The Great Commentary (Mossman/Cobb English)

But the Jew £ feast of tabernacles was at hand. They kept it for seven days, living in booths, hastily constructed of branches of trees, in memory of the forty years' wandering in the wilderness. The Syriac version for Scenopegia reads Conopea quite wrongly. For these were mosquito curtains, not booths. Abulensis (in Lev. xxiil 34) gives a most erroneous derivation of tfxjjwnjy/a, and Plutarch from not knowing Hebrew was equally wrong in regarding this feast as merely a Bacchanalian orgy, mistaking also the meaning of Sabbath

But His brethren said to Him. Not the sons of Joseph, as Leontius, Cyril, and Euthymius supposed, for both Joseph and Mary remained virgins; nor yet James and John, as Chrysostom thinks, for they were Apostles already, but kinsmen of the Blessed Virgin, or even of Joseph (see S. Luke, chap. iii. ad fin.) Some, that is, of His kinsfolk, not all ; for some believed in Him, some not. Depart hence and go into Judea. From Galilee and the ignoble Caphamaum to the coming feast of tabernacles, to make Thyself known to them by Thy doctrine and miracles. They wish to draw Him away from Galilee, to be known and renowned at Jerusalem. That Thy disciples also may see the works that Thou doesi. Thou, O Jesus, our kinsman, art performing wondrous works in a comer of Galilee, before Thy few and poor disciples in Galilee, come with us to Jerusalem, and work similar works there ; that Thy disciples, whom Thou hast there obtained by Thy preaching, and wilt hereafter gain by Thy miracles, not from the people only, but also from the Priests, Scribes, and chiefs of the people, may be instructed or confirmed in Thy faith, and receive thee as a Prophet and the Messiah. For they wished that Christ should come especially to their notice, that the chief rulers should proclaim Jesus to be the Messiah, and propose Him as such for the reception of the people. For it was theirs to decide about the faith, the prophets, and the Messiah, and what they decided that the people followed and did

For no man doeth anything in secret and he himself seeketh Digitized by V^rOOQie 268 tr. to be known openly . E* va^ijeia properly means to be at liberty ; but here, as opposed to “ secretly,” it means “ openly ” (see John v. 13 ; xvi. 25, 29 ; xviii. 20 ; and S. Mark viii. 32). So Maldonatus and others. If Thou doest this , manifest Thyself to the world i( If” does not imply doubt, but means assertion, and is the same as u since.” Since Thou doest such great and wondrous works in Galilee, do the same in Jerusalem, that there all Israel, and from them the whole world, may know who Thou art, and what dignity, power, and virtue Thou hast received from the Father. For as Raphael saith, “ It is good to keep close the secret of a king, but it is honourable to reveal and make known the works of God ” (Tob. xii. 7). They make the praise of Christ and the glory of God a cloke for their own covetousness and ambition : for they wished that as Christ became renowned by the fame of His miracles, they as His kinsman might become renowned, and honoured by the people, and be loaded with gifts : and might, moreover, secure the favour of the rulers and priests, and then, as they hoped, rise to high offices in the state. Just as when one is made Pope, or Cardinal, or Bishop, his kinsfolk at once flock about him, to gain through him honours and wealth. For “ all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ”

For neither did His brethren believe in Him. They so freely and boldly urged Jesus to come with them to Jerusalem, because they did not fully believe that He was the Christ For had they believed it, they would not have dared to speak to Him so freely. So says Euthymius. For though they saw Him work so many miracles, and did not doubt their truth, yet they doubt whether He were the Messiah and the Son of God. For though they wished it to be true, and partly believed it on account of His many miracles, yet on the other hand they doubted when they saw Him so poor and despised. To make certain they urge Christ to go with them to Jerusalem, where the Scribes and Priests could, on examination had, declare Him to be the Christ, and thus He, and they through Him, might gain honour and celebrity

Jesus said unto them , My time is not yet come, but your Digitized by V^rOOQle Christ’s time. 269 time is always ready . My time is appointed of the Father, but it must be put off for a few days, through the hatred with which the Jews pursue me. For this reason I will go up in a few days, but with secrecy. But do ye go first, for any time is fitting and appropriate for you. I will follow you secretly. (See Jansenius, F. Lucas, and others.) On the other hand, S. Chrysostom and others (see Maldonatus) consider that the time spoken of is the time of His death, which had not yet come. The first meaning is the best

