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

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostom270Yet Christ had said, “If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also,” and by HimselfHe declared the Father. But Philip reversed the order, and said, “Show us the Father,” as thoughknowing Christ exactly. But Christ endureth him not, but putteth him in the right way, persuadinghim to gain the knowledge of the Father through Himself, while Philip desired to see Him withthese bodily eyes, having perhaps heard concerning the Prophets, that they “saw God.” But thosecases, Philip, were acts of condescension. Wherefore Christ said, “No man hath seen God at anytime” ( c. i. 18 ); and again, “Every man that hath heard and hath learned from God cometh untoMe.” ( c. vi. 45 .) “Ye have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His shape.” ( c. v. 37.) And in the Old Testament, “No man shall see My face, and live.” ( Ex. xxxiii. 20 .) What saithChrist? Very reprovingly He saith, “Have I been so long time with you, and hast thou not knownMe, Philip?” He said not, “hast thou not seen,” but, “hast thou not known Me.” “Why,” Philipmight say, “do I wish to learn concerning Thee? At present I seek to see Thy Father, and Thousayest unto me, hast thou not known Me?” What connection then hath this with the question? Surelya very close one; for if He is that which the Father is, yet continuing a Son, with reason He showethin Himself Him who begat Him. Then to distinguish the Persons He saith, “He that hath seen Mehath seen the Father,” lest any one should assert that the same is Father, the same Son. For had Hebeen the Father, He would not have said, “He that hath seen Me hath seen Him.” Why then did Henot reply, “thou askest things impossible, and not allowed to man; to Me alone is this possible”?Because Philip had said, “it sufficeth us,” as though knowing Christ, He showeth that he had noteven seen Him. For assuredly he would have known the Father, had he been able to know the Son.2129Wherefore He saith, “He that hath seen Me, hath seen the Father.” “If any one hath seen Me,he shall also behold Him.” What He saith is of this kind: “It is not possible to see either Me orHim.” For Philip sought the knowledge which is by sight, and since he thought that he had so seenChrist, he desired in like manner to see the Father; but Jesus showeth him that he had not even seenHimself. And if any one here call knowledge, sight, I do not contradict him, for, “he that hath knownMe,” saith Christ, “hath known the Father.” Yet He did not say this, but desiring to establish theConsubstantiality, declared, “he that knoweth My Essence, knoweth that of the Father also.” “Andwhat is this?” saith some one; “for he who is acquainted with creation knoweth also God.” Yet allare acquainted with creation, and have seen it, but all do not know God. Besides, let us considerwhat Philip seeks to see. Is it the wisdom of the Father? Is it His goodness? Not so, but the verywhatever God is, the very Essence. To this therefore Christ answereth, “He that hath seen Me.”Now he that hath seen the creation, hath not also seen the Essence of God. “If any one hath seenMe, he hath seen the Father,” He saith. Now had He been of a different Essence, He would nothave spoken thus. But to make use of a grosser argument, no man that knows not what gold is, candiscern the substance of gold in silver. For one nature is not shown by another. Wherefore Herightly rebuked him, saying, “Am I so long with you?” Hast thou enjoyed such teaching, hast thouseen miracles wrought with authority, and all belonging to the Godhead, which the Father aloneworketh, sins forgiven, secrets published, death retreating, a creation wrought from earth, 2130 andhast thou not known Me? Because He was clothed with flesh, therefore He said, “Hast thou notknown Me?”2129al. “ to do this. ”2130i.e. eyes given by means of the clay.407