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

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostom317Here again fulfilling a prophecy. But consider, I pray, the accursed nature of the bystanders.Though we have ten thousand enemies, and have suffered intolerable things at their hands, yetwhen we see them perishing, we relent; but they did not even so make peace with Him, nor weretamed by what they saw, but rather became more savage, and increased their irony; and havingbrought to Him vinegar on a sponge, 2490 as men bring it to the condemned, thus they gave Him todrink; since it is on this account that the hyssop is added.Ver. 30 . “Having therefore received it, He saith, It is finished.”Seest thou how He doth all things calmly, and with power? And what follows shows this. Forwhen all had been completed,“He bowed His head, (this had not been nailed,) and gave up 2491 the ghost.”That is, “died.” Yet to expire does not come 2492 after the bowing the head; but here, on thecontrary, it doth. For He did not, when He had expired, bow His head, as happens with us, but whenHe had bent His head, then He expired. By all which things the Evangelist hath shown, that Hewas Lord of all.But the Jews, on the other hand, who swallowed the camel and strained at the gnat, havingwrought so atrocious a deed, are very precise concerning the day.Ver. 31 . “Because it was the Preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross 2493—they besought Pilate that their legs might be broken.” 2494Seest thou how strong a thing is truth? By means of the very things which are the objects oftheir zeal, prophecy is fulfilled, for by occasion of those things, this plain prediction, unconnectedwith them, 2495 receives its accomplishment. For the soldiers 2496 when they came, brake the legs ofthe others, but not those of Christ. Yet these to gratify the Jews pierced His side with a spear, andnow insulted the dead body. O abominable and accursed purpose! Yet, beloved, be not thouconfounded, be not thou desponding; for the things which these men did from a wicked will, foughton the side of the truth. Since there was a prophecy, saying, (from this circumstance, 2497 “Theyshall look on Him whom they pierced.” ( Ver. 37; Zech. xii. 10 .) And not this only, but the deedthen dared was a demonstration of the faith, to those who should afterwards disbelieve; as to Thomas,and those like him. With this too an ineffable mystery was accomplished. For “there came forthwater and blood.” Not without a purpose, or by chance, did those founts come forth, but becauseby means of these two together the Church consisteth. 2498 And the initiated know it, being by waterindeed regenerate, and nourished by the Blood and the Flesh. Hence the Mysteries take their2490Ver. 29 . “ Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop,and put it to His mouth. ”2491ἀ φῆκε , [ παρέδωκε ,] G. T.2492i.e. naturally.2493“ Upon the cross on the Sabbath day, (for that day was a high day.) ” N.T.2494“ Be broken, and that they might be taken away. ” N.T.2495ἑ τέρα αὐτοῖς αὕτη προαναφώνησῖς2496Ver. 32–34 . “ Then came the soldiers and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.But when they came to Jesus, and saw that He was dead already, they brake not His legs, but one of the soldiers with a spearpierced His side, and forthwith came thereout blood and water. ” N.T.2497ἐ ντεῦθεν2498ἐ ξ ἀμφοτέρων τούτων ἡ Ἐκκλησία συνέστηκε477