Commentary on the Gospel of John

Having set down the teaching of Christ concerning spiritual regeneration, and that Christ had communicated the grace of spiritual regeneration to the Jews, here the Evangelist consequently shows how that same grace was also derived to the Gentiles through Christ. Now the saving grace of Christ was derived to the Gentiles in a twofold way: through teaching and through miracles. Mark, last chapter, 20: "but they, going forth, preached everywhere" — behold teaching — "the Lord working together with them, with signs following" — behold miracles. First, therefore, he shows the future conversion of the Gentiles through teaching; second, the future conversion of the Gentiles through miracles, at the place "and after two days he departed thence." Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets down certain preambles to the teaching; second he sets forth the teaching itself, and its effect, at the place "Jesus answered, and said to her: if thou didst know the gift of God," and so on. As to the first, he sets down three preambles. The first on the part of the teacher himself; the second on the part of that concerning which the teaching was given, at the place "now there was there Jacob's well"; the third on the part of the person hearing, at the place "there came a woman of Samaria," and so on.

On the part of the teacher, the preamble is his approach to the place of teaching; and so he says "when Jesus therefore knew," and so on. Here he does three things. First he indicates the terminus from which he withdraws, namely from Judea; second the terminus to which he approaches, into Galilee; third he indicates the middle through which he passes, namely through Samaria. As to the first, he first sets down the cause of the withdrawal from the place in which he was; second he expounds certain things said in the assigned cause, at the place "although Jesus did not baptize," and so on; third he describes the withdrawal of Christ from Judea, at the place "he left Judea," and so on. He says therefore "when Jesus therefore knew that the Pharisees had heard," and so on, wishing the Evangelist to show that after the Baptist had put down the envy of his disciples, Christ withdrew from the malice of the Pharisees. But since it is said in Ecclesiasticus 23:29: "all things are known to the Lord our God before they come to be," and Hebrews 4:13: "all things are naked and open to his eyes," it seems one must ask how Jesus is said to know something anew. To which it must be said that Jesus, by the power of his divinity, knew from eternity all things past, present, and future, as the aforesaid authorities show; but insofar as he was man, he knew certain things anew, by experiential knowledge; and it is of this that it is said here "when Jesus knew," namely after it had been announced to him, "that the Pharisees had heard," and so on. And Christ willed to receive this knowledge anew by dispensation, in order to show the truth of human nature, just as he willed also to do and suffer many other things proper to human nature.

But what is this that it says "that the Pharisees had heard that Christ made more disciples and baptized than John," since this did not pertain to them? For they had persecuted John, nor did they believe him: because, as is said in Matthew 21:26, when the Lord asked whence was the baptism of John, they said within themselves: "if we shall say from heaven, he will say to us: why then did you not believe him?" They had not, therefore, believed John. But to this there is a twofold response. One: that those disciples of John who had above stirred up the question against Christ were Pharisees, or confederated with the Pharisees; whence in Matthew 9:11 and 14 it is said that the Pharisees together with the disciples of John proposed questions against the disciples of Christ. And according to this the Evangelist concludes "when Jesus therefore knew that they had heard," and so on: that is, after he understood the question and the commotion of the disciples of John, who were Pharisees, or confederated with the Pharisees, concerning his baptism and that of his disciples, "he left Judea." Or it must be said that the Pharisees were troubled by envy at the preaching of John, whence they persuaded Herod to seize him. And this is clear from Matthew 17:12, where, when Christ was speaking of John, he says: "Elijah has already come, and they did to him whatsoever they would"; and afterward he adds: "so also the Son of man is to suffer from them," where the Gloss says that the Pharisees incited Herod to the imprisonment and death of John. It seems probable, therefore, that they would be moved likewise against Christ, from the fact that he was preaching. And this is what is said, "they had heard" — namely, for the purpose of persecuting, the envious Pharisees and persecutors of Christ — "that Jesus made more disciples and baptized than John." Of this kind of hearing it is said in Job 28:22: "destruction and death have said: with our ears we have heard his deeds." But the good hear in order to obey. Psalm 131:6: "behold we have heard of it in Ephrata," and afterward follows: "we will adore in the place where his feet stood." They heard, I say, two things: namely that he made more disciples than John, which indeed was just and reasonable, because, as is said above in chapter 3:30, "Christ must increase, and John must decrease." The other thing, that he baptized; and this deservedly, because he himself cleanses. Psalm 50:4: "wash me, O Lord, from my injustice." And elsewhere, Psalm 7:7: "arise, O Lord" (namely by baptizing), "in the precept which thou hast commanded" (namely concerning baptism), "and the assembly of the peoples" (gathered through baptism) "shall surround thee."

Consequently, when he says "although Jesus did not baptize," and so on, he explains what he had said above about the baptism of Christ, "that the Pharisees had heard," and so on. But Augustine says that here an inconsistency appears: for above he had said "and baptizes," here however, as though correcting it as false, he says "although Jesus did not baptize." And to this there is a twofold response. One is that of Chrysostom: that what the Evangelist says here is true, that Christ baptized no one; but that which was said above, namely "baptizes," is to be understood according to the report running among the Pharisees, that Christ was baptizing — that certain persons coming to the Pharisees themselves would say: you were envious of John because he had disciples and baptized; but behold, this man, namely Jesus, makes more disciples than John, and baptizes. Why then do you tolerate him? And therefore the Evangelist does not say of himself that he baptizes, but that the Pharisees had heard it. And so, wishing to correct the false rumor of the people, the Evangelist says: it is true that the Pharisees heard that Christ baptizes, but it is false; whence he adds "although Jesus did not baptize, but his disciples." Now, according to Chrysostom, the reason Christ did not baptize is that in every baptism by which John and the disciples baptized through the whole time before the passion of Christ, the Holy Spirit was not given; but this was so that men might grow accustomed to the baptism of Christ, and be gathered to his preaching, as he himself says. It would have been unfitting, however, for Christ to baptize if the Holy Spirit was not given in that baptism, which was not given before the passion of Christ: because, as is said below in chapter 7:39, "the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified." But, according to Augustine, and more truly, it must be said that the disciples baptized with the baptism of Christ, namely with water and the Spirit, which was given in that very baptism; and Christ himself also baptized, and did not baptize. He indeed baptized, because he himself cleansed interiorly; but he did not baptize, because he himself did not dip in water exteriorly; for the disciples supplied the ministry through the washing of the body, whereas Christ supplied the Spirit cleansing interiorly. Whence he himself properly baptized. Above, chapter 1:33: "upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining upon him, he it is that baptizes." As to what Chrysostom says, that the Spirit was not yet given, and so on, it must be said that it was not given by visible signs, as it was given to the disciples after the resurrection of Christ; nevertheless it was given, and was being given, through interior sanctification, to believers.

Through this, moreover — that Christ did not always baptize — he gives us an example that the greater prelates of the Churches should not busy themselves in those things which can be done by others, but should leave them to be done by lesser ministers. 1 Corinthians 1:17: "for Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel." If, however, it be asked whether the disciples of Christ were themselves baptized, it must be said, according to Augustine, in his letter to Seleucianus, that they were baptized with the baptism of John, because some of the disciples of Christ had been disciples of John; or, what is more credible, with the baptism of Christ; for it is not believed that he was without the ministry of baptizing, so that he might have baptized servants, through whom he might baptize the rest. And this is to be understood through what is said in John 13:10: "he that is washed needeth not but to wash his feet." And afterward it follows: "and you are clean, but not all."

Consequently he sets down the withdrawal of Christ, saying "he left Judea"; and this for a threefold cause. One, that he might withdraw himself from the envy of the Pharisees, who, from the things they had heard concerning Christ, were troubled, and were preparing persecution; giving us an example that through meekness we should yield to evils for a time. Ecclesiasticus 8:4: "neither heap wood upon his fire." Another cause, that he might show it is not a sin to flee persecutors. Matthew 10:23: "if they persecute you in one city, flee into another." The third cause is that the time of his passion had not yet come. Below, chapter 2:4: "my time is not yet come," and so on. There is also another cause, on account of mystery: for by this kind of withdrawal he signified that the disciples, on account of persecution, were going to leave the Jews, and go to the Gentiles.

Consequently, when he says "and he went again into Galilee," he shows the place to which he approached. He says, moreover, "again," because above, in chapter 2:12, he had made mention of a certain other descent of Christ into Galilee, when after the miracle of the wedding he descended to Capernaum. Because, then, the other three Evangelists do not make mention of that first descent, therefore the Evangelist, in order to give to understand that the other Evangelists left off all that they had said up to this chapter, and that from this place he himself began to weave a history contemporary with theirs, says "again." For by Galilee, according to one interpretation, is understood Gentility, to which Christ goes from the Jews: for Galilee is interpreted "transmigration." According to another interpretation, by Galilee is understood heavenly glory, for Galilee is interpreted "revelation."

Consequently, when he says "and he was to pass through Samaria," he describes the middle through which he passed: first in general; second in particular, at the place "he came therefore into a city of Samaria, which is called Sichar." Now the middle through which he passes, going into Galilee, is Samaria; and therefore he says "he was to pass through Samaria." He says, moreover, "he was to," lest he should seem contrary to his own teaching: for in Matthew 10:5 he commanded the disciples, saying: "go ye not into the way of the Gentiles." Because, therefore, Samaria was the land of the Gentiles, he shows that it was not from deliberate purpose but from necessity that he went there. He says "he was to"; and the reason of this necessity was that Samaria was situated in the middle between Judea and Galilee. Concerning this Samaria one must know that Omri, king of Israel, bought a mountain from a certain Somer, as is found in 3 Kings 16:23ff., and named the city which he had built on the top of the mountain Samaria, after the name of the seller; thereafter the kings of the Israelites used it as their royal seat, and the whole region was called Samaria from this city. Whence what is said here, "he was to pass through Samaria," is not to be understood of passing through that city, but through the region. And therefore, describing the particular middle, he adds "he came therefore into a city of Samaria," that is, of the region of Samaria, "which is called Sichar." For Sichar is the same as Sichem, under another name; concerning which city it is found in Genesis 33:16ff. that Jacob pitched his tents next to it, and, because of the rape of Dinah his daughter by the son of the king of Sichem, the two sons of Jacob, being indignant, killed the men of that city; and thus it passed into the possession of Jacob, and he dwelt there, digging wells in it. Afterward, however, near his death, he gave it to Joseph his son, according to what is read in Genesis 48:22: "I give thee one part above thy brothers." And this is what he says, "next to the ground," that is, the field, "which Jacob gave to his son." The Evangelist relates all these things so diligently in order to show that all the things that happened concerning the patriarchs were leading toward Christ, and that Christ was signified by them, and descended from them according to the flesh.

Consequently, when he says "now there was there Jacob's well," he sets down the preamble to the teaching on the part of the matter concerning which the teaching was to be given. And this fittingly: for the future teaching was to be about water and a spiritual fount, and therefore mention is here made of a material fount, from which occasion is taken to dispute concerning the spiritual fount, who is Christ. Psalm 35:10: "with thee is the fountain of life," namely the Holy Spirit, who is the spirit of life. Likewise, the fount is baptism, of which it is said in Zechariah 13:1: "there shall be a fountain open to the house of Jacob, for the washing of the sinner and of the unclean woman." Concerning this he does three things. First he describes the fount itself; second the sitting of Christ upon it; and third he designates the time of the sitting. He describes the fount indeed when he says "now there was there Jacob's well." But against this: below it is said "the well is deep": therefore it was not a fount. But it must be said, according to Augustine, that it was both a fount and a well. For every well is a fount, but the converse does not hold, for wherever water gushes forth from the earth, it is a fount; and if indeed the water gushes forth on the surface of the earth, it is called only a fount; but if it gushes forth on high and in a depth, it is so called a well that it does not lose the name of fount. It is called, moreover, "Jacob's well," because he himself had dug that well in that land on account of a lack of water, as is said in Genesis 34. The sitting of Christ, moreover, is indicated when he adds "Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus upon the well." He shows his infirmity, although he was of immense power, not on account of a defect of power, but in order to show the truth of the nature he had assumed. For, according to Augustine, Jesus is strong, because (above, 1:1) "in the beginning was the Word," but he is weak, because "the Word was made flesh." Christ, therefore, wishing to show the truth of human nature, permitted it to do and suffer the things proper to man; wishing also to show in himself the truth of the divine nature, he did and worked the things proper to God. Whence, when he withdrew the influx of divine power from the body, he hungered and was wearied; but when he exhibited that same divine power to the body, he did not hunger without food, and did not grow weary in labors. Matthew 4:2: "he fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was hungry." From this, moreover, that Jesus was wearied with his journey, an example is given us of not fleeing labor for the salvation of others. Psalm 87:16: "I am poor, and in labors from my youth." Likewise also an example of poverty is given, because "he sat thus," that is, upon the bare ground. Mystically, moreover, the sitting signifies the humility of the passion of Christ. Psalm 138:2: "thou hast known my sitting down" (that is, my passion) "and my rising up" (my resurrection). Likewise it signifies the authority of teaching, because he speaks as one having power: whence it is said in Matthew 5:1f. that "sitting he taught them."

