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

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostom290implieth something mystical, that He hath loosened the travail pangs of death, and caused a newman to be born of them. 2269 And He said not, that the pain shall pass away only, but, “she doth noteven remember it,” so great is the joy which succeedeth; so also shall it be with the Saints. Andyet the woman doth not rejoice because “a man hath come into the world,” but because a son hathbeen born to her; since, had this been the case, nothing would have hindered the barren fromrejoicing over another who beareth. Why then spake He thus? Because He introduced this examplefor this purpose only, to show that sorrow is for a season, but joy lasting: and to show that (death)is a translation unto life; and to show the great profit of their pangs. He said not, “a child hath beenborn,” but, “A man.” For to my mind He here alludeth to His own Resurrection, and that He shouldbe born not unto that death which bare the birth-pang, but unto the Kingdom. Therefore He saidnot, “a child hath been born unto her,” but, “A man hath been born into the world.”Ver. 22, 23 . 2270 “And ye now therefore have sorrow—[but I will see you again, and yoursorrow shall be turned into joy].” 2271 Then, to show that He shall die no more, He saith, “And noman taketh it from you. And in that day ye shall ask Me nothing.”Again He proveth nothing else by these words, but that He is from God. “For then ye shall forthe time to come know all things.” But what is, “Ye shall not ask Me”? “Ye shall need no intercessor,but it is sufficient that ye call on My Name, and so gain all things.”“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask My Father in My Name.” 2272He showeth the power of His Name, if at least being neither seen nor called upon, but onlynamed, He even maketh us approved 2273 by the Father. But where hath this taken place? Wherethey say, “Lord, behold their threatenings, and grant unto Thy servants that with boldness they mayspeak Thy word” ( Acts iv. 29, 31 ), “and work miracles in Thy Name.” “And the place was shakenwhere they were.”Ver. 24 . “Hitherto ye have asked nothing.” 2274[2.] Hence He showeth it to be good that He should depart, if hitherto they had asked nothing,and if then they should receive all things whatsoever they should ask. “For do not suppose, becauseI shall no longer be with you, that ye are deserted; My Name shall give you greater boldness.” Sincethen the words which He had used had been veiled, He saith,Ver. 25 . “These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs, but the time cometh when I shallno more speak unto you in proverbs.”“There shall be a time when ye shall know all things clearly.” He speaketh of the time of theResurrection. “Then,”“I shall tell you plainly of the Father.”(For He was with them, and talked with them forty days, being assembled with them, andspeaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God— Acts i. 3, 4 ,)—“because now being infear, ye give no heed to My words; but then when ye see Me risen again, and converse with Me,2269ἀ πογεννηθῆναι2270Ver. 22 . “ And ye now therefore have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy noman, ” &c.2271from ver. 102272“ In My Name, He will give it you. ” N.T.2273lit. “ admired. ”2274“ nothing in My Name; ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full, ” N.T. The words, “ Hitherto, ” &c., areinserted by Savile.437