{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/107/1070047.htm","path":"chr/ecf/107/1070047.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/107/1070047.htm","text":"1. We have just read the long lesson of the man born blind, whom the Lord Jesus restored to the light; but were we to attempt handling the whole of it, and considering, according to our ability, each passage in a way proportionate to its worth, the day would be insufficient. Wherefore I ask and warn your Charity not to require any words of ours on those passages whose meaning is manifest; for it would be too protracted to linger at each. I proceed, therefore, to set forth briefly the mystery of this blind man\u2019s enlightenment. All, certainly, that was done by our Lord Jesus Christ, both works and words, are worthy of our astonishment and admiration: His works, because they are facts; His words, because they are signs. If we reflect, then, on what is signified by the deed here done, that blind man is the human race; for this blindness had place in the first man, through sin, from whom we all draw our origin, not only in respect of death, but also of unrighteousness. For if unbelief is blindness, and faith enlightenment, whom did Christ find a believer at His coming? seeing that the apostle, belonging himself to the family of the prophets, says: \u201cAnd we also in times past were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.\u201d 820 If \u201cchildren of wrath,\u201d then children of vengeance, children of punishment, children of hell. For how is it \u201cby nature,\u201d save that through the first man sinning moral evil rooted itself in us as a nature? If evil has so taken root within us, every man is born mentally blind. For if he sees, he has no need of a guide. If he does need one to guide and enlighten him, then is he blind from his birth.\n2. The Lord came: what did He do? He set forth a great mystery. \u201cHe spat on the ground,\u201d He made clay of His spittle; for the Word was made flesh. 821 \u201cAnd He anointed the eyes of the blind man.\u201d The anointing had taken place, and yet he saw not. He sent him to the pool which is called Siloam. But it was the evangelist\u2019s concern to call our attention to the name of this pool; and he adds, \u201cWhich is interpreted, Sent.\u201d You understand now who it is that was sent; for had He not been sent, none of us would have been set free from iniquity. Accordingly he washed his eyes in that pool which is interpreted, Sent\u2014he was baptized in Christ. If, therefore, when He baptized him in a manner in Himself, He then enlightened him; when He anointed Him, perhaps He made him a catechumen. 822 In many different ways indeed may the profound meaning of such a sacramental act be set forth and handled; but let this suffice your Charity. You have heard a great mystery. Ask a man, Are you a Christian? His answer to you is, I am not, if he is a pagan or a Jew. But if he says, I am; you inquire again of him, Are you a catechumen or a believer? If he reply, A catechumen; he has been anointed, but not yet washed. But how anointed? Inquire, and he will answer you. Inquire of him in whom he believes. In that very respect in which he is a catechumen he says, In Christ. See, I am speaking in a way both to the faithful and to catechumens. What have I said of the spittle and the clay? That the Word was made flesh. This even catechumens hear; but that to which they have been anointed is not all they need; let them hasten to the font if they are in search of enlightenment.\n3. And now, because of certain points in p. 246 the lesson before us, let us run over the words of the Lord, and of the whole lesson itself rather than make them a theme of discourse. \u201cAs He passed out, He saw a man who was blind;\u201d blind, not from any cause whatever, but \u201cfrom his birth.\u201d \u201cAnd His disciples asked Him, Rabbi.\u201d You know that \u201cRabbi\u201d is Master. They called Him Master, because they desired to learn. The question, at all events, they proposed to the Lord as a master, \u201cWho did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?\u201d Jesus answered, \u201cNeither hath this man sinned, nor his parents,\u201d that he was born blind. What is this that He has said? If no man is sinless, were the parents of this blind man without sin? Was he himself either born without original sin, or had he committed none in the course of his lifetime? Because his eyes were closed, had his lusts lost their wakefulness? How many evils are done by the blind? From what evil does an evil mind abstain, even though the eyes are closed? He could not see, but he knew how to think, and perchance to lust after something which his blindness hindered him from attaining, and so still in his heart to be judged by the searcher of hearts. If, then, both his parents had sin, and the man himself had sin, wherefore said the Lord, \u201cNeither hath this man sinned, nor his parents,\u201d but only in respect to the point on which he was questioned, \u201cthat he was born blind\u201d? For his parents had sin; but not by reason of the sin itself did it come about that he was born blind. If, then, it was not through the parents\u2019 sin that he was born blind, why was he born blind? Listen to the Master as He teaches. He seeks one who believes, to give him understanding. He Himself tells us the reason why that man was born blind: \u201cNeither hath this man sinned,\u201d He says, \u201cnor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.\u201d\n4. And then, what follows? \u201cI must work the works of Him that sent me.\u201d See, here is that sent one [Siloam], wherein the blind man washed his face. And see what He said: \u201cI must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day.