The time, moreover, is determined when he adds "and it was about the sixth hour." And the reason for this determination is assigned both literally and mystically. Literally indeed, in order to show the cause of the weariness: for in heat, and at the sixth hour of the day, men are more wearied from labor. Likewise, in order to show the cause of the sitting: for men gladly rest by waters in the heat and warmth of the day. The mystical cause, however, is assigned as threefold. One, because Christ came into the world in the sixth age of the world, assuming flesh. Another, because man was made on the sixth day, and Christ was conceived in the sixth month. Third, because at the sixth hour the sun stands on high, and nothing remains but for it to decline. Now the sun, as far as this pertains, signifies temporal prosperity, according to that saying of Job 31:26: "if I beheld the sun when it shined," and so on. Then, therefore, Christ came when the prosperity of the world was on high, that is, was flourishing through love in the hearts of men; but through him love was to decline from the hearts of men.

Consequently, when he says "there came a woman of Samaria," the preamble on the part of the hearer is set down: and concerning this he does two things. First the person to whom the teaching is exhibited is set down; second her preparation for the teaching is indicated, at the place "the Samaritan woman therefore said to him." Now the person to whom the teaching is exhibited is the Samaritan woman; whence he says "there came a woman of Samaria to draw water." This woman signifies the Church of the Gentiles, not yet justified, which was held fast by idolatry, but nevertheless to be justified through Christ. She came, moreover, from foreigners, namely from the Samaritans, who had been foreigners, although they inhabited neighboring lands: because the Church of the Gentiles, alien to the race of the Jews, was to come to Christ; Matthew 8:11: "many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." This woman, moreover, is prepared for the teaching through Christ, when he says "give me to drink." And first he gives her occasion of asking; second the Evangelist inserts the opportunity of asking, at the place "for his disciples were gone away." Now the occasion and preparation of the woman was the petition of Christ; whence he says "give me to drink." For he asked for a drink both because he thirsted for water on account of the heat of the day, and because he thirsted for the salvation of man on account of his love for him; whence, hanging on the cross, he said: "I thirst."

Christ had the opportunity of asking from the woman because his disciples were not there, from whom he might have asked for water; and therefore the Evangelist says "for his disciples were gone into the city." Here three things are to be noted concerning Christ: namely his humility, in that he was left alone; for in this he gave to his disciples an example of trampling down all pride. But someone might perhaps ask what necessity there was of accustoming the disciples to humility, since they had been fishermen and humble men, and makers of tents. But those who say such things ought to consider that suddenly these fishermen were made more revered than all kings, more eloquent than philosophers and rhetoricians, and intimates of the Lord of the whole earth; and men so suddenly promoted are accustomed to grow proud, being inexperienced in so great an honor. Second, note the frugality of Christ: for he cared so little for food that he carried nothing edible with him. Third, note also that they left him alone, as at the cross; Isaiah 63:3: "I have trodden the winepress alone, and of the Gentiles there is not a man with me." The Lord prepared the woman to receive spiritual teaching, by giving her occasion of asking; here consequently the question is set down; second the reason for the question is assigned, at the place "for the Jews do not associate with the Samaritans."

Now one must know that the Lord had asked a drink from the woman, intending rather a spiritual than a bodily drink; the woman, however, not yet grasping the spiritual drink, intended only the bodily one; and therefore she answers "how is it that thou, being a Jew, askest of me to drink, who am a Samaritan woman?" Christ was a Jew; because he was also promised from Judah, Genesis 49:10: "the scepter shall not be taken away from Judah, nor a ruler from his thigh, till he come that is to be sent"; and he was born of Judah; Hebrews 7:14: "it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah." The woman, moreover, recognized that Christ was a Jew from his dress: for, as is said in Numbers 15:37ff., the Lord commanded that the Jews should wear blue fringes on the four corners of their garments, so that by them they might be distinguished from other peoples. Consequently, the reason for the question is assigned, whether by the Evangelist, according to the Gloss, or by the woman, according to Chrysostom, when he says "for the Jews do not associate with the Samaritans." One must know, concerning this, that, as is said in 4 Kings 18, on account of the sins of the people of Israel, namely of the ten tribes, who worshiped idols, they were led into captivity by the king of the Assyrians into Babylon, and lest Samaria remain without inhabitants, he caused peoples brought from diverse places to dwell there. And when they were there, the Lord, wishing to show that it was not on account of a weakness of his own power, but on account of the malice of the Jews, that he had handed them over, sent among those peoples lions and savage beasts, which harmed them. When this was reported to the king of the Assyrians, it was concluded, upon counsel taken, that this happened to them because they did not observe the lawful rites of the God of that land, and he sent to them a certain priest from among the Jews, to hand down to them the law of God according to the law of Moses. Whence, although these were not of the people of the Jews, they nevertheless observed the law of Moses; but along with the true God they worshiped idols, nor did they heed the prophets, and they called themselves Samaritans from the city of Samaria, which was situated on Mount Somer: 3 Kings 16:24. When the Jews, therefore, returned from captivity into Jerusalem, these were always hostile and opposed to them; and, as is said in Ezra, they hindered them from building the temple and the city. And although the Jews avoided all other nations, they especially avoided these, nor did they associate with them in anything; and this is what he says, "for the Jews do not associate with the Samaritans." He does not say that the Samaritans do not associate with the Jews, because the Samaritans would gladly have wished to be joined to and associate with the Jews; but the Jews repelled them, according to that saying of Deuteronomy 7:2: "thou shalt not make a league with them," and so on.

But if it was not lawful for the Jews to associate with the Samaritans, why did God ask a drink from the Samaritan woman? To this, according to what Chrysostom says, someone might answer that the Lord knew she would not give him a drink, and therefore he asked. But this does not suffice: because one who asks what is not lawful is not free from sin, as far as it lies in him, from giving scandal, even if what he asks for is not given to him. And therefore it must be said that, as is said in Matthew 12:8, "the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath." Whence, as Lord of the law, he was able to use or not use the law and its observances and legal prescriptions, according as seemed expedient to him. And because the time was drawing near when the Gentiles would be called to the faith, he associated with the Gentiles themselves.

