The Lord Jesus Christ is the Light of the World The One Who has Opened the Door of Hope The scribes and the Pharisees brought to the Lord Jesus Christ a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They asked whether He would condemn her and have her stoned according to the law of Moses. They probably expected Him to support the sentence of stoning. Consequently, they would ask Him to throw the first stone at her. They believed that this would cause the crowds to be disgusted and therefore turn away from following Him. Those who had been attracted to Him on account of His gentleness and tenderness, even with sinners, would turn away from Him. Should the Lord refuse to condemn her, He would be seen as someone breaking the law and therefore deserve to be condemned to death Himself. The Lord did not oppose the sentence stated in the law. However, He inquired as to the person who is qualified to implement the sentence, and He said: “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first,” [7]. The oldest one among them was the first to leave the place, and then the others followed him out. In the meantime, the Lord kept writing on the ground and in a language that revealed to each one his own hidden sins. The adulterous woman was the only one left standing before the Judge of the whole world. He had not come to condemn, but He had come to save. Therefore the Lord asked her not to return to sin again. He alone had the right to condemn her. However, He opens the door of hope to sinners so that they might repent. He offers Himself as the Liberator of the soul, for He is the Divine Truth [23]. Whereas the Lord is gentle and tender towards sinners, He is stern with the religious leaders. They obeyed and practised the work of Satan their father who is both a murderer and the father of all liars. The Lord wanted to liberate them from being the children of Satan. This would enable them to enjoy the truth rather than lies. They would then practise love rather than indulge in the lust to kill. They claimed to be Abraham’s free children; yet they did not walk in his steps. Rather, they fulfilled the plots of Satan. The Lord Jesus Christ told them how Abraham rejoiced when he saw the day of the Lord, and when he saw that day he was glad [56]. The way the Lord dealt with the adulterous woman reveals the nature of the Lord and His deep love towards sinners. He shines upon them with the rays of love in order to disperse the darkness within them. 1- The Woman Caught in Adultery1-11 2- The Messiah: The Light of the World12-20 3- The Doom of Unbelievers21- 30 4- Spiritual Freedom31- 37 5- Adopted Children of God or Adopted by Satan 38- 47 6- The Lord is Accused of Blasphemy48-50 7- The Messiah: the Giver of Eternal Life51- 59 1- The Woman Caught in Adultery https://coptic-treasures.com/ ‘But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives’ [1] In the previous chapter we have watched how the Lord was being troubled especially by the religious leaders. Now when the evening had come, the Lord left the city and went to Mount Olives. Usually, He would go to rest in the home of a friend, or He would stay in any of the tents that were set up for the Feast of the Tabernacles. Some observers believe that on that evening the Lord could not find anyone in Jerusalem that could receive Him, so He went to Mount Olives. Others believe He went there to spend the night in prayer. * The Lord Jesus Christ spent the whole of the last day of the Feast- which was the eighth day of celebrations- teaching in the temple in Jerusalem. He had criticized the teachings of the Pharisees. In the evening, they left for the day and had returned to their homes; whereas the Lord went up to Mount Olives. During the day the Lord taught in the temple; and at night He would go to Mount Olives. Here the Lord intends to teach us not to own homes bought by our business and to be content with the bare necessities for our comfort; bearing in mind that we will eventually leave these buildings behind and depart to the eternal world. Consequently all our struggle to possess these buildings would have been wasteful and useless. St. John Chrysostom ‘But early in the morning, He came again to the temple, and all the people came to Him. And He sat down and taught them’ [2]. The Lord Jesus Christ came early to the temple in order to teach the people. They had come to the One who had taught them the day before, and He had come early to find them. Even though He had probably spent the whole night in prayer on Mount Olives, yet as one who loves His work, He had come early to the temple. His desire is that everyone would enjoy the knowledge He had to offer. Moreover, He loves those who come and seek Him early. Accordingly His words are: “I love them who love Me, and those who seek Me diligently will find Me (Prov.8:17). The Lord wished to meet with the people within the temple. He had not come to make them abandon their ancient traditions. Rather, He had come to grant them a new understanding and a new concept regarding the law, the temple, and the manner of worship. He sat down to teach them as one who possesses authority. He desired them all to sit with Him, to keep still and enjoy Him as they listened to the truth. It was customary for the great teachers to sit down while they taught since such meetings could go on for a long time. Note what St. John says: “…and all the people came to Him….” The verb ‘came’ implies continuity in the stream of those coming; while the expression ‘ …all the people…’ indicates the crowds. Therefore the reference is that there was constant and increasing movement since the early morning (Lk 21:38). ‘Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in their midst… [3] Some scholars believe that because adultery had become so widespread, some parts of the law concerning that subject were not carried out. For example, the adulterous woman was no longer brought to a priest or made to drink the bitter water (Num 5:14). Moreover, many of the men were guilty of adultery too. The scribes and Pharisees saw how the crowds were gathered around the Lord and were listening to His teachings since the early morning. Therefore, on the one hand, they sought to https://coptic-treasures.com/ spoil this gathering by bringing the adulterous woman. In this way they would distract the attention of the crowds away from the Lord’s teaching. On the other hand, they wanted to set a trap for the Lord: if He forgave her, He would have broken the law. If He condemned her, the crowds would be repulsed by His cruelty. ‘They said to Him: “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act “[4]. They address the Lord as ‘teacher’ although on the previous day they had called him a ‘deceiver’ (7:47). The scribes and the Pharisees had failed in the essence of their mission which is to offer to every soul the knowledge of God’s will and consequently enjoy His divine love. They became so preoccupied with the literal application of the law that they neglected man’s salvation and the joyously deep fellowship with God. Therefore it was not hard for them to find a woman caught in adultery and to bring her to the Lord. Each one of them carried a heart made of stone that hungered and flourished by the spilling of blood. They sought to stone both her and the Lord Jesus as well. They did not realize that the Lord, who is the Word of God, would criticize the law and perfect it. Indeed, He raises it from being deadly letters to constructive words that would sanctify the innermost depths. Those who were preoccupied with the literal interpretation of the law believed that they would definitely conquer and rejoice as the woman would be stoned to death and banished from life. They believed that she did not deserve to live in a house or even exist on earth. They had decided that she deserved to be thrown in a pit and hit by a shower of stones. They were unaware that they had come to the Almighty Forgiver of sin. He alone would draw her away from the house of Satan and from adultery. He would not only forgive her, but He would also lead her to find the Holy One. She would consequently discover the Bridegroom of her soul and her heavenly nuptial home where she will dwell. The story of the adulterous woman opens the door of divine love and mercy to every soul. This leads each soul to discover the law of the Lord and its attractive inner aspect. Consequently the soul would hear the divine Voice saying: “ …for God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved’ (Jn. 3:17; 12:47). Then nothing could have the power to condemn the soul to eternal death. Rather, the soul would have found the One who is willing to buy her with His precious Blood, and grant her heavenly righteousness. The Lord will intercede for her before God and carry her into the Divine embrace. In this manner the whole chain of events is transformed: from being a soul brought before judges ready to condemn her, she is brought into an eternal and heavenly wedding. In his letter to Eustochum about the virgins, St. Jerome requests them to leave their father’s house- that is Satan’s home- in order to adhere to the heavenly groom. You might ask: ‘I have left my childhood home, I have forgotten my father, and I am born anew in the Lord Jesus. What is my reward? The following words provide the answer: ‘…the King will desire greatly your beauty’ (Ps 45). This is the great mystery, and on that account a man leaves his father and mother and adheres to his bride, and the two become (not one body as the passage says) but one spirit (Eph.5:31-32). Your Bridegroom is neither haughty nor does He belittle you…He leads you into His ways while holding you with His royal hand1. 1 Letter 22:1 https://coptic-treasures.com/ ‘Now Moses in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?’ [5] Moses is not the one who issued the sentence concerning stoning an adulterer. Rather, it is found in the commandments and the law that he received from God; and it states that such a deed is to be punished by stoning (Lev. 20:20; Deut 22:22). It was a means of executing the sentence of death in his time. As the Pharisees thirsted to spill blood, they were driven to invent false and dangerous accusations against the Lord Jesus Christ. They therefore brought this woman and presented her case even though it was incomplete legally. Their accusation was illegal since they had neither brought along the other party involved in the criminal act nor the witnesses that were required by the law. In spite of that, the Lord did not reject her case. On the contrary, He drew everyone’s attention to the real meaning of the commandment and the intrinsic intention of the law. * They insisted that the Lord answer their sly questions, and believed He would not be able to get away from their two-edged question. On the one hand, if He would forgive the adulteress they would accuse Him of disregarding the law and the commandments and of approving adultery. On the other hand, if He orders them to stone her He would be discredited of the tenderness and gentleness which attracted the crowds to Him. Nevertheless, the Lord never ceases to be the all compassionate, merciful, and gentle One. He does not circumvent the law and upholds and defends it. He rescues the woman from being killed yet He does not contradict or abolish the law. St. John Chrysostom ‘This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.’ [6] They came to the Lord as they would come to a judge demanding Him to apply the law. Should He decline He would be condemned as a traitor and blasphemer and deserving the death penalty by stoning. They did not realize that He is the heavenly Comforter and Defender who seeks to save sinners and absolves their sins even though He is the Divine Judge. He ‘wrote on the ground with His finger’: He is the One who wrote the Ten Commandments with His finger on the stone which He delivered to Moses. Now, the Lord writes with His finger on the ground to reveal that they had broken the law. They are unable to execute the penalty of stoning for they are sinners and deserve to die. Today the Lord Jesus Christ writes on the ground of our hearts to transform its corrupt sand into a sanctified heaven. He writes with His Holy Spirit (with His finger) to perfect and fulfill the law. In this manner we will discover our sins and failings rather than be preoccupied with the sins of others; and we will be concerned with our own salvation as well as that of others. Indeed, the Lord records with His finger the work of love filling our depths! Had the Lord condemned her to death, they would have reported Him to Pontius Pilate. He was the one who had stripped away from the religious leaders their authority and kept it solely in the hands of the Roman governor. Besides, the Roman law did not include a death penalty for adultery. Had He vindicated her, He would have been accused of lenience and legal incompetence in matters concerning chastity and purity. https://coptic-treasures.com/ They were not asking for His advice with a sincere desire to learn the truth and to obey Him. Rather, they were testing Him…therefore they did not deserve to receive a candid answer from Him. Consequently, He simply revealed to them what lay in their hearts, thoughts and intentions. Although He did not expose each one’s wickedness publicly and hid their shame, He embarrassed them as He indicated His intimate knowledge of each one’s failings. * If you were to ask me: ‘What did the Lord write on the ground?’ My answer would be: ‘Probably something that led the scribes and Pharisees to feel embarrassed and ashamed. Something that would lead them to repent.’ * Their words and opinions could possibly arouse the crowds against the Lord. Eventually, they were able to bring accusations against Him that led to His condemnation. All these acts were directed against whom? Insolence faced uprightness; falsehood opposed truth; the corrupt heart challenged the righteous heart; and ignorance defied wisdom! When have people such as these prepared a net and not fallen headlong into it themselves? Notice how the Lord righteously answers them while maintaining His gentleness. He did not fall into the trap they had set up; whereas they where caught up in it. They were surprised to find that He had drawn them to fall into their very own trap2. St. Augustine ‘So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them: “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first” [7] The manner of stoning was done according to the teachings of the Jewish leaders as follows: the hands of the accused were tied behind the back and the person would be half naked. He/she would stand on a platform that would be ten to twelve feet high and two witnesses would then push the accused forcefully causing the condemned to fall down. If the person did not die at that point, one of the witnesses would hit him/her with a huge stone in the chest. Most often this would be fatal. However, this was not the manner followed in all the cases of stoning. As they press for the Lord’s opinion, He remained silent and as though He did not hear them. Finally, He delivered the woman to them and asked them to judge her if they could. ‘And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground” [8] In some interpretations, the explanation is that the Lord was writing down the sins of the accusers. He was writing on sand rather than on marble or copper. In this manner, the writing would remain for a few moments and then disappear. However, the Lord writes our names in the palm of His hands so that they remain inscribed there eternally. As for our sins, He writes them in the earth and on the ground where they would get buried and eventually disappear. He wrote in the earth so that the earth judges the earth. As for the Lord, He came to save and not to condemn. * The Lord seems to be saying: ‘I have revealed your sins to you, O scribes and Pharisees: they are similar to those of this adulteress…or even worse…and they are as bad as your own conscience can witness against you. Therefore do not insist on condemning this woman as sternly and harshly as you do. Rather, think of your own sins and examine their gravity; for you are sinners and criminals who deserve to be punished in the same manner. If you condemn her, then condemn yourselves first. Besides, if you decide to stone her, then authorize your own stoning as well…in this manner, the Lord Jesus Christ saved the adulterous woman. 2 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John https://coptic-treasures.com/ He did not oppose the law in this instance for He is the ever Almighty, wise, and merciful One. St. John Chrysostom * The same persons who did not abide by the law are the ones who sought to implement it. They were therefore guilty of neglecting it rather than submitting and obeying the law. Condemning as aduterers yet claiming chastity! O Jews, Pharisees, teachers of the law and its guardians, you have now heard…yet you have not acknowledged that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Giver of the Law! What does the Lord intend when he writes with His finger on the ground? The law has been written by the finger of God. However, it has been written on stone due to the wickedness of peoples’ (stony) hearts. Now, the Lord writes on the ground for He demands fruit. You have heard the law…may it be obeyed, and may the adulterers be merciful… Does the punishment of thiswomen through those who deserve condemnation convey that the law has been obeyed? May every person search himself and delve into his own depths. May he sit on the judgment seat that is in his own mind. Let each one place himself behind the bars of his own conscience and force himself to confess: for no one but the spirit within him knows what lies in his depths; and he will discover that he is a sinner. Yes indeed, either you leave this woman to go her way, or you will receive with her the punishment stated in the law. If the Lord had pronounced that she did not deserve to be stoned, He would have appeared to be unjust. Conversely, if He had condemned her He would not have appeared to be merciful. As the gentle and just One, hear Him say: “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first” [7] This is the Voice of justice. Let the guilty be punished, but not through sinners. Let the law be imposed but not through those who break it3 St. Augustine “Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst” [9] If they had left, then how was the woman standing in the midst? Those who had left were her accusers. As for the crowds who had come to hear the Lord, they had remained and the woman stood in their midst. It is as though the Lord had not written the sins of all the people. He had written the sins of her accusers only…for he who judges his brother will be judged! And he will be sentenced with the same sentence he has pronounced on others. Those who have been conquered by sin are usually filled with violent sentiments towards sinners. In contrast, the righteous treat sinners gently as they tend to convict themselves rather than others. The Pharisees paraded to be jealously opposed to sin. At the same time it was evident that they were not free from its bondage. The Lord exposed them (Matt 23:27, 28) as being inwardly unclean and corrupt. The way they dealt with the adulterous woman not only enabled the Lord to avoid the trap they had set up for Him, but it also led to their fall into that same trap. Indeed, they were brought to shame before the crowds. They were unable to implement the law and none found himself qualified to throw the first stone at the woman. May we never throw stones at our brothers while we ourselves deserve to be stoned. They were terrified by what the Lord had written on the ground. And so was 3 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate33:5 https://coptic-treasures.com/ Nebuchadnezzer when he saw a hand writing on the wall before him (Daniel 5:25). Blessed are those who find their peace in the writings of the Lord Jesus Christ; and woe to those who get terrified and tremble as they read His words. The Lord Jesus Christ turned the eyes of the people away from the woman’s deed and away from the issue of judging her; and led them to focus on their own inner conscience. They were enabled to see their own corruption, repent, and return to love God. Although they discovered their failings, they did not admit them; and instead of accepting the advice of the Physician of souls, they took flight as from a battlefield (2 Samuel 19:3). They feared exposure and embarrassment so they fled. Yet instead of running to the Lord their Savior, they ran away from Him lest His light would expose them. When the woman’s accusers withdrew, she could have run away too. However, she found her salvation with the Lord. The manner with which He dealt with her did not mean that He embraced sin. He proclaimed that He had come to save the world rather than bring condemnation. Therefore sinners and tax gatherers did not fear to come to Him who knows the hidden secrets of all mankind. The situation quickly changed! Here was a desperate woman awaiting the sentence of stoning to be issued in a few moments; and bloodthirsty leaders eager to condemn her and rejoice in spilling her blood. What terrified her most was the look on their faces rather than the stones they held in their hands. Everyone had abandoned her but she found herself standing before the ultimate Lover of sinners. She felt the amazing Divine work that sanctified her life and won her over into the kingdom of heaven! Instead of fear, she experienced the emotions of some one at a wedding…she saw the heavens rejoicing and awaiting her eternal wedding! By leaving, the woman’s accusers revealed their admission to being guilty of the same crime as hers. Indeed, they left because they feared that the Lord might begin to mention their sins one by one… ‘…beginning with the oldest…’…: the oldest among the accusers left first, either because they had committed many sins throughout the years of their lives, or because they were more intelligent and so were affected by the power of the Lord’s words. St. John Chrysostom When Jesus looked up He found all the accusers had left while the woman stood alone before Him. So He said to her: “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” [10] ‘She said: “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her: “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” [11] Some scholars find that the woman had been treated in a cruel and violent manner by those who had caught her. Therefore the Lord considered that she had been punished sufficiently. In saying to the woman: “Neither do I condemn you” the Lord seems to imply the following: ‘I alone have the power to condemn you, O woman. For I alone am the judge. However, since I have come to save the world and not to condemn, therefore I do not condemn you.’ By telling her to “go” He is really telling her ‘go and feel secure, for your adultery has been removed from you as I have released you of your sins…therefore go….’ The Lord’s words: “and sin no more…” can be interpreted as follows: ‘I charge you not to go back and sin again, otherwise I will condemn you. From now on do not go back ‘as a dog returns to his own vomit’ (Prov. 26:11; 2Peter 2:22). Do not sin anymore to avoid https://coptic-treasures.com/ condemnation.’ St. John Chrysostom * The most holy One who had the power to change the nature of the five loaves and multiply them; who made the dumb nature of the donkey to speak; who taught the adulteress to be chaste (John 8); who transformed the nature of the burning fire into a cool medium for those thrown into the furnace; and who for Daniel’s sake changed the fierce nature of the lions into a gentle one…can also transform the soul that has become a barren desert due to sin. He alone can lead the soul to enjoy His goodness, mercy, and peace by His Holy Spirit and divine promises. St. Macarius the Great * We have heard the Voice of Justice [7]. Let us also hear the Voice of Mercy…of the Holy One who has driven away her enemies as He spoke justice, and who has turned His eyes mercifully as He told her: “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” [11] May those who love the gentleness of the Lord be warned and fear His truth! For He is good and upright (Ps 25:8). You love Him because He is good…fear Him because He is upright… The Lord is gentle, patient, and tender. Yet He is also just and upright. He gives you the chance to improve and correct yourself. Yet you like to delay His judgment more than to correct your ways! Were you evil yesterday? May you become good today! Do you continue in the pursuit of evil today? Attempt to change that tomorrow…but how do you know that tomorrow will come?… God has promised to be forgiving to those who correct themselves. Yet He has not promised to extend my life (to tomorrow)!4 St. Augustine St. Augustine warns us against despair as well as against false hope. Those who despair because God is not forgiving kill themselves through their despair. However, those who become careless and are slow to repent, as they trust that the mercy of God will save them tomorrow, are also condemning themselves because of their false hope5. 