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

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostom241permission. For not even at that time could they take Him, and this though Bethany was near; andwhen they did take Him, He cast them backwards.Ch. xii. ver. 1, 2 . “Then six days before the Passover He came to Bethany, where Lazarus was,and feasted with them; and Martha served, but Lazarus sat at meat.” 1844This was a proof of the genuineness of his resurrection, that after many days he both lived andate. “And Martha ministered”; whence it is clear that the meal was in her house, for they receivedJesus as loving and beloved. Some, however, say, that it took place in the house of another. Marydid not minister, for she was a disciple. Here again she acted in the more spiritual manner. For shedid not minister as being invited, nor did she afford her services to all alike. But she directeth 1845the honor to Him alone, and approacheth Him not as a man, but as a God. On this account shepoured out the ointment, 1846 and wiped (His feet) with the hairs of her head, which was the actionof one who did not entertain the same opinion concerning Him as did others; yet Judas rebukedher, under the pretense forsooth of carefulness. What then saith Christ? “She hath done a goodwork for My burying.” 1847 But why did He not expose the disciple in the case of the woman, norsay to him what the Evangelist hath declared, that on account of his own thieving he rebuked her?In His abundant longsuffering He wished to bring him to a better mind. 1848 For because He knewthat he was a traitor, He from the beginning often rebuked him, saying, “Not all believe,” and, “Oneof you is a devil.” ( c. vi. 64 .) He showed them that He knew him to be a traitor, yet He did notopenly rebuke him, but bare with him, desiring to recall him. How then saith another Evangelist,that all the disciples used these words? ( Matt. xxvi. 70 .) All used them, and so did he, but theothers not with like purpose. And if any one ask why He put the bag of the poor in the hands of athief, and made him steward who was a lover of money, we would reply, that God knoweth thesecret reason; but that, if we may say something by conjecture, it was that He might cut off fromhim all excuse. For he could not say that he did this thing 1849 from love of money, (for he had inthe bag sufficient to allay his desire,) but from excessive wickedness which Christ wished to restrain,using much condescension towards him. Wherefore He did not even rebuke him as stealing,although aware of it, stopping the way to his wicked desire, and taking from him all excuse. “Lether alone,” He saith, “for against the day of My burying hath she done 1850 this.” Again, He makethmention of the traitor in speaking of His burial. But him the reproof reacheth not, nor doth theexpression soften 1851 him, though sufficient to inspire him with pity: as if He had said, “I am1844Ch. xii. ver. 1, 2 . “ Then Jesus, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had beendead, whom He raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper, and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of them thatsat at the table with Him. ” N.T.1845περιίστησι1846Ver. 3–6 . “ Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, andwiped His feet with her hair: and the whole house was filled with the odor of the ointment. Then saith one of His disciples,Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray Him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given tothe poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was puttherein. ”1847These words are from St. Matthew or St. Mark. In St. John we read, ver. 7 , “ Then said Jesus, Let her alone, againstthe day of My burying hath she kept this. ”1848ἐ ντρέπειν1849i.e. the betrayal.1850“ kept, ” N.T.1851al. “ nor will the expression check. ”364