὶ πανταχοῦ