Suddenness of Christ's coming.

291

IV. 39.

1 Thess.

5, 3.

to believe the more. For whence knowest thou, O man, JOHN that the end is not at hand, and the words shortly to be accomplished? For as we speak of the end of the year not as being the last day, but also the last month, though it has thirty days; so if of so many years I call even four hundred years "the end," I shall not be wrong; and so at that time Paul spoke of the end by anticipation. Let us then set ourselves in order, let us delight in the fear of God; for if we live here without fear of Him, His Coming will surprise us suddenly, when we are neither careful, nor looking for Him. As Christ declared when He said, "For as in the days of Mat. 24, Noah, and as in the days of Lot, so shall it be at the end of37. [not verbally this world." This also Paul declared when he said, For quoted.] when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child. What means, as travail upon a woman with child? Often have pregnant women when sporting, or at their meals, or in the bath or market-place, and foreseeing nothing of what was coming, been seized in a moment by their pains. Now since our case is like theirs, let us ever be prepared, for we shall not always hear these things, we shall not always have power to do them. In the grave, saith David, who Ps. 6, 5. shall give Thee thanks1? Let us then repent here, that so1or, find God merciful unto us in the day that is to come, and be enabled to enjoy abundant forgiveness; which may we all obtain, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory and dominion now and ever, and world without end.

we may

Amen.

'confess

to Thee.'

HOMILY XXXV.

1 lit.

be'

JOHN iv. 40-43.

So when the Samaritans were come unto Him, they besought Him that He would tarry with them: and He abode there two days. And many more believed because of His own Word; and said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard Him ourselves, and know that This is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. Now after two days He departed thence, and went into Galilee.

NOTHING is worse than envy and malice, nothing more mischievous than vain-glory; it is wont to mar ten thousand good things. So the Jews, who excelled the Samaritans in knowledge, and had been always familiar with' the Prophets, 'brought were shewn from this cause inferior to them. For these believed up with' even on the testimony of the woman, and without having 2 al.' to seen any sign, came forth beseeching Christ to tarry with them; but the Jews, when they had beheld His wonders, not only did not detain Him among them, but even drove Him away, and used every means to cast Him forth from their 3 Ben. land, although His very Coming had been for their sake. The Jews expelled Him, but these even entreated Him to tarry with them. Was it not then rather fitting, tell me, that He should receive those who asked and besought Him, than that He should wait upon those who plotted against and repulsed Him, while to those who loved and desired to retain Him He gave not Himself? Surely this would not have knde- been worthy of His tender care1; He therefore both accepted Movías them, and tarried with them two days. They desired to 'elected' keep Him among them continually, (for this the Evangelist

'that

coming'

μονίας

5 al.

3

Truth revealed to the honest soul.

293

IV.

has shewn by saying, that they besought Him that He would JOHN tarry with them,) but this He endured not, but stayed with 40-43. them only two days; and in these many more believed on Him. Yet there was no likelihood that these would have believed, since they had seen no sign, and had hostile feelings towards the Jews; but still, inasmuch as they gave in sincerity their judgment on His words, this stood not in their way, but they received a notion which surmounted their hindrances, and vied with each other to reverence Him the more. For, saith the Evangelist, they said to the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard Him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. The scholars overshot their instructress. With good reason might they condemn the Jews, both by their believing on, and their receiving Him. The Jews, for whose sake He had contrived1 the whole scheme", continually 1 al. inwere for stoning Him", but these, when He was not even intending to come to them, drew Him to themselves. And they, even with signs, remain uncorrected; these, without signs, manifested great faith respecting Him, and glory in this very thing that they believe without them; while the others ceased not asking for signs and tempting Him.

stituted'

2 al. 'seek

3

Such need is there every where of an honest soul; and ifing' truth lay hold on such an one, she easily masters it; or if she master it not, this is owing not to any weakness of truth, but to want of candour in the soul itself. Since the sun too, 3 ¿yvwwhen he encounters clear eyes, easily enlightens them; if he Moon v enlightens them not, it is the fault of their infirmity, not of his weakness.

