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

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostomalso is said to have been a marvelous man. And yet these persons had been present also at Cana,when the wine was made, but as yet they profited nothing. Whence then had they so great unbelief?From their evil mind, 1358 and from envy; for superiority among kindred is wont somehow to beenvied by such as are not alike exalted. But who are those that they call disciples here? The crowdthat followed Him, not the twelve. What then saith Christ? Observe how mildly He answered; Hesaid not, “Who are ye that counsel and instruct Me thus?” but,Ver. 6 . “My time is not yet come.”He here seemeth to me to hint at something other than He expresseth; perhaps in their envythey designed to deliver Him up to the Jews; and pointing out this to them, He saith, “My time isnot yet come,” that is, “the time of the Cross and the Death, why then hasten ye to slay Me beforethe time?”“But your time is always ready.”As though He had said, “Though ye be ever with the Jews, they will not slay you who desirethe same things with them; but Me they will straightway wish to kill. So that it is ever your timeto be with them without danger, but My time is when the season of the Cross is at hand, when Imust die.” For that this was His meaning, He showed by what followed.Ver. 7 . “The world cannot hate you;” (how should it hate those who desire, and who run forthe same objects as itself?) “but Me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.”“That is, because I upbraid and rebuke it, therefore I am hated.” From this let us learn to masterour anger, and not to give way to unworthy passion, though they be mean men who give us counsel.For if Christ meekly bore with unbelievers counseling Him, when their counsel was improper andnot from any good intention, what pardon shall we obtain, who being but dust and ashes, yet areannoyed with those who counsel us, and deem that we are unworthily treated, although the personswho do this may be but a little humbler than ourselves? Observe in this instance how He repelleththeir accusation with all gentleness; for when they say, “Show Thyself to the world,” He replieth,“The world cannot hate you, but Me the world hateth”; thus removing their accusation. “So far,”He saith, “am I from seeking honor from men, that I cease not to reprove them, and this when Iknow that by this course hatred is produced against and death prepared for Me.” “And where,”asketh some one, “did He rebuke men?” When did He ever cease to do so? Did He not say, “Thinknot that I will accuse you to the Father? There is one that accuseth you, even Moses.” ( c. v. 45.) And again; “I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you”: and “How can ye believe,who receive honor from men, 1359 and seek not the honor that cometh from God only?” Seest thouhow He hath everywhere shown, that it was the open rebuke, not the violation of the Sabbath, whichcaused the hatred against Him?And wherefore doth He send them to the feast, saying,Ver. 8 . “Go ye up to the feast: I go not up yet”?To show that He said these things not as needing them, or desiring to be flattered 1360 by them,but permitting them to do what pertained to Jews. “How then,” saith some one, “went He up after1358al. “ deliberate choice. ”1359“ one of another, ” N.T.1360al. “ desiring their company and honor. ”264