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

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostom163father, still He revealed not to them the truth, lest in removing one cause of offense He shouldcreate another. What then said He when they murmured?Ver. 44 . “No man can come unto Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw Him.”The Manichæans spring upon these words, saying, “that nothing lies in our own power”; yetthe expression showeth that we are masters of our will. “For if a man cometh to Him,” saith someone, “what need is there of drawing?” But the words do not take away our free will, but show thatwe greatly need assistance. And He implieth not an unwilling 1287 comer, but one enjoying muchsuccor. Then He showeth also the manner in which He draweth; for that men may not, again, formany material idea of God, He addeth,Ver. 46 . “Not that any man hath seen God, 1288 save He which is of God, He hath seen theFather.”“How then,” saith some one, “doth the Father draw?” This the Prophet explained of old, whenhe proclaimed beforehand, and said,Ver. 45 . “They shall all be taught of God.” ( Isa. liv. 13 .)Seest thou the dignity of faith, and that not of men nor by man, but by God Himself they shall1289learn this? And to make this assertion credible, He referred them to their prophets. “If then ‘allshall be taught of God,’ how is it that some shall not believe?” Because the words are spoken ofthe greater number. Besides, the prophecy meaneth not absolutely all, but all that have the will.For the teacher sitteth ready to impart what he hath to all, and pouring forth his instruction untoall.Ver. 44 . “And I will raise him up in the last day.”Not slight here is the authority of the Son, if so be that the Father leadeth, He raiseth up. Hedistinguisheth not His working from that of the Father, (how could that be?) but showeth equality1290of power. As, therefore, after saying in that other place, “The Father which hath sent Me bearethwitness of Me,” He then, that they might not be over-curious about the utterance, referred them tothe Scriptures; so here, that they may not entertain similar suspicions, He referreth them to theProphets, whom He continually and everywhere quoteth, to show that He is not opposed to theFather.“But what of those,” saith some one, “who were before His time? Were not they taught ofGod? why then the special application of the words here?” Because of old they learned the thingsof God by the hands of men, but now by the Only-begotten Son of God, and by the Holy Ghost.Then He addeth, “Not that any man hath seen the Father, save He which is of God,” 1291 using thisexpression here not with reference to the cause, but to the manner of being. 1292 Since had He spokenin the former sense, we are all “of God.” And where then would be the special and distinct natureof the Son? “But wherefore,” saith some one, “did He not put this more clearly?” Because of their1287Sav. ἄ κοντα , Ben. τυχόντα1288“ The Father, ” N.T.1289Ben. “ he foretold they shall. ”1290ἰ σοστάσιον , al. ἰ σότιμον1291ἐ κ Θεοῦ [ παρὰ Θ v. 46 ].1292i.e. with reference, not to men who are “ of God ” as being their Cause by creation, but to Himself who is “ of God ” byHis Essence .250