Homilies on the Gospel of John 10

He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.

God, being a lover of mankind, beloved, and a benefactor, does and contrives all things so that we may shine forth in virtue.

And desiring that we should be well approved, He does this by no man's compulsion nor by necessity, but draws to Himself and attracts by persuasion and by well-doing all who are willing.

For this reason, when He came, some received Him, but others did not accept Him.

For He desires to have no servant unwilling or compelled, but all willing and choosing of their own accord, and grateful to Him for their servitude.

For men indeed, since they stand in need of the ministry of servants, hold them fast even against their will by the law of mastership.

But God, being in need of nothing, and standing in need of none of the things that are ours, and doing all things solely for the sake of our salvation, makes us ourselves lords of this very matter.

And for this reason He lays no force nor necessity upon any of those who are unwilling.

For He looks only to what is profitable for us.

For to be drawn unwillingly to this servitude is the same as not serving at all.

Why then, one asks, does He punish those who are unwilling to obey Him? And why did He threaten hell to those who do not hearken to His commandments? Because, even when we are not persuaded, He cares exceedingly for us, being surpassingly good, and He does not withdraw even when we spring away and flee.

But since we thrust away the former way of His beneficence, being unwilling to come by way of persuasion and of being well treated, He brought in the other way — the way of chastisement and of punishments — most bitter indeed, yet nonetheless necessary.

For when the former is dishonored, the bringing in of the second becomes necessary.

Since the lawgivers too appoint many and severe punishments against transgressors, and yet we do not turn away from them on this account, but rather honor them the more because of their penalties — and because, needing nothing from us, and often not even knowing who they may be that shall benefit from the help of their writings, they nonetheless took thought for the good order of our life, honoring those who live in virtue, but restraining by penalties the licentious who damage the tranquility of the rest.

But if we admire and love these men, ought we not much more to be struck with wonder at God and to love Him, for so great a solicitude? For infinite indeed is the distance between their providence and His toward us.

Truly unspeakable, and surpassing all excess, is the riches of His goodness.

He came unto His own, not for the sake of His own need (for the Godhead, as I said, is without need of anything), but for the sake of the benefit of His own.

And not even so did His own, when He came unto His own possessions for their own benefit, receive Him; but they even thrust Him away.

And not only this, but casting Him outside the vineyard, they slew Him.

And not even so did He shut them out from repentance, but He granted them, if they were willing after so great an outrage, to wash away by faith in Him all their offenses, and to be made equal to those who had wrought no such thing, but were of all men His closest friends.

And that it is not idly, nor for the sake of soothing the mind, that I say these things, all that concerns the blessed Paul sends forth a resounding voice on this behalf.

For this man, who persecuted Christ after the cross, and stoned with many hands His witness Stephen — when he repented and condemned his former sins, and ran to Him whom he had persecuted, He forthwith enrolled him among His friends and those holding the foremost rank, appointing him herald and teacher of the whole world: the blasphemer, the persecutor, the insolent one.

As indeed he himself, exulting in the loving-kindness of God, proclaimed these things and was not ashamed, but, as though setting down upon a monument in writing the deeds he had formerly dared, displayed them to all — deeming it better that his former life be set up as a pillar of reproach before all, so that the greatness of the gift of God might appear, than to cast a shadow over His unspeakable and indescribable loving-kindness by shrinking from publishing his own error to all.

And he turns upside down the persecutions, the plots, the wars that he had waged against the Church.

Now saying, I am not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God.

And now, That Jesus came to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

And again, You have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, that beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God, and laid it waste.

As though rendering this as a kind of recompense to Christ for His long-suffering toward him — namely, to show what manner of man he was, and how, being an enemy and a foe, He saved him.

So with much boldness he proclaims the battle which at the outset, with all eagerness, he had waged against Christ.

And along with this, he also holds out good hopes to those who have despaired of themselves.

For he says that Christ for this reason received him, that in him first He might display all long-suffering and the surpassing riches of His goodness, for a pattern to those who should hereafter believe on Him unto life eternal.

For indeed the things they had dared were greater than any pardon.

Which very things the evangelist also, making them plain, declared, saying:

He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.

Whence came He who fills all things and is present everywhere? What place did He empty of His presence, He who holds together and grasps all things with His hand? He changed no place (for how could He?); but He wrought this by His descent to us.

For since, though He was in the world, He did not seem to be present, because He was not yet made known, but afterward manifested Himself, having deigned to put on our flesh, He calls this manifestation and this descent a 'coming' (parousia).

It is worthy of wonder that the disciple is not ashamed at the dishonor of his Teacher, but even with boldness records the outrage done to Him.

And this too is no small proof of his truth-loving disposition.

And moreover, he who is ashamed on behalf of those who committed the outrage ought not to be ashamed on behalf of the one who was insolently treated.

For this One shone the more brightly by this very thing, showing, even after the outrage, so great a providence for those who had outraged Him.

But those men appeared before all as thankless and defiled, having thrust away as an enemy and a foe the One who came to them with so many good things.

And it was not by this alone that they were harmed, but also in that they did not obtain what those who received Him obtained.

And what did these obtain? But as many as received Him, He gave them authority to become children of God, he says.

Why then, O blessed one, do you not tell us also of the punishment of those who did not receive Him? You have said that they were His own, and that when He came unto His own they received Him not;

but what they shall suffer in return for this, and what manner of punishment they shall undergo, this you have not further added — though thus you would have frightened them the more, and softened the hardness of their madness by the threat.

For what reason then did you keep silent? And what greater punishment than this, he says, could ever come to pass, than that, when authority is set before them to become children of God, they do not become such, but willingly deprive themselves of so great a nobility and honor? Yet not even here alone shall their punishment stand still, at their receiving no good thing;

but there also awaits them the unquenchable fire, which as he proceeds he revealed more clearly.