2- The Messiah: the Light of the World ‘Then Jesus spoke to them again saying: “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of Life.” [12] When the accusers withdrew and the woman left, the Lord continued teaching the crowds. The accusers had wanted to stir and confuse the crowds. However, the Lord intended to focus on His teachings by these words: “I am the light of the world…” [12]. Without Him everyone would remain in darkness, despair, and death. The Pharisees realized that by saying these words the Lord was indicating that He is the awaited Messiah, since the prophets had used the symbol of light when they spoke of Him (Is 60:1; 49:7; 9:9).In the writings of Bamidbar Rabba, he says: “The Israelites said to God: “ O Lord of the world, You have commanded us to light lamps for You. You are the light of the world, and the light lives through You!6” “He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness….” In other words: ‘he shall be 4 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 33:7 5 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 33:8 6 Adam Smith Comm. https://coptic-treasures.com/ delivered from ignorance, betrayal, and sin.’ Some scholars find that these words refer to a Jewish custom of adding a ninth day to the Feast of the tabernacles. On that day, they would bring out all the holy books from the storage boxes and place them in a place lit with candles in order to call to mind the words in Proverbs 6:23 ‘For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light; reproofs of instruction are the way of life.’ Many scholars find that one of the most important memories related to the first Tabernacle is the time when chief priest poured water as we mentioned in the previous chapter. The procedure was followed according to the tradition of ‘the light’, and it was done in memory of the pillar of light that went before the people in the wilderness. It led them through the darkness of the night (Ex13:21), and it continued to do so until they crossed over into Canaan in fulfillment of the Divine promise. During that feast, it was customary to use a huge candlestick with branches. Four of its lamps were filled with oil and they had to use a ladder to go up to light it. The Talmud mentions that it was 50 feet high. This light was exceedingly bright, the Mishah states: “There was no area in Jerusalem where the light was not reflected.” This brilliant light was a very rare sight in the old cities. Some scholars believe that the candlestick lights were snuffed out after the Feast. The Lord Jesus Christ stood where the lights had been snuffed and He dazzled those coming to the Feast. The darkness had replaced the light, so He proclaimed the need for the Divine light: the Messiah, God’s slave, who is the light who has come for all peoples. Isaiah states:” I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand, I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles, to open blind eyes, to bring prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house (Is 42:6-7) --- that you should be my salvation to the ends of the earth (Is 49:6) “I will also give you as a light to the Gentiles, and I will made my justice rest as a light of the peoples---” (Is 51:4). The saintly interpreters provide an explanation to the words: “The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?” (Ps 27:1). They state that the law is a light. The Lord has proclaimed that He is the divine word, the light of the world, which gives light to every person in the world. When they claimed that the temple is “the light”, the Lord asked them to destroy the temple and He would rebuild it in three days (Jn 2:20). By saying so, He proclaims, the temple of His Body. This is because He is the resurrection of the temple that embraces all the new creation. The Church/Temple is enlightened by the light of His resurrection. When St. John the Evangelist speaks of the heavenly Temple, he says:”---for the Lord God the Almighty and the lamb are its temple-----for the glory of God illuminated the city and the lamb is its light (Rev. 21:23, 24). The Lord Jesus Christ speaks of man’s life as a journey in the middle of a dark world. A person needs the sun of righteousness to shine upon him/her and to accompany him so that he might not stumble. It is appropriate for a believer to follow and be led by that light in all the concerns of his life. He is the true light in which we find our peace. As we look up to Him and make friends with Him; as we have faith and walk in Him, He will become our light. He will enlighten us not only by being a lamp shedding light to our eyes and feet, but to all our body. He will lead us in this world and will lift us up through the Holy Spirit to the heavens. There, we will enjoy the promise of eternity. https://coptic-treasures.com/ The Lord clearly indicates that He is one of the prophets. However, He is the Lord of the world. He is not the light of Galilee, of Palestine, or Israel; but He is ‘the light of the world.’ St. John Chrysostom. If we are priests of the Lord and of God, then I cannot find anyone else whom I ought to follow more than God the Lord. Indeed, He affirms in His Holly Gospel that:” I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light life”[12]7. Caprianus the Martyr * I believe that the Lord’s words: ‘I am the light of the world’ [12] are clear to those who have the eyes that share this light. As for those who only possess physical eyes, they would be surprised to hear His words: ‘I am the light of the world’8. * There is a Light who is the Creator of the sun’s light. Let us love that light. Let us yearn to reach out and thirst for Him. Consequently, He will lead and take us to Him. In this manner we will live in Him and we will not die... The One who shines over you so that you might see Him is the same (source) who flows over you and quenches your thirst…. Even when the Lord Jesus Christ did not reveal himself to everyone as He was hidden by the cloud of this body, yet He is who He is: The One who controls everything through the power of His wisdom… Your God is fully present in everyplace, and He will never abandon you, if you do not abandon Him9. St. Augustine * Let us follow Him now so that we may be rewarded later on. Let us follow Him in faith, so that we may receive grace later on by our eyes. The apostle accordingly says: “Therefore, we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:6-7). When do we walk by sight? When possess the light of life. When we attain that insight, and when the darkness passes away. On that day when we will rise again, it is said: “in the morning I will direct (my voice) to you and I will look up” (Ps 5:3).What does ‘in the morning’ imply? When the night of this world passes away; when the fears of temptation are over; and when that lion roaming in the night and seeking to devour someone has been conquered. “In the morning, I will direct (my voice) to you, and I will look up.” Now, my brothers, what do you think: what is our duty in this present life other than what the psalmist says? In another place, he says: “All night I make my bed swim---with my tears” (Ps 6:6) The Psalmist states that he cries every night and yearns fervently for the light. Therefore the Lord responds to his desire and he says in Psalm 38:10: “…all my desire is before you and my sighing is not hidden from you” (Ps 38:9). Do you yearn to go? It is impossible for you not to see: for if you ask to go, you proclaim that to all mankind… Do you yearn for God? Who can see that other than God? Of whom do you ask for God…except from Him? For He can be sought of Himself, as He is the One who has promised to give us Himself. May the soul lay out her desire and open her wide embrace. Then let her pray and attain what eye has not seen and what ear has not heard and therefore what has “never entered into the 7 Letter 63 to the Brother Cecil:18 8 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 34:1 9 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 34:3-6 https://coptic-treasures.com/ heart of man” (1 Cor.2:9) We can desire and yearn for Him and we can follow after Him. However, we are unable to deserve attaining Him and express Him in words10. St. Augustine ‘The Pharisees, therefore said to Him “You bear witness of yourself; your witness is not true” [13] When the Pharisees who had accused the adulteress had left, some of them remained. These wanted to contradict the words of the Lord. They knew “the light” is the title of the Messiah whom the people of the Old Testament expected to come, and as it is written in Daniel 2:22 The Pharisees therefore contradicted themselves. For we find in the Old Testament some prophets who bore witness to themselves and who confirmed that they had received divine revelations or prophecies from the heavens. Indeed, some Pharisees had questioned St. John the Baptist and asked: “What do you say about yourself?” If they had listened faithfully to the Lord’s teaching and miracles, they would have discovered that He is the Lord and the Messiah: He did not need any external witness. ‘Jesus answered and said to them: “Even if I bear witness of myself, my witness is true, for I know where I cam from and where I am going; but you do not know where I came from and where I am going”[14] Because the Lord knows that He is the Son of God, He neither attacked nor needed their false witness. He just revealed his identity, His relationship with the Father and the mission He had to fulfill through his incarnation. All this was sufficient testimony for Him. The Lord confirmed three facts: First: His conviction concerning the reality of his own identity: Here there is no doubt or any need to argue. He knows who He is before descending from heaven; revealing Himself to the world: He came from the Father and is returning to Him (Jn 16:28).He came from glory and is returning to it (Jn 17:5) Secondly: They were not qualified to judge Him or His teaching, for they were ignorant and wanted to remain in the darkness of their ignorance. They condemned Him according to their physical whims. Indeed they were not qualified to judge matters that are divine and spiritual. Although the Lord qualified to judge and condemn -being the fair Judge- yet He postponed judgment until His second coming. Thirdly: His testimony for Himself is confirmed by the testimony of the Father for Him [18]. * The Lord Jesus Christ has the prophets witnessing for Him.These had been sent before Him. They acted as the ushers or heralds who run before the Judge. John the Baptist also witnessed for Him. Nevertheless, the greatest testimony is the one He bears to Himself… He is the true light who enlightens everyone who comes into the world11. * “---for I know where I came from and where I am going…” The One speaking to you in person possesses all things, yet He still came. However, by coming He has not left the other possessions (the heavens). Besides, He will not abandon us when He returns over there. Why are you amazed? He is God and what has occurred cannot be done by man. It cannot 10 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate :34:7 11 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate :34:3-6 https://coptic-treasures.com/ happen even with the sun; for it is ready to set, the sun leaves the East. In this manner, it has to return there when it rises… As for the Lord Jesus Christ, He comes and yet He is still the (in the heavens); and when He returns, He is still here (on earth). Listen to the words of the Evangelist: “No one has seen God at anytime. The only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” The Evangelist does not say ‘who was in the bosom of the Father’ as this would have implied that by His coming He had left the Father’s embrace… The Lord was speaking here on earth, and at the same time He proclaimed that He was present there, in the heavens, too. When the time drew near for Him to leave this place, He said: “…lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt 28:20)12. St. Augustine * Whoever denies that the Son proceeds from the Father, does not know the Father from whom the Son proceeds. Moreover, that person does not know the Son because he does not know the Father13. St. Ambrose “You judge according to the flesh, I judge no one.”[15] When the Word became flesh, the Pharisees condemned Him according to the flesh. They thought He was merely a man. They did not realize the reality of His being the Word, the wisdom, and the power of the Almighty God. His work testified to His being the promised Messiah. They deceived their own selves as they attempted to measure divinity with human terms and spirituality with physical ones. They studied the law and the divine promises with physical eyes. Therefore the Holy Book became a literal study, upholding temporary salvation, false honor, and the deadly literal word. Consequently they stumbled when they had to recognize the Messiah and the Father who had sent Him. * To live according to the flesh implies that a person is living in a wicked manner. Similarly, a person who condemns according to the flesh, does so incorrectly14. * “I judge no one” [15]: For if I wanted to condemn, then you would have been condemned…but the time of judgment has not come yet. Here the Lord implies that He will not be alone but the Father will also be with Him to condemn them15. St. John Chrysostom * We say that there will be one Judge for the living and the dead. Yet the Lord says about himself: “I judge no one.” This matter can be solved in two ways: We either understand it to mean ’I do not judge anyone now’ which agrees with the Lord’s words, ‘I have not come to judge the world but to save it.’ The Lord does not deny that He judges but states that He delays judgment. Or, because He says: “…you judge according to the flesh”[15], and He adds that “I judge no one” in order to indicate that does not do like them, who judge according to the flesh16. St. Augustine “And yet, if I do judge, my judgment is true, for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me”[16]. * The Lord indicates clearly that He is not alone in condemning them. Indeed, the Father 12 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 35:5 13 On Christian Faith, Book 19:127 14 Hom 52.PG 59:307 15 Hom 52.PG 59:307 16St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 36:4 https://coptic-treasures.com/ too is with Him and demands that they would be judged17. St. John Chrysostom * It is as though the Lord is saying: ‘My judgment is righteous, because I am the Son of God.’ How do you prove you are the Son of God? “… for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me.” There is one Essence, one Divinity, an eternal fellowship, complete equality without any conflict…yet the Father is the Father, the Son is the Son…and the Son is a different icon from the Father. This is what we truly believe. Stating that He is different in nature is false. I am not the Son in a manner which hinders Me from being with the Father; neither can He be the Father in a manner which hinders Him from being with me. I have taken on the form of a slave, yet I have not lost the image of God18. St. Augustine * May we choose the Lord to be our Judge, my dear brothers. For God is our witness against men’s tongues and their suspicious. He is the one who will not refuse to bear witness and who will be all the more glorious when He is Judge. That is because the Witness himself will be the Judge as well19. St. Augustine “It is also written in you law that the testimony of two men is true” [17]. Although it is possible that two or more could agree to bear witness falsely (1 Kings 21:10); yet it would be accepted as a true testimony as long as it is not contradicted (Dent 17:6 , Num. 35:30) “I am one who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me”[18]. Just as the Father and Son participated together in the creation, so do they work together for man’s salvation. The Son does not work alone but He works with the Father who also bears witness of Him. St. John Chrysostom believes that the Pharisees knew that He is the Messiah, yet on account of their jealousy they addressed Him as though they had not recognized Him. They had come to test Him and therefore He considered that they did not deserve an answer from Him. Consequently, He did not quote any Old Testament prophecies or symbols pointing to His person. He just stated that He bears witness to Himself, indeed his miracles, teachings, and the Cross, whose moment was getting closer, all were witnesses for Him. He did not need another witness; for the Father bore witness of Him as He is one with the Son20. Do you not agree that the Lord said so to indicate that He is of the same Essence and has no need for any other witness, and that He is not lesser than the Father? At least take note of His independence (distinct feature)21! If the Messiah is a lesser being than the Father, the Lord would not have said these words! Now, and so that you do not imagine that the Father has been added to witness in order to meet the requirement of two (witnesses), note that His authority is different from that of the Father’s. A person comes to witness when he is self confident and not when he himself needs a witness. This is true for others too. If that person is involved in wrong doing then he needs the testimony of another witness as he cannot be trusted. However, this is a different case completely, since when the Lord witnesses for himself and when there is someone else to witness 17 Homilies on St. John 52:2 18 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 36:9 19 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 36:11 20 cf Homilies on St. John 52:3 21 Homilies on St. John 52:3 https://coptic-treasures.com/ of Him, then this confirms that He is trustworthy. In every way, He will proclaim His independence (without separation). He puts himself first: “I am One who bears witness of Myself” [18]. It is evident that the Lord reveals his equality in honor. Besides, they will not benefit at all by saying that they know the Father while they have not recognized the (Messiah). The problem is that they do not wish to recognize Him. Therefore the Lord tells them that it will be impossible for them to know the Father without knowing the Son first. Indeed, He is the One who attracts them to know the Father. By leaving them, even if they would have sought to know the Father, the Lord says: “you cannot know the Father without Me.” For he who blasphemes against the Son, does not do so against Him alone, but also against the One from whom He comes22. St. John Chrysostom “Then they said to him: where is your Father? Jesus answered: you know neither Me nor the Father. If you had known Me, you would have known my Father also.”[19] The Lord Jesus Christ accused them of not knowing God. It is true that God had been known in Judaism (Ps 67:1). They actually had partial knowledge of God as they recognized Him to be the Creator of the world, yet their eyes were darkened and they could not see the glory of the light shining upon the face of the Lord Jesus Christ. The reason for their ignorance of God lay in their ignorance of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ who reveals the knowledge of the Father. * The expression: “…you both know me and you know where I am from” (Jn7:28) is a reference to His person as a human being. As for the saying: “you know neither Me nor my Father” this is a reference to His divinity… Clearly, when the people of Jerusalem said .”.. we know where this man is form” (Jn 7:27) they were referring to the fact of his birth in Bethlehem (Matt 2:1). They knew His mother was Mary and that His brothers (actually his cousins) were James, Joses, Simon, and Judas (Matt 13:55). That explains why the Lord answered to the testimony of those who said: “we know where this man is from” by saying: “you both know me and you know where I am from.” However, when the Lord speaks to the Pharisees, He says:” Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going.” As He speaks of His divine nature, He is speaking about Himself as the basis and first born over all creation (Col. 1:15)23 Origen Some heretics believe that when the Lord said to the Pharisees “…nor my Father” He meant that His Father is someone other than the Creator whom they knew through their reading of the Old Testament. However, the ignorance of the Pharisees, evident in this passage, arises from their wickedness. The wicked do not know God even though they could believe in Him as the Creator; and even though they could speak of Him as God. Indeed they neither remained steadfast, nor walked according to His pleasure. * If someone is able to present a full account of matters concerning God; and if he has learned from his fathers that God alone is to be worshipped; yet still does not walk righteously, then the Bible speaks of such person as one who does not carry the knowledge of God. A person truly knows about matters concerning the Creator and priestly service to him, 22 Homilies on St. John 52:3 23 Commentary on John, Book 19:7,10 https://coptic-treasures.com/ then the children of Eli the priest possessed such knowledge, for they lived in the temple, the place of worship- yet in spite of that, they committed sins; we are told in the first book of Samuel:.”.the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the Lord” (1 Sam 2:12)… The same is applicable in the case of the wicked rulers of Israel and Judea, and not only to the sons of Eli. In the same manner the Pharisees did not know the Father, for they did not live according to the will of the Creator!24 Origen * When the Lord spoke about God his Father, they questioned Him, saying: “Where is your Father?” They were able to know the Lord’s Father in the flesh. Therefore they condemned His words, as they put them in a carnal context. However, the One speaking to them was the One who had appeared in the flesh; whereas the hidden One is the Word: the tangible human being and the intangible God… they despised Him as they did not know Him. And they did not recognize Him since they did not see Him. They did not see Him because they were blind; and they were blind due to their lack of faith!25 ‘We see You alone; and we do not see your Father with you. Therefore how do you say that you are not alone and that you are with your Father? Otherwise, show us that the Father is with you.’ St. Augustine “These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple, no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come” [20] The treasury: St. John the Evangelist reports that the treasury was the place where Jesus went to deliver his teachings. Probably he is referring to an area where people brought their contributions to the temple, so St. John is not referring to the place where the precious treasures of the temple were stored. The area where Jesus went was part of the Women’s court. Thirteen boxes in the form of a horn were placed there for the offerings. On each box, there was an inscription indicating how the contributions would be used. In that manner, the giver would place his/her contribution according to the service he desires to be fulfilled. The place is called ‘the women’s court, but it does not really indicate that it is reserved for women only, or that men are forbidden to enter., rather it indicates that the women are allowed to enter there, and not into other areas. The Gentiles are allowed to enter into ‘the court of Gentiles’, while it does not prohibit the Jews from entering there. The people liked the ‘women’s court’ as the four candlesticks in it were lit during the Feast of the Tabernacles which we mentioned earlier. This area was also called Gazith and it was located opposite the area where the Sanhedrin was held. That explains why during his trial, the Lord said: “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in the synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing” (John 18:20). Before the whole nation, as well as before the Sanhedrin, the Lord proclaimed that they did not know the Father because they did not recognize the Lord [19]. In spite of that, they were unable to arrest Him. Their uncontrolled tongues blasphemed against Him, yet their hands were bound because His hour had not yet come. The Lord had bound them, through his divine power, and they were restrained until it was time for his crucifixion. The Evangelist writes about the Lord: “… for his hour had not yet come.” By this St. 24 Commentary on John, Book 19:13,15 25 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 37:1 https://coptic-treasures.com/ John indicates that the time had not yet come and which God had set for the Lord Jesus Christ to be crucified. In that sense his crucifixion did not occur through the power of the rulers. Indeed it occurred by God’s divine plan. Indeed, they had tried to kill Him before and had failed; and they were powerless after that. Indeed, had He wanted, He could have prevented his crucifixion. St. John Chrysostom * The Lord’s presence in the place where the people brought their contributions to help the needy; and in the treasury of the temple where the common good is achieved, indicates that the Lord brings goodness more than anyone and anything. He offers these words concerning eternal life (Jn 6:68); besides his teachings about God (the Father), and about Himself as he says: “I am the light of the world…” [12]. His presence in the treasury is more valuable than any currency, and this is why the Lord says: “… If you know me, you would have known my Father also.” Note also all the rest of his teachings on this subject. All the gold that others offered seems like a grain of sand when compared to the words of the Lord Jesus Christ; and the silver would be like dirt in comparison (Ezekial 7:19). Indeed, every word that the Lord pronounces is altogether wisdom…26 * The Lord did not say all He knew when He was teaching in the treasury. He said only what the people there could comprehend. Actually, we do not believe that the whole world could contain the totality of God’s word (Jn 21:25)27. * Although the Lord taught many things in the treasury and in the temple, yet no one arrested Him. This is because His words were more powerful than those who wanted to catch him. As long as He was speaking, none of those who planned against Him could arrest him. However, when they caught Him, He was silent. It is for this reason that He kept silent when Pilate interrogated him; and also when He was beaten (Jn 19:9). This was the time when He wanted to suffer on behalf of the world. Had he spoken, he would not have been crucified due to weakness (2 Cor.13:4). Indeed, there is no weakness in the Speaker who is the Word28. Origen 3- The Doom of Unbelievers: ‘Then Jesus said to them again: “I am going away and you will seek Me, and will die in you sin. Where I go you cannot come.”