Next, when he says, Jesus answered and said to her, etc., the Evangelist narrates the spiritual teaching itself. And first the teaching itself is set down; second, the effect of the teaching, where it says, And immediately his disciples came. Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets down summarily the whole teaching; second he explains it part by part, where it says, The woman said to him: Lord, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. He said therefore: you marvel that I, a Jew, asked drink of you, a Samaritan; but you ought not to marvel, because I came for this, that I might give drink even to the Gentiles. And so he said, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that says to you, Give me to drink, you would perhaps have asked of him. And, to begin from the last point, it must be asked what is meant by water. And it must be said that by water is understood the grace of the Holy Spirit, which indeed is sometimes called fire, sometimes water, so that it may be shown that neither the one nor the other is said according to a property of substance, but according to a likeness of action. For it is called fire, because it lifts up the heart through fervor and heat, Romans 12:11: "fervent in spirit," etc., and because it consumes sins; Song of Songs 8: "the lamps thereof are lamps of fire and flames." Water, however, it is called on account of cleansing; Ezekiel 36:25: "I will pour upon you clean water, and you shall be cleansed from all your filthiness." And on account of refreshment from the heats of temptations; Ecclesiasticus 3:33: "burning fire, water extinguishes." And on account of satisfying against thirst for earthly things, and for whatsoever temporal things; Isaiah 55:1: "all you that thirst, come to the waters." Now there is a twofold water: namely living and not-living. Not-living water is that which is not continuous with its source from which it springs forth, but, gathered from rain or from elsewhere, is kept in pools and cisterns, separated from its source. Living water, however, is that which is continuous with its source, and flows forth from it. According to this, therefore, the grace of the Holy Spirit is rightly called living water, because the grace of the Holy Spirit itself is given to a man in such a way that nonetheless the very fount of grace is given, namely the Holy Spirit. Indeed, through him grace is given; Romans 5:5: "the charity of God is poured forth in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who is given to us." For the Holy Spirit himself is the unfailing fount from which all the gifts of graces flow forth; 1 Corinthians 13:11: "all these things the one and the same Spirit works," etc. And hence it is that if someone has a gift of the Holy Spirit, and not the Spirit, the water is not continuous with its source, and therefore it is dead, and not living; James 2:20: "faith without works is dead." Thus, then, it is clear what is understood by water. But next it is shown that, in order to have living water, that is grace, in adults it is arrived at through desire, that is through petition; Psalm 9:17: "the Lord has heard the desire of the poor," because without petition and desire grace is not given to anyone. Hence we say that in the justification of the impious free will is required for detesting sins and for desiring grace, according to that word of Matthew 7:7: "ask, and you shall receive." So much indeed is desire required, that even the Son himself is induced to ask; Psalm 2:8: "ask of me, and I will give you." Hence no one who contradicts grace receives it, unless he is first led back to a desire for grace, as is clear in Paul, who before he received grace was led back to a desire for grace, saying, Acts 9:6, "Lord, what will you have me do?" And hence it is that it is said pointedly, You would perhaps have asked of him. And he says perhaps on account of free will, by which a man sometimes desires and asks for grace, sometimes not. But a man's desire is incited to ask for grace from two things, namely from knowledge of the good to be desired, and from knowledge of the giver; and therefore he sets forth two things to be known. First, namely, the gift itself; hence he says, If you knew the gift of God, which is every desirable good, which is from the Holy Spirit; Wisdom 8:21: "I know that I cannot otherwise be continent, except God give it." And this is the gift of God, etc. Second he sets forth the giver himself; hence he says, and who it is that says to you, etc., namely, if you knew him who is able to give, who I am; below, 15:26: "when the Paraclete has come, whom I will send you from the Father, ... he shall give testimony of me"; Psalm 67:19: "he gave gifts to men." Thus, then, this teaching is about three things: namely about the gift of living water, about the petition for this gift itself, and about its giver. And therefore, when he says, The woman said to him, etc., he treats the teaching itself explicitly as to these three things: and first as to the gift; second as to the petition, where it says, The woman said to him: Lord, I see that you are a prophet; third as to the giver, where it says, The woman said to him: I know that the Messiah is coming, etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First he explains the gift, showing its power; second he treats of the perfection of the gift itself, where it says, The woman said to him: Lord, give me this water, etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First the woman's inquiry is set down; second Christ's response, where it says, Jesus answered, and said to her: whoever drinks of this water shall thirst again. Concerning the first it must be known that this Samaritan woman took the words which the Lord understood spiritually in a carnal sense, because she was an animal person. 1 Corinthians 2:14: "the animal man does not perceive the things that are of the Spirit of God." And therefore the words which the Lord was speaking, as though they were unsuitable and impossible, she tried to refute using a certain argument, in this way: you promise me living water, either then from this well, or from another; but not from this one, because you have neither anything to draw with, and the well is deep; and from another it does not seem credible that you can give, because you are not greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well. First, then, pursuing the first point, let us look at what she says: Lord, you have nothing to draw with, that is, you lack a vessel by which you could draw water from the well, and the well is deep, namely so that without a drawing-vessel you cannot reach it by hand. By the height, or depth, of the well is understood the depth of Sacred Scripture, and of divine wisdom; Ecclesiastes 7:25: "a great depth, and who," etc.; the drawing-vessel, however, by which the water of saving wisdom is drawn, is prayer; James 1:5: "if any man lacks wisdom, let him ask of God." He shows the second point when he says, Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well? etc.; as if to say: do you have better water to give us than Jacob? Now she calls Jacob her father, not because the Samaritans were of the lineage of Jacob, as appears from what was said above, but because they had the law of Moses, and because they had entered the land promised to the seed of Jacob. Now this woman commends this well on three counts. First from the authority of the giver; hence she says, our father Jacob, who gave us the well. Second from the sweetness of the water, and she says that Jacob himself drank from it, and his sons: for unless it had been sweet, they themselves would not have drunk it, but would have given it over to the cattle. Third from its abundance, when she says, and his cattle: for since it was sweet, unless it had been most abundant, they would not have given it to the cattle. So too Sacred Scripture is great in authority, because it was given by the Holy Spirit; it is delightful in sweetness, Psalm 118:103: "how sweet are your words to my palate." Again it is fruitful in abundance, because it is communicated not only to the wise, but also to the unlearned. Next, when he says, Jesus answered, etc., the Lord's response is set down, where he explains the power of his teaching: and first as to this, that he had said it to be water; second as to this, that he had said it to be living water, where it says, but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a fountain of water leaping up into life everlasting. Now he shows that his teaching is the best water from this, that it has the effect of water, namely that it takes away thirst much more than this bodily water; showing that in this he is greater than Jacob. And so he says, Jesus answered, and said to her, as if to say: you say that Jacob gave you the well, but I will give better water, because whoever drinks of this water, namely bodily water, or the water of carnal desire and concupiscence, although the appetite is settled for an hour, nevertheless will thirst again, because the appetite of delight is insatiable; Proverbs 23:35: "when shall I awake, and find wine again?" But whoever shall drink of the water, namely spiritual water, that I shall give him, shall not thirst forever; Isaiah, second to last chapter, 13: "my servants shall drink, and you shall thirst." But against this: Ecclesiasticus 24:29, it is said: "they that drink me, shall yet thirst." How then shall he not thirst forever who drinks of this water, namely divine wisdom, since wisdom itself says: they that drink me, shall yet thirst? But it must be said that both are true: because he who drinks of the water that Christ gives both thirsts still and does not thirst; but he who drinks of bodily water will thirst again: and this for two reasons. First, because material and carnal water is not perpetual, nor does it have a perpetual cause, but a failing one; hence its effect too must cease; Wisdom 5:9: "all these things have passed away like a shadow," etc. Spiritual water, however, has a perpetual cause, namely the Holy Spirit, who is the fount of life, never failing; and therefore he who drinks of it shall not thirst forever, just as one who had within his belly a fountain of living water would never thirst. There is another reason, because there is a difference between a spiritual and a temporal thing. For although each generates thirst, yet in different ways: because a temporal thing, once had, causes indeed a thirst not for itself, but for another thing; the spiritual thing, however, takes away the thirst for another thing, and causes a thirst for itself. The reason for this is that a temporal thing, before it is possessed, is reckoned to be of great price and sufficient; but after it is possessed, because it is found neither so great nor sufficient to quiet desire, therefore it does not satisfy desire, but rather one is moved to have something else. A spiritual thing, however, is not known except when it is possessed, Apocalypse 2:17: "no one knows, except him who receives it." And therefore, not possessed, it does not move desire; but when it is possessed and known, then it delights the affection and moves desire, not indeed to have something else, but because it is perceived imperfectly on account of the imperfection of the recipient, it moves one to have it perfectly. And of this thirst it is said in Psalm 41:2: "my soul has thirsted for God, the living fountain." But this thirst in this world is not entirely taken away, because we cannot perceive spiritual goods perfectly in this life; and therefore he who drinks of this water will still indeed thirst for its perfection; but he shall not thirst forever, as though the water itself should fail; because, as it is said in Psalm 35:9, "they shall be inebriated with the plenty of your house." But in the life of glory, where the blessed drink perfectly the water of divine grace, they shall not thirst forever; Matthew 5:6: "blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice," namely in this world, because they shall be satisfied in the life of glory. Next, when he says, but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a fountain of water leaping up into life everlasting, he shows his teaching to be living water from the motion of the water itself; hence he says that it is a flowing fount, Psalm 45:5: "the stream of the river makes the city of God joyful." But the course of material water is one thing, namely downward, and that of this spiritual water another, because it leads upward; and so he says: I say that material water is such that it does not take away thirst, but the water that I give not only takes away thirst, but is living because it is joined to the fount; hence he says that it will become in him a fountain: a fountain, I say, leading through good works to life everlasting. Therefore he says leaping up, that is, making one leap, into life everlasting, where there is no thirst; below, chapter 7:38: "he who believes in me, rivers," namely of good desires, "shall flow from his belly, of living water"; Psalm 35:10: "with you is the fountain of life." Next, when he says, The woman said to him, the petition for the gift is treated: and first the manner of perceiving the gift itself is set down; second the woman is convinced, where it says, Jesus said to her: You have well said, etc. The manner of perceiving it, as has been said, is through prayer and petition: and so first the woman's petition is set down; second Christ's response, where it says, Jesus said to her, Go, etc. As to the first it must be noted that this woman, at the outset of their mutual conversation, did not call Christ Lord, but simply a Jew, saying: how do you, being a Jew, ask to drink of me? Here, however, as soon as she hears that he could be useful to her, and could give water, she calls him Lord; hence it says, the woman said to him: Lord, give me this water. For because she understood this carnally, and was held by a twofold bodily necessity, namely thirst and labor, in coming to the well and carrying the water, therefore, asking for water, she alleges these two things, saying as to the first, that I may not thirst, and as to the second, neither come here to draw. For naturally man shrinks from labor; Psalm 72:5: "they are not in the labor of men." Jesus said to her: Go, etc. Here the Lord's response is set down. But it must be known that the Lord was answering spiritually, but the woman understood it carnally; and therefore this can be explained in two ways. In one way, according to Chrysostom, who says that the Lord wished to give the water of spiritual teaching not to her alone, but especially to her husband; because, as it is said 1 Corinthians 11:3, "the head of the woman is the man," and therefore he wished that the precepts of God should come to the woman through the man, 1 Corinthians 14:35, it is said that "if a woman wishes to learn anything, let her ask her husband at home." And therefore he says, Go, call your husband, and come here; and then with him, and through him, I will give it to you. In another way, according to Augustine, it is explained mystically. For just as the Lord was speaking figuratively about the water, so also about the husband. Now this husband, according to Augustine, is the understanding: for the will brings forth and conceives from the apprehensive power moving it; hence the will is like the woman; the reason, however, moving the will is her husband. Because, then, the woman, that is, the will, was ready to receive, but was not moved by the intellect and reason so as to understand this specially, but was still held under sense, therefore the Lord said to her, Go, you who are sensual, call your husband, that is, summon your rational understanding, by which you may understand spiritually and intelligibly what you now perceive carnally; and come here, being led by reason in your understanding. The woman answered, etc. Here the woman is convinced by Christ. And first her response is set down; second the assertion by which she is convinced by Christ, where it says, You have well said. Concerning the first it must be known that the woman, wishing to conceal her shame, and believing Christ to be a mere man, although she answered Christ truly, nevertheless kept her disgrace hidden feignedly and secretly; because, according to what is said in Ecclesiasticus 9:10: "a fornicating woman shall be trodden upon as dung in the way." And therefore she answered and said: I have no husband. And this was true: because although before she had had several, namely five, now indeed she had no legitimate husband, but was attached to a certain man; and therefore she is convinced by the Lord. Hence it says, Jesus said to her: You have well said, that I have no husband, namely legitimate; for you have had five husbands, before this one, and the one you now have, that is, whom you use in the manner of a husband, is not your husband; this you have truly said: because you have no husband. Now the reason the Lord said to her these things which she had not taught him, and which seemed hidden to her, was so that he might lead the woman back to spiritual understanding and to believe that there is something divine in Christ. Mystically, however, the five husbands are the five books of Moses, because the Samaritans, as has been said, received these; and so he says, for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have, that is, the one you listen to, namely Christ, is not your husband, because you do not believe. But, as Augustine says, this exposition is not good, because this woman, having dismissed the five husbands, came to this one whom she had; but those who come to Christ have not dismissed the five books of Moses. And therefore it must be said otherwise, that you have had five husbands, that is, the five senses, which you have used up until now; but this one whom you now have, namely erring reason, by which you still understand carnally the things spoken spiritually, is not your husband, legitimately, but an adulterer; and so cast away this adulterous error, which corrupts you, and call your husband, that is, the intellect, so that you may understand me. Here the petition by which the gift is acquired, which is prayer, is treated. And first the woman's question about prayer is set down; second Christ's response, where it says, Jesus said to her: Woman, believe me. Concerning the first the woman does two things. First she confesses Christ's fitness to answer the question; second she puts forward the question, where it says, our fathers worshipped on this mountain, etc. Now this woman, having heard the things which Christ had made manifest to her about hidden matters, whom she had believed until now to be a mere man, now confesses him to be a prophet, fit to satisfy her doubts. This is the property of prophets, that they announce things absent and unknown; 1 Kings 9:9: "he that was formerly called a seer was now called a prophet." And so she says, Lord, I see that you are a prophet; as if to say: in that you tell me hidden things, you are shown to be a prophet. In which, according to Augustine, it is clear that her husband began to come to her, but did not fully come: because she thought the Lord to be a prophet; for although he was indeed a prophet, Matthew 13:57: "a prophet is not without honor except in his own country"; nevertheless he was more than a prophet, because he himself appointed the prophets; Wisdom 7:27: "into holy souls, through the nations, she conveys herself, and makes friends of God and prophets." Next she puts forward the question about prayer, saying, our fathers worshipped on this mountain; and you say that at Jerusalem is the place where men must worship. In which the diligence of the woman is to be admired, because women, being as they are curious and unfruitful, and not only unfruitful, but also idle, 1 Timothy 5, she was asking him not about worldly things, not about future things, but about the things that are of God; according to that word of Matthew 6:33: "seek first the kingdom of God." And she raises first a question about the things which men were accustomed to raise in that land, namely about the place of worship, about which the question turned between the Jews and the Samaritans; and this is what she says, our fathers worshipped on this mountain, and you say, etc. Concerning which it must be known that the Samaritans (according to the commands of the law), worshipping God, made a temple in which to worship him, not going to Jerusalem on account of the Jews who were hostile to them: which temple indeed they made on Mount Gerizim, whereas the Jews made theirs on Mount Zion. Hence the question turned between them as to which of these mountains was the more fitting place for worship; and each side brought forward reasons on its own behalf: the Samaritans indeed said that God ought rather to be worshipped on Mount Gerizim, because the ancient fathers worshipped the Lord there; and so she says, our fathers worshipped on this mountain. But how does the woman say our fathers, since the Samaritans were not of the seed of Israel? To this there is a response, according to Chrysostom, that some say Abraham offered his son on that mountain; others, however, say it was on Mount Zion, as is found in Genesis 22. Or it can be said that by our fathers are understood Jacob and his sons, who, as is found in Genesis 33, and as was said above, dwelt in Shechem, which is situated next to Mount Gerizim, and perhaps there they worshipped the Lord on the mountain. Or it can be said that the sons of Israel worshipped on this mountain, when Moses commanded that they should go up onto Mount Gerizim to bless those who kept the commandments of the Lord, as is said in Deuteronomy 6. And she calls these her fathers, either on account of the law given to the sons of Israel, which the Samaritans kept, or on account of the land which they inhabited, as was said above. The Jews, however, say that one must worship at Jerusalem, by the authority of the Lord, who commanded, Deuteronomy 12:13: "take heed that you offer not your holocausts in every place that you shall see, but in the place which the Lord your God shall choose"; which place of worship was indeed first at Shiloh, but afterward, by the authority of Solomon and the prophet Nathan, the ark of God was carried from Shiloh to Jerusalem, and there the temple was made, according to that word of Psalm 77:60: "he rejected the tabernacle of Shiloh." And afterward it follows: "but chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which he loved." Thus, then, the Samaritans brought forward for themselves the authority of the fathers; the Jews, however, the authority of the prophets, whom the Samaritans did not receive. This question, then, the woman proposes: nor is it to be wondered by whom she had been taught this, because it commonly happens that in lands in which there are diverse doctrines, even the simple are instructed in them. Hence, because the Samaritans had been in continual strife with the Jews, therefore women and simple folk were well instructed in this matter. Next, when he says, Jesus said to her, etc., Christ's response is set down. And first he distinguishes a threefold worship; second he compares them with one another, where it says, you worship what you do not know. Concerning the first he first renders the woman attentive, since he is about to speak great things, saying, believe me, and give faith, because everywhere faith is needed. Hebrews 11:6: "he that comes to God must believe"; Isaiah 7:9: "unless you believe, you shall not understand." Second he sets forth a threefold worship, of which two already existed, while the other was awaited as future. Now of the two that existed, one was that of the Samaritans, by which they worshipped on Mount Gerizim; and this he expresses, saying, the hour comes when neither on this mountain, namely Gerizim, shall you worship. The other is that of the Jews, by which they worshipped on Mount Zion, namely in Jerusalem; and this he expresses, saying, nor in Jerusalem. The third is the future worship, which is awaited, which is other than these; and this he hints at by excepting each worship: for if the hour comes when they will worship, yet neither on Mount Gerizim nor in Jerusalem, it is manifest that this will be the third worship, that of Christ, doing away with the worship of both. For if someone wished to join two peoples into one, it would be necessary, in each, to remove that in which they differed from one another, and to grant them something common in which they might agree. Christ, therefore, wishing to join Jews and Gentiles, removed from the Jews the ceremonies, and from the Gentiles idolatry, which two things were like a single wall in which each side differed from the other, and he made of both peoples one people, according to that word of Ephesians 2:14: "he is our peace, who has made both one." Thus, then, the ceremonial worship ceased, and the idolatry of the Gentiles, and thus the true worship of God was introduced by Christ. Mystically, however, according to Origen, by the three acts of worship are understood three participations in divine wisdom. For some participate in it while clouding it over with the darkness of error, and these worship on a mountain: because every error is caused by pride; Jeremiah 51:25: "behold I come against you, O destroying mountain." Some, however, participate in divine wisdom itself without error, but imperfectly, because as in a mirror and in a riddle; and these worship in Jerusalem, which signifies the present Church; Psalm 146:2: "the Lord builds up Jerusalem," etc. The blessed, however, and the saints participate in it without error, perfectly, because they see God as he is, as is said in 1 John 3. And so he says, the hour comes, that is, will be awaited, when neither in errors, nor through a mirror and in a riddle, will you participate in divine wisdom, but as it is. Next, when he says, you worship what you do not know, he compares the aforesaid acts of worship to one another: and first he compares the second to the first; second the third to the first and second, where it says, but the hour comes. Concerning the first he does three things. First he shows the defect of the first worship; second the truth of the second; third he assigns the reason for both. As to the first he says, you worship what you do not know. But it might seem to someone that the Lord ought to have explained the truth of the question, and resolved the woman's reasoning. But the Lord does not concern himself with this, because each worship was to cease. Now as to what he says, you worship, it must be known that the Philosopher says that knowledge is different in composite things and in simple things. For composite things indeed can be known in some respect, so that in some respect they remain unknown in them: hence a false knowledge can be had of them. As, for instance, if someone having true knowledge of an animal as to its substance, could nevertheless err about knowledge of an accident, namely whether it is white or black; and of a difference, namely whether it is winged or four-footed. In simple things, however, there can in no way be false knowledge: because either they are known perfectly, insofar as their quiddity is known, or they are in no way known, if one cannot attain to it. Since, then, God is altogether simple, there cannot be a false knowledge of him through something of him being known and something not known, but only through his not being attained at all. Hence whoever believes God to be something which he is not, for instance a body, or something of this kind, does not worship God, because he does not know him, but something else. Now the Samaritans had a false opinion of God in two ways. First, because they reckoned him to be corporeal, hence they also believed that he had to be worshipped precisely and determinately in one bodily place. Second, because they did not believe him to be above all things, but equal to certain creatures: hence together with him they also worshipped idols, as though they were equal to him. And so they did not know him, because they did not attain to true knowledge of him. And so the Lord says, you worship what you do not know, that is, you do not worship God, because you do not know him, but your own fancy, by which you apprehend something as God; Ephesians 4:17: "as also the Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind," etc. Now as to the second point, namely as to the different worship of the Jews, he says, we worship what we know. And he numbers himself among the Jews, because he was also a Jew according to his nation, and also the woman supposed him to be both a prophet and a Jew. We worship what we know: because the Jews, through the law and the prophets, had a true knowledge or estimation of God, in that they did not believe him to be corporeal, nor to be in one determined place, as though his majesty could be contained by a place; 3 Kings 8:27: "if the heaven of heavens cannot contain you, how much less this house which I have built?" Nor did they worship idols; and so in Psalm 75:2 it is said: "in Judea God is known." Now he assigns the reason for this when he says, because salvation is from the Jews; as if to say: true knowledge about God was had only from the Jews, for this reason, that it was to come about that salvation would proceed from the Jews; and just as the source of health ought to be healthy, so the source of salvation, which is had through true knowledge of God and true worship, must have true knowledge of God: and so, because from them the source and cause of salvation, namely Christ, was to proceed, according to that word of Genesis 22:18: "in your seed shall all nations be blessed," it was fitting that God be known in Judea. Now salvation proceeds from the Jews in a threefold way. First as to the teaching of truth, because all the Gentiles were in errors, whereas the Jews remained in the truth; Romans 3:2: "what advantage then has the Jew? Because to them were entrusted the words of God." Second as to spiritual gifts: for prophecy, and the other gifts of the Holy Spirit, were given to them first, and from them came to others; Romans 11:17: "you," namely the Gentiles, "when you were a wild olive, were grafted in among them," namely the Jews; Romans 15:27: "for if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things," namely of the Jews, "they ought also in carnal things to minister to them." Third as to the very author of salvation, because he proceeded from them according to the flesh; Romans 9:5: "of whom is Christ, according to the flesh." Next, when he says, but the hour comes, etc., he compares the other worship to the first two: and first he sets forth its preeminence over the others; second the fittingness of this preeminence, where it says, for the Father also seeks such. But it must be attended to, as to the first, according to Origen, that above, speaking of the third worship, when he said, the hour comes when you shall worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem, the Lord did not add, and now is; here, however, speaking of this same worship, he says, the hour comes, and now is: because there he was speaking of the worship in our homeland, according to which we will participate in perfect knowledge of God, which has not yet come for those living in this mortal flesh; here, however, he speaks of that worship which is in this present life, which has already come through Christ. And so he says, the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. This can be read first, indeed, according to Chrysostom, so that by this whole statement the preeminence of this worship over the worship of the Jews is shown, such that the sense is: just as the worship of the Jews is preeminent over the worship of the Samaritans, so the worship of the Christians is preeminent over that which is of the Jews; and this in two respects. First, because that worship is according to carnal ceremonies, Hebrews 9:10: "carnal ordinances laid on them until the time of correction," whereas this one is according to the spirit. Second, because that worship is according to figures: for those victims, insofar as they are certain physical things, did not please God; hence in Psalm 49:13 it is said: "shall I eat the flesh of bullocks? or shall I drink the blood of goats?" And elsewhere, Psalm 50:18: "I would surely have given sacrifice: with burnt offerings you will not be delighted," insofar, that is, as they are certain physical things; but he was delighted in them insofar as they were a figure of the true victim, and of the true sacrifice; Hebrews 10:1: "the law has a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things themselves," etc. This worship, however, is in truth, because it pleases God according to itself. Above, 1:17: "grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." And so as to the first he says that the true worshippers will worship in spirit, not in carnal ceremonies; as to the second he says in truth, not in figure. Second, it can be read that the Lord, through these two things he says, namely in spirit and in truth, wishes to show a difference of worship, not only from that of the Jews, but also from that which was of the Samaritans. From that of the Jews, indeed, through what is said, and truth: for that worship, as has been said, was with error, because they worshipped what they did not know, whereas this one is with true knowledge of God. Third, it is read that through what he says, in spirit and truth, the condition of true worship is shown. For in order that worship be true, two things are required. One is that it be spiritual: hence he says, in spirit, that is, in fervor of spirit; 1 Corinthians 14:15: "I will pray with the spirit, I will pray also with the understanding"; Ephesians 5:19: "singing in your hearts to God." The other, that it be in truth. First, indeed, in truth of faith, because no fervor of spiritual desire is fit for meriting, unless the truth of faith be present; James 1:6: "but let him ask in faith, nothing wavering." Second, however, in truth, that is, without pretense and simulation: against which it is said, Matthew 6:5: "they love to pray in the corners, that they may be seen by men." Thus, then, for prayer itself there is required fervor of charity as to the first, and truth of faith as to the second, and rectitude of intention as to the third. But he says Father, because the worship of the law was not of a father, but of a lord. We worship as sons through love, whereas they worshipped as servants through fear. Thus, then, what he says, true, is opposed to three things, according to the said expositions. First, against the false rite of worship of the Samaritans; Ephesians 4:25: "putting away lying, speak truth." Second, against what was vain and transitory in the carnal ceremonies; Psalm 4:3: "why do you love vanity, and seek after lying?" Third, against the figural; above, 1:17: "grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." Next, when he says, for the Father also seeks such, he shows the fittingness of the third worship on two counts. First from the will and acceptance of him who is worshipped; second from his very nature, where it says, God is spirit. Concerning the first it must be known that in order for a man to merit to receive what he asks, he ought to ask for those things which are not against the will of the giver, and in the manner in which it is acceptable to the giver; and so when we pray to God, we ought to be such as God seeks: now God seeks such as worship him in spirit and truth, and in fervor of charity, and truth of faith; Deuteronomy 10:12: "and now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but that you fear the Lord your God, and walk in his ways, and love him, and serve the Lord your God with all your heart, that it may be well with you?" Micah 6:8: "I will show you, O man, what is good, and what God requires of you: verily, to do judgment, and to love mercy, and to walk solicitously with your God." He shows this, however, from his very nature, saying, God is spirit: for, as it is said in Ecclesiasticus 13:19: "every beast loves its like," therefore God loves us to the extent that we are made like him; but we are not made like him according to carnal things, because he is incorporeal, but according to spiritual things, because God is spirit; Ephesians 4:23: "be renewed in the spirit of your mind." Now this, that he says, God is spirit, denotes in God incorporeity; Luke, last chapter, 39: "a spirit has not flesh and bones." Likewise, it denotes vivification, because our whole life is from God, as from an effective principle. God is also truth; below, 14:6: "I am the way, the truth, and the life"; and so it is fitting to worship him in spirit and truth. Next, when he says, The woman said to him, etc., here the giver of the gift is treated: which corresponds to what the Lord had said, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that says to you, Give me to drink, you would surely have asked. And first the woman's confession is set down; second Christ's teaching, where it says, I am he, who am speaking with you. Concerning the first he does two things: for first the woman professes faith in the Christ who is to come; second the perfection of his teaching, where it says, when he comes, therefore, he will tell us all things. It must be known, then, that the woman, wearied by the loftiness of the things that had been said, was stupefied, unable to grasp them. She says, I know that the Messiah is coming, who is called Christ; as if to say: I do not grasp these words; but a time will come when the Messiah will come, and then we shall know all these things: for Messiah in Hebrew, anointed in Latin, is Christ in Greek. Now this woman knew that the Messiah was to come, having been taught through the books of Moses, where the coming of Christ was foretold; Genesis, last chapter but one, 10: "the scepter shall not be taken away from Judah, nor a ruler from his thigh, till he come that is to be sent." Now, as Augustine says, this is the first speech of the woman in which she names Christ: so as to give one to understand that after the five bodily senses, she was now beginning to return to her legitimate husband. Now this Messiah, when he comes, will set forth perfect teaching, when he says, when he comes, therefore, he will tell us. And this Moses had foretold; Deuteronomy 18:18: "I will raise them up a prophet from the midst of their brethren, like unto you: and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him." And because this woman had now summoned her husband, namely her understanding and reason, therefore the Lord gives her to drink the water of spiritual teaching, manifesting himself to her most fully. And so it is said, Jesus said to her: I am he, who am speaking with you, namely, Christ; Wisdom 6:14: "she prevents them that covet her, so that she first shows herself to them"; below, 14:21: "I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." Now God did not manifest himself to the woman from the beginning: because perhaps she would have believed, and it would have seemed to her that he spoke out of vanity. But now, gradually leading her to the knowledge of Christ, he opportunely revealed himself; Proverbs 25:11: "golden apples in beds of silver, he that speaks a word in due time." And indeed he was asked by the Pharisees whether he was the Christ, below, 10:24: "if you are the Christ, tell us plainly," and yet he did not manifestly reveal himself to them, because they were not asking in order to learn, but to test him. But this woman spoke with a simple mind.

