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

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostomsupplied the proof; but when he had conquered and gained a splendid victory, he then takes courage,and tramples upon them. What saith he?Ver. 27 . “I have told you once, 1559 and ye did not hear; wherefore would ye hear it again?”Seest thou the bold-speaking of a beggar towards Scribes and Pharisees? So strong is truth, soweak is falsehood. Truth, though she take hold but of ordinary men, maketh them to appear glorious;the other, even though it be with the strong, shows them weak. 1560 What he saith is of this kind:“Ye give no heed to my words, therefore I will no longer speak or answer you continually, whoquestion 1561 me to no purpose, and who do not desire to hear in order to learn, but that you mayinsult over my words.”“Will ye also be His disciples?”[3.] Now he hath ranked 1562 himself among the band of disciples, for the “will ye also?” is theexpression of one who is declaring himself to be a disciple. Then he mocked and annoyed themabundantly. For since he knew that this struck them hard, he said it, wishing to upbraid them withexceeding severity; the act of a soul courageous, soaring on high and despising their madness,pointing out the greatness of this dignity, in which he was very confident, and showing that theyinsulted him who was a man worthy to be admired, but that he took not the insult to himself, butgrasped as an honor what they offered as a reproach.Ver. 28 . “Thou art his disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples.”“But this cannot be. Ye are neither Moses’ nor this Man’s; for were ye Moses’, ye would becomethis Man’s also.” Wherefore Christ before said unto them, because they were continually betakingthemselves to these speeches, “Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me, for he wroteof Me.” ( c. v. 46 .)Ver. 29 . “We know that God spake unto Moses.” 1563By whose word, whose report? “That of our forefathers,” saith one. Is not He then more to bebelieved than your forefathers, who confirmeth by miracles that He came from God, and that Hespeaketh things from above? They said not, “We have heard that God spake to Moses,” but, “Weknow.” Do ye affirm, O Jews, what ye have by hearing, as knowing it, but deem what ye have bysight as less certain than what ye have by hearing? Yet the one ye saw not, but heard, the other yedid not hear, but saw. What then saith the blind man?Ver. 30 . “Why herein is a marvelous thing, that ye know not whence He is, and He doeth suchmiracles.” 1564“That a Man, who is not one of the distinguished or noble or illustrious among you, can do suchthings; so that it is in every way clear that He is God, needing no human aid.”Ver. 31 . “We know that God heareth not sinners.”Since they had been the first to say, “How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles?” ( ver.16 ), he now brings forward even their judgment, reminding them of their own words. “Thisopinion,” saith he, “is common to me and you. Stand fast now to it.” And observe, I pray you, his1559“ already, ” N.T.1560al. “ weaker. ”1561al. “ trouble. ”1562al. “ reckoned. ”1563“ as for this fellow, we know not whence He is, ” N.T.1564“ and yet He hath opened mine eyes, ” N.T.315