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loving-kindness; that you may learn, that there is no sickness that overcomes His goodness. Do not, therefore, see this only, that He received him, but also consider that, how He changed him. And for what reason does the evangelist remind us of this story? or rather what does he wish to teach by saying, "Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus?" Never to be indignant nor displeased, if any sickness should befall virtuous men and friends of God. "Behold, he whom you love is sick." They wished to draw Christ to pity. For they still regarded Him as a man; and this is clear from what they say: "If you had been here, he would not have died;" and from their not saying, "Behold, Lazarus is sick," but, "Behold, he whom you love is sick." What then says Christ? "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified by it." See how again He says that His glory and the Father's is one. For having said, "of God," He added, "That the Son of God may be glorified." "This sickness is not unto death." For since He was about to remain there two days, for the time being He sends them away reporting this. At which one may also wonder at his sisters, how, having heard that "It is not unto death," and seeing him dead, they were not scandalized, although the event turned out the opposite; but came to Him even so, and did not think that He had spoken falsely. The word, "that," here is not of cause, but of outcome. For the sickness happened from another cause; but He used it for the glory of God. And having said these things, He remained two days. For what reason did He remain? So that he might expire, and be buried, so that no one might be able to say that He raised him before he had died; that it was a stupor, that it was a faint, that it was a swoon, and not death. For this reason He also remains so long a time, that corruption might even set in, and for her to say, "He already stinks." Then He says to the disciples, "Let us go into Judea." Why is it that having nowhere else foretold it, He foretells it here? They were very afraid; and since they were thus disposed, He foretells it, so that the suddenness might not trouble them. And what of the disciples? "The Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and you are going there again?" They feared, then, both for Him, but what is more, rather for themselves; for they were not yet perfected. Wherefore also Thomas, being shaken with fear, says, "Let us go, that we also may die." For he was weaker and more unbelieving than the others. But see how Jesus encourages them by what He says. "Are there not twelve hours in the day?" He means this then, that he who is conscious of no evil in himself will suffer nothing terrible; but he who does wicked things will suffer (so that we must not fear, for we have done nothing worthy of death); or that he who sees the light of this world is in safety. And if he who sees the light of this world is safe, much more is he who is with me, if he does not separate himself 59.344 from me. Having encouraged them with these things, He adds also the necessary reason for