Having set forth the teaching on the spiritual water, here he treats of the effect of that teaching, and first he sets forth the effect itself; secondly he manifests that effect, at the place, "Meanwhile his disciples asked him." Now the effect of this teaching is the fruit arising on the part of the faithful, and therefore first is set down the fruit arising on the part of the disciples who marvel; secondly the fruit arising on the part of the woman who announces the power of Christ, at the place, "The woman therefore left her water-jar." Three things, however, are set down as regards the disciples: namely, their return to Christ; hence he says, "And immediately his disciples came."

And, as Chrysostom says, quite fittingly, after Christ had manifested himself to the woman, the disciples arrived, so that it might be shown that all times are dispensed by divine providence; Wisdom 6:8: "God has made every one, both small and great; and he has equal care for all... and in all providence he will come to meet them"; Ecclesiastes 8:6: "For every business there is a time and opportunity."

Secondly, their admiration concerning Christ is set down; hence he says, "And they marveled that he was speaking with the woman." They marveled indeed at the good, but they did not suspect evil, as Augustine says.

Now they marveled at two things. First, indeed, at the superabundant meekness and humility of Christ: because the Lord of the whole world deigned to speak with a poor woman, and for a long time, giving us in this an example of humility; Ecclesiasticus 4:7: "Make thyself affable to the congregation of the poor."

Secondly, because he was speaking with a Samaritan woman and a foreigner, not knowing the mystery, that the woman bore the type of the Church of the Gentiles, which he sought who came "to seek and to save that which was lost": Luke 19:10.

Thirdly, their reverence toward Christ is set down, which is shown from their silence. For in this we show reverence toward God, when we do not dare to discuss his deeds; Proverbs 25:2: "It is the glory of God to conceal the word, and the glory of kings to search out the discourse."

And therefore he says that although they marveled, nevertheless no one said: "What seekest thou?" or "Why talkest thou with her?" Ecclesiasticus 32:9: "Hear in silence, and for thy reverence good grace shall come to thee."