[21] The Lord Jesus Christ issues a warning to unbelievers. Their denial will propel them to eternal suffering. He also offers words of encouragement and grace to the meek and simple souls. The warnings he directs to unbelievers are terrifying since there would be no time to repent. Accordingly He says: “They are like children sitting in the market place and calling to one another saying: We played the flute for you and you did not dance; we mourned to you and you did not weep.”(Lk 7:32). Very often the Lord opens the gate of hope in this manner and through kind and gentle words. Yet He also uses stern warnings to protect his children from stumbling; or to encourage them to rise up and move away from what they have stumbled into. “I am going away”: They prayed Him to leave them, for they neither wanted Him nor did they want to hear His words. Here, the Lord is telling them that He was going to leave, that 26 Commentary on John, Book 19:53-55 27 Commentary on John, Book 19:59 28 Commentary on John 19;59-61 https://coptic-treasures.com/ in leaving them they would die in their sin rather than have life. When they would be in trouble they would seek the help of the Messiah whom they have rejected and crucified. However, He will not be found according to their whims. They had rejected him and gone after false messiahs who offer the wrath of God rather than eternal life. They seek Him yet their materialistic and literal minds confine them within the limits of the earth. Therefore they seek but do not find Him; for he has ascended into the heavens. They seek him while they are imprisoned in the grave of temporal glory and material business. Consequently, they do not find him. He is the light of the world and because they die in their sins they are unable to see the One who forgives sins and redeems souls from corruption. In this manner, the heavenly Physician exposes the disease to the sick ones as he wants them to accept to meet with Him and enjoy being healed. .”.your sin…” occurs in the Greek version in the singular (not in the plural) as the focus is on the sin of blasphemy and rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice that St. John the Evangelist directs our eyes to focus on the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Savior of the world. More than any other evangelist, he repeats the verb ‘to die’ and the noun ‘to sin’ so many times: “to die’ occurs thirty eight times in the Gospel of St. John, in contrast to five times in Matthew, nine times in Mark, and ten times in Luke. Indeed, it has not occurred so densely in any other New Testament Book except in Romans where it occurs twenty three times only. The words ‘to sin’ occurs seventeen times in the Gospel of St. John; while it only occurs seven times in Matthew, six times in Mark, and eleven times in Luke. However, St. John does not aim to direct our focus on sin and its consequent fruit of death. For although sin is deadly, his focus is on the Conqueror of sin. Through the power of His Cross, we live in the spirit of victory and triumph. Moreover, we are enabled to lead a new life rather than suffer spiritual death. The Lord had said these words on the previous day too (Jn 7:34). * “ I am going away and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin”: We wonder if the Lord was saying these words to all those present and listening to Him or just to those present whom He knew did not believe. These would consequently be unable to follow Him and would die in their sin. They would be unable because they were unwilling and had become handicapped. They deserved what the Word pronounced: “to die in your sin”29. Someone may comment: Since He directs these words to people who insist on not believing, then why does the Lord tell them “you will seek Me”? Truly, there are many ways of seeking the Lord who is the Word, the Truth, and all Wisdom. Nevertheless…to ‘seek’ is sometimes used to refer to those planning against him, as this verse reveals: ‘Then they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come (Jn 7:30). Also this verse: ‘I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you’ (Jn 8:37). In John 8:40, we read the words: “But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God.” (8:40). Therefore the words “… you will seek Me” is directed to those who seek in the wrong way. It does not oppose the promise. “…for he who seeks finds...” (Matt 7:8). There are always distinctions among those who seek the Lord Jesus Christ. Not everyone asks for salvation in the correct manner or with the purpose of being blessed by Him30. “…You will die in your sin.” [21] If this is interpreted in the usual clear manner, it conveys that sinners will die in their sins; whereas the righteous will die in their righteousness. However, when “will die’ is interpreted to refer to the death of the enemy of the Lord Jesus 29 Commentary on John, Book 19:70 30 Commentary on John, Book 19: 72-73 https://coptic-treasures.com/ Christ (1 Cor.15:26) the reference is to those who will die as a result of having committed a sin leading to death (1 Jn 5:16). It is clear that these words have been directed to those who had not yet died. You may wonder: what will happen to those who are still alive and have not yet believed? Yet they will die some day? One of them may claim that though they have not believed as yet, they have not committed a sin leading to death. Besides, there are those who have not received the Word and so have not committed a deadly sin. They are alive and suffering of the disease in the souls; and this disease does not lead to death (Jn 11:4)…31. * May we be cautious not to catch the disease of death. Our sickness may be healed through (repentance). It is different from the disease that is impossible to heal (the insistence not to repent)32. * Let us compare the verse in Ezekial 18:20 “The soul who sins shall die.” with the Lord’s words “you will die in you sin.” Indeed, sin is the death of the soul. We do not believe that this applies to all sin; it applies only to the sin that St. John describes as ‘sin leading to death’ (1 Jn 5:16). * Let us further underline the distinction between a sin that leads to the death of the soul and another sin that indicates a sickness of the soul. And there probably is a third kind of sin that is the one which leads to the loss of the soul. The following words refer to this last kind: “For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matt 16:26; Lk 9:25). Also refer to the verse: “If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss” (1Cor 3:15)33. Origen Sin is a dangerous disease that infects that whole person- his soul and body - and consequently death reigns over that person. However, by the coming of the incarnate Word of God, who is the Physician of both the soul and body, He made a distinction between two kinds of sins or two kinds of diseases. There is a disease that does not cause death (Jn 11:4). Indeed, it works for the glory of God as it refers to (the soul) that accepts God’s word. Therefore she abandons the grave of corruption, enjoys removing all sinful ties, and witnesses to the One who is risen and grants resurrection. The other kind of disease is that which causes death. The Lord speaks about this last kind as He addresses some of his hearers who will seek Him and die in their sin. The Lord is referring to those who are determined to reject Him until they die. These commit a sin that leads to death (1Jn 5:16) * The Lord says: “I am going away and you will seek Me [21], not because you yearn for Me but due to your hatred. After the Lord moved out of their human sight, they all searched for Him. Those who hated Him as well as those who loved Him looked for Him The first sought Him with the spirit of persecution, while the others sought Him with the desire to receive and hold Him34. * It is right to follow the path the disciples took when you pray to live the life of the Lord; and it is wrong to want to live according to Him in the manner of the Jews for these sought Him with a perverted heart: what did the Lord add? “… and you will seek Me- not because you have good intentions- “therefore you will die in your sin.” This happens to those who seek the Lord in a wrong manner and consequently die in their sin: the sin of hating the Lord Jesus Christ who is the only One where salvation is found. Clearly, whereas there are those who have hope in God and who do not repay evil for evil; there are also those who repay goodness by wickedness. 31 Commentary on John, Book 19:79-80 32 Commentary on John, Book 19:82 33 Commentary on John, Book 19:85 34 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 38:1 https://coptic-treasures.com/ * “… where I go you cannot come”: the Lord said the same words to his disciples on another occasion. However, He did not tell them: “…you will die in you sin…” as He did not deprive them of hope. Earlier, the Lord had informed them that it would be some time before they would go to the place where He was going. This is because at the time the Lord was speaking to his disciples, it was impossible for them to follow Him; they would join Him later on. As for His other hearers, and based on His fore knowledge, the Lord knew that they would not join Him and therefore He said: “… you will die in your sin”35. St. Augustine * The Lord intended to touch their souls, and embarrass and terrify them by His words. Note the fear that filled them as a result. Although they wished to kill Him and so get rid of Him, yet they asked where He planned to go. They imagined that His words would have dangerous consequences. The Lord also had another aim and that was to underline that His (death) will not happen as a result of their power. Therefore He spoke openly to them about it and predicted His resurrection36. St. JohnChrysostom ‘So the Jews said: “Will He kill himself because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?”[22] When the Lord said these words on another occasion, they thought that He was going to the Greek cities to preach among the Jews who were dispersed there. However, this time they realized that He was speaking about His death! This reveals how they thought of Him not only as a human being like any of them but that He was even more wicked as He was going to commit suicide out of despair. * “…where I go you cannot come”[22], because when someone dies in sin, he/she cannot go to the place where the Lord Jesus Christ reigns. Indeed, no dead person can follow the Lord for .”..the dead do not praise the Lord/ nor any who go down in silence. But we will bless the Lord (Ps115:17-LXX 26)37. * The Lord’s power to die by His own free will, and to abandon the flesh behind Him is revealed in His words: “I am going away”38. * The Judaic writings state the Lord Jesus Christ would be born in Bethlehem and that He would come from the tribe of Judah. This is according to the correct interpretation of the prophetic words. Moreover, concerning His death, tradition reports that He would withdrew from life in the manner we have indicated earlier. It is evident that the Jews were aware that it would be impossible to follow someone who would be leaving in this manner. It would be impossible for anyone even if he understood these matters, to follow and go where the Lord was going. That is why they did not intend it literally when they said: “…will He kill himself, because He says: “where I go you cannot come”? [22]…39. * Anyway, we believe that they said these words as they knew what tradition reported concerning the death of the Lord. Therefore, rather than glorify the One who would depart from life through the Cross, they craftily said: “will He kill Himself?”40 * They might have hesitated, yet they seemed to allude to His glory which would be 35 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 38:2 36 Homilies on St. John 53:1 37 Commentary on John, Book 19:83 38 Commentary on John, Book 19:111 39 Commentary on John, Book 19:104 40 Commentary on John, Book 19:113 https://coptic-treasures.com/ revealed at the time of His death. It is as though they were saying: “Does His spirit depart when He leaves the body behind and by His own will?” Is that why the Lord said: “where I go You cannot come?”41 * Contemplate also the words of St. Paul who says something similar to that in these words: .”.Christ has given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God (Eph 5:2)42. Origen * The Scribes and Pharisees behaved just like other people who typically think, understand and judge matters according to the flesh. When they heard the Lord’s words, they said: “will He kill Himself?”… What a way to utter these violent words that reveal exceeding ignorance…By saying “where I go..”, the Lord did not mean going to death , but going to that which is after death.43. St. Augustine. ‘And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world” [23]. According to human wisdom, no one can determine his fate if he decides to end his life by his own hands. That is why they thought the Lord was speaking about his death by committing suicide. They probably wished to spread this rumor to spoil His image before the people. Suicide is a crime that the law condemns, since it involves the spilling of man’s blood: “I will demand a reckoning …I will require the life of man” (Gen 9:5). The picture of Ahithophel, who committed suicide, remains to be a severe example of a corrupt life (2 Sam.17:23). It is true that Samson chose to kill himself in return for the death of thousands of idol worshippers who died with him. Besides, there are those who admire the ones who died in the stronghold of Massada who chose to kill themselves and their families rather than be captured by the Romans. Nevertheless, suicide in the mind of the public is a sin of despair; and the fire of hell is the sentence brought against those who commit it. The historian Josephus mentions this when he says that it is necessary to bury the bodies of the enemies promptly; but those who have committed suicide are left without burial until sunset and as a form of punishment. He mentions that in some nations the custom was to cut off the right hand of the person who had committed suicide since it had the audacity to separate the body from the soul. Consequently, the hand was separated from the body. This was the prevalent thought of the Jews during the time of Christ They considered suicide a sin. This was in total opposition to many Greek scholars who considered suicide an act of bravery that is praise worthy. These scholars believed that through suicide a person ends his temporary life and transports himself to enjoy a long and honorable life. The Lord Jesus Christ exposes the reason for their ignorance concerning Him. The reason why they could not understand from where He had come and where He was going: It arises from the difference between His nature and theirs. It is as though He is telling them: “You are able to practice the act of killing, even that of killing yourselves, because you come from below and because there is nothing godly within you. You are from below: earthly, physical, and satanic. 41 Commentary on John, Book 19:114 42 Commentary on John, Book 19;119 43St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 38:2 https://coptic-treasures.com/ They are from the earth and earthly; He is from heaven: the infinite Creator. Therefore they need to comprehend His divinity and believe in Him. For “… if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (24). * In thus passage, the Lord is referring to earthly thoughts and physical aspirations as He says: .”.. I am not of this world.” It is not a denial that he became incarnate, but it does indicate that He is far removed from their craftiness. St. John Chrysostom Origen comments that those who are from below ultimately belong to this world. However not everyone who is of this world comes out of it. Indeed, a person can be a citizen of heaven (Phil 3:20). Besides, even though a person proceeds from below and is of the world, yet it is possible for him/her to be transformed. They could become from above and so no longer belong to this world. * Such a person resolves not to belong to this world any more; for he was from below and of this world and chose to be transformed and be born from above… therefore the Lord tells his disciples: “Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you...” (John 15:19). Indeed the Savior came to call and save those who are lost (Lk 19:10). Besides, He came to transfer those who are from below and those who have been registered as citizens, whose names have been moved from among those from below to those who belong above. He is the same Lord who has descended to all the levels below the earth and for the sake of those who were waiting there (Eph. 4:9-10). He is also the same One who has ascended above all the heavens and has prepared the way for those who seek Him. These have become His true disciples walking in the path that leads to matters above the heavens- in other words, intangible matters44. * Pay attention, if you want to learn who is from below according to the Holy Bible, and who is from above; then know that ‘ the treasure of every person is found in his/her heart’ (Matt. 6:21). He who stores his treasure on earth comes from below as a result of such action. Whereas when someone stores his treasure in heaven (Matt. 6:20), then he is born from above and bears the image of the heavenly Man (John 3:3, 1 Cor. 15:49). By ascending into the heavens, such a person fully attains his heavenly destination45. * It is possible to state that a person from below practices the deeds of the flesh, whereas the one from above bears the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22). Again it is possible to state that a person from below loves this world whereas a person who loves God comes from above according to St. John’s words (1 John 2:15). A person who does not love the world, nor the things in the world, is not of the world. Rather that person says “But God forbid that I should glory except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world (Gal. 6:14-16)46. Origen * What does the Lord say to those who carry earthly features? He says to them “You are from beneath” (Jn 8:23)… Therefore you bear the taste of the earth since you like the earth just as the snakes do. You eat the earth, …what does this mean? You get nourished by earthly matters and find pleasure in them. You open your mouth to 44 Commentary on John, Book 19:135-137 45 Commentary on John, Book 19:138 46 Commentary on John, Book 19:139 https://coptic-treasures.com/ speak of worldly things, and your hearts do not seek heavenly matters. “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world,” [23]. But how could He be from below while He is the One who has created the world? All those who are from below have come after the world had been created; indeed the world preceded them. Consequently, man comes from the world. Since the Lord Jesus Christ has existed before the world, and there was nothing at all that existed before Him, for “In the beginning was the word, …and all things were made through him” (John 1:1,3). Therefore He comes from Him who is above… from the Father himself. There is no one above God and He created the Word equal to him and in everlasting fellowship with Him ; the only Son since time infinite, who has laid the basis of time47. * Dear brothers, the Lord had explained to us what He intends us to understand concerning His accusers: “You are from beneath.” He is actually saying, “You are of this world” for they were sinners, wicked, unbelievers, and had the aroma of earthly things... But what did the Lord Himself tell the apostles? “…I chose you out of the world” (John 15:19). Therefore those who were from beneath were transformed into persons who were not from beneath. They began to belong to the Lord Jesus Christ who created the world. As for those (the Jews) who continued to be from beneath, they were told that “…(they) will die in (their) sin” (24)48. * He who has created the world has come to you and saved you from this world. If the world dazzles you, then you wish to be impure forever. But if the world ceases to dazzle you, then you are truly pure. However, if the world still appeals to you due to certain defects, then let the One who has the power to purify you live in you. As a result, you will become pure as well49. St. Augustine “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins, for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” [24]. * The Lord came fore this reason: to take away the sins of the world; for it is impossible for mankind to get rid of them except through washing them away. Therefore it is necessary for the person who believes not to depart from this world while bearing the old man. As long as a person does not, through faith, kill the old man, bury, and die in him (the old man), then he will go to that place and be punished for his earlier sins50. St. John Chrysostom * Since a person who does not believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah dies in his sins, then clearly a person who believes in him does not die in his sins. However a person, who dies in sin, even though he claims to believe, is still an unbeliever because he is merely concerned with the truth; and his claim to faith is void of deeds. Such faith is, therefore, a dead one; and is similar to that kind which is mentioned in the epistles. In the epistle of James, such faith is condemned (James 2:17)51. * Therefore, who is that person who believes, or who is convinced to have a nature that agrees with the Word and unites with Him? Such a person does not commit the sin which is 47 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 38:4 48 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 38:6 49 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 38:6 50 Hom 53.PG 59:311 51 Commentary on John, Book 19:152 https://coptic-treasures.com/ described as one leading to death (1 Jn 5:16). That person does not sin – according to these verses – and does not resist in any manner the upright word but lives according to the words: “whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God…” 52. * He who believes that the Word was with God since the beginning (Jn 1:1) would never do any unreasonable act as he meditates upon God’s word. And whoever believes that the Lord is our peace (Eph 2:14) does not wish to engage in any conflict, such as those who delight in war or seek to arouse trouble. Moreover, since the Lord Jesus Christ is the wisdom of God as well as His power (1 Cor 1:24); then a person who believes in Him, and that He is the source of power, will not be weak in doing good works…. For we believe that He is the source of stability and power based on the verse, “And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you” (Ps 39:7). Therefore, when we surrender to anxiety, we reveal that we do not believe in Him who grants stability. And if we become weak, then we do not really believe that He is the power53. Origen The Jews are miserable because they die in their sins and not because they commit sin. This is what every Christian needs to avoid, and it is why we accept baptism. It is also why those who are in danger due to sickness or some other problems seek help; and why a mother carries, with pure hands, her child to church. She does not want him to go out into the world without baptism. Otherwise, he would die in the sin with which he/she was born54. * If you believe that I am He, you will not die in your sins. The Lord brings hope to those who are fearful. There is hope for those who are asleep; for they will wake up and their hearts will enjoy constant renewal. Indeed, after the Lord’s crucifixion, many believed. The Bible testifies that many were members of Christ, but had not yet joined His Holy Body. Indeed, some of those who had crucified and hung Him up on the Cross, later became members in the Lord. They had mocked Him as He hung up there, and the one who had struck His side with the sword, as well as those who had offered Him vinegar to drink…. Of all these, the Lord said: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do”55. St. Augustine Referring to the Lord’s words, “… if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins,” St. Augustine comments that the Lord Jesus Christ intended to remind them of the words God had spoken to Moses, “I am who I AM” (Ex 3). This was God’s answer when Moses asked him about his name. By this, God indicates that He is the beginning; He is the past, the present, and the future56. Then they said to him: “Who are you?” And Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning…” [25] The Lord’s answer to them could be restated as follows: “I am the beginning”, or ‘Arche.’ Just as I have spoken to you in the Old Testament, I have not changed. From the beginning, it has been written that from the seed of the woman, the head of the snake shall be 52 Commentary on John, Book 19:153 53 Commentary on John, Book 19:155-157 54 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 38:6 55 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 38:7 56 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 38 https://coptic-treasures.com/ bruised (Gen. 3:15). This is the essence of the faith of the fathers (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob). The Lord Jesus Christ is the Intercessor achieving the promise and the subject of the prophecies. From the beginning of His service, He declared to the Jews that He is the Son of God, the Bread of Life. Why did they continue to ask this question which He had answered repeatedly. The Lord informed them that He is the Savior of the world. Yet they asked, ‘Who are you that you threaten in this manner? What authority do you have over us?’ * It is as though the Lord was telling them: “You are totally unqualified to hear My words or even learn who I am. For everything you say is with the purpose of testing Me, and you have not considered anything of My teachings. I could use all these matters as testimonies against you.” This is the implication of this verse57. St. John Chrysostom * Those who had heard the Lord teaching with great authority were obliged to ask who it was who uttered these words. The Savior then proclaimed, “ … if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” [24]. Thus He reveals that He is greater than any human being. Indeed, He bears the divine nature58 . Origen “I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world these things which I heard of Him.” [26] The Lord declares that He can expose their reality since He discerns all hidden things. He knows about their pride, their wickedness, and their hatred of the light. He knows about their jealousy towards what is true, their blasphemy, and their lack of faith and their evil intentions regarding Him. What the prophets have said about you is true. Nevertheless, now is not a time of judgment but rather it is time for salvation. The Lord teaches us here that we should not say all the things we know, especially concerning the wickedness in others. Conversely, He asks us to seek people to repent, and to return to the truth and so enjoy fellowship with God. * It is as though the Lord is saying, ‘Since the Father has sent Me to save the world, which is a good purpose, therefore, I do not judge anyone now. Indeed, I speak these words that lead to your salvation, and not those intended to condemn you.’ St. John Chrsystom ‘They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.’ [27] Because the devil had blinded them, and so they thought that the Lord was speaking about His physical father who lived in Galilee, and not about the Father who is His Father. Then Jesus said to them, “ When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.” [28] Crucifying Him marks the peak of their wickedness. It is only then that they will realize that they have crucified the Lord of Glory. This reality will be revealed to them as a result of the signs that will occur during and after His crucifixion, as well as at His resurrection after that. The burned offering was called ‘a raising.’ In many of the litanies of offering and sacrifices, the meat was lifted up and moved before the Lord. In the same manner, the Lord was 57 Hom 53 PG 59:311 58 Commentary on John, Book 19:159 https://coptic-treasures.com/ lifted up on the Cross. During the Divine Liturgy, the instance when the priest chooses the lamb is called ‘the lifting of the lamb.’ The priest places the lamb (the Bread) in a cloth and lifts it up to his forehead as he prays, “Glory and honor; honor and glory to the Holy Trinity.” Sometimes, in the Holy Bible, ‘lift’ is used to indicate ‘to glorify.’ St. Peter the apostle uses it in this sense in his sermon on the day of Pentecost, “Therefore, being exalted to the right hand of God” (Acts 2:23). St. Paul also uses this word in the same sense, “Therefore, God also has highly exalted him…” (Phil 2:9). In the Old Testament, Joseph says, “Now within three days, Pharaoh will lift up your head to restore you to your place” (Gen 40:13). The word ‘lift’ is also used to imply humiliation or death; as when Joseph said, “Within three days, Pharaoh will lift off your head from you and hang you on a tree” (Gen 40:19). Here, when the Lord says, “…When you lift up the Son of Man”, we find both meanings. From their perspective, they will lift Him up on the Cross in shame and embarrassment. However, from the perspective of the Father, He will raise and glorify Him; for through the Cross all the power of Satan is publicly exposed and denounced (Col. 2:15). * The Lord did not say, “You will know who I am,” but rather, “You will know that I am He.” In other words they would know that that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God. ‘He bears all things and I am not against that One …for you will know my power and the oneness of thought with the Father.’ Actually, the Lord says, “…I do nothing of myself, but as my Father taught me, I speak these things” [28]. With these words, the Lord proclaims that in essence He is like the Father himself; He does not utter anything except that which is in the mind of the Father59. St. John Chrysostom * What does all this mean? It seems that all He has said is that they would know who He is after He undergoes all the sufferings. Undoubtedly, the Lord knew that He would reveal Himself to some of them such as those saints He had chosen and whom he foreknew before the foundation of the world. These would believe after the fact of His sufferings. …He appears to say, “I will not be concerned with your enlightenment and will postpone that until my sufferings are over.” This does not mean that all who had heard Him would believe only after His passion because the Bible reports, a few verses later on, that “As He spoke these words, many believed in Him” [30]. However the Son of Man had not been lifted up as yet. The ‘lifting up’ that the Lord is talking about here refers to His sufferings and not to His glorification. It refers to the Cross and not to heaven, yet He was also glorified there when He was hung on Cross60. * These words were intended to comfort those who might despair on account of a sense of guilt. This is reinforced by hearing the Lord as He forgave those who put Him to death. 59 Hom 53. PG 59:311 60 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 40:2 https://coptic-treasures.com/ * “…I do nothing of myself…” [28]. What does this mean? That I am not alone for the Son is God and He proceeds from the Father. However, the Father is God but does not proceed from the Son. The Son is God proceeding from God; the Father is God but does not proceed from a God. The Son is light from light and the Father is light but not from light. The Son is an entity yet there is an entity from whom He proceeds. The Father is an entity but there is not an entity from whom He proceeds61. * How did the Father talk with the Son? Did He talk to Him? According to the Lord’s words “…as my Father taught me, I speak these things…” [28]. When the Father taught the Son, did He use words such as those you use when you talk to your son? How could the Father use words when He is talking to the Word? How many innumerable words would have to be used when talking with the One Word? Does the Son bring His ear close to the Father’s mouth? All these are physical considerations …discard them from your hearts, for God speaks to our hearts without a voice as we have indicated earlier. Therefore how much more does He speak to His Son? The Father speaks to His Son in an intangible manner since He gave birth to the Son in a non-physical manner as well. God did not teach His Son as though He was conceived without knowledge. Therefore ‘taught’ here conveys that He was born with full knowledge …the Son has received knowledge from the Father from whom He has also received His being. This does not mean that He was born first and then received knowledge. Rather it conveys that as the Father at birth brought Him into being, so at birth too He gave Him knowledge. It is a natural simple fact since His being is not something different from His knowledge; both are One and the same62. St. Augustine “And He who sent me is with me. The Father has not left me alone, for I always do thins that please Him” [29]. They seemed to possess the authority to kill Him. Yet this did not mean that the Father had abandoned Him. He is always with Him and they are never apart. What the Son does is pleasing to the Father; and so the Son was going to obey the Father and sacrifice Himself in order to save the world. * So that they would not think that the Lord’s words “He who sent me” indicates a deficiency in Him, He adds: “He…is with me.” While the words ‘sent me’ refer to God’s plan, the words ‘is with me’ refer to His divinity. The Lord also clarifies that His actions on the Sabbath are pleasing to His Father as He says: “…for I always do those things that please Him.” Indeed the Lord Jesus Christ struggled intensely to reveal that He never acted contrary to the will of His Father. St. John Chrysostom “…He who sent Me is with Me” [29] …this equality in being is ‘permanent’, and has no beginning or follow up …indeed there is no beginning and no end. This is because the divine birth has no beginning in time since time itself has been created by the Only Son63. 61 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 40:2 62 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 40:5 63 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 40:6 https://coptic-treasures.com/ St. Augustine ‘As He spoke these words, many believed in Him [30]. Whereas the Scribes and Pharisees stumbled due to His words and teachings, many of the people believed in Him. Just as the sun which dries up the mud is the same sun which melts wax, so were the Lord’s words: the words which carried the aroma of life to the living, were the same which carried death to those who were dead. The Greek word for ‘believed’ implies they believed the truth. However, it does not convey the firm and living faith; for in their hearts and minds they expected to see the Messiah in the terms of their material and political world: a Messiah who would liberate them from the Roman occupation and reinstate in the world the honor of their nation. * Many of the Jews believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, yet it was not with full faith. They believed the simple notions of the faith; but they chose what was convenient and comforting to them. St. John Chrysostom. 4. Spiritual Freedom “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed’” [31]. As the Lord’s teachings began to affect the hearts of those who believed, the Lord turned his attention from the proud Pharisees to the simple believers. They were beginners and He wanted to speak to them about inner liberty. He wanted to carry them, from mere belief that had no spiritual depth, to steadfastness in Him, as well as constant growth and fellowship with Him. They were weak in their faith, but as a Shepherd He carried them in the palms of His hands; tenderly and gently. He opened the door of true discipleship to them which provides constancy and steadfastness in His word. It is not sufficient to join His school, for they have to be steadfast. Consequently, they would enjoy constant and unceasing growth. Many have appeared to be disciples and carried His name, but they have not persevered in His word. True discipleship to him involves constancy in Him and enjoying fellowship with Him. As long as we live, we need to belong to His school, and be serious about knowing and enjoying Him in a practical manner. Truly, we have accepted the divine Truth, yet we need to walk in His way. We need to love and hold on to Him and preserve Him within us. * The Lord speaks these words in order to achieve the result that takes place after that: “As He spoke these words, many believed in Him” [30]. He spoke in the treasury where the poor came to obtain what they could and what was distributed to them. Therefore, many believed; but there were many who did not know Him. Among those who believed, there were those who remained steadfast in His teachings and these became His true disciples. For this reason, not many knew Him, since they did not become liberated when He delivered the Truth [33]. Indeed, only a few wake up and attain freedom. Who are those who knew him, or those who lift Him up? According to the Lord’s words: ‘When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He” [refer to verse 28]. Now, no one is given milk to drink while He prepares himself to eat solid food (1 Cor. 3:2; Rom. 5:12). Such a person therefore says: “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2)64. Origen 64 Commentary on John, Book 19:65-68 https://coptic-treasures.com/ * In order to become a disciple, it is not enough to just come. You also need to continue (be steadfast). That is why the Lord did not say: ‘If you have heard My words’ or ‘if you come to My word,’ or ‘if you praise My word.’ Notice he says, “ If you abide (continue) in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” [31- 31]. What do we say, my brothers? That we abide (persevere) in the Word of God…. Is that a hard thing to do or what? If it is hard, then let us look forward at the great reward. If it is not hard, then you would have been rewarded for nothing. Let us abide (continue) in Him who abides in us. If we do not abide in Him, we will fall. As for the Lord, if He does not abide in us, He will not have lost a resting place. Indeed, He excels as He rests in the Father who is One with Him and never abandons Him. God forbid that man abides within his own self, for he loses himself by such an action. Therefore, we abide in Him out of our need, whereas the Lord abides in us out of His mercy towards us65. * What does “If we abide” convey? If you build on the rock…”(Matt 7:24) How great this is, my brothers!… What is the reward? “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” ‘Bear and listen to Me, for you are aware that My voice is soft. Help Me by listening quietly.’ What a glorious reward! “You shall know the truth.” Now, someone might say, “What do I benefit by knowing the truth?” “The truth shall make you free.” If the truth does not appeal to you, then let liberty have its appeal In Latin, the word “liberate” carries two meanings. We are used to hearing this word applied to someone who is free, to indicate that he has escaped from some danger or surmounted some obstacle. However, the appropriate meaning for liberation is ‘to be safe’, ‘to be healed’ and to ‘be perfect.’ In this sense, to be liberated means to be free66. St. Augustine Knowledge of the truth does not imply mere theoretical knowledge. Rather, it signifies having experienced and united with the truth. * Notice that the Holy Bible does not state in other passages that those who unite with any object/someone and become one, get to know that other object with whom they have become associated and preoccupied. Before such a unity and fellowship existed, they did not know anything about that object/person until they learned some information from the descriptions offered to them. For example, Adam said to Eve,” This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh.” (Gen 2:23) Till then, Adam had not known his wife, but when he got attached to her, we are told: “Now Adam knew Eve his wife.” (Gen 4:1) Those who find it hard to accept our use of the expression ‘Adam knew Eve his wife’ as an example of the manner in which we know God, let them consider the following: First, this is a great mystery (Eph 5:23). Then compare how the apostle uses the same words he used about the male and female to speak about the relationship between man and God. “Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot in one body with her? For ‘the two,’ he says, ‘shall become one 65 Sermon on N.T. Lessons, 84:1 66 Sermon on N.T. Lessons, 84:2 https://coptic-treasures.com/ flesh.’ But he who is joined with the Lord is one spirit with Him.” (1Cor 6:16). Consequently, he who adheres to a harlot knows a harlot, and he who adheres to a wife knows the wife. This applies even more truly to a person who adheres to God, and consequently gets to know God in a sacred manner. Since this is so, then the Pharisess neither knew the Father nor the Son67. Origen * ‘If you abide (continue) in the faith which has just begun in you now, you who believe, what will be your destination?’ Look at the nature of the beginning and where it will lead you. You love the foundation and are concerned with the peak. Pray while you are at this simple, yet sublime height. For faith needs humility; yet, knowledge, immortality, and eternity demand sublimity and not earthly qualities. They demand heights, fulfillment, eternal stability and complete liberation from hostile attacks or fears of failure. These are great things which have their beginnings in faith but are often belittled. When a building is constructed, those who have no experience often give little attention to the foundations. A great pit is dug and stones are thrown everywhere and in any way. There is no decoration or beauty. In spite of that, all that enchants us about the tree arises from the roots. Look at the roots and you will not be enchanted; look at the tree and you will be astonished by its beauty. Foolish person! What you admire grows out of what does not enchant you. Similarly, the faith of believers appears to be a trivial matter and you have no scale by which to measure it. Let us therefore listen to what faith has to offer. Let us consider its greatness as the Lord says in another passage, “…if you have faith as a mustard seed” (Matt. 17:20). What could be less significant than that? Yet what greater energy spreads from it? What would be smaller than that? Yet what could spread more powerfully from that seed? The Lord says “If you abide in My word,” that is if you believe. So where will that lead you? “…You are My disciples indeed” [31]. What benefit does this bring to them? “…You shall know the truth”68 [32]. St. Augustine * “If you abide in My word”; these are words uttered by Him who reveals what is in their hearts. He knows that they have believed, but will not continue in their faith after that. So here the Lord is giving them a great promise that they will become His disciples. Some had already abandoned Him. So here He is referring to these as He says “If you abide…” For the others had heard and believed, yet they had abandoned Him and did not remain steadfast; “…many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more” (John 6:66)69. St. John Chrysostom “And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” [32]. The Lord is speaking, here, about knowledge that arises from practice and experience. These are powerful means that promote true discipleship to Him and result in inner freedom. As long as sin is found in man, then it has not yet been destroyed and he/she is unable to live 67 Commentary on John, Book 19:22-24 68 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 40:8 69 Homilies on St. John 54:1 https://coptic-treasures.com/ in the spirit of an adopted child. In the baptismal waters, we have been granted that Spirit and can call the Father “our Father” (Rom. 8:15). Slavery to sin is the most dangerous form of slavery, and getting liberated from it is the greatest form of freedom. A person who knows the truth and abides in it- in other words, who knows the Lord Jesus Christ and embraces Him- becomes liberated from the slavery of sin. He gets to have the thoughts of the Lord which are in harmony with the will of God. Consequently, such a person lives in perfect freedom according to the will of the Creator. He is the Liberator who says “The spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has annointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives…” (Is. 61:1). On the Cross, the Lord has liberated us from our sins and their slavery. And with His resurrection, He has granted us His divine righteousness. Indeed, we are no longer slaves to sin. His holy word has liberated us from slavery to the literal word. Therefore we may live with the free spirit as children of God. As a result, we are able to experience the heavenly life as those who enter into the heavenly Jerusalem who is our free mother. Had they not attained such knowledge while the Lord spoke to them? If they did not have knowledge, then how did they believe? They believed in order to know and not because they already knew. We believe so that we might know and not vice versa; for what we will get to know “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man...”(Is 64:4; 1 Cor 2:9). For what is faith other than believing what you have not seen as yet?70 * “And you shall know the truth”: the truth is unchangeable. The truth is bread that nourishes our minds and never fails. He changes those who eat Him while He does not undergo change within those who have been filled with Him. The truth is the Word of God…the only Son. This truth became incarnate for our sakes; He was to be born of the holy Virgin Mary and so fulfill the prophecy:” Truth shall spring out of the earth” (Ps 85:11). Therefore the truth, who was speaking to the Jews, was concealed in the flesh. However, He was not concealed in order to be denied but in order to delay His revelation.This was delayed so that he may suffer in the flesh: and He suffered in the flesh in order to liberate it from sin. Consequently, He appeared wholly weak physically; and His Divine glory was wholly concealed71. St. Augustine * “And you shall know the truth”: in other words, you shall know Me for I am the truth. All the Judaic teachings are symbols, but you will know the truth in Me, and this shall liberate you from your sins. The Lord did not say:’ I will liberate you from slavery’ for He left it to them to reach this conclusion72. St. John Chrysostom They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been I bondage to anyone, how can you say, ‘ you will be made free’?” [33] It is clear that they did not comprehend the Lord’s teachings about ‘freedom.’ They 70 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 40:9 71 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 41:1 72 Homilies on St. John 54:1 https://coptic-treasures.com/ considered his invitation to enjoy freedom an insult to them. For they were the children of Abraham who was free and who called God ‘his Friend’ (Is. 41:8). The Jews used to boast that they were descendants of that great father. Rabbi Akiba, who died in the year 135 A.D. approximately, says: [Even the poorest people in Israel are considered free people, even those who have lost all their belongings, for they are the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The whole nation holds dearly to this special honor of being related to these great fathers and this had nothing to do with their economic status]. This is how the Jews felt at the time of the Lord Jesus Christ. They believed that their physical lineage from Abraham liberated them. However, we read of the foolish rich man in hell, pleading to Abraham his father and saying:’ Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame.’ (Lk. 16:24). How did they dare say “we have never been in bondage to anyone” [33]? Were they not slaves to the Egyptians and liberated by Moses? Had they not been enslaved several times by neighboring nations in the era of the Judges? Were they not in bondage in Babel for seventy years? And finally, were they not paying taxes to the Roman Caesar? People who are materialistic do not pay attention to inner bondage. Their whole concern is focused on physical lusts. * This is what the Jews boasted about: ‘We are Abraham’s descendants’; ‘we are Israelites.’ Yet they never indicated or referred to their righteous deeds. That is why St. John shouted out, telling them: “… and do not think to say to yourselves, we have Abraham as out Father” (Matt 3:9). Why did the Lord not embarrass them since they had often been in bondage under the Egyptians, Babylonians and many other nations?. Because He did not seek to honor Himself, but sought their salvation and benefit. Therefore He was mounting His pressure with that goal in mind… He was not seeking to reveal that they were slaves to people; but that they were slaves to sin. This is dangerous slavery and no one can liberate them from that except God alone73. St. John Chrysostom * Every person - Jew, Greek, rich, or poor- having authority or public office- emperor or beggar- “whoever commits sin is a slave of sin” [34]. If people recognized their bondage, they would know how to attain freedom. A person who is born free is transformed from a free person to a slave if he is captured by barbarians. If another person hears about that, feels compassion, and decides to use his money as a ransom, he goes to the barbarians and redeems the captive. In such a manner that man’s liberty is restored as he is released from the injustice... We ask the redeemed person: ‘Have you erred?’ He answers: ‘I have.’ Therefore do not boast about yourself that you have been redeemed. And you, who have redeemed him, do not boast. Indeed you should both turn to the true Redeemer, the Lord, who partially considers those who commit sins as slaves; while they are really considered dead ones. What men should fear is the bondage that sin actually inflicts upon them. Why? Is it because they appear to be alive? Have these words been wrongly quoted: “… let the dead bury their own dead?” (Matt 8:22). Therefore all those under the bondage of sin are dead and enslaved to death: they are dead in their service and servants (slaves) in their death74. * Who is He who liberates from death and slavery other than He who is free and “adrift 73 Homilies on St. John 54:1 74 Sermon on N.T. Lessons, 84:3 https://coptic-treasures.com/ among the dead” (Ps 88:5)? Who is the One “adrift among the dead” other than the One who has no sin yet living among sinners? The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, our Savior, declares that:” The ruler of this world is coming and he has nothing in Me” (Jn 14:30). The (ruler of this world) catches those who are deceived and lured by him, and all those whom he urges to commit sin and he is the one who “has nothing in Me.” Come, O Lord, come, O Savior. May the captive get to know you, may the one who has been captured escape to you, Be a Savior to him.! When I was lost, the One who came in the flesh found me while Satan found nothing in Him. The ruler of this world found my body; but what kind of body did he find? He found a dead body that he could catch, crucify and kill! O Deceiver, you have erred! The Lord cannot be deceived … you found that He had a body that is susceptible to death, yet it was not a sinful body though in the form of one: “God…by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh” (Rom 8:3). He was in the flesh, yet not in sinful flesh but “in the likeness of sinful flesh.” With what purpose? :“…that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the spirit” (Rom 8:4). No one who claims to be free continues to be a slave. May our spirits not remain in bondage, for He forgives our sins (debts) day by day75. * Speaking about freedom in this life: where is the truth in their claim that they “have never been in bondage to anyone”? Was Joseph not sold (Gen 37:28)? Have the holy prophets not been captured and held in exile (2 Kings 24; Ex 1:1)? Another instance again, did not this nation, who used to make milk in Egypt, have to serve under vigorous rulers with hard bondagenot engaged in the gold or silver business- but in making bricks, and all manner of service in the field (Ex 1:14)? O you ungrateful nation, if you had never been enslaved then why was the Lord constantly reminding you that He has saved you from bondage (Ex 13:3; Deut 5:6)?…How did you pay the taxes to the Romans, and through that have set up a trap by which to catch the truth when you asked “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” You did so in order to accuse Him promptly of insulting the freedom of Abraham’s descendants should He have condoned such payment. At the same time, should he have expressed opposition, you would have complained before the kings of the earth that He opposes the payment of taxes to them76. St. Augustine Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin…” [34] This awesome opening “Most assuredly I say to you” introduces a fearful proclamation. The Lord uses this very often when He launches on a matter of extreme seriousness. In this respect, He is different from the prophets who used the words: “This is what the Lord says.” They did so because they were God’s faithful servants; whereas the Lord Jesus Christ speaks for Himself and in his own right as the Son of God and says “I say to you.” “Whoever commits sin is a slave of sin’: there is no righteous man who has never sinned. Yet not everyone who commits a mistake is a slave of sin. By saying, ‘whoever commits sin’; the Lord refers to those who intend to commit sin and prefer it over the righteousness of God. These prefer the path of wickedness over the path of holiness (Jer. 44:16-17). By such behavior, they make a treaty with sin and accept it as their law: they allow sin to dictate their physical lusts and love of the world. 75 Sermon on N.T. Lessons, 84:6 76 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 41:2 https://coptic-treasures.com/ A person realizes his/her bondage to sin as he practices it. At first, one may believe that he is in control and has the right to obey or reject a certain sin. However, once sin has access, it holds the steering wheel directing the soul. Then a person gradually loses control over his will. It is as though sin is a drug which is hard to get rid of. Consequently, the person is manipulated according to the sin’s whims. This leads him to do things he never imagined he would ever do. According to the Desert Fathers, when sin occupies a place in man’s heart or mind and reigns over him, it exposes him to other sins. These may dominate him too, while leading him into a chain of sins which he cannot conquer on his own. *‘Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.” He is a slave of sin: what a fate for man, and for sin! Who would not tremble before these words? May our Lord and God grant us-you and Ito speak properly about such freedom. May we seek it, and avoid such bondage. What a miserable bondage! When mankind suffers from wicked masters who demand us basically that we change our Master. What does a slave of sin do? To whom does he bring his needs? To whom does he pray for salvation?... Where does he escape from sin while he carries (his master) where ever he goes. The wicked conscience cannot escape from itself and there is no where to which he can go. Indeed, a person cannot withdraw from himself because sin abides within him, he commits sin in order to attain some physical pleasure… The pleasure passes away while sin remains. What makes him rejoice transpires while the thorn remains after it. What a wicked bondage! Let us all escape and go to the Lord. Let us voice our rebellion against sin to God who is our Savior. Let us pray that we get sold so that He may redeem us with His blood; for He says:” you have sold yourselves for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money” (Is 52:3). Without money on your side due to Me. This is what the Lord says because He has paid the price, not with money but with his own Blood. Otherwise we would have continued to be needy slaves77. St. Augustine “And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever” [35]. The Lord is probably referring here to the exile of Ishmael and how he lost his inheritance (Gen. 21:10-14). A slave has no right to the inheritance of the family who has raised him; whereas the legal son has that right. The legal son has also the right to grant freedom to any slave of the family, and to deal with his inheritance in whatever manner he wishes. The freedom of which the Jews boasted was a hallucination and an imaginary one, for they possessed neither inner nor outward freedom. This is the result of inner sin: it tricks its slaves into hallucinations of freedom. They get to believe that by living wickedly they are living a fee and unrestrained existence. They imagine that they are demolishing what they believe to be bonds of goodness and faith. True freedom is found in the Lord Jesus Christ. In Him, the believer sees the law of true love even if the price is self sacrifice for others. True freedom has divine potentials for the believer as he enjoys fellowship with the Divine Nature. No imaginations or materialistic transient factors can captivate him. On the contrary, the believer finds pleasure in harmonizing his will with that of God, his heavenly Father. * If you wonder, why does the Lord mention ‘the house’ when he speaks and reminds 77 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 41:3-4 https://coptic-treasures.com/ them of their sins? Our answer would be: To demonstrate that just as the master holds authority in his own house, so does He have power and is Master of the creation. By saying .”..does not abide”, the Lord refers to the lack of power to grant privileges since the slave is not master of the house. However, the son is lord of the house and that is why He says “… a son abides forever”: as a metaphor borrowed from the context of human life. So that they would not say: ‘who are you’, the Lord said: “Everything belongs to Me; I am the Son who lives in my Father’s house.” By using the word ‘house’ the Lord reveals His power. In another passage, the Lord calls the kingdom His ‘Father’s house’: “In my Father’s house are many mansions…” (Jn 14:2). Because in this passage His teachings focus specifically on freedom and bondage, the Lord uses metaphors in order to inform them that they have no power by which they could enjoy freedom (nor to receive forgiveness.)78 St. John Chrysostom * Many sinners come into the church. That is why the Lord did not say: ‘the slave is not in the house’ but rather said “…a slave does not abide in the house forever.” Our hope, dear brothers, is that we become free through Him who is free. By liberating us, He will transform us into slaves. We were slaves to lust, but when we are liberated, He transforms us into slaves of love. This is also echoed in the words of the apostle: “for you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” (Gal 5:13). Therefore, a Christian person does not say: ‘I am free, I have been called to freedom. I was a slave and have been liberated and through my redemption I have became free to do whatever pleases me. No one can oppose my will since I am free...’ Do not damage your freedom by committing sin, rather, use it by not falling into sin. You become truly free only when you have a sanctified will. You are free even though you are still a slave, liberated from sin, and serving righteousness. The apostle accordingly says: “for when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard of righteousness” (Rom 6:20,22)79. St. Augustine “Therefore if the son makes you fee, you shall be free indeed” [36]. St. John Chrysostom comments that in these verses the Son reveals his equality with the Father regarding authority; for only God justifies and condemns (Rom. 8:33,34).The Son has no sin and grants freedom from sin; and this is an authority that belongs to God only. The Lord, moreover, indicates that the liberty they think they possess is not a genuine one. However, the liberty that the Son grants is the real one: “…you shall be free indeed”80. * The Lord came in the flesh, that is in the likeness of the sinful flesh (Rom 8:3).But he did not come in the flesh of a sinner, for there was no sin whatsoever in Him. On that account, He became the offering for sin; for there was no sin in Him81. * Truly He grants us liberty from sin as He is fully entitled to do so. Accordingly, He says in the Psalms: “I am like a man who has no strength, adrift among the dead” (Ps 88:4,n5). Therefore He was the only free one who had no sin. When He says: “…the ruler of this world is coming…” the Lord is referring to Satan who will appear in the persons of the Jews who would 78 Homilies on St. John 54:2 79 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 41:8 80 Homilies on St. John 54:2 81 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 41:5 https://coptic-treasures.com/ persecute Him and “He has nothing in Me” (Jn 1430,31). This is why no trace of sin will be found in the Lord as well as in any of those who are killed and are righteous martyrs. ‘Satin will have nothing in Me…I am not paying the price of death due to my sins; but I die to fulfill My Father’s will. In so doing I will tolerate death; even though I could have avoided suffering had I wished not to suffer.’ In another context, the Lord explains: “…I have power to lay it (my life) down, and I have power to take it again” (Jn 10:18). Here we definitely have the words of Him who is free among the dead82. * Just as a doctor detests the disease of the patient and uses all the medical means to remove it and heal the suffering one; so does God work, through grace, in man in order to remove sin and liberate us. * The apostle accordingly declares what we are about to acknowledge: “For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man” (Rom 7:22). That is the moment when we become free as we rejoice in the word of God, because freedom brings joy. As long as you practice goodness out of fear, then the Lord will not be the reason for your joy. May your joy arise from Him so that you may become free. Do not fear punishment, but rather love righteousness. Do you still dislike righteousness? Then fear judgment in order to be granted the love of righteousness83. St. Augustine “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you” [37] It is good for the Jews to boast that they are descendants of Abraham, but why have they not followed in the spirit of their father in his faith and obedience to God? Why did they not confirm their lineage through their deeds rather than seeking to kill the Lord Jesus Christ? Since killing the innocent is considered a great crime, then how would you judge the act of killing the King of Kings? Abraham, in complete obedience and faith, offered his dear son as a burnt offering to God. Here we find them in total rebellion as they seek the death of the dear Son of God! They boast of their lineage from Abraham who was given the promise to be the father of numerous nations. Although the time for the fulfillment of the promise had come; and that the Lord had come from Abraham’s lineage to gather all Abraham’s spiritual children; yet here we find the Jews seeking to kill the Him. The mystery behind their rebellion against the truth; and their lack of pleasure in the blessings which their farther Abraham enjoyed, is declared here in the Lord’s words: “…because My word has no place in you.” They did not leave a place in their hearts for the words of the Lord who is himself the truth. Due to the envy and hate that filled their heats, there was no possibility for truth to enter. When a person shuts the doors of his heart with physical lust and love of the world, then there is no place for truth to enter and fill him. Truth does not force His way in when He is not welcomed. When He is welcomed, he enters as though into His house, takes charge of the steering wheel in order to direct all the motions of the heart, thought, feelings, and senses. Consequently, such a person is transformed through divine grace into a spiritual being led by the Spirit of God. If you boast on account of your lineage from Abraham, then you need to promote yourselves and live in the same manner as he did. The Lord did not say “you have no place for 82 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 41:7 83 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 41:10 https://coptic-treasures.com/ my words” but He said “My word has no place in you” as He was indicating the sublimity of his teachings. In spite of all that, this was not the reason why they wanted to kill him. They wanted to kill him because they did not honor or listen to him with the intention of learning84. St. John Chrysostom Origen offers a distinction between ‘descendants’ and ‘children’ from a literal point of view. Descendants or seeds are put into a woman and she may or may not give birth to a child. This implies that all children are either descendants or seeds, but not all are children. Therefore all those who live in the manner of Abraham are his descendants and children. Whereas those who are his children according to the flesh, but do not walk in his ways, are only descendants and not his true children. Based on that, Origen says that if there is a person who is neither Abraham’s child nor his descendant, then he is not to be blamed, like them, if he is a sinner. This is because he has not had the chance to be born of the seed of a righteous man and grow to be like his father. As for those who are Abraham’s descendants, they should have been counted as his children and they should have walked in their father’s footsteps. Though they are descendants yet they are not true children of Abraham since they do not live according to the ways of their father85. Origen also states: [Abraham became Abraham although he is not an offspring of Abraham (he did not conceive himself) but an offspring from those who came before him. Similarly, it is possible for a person, who sows good seeds in himself, to become another Abraham in spite of not being of his offspring in any way. Yet he possesses the capacity to sow seeds like Abraham86]. The people of Israel lived in the same manner as the Amorites, Hittites, and idol worshippers. Therefore the Bible describes them saying: ‘your father was an Amorite and you mother a Hittite’ (Ezk 16:3). Although they were an offspring of Abraham and descended from Sarah; yet they were considered neither Abraham’s nor Sarah’s children. * This clearly teaches us that we need to interpret the whole story of Abraham symbolically. Besides we need to adopt his ways in a spiritual manner from the very start: “get out of your country, from your kindred, and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.”(Gen 12:1). These words are said to everyone who wishes to be God’s child…and the Lord God who appeared to Abraham will appear to us and promise to grant us the land around the high Terebinth tree as an inheritance to our spiritual descendants (Gen 12:6). Moreover, he who understands the commandment: “must do the works of Abraham”, must build an altar for God who will appear to us where the high Terebinth tree is. From there Abraham had to travel to the mountain, that mountain lies west of Bethel which means “the house of God.” It is for this reason that he set up his tent in Bethel that lies on the west; and Ai lies on the east- ‘Ai’ meaning feasts... If you are the children of Isaac, then live in the ways of Isaac. The same applies to Jacob as well as to all the holy fathers. Conversely, every person who commits sin is considered to be a child of Satan according to the flesh; since “… he who sins is of the devil” (1 Jn 3:8)... That is why we say that every person will return to his fathers upon departing from this life. At the time of departure, it will be imperative to say, not only to Abraham but to all mankind: “Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers…” (Gen 16:15). However, .’..in peace’ is not said to everyone as it applies only to the saints who have retained their righteousness to a 84 Hom 54.PG 59:317-318 85 Commentary on John, Book 20:3 etc 86 Commentary on John, Book 20:16 https://coptic-treasures.com/ good old age. It is said to those who have progressed and enjoyed a long spiritual journey; for ‘understanding comes with old age in mankind’ and ‘the silver- head is a crown of glory’(Prov. 16:31), and an ornament for the truly righteous elders87. Origen * “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants , but you seek to kill me, because My word has no place in you.”.. I know that you are Abraham’s descendants according to your physical origins but not according to a believing heart. If you had received My words, they would have arrested you, and then you would have been caught like fish that is caught in the net of faith. Then what is the meaning of .”..has no place in you”? It has no place in your hearts that are unwilling to receive them. This is how the word of God works; and this is how it should be with believers: it is like what a fishing rod is to fish. It picks the fish when the fish takes it. No harm touches those who are caught for they are caught to be redeemed and not to be destroyed… as for those others, they have inherited the form of the flesh yet they have become separated from Abraham because they rejected to walk in his faith as his true children88. St. Augustine 5- Adopted Children of God or Adopted Children of Satan “I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father”[38]. As the Jews boasted to be children of Abraham and his descendants according to the flesh; the Lord Jesus Christ presented himself to them as the Son of God in nature. He wished them to bond with Him so that they might enjoy adoption as children of God through grace; rather than what has happened to them as adopted children of Satan. They wished to kill Him although He is the Son of God according to nature. Through their deeds and plots they confirmed their acceptance to be adopted children of Satan. The words of the Lord Jesus Christ are the eternal truth which He sees in the bosom of His father, for He is the Word of God. There are two families that will never unite: God with his children and Satan with his children. No one can belong to the two families at the same time. By accepting one you necessarily resist the other even though the resistance may not be apparent. The Lord offers what He hears from the Father as well as what He sees. Because He resides in the Father, He sees Him. What the prophets utter are things they have heard from God or have received through visions. As for the Lord Jesus Christ, He is the Divine Word and the Truth Himself. * Through my words I proclaim the Father in truth. That is how you need to go about your work too. For I have the same essence as the Father, and the same truth as well89. St. John Chrysostom * Yet Abraham was also born among mankind and there were many who came before and after him. Listen to the voice of the Father to his Son:” I conceived you before Lucifer ever was” (Ps 15:3 Vulgate). He has been born who gives light to all, ever before Lucifer existed…Why is Lucifer mentioned. Because when he was enlightened, he shed light. And why did he become darkened? Because he did not abide in the truth (Jn 8:44). * “I speak what I have seen with My Father and you do what you have seen with your father’ [38]. I see the truth and I utter the truth for I am the truth. When the Lord speaks 87 Commentary on John, Book 20:67 etc 88 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 42:1 89 Hom 54. PG 59:318 https://coptic-treasures.com/ the truth which He sees with the Father, He is actually seeing Himself speaking of what He sees with the Father: For He is the Word, and the Word was with God (Jn 1:1). The evil which these people were doing, and which the Lord condemned and resented, where had they seen it? They saw it with their father … here, the Lord is speaking of another father which they had. This was a father who had neither conceived nor created them to become mankind. Yet they were his children on account of their wickedness and not on account of their humanity. They were his children because they followed and imitated him and not because they had been created by him90. St. Augustine They answered and said to Him: “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them: “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham” [39] The son bears the nature of the father and naturally imitates him. Therefore it would have been appropriate for them to bear Abraham’s faith, obedience, and righteousness if they were truly his children. They would not have sought to kill the One who speaks the truth- this is something Abraham would never have done. In this manner they deprived themselves of belonging to his spiritual lineage. * The Lord here deals with their intention to kill. He mentions Abraham as He desires to draw them away from their preoccupation with being descendants of Abraham; and to tear away their haughtiness. He desires to motivate them to be more concerned with the hope of salvation. They can find salvation neither in Abraham nor in their natural bond with him; but rather in possessing his (righteous) will. This was the whole reason for their inability to come to the Lord: they thought that being Abraham’s descendants was enough to secure their salvation91. St. John Chrysostom * They answered and said to him: “Abraham is our father”[39]. It is as though they were saying: “what are you saying against Abraham? Or “If you dare, find fault with Abraham.” It is not that the Lord is unable to dare and to find fault in Abraham; but rather that Abraham was not the person that the Lord would wand to find fault with, for he would praise him. However, these scribes and Pharisees desired to defy Him so that He would speak wickedly of Abraham. This would give them the chance to fulfill their intention92. St. Augustine “But now you seek to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this”[40]. * Those seeking to kill him, seek to kill a human being. Yet even though they have killed him; the God (the Divinity)cannot be killed. They wanted to kill Him and yet could not. So they conspired against Him as they would against a human being. They could not comprehend that the One they were conspiring against is God. No one would want to continue conspiring against Him once he is convinced that the One he is targeting is God93. * They would probably kill the body of the Word, but it is clear that they could go no further after that. Therefore we should not fear those who kill the body but are are unable to do 90 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 42:2 91 Homilies on St. John 54:2 92 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 42:3 93 Commentary on John, Book 20:82-82 https://coptic-treasures.com/ further harm. We should not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul which is consecrated to the Word94. * May these words be applicable to all those who have come after the Lord, as well as to those who went before Him: “ It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…” (Gal 2:20). We also need to focus on the Lord’s words: “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Matt 22:32). This probably indicates that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are alive because they too have been buried but are risen with the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor 2:12; Rom 6:4). However, this did not happen, by any means, at the time when Christ was physically buried, or at the time He arose in the body. Yet, this is only our own observation and comment on the words: “Abraham did not do this” [41]95. Origen * ‘Abraham was not a murderer. I say this for I am the God of Abraham and when I say this I am saying the truth…I know that you are Abraham’s descendants.’ The Lord did not deny their lineage but He condemned their deeds96. * We come from other nations, yet if we emulate Him, we will become Abraham’s children. Listen to the apostle’s words: “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made.” He does not say ‘And to his seeds’ as though speaking of many; but as of One: “…and to your Seed, who is Christ…and if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal 3:16,29). We have become Abraham’s descendants; and God has made us heirs with him. He has stripped the inheritance away from the earlier heirs, and He has adopted those who have come after them. The Lord has cut off the natural branches that have become dry on the olive tree. This tree had its origins in the patriarch, and the humble and wild olive tree has been grafted into it (Rom 11:17)97. St. Augustine *St. Augustine comments on the Lord’s words and says: St. John the Baptist attacked the haughtiness of the Jews who had come to him. They boasted that they were descendants of Abraham, yet they did not follow his example. He clearly states that “God is able to raise children to Abraham out of these stones” (Matt 3:7-9). [If you do not bear fruit, which indicates repentance, then do not boast of such lineage. God can condemn you without denying there are children of Abraham: they are those who imitate him in his faith and are therefore his children. “God is able to raise up children to Abraham out of these stones”- we are such children. Through our fathers we had become stones as we had taken stones to be our god and had worshipped them. From these stones, God has created a family for Abraham98]. “You do the deeds of your father.” Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication, we have one Father- God” [41]. The Lord revealed a truth hidden from them: by their actual deeds they had become adopted children of Satan who is a murderer. Ever since the beginning, he did not abide in the truth [44]. The Jews may have intended, by these words, to indicate that they were not descendants of Ishmael who was the son of the servant; whereas they came from the lineage of Isaac the son of Sarah, the free woman. Besides, they claimed they did not descend from Moab or Edom who 94 Commentary on John, Book 20:81-82 95 Commentary on John, Book 20:93 96 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 42:3 97St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 42:5 98 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 42:5 https://coptic-treasures.com/ were born out of a sinful relationship between Noah and his two daughters. * The matter does not end with the reference to the branch and the stone; but with the indication that mankind has sinned even more through their choice of Satan to be their father, while he is the destroyer of souls. That is why the Lord reprimanded them saying: “You do the deeds of your father”, pointing to Satan who has become the father of mankind through deceit and not by nature. Just as Paul became the father of the Corinthians through his good teachings, so has Satan become called the father of those who willingly consent to obey him (Ps 50:18)99.. St. Cyril of Jerusalem * When we sin, we acknowledge that we have not yet stripped away our birth from Satan; even though we have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. That explains why the Lord told the Jews who had believed: “You do the deeds of your father.” The word ‘father’ here refers to Satan; and the Lord uses it again in this sense when He says: “You are of your father the devil” [44]. * These words indicate clearly that a person is not a child of Satan as a fruit of creation. Moreover, we cannot consider that any person is God’s child as he has been created by Him. It is also clear that a person who was previously known as a child of Satan can become a child of God. This is clear in St. Matthew’s Gospel as he reports the Lord’s words: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you and persecute you; that you maybe sons of your Father in heaven” (Matt 5:43-45)100. * Since all who abide in Him do not commit sin, then those who commit sin do not abide in the Son. And since all those who commit sin do not see Him, then he who sees Him does not sin101. * The person who is born of God does not sin. It is true that it is not written that the person born of Satan does not act righteously; but rather that a person who acts wickedly comes from Satan102. * Some claim that there are some creatures who come from God, and that they are in no way born of God. These creatures are definitely of a lower rank in the world in contrast to those considered to be born of God103. * He who is born of God does not commit sin for the Seed of God abides in him. Through the power of this Seed within him, the feature of inability to sin appears in him. At the end of St. John’s Epistle we read these words: “We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him” (1Jn 5:18). * Those who are Abraham’s children do the deeds of Abraham. The first thing he did was to leave his land, his family, and his father’s house; and he departed to the land which God would show him. This is why the Lord reprimanded the Jews and faced them with the fact that they were not Abraham’s children: they had not left their father’s house and they were still loyal to the evil father and doing the deeds of that father104. * When the Lord said that God is His Father (Jn 5:18), He did not indicate a man as His father. Therefore the Jews responded: “We were not born of fornication” as they opposed Him. They also added: “We have one Father- God” [41]. It is as though they were telling Him: ‘We are the ones who have one father-God- whereas you do not since you claim that you were born of 99 Essay 7:13 100 Commentary on John, Book 20:106 101 Commentary on John, Book 20:109 102 Commentary on John, Book 20:114 103 Commentary on John, Book 20: 118 104 Commentary on John, Book 20:126 https://coptic-treasures.com/ a Virgin, and therefore were born of adultery/fornication. You boast that you were born of a Virgin by claiming that God alone is Your Father. We are the ones who know God as our Father yet we do not deny that we have a human father too’105. Origen * The Jews realized that the Lord was not talking about their physical lineage from Abraham. They knew He was referring to their deeds, and they were aware of the significance of His words. Wickedness entails deviation from God and it consequently leads to spiritual fornication. They therefore stopped talking about their lineage since they had failed to follow Abraham’s example. That is why they said: “We were not born of fornication, we have one Father- God” [41]. * ‘You claim that God is your Father, therefore consider Me as your brother at least.’ At the same time, the Lord repeats words He has often said to offer a motive to those who have an alert heart: “I proceeded forth and came from God, nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me”…The Lord Jesus Christ came from God and is equal to Him, the only Son, and the Word of the Father. He came to us for the Word became incarnate in order to dwell among us. His coming indicated His human form as well as His divinity. He enables us to progress through that Divinity which is in the flesh. Had He not become incarnate in order to enable us to progress, we would never have received Him who is the eternal One106. * The Lord says: ‘Why do you not understand My words? Because you are unable to hear them’…Why are they unable to listen other than because they refuse to walk uprightly by believing in Him? Why was that? Because “You are of your father, the devil.” Until when will you continue to speak about a father? Until when will you continue to change fathers- your father is Abraham at one time, then it is God at another. Listen to the Son and He will tell you whose children you are: “You are of your father the devil”107. * Why are you his children? Due to your lusts and not because you were born of the devil. What are his lusts? “He was a murderer from the beginning.” This statement clarifies the rest of the Lord’s words: “…the desires of your father you want to do….You want to kill Me because I am the One who informs you of the truth.” The devil has evil intentions towards man and seeks to kill him. Because of his wicked plans, he took the form of a snake and enticed the woman, and through her he injected his poison into mankind. Both Adam and Eve died because they listened to the devil (Gen 3:1). Had they not listened to him, they would both have listened to God; for it was imperative for man to obey the Creator and not the Deceiver… Satan is called the ‘murderer’ not in the sense of someone armed with a sword and cloaked in an armor. Rather, in the sense of someone who approached man and sowed his wicked suggestions and killed him. Therefore do not imagine that you are not a murderer too when you invite your brother to wickedness, By coaxing him to behave wickedly, you are actually killing him. So that you may know what you are doing, listen to the words of the Psalmist: ‘…the sons of men….whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword’ (Ps 57:4). Indeed, you fulfill the desires of your father for you are unable to walk according to the Spirit; and therefore are driven wildly towards the flesh. 105 Commentary on John, Book 20:130 106 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of John, tractate 42:8 107 St. Augustine: on the Gospel of St. John, tractate 49:9 https://coptic-treasures.com/ “He was a murderer from the beginning”: at least ever since the beginning of human life. Ever since then the possibility of killing people holds true. Only since man was created did it become possible to kill man; since before that time man had not been created as yet…. How did he get to be a murderer? Because ‘he does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.’[44]. So he knew the truth but he stumbled because he did not abide in it. And why did he not abide in the truth? Because the truth is not in him in the same manner that it is found in the Lord Jesus Christ. For in the Lord the truth abides in a manner that makes Him the Truth itself. Had Satan abided in the truth, he would have abided in the Lord Jesus Christ. But he did not because there is no truth in him108. St. Augustine Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me” [42]. They believed they were God’s children, and had not committed the crime of fornication. Although they did not worship idols, yet, by rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ and resisting Him, they testified to the opposite of that. They attempted to defend their status as God’s children, yet they had to admit that the Jewish nation, as a mother, had lost her union with God. On account of sin, they had become divorced: Thus says the Lord: “Where is the certificate of your mother’s divorce whom I have put away…For your iniquities you have sold yourselves, and for your transgressions your mother has been put away” (Is 50:1). What had been told to their fathers at the time of Isaiah is being told them again here on account of their bondage to sin. The meaning of the Lord’s words: “…for I proceeded forth and came from God…”could be interpreted in two ways due to the place of the joining word used in the Greek text: this joining word could convey ‘estrangement’ or ‘accompaniment’ in respect of the other being; or proceeding from inside while remaining with the Essence. In the correct Greek writings, however, the meaning is: the Word came without essentially being separated from the Father who is the Essence. Therefore the coming of the Lord into our world did not isolate Him from that same and one divine Essence. * From every aspect, it is evident that the Lord Jesus Christ does not oppose God. Moreover the reason for their unbelief is not a result of the Lord’s teaching but a result of their estrangement from God. The Lord told them He had not committed any sin and that He came from God. Moreover, He told them that He was sent into the world by God and that He spoke the truth…after all that, they still did not believe in Him. Clearly, they did not believe because they were corporeal109. St. John Chrysostom * The Lord Jesus Christ proceeded from God, and after He left He still continued to abide in Him110. * It is clear that His accusers thought that the Father had a physical home; and that the Son came to this life just by moving from one tangible place to another. They did not understand 108 St. Augustine: on the Gospel of St. John, tractate 42:10-11 109 Hom 54.PG 59:319-320 110 Commentary on John, Book 20:156 https://coptic-treasures.com/ that the change was from one condition into another in the sense that we accept111. Origen * The One who proceeds from the Father and comes from God cannot be charged except with what is worthy of God112. St. Ambrose “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word”[43]. A person who is unable to hear the word of the Lord, may eventually enjoy this ability at some other time. Sometimes the inability to hear is because that person’s hearing has not yet been healed by the Word who says to the deaf: “Be opened” (Mk7:37)113. Their hearts needed to hear the words of the Lord in order to tear away their haughtiness and hypocrisy, and to destroy the corruption within their souls. They needed to hear His words in order to sanctify their will. However, they insisted on not departing from evil. Therefore the words of the Lord were mysterious and meaningless to them. To their ears, it all sounded so impractical. * The inability to listen is not a natural outcome which cannot be healed114. * Lying indicates an opponent to the One saying: “I am the truth” (Jn 14:6). Lies oppose the Lord Jesus Christ. Such an opponent has the devil as his father who is a devil and a liar himself115. Origen “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning And does not stand in the truth, Because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources For he is a liar and the father of it” [44]. Had they not insisted on resisting Him in their conversation with Him, the Lord would not have told them “You are of your father the devil.” He had no desire to hurt anyone’s feelings. However, their insistence on lying, on being rebellious, and on killing the truth made Him face them openly with their real status as children of Satan. He hoped His words would bring them to face their own reality and therefore motivate them to retreat from their wickedness. The words “…you want” in Greek convey continuous insistence in executing what they wanted. This is a feature of the enemy of goodness. The devil insists on his wickedness and obstinately persists in fighting the truth to the end. He pours this feature into all those who accept him as their father. In contrast, we find that the children of God possess the spirit of meekness and obedience. These Jews were not the children of righteousness since they hated the dear Son and sought to kill Him. They are by definition the children of Satan. The world is divided into two teams: one represents the kingdom of God; and the other belongs to the kingdom of Satan. Satan works within the sons of disobedience (Eph 2:2). These are also known as descendants (seeds) of the serpent (Gen 3:15); and the sons of the wicked one (Matt 13:38). They 111 Commentary on John, Book 20:159 112 Of the Holy Spirit, Book 1:16:107 113 Commentary on John, Book 20:164 114 Commentary on John, Book 20:165 115 Commentary on John, Book 20:173 https://coptic-treasures.com/ share with Satan his wicked features, bear his image, obey his laws, and emulate him. This is a very serious accusation and hard for any person to accept. How much harder would it be when it is directed to a people who believed they were the only nation who worshipped God, and who had great pride as they were labeled as ‘God’s people’? That is why the Lord presented a practical proof that His words were true: “…the desires of your father you want to do.” It is as though He was telling them: ‘you give Satan great joy as you respond to his temptations and achieve his goals through you.’ The most important features of Satan are: murderer as he opposes God who is ‘love’, and liar as he resists the truth. Here they were doing just these two things: they were seeking to kill the Son of God as well as rejecting and resisting the truth. Consequently, they became murderers and liars; the children of the father of liars. He is a murder from the beginning for he deceived Eve through the serpent; and deceived Adam through Eve. He destroyed their lives and killed them spiritually and physically. Then death entered into the world and instilled in Cain a murderous spirit. Consequently, he killed his brother Abel. This is consistent with the thought of the Jews themselves for Sohar Kadesh speaks of the wicked who are called ‘the children of the old serpent that killed Adam and his seed.’ “Satan speaks from his own resources…”, in other words, he speaks from the lies within him. That is how he spoke through the serpent and managed to deceive Eve and removed her away from the truth. When a person utters a lie, he is really uttering what belongs to Satan and so becomes Satan’s mouthpiece. * The Lord dismissed them from their lineage to Abraham. But then they dared to boast of a greater claim and said: “…We have one Father- God….” Therefore the Lord hit them hard by telling them that they were born of the devil and not of Abraham [44]. * People use lies not as an object worthy of them but as a foreign tool116. St. John Chrysostom * A good tree cannot produce bad fruit. Neither can a bad tree produce good fruit117. St. Jerome * Not everyone who utters a lie is a father of liars. If you have received an untrue message from a person and repeated that message then you are really uttering a lie. However, you are not the father of that lie since you have received it from someone else. In Satan’s case, he is a liar himself as he gives birth to untrue words and therefore they are words that he has not received from someone. Just as the Father gave birth to Truth as His Son; so has Satan given birth, after his fall, to untruthfulness as his own child….Therefore withdraw yourself from the father of lies; and hurry to the Father of Truth: embrace Him for the Truth will grant you the joy of freedom118. St. Augustine * Satan is the first source of sin and the father of the wicked. This is not our statement; for these are God’s words: “For the devil has sinned from the beginning…” (1Jn3:8; Jn 8:44)…However, he was not forced to sin but, as it were, he had a natural inclination to sin. Otherwise the weakness of sinfulness would have bounced back to his Creator as well. It is of his own free will that Satan became accepting of this name, and brought it upon himself through his own deeds. He was the archangel; but he became known as Satan due to his deceptive ways. He was God’s good servant; but then became rightly called a ‘devil’ which means ‘the 116 Hom 54.PG 59:319 117 Against Jovinianus, 2:18 118 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of st John, tractate 42:13 https://coptic-treasures.com/ opponent.’ This is not our personal teaching, but they are drawn from Ezekial the prophet. He was inspired to cry and mourn over Satan, and said: “You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden (read Ezekial 28:12-17). After a number of verses, Ezekial goes on to say: “You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you.” Ezekial rightly says “…till iniquity was found in you…”, for Satan brought it to himself and so evil did not come upon him from outside. The prophet promptly indicates the cause by saying: “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor…by the multitude of your iniquities …I turned you to ashes upon the earth.” These words agree with the Lord’s words in the Gospel: “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Lk 10:18). Here you see how the Old and the New Testaments agree together! When Satan was exiled, he attracted many to him. He sows lust into the hearts of those who listen to him as he is the source of whoring, adultery, and all kinds of evil. Because of him, our father disobeyed and suffered exile. Paradise with its amazing fruit was transformed into the earth producing thorns119. St. Cyril of Jerusalem * The Lord’s words here refer to all those who lie. Lies on the lips of any liar are the product of what is within him- that is from the lies within him. In addition, the Lord’s words “…he is the father of it” indicate the fact that anyone whose mouth utters lies is a father of the lies which he has uttered120. * It is not contradictory to confirm that the desires of Satan consist of murder, inflicting injustice, and greed. In fact, he sows similar desires in his children. Moreover, it is not unkind to say that his desires are unclean acts that are in stark conflict with purity. It is not hard to believe that Satan’s desires arouse in his children impure matters121. * We know that anyone who wishes to practice Satan’s lusts cannot have God as his father; for he has become Satan’s child. He changes in accordance to the wicked desires that Satan wishes to fulfill. Indeed, that person becomes transformed into the image of the wicked father. He becomes a product of Satan: an earthly person with Satan’s brand; because the first man was a product of the earth (1Cor 15:47-49)122. * If we do the deeds of God and desire to do His will, then we are God’s children. But if we do the deeds of Satan, and are eager to follow his lusts, then we come from Satan our father. On that account, we need to be alert to what we do as well as what we desire. Indeed, the desire to experience Satan’s lusts is enough to brand us as his children123. * Adam and Eve died instantly on the day they ate of the forbidden tree. No one else other than Satan the murderer was responsible for their death. He deceived Eve through the serpent, and Eve gave her husband from the tree and he ate (Gen 3:1-6)124. * He is rightly called a murderer; not because he has killed certain people, but because he has killed the whole human race: “for in Adam all die” (1 Cor 15:22)125. 