約翰福音講道集 第 19 章

'He first finds his own brother Simon, and says to him:

We have found the Messiah (which is, being interpreted, the Christ);

and he brought him to Jesus.'

God, when at the beginning He made man, did not suffer him to be alone, but gave him the woman as a helper, and made them to dwell together, knowing that much profit would come from this fellowship of habitation.

For what if the woman did not use this benefit toward the end that was fitting? Yet nevertheless, if one should learn the nature of the thing itself, he will see that much advantage comes from this cohabitation, in the case of those who have understanding.

And not only in the case of woman and man, but even if brothers do this, they too shall enjoy the benefit.

Wherefore the Prophet also said:

'What is good, or what is pleasant, but that brethren should dwell together in unity?' And Paul exhorted not to forsake their own assembling together.

For this too is that wherein we differ from the beasts.

For this reason we have built both cities and marketplaces and houses, that we may be together and with one another, not only according to dwelling, but also according to the bond of love.

For since our nature was made needy by Him who made it, and is not sufficient for itself, God profitably ordered that the neediness thence arising should henceforth be corrected by the benefit that comes from one another in fellowship.

For this reason marriage is ordained, that what is lacking to one may be filled up by the other, and that nature, though needy, may thus become self-sufficient, so as, even though it has become mortal, to preserve immortality for a long while by the succession of offspring.

And it were possible to go on at greater length in this discourse, showing how many are the gains that accrue to those who come together from genuine and sincere fellowship with one another;

but there is another matter that presses now, for the sake of which indeed these things have been said by us.

For Andrew, having abode with Jesus and learned what he learned, did not keep the treasure with himself, but hastens and runs quickly to his brother, to impart to him the good things which he had received.

But for what reason did John not say what the things were which Christ discoursed to them? And whence is it also clear that it was for this reason they abode with Him? This has indeed been shown by us even before;

yet it is possible to learn it also from the things read today.

For see what this man says to his brother:

'We have found the Messiah, which is interpreted the Christ.'

Do you see how, whatever things he learned in a short time, he showed forth from this? For he both sets forth the strength of the Teacher who persuaded them, and their own eagerness, in that from above and from the beginning they were concerned about these things.

For this saying is that of a soul travailing for His coming, and looking for His arrival from above, and become full of joy after the expected One had appeared, and hastening to impart the good tidings to others.

This is the mark of brotherly goodwill, this of kindred affection, this of a sincere disposition: to be zealous in spiritual things and to stretch out a hand to one another.

But hear him also as he speaks with the addition of the article.

For he did not say 'a Messiah,' but 'the Messiah'.

In this way they were expecting one particular Christ, having nothing in common with the others.

Consider with me too, from the very outset, the obedient and docile mind of Peter.

For at once he ran to him, delaying not at all.

For 'he brought him,' it says, 'to Jesus'.

But let no one condemn him for readiness, as though he received the word without much inquiry.

For it is likely that his brother had spoken these things to him more exactly and at length; but the evangelists everywhere abridge much, being careful for brevity.

But the evangelists everywhere cut short many things, taking care for brevity of speech.

And besides, it is not even said that he simply believed, but that 'he brought him to Jesus,' about to hand him over to Him henceforth, so that he might learn the whole matter from Him.

For indeed the other disciple was present as well and contributed toward these things.

But if John the Baptist, having said that He is 'the Lamb,' and

that He baptizes in the Spirit, entrusted the clearer teaching about this to be learned from Him,

much more would Andrew have done this, not considering himself sufficient for the whole exposition, but drawing his brother to the very fountain of the light with such zeal and joy that he would not so much as put off or delay for a moment.

'And Jesus,' it says, 'looking upon him, said:'

'you shall be called Cephas,' which is interpreted Peter.

Here at length He begins to reveal the things of His Godhead, and little by little to open it up from His predictions.

Thus He did also in the case of Nathanael, and in the case of the Samaritan woman.

For prophecies are brought forward no less than signs, and they possess a quality free from ostentation.

For the miracles might indeed be slandered by the foolish (for 'by Beelzebul,' they say, 'He casts out the demons'), but concerning prophecy no such thing was ever spoken.

So then, in the case of Simon and of Nathanael He used this manner of teaching;

but in the case of Andrew and of Philip He did not do this.

Why ever so? Because those men had the testimony of John, no small preparation;

while Philip, seeing those who were present, received a trustworthy proof for his faith.

'You are Simon the son of Jonah; you shall be called Cephas,' which is interpreted Peter.

From what is present He gives assurance also of what is to come.

For He who spoke of the father clearly foreknew the future as well;

and the prediction came with praise.

But this was not the mark of one flattering, but of one foretelling what was to come;

Consider therefore, in the case of the Samaritan woman, how with vehement reproofs He makes the prediction.

'For you have had,' He says, 'five husbands;'

'and he whom you now have is not your husband.'

So too His Father makes much account of prophecy, standing against the glory of the idols.

'For let them declare to you what is about to come upon you;'

'I declared and I saved, and there was no stranger among you;'

and throughout the whole of the prophecy He brings this forward into the midst.

For this most of all is the work of God, which the demons could not even imitate, even if they were to contend most fiercely.