Yet the disciples had been so trained to keep due order, out of reverence and filial fear toward Christ, that at one time indeed they would confidently question him about things that pertained to them, namely when Christ proposed certain things pertaining to them which exceeded their capacity; Ecclesiasticus 32:10: "Young man, scarcely speak in thine own cause." But at another time they would not question him, namely in those matters which did not pertain to them, as here.

Accordingly, when he says, "The woman therefore left her water-jar, and went into the city," the fruit arising on the part of the woman is set down, as she takes up the office of the apostles in announcing; and three things are set down, which can be gathered from her words and deeds: namely, the affection of devotion; secondly, the manner of preaching, at the place, "she says to those men: Come, and see a man who told me all things whatsoever I have done"; thirdly, the effect of the preaching, at the place, "and they went out of the city, and came to him."

Now the woman's affection appears from two things. First, from the fact that, because of the greatness of her devotion, that for which she had specially come to the well, as though forgetful, she left behind the water and the water-jar: hence he says that the woman left her water-jar, and went into the city, namely to announce the great things concerning Christ, not caring for bodily convenience for the sake of the benefit of others. In this she follows the example of the apostles, who, as is said in Matthew 4:20: "leaving their nets, followed the Lord." Now by the water-jar is understood the cupidity of the world, through which, out of the depth of darkness, of which the well bears the image, that is, out of earthly living, men draw up pleasures. Those, therefore, who abandon the cupidities of the world for God's sake, abandon the water-jar; 2 Timothy 2:4: "No man that warreth for God entangleth himself with secular business."

Secondly, it appears from the multitude of those to whom she announces: for she announced not to one only, nor to two or three, but to the whole city; hence she went into the city: in which is signified the office of the apostles, to whom the Lord commits, Matthew, last chapter, 19: "Going, teach ye all nations"; below, chapter 15:16: "I have appointed you, that you should go, and bring forth fruit."

Now the manner of her preaching is intimated when he says, "and she says to those men," etc., where first she invites to the vision of Christ when she says, "Come, and see a man." For this woman had heard from Christ that "I am the Christ"; but she did not at once say that they should come to Christ, or believe, lest she should give occasion for blasphemy; and therefore from the beginning she said of Christ those things which were credible and evident, namely that he was a man; Philippians 2:7: "made in the likeness of men." Nor did she say "believe," but "come, and see"; because she clearly knew that if they tasted of that fountain, by seeing him, they would experience the same things that she herself had experienced; Psalm 65:16: "Come, and I will tell you how great things he has done for my soul." Nevertheless, in this she imitates the example of a true preacher, calling men not to herself, but to Christ; 2 Corinthians 4:5: "For we preach not ourselves, but Christ."

Secondly, she sets down an indication of Christ's divinity, when she says, "who told me all things whatsoever I have done," namely how many husbands she had had. For this is the office and indication of divinity, that it manifests the hidden and secret things of hearts. And although the things she had done pertained to her own confusion, nevertheless she was not ashamed to relate them: for, as Chrysostom says, when the soul has been set on fire with the divine fire, it no longer looks to any of the things that are on earth, neither to glory nor to shame, but only to that flame which holds it fast.

Thirdly, she concludes with the majesty of Christ, saying, "Is not he the Christ?" She did not dare to show by asserting that he was the Christ, lest she should seem to want to teach others; and they, becoming angry at this, should be unwilling to go out to him on that account. Yet neither did she keep entirely silent about this; but under the form of a question, as it were committing this to their judgment, she put it forward, saying, "Is not he the Christ?" For this is an easier manner of persuading.

Now by this woman, who is of the lowest condition, is signified the manner of the apostles who preach: because, as is said in 1 Corinthians 1:26: "not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty... but the foolish things of the world God has chosen, that he may confound the wise." Hence in Proverbs 9:3 the apostles themselves are called handmaids: "she hath sent," says divine Wisdom, namely the Son of God, "her handmaids," namely the apostles, "to invite to the citadel."

Now the fruit of the preaching is set down at the place, "and they went out of the city" to which the woman had gone, "and came to him," namely to Christ: in which it is given to be understood that if we wish to go to Christ, it is necessary for us to go out of the city; that is, to lay aside the love of carnal cupidity; Hebrews 13:13: "Let us go forth to him without the camp, bearing his reproach."

Accordingly, when he says, "Meanwhile his disciples asked him," etc., the effect of the spiritual teaching is manifested: first through the teaching of Christ to the disciples; secondly through the effect of the work on others, at the place, "Now of that city many believed." Concerning the first he does two things. First, the occasion of the manifestation of this fruit is set down; secondly, the manifestation itself is set down, "But he said to them: I have food to eat which you know not."

Now the occasion of the manifestation is taken from the insistence of the disciples that Christ should eat; and therefore he says "meanwhile," that is, between the words of the woman and Christ's conversation with her, and the time of the coming of the Samaritans, his disciples asked him, namely Christ, saying: "Rabbi, eat"; judging this time to be fitting for a meal, before the multitude of them should come flocking together. For they did not serve him food in the presence of any stranger; hence it is said in Mark 6:31, that so great a multitude flocked to him that he did not have time to eat.

Now he manifests this fruit, the occasion having been given him, saying, "But he said to them," etc.: where first he sets down the fruit in figurative speech; secondly the slowness of the disciples in understanding is intimated, at the place, "His disciples therefore said"; thirdly the Lord explains what he had said, at the place, "Jesus said to them: My food is to do the will of him who sent me."

Now the fruit of spiritual teaching is proposed under the figure of food and refreshment; and therefore he says, "I have food to eat." And it should be known that just as bodily refreshment is not perfect unless drink is joined to food, and conversely; so also for spiritual refreshment both must be had; Ecclesiasticus 15:3: "The Lord fed him with the bread of life and understanding" — behold, food — "and gave him to drink the water of wholesome wisdom" — behold, drink. Therefore, fittingly after the matter of the drink, with which the Samaritan woman had been given to drink, it was suitable also to discuss food: and just as by water is understood wholesome wisdom, so by food is understood good operation.

Now this food which Christ was to eat is the salvation of men, which he was seeking: showing by this, that he says he has food to eat, how great a desire he has for our salvation. For just as it is desirable for us, when we are hungry, to eat, so also it is desirable for him to save us; Proverbs 8:31: "My delights are to be with the children of men." And therefore he says, "I have food to eat" — that is, the conversion of the Gentiles — "which you know not": because they were not yet able to foreknow the conversion of the Gentiles.

Or otherwise, according to Origen, it happens with spiritual food just as with bodily food; for the same quantity does not suffice for all, but for one a greater quantity is necessary, for another a lesser; and what is healthy for one harms another. In the same way in spiritual refreshment: for the same quality, or quantity, of spiritual teaching is not to be applied to each, but according to the suitability of disposition and the capacity of men. For, according to the Apostle: "as newborn babes, desire the rational milk." But solid food belongs to the perfect: hence Origen says that he who is of higher teaching, and presides over others in spiritual matters, can say this word to those who are weak and of feebler understanding. And thus the Apostle speaks, 1 Corinthians 3:1: "As to little ones in Christ, I gave you milk to drink, not food." And this, much more, the truthful Jesus can say, "I have food to eat"; below, 16:12: "I have many things to say to you, which you cannot bear now."

Now the slowness of the disciples' understanding is intimated from this, that the things the Lord said about spiritual food, they understood of bodily food: for even they themselves were still without understanding, according to that saying, Matthew 15:16. And therefore the disciples said to one another, etc. It is not, therefore, to be wondered at, if that Samaritan woman did not understand the spiritual water; for behold, the Jewish disciples do not understand the spiritual food.

Now in this, that they say to one another, "Has anyone brought him something to eat?" we should attend to the custom of Christ, that he was accustomed to accept foods offered by others: not that he needed our goods, since "he has no need of our goods," as is said in Psalm 15:2, nor the food of men, since he "gives food to all flesh." But why did he seek it, and accept it from others? For two reasons. First, so that those giving and bringing it might obtain merit; secondly, so that Christ might give an example, that those devoting themselves to spiritual things should not be ashamed of poverty, nor think it burdensome to be nourished by others. For it is proper to teachers to have others as procurers of food, so that they, caring for nothing else, may attend diligently to the ministry of the word, as Chrysostom says. And this same thing is found in the Gloss. 1 Timothy 5:17: "Let the priests that rule well be esteemed worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine."

Having set forth the slowness of the disciples' understanding concerning the figurative speech, here the Lord consequently explains it, and first he sets forth the explanation of the figurative speech; second he employs a comparison, at the place: "Do you not say, There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest?" Concerning the first, it should be known that just as Christ above explained to the woman what he had figuratively proposed to her about water, so also he explains to the apostles what he had figuratively proposed to them about food, but in different ways: for to the apostles, as being more capable, he sets forth the explanation at once without any wrapping of words; but the woman, as being less capable, he leads through many words to the knowledge of the truth.

Now this that he says, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, that I may perfect his work," has a sufficiently reasonable cause. For just as bodily food sustains man and perfects him, so that is the spiritual food of the soul and of the rational creature by which it is sustained and perfected. Now this consists in being joined to its end and in following the higher rule; which David, understanding this, said in Psalm 72:27: "But it is good for me to adhere to God." And therefore Christ, according as he is man, fittingly says that his food is to do the will of God, and to perfect his work.

And these two indeed can be understood as one, yet in such a way that the second is the explanation of the first. Or they can be understood as one thing and another. If, however, they are understood as one, then the sense is: "My food is" — that is, in this is my firmness and sustenance — "that I do the will of him who sent me," according to that word of Psalm 39:9: "I have desired to do your will, O my God, and your law in the midst of my heart"; and below, John 6:38: "I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me."

But because "to do someone's will" is understood in two ways: in one way, that one causes him to will something; in another way, that one fulfills in deed what one knows him to will; therefore the Lord, explaining what it is to do the will of him who sent him, says that this, namely, is "that I may perfect his work," that is, that I may complete the works which I know him to will; below, John 9:4: "I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day."

But if it is understood as one thing and another, then it should be known that Christ did two things in this world. First, he taught the truth, inviting and calling to faith, and in this he fulfilled the will of the Father; below, John 6:40: "This is the will of the Father who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life." Second, he consummated the truth itself, opening in us, through his passion, the gate of life, giving the power of arriving at the consummated truth; below, John 17:4: "I have finished the work which you gave me to do." Thus, therefore, he says "My food is that I do the will of him who sent me," by calling men to the faith, "that I may perfect his work," by leading them to perfection.

Or, according to Origen, every man who acts well ought to direct his intention to two things, namely to the honor of God and to the benefit of neighbor: because, as it is said in 1 Timothy 1:5, "the end of the commandment is charity," which contains the love of God and of neighbor. And thus, when we do something for the sake of God, the end of the commandment is God; but when for the benefit of neighbor, the end of the commandment is the neighbor. According to this, then, Christ says "My food is that I do the will of God," that is, that I direct and regulate my intention in those things which pertain to the honor of God; "that I may perfect his work," that is, that I do those things which pertain to the benefit and perfection of man.

But against this: the works of God are perfect; therefore it is not fittingly said that the works of God are perfected. I respond that it must be said that among the other lower creatures man is a special work of God, because God made him to his image and likeness, Genesis 1:26. And this work was indeed perfect in the beginning, because God made man upright, as it is said in Ecclesiastes 7:30. Afterward, however, through sin he lost this perfection, and departed from uprightness. And therefore, in order that this work of the Lord might be perfect, it needed to be repaired; and this indeed was perfected through Christ, because it is said in Romans 5:19: "For as by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one many will be made just." Thus Christ says "that I may perfect his work," that is, that I may bring man to perfection.

Consequently, when he says, "Do you not say that there are yet four months, and then the harvest comes?" etc., he sets forth a comparison. But note that Christ asked the woman for drink, saying, "Give me to drink," and therefore on the occasion of this request he introduced the comparison about water. Here, however, the disciples urge the Lord to eat; hence also on the occasion of this the Lord introduces the comparison about spiritual food, because the same thing is understood by food and drink. Thus, therefore, there are some from whom God asks drink, as from the woman; but some offer drink to God. But no one offers food to God unless God has first asked it of him; for then do we offer spiritual food to God, when we beg from him our salvation, namely when we ask: "Your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth." We cannot obtain salvation from ourselves unless we are anticipated by prevenient grace, according to that word of Lamentations, last chapter, 21: "Convert us, O Lord, to you, and we shall be converted." He himself, therefore, asks first, who through prevenient grace makes us ask.

Now in this comparison he first treats of the harvest; second, of the reapers, at the place: "And he who reaps receives a wage." Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth the comparison about the bodily harvest; second, about the spiritual harvest, at the place: "Behold I say to you, lift up your eyes," and so forth.

Now by this that he says, "Do you not say that there are yet four months, and the harvest comes?" it is given to be understood that Christ withdrew from Judea immediately after the seizure of John, as is said in Matthew 4:12, and passed through Samaria; and that this was in winter, and John was likewise seized. Hence, because there the harvests are completed more promptly, there were four months from that time until the harvest. He says therefore "Do you not say," speaking of the bodily harvest, "that there are yet four months" remaining to come, "and the harvest comes"? That is, the time of the gathering of harvests.