The world cannot hate you , &c. You (my kinsmen) can go at any time to Jerusalem without risk, because ye do not oppose the Scribes, but rather favour, and pay them court. But I, if I go up openly with you, put Myself in manifest peril of My life. So S. Cyril, who also adds the reason, “ For a mind given to pleasures, greatly resents being called away from them ; ” for the Scribes were unwilling to abandon their pleasures, their luxuries, their injustice, and therefore hated Christ, who wished to draw them away from them, as the wise man says (Wisdom it 12)

Go ye up unto this feast For ye have no danger to fear (says Euthymius). But I go not up yet to this feast I am waiting for the anger of the Scribes to subside. For they are looking out for Me to kill Me at the beginning of the feast, but after three days I shall come up secretly and with less danger by myself. For it is clear from verse 10 that He came up a little while after. It is probable that Christ said, as the Vulgate reads, “ I go not up,” for had he said, M I go not up yet,” his kinsmen would have proposed to wait for Him. But Christ's meaning was, I go not up yet, though He did not say so to His kinsmen, to relieve their vexation. Secondly, S. Augustine and Cyril explain “ I go not up on this first day of the Feast, but afterwards on the fourth day.” But the truer view is that He determined to go up on the first day (see on ver. 14). Maldonatus explains, “ I go not up as ye wish and suppose, as a mere man to be honoured and followed by the people. But I shall soon go up thither as the Messiah and Son of God to teach them the way of salvation, and Digitized by V^rOOQie 270 thus seek to extend His glory and not My own. But this seems somewhat forced. Ver. 9, io. — When he had said these words , &c. Christ appears not to have taken the straight road through Samaria, but to have crossed the Jordan, and after dismissing the multitudes, to have gone up to Jerusalem, with a few of His favoured disciples, in secret (see Matt xix. i, 2 ; Luke ix. 51, 53 ; Mark ix. 29, x. 1)

The Jews therefore sought Him at the feast , and said. Where is He ? S. Chrysostom says that on a feast day they were always disposed to murder, and they endeavoured to catch Him on feast days. And Euthymius, “Admirable work for feast days, in making them occasions for murder ; and that on the very day they ought to have been searching for Christ in order to believe on Him # they were aiming only at His death.” And thus in our days many on the feast days on which they ought to be making their peace with God, only offend Him by their gross sins and blaspheming, making their feasts to the devil and not to God ; this is the fraud and suggestion of the devil, who takes away the service due to God, and appropriates it to himself Where is He, that impostor, and deceiver of the people ? In their extreme wrath, says S. Chrysostom, they could not bear to mention Him by name

And there was much murmuring , &c. He would make Himself the founder of a new faction, and stir up sedition and rebellion. A good man, nay, a teacher and a prophet; this was the opinion of those who had heard Him teaching, and seen His miracles in Galilee. The contrary was the opinion of the Scribes and Rulers, and the multitude who followed them