Hear then what these say; We know that this is of a truth the Christ, the Saviour of the world. Seest thou how they at once understood that He should draw the world to Him, that He came to order aright our common salvation, that en diHe intended not to confine His care to the Jews, but to sow ορθώσει His Word every where? The Jews did not so, but going about to establish their own righteousness, submitted not themselves to the righteousness of God; while these confess that all are deserving of punishment, declaring with the Apostle,

a i. e. of Redemption. Taoav Thν bal.' them,' i. e. the Prophets. πραγματείαν συνεστήσατο.

HOMIL. that all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; XXXV. being justified freely by His grace. For by saying that He 23. 24. was the Saviour of the world, they shewed that it was of a

Rom. 3,

lost world, and He not simply a Saviour, but one of the very

mightiest. For many had come to "save," both Prophets Jor'mes- and Angels'; but this, saith one, is the True Saviour, Who sengers' affordeth the true salvation, not that which is but for a time.

This proceeded from pure faith. And in both ways are they admirable; because they believed, and because they did so without signs, (whom Christ also calleth "blessed," saying, c. 20,29. Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed,) and because they did so sincerely. Though they had heard the woman say doubtfully, Is not this the Christ? they did al.'sup-not also say, "we too suspect," or, "we think," but, we pose❜ know, and not merely, "we know," but, We know that This is of a truth the Saviour of the world. They acknowledged Christ not as one of the many, but as the Saviour indeed. Yet whom had they seen saved? They had but heard His words, and yet they spake as they would have spoken had they beheld many and great marvels. And why do not the Evangelists tell us these words, and that He discoursed admirably? That thou mayest learn that they pass by many important matters, and yet have declared the whole to us by the event. For He persuaded an entire people and a whole city by His words. When His hearers are not persuaded, then the writers are constrained to mention what was said, lest any one from the insensibility of the hearers should give a judgment against Him Who addressed them.

Now after two days He departed thence and went into Galilee.

Ver. 44. For Jesus Himself testified that a Prophet hath no honour in his own country.

Wherefore is this added? Because He departed not unto Capernaum, but into Galilee, and thence to Cana. For that thou mayest not enquire why He tarried not with His own people, but tarried with the Samaritans, the Evangelist puts the cause, saying that they gave no heed unto Him; on this

c Ms. in Bodl. reads, and why say I of a lost world? of a world which was in evils great exceedingly.'

die. who had wrought deliverances.

e Ms. in Bodl. prophet hath no country.'

and this is, that a honour in his own

Christ received by the Galileans.

IV. 45. 46.

23.

295 account He went not thither, that their condemnation might JOHN not be the greater. For I suppose that in this place He speaketh of Capernaum as "His country." Now, to shew [2.] that there He received no honour, hear Him say, And thou, Mat. 11, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell. He calleth it His own country, because there He set forth the Word of the Dispensation, and more especially dwelt upon it. "What then," saith some one, "do we not see many admired among their kindred ?" In the first place such judgments must not be formed from rare instances; and again, if some have been honoured in their own, they would have been much more honoured in a strange country, for familiarity is wont to make men easily despised.

Ver. 45. Then when He was come into Galilee, the Galilæans received Him, having seen all the things that He did at Jerusalem at the feast, for they also came unto the feast.

46.

Seest thou that these men so ill spoken of are found most to come to Him? For one said, Can there any good thing come c. 1, out of Nazareth? and another, Search and look, for out of c. 7, 52. Galilee ariseth no prophet. These things they said insulting Him, because He was supposed by the many to be of Nazareth, and they also reproached Him with being a Samaritan; Thou art a Samaritan, said one, and hast a c. 8, 48. devil. Yet behold, both Samaritans and Galilæans believe, to the shame of the Jews, and Samaritans are found better than Galilæans, for the first received Him through the words of the woman, the second when they had seen the miracles which He did.

Ver. 46. So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where He made the water wine.

The Evangelist reminds the hearer of the miracle to exalt the praise of the Samaritans. The men of Cana received Him by reason of the miracles which He had done in Jerusalem and in that place; but not so the Samaritans, they received Him through His teaching alone.

That He came then to Cana, the Evangelist has said, but he has not added the cause why He came'. Into Galilee He had come because of the envy of the Jews; but wherefore to Cana? At first He came, being invited to a marriage; f Ms. in Bodl. reads, and why, saith some one, went He again to Cana ?'