His arrival there; and showing that they are not about to go to Jerusalem, but to Bethany, "Lazarus our friend," He says, "has fallen asleep, and I am going that I may awaken him;" that is, "I am not going back for the same purpose, to dispute and to contend with the Jews, but to awaken our friend." The disciples say, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover." And this they did not say simply, but wishing to prevent His presence there. "You say," he says, "that he is sleeping? Then there is no urgency to depart." And yet He Himself for this reason said, "Our friend," to show that His presence was necessary. βʹ. Since therefore they were rather hesitant. then He says, "He is dead." So at first, wishing to show His lack of ostentation, He spoke thus; but when they did not understand, He adds, "He is dead, and I am glad for your sakes." Why, "For your sakes?" "Because I foretold it without being there, and because when I raise him, there will be no suspicion." Do you see how the disciples were still rather imperfectly disposed, and did not know His power as they ought? Their fears in the meantime caused this, troubling their souls and disturbing them. And when He said, "He has fallen asleep," He says, "I am going that I may awaken him;" but when He said, "He is dead," He no longer added, "I am going that I may raise him." For He did not wish in words

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φιλανθρωπίαν· ἵνα μάθῃς, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι νόσημα νικῶν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀγαθότητα. Μὴ τοίνυν τοῦτο μόνον ἴδῃς, ὅτι ἐδέξατο, ἀλλὰ κἀκεῖνο σκόπει, πῶς μετέβαλε. Καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν ἀναμιμνήσκει τῆς ἱστορίας ταύτης ἡμᾶς ὁ εὐαγγελιστής; μᾶλλον δὲ τί διδάξαι βούλεται τῷ λέγειν, Ἠγάπα δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὴν Μάρθαν, καὶ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτῆς, καὶ τὸν Λάζαρον; Μηδέποτε ἀγανακτεῖν μηδὲ δυσχεραίνειν, εἴ τις ἀσθένεια γένοιτο περὶ τοὺς σπουδαίους ἄνδρας καὶ τῷ Θεῷ φίλους. Ἴδε ὃν φιλεῖς, ἀσθενεῖ. Εἰς οἶκτον ἐπισπάσασθαι ἐβούλοντο τὸν Χριστόν. Ἔτι γὰρ ὡς ἀνθρώπῳ προσεῖχον· καὶ δῆλον ἐξ ὧν λέγουσιν· Εἰ ἦς ὧδε, οὐκ ἂν ἀπέθανε· καὶ ἐκ τοῦ μὴ εἰπεῖν, Ἴδε Λάζαρος ἀσθενεῖ, ἀλλ', Ἴδε ὃν φιλεῖς, ἀσθενεῖ. Τί οὖν ὁ Χριστός; Αὕτη ἡ ἀσθένεια οὐκ ἔστι πρὸς θάνατον, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἵνα δοξασθῇ δι' αὐτῆς ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὅρα πῶς πάλιν μίαν τὴν δόξαν φησὶν αὐτοῦ καὶ τοῦ Πατρός. Εἰπὼν γὰρ, Θεοῦ, ἐπήγαγεν, Ἵνα δοξασθῇ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ. Αὕτη ἡ ἀσθένεια οὐκ ἔστι πρὸς θάνατον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἔμελλεν ἐκεῖ ἡμέρας δύο μένειν, τέως αὐτοὺς ἀποπέμπεται τοῦτο ἀπαγγέλλοντας. Ἐφ' ᾧ καὶ θαυμάσαι ἔστι τὰς ἀδελφὰς αὐτοῦ, πῶς ἀκούσασαι, ὅτι Οὐκ ἔστι πρὸς θάνατον, καὶ ἰδοῦσαι αὐτὸν ἀποθανόντα, οὐκ ἐσκανδαλίσθησαν, ἀπεναντίας τοῦ πράγματος γενομένου· ἀλλὰ προσῆλθον καὶ οὕτω, καὶ οὐκ ἐνόμισαν αὐτὸν διαψεύσασθαι. Τὸ δὲ, Ἵνα, ἐνταῦθα οὐκ αἰτιολογίας, ἀλλ' ἐκβάσεώς ἐστι. Συνέβη μὲν γὰρ ἑτέρωθεν ἡ ἀῤῥωστία· ἐχρήσατο δὲ αὐτῇ εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ. Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν, ἔμεινεν ἡμέρας δύο. Τίνος ἕνεκεν ἔμεινεν; Ἵνα ἀποπνεύσῃ, καὶ ταφῇ, ἵνα μηδεὶς ἔχῃ λέγειν, ὅτι οὔπω τελευτήσαντα αὐτὸν ἀνέστησεν· ὅτι κάρος ἦν, ὅτι ἔκλυσις ἦν, ὅτι καταγωγὴ ἦν, καὶ οὐ θάνατος. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ χρόνον τοσοῦτον μένει, ὡς καὶ φθορὰν γενέσθαι, καὶ εἰπεῖν, Ἤδη ὄζει. Εἶτα λέγει τοῖς μαθηταῖς· Ἄγωμεν εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίαν. Τί δήποτε οὐδαμοῦ προειπὼν ἀλλαχοῦ, ἐνταῦθα προλέγει; Ἐδεδοίκεισαν σφόδρα· καὶ ἐπεὶ ταύτῃ διέκειντο, προλέγει, ἵνα μὴ τὸ ἀθρόον ταράξῃ αὐτούς. Τί δὲ οἱ μαθηταί; Νῦν ἐζήτουν σε Ἰουδαῖοι λιθάσαι, καὶ πάλιν ὑπάγεις ἐκεῖ; Ἐδεδοίκεισαν μὲν οὖν καὶ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ· τὸ δὲ πλέον, μᾶλλον ὑπὲρ ἑαυτῶν· οὔπω γὰρ ἦσαν ἀπηρτισμένοι. ∆ιὸ καὶ τῷ δέει κατασειόμενος λέγει Θωμᾶς· Ἄγωμεν, ἵνα καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀποθάνωμεν. Ἀσθενέστερος γὰρ τῶν ἄλλων ἦν καὶ ἀπιστότερος. Ἀλλ' ὅρα πῶς αὐτοὺς δι' ὧν φησι παραθαῤῥύνει ὁ Ἰησοῦς. Οὐχὶ δώδεκα ὧραί εἰσι τῆς ἡμέρας; Ἢ τοῦτο τοίνυν φησὶν, ὅτι ὁ μηδὲν ἑαυτῷ συνειδὼς πονηρὸν, οὐδὲν πείσεται δεινόν· ὁ δὲ τὰ φαῦλα πράσσων πείσεται (ὥστε ἡμᾶς οὐ χρὴ δεδοικέναι· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἄξιον θανάτου ἐπράξαμεν)· ἢ ὅτι ὁ τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου τούτου βλέπων, ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ ἐστίν. Εἰ δὲ ὁ τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου τούτου βλέπων, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁ μετ' ἐμοῦ, ἐὰν μὴ ἀποστήσῃ ἑαυτὸν 59.344 ἐμοῦ. Τούτοις παραθαῤῥύνας, ἐπάγει καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν ἀναγκαίαν τῆς ἀφίξεως τῆς ἐκεῖσε· καὶ δεικνὺς, ὅτι οὐκ εἰς τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα μέλλουσιν ἀπιέναι, ἀλλ' εἰς Βηθανίαν, Λάζαρος ὁ φίλος, φησὶ, κεκοίμηται, καὶ πορεύομαι ἵνα ἐξυπνίσω αὐτόν· τουτέστιν, Οὐκ ἐπὶ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἄπειμι πάλιν διαλεξόμενος καὶ ὁμόσε χωρήσων τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις, ἀλλὰ τὸν φίλον ἐξυπνίσων τὸν ἡμέτερον. Λέγουσιν οἱ μαθηταί· Κύριε, εἰ κεκοίμηται, σωθήσεται. Τοῦτο δὲ οὐχ ἁπλῶς εἶπον, ἀλλ' ἐγκόψαι βουλόμενοι τὴν ἐκεῖ παρουσίαν. Λέγεις, φησὶν, ὅτι καθεύδει; οὐκοῦν οὐ κατεπείγει τὸ ἀπελθεῖν. Καίτοι αὐτὸς διὰ τοῦτο εἶπεν, ὅτι Ὁ φίλος ἡμῶν, ἵνα δείξῃ ἀναγκαίαν τὴν παρουσίαν. βʹ. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ὀκνηρότερον διέκειντο. τότε λέγει, Ἀπέθανε. Τὸ μὲν οὖν πρότερον, τὸ ἀκόμπαστον παραστῆσαι βουλόμενος, ἔλεγεν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐ συνῆκαν, ἐπάγει· Ἀπέθανε, καὶ χαίρω δι' ὑμᾶς. Τί δήποτε, ∆ι' ὑμᾶς; Ὅτι προεῖπον οὐκ ὢν ἐκεῖ, καὶ ὅτι ἐπειδὰν ἀναστήσω, οὐδεμία ἔσται ὑποψία. Ὁρᾷς πῶς ἔτι ἀτελέστερον διέκειντο οἱ μαθηταὶ, καὶ οὐκ ᾔδεσαν αὐτοῦ τὴν δύναμιν ὡς ἐχρῆν; Τοῦτο δὲ ἐποίουν οἱ μεταξὺ φόβοι, ταράττοντες αὐτῶν τὰς ψυχὰς καὶ θορυβοῦντες. Καὶ ὅτε μὲν ἔλεγε, Κεκοίμηται, λέγει· Πορεύομαι ἵνα ἐξυπνίσω αὐτόν· ὅτε δὲ εἶπεν, Ἀπέθανεν, οὐκέτι προσέθηκε, Πορεύομαι ἵνα ἀναστήσω αὐτόν. Οὐ γὰρ ἠβούλετο τοῖς ῥήμασι