{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/107/1070031.htm","path":"chr/ecf/107/1070031.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/107/1070031.htm","text":"1. In this chapter of the Gospel, brethren, our Lord Jesus Christ has most especially commended Himself to our faith in respect of His humanity. For indeed He always keeps in view, both in His words and deeds, that He should be believed to be God and man: God who made us, man who sought us; with the Father, always God; with us, man in time. For He would not have sought man whom He had made if Himself had not become that which He had made. But remember this, and do not let it slip from your hearts, that Christ became man in such manner that He ceased not to be God. While remaining God, He who made man took manhood. While, therefore, as man He concealed Himself, He must not be thought to have lost His power, but only to have offered an example to our infirmity. For He was detained when He willed to be, and He was put to death when he willed to be. But since there were to be His members, that is, His faithful ones, who would not have that power which He, our God, had; by His being hid, by His con p. 179 cealing Himself as if He would not be put to death, He indicated that His members would do this, in which members He Himself in fact was. For Christ is not simply in the head and not in the body, but Christ whole is in the head and body. What, therefore, His members are, that He is; but what He is, it does not necessarily follow that His members are. For if His members were not Himself, He would not have said, \u201cSaul, why persecutest thou me?\u201d 546 For Saul was not persecuting Himself on earth, but His members, namely, His believers. He would not, however, say, my saints, my servants, or, in short, my brethren, which is more honorable; but, me, that is, my members, whose head I am.\n2. With these preliminary remarks, I think that we shall not have to labor much for the meaning in this chapter; for that is often betokened in the head which was to be in the body. \u201cAfter these things,\u201d saith he, \u201cJesus walked in Galilee: for He would not walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him.\u201d This is what I have said; He offered an example to our infirmity. He had not lost power, but He was comforting our weakness. For it would happen, as I have said, that some believer in Him would retreat into concealment, lest he should be found by the persecutors; and lest the concealment should be objected to him as a crime, that occurred first in the head, which should afterwards be confirmed in the member. For it is said, \u201cHe would not walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him,\u201d just as if Christ were not able both to walk among the Jews, and not be killed by them. For He manifested this power when He willed; for when they would lay hold of Him, as He was now about to suffer, \u201cHe said to them, Whom seek ye? They answered, Jesus. Then, said He, I am He,\u201d not concealing, but manifesting Himself. That manifestation, however, they did not withstand, but \u201cgoing backwards, they fell to the ground.\u201d 547 And yet, because He had come to suffer, they rose up, laid hold of Him, led Him away to the judge, and slew Him. But what was it they did? That which a certain scripture says: \u201cThe earth was delivered into the hands of the ungodly.\u201d 548 The flesh was given into the power of the Jews; and this that thereby the bag, as it were, might be rent asunder, whence our purchase-price might run out.\n3. \u201cNow the Jews\u2019 feast of tabernacles was at hand.\u201d What the feast of tabernacles is, they who read the Scriptures know. They used on the holy day to make tabernacles, in likeness of the tabernacles in which they dwelt while they sojourned in the wilderness, after being led out of Egypt. This was a holy day, a great solemnity. The Jews were celebrating this, as being mindful of the Lord\u2019s benefits\u2014they who were about to kill the Lord. On this holy day, then (for there were several holy days; but it was called a holy day with the Jews, though it was not one day, but several), \u201cHis brethren\u201d spoke to the Lord Christ. Understand the phrase, \u201cHis brethren,\u201d as you know it must be taken, for it is not a new thing you hear. The blood relations of the Virgin Mary used to be called the Lord\u2019s brethren. For it was of the usage of Scripture to call blood relations and all other near kindred by the term brethren, which is foreign to our usage, and not within our manner of speech. For who would call an uncle or a sister\u2019s son \u201cbrother\u201d? Yet the Scripture calls relatives of this kind \u201cbrothers.