But for the present he tells of the ineffable good things of those who received Him, and sets them before them in few words, saying thus:

But as many as received Him, He gave them authority to become children of God.

Whether slaves or free, whether Greeks or barbarians, whether Scythians, whether unlearned or wise, whether women or men, whether children or elders, whether dishonored or honored, whether rich or poor, whether rulers or private persons, he says — all have been deemed worthy of the same honor.

For faith and the grace of the Spirit, taking away the inequality that comes from worldly dignities, molded all into one form, and stamped upon all one character, the royal one.

What could be equal to this loving-kindness? An earthly king, formed of the same clay as we, does not deem it worthy to enroll into the royal army his fellow-servants, who share the same nature as himself — and often are even better in their character — if they happen to be slaves;

yet the only-begotten Son of God did not disdain to enroll into the choir of His children even tax-collectors, and magi, and slaves, and those most dishonored of all, and many maimed in body and bearing countless disfigurements.

So great is the strength of faith in Him;

so great is the surpassing measure of grace.

And just as the nature of fire, coming into contact with the ore-bearing earth, straightway makes it gold from earth;

even so, and much more, baptism makes those who are washed golden instead of clay, the Spirit falling like fire upon our souls at that time,

burning up the image of the earthy, but bringing up the image of the heavenly, newly fashioned and resplendent, and gleaming as from a furnace.

And why ever did he not say that He made them children of God, but, He gave them authority to become children of God? Showing that there is need of much diligence, so as to preserve throughout unspotted and untouched the image of adoption which was imprinted upon us in baptism;

and at the same time showing also that no one shall be able to take this authority from us, unless we first take it from ourselves.

For if those who receive from men the confirmation of certain matters have so great power — well-nigh as great as those who gave it to them —

much more shall we, who have obtained this honor from God, if we do nothing unworthy of this authority, be more powerful than all, because He who has committed this honor into our hands is greater and better than all.

And at the same time he also wishes to show that grace does not come upon a man simply and without more ado, but upon those who are willing and diligent;

for indeed it lies also within their authority, this becoming children.

For if they do not first choose it themselves, the gift does not come upon them, nor does it work anything.

Everywhere, therefore, casting out what is compelled, but showing forth what is of free choice and self-determination;

For even in these very mysteries, one part belongs to God, namely, to give the grace;

while the other part belongs to man, namely, to supply the faith.

And in the time that follows thereafter, much diligence is henceforth needed.

For it does not suffice for the guarding of our purity merely to have been baptized and to have believed;

but rather, if we are to enjoy this radiance perpetually, we must furnish a manner of life worthy of it.

This God has made to depend upon us.

For to be born the mystical birth, and to be cleansed from all our former sins, comes to pass through baptism;

but to remain pure thereafter, and to receive no further stain again after this, belongs to our own power and diligence.

For this very reason he reminded us also of the manner of that birth, and by comparison with the pangs of the flesh he showed its surpassing excellence, saying:

Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And this he did, in order that, having learned the meanness and lowliness of the former birth, that which is through blood and the will of the flesh, and having recognized the loftiness and nobility of the second, that which is through grace, we might thence also conceive some great thought concerning it, and concerning the worthy gift of Him who has begotten us, and might thereafter display much diligence.

For there is no small fear, lest, having defiled this fair robe by our subsequent slothfulness and transgressions, we be cast out of the bridal chamber and the wedding hall, like those five foolish virgins, or like the one who had not the wedding garment.

For that man too was among the guests;

but since after the invitation and so great an honor he behaved insolently toward the one who had invited him, hear what sort of penalty he pays, how pitiable it is, and worthy of many tears.

For having come to partake of that splendid table, not only is he barred from the feast, but also, bound hand and foot alike, he is led away into the outer darkness, there to undergo the eternal and boundless lamentation and the gnashing of teeth.

Let us not therefore, beloved, let us not either suppose that faith suffices for us unto salvation;

if we do not display a pure life, but come clothed in garments unworthy of this blessed calling, nothing prevents us also from suffering the same things which that wretched man did.

For it would be absurd that He, being God and King, was not ashamed of mean and base men, wandering beggars worthy of nothing, but brought even those from the crossroads to that table;

yet that we should display such insensibility as not even to become better by so great an honor, but even after the calling to remain in the same wickedness, thus wantonly outraging the unspeakable lovingkindness of Him who called us.

For it was not for this that He called us to this spiritual and awesome communion of the mysteries, that we should enter in with our former wickedness, but that, having put off the foulness, we might be clothed anew with such garments as those who feast in the royal halls ought to wear.

But if we are unwilling to do things worthy of that calling, this is not owing to Him who honored us, but to ourselves.

For it is not He who casts us out of the wondrous company of the guests, but we ourselves.

For He, for His part, accomplished everything that was His to do.

For He made the wedding, and prepared the table, and sent those who should call the guests, and received those who came, and bestowed all the rest of the honor;

but we, having insulted both Him, and those present, and the wedding itself, by our filthy garments, that is, by our unclean deeds, are with good reason thereafter cast out.

For in this way, honoring both the wedding and those who were called, He drives away those bold and shameless men.

For if He had suffered those clothed in that garment to remain, He would Himself have seemed to insult the others as well.

But may it never befall anyone to make trial of such treatment from the One who called, neither us nor any others.

For it was for this reason that, before all these things came to pass, they were written down;

so that, being brought to sobriety by the threat of the writings, we might not permit this dishonor and this punishment to come into deed, but might set it forth in words only, and each of us with a splendid robe might come to that calling;

which may it be granted to us all to enjoy, by the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom, to the Father together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.