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

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostom306Seest thou His invincible power, how being in the midst of them He disabled their eyes? forthat the darkness was not the cause of their not knowing Him, the Evangelist hath shown, by saying,that they had torches also. And even had there been no torches, they ought at least to have knownHim by His voice; or if they did not know it, how could Judas be ignorant, who had been socontinually with Him? for he too stood with them, and knew Him no more than they, but with themfell backward. And Jesus did this to show, that not only they could not seize Him, but could noteven see Him when in the midst, unless He gave permission.Ver. 7 . “He saith again, Whom seek ye?” 2392 What madness! His word threw them backward,yet not even so did they turn, when they had learnt that His power was so great, but again setthemselves to the same attempt. When therefore He had fulfilled all that was His, then He gaveHimself up.Ver. 8 . “He answered, I told you that I Am.” ( Ver. 5 . “And Judas also which betrayed Himstood with them.”)See the forbearance 2393 of the Evangelist, how he doth not insult over the traitor, but relateswhat took place, only desiring to prove one thing, that the whole took place with His own consent.Then, lest any one should say that He Himself brought them to this, by having placed Himself intotheir hands, and revealed Himself to them; after having shown to them all things which should havebeen sufficient to repulse them, when they persevered in their wickedness, and had no excuse, Heput Himself in their hands, saying,“If therefore ye seek Me, let these go their way.”Manifesting until the last hour His lovingkindness towards them. “If,” He saith, “ye want Me,have nothing to do with these, for, behold, I give Myself up.”Ver. 9 . “That the saying might be fulfilled which He spake, Of those which Thou gavest Mehave I lost none.”By “loss” 2394 He doth not here mean that which is of death, but that which is eternal; thoughthe Evangelist in the present case includes the former also. And one might wonder why they didnot seize them with Him, and cut them to pieces, especially when Peter had exasperated them bywhat he did to the servant. Who then restrained them? No other than that Power which cast thembackward. And so the Evangelist, to show that it did not come to pass through their intention, butby the power and decree of Him whom they had seized, has added, “That the saying might befulfilled which He spake,” that “not one, &c.” ( c. xvii. 12 .)[2.] Peter, therefore, taking courage from His voice, and from what had already happened, armshimself against the assailants, 2395 “And how,” saith some one, “doth he who was bidden not to havea scrip, not to have two coats, possess a sword?” Methinks he had prepared it long before, as fearingthis very thing which came to pass. But if thou sayest, “How doth he, who was forbidden even tostrike a blow with the hand, become a manslayer?” He certainly had been commanded not to defendhimself, but here he did not defend himself, but his Master. And besides, they were not as yet perfector complete. But if thou desirest to see Peter endued with heavenly wisdom, thou shalt after this2392“ Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. ” N.T.2393τὸ ἀνεπαχθὲς2394more exactly, “ perdition. ”2395Ver. 10 . “ Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear.The servant’s name was Malchus. ”460