119 Essay 2:4 120 Commentary on John, Book 20:175 121 Commentary on John, Book 20:177 122 Commentary on John, Book 20:181 123 Commentary on John, Book 20:193-194 124 Commentary on John, Book 20: 221 125 Commentary on John, Book 20:224 https://coptic-treasures.com/ *On the one hand, the murderer killed us. On the other hand, through God’s grace, we have been buried with the Lord Jesus Christ and have risen with Him: “…But just as Christ was raised…even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Rom 6:4)126. * Now the murderer rules over those who are perishing and he governs the dead. However, he cannot rule over anyone who is alive127. * God encouraged Moses to abide in the truth and said to him: “Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock” (Ex 33:21). Therefore the Rock is the Lord Jesus Christ (1Cor 10:4). The Lord also says: “I am the truth” (Jn 14:6). Thus the words “stand on the rock” and “stand on the truth” are synonymous. A person can achieve that only after going through many trials and difficulties128. * If there is someone who has never told a lie and who has remained steadfast in the truth, then he is not a human being: for the Lord speaks to such a one and to all those like him saying: “I said: You are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High” (Ps82:6)…the rest of the verse is not added in this context as it says: “ But you shall die like men” (Ps 82:7). * If some have not remained steadfast in the truth, then clearly Satan the murderer has not remained in the truth since the beginning…and the reason given for that is “because there is no truth in him.” As for why there is no truth in him, it is the fact that he is a deceiver who accepts to lie. Indeed, he has deceived himself through himself. On that account, he is considered the most wicked of all. Others have been deceived through him, whereas he created deception out of himself129. * Someone may say that the statement “there is no truth in him” indicates that the one who arouses wars against the Lord has no share in the fellowship with Him. Another may say that because there is no truth whatsoever in Satan, he is deceived in every way. The reason for that is that he is a devil, wicked, and the most evil among those who commit sin. Among the multitudes of sinners, some may discern some truth in the middle of numerous wrong issues. However, there is no particle of truth in Satan. A third party may agree with the others and claim that there could not be a reasoning being who adheres to an incorrect opinion on every issue; or who always rejects the truth even that related to minor matters. They believe that when Satan thinks he would at least adhere to a correct opinion just as a reasoning being would do. Such ideas are based on the belief that Satan is a human being with a body, etc….130 * We need to understand this statement: “(he) does not stand in the truth…”: this does not indicate a specific kind of nature or that it was impossible for him to abide in the truth131. Origen * Every person who is from God is considered to be our brother. As for the person who refuses to share in doing good of his own free will, then he is considered as one who sows evil. He consequently becomes ‘the father of liars’ (Jn 8:44); for he has prepared to fight all those who have chosen to live in a godly manner132. St. Gregory of Nicea 126 Commentary on John, Book 20226 127 Commentary on John, Book 20:227 128 Commentary on John, Book 20:240 129 Commentary on John, Book 20:242-244 130 Commentary on John, Book 20:248-250 131 Commentary on John, Book 20:252 132 Song of Solomon by St. Gregory, Bishop of Nicea- translated into Arabic by Dr George Nawar, 1993; Sermon 2 https://coptic-treasures.com/ * Every person needs to pay great attention so as not to be disarmed by ‘lies’; for a liar cannot be united with God. A liar is alienated from God. The Holy Bible states that a liar proceeds from the devil who “is a liar and the father of it” (Jn 8:44). That is why Satan has been called the father of liars; whereas the Truth is God. The Lord Himself declares: “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (Jn 14:6). Do you not see, therefore, how we could be estranged from God on account of lying; and with whom we become united (through lies)?! Since this is so, we need to love truth with all our strength and zeal. This will enable us to fulfill our real desire to be saved. We also need to guard ourselves against all lies so that they do not separate us from the truth and life133. Fr Dorotheous “But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me” [45] When the Truth came to them, they did not listen. These verses inform us that “Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands afar off; for the truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. So truth fails…” (Is 59:14-15). The Bible also tells us that “There are those who rebel against the light; they do not know its ways nor abide in its paths” (Job 24:13). * They seem to have based their belief on what is tangible when the Lord worked miracles. However, they did not believe on account of His deep teachings134. Origen * The speaker here considers himself to be a young child standing before God. He has chosen the Almighty to be his Father and Mother. God is his Father since He is His Creator; and His Mother since He watches over him, educates and feeds him, nurses and teaches him. We have another father and mother…at the time when we had no faith, Satan was our father (Jn 8:44). We also had another mother- Babylon. However, we become acquainted with a Father who is God…and a Mother who is the heavenly Jerusalem- the Holy Church which has a part of it that is still estranged on earth… By staying away from the father and mother- that is away from Satan and Babylon- we are received by God to be His children. He comforts us with things that do not transpire, and blesses us with eternal gifts… The Lord Jesus Christ is our Head, and He is in Heaven. We have not yet risen above the reach of the hands of our enemies; and they are still able to roar wildly and attack us. However, our Head is indeed in heaven, and He tells us “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me” (Acts 9:4). He has also a home within us who live below (on earth). Yet we are with Him above at the same time for “He lifts up My head above my enemies”[6:10. St. Augustine “Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, Why do you not believe Me?” [46] Due to their resistance against the truth, the Jewish leaders examined each word of the Lord Jesus Christ. They did so in order to find fault with Him and not with the desire to get to know Him. He therefore asked them: “Which of you convicts Me of sin?” In this situation, the Lords confronts sin with the Truth; and it is as though truth and righteousness are one and the same; just as sin and lies are one and the same. Truth bears fruit and one of its fruits is 133 Philokalia, Book 1 134 Commentary on John, Book 20:274 https://coptic-treasures.com/ righteousness: in the same manner; lies are exposed by their fruit- that is by sin. The word ‘convicts’ in Greek is a legal term that implies ‘setting up evidence against the accused.’ No one can ever face and oppose the Lord Jesus Christ or witness against Him; whereas the Holy Spirit “convicts the world of sin” (Jn 16:8). He is the One who presents the true evidence of the world’s sins, its judgment, and condemnation. Our Lord is the only One who has no sin (1 Peter 2:22). He was tempted in every way, just as we are, yet He was without sin (Heb.4:15). Therefore He could address these words to all who knew Him. In that light, you can understand that these words are directed to all mankind, and not only to those who heard them on that day: “Which of you convicts Me of sin?” These words need to be interpreted as meaning: ‘Who, out of all mankind ….?’ Or ‘What kind of person can accuse Me of sin?’ Surely, no one can do that135. * All things considered, the Lord Jesus Christ can say these words to all mankind as well as to Satan and all the armies subject to him. However, they cannot utter any accusation that He has sinned. This statement is in harmony with the Lord’s words: “…the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me” (refer to Jn 14:30)136. * We too would be able to regain our confidence, after a while and great struggling, and be able to say the same words as the Lord’s. Even as we depart of this world, we would be able to face Satan and his fallen angels who seek the chance to attack us and say: “Which of you convicts Me of sin?”137 Origin the Scholar “He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God” [47] Here the Lord brings another accusation against them: they are not of God for they do not hear Him. Samuel heard the word of God whereas Eli could not hear His voice. The Jewish leaders had become like Eli and could not hear God’s voice. Neither were they able to respond to Him for they were not of God. * Paul, by natural lineage, was a child of wrath (Eph.2:3) before accepting the power to change and become God’s child (Jn 1:12). Who is better than him who underwent such a change? If the only way to become a child of God who is in heaven is to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matt 5:44-45), then evidently no one listens to God’s words just because he has been naturally created by Him. Indeed, a person listens to God because he accepts to become God’s child. Moreover, he accepts that power and uses it adequately to love his enemies and pray for his persecutors. In this manner, he testifies to being a child of the heavenly Father: proceeding from Him, listening and understanding His words as well as digesting the knowledge they convey. Such features belong to God’s children who, on the one hand, have renounced their birth of (Satan) and are no longer slaves (Rom 8:15); and on the other hand have accepted their birth from God through the Spirit of adoption (Rom 15:8). * Often, when we do not hear the words of God- that is when we do not understand them, we need to realize that this is a way that God uses to reprimand us for not being His children: When a person does not hear God’s words it signifies that person’s decision not to be God’s child and therefore not proceeding from Him. This may happen even though that a person might 135 Commentary on John, Book 20:277-278 136 Commentary on John, Book 20: 281 137 Commentary on John, Book 20: 282 https://coptic-treasures.com/ have accepted the power to become God’s child; yet has not changed (Jn 1:12). Such a person can be become the child of the heavenly Father only by loving his enemies and praying for his persecutors (Matt 5:44-45; Lk 6:28)138. Origen * Here too, the Jewish leaders reveal that they are not God’s children by the way they think. This is due to their being corrupt and not due to their nature as human beings. In a sense they are of God yet at the same time they are not. They are of God according to nature; yet they are not of God due to their corruption139. * In the same manner, they are Abraham’s children, yet they are not …they are his children based on their physical origin. However, they are not his children due to the sins of their parents who came after him and were persuaded by Satan. The same analogy can be applied to our Lord and God: they came from God but were not from Him. How did they come from God? Because God created man from whom they came…He is the great Engineer of nature. He is the Creator of the body as well as the spirit. How can they not be of Him? Because they have followed Satan’s ways and chosen to be corrupt themselves. Therefore they have become Satan’s children and no longer come of God140. St. Augustine 6- The Lord is Accused of Blasphemy ‘ Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?”’[48] When the Lord revealed their wickedness and refuted their claim to being Abraham’s children, they attacked Him. They accused Him of blasphemy against God as well as against the nation. They accused Him of being a Samaritan- that is of being an enemy of the Jews, and of being an enemy of God since he had a demon. No title other than ‘Samaritan’ could convey the enmity between a person and the Jewish nation. They had previously called the Lord a ‘Galilean’ to convey that He was a mean person. Calling Him a Samaritan, however, conveyed that he deserved to be brought to justice as an enemy of the Jewish nation. They considered the Lord to be a traitor to the country and to the nation. This is the same accusation the Samaritans charged against the Jews for they said that the Jews were not descendants of Abraham and they sought to damage their image and destroy their claim to being ‘God’s people.’ For many long centuries the Jews had called Christians ‘Samaritans’ to convey their hostility towards them. The second accusation: “You have a demon…” reflects their belief that there existed an alliance between the Lord and Satan based on two factors: His teachings marked Him as a ‘Samaritan who had broken away from their ranks- an inventor and a rebel opposing their laws. Besides, His miracles made them accuse Him of having a demon. In amazing insistence, they affirmed that they were people of learning and knowledge. They claimed that they were convinced, based on their knowledge, that he had a demon. How? God had spoken to Abraham and the prophets; and these had listened to His words and interacted 138 Commentary on John, Book 20: 291-293 139 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 42:15 140 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 42:15 https://coptic-treasures.com/ with Him. They walked His walk and yet they had died. Therefore could the words of Lord Jesus Christ be greater than God’s words? That was their logic and that was the fruit of their knowledge. On this occasion the Jews revealed their ignorance. They could not distinguish between the Lord’s words “see death” and “taste death.” The Lord Jesus Christ tasted death, through the grace of God, for everyone (Heb. 2:9). The words ‘see death’ convey constant failure and subjugation under the power of death while fearing it. A person would be seized with trembling just thinking of death. * It seems that there were some people who secretly commented among themselves about the Savior. They called Him a ‘Samaritan’ to indicate that He was like the Samaritans who interpreted incorrectly the Jewish tradition. The Jews did not deal with the Samaritans (Jn.4:9) as they disagreed with them concerning many teachings141. * It is relevant to wonder how they could dare call the Savior a ‘Samaritan’ while He taught many things concerning the resurrection and judgment. Indeed, this is so different from the beliefs of the Samaritans who denied the concept of life after death and rejected the permanence or immortality of the spirit. They could have intended to insult Him by describing Him as a Samaritan because He was preaching the same teachings as the Samaritans… or because He seemed to comment upon the resurrection and eternal life just because He wanted to win the approval of the Jews and so preached what is generally accepted by them142. * They said that the Lord was possessed by a demon due to His teachings that transcended the limits of man’s comprehension. For example, He claimed that God was His Father (Jn 5:18); that He descended from heaven (Jn 6:32-35); and other numerous matters that are reported throughout the other gospels. * They might have said that He ‘has a demon’ because some of them believed that He was Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons, and therefore could cast out demons (Lk 11:15)143. Origen ‘Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me [49] Origen comments that the Lord Jesus Christ did not respond to the accusation that He was a Samaritan. However, He answered the accusation that He had a demon. Origen explains that the reason for this is that the Lord Himself had given the example of the good Samaritan (Lk10:30-34) which revealed the tenderness the Samaritan demonstrated toward the wounded one who had fallen by the roadside. If Paul could ‘become all things to all men so that (he) might by all means save some’ (1Cor 9:22); then our Lord would do much more. He is the One who seeks to save all mankind. It did not embarrass Him to be a Samaritan to save Samaritans. Note that the meaning of ‘Samaritan’ is ‘guardian’; and the Lord is the Guardian of all souls144! Truly, He is the guardian of those who have recognized that ‘Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in 141 Commentary on John, Book 20:310 142 Commentary on John, Book 20:311-312 143 Commentary on John, Book 20:313-314 144 Commentary on John, Book 20:316 https://coptic-treasures.com/ vain’ (Ps 127 :1). [The following verses describe the Lord as the guardian of all human souls: ‘He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep’ (Ps 121:4); and the Lord is the keeper of the young and the poor (Ps113:7)145]. Origen adds: [At any rate, the Hebrews used to call the guards by the word ‘Somer.’ Their traditions also report that the Samaritans first received that name when the Assyrian king sent them to be guards in the land of Israel after the exile146]. * The Lord rejected one accusation, and disregarded the other. He answered: “I do not have a demon…”; but He did not say “I am not a Samaritan.” Moreover, He did return the curse by a similar one, or the blasphemy by another one. It was appropriate for Him to renounce one accusation and leave the other, and He did so with a certain goal in mind, my friends: because a ‘Samaritan’ indicated ‘a guard’ or ‘keeper’ and He knew He is a guard Himself: ‘He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep’; and .’Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain’ (Ps127 :1). Therefore the Lord is our keeper and He is the One who has created us …that is why He answered that He has no demon, and yet did not say that He was not a Samaritan147. St. Augustine * Listen to the Lord’s response after He was insulted: “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father….” The Lord did not wish to say ‘I am not a Samaritan’ but rather said “I do not have a demon.” He was faced by two accusations: He renounced one and appeared to accept the other by being silent. If He had denied being a Samaritan, He would have denied, at the same time, His being a guardian. He kept silent regarding a matter He knew to be true; but He rejected patiently what they unjustly said about Him. Notice how the Lord did not get angry when He was insulted. Besides, His response did not carry wicked words. If His accusers did not have demons themselves, they would not have been able to say such shameful things against God148. Pope Gregory the Great St. Augustine reveals to us the role of Satan in people’s lives. He says the following: * A prevalent concept in the Bible is that sinners act unreasonably in so many ways only because they have accepted the influence of a bad spirit or the unclean will of a devil. * Moreover, ‘…there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin’ (Eccles 7:20). Therefore there is no one who is constantly free of devils and who never falls as a prey to their influence149. * Is that not a proof that we are subject to Satan: when we shout out, driven by anger and displeasure, or in a state of frenzy, or act like a neighing animal gone wild? As a result of that, we even abuse our wives and treat them lustfully as untamed horses (Jer 5:8). Moreover, do we not disregard the Lord’s words urging us to get liberated from lust? Consider how we become miserable, depressed, and frustrated due to anger and absence of the sublimity worthy of reasonable beings. We forget that not a single sparrow falls into a trap without the permission of God. He rules over all the concerns of mankind and His rulings are just. Is there any explanation for our sufferings other than that Satan has overpowered and corrupted the controlling element within us? Besides, how do you explain our fear of things that are not fearful? What about our exaggerated expressions of joy over unworthy things? All these can be explained only as being devilish responses that fill a person who has been unable to say truthfully: “I do not have a 145 Commentary on John, Book 20:320 146 Commentary on John, Book 20:321 147 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 43:2 148 Hom. 16, Forty Gospel Homilies, 114-115 Pl16:1150 149 Commentary on John, Book 20:326 https://coptic-treasures.com/ demon…”150. * The holy books of the Bible reveal that even those who have been transformed into better beings were unable to say constantly and from the beginning that they ‘do not have a demon.’ Such a statement is true of the Lord Jesus Christ alone and it applies to Him from the very beginning. That is why He alone has honored the Father in a worthy and correct manner151. Origen * “…But I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me…” [49]. These words are intended to convey the following: ‘I do not honor Myself so that you do not think that I am arrogant. I honor the only One; and if you knew Me you would have honored Me just as I honor the Father. I act worthily, while you do not152. St. Augustine * A perfect Father conceived a perfect Son; and delivered all things into His hands. Therefore the Son declares: “All things have been delivered to Me by My Father….” (Matt 11:27). The Father is glorified through the Son who states: “…I honor My Father”; and also “…Just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love…” (Jn15:10)153. St. Cyril of Jerusalem * “…I glorify My Father…”: The Lord has no father other than God who is in heaven.154. * We too fulfill these words when we comprehend and accept the cleansing of the new birth (Titus 3:5). By being washed by the Holy Spirit, we become children of God; and so we do not call anyone on earth our ‘Father’ (Matt 23:9). Indeed, it is in this manner that we become the children of God who is in heaven; and brothers to the One who said: “…I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God…” (Jn 20:17). When the Lord says accurately and with full legal correctness “ …I do not have a demon…”, it becomes evident for all who follow His example that they become empowered and can do all things through Christ who grants strength (Phil 4:13). Each of His children can say as well: ‘I do not have a demon but I honor My Father.’ Nevertheless, who can say ‘I do not have a demon’ but still lives in the graves and among the dead?155 Or who can say: “I honor My Father…” [49] and who considers himself a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ while he honors things other than God, His Word, and the commandments in His Word? How can a person make such a claim while he honors someone else instead of offering honor to Him who is worthy of honor? (Rom 13:17)156. The words “…you dishonor Me…” are relevant to all those who dishonor Him, and not only to those who heard Him on that day. They are relevant throughout all time as they indicate those who dishonor Him by behaving in contradiction to the upright Word of God. These dishonor the Lord, who is Justice, through their unjust deeds. They dishonor the power of God, who is the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior (1Cor 1:24)…by their weak and hideous deeds157. * The words “…you dishonor Me…” point relevantly to anyone who despises wisdom; for Christ is Wisdom as well (1Cor 1:24)158. 150 Commentary on John, Book 20:332-334 151 Commentary on John, Book 20:334 152 St. Augustine, On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 43:3 153 Essay 7:5 154 Commentary on John, Book 20:339 155 Commentary on John, Book 20:340-341 156 Commentary on John, Book 20:342 157 Commentary on John, Book 20:344 158 Commentary on John, Book 20:345 https://coptic-treasures.com/ * Anyone who does wicked deeds dishonors the Lord Jesus Christ, for by his deeds that person dishonors the Light159. * God, who gave us His Son, seeks the glory of the Lord in all those who receive Him. He finds glory and honor in all those who guard themselves and seize the opportunity to practice the virtue that is sowed in them. However, God does not find glory in those who behave without virtue. Indeed, honor cannot be found in persons who have two masters and who not honor the Son. He says to these: “Because of you, My Name is constantly dishonored among nations”160. Origen “…And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges…”(50] “…I do not seek My own glory…”, therefore I turn away from judging you. However, I take it upon Myself to urge you to persevere and advise you to honor God. In this manner you will not only avoid judgment but will earn eternal life as well161. St. John Chrysostom * The Lord says: “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son….” How does He say that, while in this verse He says: “…I do not seek My own glory, there is One who seeks and judges…”? The answer is found in the holy Word, for the Bible tells us that there is judgment and condemnation ‘…he who does not believe is condemned…” (Jn 3:18); and “…for the hour is coming in which all those who are in the graves will hear His Voice and come forth…those who have done good , to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation…” (Jn 5:28-29). Therefore you know how He judges to condemn and to punish. If we always equate judgment with condemnation, then we will hear the words ‘Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause.’ In the first part, the Psalmist is aware of the painful judgment (‘Vindicate me, O God’); …then he makes the distinction in the second part (‘and plead my cause against an ungodly nation’) (Ps 43:1). In the same manner, the Lord says: “I do not seek My own glory, there is One who seeks and judges.” How is there ‘One who seeks and judges’? There is the Father who distinguishes between My glory and your glory. You are glorified in the spirit of this world; whereas I am glorified in a different manner…What distinction does the Lord make here? The glory of the Father’s Son lies in the glory of devoted men. This is clear in the following words: ‘…Your God has annointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions…,’ (Ps 45:7). This means that though the Lord became incarnate yet He cannot be compared with us. We, as human beings, are sinners; whereas He is without sin. We, as human beings, have inherited sin and death from Adam; whereas He received a body that was dead from the holy Virgin Mary but He had no sin162. St. Augustine Some may wonder again: How does the Lord say: “there is One who seeks and judges…”, but then states: “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son…” (Jn 5:22)? Origen explains this as follows: [‘Meditate on these words as an answer to such objections: “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me…” (Jn5:30). Now, since our Savior judges according to what He hears from the Father; and does not seek His own 159 Commentary on John, Book 20:348 160 Commentary on John, Book 20:350 161 Homilies on St. John: 55:1 162 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 43:4,9 https://coptic-treasures.com/ will, but rather seeks to do the will of the Father who sent Him…then judgment proceeds from the Speaker (the Father) to the Listener (the Son) and not vice versa163]. 7- The Messiah, the Giver of Life “Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word, he shall never see death” [51]. Moses received the promise of long life and prosperity for himself as well as for all those who keep the divine commandments. Here the Lord Jesus Christ offers eternal life and victory over death to those who keep His word: death cannot dominate the soul of a true believer. In order to enjoy eternal glory, it is worthwhile for us to accept the divine Word, and apply and abide/ be steadfast in it. That is the meaning of ‘keeping the Word.’ He who lives according to the Word enjoys a new understanding of death. He/she realizes that it is a passing over into another life. Therefore true death has a new significance as it indicates the soul’s deprivation of God’s presence- while God is the source of the soul’s existence and life. This kind of death has no power over a believer. * The Lord speaks, in this passage, not only about faith but also about sanctified living. Earlier in His teachings, the Lord said “…may have everlasting life” (Jn 6:40). Here He says: “shall never see death…” [51]. At the same time, the Lord is giving the Jews a hint that they would not be able to take any action against Him: If all those who keep His word will not die, then how much more truly does this apply to the Lord Himself 164. St. John Chrysostom * In the same manner that there are different kinds of life, so there are different kinds of death. There is a wicked and violent death which is antagonistic to the One who says: “ I am the life …”(Jn 11:25).This kind of death is described in 1 Cor 15:26 which says that: ‘…the last enemy which is destroyed is death.’ We need to think of this death in the light of St. Paul’s words: “…just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned- (‘For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigns from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam’”: Rom. 5:12-14). A few lines farther on, St. Paul adds: “for if by one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of One Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many…” (Rom 5:17)…and therefore he who keeps the words of the only Son, the firstborn over all creation (Col 1:15), will not see death; for it is the nature of the Word to destroy the power of death165. *At the same time, everyone should protect his inner life that is inseparable from him. This life is the very same light that shines upon those who live in darkness. In this manner the darkness will never defeat them (1 Jn 1:4-5)166. * Truly, no one will see death as long as he keeps the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. However, we will see death as soon as we stop observing them167. * You say “ I have a demon…”[48]; whereas I invite you to life. Keep My words so that you do not die. They had heard Him say: “…if anyone keeps My word, he shall never see 163 Commentary on John, Book 20:352-353 164 Homily 55. PG 59:322 165 Commentary on John, Book 20: 363-367 166 Commentary on John, Book 20: 370 167Commentary on John, Book 20:373 https://coptic-treasures.com/ death” [51]. Indeed, the Lord knew of another death and He had come to save us all from it- the second death, the eternal hellish death, the death of condemnation with Satan and his angels. This is the real death, whereas the other death is merely a transition. What is the other death? It consists of abandoning the body, dismantling its heavy burden and putting it away so that it no longer drags a person downwards into hell. The Lord speaks about real death in these words: “If anyone keeps My word he shall never see death”168. St. Augustine ‘Then the Jews said to Him: “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead and the prophets; and You say ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never see death’”?’[52]. * Those present and heard the Lord’s words ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never see death’ thought that He was speaking about physical death; for Abraham and the prophets had died169. Origen * Abraham and the prophets had died. However, their death was not the kind of death that the Lord wished them to understand. These had died, and yet were alive. Whereas those seeking to kill Him were dead; even though they believed they were alive. On another occasion, the Sadducees had questioned the Lord about the resurrection, and He answered: “But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham; the God of Isaac; and the God of Jacob’? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Matt 23:31,32; Lk12:4-5). Therefore if these godly men are alive, then let us struggle to live, so that we might live with them after death170. St. Augustine “Are you greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do you make Yourself out to be?”[53] * When the resistance of the wicked increases, we should not cease from witnessing. Indeed, we should double our efforts to spread the Word. This is the example that the Lord sets before us on this occasion …just as resistance could change a good person into a better one, so do the trespassers get worse when they are gently treated. After the Jewish leaders had heard the Lord’s teachings, they repeated their words “…you have a demon…” [52]. They adhered to eternal death without questioning if what they upheld was death itself. They were preoccupied with physical death; and they were blinded to the implications of the true Word. Besides, in order to honor Abraham and the prophets, they had placed them above the Truth Himself. It becomes evident to us that those who do not know God will honor His servants in an incorrect manner171. Pope Gregory the Great * It would have been adequate if they had said ‘Maybe you are greater than God?’ or ‘Maybe those who are listening to You are greater than Abraham’? However, they did not say so for they believed that the Lord Jesus Christ was of a lower rank than Abraham. Earlier on they had told the Lord “You have a demon” [52]. In contrast, the Samaritan woman did not use that language, and her words were: “Are You greater than our father Jacob?” (Jn 4:12). These Jews were insulting, whereas the Samaritan woman was curious and wanted to learn who He was. 168 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 43:10-11 169 Commentary on John, Book 20:380 170St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 43:13 171 Hom. 16. Forty Gospel Homilies, 116-Pl76:1150 https://coptic-treasures.com/ When she felt confused, she was on her guard as she said: “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet” (Jn 4:19). St. John Chrysostom * Abraham had died, yet he was alive (Matt 22:23): he did not see death, for he saw the Lord Jesus Christ and was glad and rejoiced [56]. We believe that this is the reason why our Savior responded to their words that ‘Abraham is dead’ by saying: “Your father rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad” [56]. He said this to teach them that Abraham is alive172! * He is the God of the Living and not of the dead (Matt 22:23), the God of Isaac and Jacob, besides the God of all the other prophets- for they all kept the word of the Son of God which came to Hosea, Jeremiah, and Isaiah. The Word of God that came to each one of these is the same One who was with God from the beginning: His Son, God the Word173. Origen ‘Jesus answered: “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God” [54] Through the oneness of the Essence, each Entity/Being honors the two others. That is why we read that God is honored by the Son, while God honors the Son at the same time (Jn 7:33). “…of whom you say that He is your God” [54]: while they claim that God is their Father, here they appear as His enemies in their spirits and deeds. Is His honor of no importance? It does not appear important to them. The Lord echoes their response when He says: “…My witness is not true…” (Matt 31:5); for He knew that this was their opinion. However, He adds: “…It is My Father who honors Me…”[54]174. St. John Chrysostom Is there any doubt here that the Son is honored by the Father, and that the Father is honored by the Son? To underline this oneness, the union of the Trinity, the Lord also says in the following verses that He is honored by the Holy Spirit: “He (the Holy Spirit) will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine…” (Jn 16:14). Therefore the Holy Spirit also glorifies the Son of God. Then why does the Lord say: “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing” [54]? Is the honor of the Son of no importance? If we said so, we would be blaspheming, unless we are referring to His body only. The Son here had the body of a human being; and if the honor of the body is compared to the honor of the divine One, then it is without honor175. St. Ambrose * The Lord Jesus Christ was telling the Jews that He is honored by the Father whom they called God- since He honors the Son and the Son honors Him, then may the obstinacy (of Arius and other heretics) be renounced and may they acknowledge this unity and correct their delinquency176. St. Augustine “Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say: ‘I do not know Him’, 172 Commentary on John, Book 20:394-395 173 Commentary on John, Book 20:398 174 Homilies on St. John 55:2 175 On the Holy Spirit, Book 5:8:113 176 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 43:4 https://coptic-treasures.com/ I shall be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word. [55] “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad” [56] Because the Jews boasted that they were Abraham’s descendents, the Lord underlined that Abraham, their father, yearned to see and honor Him. Besides, Abraham foresaw His coming. Since the Lord was before Abraham was, then His teachings were not new: He was there before Moses who is the recipient of the law. When did Abraham see the Lord’s day and so rejoiced? A- St. Paul says that Abraham saw the day of the Lord when he received the promise that the Lord would be his descendant (Gal 3:16). The promise was that the Lord will come to bless all the tribes of the earth (Acts 3:25-26). B- Origen states that Abraham saw the day of the Lord after he had walked for three days. Then he lifted his eyes and saw the place for the burnt offering at a distance (Gen 22:4). He experienced the path of the resurrection on the third day and after a three day walk. Consequently, he enjoyed a new meaning for the offering: the offering of the only begotten Son. C- St. Ambrose believes that Abraham saw the day of the Lord when God swore to bless him and multiply his descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand on the seashore (Gen 22:16). * The One who swore by Himself is the very same One whom Abraham saw177. St. Ambrose * We believe that Pelagius missed the fact that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ was not obscured in the days of our fathers, even though it was declared much later on. In fact, our fathers were saved through the grace of God. In the same manner, all members of the human race can be saved through God’s incomprehensible and mysterious decision. That is the reason why the apostle says: “They had the same spirit of faith….” Consequently, there can be no doubt He is the same One that our fathers believed in- it is written: ‘I believed and therefore I spoke. We also believe and therefore speak…” (refer to 2 Cor 4:13;Ps 115:10). That is why the Intercessor Himself said: “Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad” (Jn 8:56).Similarly, Melchizedek, when he offered the mystery of the Lord’s table, he knew that that this was a forerunner and a symbol of the eternal priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ (Gen 14:18)178. * Abraham was not frightened, but was glad to see the day of the Lord This was because he had the love that casts out all fear (1Jn 4:18).The Lord did not say ‘he rejoiced because he saw’; but said “he rejoiced to see.” This indicates that Abraham believed under all circumstances. He rejoiced because he hoped to see and comprehend: therefore “he saw it and was glad”…if those whose physical eyes were opened rejoiced, how much more is the joy of the person who gains inner sight and sees this indescribable light? How much is the joy of those who perceive the Light of the Word abiding in the Father; the brilliance that dazzles the minds of the pious and which proceeds from the Wisdom that never fails; and God abiding in the Son? At the same time, they see Him coming in the flesh without ever abandoning the Father’s embrace. Abraham saw all that179. 177 Of the Christian Faith, 2:8:72 178 Letters,177 179 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 43:16 https://coptic-treasures.com/ St. Augustine * “My day’ refers to the day of the Crucifixion which Abraham saw in the symbol and offering of the lamb and Isaac180. St. John Chrysostom * It is enough for you to know rightly- as we have said earlier- that God has one only Son who came through a natural birth. Yet the day of His birth did not mark His beginning for He existed before time ever began. Listen to the words of Micah the prophet: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrath, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be the ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2). Therefore do not think of the One who has just come out of Bethlehem (and do not consider Him to be new); but worship Him as He is the One born of the Father before all time… Do you wish to know that the Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal King? Listen to His words: “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad” (Jn 8:56). The Jews found this hard to accept, but the Lord explained that it was not hard as “…before Abraham was, I AM” (Jn 8: 58). He also says: “And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was”; and He also said: “ …for You have loved Me before the foundation of the world” (Jn 17:24). With these words the Lord Jesus Christ revealed that He is eternal181. St. Cyril the Great The prophets were called ‘seers’ (1 Sam 9:9) as they saw what others could not. Abraham saw the day of the Lord and rejoiced (Jn 8: 56). The law is spiritual (Rom 7:14), yet there is a need for a proclamation to help us understand it. This comes when God reveals His face so that we might see Him and His glory… The heavens which were sealed to the rebellious nation were opened to Ezekial182. St. Jerome ‘Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” [57] Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM” [58] * Why did the Lord not say: ‘Before Abraham was, I was’; but rather said: “I AM”? The Lord used these words to indicate the continuity of His Being before and above all time. That is why these words were considered to be blasphemous183. St. John Chrysostom * Evaluate the words and comprehend the mystery: “…before he was (created, was made) I AM.” Note that ‘created’ (was made) refers to the creation of mankind; while ‘I AM’ refers to the Divine Essence. The Lord did not say ‘Before he was, I was’ for He is the One created by no one other than ME who is from the beginning. The Lord did not say ‘Before Abraham was created, I was created’ in order to allow us to distinguish between the Creator and the created184. 180 Hom55.PG 59:323 181 Essay 11:20 182 Letter 53:4 183 Hom 55:PG59:324 184 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 43:17 https://coptic-treasures.com/ St. Augustine * “I AM’ is expressed in the present tense for the Divine has no past or future. He is continuously ‘being.’ Therefore the Lord does not say: ‘I was before Abraham’185. Pope Gregory the Great ‘Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.’[50] The Lord was accused of blasphemy; therefore they considered, according to the law, that He deserved to be stoned (Lev 24:16). It was necessary to take Him outside the temple in order to do so; but He passed through them and they were unable to see Him. The Lord departed silently. In the same manner, the Lord enters the heart silently; or departs silently from those who reject His kingdom. The Lord departed from Samson silently while he was not aware (Judges 16:20). * The Lord appeared to accept stoning; but woe to them whom the Lord has forsaken and escaped from their stony hearts186. St. Augustine * Why did God hide Himself? Our Savior became incarnate and lived among men to teach us through His words and His example. What does He convey through this example other than that we should humbly avoid the anger of the proud. We need to do the same whenever we have to resist opposition. In this context St. Paul tells us: “…do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath…” (Rom 12:19). No one should be angered due to resistance directed against him. Harm should not be the response to harm. It is more honorable to imitate the Lord and escape silently from humiliation, rather than get engaged in responding to it. Haughty persons resent such passive behavior as they believe in their hearts that it is shameful to be silent. They do not understand that you are demonstrating patience; and imagine that by being silent you admit the accusation brought against you. However, this manner of thinking results from our thoughts that are geared to earthly matters. When we seek honor on earth, we are not concerned with pleasing God who sees us from heaven187. Pope Gregory the Great +++ Addendum to Chapter Eight Commentary On the Story of the Adulterous Woman Some scholars consider that the story of the adulterous woman has no place in the Gospel 185 Hom 16.Forty Gospel Homilies, 116-117 186St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate43:18 187 Hom 16, Forty Gospel Homilies https://coptic-treasures.com/ of St. John. In spite of the wonderful spiritual meaning that the story conveys; and its harmony with the thoughts and deeds of the Lord Jesus Christ according to the other holy gospels; they have the following reservations: First: Some of the early fathers did not include the story in their interpretation of the Gospel of St. John; although they referred to it in their other writings. Among those who did not mention it are Origen , St. John Chrysostom, and St. Cyprian. Second; The story that is told in the Greek language contains some words that do not occur in the rest of this gospel, or occur very rarely. Third: The ‘scribes’ were mentioned as well as the Pharisees. However, St. John does not do so in the rest of his gospel. Moreover, he mentions Mount Olives and that the Lord taught while He was sitting, etc…. However, other scholars find that the story is authentic as an event as well as in its place in the gospel. They base their opinion on the following: First: The story has been included in many of the interpretations by fathers of the Western churches such as St. Jerome, St. Augustine, and St. Ambrose. They included it because the Latin version of the Vulgate mentions that the story is told in many of the Greek manuscripts. Second: The story occurs in more than one manuscript, especially in Latin ones. Besides it occurs in the Memphetic, Ethiopian, and Armenian versions. Third: The reservations of some Eastern fathers could be explained as a concern towards those who had been converted. They avoided the subject of the adulterous woman, and they did not interpret it while they worked on the rest of St. John’s Gospel. They feared that the converts would find in her story an unwarranted flexibility toward the sin of adultery. Fourth: The story with all its details occurs in the book ‘Apostolic Constitutions’188. It occurs in the section dealing with the acceptance of penitents into the church; as well as with the response to those who respect the repentance of sinners. Fifth: However, from a theological and spiritual aspect, the story occupies a most meaningful place in the St. John’s Gospel. It comes right after the Lord’s teachings on the last day of the feast. He had invited the thirsty to come and drink of the living water so that rivers of living water would flow out of their hearts (Jn 7: 37 etc…). It also comes just before His teachings about Himself as the Light of the world. In this story, the Lord Jesus Christ exposes the souls of those who have filled themselves with the water of pleasures in this world. These therefore deserve to be stoned. They have become subject to condemnation even by mankind. However, the Lord waters souls with His divine love and transforms them into His brides, making them worthy of fellowship with Him. At the same time, these souls preach repentance and are witnesses for the amazing power of the Mediator! The adulterous woman had spent her life in darkness. She wished to die and be burned rather than be stoned. Yet the divine Light shone upon her and she found the Father’s embrace waiting to receive her! Truly, this woman has become a symbol for all miserable mankind: she became the happiest being in the world when she had met with the Savior of mankind! +++ 188 Apostolic Constitutions: 2:24 https://coptic-treasures.com/ Inspiration Drawn from Chapter Eight May Your Light Shine Upon Me And May My Judgment be Transformed into an Eternal Wedding! * May You shine upon my heart with the light of Your love And may You enter with me into the violent judgment court of the Pharisees Instead of bringing me to judgment, prepare me for the eternal wedding! I no longer fear their stony hearts that throw stones at me For You pour Your sublime love into my depths. There is no lawyer to defend me: You are my Mediator, Savior, and the Liberator of my soul! You hold my hand and bring me into Your Kingdom, O holy One! * The world sought to condemn me, but has condemned itself Grant me the will not to condemn anyone, lest I fail and be condemned by You May I condemn myself, then you will save me by Your Blood, O Savior of the world! You alone can renew my life with Your Holy Spirit You transform adulterers into saints O holy One who has changed the nature of the furnace into coolness for the three youths And the nature of the hungry lions into friends of Daniel the prophet! * You have commanded me not to go back and sin Who can fulfill that without Your grace? It is a divine commandment, indeed, it is a divine promise fulfilled in Me You are the Light of the world: You are My light As I walk in Your light, the darkness of sin cannot creep into my being. * You are the Source of living water that overflows within me You are the Light of the world, changing my inner depths into a shinning lamp! You are the Son of God, granting me the spirit of adoption through Your Holy Spirit You carry me from slavery to the glorious freedom enjoyed by God’s children! *I boasted of my lineage to Abraham, the father of the fathers But I willfully did not follow his example I became a slave to sin, and a child f Satan the deceiver. I became a stone with no spiritual feelings. Now, You have transformed me into a child of Abraham You tear away my slavery to sin and make me a servant to Righteousness You carry me into the fold of the adopted children of God Your Father! Now I truly rejoice at the Lord’s Day with my father Abraham! Glory be to You, O Giver of liberty to all mankind O Source of true joy! When will I see You face to face, and so join all my fathers and become as a bride sanctified to You
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