John Chrysostom, On John

he is at a loss, having come as to a man, but hearing things greater than from a man, and things which no one has ever heard; and for a time he rises up to the height of the things being said, but then he is darkened, and does not stand, being carried about everywhere and continually falling from faith. Therefore he also persists in constructing the impossibility, so as to challenge him to a clearer teaching. For can a man, he says, enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born? Do you see how, when someone entrusts spiritual things to his own reasonings, he both utters ridiculous things, and seems to be delirious and drunk, when he scrutinizes the things that have been said contrary to what seems good to God, and does not accept the assent of faith? He heard of a spiritual birth, and did not understand it spiritually, but dragged down what was said to the lowliness of the flesh, and made such a great and lofty doctrine depend on physical sequence. For this reason he then devises nonsense, and ridiculous difficulties. Therefore Paul also said, that “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit.” Nevertheless, even in this he maintains his reverence for Christ. 59.147 For he did not mock what was said, but thinking it was impossible, he kept silent. For there were two perplexing things: both such a birth, and the kingdom. For neither the name of a kingdom had ever been heard among the Jews, nor of such a birth. But for the time being he dwells on the first, which especially shook his mind. Knowing these things, therefore, let us not seek the things of God by reasoning, nor bring the things from there under the sequence of things with us, nor subject them to the necessity of nature; but let us piously consider all things, believing as the Scriptures have said. For the curious and meddlesome person not only gains nothing, but in addition to not finding what he seeks, he will also pay the ultimate penalty. You have heard that He begat; believe what you have heard; but as to the 'how,' do not inquire; nor on this account do away with the begetting. For this is of the utmost foolishness. For if this man, having heard of a birth—not that ineffable one, but this one according to grace—was darkened and perplexed for this reason, because he suspected nothing great concerning it, but only human and earthly things; those who are curious and meddlesome about that most awesome birth, which surpasses all reason and understanding, of how much punishment would they be worthy? For nothing so causes dizziness as human reasoning, which speaks all things from the earth, and does not endure to be enlightened from above. For the earthliness of our reasonings has much mud. For this reason we need streams from above, so that as the mud settles, what is pure of it may be carried upward and mingle with the teachings from there. And this happens when we