For in the case of miracles there might arise even an illusion;

but to foretell things to come with exactness belongs to that undefiled nature alone.

And if anywhere demons too have done this, yet it was by deceiving the more foolish;

whence their oracles are everywhere easily detected.

But Peter answers nothing to these things;

for as yet he knew nothing clearly, but was still learning.

And observe that not even the prediction is set down in its entirety.

For He did not say, 'I will change your name to Peter, and I will build my Church upon this rock,' but, 'You shall be called Cephas.'

For that would have been a mark of greater authority and power.

But Christ does not display all the marks of His authority at once nor from the beginning, but for the time speaks more humbly.

At all events, when He had given proof of His own Godhead, He then set it down more authoritatively, saying:

'Blessed are you, Simon, because my Father has revealed it to you;'

'you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church.'

This man, then, He named in this way;

and those about James, 'sons of thunder.'

For what reason then does He do this? To show that He is the very One who both gave the Old Covenant and changes the names — He who called Abram 'Abraham,' and Sara 'Sarah.'

To many indeed He gave names even from birth, as to Isaac, as to Samson, as to those in Isaiah and Hosea;

but to others after the appellation given by their parents, as to those already mentioned, and to Joshua the son of Nun.

This too was a custom among the ancients, to give names from the events — which indeed Elijah also did. And this happens not without purpose, but so that they may have the appellation as a memorial of the benefaction of God, that a perpetual remembrance of the prophecy conveyed through the names may sound in the ears of those who hear.

Thus He also called John from above.

For those in whom virtue was destined to shine forth from the earliest age received their names from that source;

but for those who were to advance in it afterwards, the appellation too was bestowed afterwards.

But then indeed each one received different names;

whereas now we all have one, that name which is greater than all — to be called Christians, and sons of God, and friends, and body.

For this appellation is sufficient, more than all those others, to rouse us up and to make us more eager toward the working of virtue.

Let us therefore not do things unworthy of the honor that lies in the appellation, considering the surpassing greatness of the dignity — we who are called of Christ.

For thus did Paul name us.

Let us consider and stand in awe of the greatness of the appellation.

For if one who is said to belong to some distinguished general, or otherwise to some illustrious person, thinks highly of himself when he hears he is So-and-so's or So-and-so's, and reckons the name a great dignity, and does everything so as not to bring reproach upon him whose name he bears through his own slackness;

shall we, who are called from our appellation not of a general, nor of any ruler of those on earth, not of an angel, nor of an archangel, nor of the Seraphim, but of the very King of these — shall we not give up even our very soul, so as not to insult Him who has so honored us?

Do you not know the royal ranks of the shield-bearers and spear-bearers around the king, how much honor they enjoy? So too we, who have been counted worthy to come near to Him — and much nearer, and by so much closer than those mentioned, as the body is nearer to the head than these — let us do all things whereby we shall imitate Christ.

What then does Christ say? 'The foxes have holes, and the birds of heaven have nests;'

But the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.

Now if we were to demand this of you, it would perhaps seem to the many burdensome and grievous;

wherefore I set aside this strictness, on account of your weakness, but I do ask that you not be nailed to your possessions; rather, just as I, on account of the weakness of the many, refrain from the extreme perfection according to virtue, so also do you refrain from the extreme according to vice, and much more so.

I do not condemn those who have houses and fields and money and servants;

but I desire that these things be possessed with safety and with what is fitting.

And what is 'with what is fitting'? In the rank of masters, and not of slaves, so as to rule over them and not be ruled by them, so as to use them and not misuse them.

Money is so called for this reason: that we may use it for the necessary services, not that we may hoard it;

for the latter belongs to a servant, but the former to a master;

to a slave belongs the keeping, but the spending belongs to the lord who has great authority.

You did not receive it for this, that you should bury it away, but that you should distribute it.

For if God had wished these things to be kept, He would not have given them to men, but would have left them lying in the earth.

But since He wishes them to be spent, for this reason He allowed us to have them, that we might share them with one another.

But if we keep them to ourselves, we are no longer masters of them.

And if you wish to make them more, and for this reason keep them, here too this is the best method of all: to scatter them abroad and distribute them everywhere.

For neither can there be income without expenditure, nor wealth without outlay.

One may see this happening even in the affairs of daily life.

Thus the merchant, thus the farmer, the one casting forth his money, the other his seed;

for indeed the one sails the sea to scatter his goods, and the other toils a whole year through, casting in the seed and tending it.

But here there is need of none of these things: no fitting out of a ship, no yoking of oxen and plowing of the ground, no anxiety over the inconstancy of the weather, no dread of the falling of hail;

here there are no waves, no reef;

this voyage and this sowing needs one thing only: to cast forth what one has;

and all the rest that farmer will do, concerning whom Christ says:

My Father is the husbandman.

How then is it not absurd, that where it is possible to receive all things without toil, one should be supine and slothful;

but where there are many sweats, many toils and cares, and after all this the uncertainty of one's hopes, one should display all eagerness? Let us not, I beseech you, let us not be so foolish concerning our own salvation; but leaving the more burdensome things, let us run to the easier and

more profitable things, that we may also attain the good things to come, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father be glory, together with the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.