\u201d For Abraham and Lot are called brothers, while Abraham was Lot\u2019s uncle. 549 Laban and Jacob are called brothers, while Laban was Jacob\u2019s uncle. 550 When, therefore, you hear of the Lord\u2019s brethren, consider them the blood relations of Mary, who did not a second time bear children. For, as in the sepulchre, where the Lord\u2019s body was laid, neither before nor after did any dead lie; so, likewise, Mary\u2019s womb, neither before nor after conceived anything mortal.\n4. We have said who the brethren were, let us hear what they said: \u201cPass over hence, and go into Judea, that thy disciples also may see thy work which thou doest.\u201d The Lord\u2019s works were not hid from the disciples, but to these men they were not apparent. They might have Christ for a kinsman, but through that very relationship they disdained to believe on Him. It is told us in the Gospel; for we dare not hold this as a mere opinion, you have just now heard it. They go on advising Him: \u201cFor no man doeth anything in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly: if thou do these things, show thyself to the world.\u201d And directly after it says: \u201cFor neither did His brethren believe in Him.\u201d Why did they not believe in Him? Because they sought human glory. For as to what His brethren appear to advise Him, they consult for His glory. Thou doest marvellous works, make thyself known; that is, appear to all, that thou mayest be praised by all. The flesh spoke to the flesh; but the flesh without God, to the flesh with God. It was the wisdom of the flesh speak p. 180 ing to the Word which became flesh and dwelt among us.\n5. What did the Lord answer to these things? Then saith Jesus to them: \u201cMy time is not yet come; but your time is always ready.\u201d What is this? Had not Christ\u2019s time yet come? Why then was Christ come, if His time had not yet come? Have we not heard the apostle say, \u201cBut when the fullness of time came, God sent His Son\u201d? 551 If, therefore, He was sent in the fullness of time, He was sent when He ought to be sent, He came when it behoved that He should come. What means then, \u201cMy time is not yet come\u201d? Understand, brethren, with what intention they spoke, when they appeared to advise Him as their brother. They were giving Him counsel to pursue glory; as advising in a worldly manner and with an earthly disposition, that He should not be unknown to fame, nor hide Himself in obscurity. This is what the Lord says in answer to those who were giving Him counsel of glory, \u201cMy time is not yet come;\u201d\u2014the time of my glory is not yet come. See how profound it is: they were advising Him as to glory; but He would have loftiness preceded by humility, and willed to prepare the way to elevation itself through humility. For those disciples, too, were of course seeking glory who wished to sit, one at His right hand and the other at His left: they thought only of the goal, and saw not by what way it must be reached; the Lord recalled them to the way, that they might come to their fatherland in due order. For the fatherland is on high, the way thither lies low. That land is the life of Christ, the way is Christ\u2019s death; that land is the habitation of Christ, the way is Christ\u2019s suffering. He that refuses the way, why seeks he the fatherland? In a word, to these also, while seeking elevation, He gave this answer: \u201cCan ye drink the cup which I am about to drink?\u201d 552 Behold the way by which you must come to that height which you desire. The cup He made mention of was indeed that of His humility and suffering.\n6. Therefore also here: \u201cMy time is not yet come; but your time,\u201d that is the glory of the world, \u201cis always ready.\u201d This is the time of which Christ, that is the body of Christ, speaks in prophecy: \u201cWhen I shall have received the fit time, I will judge righteously.\u201d 553 For at present it is not the time of judging, but of tolerating the wicked. Therefore, let the body of Christ bear at present, and tolerate the wickedness of evil livers. Let it, however, have righteousness now, for by righteousness it shall come to judgment. And what saith the Holy Scripture in the psalm to the members,\u2014namely, that tolerate the wickedness of this world? \u201cThe Lord will not cast off His people.\u201d For, in fact, His people labors among the unworthy, among the unrighteous, among blasphemers, among murmurers, detractors, persecutors, and, if they are allowed, destroyers. Yes, it labors; but \u201cthe Lord will not cast off His people, and He will not forsake His inheritance until justice is turned into judgment.