Homilies on the Gospel of John 44

And when evening had come, His disciples went down to the sea.

And having entered into the boat, they were going to the other side of the sea, to Capernaum.

'And it was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.'

'And the sea, because a great wind was blowing, was rising up.'

Not only when He was present with the disciples in the body, but also when He was far off, did Christ dispense what was profitable for them.

For being resourceful and full of contrivance, He accomplishes one and the same end through opposite circumstances.

Consider, then, what He does even here.

He dismisses the disciples and goes up into the mountain.

But they, left behind by their Teacher, when evening came, went down to the sea;

and until evening they waited for Him, expecting that He would come to them.

But when evening had come, they could no longer endure not to go in search of Him;

so great was the love that held them fast.

'It is now evening, and night has overtaken us; where shall we now go? The place is dangerous, the season perilous;'

yet, being set aflame by their longing, they embarked in the boat.

For it is not without purpose that the Evangelist notes also the time, but in order that through this he might set forth their fervent love.

Why, then, does He dismiss them and withdraw? Or rather, why does He again appear alone, walking upon the sea? By the former He teaches them how great a thing His absence is, and works in them a greater longing;

and by the latter He again displays His own power.

For just as in His teaching they did not hear everything in company with the crowd, so also in His signs they did not behold everything together with the multitude.

For it was fitting that they, who were about to be entrusted with the leadership of the whole world, should have something more than the rest.

And what signs did they behold by themselves? one may ask.

The Transfiguration upon the mountain, this one upon the sea, and the many great things after the Resurrection.

But I conjecture yet other things from these.

They were coming to Capernaum, not knowing the matter for certain, but expecting to find Him there, or even in the midst of the voyage.

This, at least, John hinted at when he said that it had already become dark, and Jesus had not come to them, and the sea, because a great wind was blowing, was rising up.

What then of those men? They are troubled;

and there were many things, and from many quarters, compelling them to this.

For there was the time of night;

for the sea was rising up;

for they were not near the land, but had rowed about twenty-five furlongs;

and, last of all, from the marvel of it;

for they behold Him walking upon the sea;

and to them, who were exceedingly troubled, He says:

Why, then, did He appear? To show that He it is who will dissolve the storm.

For this the Evangelist showed when he said that 'They were willing to receive Him;'

and immediately the boat was near the land.

For not only did He grant them a safe voyage, but also one with favouring winds.

But to the crowd He did not display Himself walking upon the sea;

for the sign was too great for their weakness.

But not even to the disciples did He appear for long in doing this, but as soon as He appeared, He also departed from them.

And to me this sign also seems to be different from the one recorded in Matthew. And that it is different is plain from many considerations.

For He often works the same signs, so as to bring it about that those who behold them not only are exceedingly astonished, but also receive them with much faith.

Together with the word He also cast out fear from their soul.

But elsewhere He does not act thus.

For this very reason, indeed, Peter also said:

'Lord, if it is You, bid me come to You.'

Whence, then, was it that then they did not at once receive Him, but now were persuaded? Because then the storm still continued, tossing the boat;

but now, together with the voice, the calm came;

or, if it be not this, then it is that former point which I have already spoken of, namely, that by often working the same signs, He made the latter ones, through the lapse of time, more readily accepted than the former.

And why did He not go up into the boat? Because He wished to work a greater wonder, and at the same time to reveal His Godhead to them more clearly, and to show that when He then gave thanks, He did this not as needing help, but in condescension to them.

And He allowed the storm to arise, that they might always seek after Him;

but again He stilled it at once, that He might make known His power;

yet He did not go up into the boat, that He might work a greater wonder.

'On the next day the crowd that was standing there, seeing that there was no other little boat there except one, into which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not gone in with them;'

'they also embarked in other little boats that had come from Tiberias.'

And why is John so precise?

For why did he not simply say, 'And the crowds crossed over the next day and departed'? He wishes to teach us something further.

What is this? That to the crowds also, even if not so openly, He nevertheless gave them, secretly, to surmise what had taken place.

