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

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostom226Ver. 7 . “Then saith He to his disciples, Let us go into Judea.” 1672Why, when He never in other places told them beforehand where He was going, doth He tellthem here? They had been greatly terrified, and since they were in this way disposed, He forewarneththem, that the suddenness might not trouble them. What then say the disciples?Ver. 8 . “The Jews of late sought to stone Thee, and goest Thou thither again?”They therefore had feared for Him also, but for the more part rather for themselves; for theywere not yet perfect. So Thomas, shaking with fear, said, “Let us go, that we also may die withHim” ( ver. 16 ), because Thomas was weaker and more unbelieving 1673 than the rest. But seehow Jesus encourageth them by what He saith.Ver. 9 . “Are there not twelve hours of the day?” 1674He either saith this, 1675 that “he who is conscious to himself of no evil, shall suffer nothingdreadful; only he that doeth evil shall suffer, so that we need not fear, because we have done nothingworthy of death”; or else that, “he who ‘seeth the light of this world’ is 1676 in safety; and if he thatseeth the light of this world is in safety, much more he that is with Me, if he separate not himselffrom Me.” Having encouraged them by these words, He addeth, that the cause of their going thitherwas pressing, and showeth them that they were about to go not unto Jerusalem, but unto Bethany.Ver. 11, 12 . “Our friend Lazarus,” He saith, “sleepeth, but I go that I may awake him out ofsleep.”That is, “I go not for the same purpose as before, again to reason and contend with the Jews,but to awaken our friend.”Ver. 12 . “Then said His disciples, Lord, if he sleep he shall do well.”This they said not without a cause, but desiring to hinder the going thither. “Sayest Thou,” asksone of them, “that he sleepeth? Then there is no urgent reason for going.” Yet on this account Hehad said, “Our friend,” to show that the going there was necessary. When therefore their dispositionwas somewhat reluctant, He said,[2.] Ver. 14 . 1677 “He is dead.”The former word He spake, desiring to prove that He loved not boasting; but since theyunderstood not, He added, “He is dead.”Ver. 15 . “And I am glad for your sakes.”Why “for your sakes”? “Because I have forewarned you of his death, not being there, andbecause when I shall raise him again, there will be no suspicion of deceit.” Seest thou how thedisciples were yet imperfect in their disposition, and knew not His power as they ought? and thiswas caused by interposing terrors, which troubled and disturbed their souls. When He said, “Hesleepeth,” He added, “I go to awake him”; but when He said, “He is dead,” He added not, “I go toraise him”; for He would not foretell in words what He was about to establish certainly by works,1672[ “ again ” ] N.T.1673al. “ more cowardly. ”1674ver. 9, 10 . “ If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walkin the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. ” N.T.1675al. “ and this He said desiring to show. ”1676al. “ shall be. ”1677ver. 13–15 . “ Howbeit, Jesus spake of his death, but they thought that He had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Thensaid Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe;nevertheless, let us go to him. ” N.T.342