But "behold I say to you," speaking of the spiritual harvest, "lift up your eyes, and see the regions, that they are already white for the harvest." Here it should be known that the time of harvests is called the time of the gathering of fruits, and therefore every gathering of fruits is compared to the time of harvests. Now the time of the gathering of fruits is twofold. For nothing prevents, in temporal things as in spiritual things, that what is fruit with respect to the things preceding should also be seed with respect to the things following: for good works are the fruit of spiritual doctrine, such as faith and the like, which, however, are the seeds of eternal life, because through them one arrives at eternal life. Ecclesiasticus 24:23, wisdom says: "My flowers," with respect to the fruit following, "are the fruit of honor and of honesty," with respect to the things preceding.

According to this, then, one gathering of the spiritual harvest is with respect to eternal fruits, namely the gathering of the faithful into eternal life, concerning which it is said in Matthew 13:39: "The harvest is the consummation of the world." And of this one it is not treated here. The other is in the present. And this can be understood in two ways. In one way, as the gathering of fruits, namely the conversion of the faithful who are to be gathered into the Church; in another way, as the very knowledge of truth, by which someone gathers the fruit of truth in his own soul: and of both, according to different expositions, it is treated here.

Of the first, according to Augustine and Chrysostom, in this way: "you say" that it is not yet the time of the bodily harvest; but it is not so with the spiritual harvest — rather, "behold I say to you, lift up your eyes," namely, the eyes of the mind through consideration, or even the eyes of the body, "and see the regions, that they are already white for the harvest": because, namely, the whole region was full of Samaritans going out to Christ.

Now this that he says, "they are white," is metaphorical; for when the crops have whitened, it is a sign that they are prepared for the harvest. He wished to signify nothing else by this than that men were prepared for him unto salvation and the reception of the word. Hence he says "see the regions," because not only the Jews, but also the Gentiles are prepared for the faith. Matthew 9:37: "The harvest indeed is great, but the laborers are few."

And just as harvests are whitened on account of the presence of the sun, more burning in the summer season, so also men, through the coming of the sun of justice, namely Christ, and through his preaching and power, were being prepared for salvation. And of this sun it is said in Malachi 4:2: "To you who fear my name shall the sun of justice arise." And hence it is that the time of his coming is called the time of fullness; Galatians 4:4: "When, therefore, the fullness of time came, God sent his Son."

Concerning the second gathering of the harvest, that is, of truth in the soul, Origen expounds, who says that one gathers as many fruits of truth in the harvest as truths he comes to know. And he holds that this whole passage which is said, "Do you not say that there are yet four months and the harvest comes? And behold I say to you: lift up your eyes and see the regions, that they are already white for the harvest," should be understood as spoken parabolically.

And according to this, the Lord does two things in these words. First, he sets forth the false opinion of certain people; second, he excludes it, at the place: "I say to you." For the opinion of certain people was that no truth about any matter could be had by man, and from this was derived the heresy of the Academics, who said that nothing can be known for certain in this life; according to which it is said in Ecclesiastes 7:24: "I have tried all things in wisdom. I said: I will be wise. And it departed from me much further than it was."

This opinion, therefore, the Lord touches upon, saying "Do you not say that there are yet four months, and the harvest comes?" That is, the whole of the present life, in which man serves the four elements, must come to an end so that after it the gathering of truth may be had in another life. But this opinion he consequently excludes when he says: it is not so; "but behold I say to you: lift up your eyes."

For this is customarily said in sacred Scripture whenever something subtle and lofty is commanded to be considered, Isaiah 40:26: "Lift up your eyes on high, and see who created these things." For eyes, when they are not raised up from earthly things, or from carnal concupiscence, are not fit for the knowledge of spiritual fruit; for sometimes they are pressed down to earthly things, withdrawn from the consideration of divine things, according to that word of Psalm 16:11: "They have set their eyes to bend down to the earth"; sometimes they are blinded through concupiscence, Daniel 13:9: "And they turned away their eyes, that they might not look to heaven, nor remember the judgments of God."

He says therefore, "lift up your eyes, and see the regions, that they are already white for the harvest," that is, so disposed that from them the truth can be known: for by "regions" are especially understood all the things from which truth can be received. And these especially are the Scriptures. Below, John 5:39: "Search the Scriptures... for they bear witness of me."

And these regions did indeed exist in the Old Testament; but they were not white for the harvest, because men could not receive from them spiritual fruit until Christ came, who whitened them, opening their understanding; Luke, last chapter, 45: "He opened their mind, that they might understand the Scriptures." Likewise, the creatures are harvests, from which the fruit of truth is gathered; Romans 1:20: "The invisible things of God are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made."

But nevertheless the Gentiles who pressed after knowledge of them gathered from them rather the fruit of error than of truth, because, as it is said in the same place, "they served the creature rather than the creator." And therefore they were not yet white; but with Christ coming, they were made white for the harvest.

Consequently, when he says, "and he who reaps receives a wage," he treats of the reapers; and concerning this he first sets forth the reward of the reapers; second he introduces a proverb, at the place: "for in this the word is true"; third he expounds, that is, applies it, at the place: "I sent you to reap." As to the first, it should be noted that the Lord, in expounding above what he had said about the spiritual water, set forth a condition by which the spiritual water differs from the bodily: namely, that whoever drinks of bodily water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of spiritual water will not thirst forever.

In the same way also here, in expounding what he says about the harvest, he sets forth what is dissimilar between the bodily and spiritual harvest; hence he sets forth three things. One indeed according to which the likeness of each harvest is observed, namely that he who reaps, both in the bodily harvest and in the spiritual, receives a wage. Now he reaps spiritually who gathers the faithful into the Church, or who gathers the fruits of truth in his own soul. And each receives a wage, according to that word of 1 Corinthians 3:8: "Each one will receive his own wage according to his own labor."

He sets forth two other things, according to which dissimilarity is observed. First indeed, that the fruit of the reaper who reaps the bodily harvest pertains to bodily life; but the fruit of him who reaps the spiritual harvest pertains to eternal life. And therefore he says "and he gathers," namely he who reaps spiritually, "fruit unto eternal life," namely the faithful who will have arrived at eternal life; Romans 6:22: "You have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end, life everlasting." Or, the very knowledge and exposition of truth by which man acquires eternal life. Ecclesiasticus 24:31: "They who explain me shall have life everlasting."

Second, the dissimilarity is observed in this: that in the bodily harvest it is reckoned a misery that one should sow and another reap, hence he who sows is saddened by this, that another reaps; but with spiritual seed it is otherwise, because "he who sows rejoices together, and he who reaps."

And indeed, according to Chrysostom and Augustine, those who sow the spiritual seed are the fathers of the Old Testament and the prophets; for, as it is said in Luke 8:11, "the seed is the word of God," which Moses and the prophets sowed in Judea; but the apostles reaped, because what they themselves intended, namely to bring men to Christ, they were not able to bring about, which nevertheless the apostles did.

And therefore both rejoice together, namely the apostles and the prophets, in one dwelling place of glory, over the conversion of the faithful; Isaiah 51:3: "Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of praise." And by this the heresy of the Manichaeans, who condemn the fathers of the Old Testament, is refuted; since nevertheless, as the Lord here says, they will rejoice together with the apostles.

According to Origen, however, those are called sowers in any discipline who hand down whatever principles of that discipline; but reapers are those who proceed further from them: and this all the more in this discipline, which is the science of all sciences. The prophets are sowers, because they handed down many things about divine matters; but the reapers are the apostles, who revealed by preaching and teaching those things which the prophets did not manifest to men. Ephesians 3:5: "which in other generations was not known... as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles."

Consequently, when he says, "for in this the word is true," etc., a proverb is introduced; as if he should say, that "in this," that is, in this deed, "the word is true," that is, the common proverb is fulfilled, which existed among the Jews, namely "one sows and another reaps." This proverb seems to be derived from that which is said in Leviticus 26:16: "You shall sow the crop in vain, which shall be devoured by enemies." From which the Jews were accustomed, when someone labored at some matter and another rejoiced from it, to utter a proverb of this kind.

This, then, is what the Lord says: in this, that the prophets sowed and labored, and you reap and rejoice, the proverb is fulfilled. Or otherwise: "In this the word is true," namely what I say, that one is he who sows, and another he who reaps; because you will reap the fruits from the labors of the prophets.

But the prophets and the apostles are indeed distinct, not in faith — for both these and those had faith, Romans 3:21: "But now, without the law, the justice of God has been made manifest, testified to by the law and the prophets" — yet they are distinct in manner of life: because the prophets lived under the legal ceremonies, from which Christians and the apostles are free. Galatians 4:3-5: "And when we were children, we were serving under the elements of this world. But when the fullness of time came, God sent his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."

And although the apostles and the prophets had labors of unequal time, nevertheless they will equally enjoy the joy together, and will receive a wage unto eternal life: "that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together." And this was prefigured in the Transfiguration of Christ, where all had their own glory — both the fathers of the Old Testament, namely Moses and Elijah, and the fathers of the New Testament, namely Peter, John, and James — giving us by this to understand that in that future glory the just of the New and of the Old Testament rejoice together.

Consequently, when he says, "I sent you to reap that which you did not labor for," he adapts the proverb to the matter at hand, and first he says that the apostles are reapers; second he shows that they are laborers, at the place: "others have labored, and you have entered into their labors." As to the first, he says: I say that one is he who reaps — because you are the reapers — and another is he who sows — because I sent you to reap that which you did not labor for.

He does not say "I will send" but "I sent," because he sent them twice: once before his passion, to the Jews, when he said to them: "Do not go into the way of the Gentiles... but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel," as it is said in Matthew 10:5. And as to this mission, they were sent to reap that which they had not labored for, namely to convert the Jews themselves, among whom the prophets had labored.

But he sent them after the resurrection to the Gentiles, saying to them, Mark, last chapter, 15: "Going into the whole world, preach the Gospel to every creature." In this mission they were sent to sow anew; hence the Apostle, Romans 15:20-21: "And so I have preached this Gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation; but as it is written: They to whom he was not spoken of shall see, and they that have not heard shall understand." And therefore he says "I sent," having regard to the first mission.

Thus, therefore, the apostles are the reapers, but the others, namely the prophets, are the sowers. Hence he says "others have labored," by sowing the first beginnings of the doctrine of Christ, "and you have entered into their labors," to gather the fruits. Wisdom 3:15: "The fruit of good labors is glorious." The prophets labored, I say, in order to bring men to Christ. Below, John 5:46: "If you believed Moses, you would perhaps believe me also; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?" But they themselves did not reap the fruit. Hence, according to this, Isaiah 49:4 said: "I have labored in vain, and without cause: I have consumed my strength for nothing."

Above, the Lord foretold to the apostles the fruit which had come to the Samaritans from the woman's preaching; but here the Evangelist deals with this fruit, and first the fruit arising from the woman's preaching is set forth; second, the increase of this fruit brought about through Christ is intimated, at the place, "And many more believed in him because of his word." Now the fruit arising from the woman's preaching is shown with regard to three things.

First, with regard to faith, in that they believed in Christ; hence he says, "Now from that city" — namely the one to which the woman had gone — "many of the Samaritans believed in him," and this on account of the word of the woman, from whom Christ had asked for water, bearing witness — namely, that "he told me all things whatsoever I have done": which testimony indeed was sufficiently inducing them to believe in Christ. For since the things which Christ had said pertained to the manifestation of her own faults, unless she herself had been moved to believe, she would not have reported such things; and therefore, as soon as they heard her words, they believed. In this it is signified that faith is from hearing.

Second, the fruit is shown with regard to their approach to Christ: for from faith follows the desire of the thing believed. And therefore, after they believed, they approach Christ, that they might be perfected through him; hence he says, "When the Samaritans had come to him." Psalm 33:6: "Come to him, and be enlightened." Matthew 11:28: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you."

Third, with regard to desire: for it is necessary for the believer not only to come to Christ, but also to have him with him; hence he says that they asked him to stay there. "And he stayed there two days." Now the Lord remains with us through charity. Below, 14:23: "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word"; and a little after: "and we will make our dwelling with him." But he stays two days, because there are two precepts of charity, namely the love of God and of neighbor, on which "the law and the prophets depend," as is said in Matthew 22:40. But the third day is the day of glory: Hosea 6:3: "He will give us life after two days; on the third day he will raise us up." And on this day he did not stay there, because the Samaritans were not yet capable of glory.

Consequently, when he says, "And many more believed in him because of his word," the Evangelist sets forth that the fruit arising from the woman's preaching was increased by the presence of Christ; and this in three ways. First, from the multitude of believers; second, from the manner of believing; third, from the truth of the faith.