And the Jews wondered, saying, See. “ They marvelled,” says Cyril, “ when they saw in Him such unheard-of wisdom and power of speech ; ” for, as Theophylact says, u He spake wondrous words, restraining and changing their minds in a wondrous manner,” so that their fury was changed into love and admiration of Christ “ For they heard Him,” says S. Augustine, “ disputing about the law, and adducing its testimony,” and explaining it with such grace and manner as was not human but divine. For, as he adds, " Many knew where He was born, and how brought up, but had never seen Him learning anything.” And hence the Scribes ought to have inferred that His great learning and wisdom had not been acquired by study, but infused by God. But blinded and stupefied by hatred they stand still in wonder, and proceed not to investigate the origin of that which surprises them. So S. Chrysostom. And for this very cause God willed that Jesus should leap up into the chair ot learning, not from the schools, but from the carpenter’s trade, to the end that all might acknowledge that His learning was not taught by man but inspired by God. Ver. 1 6.— Jesus answered, & c. My doctrines are not My inventions nor the result of My study. They did not primarily and originally proceed from Me, but from God the Father. He, as I am God, communicated to Me His own omniscience. But, as I am man, Digitized by V^rOOQie CHRIST SEEKS GOD’S GLORY. *73 He gave and infused into Me His own Blessed knowledge of all things, according to that of Isaiah xi. 2. “ The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him,” &c. So S. Chrysostom and others, who observe that in this very way Christ implies that He is God : as if He said, “ I together with the Divine Essence have derived all My omniscience and doctrine from the Father.” As S. Augustine says ( Tract 29), “What is the doctrine of the Father, but the Word of the Father? Christ Himself, therefore, is the doctrine of the Father, if He is the Wortl of the Father. But because a Word cannot be of no one, but of some one, He called Himself His own doctrine, and yet not His own, because He is the Word of the Father. For what is so much thine as thyself? and what is so little thine as thyself if thou art from some one else?” Ver 17 . — If any one is willing &a That is, something invented by Me, and therefore disagreeing, or contrary to the will of God. As S. Chrysostom says, “If anybody has love of virtue, he will understand the force of My words that they come from God. For of Him cometh every virtue, of which I am the earnest teacher. For he who loves to observe the commands of God in this matter, will love and observe My Word, because I do not say or do anything contrary to what is pleasing and commanded by God;” tacitly hinting that they loved vice, and therefore were opposed to the teaching both of God and Himself “ Put away,” says Chrysostom, " this doubt, your anger and malice and intense hatred of Me, and nothing will then keep you from acknowledging that My words are those of God. But now these tempers obscure your judgment, and if you put them aside you would think otherwise.”

He that speaketh of Himself &c. But on the other hand Cyril concludes with, “ He who seeks not God’s glory but his own, is a liar, and full of deceit” — a liar, because under pretence of observing the law he puts forth his own will ; and full of deceit, because he dares to prefer his own commands to those of God. This then is the second proof that Christ gives, that He speaks not of Himself Put logicially it is thus, He that speaks for Himself seeks his own glory. But I seek not my own glory ; therefore I vol. v. s Digitized by V^rOOQie 274 speak not of Myself. Heretics and philosophers teach their own opinions, and call their followers after their own names. For in either case, it is desire for fame which causes heresies and sects. Unrighteousness , that is fraud, craft, deception, for Christ teaches sincerely and truly what he believes will please God and promote His glory, while others seek their own glory, and use flattery and other arts to extort it from men for themselves

20. — Did not Moses give you the law t And yet, &c. The primary sense is, no wonder ye do not accept Mine and My Father’s law, since ye keep not the law of Moses, which ye value so much and urge against Me. For it strictly forbids murder (Ex. xxiiL 7). So S. Augustine and others. But secondly, F. Lucas thus explains it more profoundly and more closely to the context : " Ye accuse Me of disregarding the law, and breaking the Sabbath by healing the paralytic. But ye equally break it by circumcising a man, which is a longer and more cruel act than healing with a word. Ye are therefore more deserving of death than I am.”

The people answered and said. Thou hast a devil, who seeheth to kill Theef That is, Thou art mad as Saul was when possessed with a devil Or more strictly, it is the devil who instigates Thee to make this false charge of murder against us. We never thought of it These are the words of the people, some of whom thought well, and others ill of Christ, but yet did not wish to kill Him. But that was the wish of the Scribes and rulers, who mingled with the crowd. Christ therefore glances at them, and openly proclaims their secret plans for killing Him, which were fully known to Him, thus shewing Him to be God

Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel. The work of healing the paralytic. Jesus did not return taunt for taunt, but forbearingly suppressed his feelings, and with gentleness and prudence pulled up their chaige by the roots. “ He was not troubled, but calm in the possession of His truth ; He returned not evil for evil, or railing for railing, though, if He had said to them, Ye have a devil, He would certainly have spoken truth ; for they would never have said such things to Him who is Digitized by V^rOOQie CIRCUMCISION" OF THE FATHERS. 275 Truth itself, if the false teaching of the devil had not ensnared them. Ye wonder, and are indignant, as though I had done contrary to the law. “ Ye are disturbed and agitated,' 1 says S. Chrysostom. “ Ye condemn Me,” says Cyril " Ye seek to kill Me,” Euthymius. The order of events is inverted. For astonishment caused indignation, indignation disturbance, disturbance the contriving His death

