III. 1,2. G. T. τὸν Χ. man before it hear him; and the Jews in anger replied to JOHN him, Search and look, for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. Again after the Crucifixion he bestowed great care upon the Burial of the Lord's Body: There came also, saith the c.19,39. Evangelist, Nicodemus, which came to the Lord' by night, "Inooûv, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. And even now he was disposed towards Christ, but not as he ought, nor with proper2 Tepl sentiments respecting Him, for he was as yet entangled in Jewish infirmity. Wherefore he came by night, because he feared to do so by day. Yet not for this did the merciful God reject or rebuke him, or deprive him of His instruction, but even with much kindness conversed with him, and disclosed to him very exalted doctrines, enigmatically indeed, but nevertheless He disclosed them. For far more deserving of pardon was he than those who acted thus through wickedness. They are entirely without excuse; but he, though he was liable to condemnation, yet was not so to an equal degree. "How then does the Evangelist say nothing of the kind concerning him?" He has said in another place, that of the rulers also many believed on Him, c.12,42. but because of the Jews they did not confess (Him), lest 3 papıthey should be put out of the synagogue; but here he has galous, implied the whole by mentioning his coming by night. What then saith Nicodemus? Rabbi, we know that Thou art a Teacher come from God: for no man can do the miracles that Thou doest, except God be with him. G. T. 4 [2.] Nicodemus yet lingers below, has yet human thoughts 1 σrpéconcerning Him, and speaks of Him as of a Prophet, imagining nothing great from His miracles. says, that Thou art a Teacher come from God. We know, he comest thou by night and secretly, to Him that speaketh the things of God, to Him Who cometh from God? Why conversest thou not with Him openly?" But Jesus said nothing like this to him, nor did He rebuke him; for, saith the Prophet, A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking Is. 42, flax shall He not quench: He shall not strive nor cry: and 2.3; as quoted Mat. 12, 19. 20. 202 Christ doth all with authority. HOMIL. again He saith Himself, I came not to condemn the world, but to save the world. XXIV. c. 12,47. 1 yep γούμε VO au τὸν 2 Mark 5, go No man can do these miracles, except God be with him. Still here Nicodemus speaks like the heretics, in saying, that He hath a power working within Him', and hath need of the aid of others to do as He did. What then saith Christ? Observe His exceeding condescension. He refrained for a while from saying, "I need not the help of others, but do all things with power, for I am the Very Son of God, and have the same power as My Father," because this would have been too hard for His hearer; for I say now what I am always saying, that what Christ desired was, not so much for a while to reveal His own Dignity, as to persuade men that He did nothing contrary to His Father. And therefore in many places He appears in words confined by ETP limits, but in His actions He doth not so. For when He άζων Matt. 8, worketh a miracle, He doth all with power, saying, I will, be 3. thou clean. Talitha, arise. Stretch forth thy hand. Thy 41. [not sins be forgiven thee. Peace, be still. Take up thy bed, verbally and quoted.] unto thine house. Thou foul spirit, I say unto thee, Mark 3, come out of him. Be it unto thee even as thou wilt. If any Matt. 9, one say (aught) unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need 2. of him. This day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise. Ye Mark 4, 39. have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou Matt. 9, shalt not kill; but I say unto you, that whosoever is angry Mark 9, with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the 25. [not verbally judgment. Come ye after Me, and I will make you fishers quoted.] of men. And every where we observe that His authority is 28. great; for in His actions no one could find fault with what Mark was done. How was it possible? Had His words not come Luke 23, to pass, nor been accomplished as He commanded, any one Matt. 5, might have said that they were the commands of a madman; 21. 22. but since they did come to pass, the reality of their acMark 1, complishment stopped men's mouths even against their will. But with regard to His discourses, they might often in their insolence charge Him with madness. Wherefore now in the case of Nicodemus, He utters nothing openly, but by dark sayings leads him up from his low thoughts, teaching him, that He has sufficient power in Himself to shew forth 5. 6. Mat. 15, 11, 3. 43. 17. III. 3. miracles; for that His Father begat Him Perfect and All- JOHN sufficient, and without any imperfection. But let us see how He effects this. Nicodemus saith, Rabbi, we know that Thou art a Teacher come from God, for no man can do the miracles that Thou doest, except God be with him. He thought he had said something great when he had spoken thus of Christ. What then saith Christ? To shew that he had not yet set foot even on the threshold of right knowledge, nor stood in the porch, but was yet wandering somewhere without the palace, both he and whoever else should say the like, and that he had not so much as glanced towards true knowledge when he held such an opinion of the Only-Begotten, what saith He? Ver. 3. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. That is, "Unless thou art born again and receivest the right doctrines, thou art wandering somewhere without, and art far from the Kingdom of heaven." But He does not speak so plainly as this. In order to make the saying less hard to bear, He does not plainly direct it at him, but speaks indefinitely, Except a man be born again: all but saying, "both thou, and any other, who may have such opinions concerning Me, art somewhere without the Kingdom.” Had He not spoken from a desire to establish this, His answer would have been suitable to what had been said. Now the Jews, if these words had been addressed to them, would have derided Him and departed; but Nicodemus shews here also his desire of instruction1. And this is why in many places 1 al.'of Christ speaks obscurely, because He wishes to rouse His hearers to ask questions, and to render them more attentive. For that which is said plainly often escapes the hearer, but what is obscure renders him more active and zealous. Now what He saith, is something like this: "If thou art not born again, if thou partakest not of the Spirit which is by the washing of Regeneration, thou canst not have a right? or, opinion of Me, for the opinion which thou hast is not Tit.3,5. spiritual, but carnal"." But He did not speak thus, as refusing to confound one who had brought such as he had, 3 or, and who had spoken to the best of his ability; and He leads' strike' buxin, 'belonging to the natural life,' opposed in N. T. to TVEνμаTIKŃ. 3 truth' 'laver' HOMIL. him unsuspectedly up to greater knowledge, saying, Except XXIV. ἄνωθεν or 'from 1 are a man be born again. The word again', in this place, (again' some understand to mean "from heaven," others, " from the above) beginning." "It is impossible," saith Christ," for one not so born to see the Kingdom of God;" in this pointing to Himself, and declaring that there is another beside the natural sight, and that we have need of other eyes to behold Christ. Having heard this, 2 lit. 'intro Ver. 4. Nicodemus saith, How can a man be born when he is old? 2 Callest thou Him Master, sayest thou that He is come from God, and yet receivest thou not His words, but usest to thy Teacher a manner of speaking which expresses much perduces plexity? For the How, is the doubting question of those who have no strong belief, but who are yet of the earth. Therefore Sarah laughed when she had said, How? And many others having asked this question, have fallen from the faith. Ben. trans poses the clauses [3.] And thus heretics continue in their heresy, because they frequently make this enquiry, saying, some of them, "How was He begotten?" others, "How was He made flesh?" and subjecting that Infinite Essence to the weakness of their own reasonings. Knowing which, we ought to avoid this unseasonable curiosity, for they who search into these matters shall, without learning the " How," fall away from the right faith. On this account Nicodemus, being in doubt, enquires the manner in which this can be, (for he understood that the words spoken referred to himself,) is 3iyya confused, and dizzy3, and in perplexity, having come as to a man, and hearing more than man's words, and such as no one ever yet had heard; and for a while he rouses himself at the sublimity of the sayings, but yet is in darkness, and unstable, borne about in every direction, and continually falling away from the faith. And therefore he perseveres in proving the impossibility, so as to provoke Him to clearer teaching. Can a man, he saith, enter into his mother's womb, and be born? Seest thou how when one commits spiritual things to his own reasonings, he speaks ridiculously, seems to be trifling, 14. 2 lit. 'shook' or to be drunken, when he pries into what has been said JOHN beyond what seems good to God, and admits not the sub- III. 4. mission of faith? Nicodemus heard of the spiritual Birth, yet perceived it not as spiritual, but dragged down the words to the lowness of the flesh, and made a doctrine so great and high depend upon physical consequence. And so he invents frivolities, and ridiculous difficulties. Wherefore Paul said, The natural1 man receiveth not the things of the 1 Cor. 2, Spirit. Yet even in this he preserved his reverence for ψυχικὸς Christ, for he did not mock at what had been said, but, deeming it impossible, held his peace. There were two difficulties; a Birth of this kind, and the Kingdom; for neither had the name of the Kingdom ever been heard among the Jews, nor of a Birth like this. But he stops for a while at the first, which most astonished his mind. Let us then, knowing this, not enquire into things relating to God by reasoning, nor bring heavenly matters under the rule of earthly consequences, nor subject them to the necessity of nature; but let us think of all reverently, believing as the Scriptures have said; for the busy and curious person gains nothing, and besides not finding what he seeks, shall suffer extreme punishment. Thou hast heard, that (the Father) begat (the Son): believe what thou hast heard; but do ask not," How," and so take away the Generation; to do so would be extreme folly. For if this man, because, on hearing of a Generation, not that ineffable GENERATION, but this which is by grace, he conceived nothing great concerning it, but human and earthly thoughts, was therefore darkened and in doubt, what punishment must they deserve, who are busy and curious about that most awful GENERATION, which transcends all reason and intellect? For nothing causes such dizziness 3 as human reasoning, all whose words 3 al. are of earth, and which cannot endure to be enlightened from dreadabove. Earthly reasonings are full of mud, and therefore need ness' we streams from heaven, that when the mud has settled, the clearer portion may rise and mingle with the heavenly lessons; and this comes to pass, when we present an honest soul and an upright life. For certainly it is possible for the intellect to be darkened, not only by unseasonable curiosity, but also by corrupt manners; wherefore Paul hath said to ful dark |