It was increased from the multitude of believers, because on account of the woman many believed in him; but many more believed on account of his word, namely Christ's. In this it is signified that although many believed through the prophets, yet many more were converted to the faith when Christ came, according to that word of Psalm 7:8: "Rise up, O Lord, in the command which you have ordained, and the assembly of the peoples shall surround you."

Second, the fruit was increased from the manner of believing; hence they say to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of your speech." But it is to be noted that three things are necessary for the perfection of faith, which are here set down in order. First, that it be right; second, that it be prompt; third, that it be certain.

Faith is indeed right, when obedience is given to the truth not on account of something else, but to it on account of itself; and with regard to this he says that they said to the woman that "now we believe the truth, not because of your speech, but because of the truth itself." Now three things induce us to the faith of Christ. First indeed, natural reason. Romans 1:20: "The invisible things of God are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, from the creation of the world." Second, the testimonies of the law and the prophets. Romans 3:21: "But now the justice of God, without the law, is made manifest, being witnessed by the law and the prophets." Third, the preaching of the apostles and of others. Romans 10:14: "How shall they believe, without a preacher?" But when a man, led by the hand through this, believes, then he can say that he believes on account of none of these: neither on account of natural reason, nor on account of the testimonies of the law, nor on account of the preaching of others, but on account of the truth itself alone; Genesis 15:6: "Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice."

Faith is indeed prompt, if it believes quickly: and this was the case in these men, since at the mere hearing they had been converted to God; hence they say, "For we ourselves have heard, and yet we believe him, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world," without our having seen miracles, as the Jews saw. And although to believe men quickly pertains to levity, according to that saying of Ecclesiasticus 19:4: "He who believes easily is light of heart," nevertheless to believe God quickly is rather praise, according to that saying of Psalm 17:45: "At the hearing of the ear he has obeyed me."

Faith must be certain, because he who doubts in faith is unfaithful; James 1:6: "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering." And therefore the faith of these men was certain, hence they say, "and we know." For sometimes believing itself is called knowing, as is evident here: because knowledge and faith agree in certitude. For just as knowledge is certain, so also is faith: indeed much more so, because the certitude of knowledge rests upon human reason, which can be deceived, but the certitude of faith rests upon divine reason, which cannot be contradicted. They differ, however, in mode: because faith has its certitude from a light divinely infused, but knowledge from the natural light. For just as the certitude of knowledge is had through first principles known naturally, so also the principles of faith are known from a light divinely infused; Ephesians 2:8: "By grace you are saved through faith; and this not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God."

Third, the fruit was increased from the truth of what was believed; and therefore he says, "that this is truly the savior of the world": where they confess Christ as a singular, true, and universal savior.

Singular indeed, since, distinguishing him from others, they say "this is he" — namely, he who came to save in a singular way. Isaiah 45:15: "Truly you are a hidden God, the God of Israel, the savior." Acts 4:12: "There is no other name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved."

True, moreover, when he says "truly": for since, according to Dionysius, salvation is liberation from evils and preservation in goods, there is a twofold salvation: one true, another not true. True salvation indeed, when we are freed from true evils, and preserved in true goods. In the Old Testament, although certain saviors were sent, they did not, however, truly save: because they freed from temporal evils, which are not true evils, nor true goods, since they are transitory. But Christ is truly the savior, who frees from true evils, namely sins; Matthew 1:21: "For he shall save his people from their sins." And he preserves in true goods, that is, spiritual ones.

Universal, moreover, because he is not a particular savior, namely of the Jews only, but of the world. Above, chapter 3:17: "For God did not send his Son to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him."

Having set forth the conversion of the Gentiles by the way of teaching, here is set forth their conversion by the way of a miracle: hence the Evangelist introduces a certain miracle performed by Christ, concerning which, first, the place is set down; second, the miracle is described, at the words "and there was a certain ruler," etc.; third, the effect of the miracle is set down, at the words "the father therefore knew," etc. Concerning the first, he does two things. First, he designates the general place of the miracle, namely the homeland; second, the specific place, at "he came therefore again into Cana of Galilee." Concerning the first, he does two things. First, he designates the general place of the miracle; second, he suggests how Christ was received there, at "when therefore he had come into Galilee." Concerning the first, he does two things. First, he designates the general place; second, he assigns the reason, at "for Jesus himself gave testimony," etc.

He says therefore first: I say that Jesus remained among the Samaritans for two days, and after two days he departed from there, that is, from Samaria, and went away into Galilee, where he had been brought up: by which it is signified that at the end of the age, when the Gentiles have been confirmed in faith and truth, he will return to the Jews to be converted, according to that word of Romans 11:25: "until the full number of the Gentiles should enter in, and so all Israel would be saved." And he assigns the reason, saying: "for Jesus himself gave testimony, that a prophet has no honor in his own country."

Here a doubt arises: one indeed concerning the meaning of the text; the other concerning its continuity. Concerning the meaning of the text, indeed, there is doubt, because what is said here does not seem to be true, namely that a prophet has no honor in his own country: for some prophets are read to have been honored in their own land. But, according to Chrysostom, it is answered to this, that the Lord here speaks according to what happens in the majority of cases. Hence although it may have an instance in some single case, it ought not for this reason be reckoned false, for in natural matters and in moral matters, a rule that is verified in the majority of cases is true; and if in some particular case it is otherwise, it is not reckoned false. But this saying of the Lord was true of the majority of the prophets, because in the Old Testament scarcely any of the prophets is found who did not suffer persecution from his own tribesmen, according to that word of Acts 7:52: "Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?" And Matthew 23:37: "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets, and stone those who are sent to you." This word of the Lord is also verified not only in the prophets among the Jews, but also, as Origen says, in many cases among the Gentiles, because they were held in contempt by their own citizens, and brought to death: for habitual association with men, and excessive familiarity, diminishes reverence, and gives rise to contempt. And therefore those whom we have more familiarly, we are accustomed to revere less, and those whom we cannot have familiarly, we esteem more.

The contrary of this happens with God: for the more one becomes familiar with God through love and contemplation, the more, esteeming him more excellent, one reveres him, and esteems oneself the lesser: Job 42:5: "With the hearing of the ear I have heard you, but now my eye sees you: therefore I reprehend myself, and do penance in dust and ashes." And the reason for this is that, since man is of a weak and fragile nature, when he associates for a long time with another, he comes to know certain weaknesses in him, and from this his reverence toward him is diminished. But since God is immensely perfect, the more a man advances in knowledge of him, the more he admires the excellence of his perfection, and from this reveres him the more.

But was Christ a prophet? It seems not, because prophecy implies enigmatic knowledge. Numbers 12:6: "If there be among you a prophet of the Lord, I will appear to him in a vision." But Christ did not have enigmatic knowledge. But that he was a prophet is clear from what is said in Deuteronomy 18:15: "The Lord will raise up a prophet from among your brethren and of your nation like me; him you shall hear": which is expounded of Christ.

I answer that it must be said that a prophet has a twofold office: namely, of vision, 1 Kings 9:9: "He who is now called a prophet, was formerly called a seer"; likewise of annunciation, and as to this Christ was a prophet, because he announced the truth about God; below, John 18:37: "For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, that I might give testimony to the truth." But as to the first, it must be known that Christ was at once a wayfarer and a comprehensor. A wayfarer indeed, as to the passibility of human nature, and all things pertaining to it; but a comprehensor as to the union of the divinity, according to which he enjoyed God most perfectly. But in the vision of prophecy there are two things: namely, the intellectual light of the mind; and as to this he did not have the character of prophecy, because he did not have a deficient light, but that of a comprehensor. Likewise there is there an imaginative vision; and as to this he had a likeness with the prophets, inasmuch as he was a wayfarer, and could form various things in his imagination.

Concerning the continuity there is doubt: for the Evangelist does not seem rightly to connect what he says—"but after two days Jesus went away into Galilee"—with what is said: "for he himself gave testimony," etc. For it seems that he did not go into Galilee, because Jesus himself gave testimony that a prophet has no honor in his own country. For if he was without honor there, it seems there would be reason that he should not go there.

To this, in one way Augustine responds, saying that the Evangelist said this in answering a question that might be raised: why did he go there, when he had stayed a long time in Galilee, and the Galileans had not been converted to him; while the Samaritans were converted in two days? As if he were to say: although they had not been converted, nevertheless he went there because he himself gave testimony that a prophet has no honor in his own country.

In another way Chrysostom answers thus: after two days he departed from there, and went away—not into Capernaum, which was his own country on account of his continual dwelling there, while Bethlehem was so on account of his origin, and Nazareth on account of his upbringing. He did not therefore go into Capernaum; hence in Matthew 11:23 he reproaches them with this, saying: "And you, Capernaum, shall you be exalted even to heaven? You shall descend even to hell." But he went into Cana of Galilee. And here he assigns the reason, that they were ill-disposed toward him. And this is what he says: "for Jesus himself gave testimony, that a prophet has no honor in his own country."

But did Christ seek glory from men? It seems not, because below, John 8:50, he says: "I do not seek my own glory." I answer that it must be said that God alone is he who seeks his own glory without fault. But man ought not to seek his own glory from men, but the glory of God. But Christ sought, insofar as he was God, fittingly his own glory, and insofar as he was man, the glory of God in himself.

Consequently, when he says "when therefore he had come into Galilee," etc., he shows that Christ was received honorably by the Galileans more than before, when he says: "when therefore Jesus had come into Galilee, the Galileans received him honorably." And the reason for this is, because they had seen all the things he had done at Jerusalem on the feast day: for they too had come to the feast day, according to what was commanded in the Law.

But against this is the fact that above we do not read that Christ performed any miracle at Jerusalem. I answer that it must be said, according to Origen, that the Jews reckoned it the greatest miracle that Christ, with such authority, expelled the buyers and sellers from the temple. Or it must be said that perhaps he performed there many miracles which were not written down, according to that word below, John 21:25: "Many other signs indeed Jesus did (...) which are not written in this book."

Mystically, however, by this an example is given to us, that if we wish to receive Christ Jesus within us, we must go up to Jerusalem on the feast day; that is, to seize the quiet of the mind, and to see the particular things which Jesus accomplishes there. Isaiah 33:20: "Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnity"; Psalm 142:5: "I meditated on all your works."

Note, however, that according as men were lower in the order of dignity, they were better with respect to God. But the Jews were more dignified than the Galileans; below, chapter 7:52: "Search the Scriptures, for a prophet does not arise from Galilee." But the Galileans were more dignified than the Samaritans; above, in the same Gospel: "The Jews do not associate with Samaritans." But conversely the Samaritans were better than the Galileans, because more of them believed in Christ in two days and without a miracle, than of the Galileans in many days, and even with the miracle of the wine: for none believed in him except his disciples. But the Jews were worse than the Galileans themselves; for none of them had believed, except perhaps Nicodemus.

Consequently he says: "he came therefore again into Cana of Galilee": which, according to Chrysostom, is set down as a conclusion of what has gone before; as if he were to say: because he was not honored in Capernaum, therefore he was unwilling to go there, where he was dishonored. But he was bound to go into Cana of Galilee: for the first time he had been invited to a wedding, but now he comes again, not invited. He makes mention, however, of the twofold coming to Cana, in order to show their hardness: for in the first miracle, namely that of the wine, only his disciples believed in him; but in the second, only the ruler, and his whole household. But the Samaritans believed at the word alone.

Mystically, however, by the twofold coming to Cana, a twofold effect of the Word of God upon the mind is signified. For first it gladdens: because, as is said in Matthew 13:20, "they receive the word with joy." And this is signified in the miracle of the wine, which "gladdens the heart of man," as is said in Psalm 103. Second, it heals; Wisdom 16:12: "Neither herb nor poultice healed them, but your word, O Lord, which heals all things." And this is signified in the healing of the sick man.

Likewise by this a twofold coming of the Son of God is signified. Namely, the first, which was of gentleness, unto gladdening; Isaiah 12:6: "Exult and praise, O dwelling of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel." Hence also the angel said to the shepherds, Luke 2:10: "I announce to you great joy, because today a savior is born to you." And this is signified by the wine. His second coming into the world will be one of majesty, when he will come to take away our infirmities and penalties, and to conform us to the body of his glory; and this is signified in the healing of the sick man.