For this cause Moses, &c. (1.) Some, as Theophylact and Maldonatus, connect this with the preceding verse, “ Ye all marvel at this My healing on the Sabbath.” (2.) Euthymius and Jansen explain thus, “To keep you from wondering, just consider what I am going to say about circumcision.” (3.) S. Cyril, Toletus and F. Lucas explain it thus : “ Though Moses gave you circumcision, it was because he wished studiously to observe the tradition of the fathers, and yet on the Sabbath day, which Moses also authorised, ye circumcise a man. (4.) It is on account of the surprise you feel that I add an argument from the rite of circumcision, which ye perform by Moses' own order on the Sabbath. Not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers The patriarch Abraham, and not Moses, instituted circumcision. And he adds this to teach them not to rely to such an extent on the law of Moses alone, respecting the Sabbath, or to neglect the laws of those who preceded him. But on the other hand, if those earlier laws are at variance with the law of Moses, the elder laws should prevail and the law of Moses give way to them. And, thus, the law of circumcision given to Abraham cancelled the law of the Sabbath given to Moses, that if a child were born on the Sabbath, he was obliged to be circumcised precisely on the eighth day, and that his circumcision could not possibly be deferred to the day following. If then the law of Moses was obliged to give way to the law of Abraham, much more should it give way to the Law of Christ and God, which orders us to do good, if we can, to the sore afflicted, even on the Sabbath, more especially if we do so quickly, and in a word, as Christ did. Digitized by V^rOOQie 276 And ye on the Sabbath day circumcise a man . And, i.e, 9 therefore, because the law of circumcision was anterior, and given to Abraham by God, it overrules the Sabbath, which was instituted afterwards by Moses at the command of God. And therefore, if the eighth day from the child’s birth is the Sabbath, ye circumcise him with great preparation and trouble, that the law of God given to Abraham may be kept

If a man on the Sabbath day receive circumcision , &c. If circumcision, which in its own nature is a servile, troublesome, and tedious work, as well as one causing pain, is not only lawful, but even commanded to be done on the Sabbath ; why am not I equally allowed to heal on the Sabbath a man who has been paralysed for so many years, and with a word to restore him to health, and that too to the alone praise and glory of God ? For the law of piety and kindness is a law of nature, to which every law, human and divine, such as that of the Sabbath, should give way. Observe here, "the whole man .” For as Euthymius remarks, since his whole body was shattered by palsy, He rendered it entirely whole. Christ appositely compares the healing to circumcision, because as a superfluous part of the body is cut off by the one, so the palsy, which was attacking his whole body, was cut off by the other. But circumcision took place with pain and wounds, the healing by Christ with pleasure and complete health, for He healed the whole man, that is, body and soul together. Christ appears to have cut off from the soul of this sick man his vices and sins, and to have justified and sanctified him, as well as others who were healed by Him, just as circumcision by circumcising the flesh circumcised the soul also ; cut away from it original sin, and clothed it with the grace and righteousness of God

Judge not according to appearance , but judge righteous judgment '. He charges the Jews with acceptance of persons, in acquitting Moses, or rather themselves, in a like matter, but accusing and condemning Jesus. Ye accuse Me as a Sabbath-breaker only for healing a sick man by my divine power, whereas ye think it lawful by the law of Moses to circumcise and wound a child, to heal his wound by applying plasters, and to staunch the blood, which Digitized by V^rOOQie UNFAIRNESS OF THE JEWS. is much more tedious, painful and horrible. And this is because ye judge not acccording to the truth of things, but according to the dignity of the persons. For Me ye contemn as vile, poor and hated ; but ye set up yourselves with Moses as the chiefs and teachers of the people. For were ye to judge according to our doings, ye ought to acquit Me as well as Moses and yourselves ; or if ye com demn Me, ye should condemn both Moses and yourselves. For I healed the man on the Sabbath, but ye with Moses on the very same day first wound and afterwards heal the child. And my object was even more holy, because I did it only for the glory of God, to show that I was the Messiah. So say S. Augustine, S. Chrysostom, and others. Many think that Christ here put Himself above Moses. But it would be more fitly said that Christ here compared Himself with the Jews, who, according to the law of Moses, circumcised on the Sabbath. But Moses never expressly commanded this. It was merely inferred from his words

Therefore said some of them of Jerusalem, Those, that is, that were convinced by Christ’s argument. Many of the people at Jerusalem had a leaning towards Him, but could not openly show it for fear of the rulers. Is not this He whom they seek to kiln They knew, says S. Augustfte, how savagely He was sought for. The others then said falsely and craftily, “Who seeketh to kill Thee?"