\u201d Recall to thy mind the way in which He gives universal glory to Him of whom He is: 823 for that One has the Son who is of Him; He Himself has no One of whom He is. 824 But wherefore, Lord, saidst Thou, \u201cWhile it is day\u201d? Hearken why He did so. \u201cThe night cometh when no man can work.\u201d Not even Thou, Lord. Will that night have such power that not even Thou, whose work the night is, wilt be able to work therein? For I think, Lord Jesus, nay I do not think, but believe and hold it sure, that Thou wast there when God said, \u201cLet there be light, and there was light.\u201d 825 For if He made it by the Word, He made it by Thee: and therefore it is said, \u201cAll things were made by Him; and without Him was nothing made.\u201d 826 \u201cGod divided between the light and the darkness: the light He called Day, and the darkness He called Night.\u201d 827\n5. What is that night wherein, when it comes, no one shall be able to work? Hear what the day is, and then thou wilt understand what the night is. But how shall we hear what the day is? Let Himself tell us: \u201cAs long as I am in this world, I am the light of the world.\u201d See, He Himself is the day. Let the blind man wash his eyes in the day, that he may behold the day. \u201cAs long,\u201d He says, \u201cas I am in the world, I am the light of the world.\u201d Then will it be night of a kind unknown to me, when Christ will no longer be there; and so no one will be able to work. An inquiry remains, my brethren; patiently listen to me as I inquire. With you I inquire: With you shall I find Him to whom my inquiry is addressed. We are agreed; for it is expressly and definitely stated that the Lord proclaimed Himself in this place as the day, that is, the light of the world. \u201cAs long,\u201d He says, \u201cas I am in this world, I am the light of the world.\u201d Therefore He Himself works. But how long is He in this world? Are we to think, brethren, that He was here then, and is here no longer? If we think so, then already, after the Lord\u2019s ascension, did that fearful night begin, when no one can work. If that night began after the Lord\u2019s ascension, how was it that the apostles wrought so much? Was that the night when the Holy Spirit came, and, filling all who were in one place, gave them the power of speaking in the tongues of every nation? 828 Was it night when that lame man was made whole at the word of Peter, or rather, at the word of the Lord dwelling in Peter? 829 Was it night when, as the disciples were passing by, the sick were laid in couches, that they might be touched at least by their shadow as they passed? 830 Yet, when the Lord was here, there was no one made whole by His shadow as He passed; but He Himself had said to the disciples, \u201cGreater things than these shall ye do.\u201d 831 Yes, the Lord had said, \u201cGreater things than these shall ye do;\u201d but let not flesh and blood exalt itself: p. 247 let such hear Him also saying, \u201cWithout me ye can do nothing.\u201d 832\n6. What then? What shall we say of that night? When will it be, when no one shall be able to work? It will be that night of the wicked, that night of those to whom it shall be said in the end, \u201cDepart into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.\u201d But it is here called night, not flame, nor fire. Hearken, then, why it is also night. Of a certain servant He says, \u201cBind ye him hand and foot, and cast him into outer darkness.\u201d 833 Let man, then, work while he liveth, that he may not be overtaken by that night when no man can work. It is now that faith is working by love; and if now we are working, then this is the day\u2014Christ is here. Hear His promise, and think Him not absent. It is Himself who hath said, \u201cLo, I am with you.\u201d How long? Let there be no anxiety in us who are alive; were it possible, with this very word we might place in perfect security the generations still to come. \u201cLo,\u201d He says,\u201d I am with you always, even to the end of the world.\u201d 834 That day, which is completed by the circuit of yonder sun, has but few hours; the day of Christ\u2019s presence extends even to the end of the world. But after the resurrection of the living and the dead, when He shall say to those placed at His right hand, \u201cCome, ye blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom;\u201d and to those at His left, \u201cDepart into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels;\u201d 835 then shall be the night when no man can work, but only get back what he has wrought before. There is a time for working, another for receiving; for the Lord shall render to every one according to his works. 836 While thou livest, be doing, if thou art to be doing at all; for then shall come that appalling night, to envelope the wicked in its folds. But even now every unbeliever, when he dies, is received within that night: there is no work to be done there. In that night was the rich man burning, and asking a drop of water from the beggar\u2019s finger; he mourned, agonized, confessed, but no relief was vouchsafed. He even endeavored to do good; for he said to Abraham, \u201cFather Abraham, send Lazarus to my brethren, that he may tell them what is being done here, lest they also come into this place of torment.\u201d 837 Unhappy man! when thou wert living, then was the time for working: now thou art already in the night, in which no man can work.\n7. \u201cWhen He had thus spoken, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and He spread the clay upon his eyes, and said unto him, Go and wash in the pool of Siloam (which is, by interpretation, Sent). He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.