Homilies on the Gospel of John 11

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.

I wish to ask of you all one favor, before I lay hold of the words of the Gospel;

but do not refuse my request.

For neither do I ask anything burdensome or grievous, nor will the thing given be profitable to me the receiver alone, but also to you who supply it;

and perhaps far more to you.

What then is it that I ask of you? On the first day of the week, or even on the Sabbath, the passage of the Gospels that is about to be read among you, let each one take it in hand before these days, and sitting at home read it continually, and often examine with accuracy the things contained therein, and test them well;

and let him note what is clear, and what is obscure;

and what of them seems to be contradictory, though it is not;

and having thoroughly sifted everything, come thus to the hearing.

For no small profit, from such diligence, will accrue both to you and to us.

For we, on our part, shall not need much labor to make clear the meaning of what is said, your mind having already been made familiar beforehand with the knowledge of the words;

while you, in this way, will become keener and more discerning, not only for the hearing, nor only for the learning, but also for the teaching of others.

Since, as things now are, most of those who come here listen while being compelled to learn all at once both the words and the things said by us concerning them, so that not even if for a whole year

we should continue doing this, would they reap any great profit.

For how should they, when it is only in passing and only here, during this brief time, that they give attention to the things spoken? But if some allege affairs and cares, and much occupation with public and private matters;

first, this very thing is no small accusation, to be encompassed by such a multitude of affairs, and to be so continually nailed to the concerns of this life, as not to bring even a little leisure to the things most necessary of all.

Next, that these are a pretext and an excuse, there would accuse them the gatherings of friends, and the pastimes in the theaters, and the assemblies which they hold for the sake of watching the contest of horses, in which they often consumed whole days [and you spent much time with friends], and in none of these did any of them ever allege the pressure of affairs.

Then, in mean and trifling things you are everywhere without excuse, and are able to enjoy deep leisure;

but if it be required to attend to the things of God, these seem to you so much more superfluous and dishonorable than all else, that you think it right not to apportion even a little leisure to them.

And how is it fitting that those so disposed should even breathe, or behold this sun? There is also another excuse for those thus slothful, most unreasonable of all, that of not possessing nor having books.

And as regards the wealthy, it is laughable that we should stretch out this rebuke concerning such a pretext;

but since I think that many of the poorer sort constantly abuse it, I would gladly ask them this: whether each one does not have full and complete all the tools of the craft of which he is the practitioner, even though poverty hinders him in ten thousand ways.

How then is it not absurd, that in the one case a man should not allege poverty, but do everything so that nothing may become an obstacle from any quarter;

yet, when about to reap so great a benefit, he should bewail his lack of leisure and his poverty? Nevertheless, even if some be so poor, it is possible, from the continual reading that takes place here, to be ignorant of nothing of the things contained in the divine Scriptures.

But if this seems to you to be impossible, with good reason does it seem so.

For not with much eagerness do many come to hear the things spoken, but merely having discharged this one duty toward the day, they straightway return home.

And if some even tarry, they are disposed no better than those who have departed, being present with us here in body only.

But that we may not burden you further with accusations, and consume all our time in reproaches, let us go to the words of the Gospel;

for it is now time henceforth to let down our discourse into the matters before us.

But rouse yourselves, so that none of the things spoken may pass you by.

And the Word became flesh, he says, and dwelt among us.

Having said that they who received Him were born of God, and became children of God, he sets down the cause and the ground of this unspeakable honor.

And this is, that the Word became flesh, and the Master took upon Him the form of the servant.

For He became Son of Man, being the true Son of God, in order that He might make the sons of men children of God.

For the exalted, holding converse with the lowly, is itself in no way harmed with respect to its own glory;

but it raises up the other from its great lowliness.

Which very thing indeed came to pass also in the case of Christ.

For He in no way diminished His own nature by this condescension, yet He raised up us, who ever sat in dishonor and darkness, to unspeakable glory.

So too, in some fashion, a king conversing with a poor and needy man with earnestness and goodwill, in no way disgraces himself, but makes that man conspicuous and illustrious in the eyes of all.

But if, in the case of the adventitious dignity that men possess, converse with a meaner person did no harm to the more honorable, much more so in the case of that incorruptible and blessed Essence, which possesses nothing adventitious, nothing that comes into being or passes away, but holds all its good things unmoved and fixed and perfect unto the end.