'For they saw,' he says, 'that there was no other little boat there except one, and that Jesus had not gone in with them; and having embarked in the boats from Tiberias, they came seeking Jesus at Capernaum.'

For what else could they suspect, save that He had come by passing over the sea on foot? For it cannot be said that He crossed over in another boat.

'For there was only one,' he says, 'into which His disciples had entered.'

But nevertheless, though they came after so great a wonder, they did not ask Him how He had crossed over, how He had arrived, nor did they seek to learn about so great a sign;

but what do they say? 'Rabbi, when did You come here?' Unless indeed one should say that the 'when' is here used in place of 'how' by them.

And it is worth while from this also to perceive the fickleness of their disposition. For those who said, 'This is the prophet,' those who were eager to seize Him and make Him king, when they found Him, form no such purpose, but, having cast away the wonder, as I for my part think, no longer marvel at what had gone before.

For this reason, then, they sought after Him, wishing again to enjoy such a table as they had before.

Now the Jews also crossed the Red Sea, with Moses leading them, but there is a great difference here.

For the one wrought all things by prayer and as a servant;

but this One, with all authority.

And there, when the south wind was then blowing, the water gave way, so as to make them pass over on dry land;

but here the wonder was greater.

For the sea, remaining in its own nature, thus bore the Master upon its back, bearing witness to that saying which declares:

'He who walks upon the sea as upon a pavement.'

And with good reason, being about to enter Capernaum, the hard and disobedient, He wrought the sign of the loaves;

not only by the things done within the city, but also by the wonders wrought outside the city, wishing to soften the unbelief of those within it.

For that so great a multitude should come together to that city, having devoted much zeal, what kind of stone was it not able to soften? Yet those men suffered nothing of the sort, but again they craved bodily food;

wherefore they are also rebuked by Jesus.

Knowing these things then, beloved, let us give thanks to God, both for the sake of things perceived by the senses, but much more for the things that are spiritual.

For so He Himself wills it, and for this reason He gives both these and those, leading on the more imperfect by these things and instructing them beforehand, since they still gape after the world.

But when, having received these things, they abide in them, they are accused and censured.

Since indeed in the case of the paralytic also He wished to give that former gift first, but those present would not bear it.

For when He said, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' they said,

Let us not, I beseech you, suffer any such thing ourselves, but let our concern be more for those spiritual things.

Why? Because when spiritual things are present, no harm comes from the absence of things carnal;

but when those spiritual things are lacking, what hope will thereafter remain for us? and what consolation? Therefore we ought always to entreat God concerning these things, and to ask for these.

For such things Christ also taught us to pray for.

And if we unfold that prayer, we shall find in it nothing carnal, but all things spiritual.

And even that one small, sensible thing itself, by its manner becomes spiritual.

For to exhort us to seek nothing more than the bread that is needful, that is, the daily bread, would belong to a spiritual and philosophic mind.

'Your will be done, as in heaven, so also upon the earth.'

Then, having spoken that sensible petition, He quickly passed on from it, and again came to the spiritual teaching, saying, 'Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.'

Nowhere rule, nowhere riches, nowhere glory, nowhere power, but He put into the prayer all things that conduce to the benefit of the soul;

nothing earthly, but all things heavenly.

If then we are commanded to abstain from things belonging to this life and

things present, how should we not be wretched and miserable in asking of God these very things which He commanded us to cast away even when we have them, freeing us from care, while for the things He enjoined we take no diligence at all?

or rather, neither to have nor to desire them? For this is to use vain repetitions.

For this reason also, though we pray, we do not obtain.

How then, one says, do the wicked grow rich? how the unjust and the defiled, by seizing and grasping more? Not because God supplies it—away with the thought!

And how does God permit it? Because He permitted it to the rich man also at that time, reserving him for a greater punishment.

Hear then also what He says to him:

'Child, you received your good things, and Lazarus his evil things;

and now he is comforted here, but you are in anguish.'

In order then that we too may not hear this voice, living luxuriously in vain and to no purpose, and heaping up for ourselves many sins, let us choose the true riches and the exact philosophy, so as to attain the good things that have been promised;

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