And lo He speaketh openly , and they say nothing against Him . What means this great silence ? says Nonnus. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ l They know it, or easily could have known it, but they, blinded by their pride and hatred, persecuted Him to the death; but they were restrained by His divine power from laying hands on Him

But we know this man , &c. We know that His parents are Joseph and Mary, and they themselves confessed elsewhere in general that they knew He was to be bom in Bethlehem of the seed of David. But these were the words of the ignorant people, who thought that Christ would suddenly appear to the world from unknown ancestors, that He would remain hid in Bethlehem for a Digitized by V^rOOQie 2J8 long time, or else be carried away to a distance, be there brought up to man’s estate, and then appear unexpectedly in Judea. Other strange myths were invented concerning Him, derived mainly from wrong interpretations of Is. liii. 8, Heb. vii. 3, Micah v. 2, and Ps. cix. 3 (see Vulg.), “Before the morning star I begat Thee from the womb : ” all which passages should be understood of His divine and not of His human nature. But the Jews considered Him a mere man, and thought that He had been begotten from eternity in Bethlehem. On which account Christ teaches them that they knew His human, but not His divine origin. So Toletus and others

Jesus therefore cried in the temple, &c. I grant what you say, that ye know My ancestry and My parents ; though ye are much mistaken. Ye do not know them ; for the Jews knew not the Godhead of Christ, regarding Him only as the son of Joseph. But S. Chrysostom and Maldonatus explain thus : “ Ye know Me, *>., ye ought, and are able to know that I am the Messiah. For I have proved this from prophecy, and confirmed it by miracles.” He cried as showing that He knew their secret murmurings. And the things which they spake secretly (says S. Chrysostom), He openly proclaimed, and confounded them. In order also by His loud speaking to gain attention and add weight to His preaching. I am not come of Myself but sent of the Father. But He is true in faithfully and truthfully fulfilling in My person the promises made to Abraham and David. But ye know him not, i.e., to be My Father, and that He sent Me to redeem the world. Or otherwise, “ye know Him not, ye do not obey, love, or worship Him, as though ye knew Him.” So Theophylact

Jesus therefore said unto them , &c., that is, to the officers of the chief priests, to win them over (says Chrysostom) by showing that He knew the cause of their coming, “ and that they might tell it to their masters.” “ Yet a little while” I will not for long trouble your masters, for I am weary of dwelling with murderers. “ I will fly from the ungodly,” says CyriL “ I will preach for six months more among you, till the Passover. For then will be My time, appointed by the Father, to die for the salvation of the world. It is in vain that ye now seek to kill Me. Ye can do nothing against God’s will Ye are labouring in vain, and kicking against the pricks.” Christ here displays His greatness of mind, and His divine foreknowledge and power, wherewith He laughs their efforts to scorn, and disperses them as spiders’ webs. J go; that is, I shall soon go, signifying that His death was voluntary, says Theophylact, quoting S. Chrysostom. It was in vain that they attempted violence against Him. “ I go” means 14 1 will go of My own accord and give up myself to you for bonds, scourging and death.” To him that sent me. This signifies (1.) that He would go willingly, (2.) that the persecution of the rulers would do Him no hurt (so Chrysostom and Euthymius). (3.) He would alarm them, for, going to the Father, He would declare to Him their hatred towards Him, and demand punishment So S. Chrysostom and S. Cyril. “ In vain ye sharpen against Me the sword of wickedness. Ye will not make life subject to death ; I shall ascend into heaven, bearing before angels and men the accusation of your wickedness. For the first will wonder at His return, and the others, going forth to meet Him, will ask 4 What are these wounds in Thy hands?’ And I will answer, ‘With these was I wounded in the house of My beloved*” (Zech. xiil 6). Digitized by V^rOOQie THE GENTILES DISPERSED. 281