\u201d As these words are clear, we may pass them over.\n8. \u201cThe neighbors therefore, and those who saw him previously, for he was a beggar, said, Is not this he who sat and begged? Some said, It is he: others, No; but he is like him.\u201d The opening of his eyes had altered his countenance. \u201cHe said, I am he.\u201d His voice utters its gratitude, that it might not be condemned as ungrateful. \u201cTherefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? He answered, The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and saw.\u201d See, he is become the herald of grace; see, he preaches the gospel; endowed with sight, he becomes a confessor. That blind man makes confession, and the heart of the wicked was troubled; for they had not in their heart what he had now in his countenance. \u201cThey said to him, Where is he who hath opened thine eyes? He said, I know not.\u201d In these words the man\u2019s own soul was like that of one only as yet anointed, but not yet seeing. Let us so put it, brethren, as if he had that anointing in his soul. He preaches, and knows not the Being whom he preaches.\n9. \u201cThey brought to the Pharisees him who had been blind. And it was the Sabbath when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. Then again the Pharisees also asked how he had received his sight. And he said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. Therefore said some of the Pharisees;\u201d not all, but some; for some were already anointed. What then said those who neither saw nor were anointed? \u201cThis man is not of God, because he keepeth not the Sabbath.\u201d He it was rather who kept it, who was without sin. For this is the spiritual Sabbath, to have no sin. In fact, brethren, it is of this that God admonishes us, when He commends the Sabbath to our notice: \u201cThou shalt do no servile work.\u201d 838 These are God\u2019s words when commending the Sabbath, \u201cThou shalt do no servile work.\u201d Now ask the former lessons, what is meant by servile work; 839 and listen to the Lord: \u201cEvery one that committeth sin is the servant of sin.\u201d 840 But these men, neither seeing, as I said, nor anointed, kept the Sabbath carnally, and profaned it spiritually. \u201cOthers p. 248 said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles?\u201d These were the anointed ones. \u201cAnd there was a division among them.\u201d The day had divided between the light and the darkness. \u201cThey say then unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him who hath opened thine eyes?\u201d What is thy feeling about him? what is thine opinion? what is thy judgment? They sought how to revile the man, that he might be cast out of the synagogue, but be found by Christ. But he steadfastly expressed what he felt. For he said, \u201cThat he is a prophet.\u201d As yet, indeed, anointed only in heart, he does not thus far confess the Son of God, and yet he speaks not untruthfully. For the Lord saith of Himself, \u201cA prophet is not without honor, save in his own country.\u201d 841\n10. \u201cTherefore the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, till they called the parents of him that received his sight;\u201d that is, who had been blind, and had come to the possession of sight. \u201cAnd they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see? His parents answered them, and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: but how he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not. And they said, Ask himself; he is of age, let him speak of himself.\u201d He is indeed our son, and we might justly be compelled to answer for him as an infant, because then he could not speak for himself: from of old he has had power of speech, only now he sees: we have been acquainted with him as blind from his birth, we know him as having speech from of old, only now do we see him endowed with sight: ask himself, that you may be instructed; why seek to calumniate us? \u201cThese words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had conspired already, that if any man did confess that He was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.\u201d It was no longer a bad thing to be put out of the synagogue. They cast out, but Christ received. \u201cTherefore said his parents, He is of age, ask himself.\u201d\n11. \u201cThen again called they the man who had been blind, and said unto him, Give God the glory.\u201d What is that, \u201cGive God the glory\u201d? Deny what thou hast received. Such conduct is manifestly not to give God the glory, but rather to blaspheme Him. \u201cGive God,\u201d they say, \u201cthe glory: we know that this man is a sinner. Then said he, If he is a sinner, I know not: one thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see. Then said they to him, What did he to thee, how opened he thine eyes?\u201d And he, indignant now at the hardness of the Jews, and as one brought from a state of blindness to sight, unable to endure the blind, \u201canswered them, I have told you already, and ye have heard: wherefore would ye hear it again? Will ye also become his disciples?\u201d What means, \u201cWill ye also,\u201d but that I am one already? \u201cWill ye also be so?\u201d Now I see, but see not askance.\n12. \u201cThey cursed him, and said, Thou art his disciple.\u201d Such a malediction be upon us, and upon our children! For a malediction it is, if thou layest open their heart, not if thou ponderest the words. \u201cBut we are Moses\u2019 disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.\u201d Would ye had known that \u201cGod spake to Moses!