Homilies on the Gospel of St. John and the Epistle to the Hebrews

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostom149went into Galilee, to quench their envy, and to soften by His retirement the wrath which was likelyto be engendered by these reports. And when He departed for the second time into Galilee, Hecometh not to the same places as before; for He went not to Cana, but to “the other side of thesea,” and 1155 great multitudes followed Him, beholding “the miracles which He did.” What miracles?Why doth he 1156 not mention them specifically? Because this Evangelist most of all was desirousof employing the greater part of his book on the discourses and sermons [of Christ]. Observe, forinstance, how for a whole year, or rather how even now at the feast of the Passover, he hath givenus no more information on the head of miracles, than merely that He healed the paralytic and thenobleman’s son. Because he was not anxious to enumerate them all, (that would have beenimpossible,) but of many and great to record a few.Ver. 2 . “A great multitude followed Him beholding the miracles that He did.” What is heretold marks not a very wise state of mind; 1157 for when they had enjoyed such teaching, they stillwere more attracted by the miracles, which was a sign of the grosser state. For “miracles,” It saith,“are not for believers, but for unbelievers.” 1158 The people described by Matthew acted not thus,1159but how? They all, he saith “were astonished at His doctrine, because He taught as one havingauthority.” ( Matt. vii. 28, 29 .)“And why doth He occupy the mountain now, and sit there with His disciples?” Because of themiracle which was about to take place. And that the disciples alone went up with Him, was a chargeagainst the multitude which followed Him not. Yet not for this only did He go up into the mountain,but to teach us ever to rest at intervals from the tumults and confusion of common life. 1160 Forsolitude is a thing meet for the study of wisdom. And often doth He go up alone into a mountain,and spend the night there, and pray, to teach us that the man who will come most near to God mustbe free from all disturbance, and must seek times and places clear of confusion.Ver. 4 . “And the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.”“How then,” saith some one, “doth He not go up unto the feast, but, when all are pressing toJerusalem, goeth Himself into Galilee, and not Himself alone, but taketh His disciples with Him,and proceedeth thence to Capernaum?” Because henceforth He was quietly annulling the Law,taking occasion from the wickedness of. the Jews.Ver. 5 . “And as He lifted up His eyes, He beheld a great company.” 1161This showeth that He sat not at any time idly 1162 with the disciples, but perhaps carefullyconversing with them, and making them attend 1163 and turn towards Him, a thing which peculiarlymarks 1164 His tender care, and the humility and condescension of His demeanor towards them. Forthey sat with Him, perhaps looking at one another; then having lifted up His eyes, He beheld the1155Ben. “ wherefore also. ”1156al. “ dost thou. ”1157al. “ this kind of following belongs not to a settled mind. ”1158Not exactly quoted from 1 Cor. xiv. 22 , where the words relate the gift of tongues.1159al. “ was not such. ”1160τῆς ἐν μέσῳ1161ἀ ναβλέψας τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ὁρᾶ ὄχλον πολύν . In G. T. the words are: ἐ πάρας οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς, καὶθεασάμενος ὅτι πολὺς ὄχλος ἔρχεται πρὸς αὐτόν1162ἁ πλῶς1163al. “ teaching. ”1164Ben. Ed. reads: οὗ μάλιστα καὶ ἐντεῦθεν τὴν κηδεμονίαν ἔστι μαθεῖν229