Therefore, when you hear that 'the Word became flesh,' be not troubled, neither cast down.

For the Essence did not fall away and change into flesh (that would be truly impious even to conceive), but, remaining what it is, it thus took on the form of a servant.

For what reason, then, did he use the word 'became'? To stop the mouths of the heretics.

For since there are some who say that all the things of the Dispensation were a kind of phantom and pretense and mere semblance, cutting off their blasphemy at the root, he set down the word 'became,'

wishing to set forth not a change of essence—far be it!—but the assumption of true flesh.

For just as when he says, 'Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us,' he does not mean this, that his Essence, departing from its own glory, was made into a curse in its substance—

for this not even demons could conceive, nor those who are utterly senseless and deprived of their natural wits—

so great is the madness it carries along with its impiety—

he does not, then, mean this, but rather that, having received the curse that lay against us, he does not permit us to remain accursed any longer;

so also here he says that he became flesh, not by changing his Essence into flesh, but by taking it up, while that Essence remained untouched.

But if they should say that, being God, he can do all things, so that he could even change into flesh,

we shall say this to them, that he can do all things so long as he remains being God;

but if he underwent a change, and a change for the worse, how could he be God? For to be changed is far removed from that incorruptible Nature.

Wherefore the Prophet also said:

'They all shall wax old as a garment, and as a mantle shalt thou roll them up, and they shall be changed;'

'but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.'

For this Essence is above all change.

For there is nothing better than himself, so that he might advance and come to it;

Why do I say better? There is nothing equal, nor anything even remotely near.

It remains, then, that he must undergo the change for the worse, if indeed he were to be changed.

But may the blasphemy be turned upon the head of those who say such things!

For that it was said, 'became,' for this reason alone—that you might not suppose a phantom—consider from what follows how he clears away the account and overturns the wicked surmise,

all but saying: do not suspect anything absurd from the word 'became.'

For I did not speak of a mutation of that immutable Nature, but of a tabernacling and an indwelling.

And that which tabernacles would not be the same as the tabernacle, but other than it.

For one thing tabernacles in another;

since otherwise there would be no tabernacling;

for nothing dwells in its own self.

But I said 'other' with respect to the essence.

For by the union and conjunction, God the Word and the flesh are one, no confusion having taken place, nor any obliteration of the essences, but by a certain ineffable and inexpressible union.

For it came to pass as he himself knows.

What, then, is the tabernacle in which he tabernacled? Hear the Prophet saying:

'I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen.'

For truly it had fallen—our nature had fallen an incurable fall, and it needed only that mighty Hand.

For there was no other way for it to be raised up, unless he who had at the beginning fashioned it stretched out his hand to it, and refashioned it anew by the regeneration through water and the Spirit.

And behold for me the awesome and ineffable nature of the mystery:

he dwells in the tabernacle for ever;

for he clothed himself with our flesh, not as one who would lay it aside again, but as one who would have it with himself for ever.

For unless this were so, he would not have deemed it worthy of the royal throne, nor, while wearing it, been worshiped by all the host above—by angels, archangels, thrones, dominions, principalities, powers.

What word, what mind will be able to set forth so great an honor bestowed upon our race—an honor truly transcendent and awesome? What angel? What archangel? None, nowhere—neither of those in heaven nor of those upon earth.

For such are the achievements of God, and so great and transcendent are his benefactions, that not only human tongue, but even angelic power, is surpassed by the exact recounting of them.

Wherefore we also will for now shut up our discourse into silence, having only charged you thus much: to requite so great a Benefactor of ours with such recompense as will again bring all the gain round to ourselves—

namely, that we take diligent care of our own soul.

For this too is a work of his loving-kindness, that, though he stands in need of nothing that is ours, he says he receives recompense whenever we take care of our own soul.

Wherefore it is worthy of the utmost folly and of ten thousand punishments, that we who have enjoyed so great an honor should not contribute even what lies within our power;

and this, when the benefit from these things comes round again to ourselves, and ten thousand good things are laid up for us besides.

For all these things, then, let us send up glory to the loving God, not through words only, but much more through deeds, that we may also attain the good things that come after these;

which may it be granted us all to attain, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ,

through whom and with whom be glory to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, unto the ages of ages. Amen.