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

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostom286(for a sinner cannot work them,) nor doth the being with God continually belong to a sinner. “Sothat ye can 2232 no longer say, that ‘this man is a sinner,’ that ‘this man is not from God.’”Ver. 11 . “Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.”Here again He mooteth the argument concerning righteousness, that He had overthrown Hisopponent. Now had He been a sinner, He could not have overthrown him; a thing which not evenany just man had been strong enough to do. “But that he hath been condemned through Me, theyshall know who trample on him hereafter, and who clearly know My Resurrection, which is themark of Him who condemneth him. For he was not able to hold Me. And whereas they said that Ihad a devil, and that I was a deceiver, these things also shall hereafter appear to be false; 2233 for Icould not have prevailed against him, had I been subject to sin; but now he is condemned and castout.”[2.] Ver. 12 . “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.”“Therefore it is expedient for you that I depart, if ye then will bear them when I departed.”“And what hath come to pass? Is the Spirit greater than Thou, that now indeed we bear not, but Itwill fit us to bear? Is It working more powerful and more perfect?” “Not so; for He too shall speakMy words.” Wherefore He saith,Ver. 13–15 . 2234 “He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall Hespeak; and He will show you things to come. He shall glorify Me; for He shall receive of Mine,and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father hath are Mine.” 2235For since He had told them, that “‘He shall teach you, and bring to your remembrance’ ( c.xiv. 26 ), and shall comfort you in your afflictions,” (which He Himself did not,) and that “it isexpedient for you that I should depart” ( ver. 7 ), and that He should come, and, “‘now ye are notable to bear’ ( ver. 12 ), but then ye shall be able,” and, that “He shall lead you into all truth” (ver. 13 ); lest hearing these things they should suppose the Spirit to be the greater, and so fall intoan extreme opinion of impiety, therefore He saith, “He shall receive of Mine,” that is, “whatsoeverthings I have told you, He shall also tell you.” When He saith, “He shall speak nothing of Himself,”He meaneth, “nothing contrary, nothing of His own opposed to My words.” As then in sayingrespecting Himself, “I speak not of Myself” ( c. xiv. 10 ), He meaneth that He speaketh nothingbeside what the Father saith, nothing of His own against Him, or differing from Him, so also withrespect to the Spirit. But the, “of Mine,” meaneth, “of what I know,” “of My own knowledge”; “forthe knowledge of Me and of the Spirit is one.”“And He will tell you things to come.” He excited their minds, for the race of man is for nothingso greedy, 2236 as for learning the future. This, for instance, they continually asked Him, “Whithergoest Thou?” “Which is the way?” To free them therefore from this anxiety, He saith, “He shallforetell you all things, so that ye shall not meet with them without warning.”2232al. “ he can. ”2233ἕ ωλα , lit. “ stale. ”2234Ver. 13 . “ Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth; for He shall not speak, ” &c.N.T.2235“ are Mine, therefore said I, that He shall take of Mine, and shall show it unto you. ” N.T.2236λίχνον431