\u201d 554 \u201cUntil the justice,\u201d which is now in His saints, \u201cbe turned into judgment;\u201d when that shall be fulfilled which was said to them, \u201cYe shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.\u201d 555 The apostle had righteousness, but not yet that judgment of which he says, \u201cKnow ye not that we shall judge angels?\u201d 556 Be it now, therefore, the time for living rightly; the time for judging them that have lived ill shall be hereafter. \u201cUntil righteousness,\u201d saith he, \u201cis turned into judgment.\u201d The time of judgment will be that of which the Lord has here said, \u201cMy time is not yet come.\u201d For there will be a time of glory, when He who came in humility will come in loftiness; He who came to be judged will come to judge; He who came to be slain by the dead will come to judge the quick and the dead. \u201cGod,\u201d saith the psalm, \u201cwill come manifest, our God, and He will not be silent.\u201d 557 What is \u201cshall come manifest\u201d? Because He came concealed. Then He will not be silent; for when He came concealed, \u201cHe was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer, He opened not His mouth.\u201d 558 He shall come, and shall not keep silence. \u201cI was silent,\u201d saith He, \u201cshall I always be silent?\u201d 559\n7. But what is necessary at the present time for those who have righteousness? That which is read in that psalm: \u201cUntil righteousness is turned into judgment, and they that have it are upright of heart.\u201d You ask, perhaps, who are the upright in heart? We find in Scripture those to be upright in heart who bear the evils of the world, and do not accuse God. See, brethren, an uncommon thing is that which I speak of. For I know not how it is that, when any evil befalls a man, he runs to accuse God, when he ought to accuse himself. When thou gettest any good, thou praisest thyself; when thou sufferest any evil, thou accusest God. This is then the crooked heart, not the upright. When thou art cured of this distorting and p. 181 perversity, what thou didst use to do will be turned into the contrary. For what didst thou use to do before? Thou didst praise thyself in the good things of God, and didst accuse God in thine own evil things; with thy heart converted and made right, thou wilt praise God in His good things, and accuse thyself in thy own evil things. These are the upright in heart. In short, that man, who was not yet right in heart when the success of the wicked and the distress of the good grieved him, says, when he is corrected: \u201cHow good is the God of Israel to the upright in heart! But as for me,\u201d when I was not right in heart, \u201cmy feet were almost gone; my steps had well-nigh slipped.\u201d Why? \u201cBecause I was envious at sinners, beholding the peace of sinners.\u201d 560 I saw, saith he, the wicked prosperous, and I was displeased at God; for I did wish that God should not permit the wicked to be happy. Let man understand: God never does permit this; but a bad man is thought to be happy, for this reason, because men are ignorant of what happiness is. Let us then be right in heart: the time of our glory is not yet come. Let it be told to the lovers of this world, such as the brethren of the Lord were, \u201cyour time is always ready;\u201d our time \u201cis not yet come.\u201d For let us, too, dare to say this. And since we are the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, since we are His members, since we joyfully acknowledge our head, let us say it without hesitation; since, for our sakes, He deigned also Himself to say this. And when the lovers of this world revile us, let us say to them, \u201cYour time is always ready; our time is not yet come.\u201d For the apostle has said to us, \u201cFor ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.\u201d When will our time come? \u201cWhen Christ,\u201d saith he, \u201cyour life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.\u201d 561\n8. What said He further? \u201cThe world cannot hate you.\u201d What is this, but, The world cannot hate its lovers, the false witnesses? For you call the things that are evil, good; and the things that are good, evil. \u201cBut me it hateth, because I bear witness concerning it, that its works are evil. Go ye up to this feast.\u201d What means \u201cto this\u201d? Where ye seek human glory. What means \u201cto this\u201d? Where ye wish to prolong carnal joys, not to meditate on eternal joys. \u201cI go not up to this feast, because my time is not yet full come.