Ye shall seek Me , &c. Ye will seek for another Messiah, but ye will not find Him, for there is no other Christ but Myself So Toletus. But this is far from clear, and not to the point It means more plainly and simply : When ye hear that I have risen, and by My disciples am working miracles, ye will seek to kill Me again, and thus utterly extirpate My name and My religion. But ye will not find Me, for I shall ascend with glory into heaven, and though ye slay My Apostles, I will put others in their place to propagate My doctrine and Church through all the world. So Rupertus. But (4.) Jansen and others explain thus. After My death and ascension many of you who despised Me, will by the preaching of the Apostles desire to see and hear Me, but will not find Me because I go up to heaven. So Cyril, who teaches that a blessing should be embraced when present, lest afterward we should seek for it in vain. For opportunity has locks (of hair) in front (as is said), but is bald behind. Morally. Learn to admire and imitate Christ's calmness and patience in answering. 41 For,” says S. Cyril, 44 a mind devoted to God ought to avoid all assaults of anger, and to take pleasure in gentle thoughts. Labour greatly to be versed in endurance, that thou mayest appear to all to bear adversities patiently, to have a gentle mind, and not to speak unseemly words even against thine enemies.”

He that believeth in Me, as the Scripture saith, ie., as he ought, by faith, moulded by love : he that so believeth as also to obey Me and My commands. Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. Where is this said? (1.) Rupertus, S. Thomas, and S. Jerome say in Prov. v. 16, “Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad.” (2.) F. Lucas in ; Is. lviii. 8, “Thou shalt be like a watered garden.” (3.) Others say that it is stated not in one place, but in many, for the prophets everywhere foretell that the abundance of spiritual gifts which Christ would give, would be like showers of water. See Joel ii. 28; Is. xli. 18, xliv. 3. See also Ezek. xxxvi. 25, and Ecclus. 3odv. 40, Vulg., “ I wisdom poured forth rivers,” &c. (In AngL verses 30, 31), and Cant iv. 15, “A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.” Out of his belly shall flow rivers oj living water. Rivers (say S. Ambrose and Theophylact), not a river, to denote the greatest abundance, force and efficacy of spiritual graces, as e.g., rivers of charity, of virginity, of martyrdoms and martyrs, of wisdom and of Christian eloquence. So S. Chrysostom, Rupertus, and Digitized by V^rOOQie RIVERS OF GRACE. 283 others. S. Gregory {Horn. x. on Ezek.) saith : “ Because holy teachings flow from the minds of the faithful, as streams of living waters from the belly of believers. For what is the belly, but the inner feelings of the mind, that is, right intention, holy desire, and a will which is humble towards God, and loving to its neighbour?” “ Consider,” says S. Chrysostom, “ the eloquence of Peter, the vehemence of Paul, and the wisdom of Stephen, for nothing escapes them as they speak, but they all go on as hurried forward by impetuously rushing streams.” As was the case at Pentecost, when Peter poured forth the streams of his spirit, and by one discourse converted three, and by another five, thousand Jews to Christ And hence S. Jerome ( Ep . bri. to Pammacheus) saith, “ Paul was a chosen vessel, a trumpet of the Gospel, a roaring of a lion, a torrent of Christian eloquence : for as oft as I read him methinks I hear not words but thunders.” And S. Chrysostom saith, “ Paul is the heaven which hath the sun of righteousness, being himself a most pure and most profound sea of wisdom” ( Horn iv. de laudibus S. Pauli). But observe that Christ is the fount of living water, that is of living and quickening grace, “ For with Thee is the fountain of life ” (Ps. xxxvi. 9), and if we drink of this fountain (*.*., if we believe in Christ and obey Him), He will be in us a fountain of water springing up into eternal life (see John iv. 14). This fountain is the Holy Spirit, or His abundant and plenteous grace. And from this fountain dwelling in the soul, the countless and most perfect spiritual gifts and virtues flow, like rivers and streams, into the soul and body, into all their powers and acts, and reach even to those about them. For “ the grace of the Spirit,” saith Chrysostom, “ when it enters and waters the mind, fertilises it more than any stream ; it never fails, never falls short, never stops.” He therefore speaks of its indefectible abundance, and its wondrous operation, as a fountain and stream. “ Faith, hope, and charity are streams of the Holy Spirit,” says S Gregory, as S. John explains it below. Out of his belly . That is, the heart and mind. “ The belly ” (says S. Augustine) “ is the conscience of the heart, for purified by this water, it will be itself a fountain. But the fountain is benevolence, Digitized by V^rOOQie 284 S. JOHN., C. VII. which seeks the good of its neighbour, and therefore is not dried up, but ever flows. Shall flow . Abundantly, in virtuous acts, by the operations and impulses of the Holy Spirit, to lead not only themselves but others also to heaven. For the spring of this spiritual stream is in heaven, and it flows back to its original source, and carries back thither spiritual men with it (see chap. iv. 14). Living waters. Not stagnant waters, but flowing and springing up. Abundance of living waters. (1.) Charity (S. Augustine). (2.) Spiritual joy (see Ps. xlvl) (S. Basil). (3.) Evangelical doctrine (S. Ambrose). (4.) Heavenly happiness and glory, which S. John compares to the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God, and of the Lamb (Rev. xxii. 1). (5.) A fount of all grace and glory, all gifts of the Holy Spirit (so S. Chrysostom, Cyril, Origen, &c.)