\u201d ye would have also known that God preached by Moses. For ye have the Lord saying, \u201cHad ye believed Moses, ye would have also believed me; for he wrote of me.\u201d 842 Is it thus ye follow the servant, and turn your back against the Lord? But not even the servant do ye follow; for by him ye would be guided to the Lord.\n13. \u201cThe man answered and said unto them, Herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners; but if any man is a worshipper of God, and doeth His will, him He heareth.\u201d He speaks still as one only anointed. For God heareth even sinners. For if God heard not sinners, in vain would the publican, casting his eyes on the ground, and smiting on his breast, have said, \u201cLord, be merciful to me a sinner.\u201d And that confession merited justification, as this blind man enlightenment. \u201cSince the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.\u201d With frankness, constancy, and truthfulness [he spoke]. For these things that were done by the Lord, by whom were they done but by God? Or when would such things be done by disciples, were not the Lord dwelling in them?\n14. \u201cThey answered and said unto him, Thou wast wholly born in sins.\u201d What means this \u201cwholly\u201d? Even to blindness of the eyes. But He who has opened his eyes, also saves him wholly: He will grant a resurrection at His right hand, who gave enlight p. 249 enment to his countenance. \u201cThou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.\u201d They had made him their master; many questions had they asked for their own instruction, and they ungratefully cast forth their teacher.\n15. But, as I have already said before, brethren, when they expel, the Lord receiveth; for the rather that he was expelled, was he made a Christian. \u201cJesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?\u201d Now He washes the face of his heart. \u201cHe answered and said,\u201d as one still only anointed, \u201cWho is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that talketh with thee.\u201d The One is He that is sent; the other is one washing his face in Siloam, which is interpreted, Sent. And now at last, with the face of his heart washed, and a conscience purified, acknowledging Him not only as the son of man, which he had believed before, but now as the Son of God, who had assumed our flesh, \u201che said, Lord, I believe.\u201d It is but little to say, \u201cI believe:\u201d wouldst thou also see what he believes Him? \u201cHe fell down and worshipped Him.\u201d\n16. \u201cAnd Jesus said to him.\u201d Now is He, the day, discerning between the light and the darkness. \u201cFor judgment am I come into this world; that they who see not might see, and they who see might be made blind.\u201d What is this, Lord? A weighty subject of inquiry hast Thou laid on the weary; but revive our strength that we may be able to understand what Thou hast said. Thou art come \u201cthat they who see not may see:\u201d rightly so, for Thou art the light: rightly so, for Thou art the day: rightly so, for Thou deliverest from darkness: this every soul accepts, every one understands. What is this that follows, \u201cAnd those who see may be made blind?\u201d Shall then, because Thou art come, those be made blind who saw? Hear what follows, and perhaps thou wilt understand.\n17. By these words, then, were \u201csome of the Pharisees\u201d disturbed, \u201cand said unto Him, Are we blind also?\u201d Hear now what it is that moved them, \u201cAnd they who see may be made blind.\u201d \u201cJesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin;\u201d while blindness itself is sin. \u201cIf ye were blind,\u201d that is, if ye considered yourselves blind, if ye called yourselves blind, ye also would have recourse to the physician: \u201cif\u201d then in this way \u201cye were blind, ye should have no sin;\u201d for I am come to take away sin. \u201cBut now ye say, We see; [therefore] your sin remaineth.\u201d Wherefore? Because by saying, \u201cWe see:\u201d ye seek not the physician, ye remain in your blindness. This, then, is that which a little above we did not understand, when He said, \u201cI am come, that they who see not may see;\u201d for what means this, \u201cthat they who see not may see\u201d? They who acknowledge that they do not see, and seek the physician, that they may receive sight. And \u201cthey who see may be made blind:\u201d what means this, \u201cthey who see may be made blind\u201d? That they who think they see, and seek not the physician, may abide in their blindness. Such discerning therefore of one from another He called judgment, when He said, \u201cFor judgment I am come into this world,\u201d whereby He distinguishes the cause of those who believe and make confession from the proud, who think they see, and are therefore the more grievously blinded: just as the sinner, making confession, and seeking the physician, said to Him, \u201cJudge me, O God, and discern my cause against the unholy nation,\u201d 843 \u2014namely, those who say, \u201cWe see,\u201d and their sin remaineth. But it was not that judgment He now brought into the world, whereby in the end of the world He shall judge the living and the dead. For in respect to this He had said, \u201cI judge no man;\u201d 844 seeing that He came the first time, \u201cnot to judge the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.\u201d 845\nThe name given to one who was under instruction for baptism, and for entrance into the full privileges of church membership.\n246:823\nOr, \u201cfrom whom He proceeds.\u201d The Son is of the Father, but the Father is of none.\n246:824","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. VII: Lectures or Tra...","type":"page"}