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

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostomof no slight love and reverence. What then is the cause? He seemeth to me to have washed thetraitor first, then to have come to Peter, and that the others were afterwards instructed from hiscase. 1976 That He washed some one other before him is clear from its saying, “But when He came1977to Peter.” Yet the Evangelist is not a vehement accuser, 1978 for the “began,” is the expressionof one implying this. And even if Peter were the first, 1979 yet it is probable that the traitor, being aforward person, had reclined even before the chief. 1980 For by another circumstance also hisforwardness is shown, when He dippeth with his Master in the dish, and being convicted, feels nocompunction; while Peter being rebuked but once on a former occasion, and for words which hespake from loving affection, was so abashed, that being even distressed and trembling, he beggedanother to ask a question. But Judas, though continually convicted, felt not. ( Ver. 24 .) Whentherefore He came to Peter, he saith unto Him, “Lord, dost Thou wash my feet?”Ver. 7 . “He saith unto him, What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know here after.”That is “thou shalt know how great is the gain from this, the profit of the lesson, and how it isable to guide us into all humblemindedness.” What then doth Peter? He still hinders Him, and saith,Ver. 8 . “Thou shalt never wash my feet.” “What doest thou, Peter? Rememberest thou notthose former words? Saidst thou not, ‘Be merciful to Thyself,’ 1981 and heardest thou not in return,‘Get thee behind Me, Satan’? ( Matt. xvi. 22 .) Art thou not even so sobered, but art thou yetvehement?” “Yea,” he saith, “for what is being done is a great matter, and full of amazement.”Since then he did this from exceeding love, Christ in turn subdueth him by the same; and as thereHe effected this by sharply rebuking him, and saying, “Thou art an offense unto Me,” so here alsoby saying,“If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me.” What then saith that hot and burning one?Ver. 9 . “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.”Vehement in deprecation, he becometh yet more vehement in acquiescence; but both from love.For why said He not wherefore He did this, instead of adding a threat? Because Peter would nothave been persuaded. For had He said, “Suffer it, for by this I persuade you to be humbleminded,”Peter would have promised it ten thousand times, in order that his Master might not do this thing.But now what saith He? He speaketh of that which Peter most feared and dreaded, the being separatedfrom Him; for it is he who continually asks, “Whither goest Thou?” ( Ver. 36 .) Wherefore alsohe said, “I will give 1982 even my life for Thee.” ( Ver. 37 .) And if, after hearing, “What I do thouknowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter,” he still persisted, much more would he have doneso had he learnt (the meaning of the action). Therefore said He, “but thou shalt know hereafter,”as being aware, that should he learn it immediately he would still resist. And Peter said not, “Tellme, that I may suffer Thee,” but (which was much more vehement) he did not even endure to learn,1976ἀ π̓ ἐκείνου , al. ὑ π̓ ἐκ . “ by him. ”1977“ He cometh therefore, ” οὐν , N.T.1978i.e. of Judas.1979i.e. in dignity.1980κορυφαίου1981“ that be far from Thee, ” E.V.1982“ lay down, ” N.T.387