show both a well-disposed soul and an upright life. For it is possible, yes, it is possible for the mind to be darkened from corrupt ways, not only from untimely meddling. Therefore Paul also said to the Corinthians: “I have fed you with milk, and not with solid food.” “For you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, you are still not able, for you are still carnal.” “For where there are envy and strife and divisions among you, are you not carnal?” And in the Epistle to the Hebrews, and in many places, one might see Paul saying that this is the cause of wicked 59.148 doctrines; for the soul that is full of passions cannot see anything great or noble, but, as if clouded by some rheum, suffers from the most severe dimness of sight. Let us therefore cleanse ourselves, let us light the light of knowledge, let us not sow among thorns. And what the multitude of thorns is, you know, even if we do not say. For you have often heard Christ calling the care of this present life and the deceitfulness of riches by the name of thorns; and rightly so. For just as those are fruitless, so are these; just as those tear those who touch them, so do these passions; and as thorns are easily caught by fire and hateful to the farmer, so are the things of the world; and as wild beasts, and vipers and scorpions hide in the thorns, so also in the deceitfulness of riches. But let us bring on the fire of the Spirit, so that we may consume the thorns,

ἐν ἀμηχανίᾳ ἐστὶν, ἐλθὼν μὲν ὡς εἰς ἄνθρωπον, ἀκούων δὲ μείζονα ἢ παρὰ ἀνθρώπου, καὶ ἃ μηδεὶς ἤκουσε πώποτε· καὶ διανίσταται μὲν πρὸς τὸ ὕψος τῶν λεγομένων τέως, σκοτοῦται δὲ, καὶ οὐχ ἵσταται, πανταχοῦ περιφερόμενος καὶ συνεχῶς ἐκπίπτων τῆς πίστεως. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἐπιμένει κατασκευάζων τὸ ἀδύνατον, ὥστε εἰς σαφεστέραν αὐτὸν ἐκκαλέσασθαι διδασκαλίαν. Μὴ δύναται γὰρ, φησὶν, ἄνθρωπος εἰς τὴν κοιλίαν τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ δεύτερον εἰσελθεῖν καὶ γεννηθῆναι; Ὁρᾶτε πῶς, ὅταν τοῖς οἰκείοις λογισμοῖς ἐπιτρέψῃ τις τὰ πνευματικὰ, καὶ καταγέλαστα φθέγγεται, καὶ ληρεῖν δοκεῖ καὶ μεθύειν, ὅταν περιεργάζηται παρὰ τὸ τῷ Θεῷ δοκοῦν τὰ εἰρημένα, καὶ μὴ δέχηται τὴν τῆς πίστεως συγκατάθεσιν; Ἤκουσε γεννήσεως πνευματικῆς, καὶ οὐκ ἐνόησε πνευματικὴν, ἀλλ' εἰς τὴν ταπεινότητα τῆς σαρκὸς καθείλκυσε τὸ εἰρημένον, καὶ μέγα δόγμα οὕτω καὶ ὑψηλὸν τῆς φυσικῆς ἀκολουθίας ἐξήρτησεν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ληρωδίας πλάττει λοιπὸν, καὶ ἀπορίας καταγελάστους. ∆ιὸ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ἔλεγεν, ὅτι Ψυχικὸς ἄνθρωπος οὐ δέχεται τὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος. Πλὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τούτῳ τὴν αἰδὼ τὴν ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ φυλάττει. 