\u201d On this feast-day you seek human glory; but my time, that is, the time of my glory, is not yet come. That will be my feast-day, not running before and passing over these days, but remaining for ever; that will be festivity, joy without end, eternity without a blot, serenity without a cloud. \u201cWhen He had said these words unto them, He abode still in Galilee. But when His brethren were gone up, then went He also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.\u201d Therefore \u201cnot to this feast-day,\u201d because His desire was not for temporal glory, but to teach something to profit, to correct men, to admonish them of an eternal feast-day, to turn away their love from this world, and to turn it to God. But what means this, \u201cHe went up as it were in secret to the feast\u201d? This action of the Lord also is not without meaning. It appears to me that, even from this circumstance that He went up as it were in secret, He had intended to signify something; for the things that follow will show that He thus went up on the middle of the feast, that is, when those days were half over, to teach even openly. But he said, \u201cAs it were in secret,\u201d meaning, not to show Himself to men. It is not without meaning that Christ went up \u201cas it were in secret\u201d to that feast, because He Himself lay hid in that feast-day. What I have said as yet is also under cover of secrecy. Let it be manifested then, let the veil be lifted, and let that which was secret appear.\n9. All things that were spoken to the ancient people Israel in the manifold Scripture of the holy law, what things they did, whether in sacrifices, or in priestly offices, or in feast-days, and, in a word, in what things soever they worshipped God, what things soever were spoken to and given them in precept, were shadows of things to come. Of what things to come? Things which find their fulfillment in Christ. Whence the apostle says, \u201cFor all the promises of God are in Him yea;\u201d 562 that is, they are fulfilled in Him. Again he says in another place, \u201cAll happened to them in a figure; but they were written for our sakes, upon whom the end of the ages is come.\u201d 563 And he said elsewhere, \u201cFor Christ is the end of the law;\u201d 564 likewise in another place, \u201cLet no man judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of a new moon, or of Sabbath-days, which is a shadow of things to come.\u201d 565 If, therefore, all these things were shadows of things to come, also the feast of tabernacles was a shadow of things to come. Let us examine, then, of what thing to come was this feast-day a shadow. I have explained what this feast of tabernacles was: it was a celebration of taber p. 182 nacles, because the people, after their deliverance from Egypt, while directing their course through the wilderness to the land of promise, dwelt in tents. Let us observe what it is, and we shall be that thing; we, I say, who are members of Christ, if such we are; but we are, He having made us worthy, not we having earned it for ourselves. Let us then consider ourselves, brethren: we have been led out of Egypt, where we were slaves to the devil as to Pharaoh; where we applied ourselves to works of clay, engaged in earthly desires, and where we toiled exceedingly. And to us, while laboring, as it were, at the bricks, Christ cried aloud, \u201cCome unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden.\u201d Thence we were led out by baptism as through the Red Sea,\u2014red because consecrated by the blood of Christ. All our enemies that pursued us being dead, that is, all our sins being blotted out, we have been brought over to the other side. At the present time, then, before we come to the land of promise, namely, the eternal kingdom, we are in the wilderness in tabernacles. They who acknowledge these things are in tabernacles; for it was to be that some would acknowledge this. For that man, who understands that he is a sojourner in this world, is in tabernacles. That man understands that he is travelling in a foreign country, when he sees himself sighing for his native land. But whilst the body of Christ is in tabernacles, Christ is in tabernacles; but at that time He was so, not evidently but secretly. For as yet the shadow obscured the light; when the light came, the shadow was removed. Christ was in secret: He was in the feast of tabernacles, but there hidden. At the present time, when these things are already made manifest, we acknowledge that we are journeying in the wilderness: for if we know it, we are in the wilderness. What is it to be in the wilderness? In the desert waste. Why in the desert waste? Because in this world, where we thirst in a way in which is no water. But yet, let us thirst that we may be filled. For, \u201cBlessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.