But this spake He of the Spirit which they that believe on Him should receive. After His death, and by His merits at Pentecost, for before that the Apostles had not received it so copiously and abundantly as at that time ; and they at once watered the parched earth by the streams of their preaching and virtue, fertilised it by their good works, inebriated it by the love of God, and inundated it with all virtues, by means of the living water of Christian grace, life, and doctrine. For the Spirit was not yet given , i.e., the Holy Spirit was not yet given so copiously, because Jesus was not yet glorified. But why was not the Holy Spirit given visibly and abundantly before His Ascension? (1.) S. Leo says, “In order that this gift and pouring forth of the Holy Spirit might be acknowledged as the fruit of His Passion, Ascension and Triumph. Just as kings give largesses to their people on occasions of great joy, as triumphs and so forth. (See Acts ii. 33.) “His Ascension ” (says S. Leo) “was the cause of His giving His Holy Spirit” (2.) The sending of the Spirit was the glorification of Christ For the Spirit by the greatness of His gifts wondrously set forth the glory of Christ. For He wrought so many miracles by the Apostles, as to convert the whole world to Christ Digitized by V^rOOQie MANIFOLD FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT. 285 (3.) Because the disciples before the Ascension were not able to receive so great a gift, having such carnal notions of Christ (4.) S. Augustine (in loc “ He willed not to give the Spirit till after His Resurrection, in order that our charity might glow for the Resurrection, and being separated from the world may run wholly towards Him.” And S. Cyril, “Christ then became the Principle of our renewed nature, when, counting as nothing the bands of death, He rose again.” And again, “There was in the Prophets a certain rich brightness of the Holy Spirit, and a light shining before them, to guide them to the knowledge of things to come. But to those who believed in Christ, there was not only the Holy Spirit, as a light to lead them on the way, but He dwelt within them, as if in His temple.” For then streams of grace not only flowed, but poured down from heaven, not merely on a few, but on very many of the faithful. From thence there flowed forth such thousands of martyrs, who nobly endured the rack, the flames and the lions ; so many bands of virgins victoriously contending even to death for their Christian virginity ; so many swarms of monks and anchorets who in monasteries and deserts lived separate from the world and for God, as men of heaven, and angels upon earth ; so many orders of Pontiffs and Prelates, who governed most holily the churches committed to them, and moulded them to perfect sanctity ; such bands of Doctors, Preachers and Confessors, who scattered on every side their streams of doctrine and holy living, by their teaching, preaching and writings, enlightening the whole world with the knowledge of God, and enkindling it by His love ; of whom it is said, “ He shall pour forth as showers his wise sentences ” (Ecclus. xxxix. 6). And lastly, so many myriads of the faithful, both men and women, who living soberly, justly and godly in this world, eagerly looked, and still look for the glorious coming of our Great God and Saviour Jesus Christ Is not this great and unending glory to Jesus Christ?

So there was a division among the people because of Him. Some accusing Him of being an innovator, others excusing Him, and lauding Him as a Prophet

The Pharisees therefore answered Are ye also deceived l u They were Christ’s implacable enemies,” says Nonnus. “ When they ought to have felt compunction, and to change their opinion,” says Chrysostom, “ they accuse the officers. But in mild terms, for fear they also should at the last fail them.” But they ought to have asked what there was so wonderful in Jesus’ words. But they took care not to do that, by their blind and obstinate hatred against Him. S. Cyril enforces it thus, " We may pardon the multitude for being deceived, but how could ye, who are our officers, and infected with the same incredulity with ourselves, how could you be so quickly led astray as to believe in Him?”