59.147 Οὐ γὰρ ἔσκωψε τὸ λεχθὲν, ἀλλ' ἀδύνατον εἶναι νομίζων, ἐσίγησεν. ∆ύο γὰρ ἦν τὰ ἄπορα, ἥ τε γέννησις ἡ τοιαύτη, ἤ τε βασιλεία. Οὔτε γὰρ βασιλείας ὄνομα ἠκούσθη παρὰ Ἰουδαίοις ποτὲ, οὔτε γεννήσεως τοιαύτης. Ἀλλὰ τέως περὶ τὸ πρότερον ἵσταται, ὃ μάλιστα αὐτοῦ τὴν διάνοιαν κατέσεισε. Ταῦτ' οὖν εἰδότες μὴ λογισμῷ τὰ περὶ Θεοῦ ζητῶμεν, μηδὲ ὑπὸ τὴν ἀκολουθίαν τὴν παρ' ἡμῖν ἄγωμεν τὰ ἐκεῖθεν, μηδὲ ἀνάγκῃ φύσεως ὑποβάλλωμεν· ἀλλ' εὐσεβῶς πάντα νοῶμεν, πιστεύοντες ὡς εἶπον αἱ Γραφαί. Ὁ γὰρ περίεργος καὶ πολυπράγμων κερδαίνει μὲν οὐδὲν, πρὸς δὲ τῷ τὸ ζητούμενον μὴ εὑρεῖν καὶ δίκην δώσει τὴν ἐσχάτην. Ἤκουσας ὅτι ἐγέννησεν· πίστευσον ὅπερ ἤκουσας· τὸ δὲ πῶς, μὴ ζήτει· μηδὲ διὰ τοῦτο ἀνέλῃς τὴν γέννησιν. Ἀγνωμοσύνης γὰρ ταῦτα ἐσχάτης. Εἰ γὰρ οὗτος ἀκούσας γέννησιν, οὐκ ἐκείνην τὴν ἀπόῤῥητον, ἀλλὰ ταύτην τὴν κατὰ χάριν, ἐπειδὴ μηδὲν μέγα περὶ αὐτῆς ὑπώπτευσεν, ἀλλὰ ἀνθρώπινα καὶ γεώδη, διὰ τοῦτο ἐσκοτώθη καὶ ἠπόρησεν· οἱ τὴν φρικωδεστάτην ἐκείνην καὶ πάντα ὑπερβαίνουσαν καὶ λόγον καὶ νοῦν περιεργαζόμενοι καὶ πολυπραγμονοῦντες, πόσης ἂν εἶεν ἄξιοι τιμωρίας; Οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτω ποιεῖ σκοτόδινον, ὡς ἀνθρώπινος λογισμὸς, ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς πάντα φθεγγόμενος, καὶ μὴ ἀνεχόμενος φωτίζεσθαι ἄνωθεν. Πολλὴν γὰρ ἔχει τὴν ἰλὺν τὸ γεῶδες τῶν λογισμῶν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο τῶν ἄνωθεν ἡμῖν ναμάτων χρεία, ἵνα τῆς ἰλύος ὑφιζανούσης, ὅσον αὐτοῦ καθαρὸν, τοῦτο ἄνω φέρηται καὶ τοῖς ἐκεῖσε διδάγμασιν ἀναμιγνύηται. Γίνεται δὲ τοῦτο, ὅταν καὶ ψυχὴν εὐγνώμονα καὶ ὀρθὸν ἐπιδειξώμεθα βίον. Ἔστι γὰρ, ἔστι καὶ ἀπὸ τρόπων διεφθαρμένων, οὐκ ἀπὸ πολυπραγμοσύνης μόνον ἀκαίρου, σκοτωθῆναι τὴν διάνοιαν. ∆ιὸ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος Κορινθίοις ἔλεγεν· Γάλα ὑμᾶς ἐπότισα, οὐ βρῶμα. Οὔπω γὰρ ἠδύνασθε, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἔτι νῦν δύνασθε· ἔτι γὰρ σαρκικοί ἐστε. Ὅπου γὰρ ἐν ὑμῖν ζῆλος καὶ ἔρεις καὶ διχοστασίαι, οὐχὶ σαρκικοί ἐστε; Καὶ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ἑβραίους δὲ, καὶ πολλαχοῦ τῶν πονηρῶν 59.148 δογμάτων ταύτην ἴδοι τις ἂν τὸν Παῦλον τὴν αἰτίαν εἶναι λέγοντα· τὴν γὰρ ἐμπαθῆ ψυχὴν οὐ δύνασθαι μέγα τι γενναῖον ἰδεῖν, ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ὑπό τινος λήμης θολουμένην, ἀμβλυωπίαν ὑπομένειν τὴν χαλεπωτάτην. Ἐκκαθάρωμεν οὖν ἑαυτοὺς, φωτίσωμεν φῶς γνώσεως, μὴ σπείρωμεν ἐπ' ἀκάνθαις. Τί δὲ τὸ τῶν ἀκανθῶν πλῆθος, ἴστε, κἂν ἡμεῖς μὴ λέγωμεν. Καὶ γὰρ πολλάκις ἠκούσατε τοῦ Χριστοῦ, τὴν μέριμναν τοῦ παρόντος βίου καὶ τὴν ἀπάτην τοῦ πλούτου τῷ τῶν ἀκανθῶν καλοῦντος ὀνόματι· καὶ εἰκότως. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖναι ἄκαρποι, οὕτω καὶ ταῦτα· καθάπερ ἐκεῖναι τοὺς ἁπτομένους σπαράττουσιν, οὕτω καὶ ταῦτα τὰ πάθη· καὶ ὥσπερ εὐάλωτοι τῷ πυρὶ, καὶ μισηταὶ τῷ γεωργοῦντι αἱ ἄκανθαι, οὕτω καὶ τὰ τοῦ κόσμου πράγματα· καὶ ὥσπερ ἐν ταῖς ἀκάνθαις θηρία κρύπτονται, καὶ ἔχεις καὶ σκορπίοι, οὕτω καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀπάτῃ τοῦ πλούτου. Ἀλλ' ἐπαφῶμεν τὸ πῦρ τοῦ Πνεύματος, ἵνα καὶ τὰς ἀκάνθας δαπανήσωμεν,