Having set forth the place of the miracle, the miracle itself is next treated; and three persons are set down, namely the person who is sick, the person who intercedes, and the person who heals. The sick person is the son of the official; the interceding person is his father; but the healing person is Christ. Concerning the sick person, first his condition is set down, namely that he is the son of an official; secondly the place of his sickness, namely Capernaum; thirdly the condition of his illness, namely fever. As to the first, he says: "there was a certain official, whose son was sick." Now "official" (regulus) is said in several ways. In one way, one who presides over a small kingdom; and it is not taken in this sense here, because at that time there was no king in Judea; below, John 19:15: "we have no king but Caesar." In another way, according to Chrysostom, someone of royal stock; nor is it taken in this way either. But in a third way, an official of the king is called regulus; and it is in this way that "official" is taken here. Whence, according to what Chrysostom says, some reckon this man to be the same as the centurion of whom we read in Matthew 8:5. But this is not true, for they differ in four respects. First, as to the kind of sickness: for the centurion's servant was paralyzed, whence he said: "my boy lies paralyzed at home"; but the official's son had a fever, whence it is said: "yesterday, at the seventh hour, the fever left him." Secondly, as to the person who was sick, because the one was a servant, whence he says "my boy," while this one was a son, whence he says "whose son." Thirdly, as to the petition: for the centurion, when Christ was willing to go to his house, asked him to remain, saying: "Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof, but only say the word, and my boy shall be healed." But the official asked him to come down to his house, saying: "Lord, come down before he dies." Fourthly, as to the place: for that happened in Capernaum, but this in Cana of Galilee. Therefore this official is not the same as the centurion; but he was one of the household of Herod the tetrarch, whether a messenger or an official of the emperor.

Allegorically, however, this official is said to be Abraham, or one of the fathers of the Old Testament, from the fact that he cleaves to the great king through faith, namely to Christ; of whom it is said in Psalm 2:6: "but I am set up as king by him." Now Abraham cleaved to this king, according to that below, John 8:56: "Abraham your father rejoiced that he might see my day." His son is the people of the Jews, below, John 8:33: "we are the seed of Abraham, and have never served anyone"; who is made sick by wicked pleasures and doctrines, but in Capernaum, that is, in abundance, which was for the Jews the cause of falling away from God; according to that of Deuteronomy 32:15: "the beloved grew fat, and kicked"; and there follows: "he forsook God his maker, and departed from God his savior." Morally, however, in the kingdom of the soul the king is reason itself, according to that of Proverbs 20:8: "the king who sits upon his throne." Why is it called king? Because the whole body of man is ruled by it, and man's affections are directed and formed by it, and the other powers of the soul follow it as well. But sometimes it is called a mere official, namely when it is diminished in knowledge, and, its knowledge being obscured, it follows disordered passions and does not resist them, according to that of Ephesians 4:17: "they walk in the vanity of their mind, having their understanding darkened." And therefore his son, that is, his affection, is made sick, that is, deviates from the good, and inclines toward evil. For if reason were king, that is, strong, its son would not be made sick; but because it is a mere official, therefore its son is made sick. And this happens in Capernaum, because abundance of temporal things is the cause of spiritual sickness; Ezekiel 16:49: "this was the iniquity of Sodom your sister: abundance, fullness of bread, and the idleness of her and of her daughters."

Next, when he says "when he had heard," etc., the interceding person is set down, and first the motive for interceding is set down; secondly the intercession itself; and thirdly the necessity of interceding. The motive for interceding was the coming of Christ; whence it says here that he, namely the official, "when he had heard that Jesus was coming from Judea into Galilee, went to him." For as long as the coming of Christ was delayed, men's hope of being healed from sins was weaker; but when the coming of Christ is heard to be drawing near, hope of health is strengthened in us; and then we go to him: for it was for this that he came into the world, that he might save sinners; Luke 19:10: "the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost." But, as Ecclesiasticus 18:23 says, we ought to prepare our soul before prayer, which is done by going to meet God through desire; and this is what this man did, whence it is said that "he went to him." Amos 4:12: "prepare to meet thy God, O Israel." Now the petition concerns the healing of his son; whence it says "he asked him to come down," namely through mercy; Isaiah 64:1: "would that thou wouldst rend the heavens, and come down; and heal his son." So too we ought to ask to be healed from sins, according to that of Psalm 40:5: "heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee." For no one can return to the state of justice by himself unless he is healed by God, according to that of Job 6:13: "there is no help for me from myself." So too the fathers of the Old Testament interceded for the people of Israel. Whence of one of them it is said in 2 Maccabees, last chapter, verse 14: "this is a lover of his brethren, who prays much for the holy city and for the people of Israel, Jeremias the prophet of God." But the necessity of interceding was urgent, for he "was beginning to die." For when a man is tempted, he begins to be made sick; but when the temptation so prevails as to incline him to consent, he is near death; but when he already consents, he begins to die. When, therefore, he consummates the sin, he dies, because, as is said in James 1:15: "sin, when it is consummated, brings forth death." Of which it is said in Psalm 33:22: "the death of sinners is the worst," because it begins here, and in the future is ended without end.

Next, when he says: "Jesus therefore said to him," the petition for healing is treated, which is done through Christ, and first the Lord's rebuke is set down; secondly the official's petition; thirdly the obtaining of the petition. Now the Lord rebukes him for unbelief; whence he says to him: "unless you see signs and wonders, you do not believe." But this raises a question. First indeed it seems unfittingly said to the official, "unless you see signs and wonders, you do not believe": for unless he had believed him to be the savior, he would not have asked healing from him. To this it must be said that this official did not yet believe perfectly: for there was in him a twofold defect of faith. One, because although he believed Christ to be a true man, he did not yet believe him to have divine power; otherwise he would have believed that he could heal even while absent, since God is present everywhere, according to that of Jeremiah 23:24: "I fill heaven and earth." And thus he would not have asked him to come down to his house, but only that he command it. The second defect was, because, according to Chrysostom, he doubted whether Christ could heal his son: for if he had believed this for certain, he would not have waited for Christ's coming to his own land, but would rather have gone himself into Judea. But now, being as it were despairing of his son's health, unwilling to neglect whatever he might be able to do about it, he went to him after the manner of parents who, despairing of the health of their children, consult even unskilled physicians. Secondly, indeed, he does not seem to deserve rebuke for the fact that he sought signs: for faith is proved through signs. And to this it must be said that unbelievers are drawn to the faith of Christ in one way, and believers in another. Unbelievers cannot be drawn or led by the authority of sacred Scripture, because they do not believe it; nor by natural reason, because faith is above reason; and therefore they must be led through miracles; 1 Corinthians 14:22: "signs are given to unbelievers, not to believers." But believers are to be led and directed in the faith by the authority of Scripture, to which they are bound to assent. In this, then, the official is reproved: because, although he had been raised among the Jews, and instructed in the law, he wished to believe not through the authority of Scripture, but through signs. And therefore the Lord, rebuking him, says "unless signs and wonders," that is, miracles, which are sometimes called signs insofar as they demonstrate the Lord's truth; but wonders (prodigia), either because they most certainly indicate something, so that "prodigium" is said as it were "porrodicium"; or because it stretches forth something future, so that "prodigium" is said as it were showing forth from afar some future effect.

Next the official's insistence is set down: for he does not desist on account of the Lord's rebuke, but with insistence says to him: "Lord, come down before he dies"; Luke 18:1: "we ought always to pray, and not to lose heart." In this is shown a certain progress of his faith, namely because he calls him "Lord": although he had not progressed totally in faith, for he still believed the bodily presence of Christ necessary for his son's health, and asked him to come down. But because persevering prayer obtains its request, therefore what he asks is granted him by the Lord; whence Jesus says to him: "go, thy son lives." Here first is set down the announcement of health through Christ, who wrought it; secondly the persons are set down who saw it done, there: "and as he was now going down," etc. Concerning the first, two things are set down: the Lord's command and the official's obedience, there: "the man believed the word which Jesus said to him." Concerning the first, the Lord does two things. First indeed he commands; secondly he announces. Now he commands that he go; whence he says "go," that is, dispose yourself, preparing for grace through a movement of free will toward God; Isaiah 45:22: "be converted to me, and you shall be saved." And through a movement of free will away from sin. For in the justification of the impious, four things are required, especially in adults: namely the infusion of grace and the remission of guilt, the movement of free will toward God, which is faith, and away from sin, which is contrition. Now he announces the health of the son, which he had asked for, saying: "thy son lives." But it is asked why Christ, when asked by the official to come down to his house, refuses to go bodily, yet promises to go bodily to the centurion's servant? A twofold reason is assigned for this. One, according to Gregory, that he might in this blunt our pride, we who offer ourselves to serve great men, but refuse to serve the small: since he himself, who is the Lord of all, offered to go to the centurion's servant, but refused to go to the official's son; Ecclesiasticus 4:7: "make thyself affable to the congregation of the poor." The other reason, according to Chrysostom, is that the centurion was already confirmed in faith in Christ, believing that he could save even while absent; and therefore, to show his faith and devotion, the Lord promised to go. But this man was still imperfect, and did not yet know manifestly that he could heal while absent; and therefore he does not go to him, so as to make him recognize his own imperfection.

The official's obedience is set down as to two things. First, because he believed the one announcing; whence it says "the man believed the word which Jesus said to him," namely, "thy son lives." Secondly, because he obeyed the command; whence it says "and he went," making progress in faith, though not yet entirely nor soundly, as Origen says. In which is signified that one ought to be justified from faith; Romans 5:1: "being justified from faith, let us have peace with our God, Jesus Christ." We ought to go forward by making progress: because he who stands still exposes himself to the danger of not being able to preserve the life of grace; for in the way of God, not to advance is to fall behind.

Now the announcement of the health made through the servants is next set down, when it says: "and as he was now going down, his servants met him," etc. And first the announcing of the health is set down; secondly an inquiry is made about the time of the healing, there: "he asked of them the hour." He says therefore "and as he was now going down," from Cana of Galilee to his house, "his servants met him"; from which it is clear that this official was rich, having many servants; and they announced, saying, "that thy son lives"; and this indeed because they believed that Christ was coming in person, whose presence, now that the son was healed, seemed superfluous. Mystically, however, the servants of the official, namely of reason, are the works of man, because man is master of his own acts, and the affections of the sensitive part, because they obey reason commanding and directing. Now these servants indeed announce that the son of the official, namely of reason, lives, when good works shine forth in a man, and the lower powers obey reason the more, according to that of Ecclesiasticus 19:27: "the attire of the body, and the laughter of the teeth, and the gait of a man, declare of him." But because the official did not yet believe entirely nor soundly, he still wished to know whether his son had been healed by chance or by Christ's command; and therefore he inquires as to the time of the healing. And this is what is said: "he asked therefore of them," namely the servants, "the hour in which he began to be better," namely his son; and he found that it was at that hour that he was healed, precisely when the Lord said to him: "go, thy son lives." Nor is it a wonder, because Christ himself is the Word, by whom heaven and earth were made, according to Psalm 148:5: "he spoke, and they were made; he commanded, and they were created"; Ecclesiasticus 10:5: "it is easy in the sight of the Lord," etc. And therefore they said to him, namely the servants, "that yesterday, at the seventh hour, the fever left him." Mystically, however, by the seventh hour, in which the boy is released from the fever, are signified the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, through whom the remission of sins comes about, according to that of John 20:22: "receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them." Through whom also spiritual life is caused in the soul; below, John 6:64: "it is the spirit that gives life." Also by the seventh hour is signified the time fitting for rest, for the Lord rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done: in which it is signified that the spiritual life of man consists in spiritual rest, according to that of Isaiah 30:15: "if you will rest, you shall be saved." Of the wicked he says, Isaiah 57:20: "the heart of the wicked is like the raging sea, which cannot rest."

Next, when he says "the father therefore knew," etc., the effect of the miracle is set down: and first the fruit of the miracle is set down; secondly the miracle itself is joined to another miracle, there: "this again is the second sign that Jesus did." He says therefore "the father therefore knew," comparing the hour of the servants announcing it with the hour of Christ foretelling it, that it was at that hour that Jesus said to him: "go, thy son lives." From this he was converted to Christ, recognizing that the miracle had been wrought by his power: "he himself believed, and his whole household," namely the servants and ministers, because according to the condition of their masters, whether good or bad, servants are disposed, according to that of Ecclesiasticus 10:2: "as the judge of the people is, so also are his ministers"; Genesis 18:19: "for I know that he will command his children." It is clear from this that this man's faith always made progress: for from the beginning, when he interceded for his sick son, it was weak; afterward it began to have more firmness, when he called him "Lord"; then, when the man believed the word, and went, it was more perfect; yet not entirely, because he still doubted. Here, the power of God in Christ being now manifestly known, his faith is perfected, because, as is said in Proverbs 4:18: "the path of the just, as a shining light, goes forward and increases even to perfect day." Now this miracle is joined to the preceding miracle, when it is said "this again is the second sign that Jesus did": which can be understood in two ways. In one way, that in this same coming from Judea into Galilee the Lord worked two miracles, of which the first not being written, this one is set down as second. In another way, that Jesus worked two signs in Galilee at different times: one, namely, concerning the wine, and this the second, which he worked concerning the official's son, coming again from Judea into Galilee. It is shown by this, however, that the Galileans were worse than the Samaritans, who, expecting no sign from the Lord, believed many of them on his word alone; but at this miracle no one believed in Christ except the official and his whole household: for the Jews, on account of their hardness, were converted to the faith little by little, according to that of Micah 7:1: "I am become as one that gathers the grapes in autumn; there is no cluster to eat; my soul desired the first-ripe figs."