\u201d 566 And our thirst is quenched from the rock in the wilderness: for \u201cthe Rock was Christ,\u201d and it was smitten with a rod that the water might flow. But that it might flow, the rock was smitten twice: because there are two beams of the cross. 567 All these things, then, which were done in a figure, are made manifest to us. And it is not without meaning that it was said of the Lord, \u201cHe went up to the feast-day, but not openly, but as it were in secret.\u201d For Himself in secret was the thing prefigured, because Christ was hid in that same festal-day; for that very festal-day signified Christ\u2019s members that were to sojourn in a foreign land.\n10. \u201cThen the Jews sought Him on the feast-day:\u201d before He went up. For His brethren went up before Him, and He went not up then when they supposed and wished: that this too might be fulfilled which He said, \u201cNot to this, that is, the first or second day, to which you wish me to go. But He went up afterwards, as the Gospel tells us, \u201con the middle of the feast;\u2019 that is, when as many days of that feast had passed as there remained. For they celebrated that same festival, so far we can understand, on several successive days.\n11. \u201cThey said, therefore, Where is he? And there was much murmuring among the people concerning Him.\u201d Whence the murmuring? Of strife. What was the strife? \u201cSome said, He is a good man; but others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.\u201d We must understand this of all His servants: this is said now of them. For whoever becomes eminent in some spiritual grace, of him some will assuredly say, \u201cHe is a good man;\u201d others, \u201cNay; but he deceiveth the people.\u201d Whence is this? \u201cBecause our life is hid with Christ in God.\u201d 568 On this account people may say during the winter, This tree is dead; for example, a fig tree, pear tree, or some kind of fruit tree, it is like a withered tree, and so long as it is winter it does not appear whether it is so or not. But the summer proves, the judgment proves. Our summer is the appearing of Christ: \u201cGod shall come manifest, our God, and He will not be silent;\u201d 569 \u201cfire shall go before Him:\u201d that fire \u201cshall burn up His enemies:\u201d 570 that fire shall lay hold of the withered trees. For then shall the dry trees be apparent, when it shall be said to them, \u201cI was hungry, and ye gave me not to eat;\u201d but on the other side, namely, on the right, will be seen abundance of fruit, and magnificence of leaves; the green will be eternity. To those, then, as withered trees, it shall be said, \u201cGo into everlasting fire. For behold,\u201d it saith, \u201cthe axe is laid to the root of the trees: every tree, therefore, that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be cut down, and cast into the fire.\u201d 571 Let them then say of thee, if thou art growing in Christ, let men say of thee, \u201cHe deceiveth the people.\u201d This is said of Christ Himself; it is said of the whole body p. 183 of Christ. Think of the body of Christ still in the world, think of it still on the threshing-floor; see how it is blasphemed by the chaff. The chaff and the grain are, indeed, threshed together; but the chaff is consumed, the corn is purged. What was said of the Lord then, avails for consolation, whenever it will be said of any Christian.\n12. \u201cHowbeit no man spake openly of Him for fear of the Jews.\u201d But who were they that did not speak of Him for fear of the Jews? Undoubtedly they who said, \u201cHe is a good man:\u201d not they who said, \u201cHe deceiveth the people.\u201d As for them who said \u201cHe deceiveth the people,\u201d their din was heard like the noise of dry leaves. \u201cHe deceiveth the people,\u201d they sounded more and more loudly: \u201cHe is a good man,\u201d they whispered more and more constrainedly. But now, brethren, notwithstanding that glory of Christ which is to make us immortal is not yet come, yet now, I say, His Church so increases, He has deigned to spread it abroad through the whole world, that it is now only whispered. \u201cHe deceiveth the people;\u201d and more and more loudly it sounds forth, \u201cHe is a good man.\u201d","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. VII: Lectures or Tra...","type":"page"}